Sorry this chapter is short, but with school and my job I'm finding it harder and harder to find time to write. And I knew I would have some angry people on my hands if I didn't get something up soon. So here's chapter nine.
The bell for lunch rang, just as Harry entered the Great Hall. He sat down and saved two seats for Ron and Hermione.
Within minutes, the Great Hall was full and Harry was bombarded with questions from the other Gryffindors asking if Jessica was alright.
"Madam Pomfrey said Jessica is going to be just fine." Harry told them all, "She was just tired out, didn't get much sleep last night I guess." That answer seemed to satisfy them and they all started eating.
"What really happened?" Hermione whispered, casting a nervous glance up and down the table.
"Madam Pomfrey said the vision she had of Ron had drained her of all her energy. That vision nearly killed her." Harry whispered back, Ron looked at the floor guiltily, "Don't blame yourself Ron; you didn't know that would happen. Jessica and I didn't even know. But I'm thinking it's one of the powers that Greg isn't allowed to tell us about. She'll be up and about in no time." He added when Ron looked at his plate worriedly. "Did you tell Hermione what the vision was?"
"Yeah," Ron answered with a frown, "Do you think it will come true, I mean, what she saw would happen to me?"
Hermione thought for a second, "Maybe, but premonitions like that are usually seen to change what happened. You said she never saw what happened after you bumped in Aragog?" when Ron and Harry nodded she continued, "I've read about premonitions in some books, with an undetermined outcome like that, it usually means that the vision can be changed. What happens after you run into Aragog hasn't been decided yet, so you can change it if it does happen."
Harry nodded, that made sense to him, but one look at Ron told him he wasn't convinced. "Don't worry about it Ron, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now all we have to worry about is Snape and double potions with the Slytherins next."
Sure enough as soon as Harry stepped through the door to Snape's dungeon, the Slytherins howled with laughter at the sight of his blue hair. The mocking continued for several minutes before Snape swept into the room, cloak billowing out behind him. He strode to the front of the class and spun around on his heel, a twisted smile on his lips.
He ran his eyes over all the students coming to a stop on Harry, he surveyed Harry with the slightest hint of shock in his eyes. "Well, well, Potter. What on earth happened to your hair? It looks like a tree troll sneezed in it." He smiled cruelly while the Slytherins roared with laughter, the Gryffindors just glared.
Jessica mumbled something to Harry, Ron and Hermione and the three tried and failed to stifle their laughter.
Snape narrowed his dangerous black eyes and stared at Jessica, "And you must be Jessica Lock, the new student. Well, Lock, would you like to share what you just said with the class, hmm?"
Jessica sat back in her chair and glared at Snape defiantly, she seemed to study him closely for a few seconds before plastering a small smile on her lips. "No sir, I wouldn't sir."
Startled Harry shot Jessica a questioning look, which she ignored. Harry was sure Jessica would have told Snape exactly what she had said, what had stopped her?
Snape smiled cruelly, feeling he had got the better of her then began his lesson on a growth potion.
The rest of the double period went fairly uneventful, besides Shape's criticism, and the Slytherin comments Harry was pretty pleased with the class, but when the bell rang singling their dismissal he didn't linger. He packed his bag and was out of their quickly.
"What was that about?" Harry asked Jessica as she joined Hermione, Ron and himself at the dinner table twenty minutes later. He lowered his voice, "If that had been Greg you wouldn't have backed down."
She shrugged and helped herself to some steak and kidney pie, "The difference between the two is I know I can trust Greg, but I know nothing about Snape. So I figure I get on his good side follow him a little and find out what I can." She fixed Harry with her intense gaze, "There's something untrustworthy about that Snape character, and I'm going to find out what it is. 'Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.'" She quoted with not so much as a grin.
Even Harry couldn't argue with logic like that, he actually thought that was pretty smart of Jessica. To find out why people didn't always trust him she would get close to him, learn his routines, how much he eats and how often, etc. It was an angle that Harry had never thought of, but he was glad Jessica was doing it and not him, he didn't think he would be able to stand being even a little nice to Snape.
Hermione was looking at Jessica with a kind of renewed respect, "Precisely what I have been telling the boys for years." She said ignoring the glares Harry and Ron shot at her, "But they always insist on making life more difficult for others and themselves."
Ron rolled his eyes and decided to change the subject, "So, Harry, the Gryffindor Quidditch team needs a new keeper now that Wood had gone, eh?"
Harry nodded, now that their old Keeper and captain Oliver Wood was finished Hogwarts they needed to hold tryouts for another Keeper. "Yeah, you interested Ron?"
Before Ron could answer Jessica asked, "When are the tryouts?"
Harry, startled, turned to his fellow Mystic Knight, "You want to try out?"
She nodded, "I've always liked Quidditch, never played before but how hard can playing Keeper be, right? I mean all I'd have to do is stop the quaffle from going into the goalposts." She shrugged, took a forkful of pie and stuffed it in her mouth, "So what do you think, would I have a chance?"
"Are you kidding of course you will! I'll teach you everything you need to know about the opposite teams, and of course, I'll introduce you to the Gryffindor team." Harry said with a laugh.
Ron looked miserably at his plate, "They're acting like she already got the position." He mumbled to Hermione, moving his pie around his plate.
Hermione patted his shoulder sympathetically, "Don't worry about it Ron, just try out and do your best, you'll be surprised about what you can accomplish. You might even get the Keeper position." When Ron threw her a dirty look, she raised her hands defensively, "Alright, alright, you will get the Keeper position."
That night in the common room Harry, Ron and Hermione were seated in three armchairs around the fireplace doing their homework when Neville Longbottom burst into the common room and dashed over to them.
"What is it, Neville?" Hermione asked startled when he stopped suddenly in front of them.
He was breathing hard and his face was sweaty, "I-I was on my way back here when, I r-ran into a huge monster. I-I don't know what it was but I-it tried to kill me. B-but then that new girl, Jessica, came along and s-she saved my life. But t-then it turned on her and...and," he trembled as if cold.
"And what?" Harry snapped jumping to his feet, and taking Neville by the shoulders,
"And what, Neville?" But at that point, Neville didn't need to answer, a sharp pain rippled through his abdomen. He cried out and clutched his stomach, "Oh no," he whispered before shoving Neville aside and sprinting to the exit. He pushed aside the Fat Lady's portrait and raced down the hall, vaguely aware of Hermione and Ron's cries for him to stop.
Well, what do you think? Any suggestions? Should I continue the story? Please review, after all you guy's keep the story alive!