13. Months apart

The book was released in April. Jade made a lot of money with it and no one could take her place as head journalist of the American Daily Prophet. Working close and in daily correspondation with the Daily Prophet in London Jade was highly respected and at the same time hated for her articles.

Truth was indeed might and no one wanted to be the subject of her next article which Astoria read every day. She studied very hard and was accepted by other students of her age while Ron, Draco and Hermione were mostly on their own and had not made any new friends.

Astoria had stopped paying attention to them even she could still feel Draco's eyes on her. "Why is she doing such a great job here and I'm afraid of the final exams next month?"

"Maybe Jade prepared her..." Ron had a terrible headache trying to focus on the book he was reading. Draco sat next to him while they waited for Hermione to bring even more books. Their friend wanted to read every book in the library to be the best of their upcoming finals.

"You need a rest... we could go to town and you clear your head" Draco touched Ron's shoulder and saw him shaking his head. "We never learned these things and I will fail"

"You are smart, you won't fail. Come, Ron, just for an hour..." Draco smiled friendly and made Ron sighed. They left the reading hall and went to the front gate. Their names were signed and both had to give their gobstone to the gate keeper. It felt like breathing was much easier as soon as they stepped outside and walked away from the witch house.

To the muggles the school of magic was an old black house they used as a museum to remember the witch trials. On Halloween the town had been crowded but only wizards knew how to enter the secret entrance. It needed a gobstone to reveal the magical door to the invisible school on the large backyard and underneath the town.

"Finally we see the light again. The school days are so dark. In Hogwarts I slept in a dungeon and here we study in dungeons. We go mad inside" Draco took a deep breath while Ron nodded. "It's only three months and we are free again. Will you go and see your mother?"

"Look, what have we here?"

A muggle and his friends were coming closer and pushed Draco into Ron's arms. "Coming from the witch house... hey cocksuckers, what were you doing in there? Hail Satan?"

Neither of them wanted to get in trouble and Ron held Draco's hand while they walked away.

Astoria had was the only student in her class with only two gobstones. One for her first year in Salem and one she had from Jade. The Salem kids didn't trust the Hogwarts students who usually only had one stone but with Astoria they were different. Jade's gobstone was a sign to Astoria's classmates she had knowledge of the school and someone who vouched for her.

No one ever tried to offend Astoria instead some girls had become close to her. Kendra was her best friend at Salem school and was as fascinated by Jade's gobstone as Astoria was herself. "So, I talked to our headgirl and guess what. Gobstone magic is not only the best magic in the world it's so powerful it's forbidden on every other school. I know you can control others by using their stones and I heard the heardgirl saying some girls from the sixth class wanted to control you by your pretty gobstone but... they didn't because you are already controlled and they don't want to mess with Jade the journalist"

"Jade doesn't control me"

"Yes, Astoria, the color says it. She controls not only your mind... she controls your heart and soul" Kendra grinned pointing at the golden stone. "Tell me what did you dream about last night?"

The last part of their walk they ran once they were out of sight. The muggles didn't follow them and Ron and Draco went to a cafe to drink something. Muggle money was sold by a magic spell they performed with their wands.

After awhile Draco cleared his throat and thanked Ron. "In Hogwarts I never thought you have to get me out of trouble and during the last year you have done this very often... Thank you, Ron. Without you I..."

"Don't worry. The last year changed all of us like you changed and I changed..."

"Yes... I changed a lot... and... what I think and believe... changed too..." Draco didn't look at Ron who started laughing. "And you are always nervous. The great Draco Malfoy is struggling with words since we appeared in your garden" Ron almost dropped his cup when Draco stood up and walked away. Ron quickly followed him and tried to apologize. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you"

"You don't understand!"

"Whoa, calm down. You don't have to scream. What is wrong?" Ron was confused even more when Draco held his hand again and came closer. His lips kissed Ron's and both boys started blushing.

"Do you understand now?"

"You think she... no, I don't believe this" Astoria grabbed Jade's golden present and didn't want to believe their friendship was only Jade's control of Astoria's soul. "She saved my life. She told me I took a piece of her soul with me instead of this stone because I can't seperate them and... that's how she found me and her soul piece protected me. She doesn't need to control me"

"You believe her more than me? But we are friends, Astoria"

"I believe Jade more than anyone" Astoria grabbed her wand with her other hand and pointed it at Kendra who nodded quickly but looked worried. "I see... she has a great might over you. You know the Salem witches who were burned in this town believed they get away with everything... they played with the souls they trapped in gobstones and... they even killed them"

"Jade is not like that!"

"Yes... I do"

Jade didn't have to hear the words. Scabiors report was detailled to the last bit and had caught her attention. So, Astoria's former husband-to-be had found himself someone new. His choice was not one Jade had expected since Draco came from a noble family and choosing Ron didn't get him back anything he lost.

Draco was obviously helpless and choosing Ron was a weak decision but one that might be useful to Jade. "Did anyone else saw them?"

"I didn't see anyone. Will you ask your girl on more information?" Scabior set on the couch and rushed over the pages of today's Daily Prophet. He stopped when he read Jade's article about the woman he had found for her ealier this year. "Petunia Dursley is dead?"