16. Wake up

Ron and the other 7th grade students had given back their gobstones and had their first final exams. It was different than in Hogwarts. As soon as the finals began lines of fire separated each student from one another. Unable to see the other students everyone was on his own.

After Herbology exam Hermione didn't feel well. She had studied hard and each day to be as good and better as her Salem classmates but she kept thinking of Astoria and Scabior who laid still unconcious in the ambulance floor. It was a round room and Jade sat by Astoria's side holding her young friend's hand. "Hermione will pay for this... What was she thinking? You could have died, Astoria... now wake up, please wake up"

Astoria's eyes remained close while Jade discussed next steps with the nurse. Since Jade had taken care of Astoria she was legally bound to the girl and responsible for every following decision.

Ron and Draco sat with Hermione in Salem's Great Hall. It was build like a court and their headmaster announced news of the situation in town. The muggles were prepared for battle. Everyone was scared and no student was allowed to leave the school to make sure they stayed alive. "Miss Hermione Granger has performed a spell of great knowledge and it's not her fault those muggles are still afraid of what they don't understand. But we are strong. We never left Salem. And we never will"

Every student around them clapped hands to applaude their headmaster. Ron was relieved no one blamed Hermione but he knew she did so herself.

"Let us go and see them" Ron asked Hermione to move but all the young bright witch did was shaking her head. "Jade has forbidden I go and see them. She is in charge of Astoria's life and I can't do anything. If... If only I hadn't cast this spell. It's my fault she almost died... and Scabior... Ron, I could have killed him"

"Miss Granger?"

Ron, Hermione and Draco turned to the nurse who asked them to follow her. Hermione held Ron's hand and didn't want to be alone. She ignored Draco's presence and noticed the nurse was not taking them to Astoria and Scabior. The older woman left them by a door which was soon opened from inside.

"Please come inside, Miss Granger" The herbology teacher Professor Madison asked them to come inside. It wasn't his classroom they were welcomed to. No one of the three Hogwarts students had ever seen or heard of this room. On the walls were the names of all burned Salem witches and beneath every golden signature was a gobstone which had belonged to this witch.

"This is my study room. It's given to every herbology teacher and no one of us is allowed to change it. It's a museum, a library and our future. I register every name of gobstone witches. Witches and wizards who have a strong mind and are not afraid to break the rules of magic. You, Miss Granger, are now one of these witches" Professor Madison showed Hermione a book in which her names was written beneath Jade's.

"Jade is a gobstone witch?"

"Yes, of course she is. While she was a student here it was very popular to cheat and use the gobstones to manipulate others. Two offsprings of gobstone witches felt it was their duty to become as legendary as their mothers but it was Jade who earned herself this title. See... I know in Hogwarts you learn to be honest and wise but... it doesn't prepare you for the world. See how muggles fear us! In Salem we have to prepare our young students and that's why we are different from other schools. We want our students to explore themselves. Their power, their fears and make their own rules" Professor Madison lifted a cloak from her desk and showed the three of them a bowl filled with gray gobstones and a smaller bowl with red stones. In the middle laid one golden stone on the desk and Hermione had seen it before. "You must know a lot about gobstones"

"Of course, Miss Granger. See, these gray stones are soulfree gobstones. After every year I free them of the souls of our students who leave us. These stones will be given to our new first class students next summer" Professor Madison pointed first at the bowl with gray stones and next he turned to the red stones. "These are earned gobstones. Each year the best 7th grade student of each subject is honored with a red stone and has access to use gobstone magic in their life. But only gobstone witches leave the school with a golden stone"

"But Jade has seven" Draco pressed his lips together and felt stupid for opening his mouth.

"Yes, Jade has seven. A gobstone witch can turn every usual gobstone to a golden stone which has a soul inside" Professor Madison put the cloak back on his desk and moved the three students back to the door when Hermione stopped him. "How did Jade become a gobstone witch?"

"It was very impressive. She put a spell on all students of her grade. Everyone had to follow her and the spell you performed she did twice but never on an adult and not on a soul that was already taken. This... this is the reason why Miss Greengrass and her friend have little chance to survive" Professor Madison looked upset and Ron started asking questions. "Why? What went wrong with the spell? Is there nothing you can do?"

"Miss Granger used a stone that had a soul inside. Now Miss Greengrass and her friend's soul are both trapped in one stone. The souls are both fighting inside the stone and only one can survive but... this didn't happen often before. I try to find a way but... their time is running out... Miss Granger you will have the gobstone with the soul that survived when you leave Salem in two months. I can't do more for you"

Jade sat by Astoria's side again and stroke her blonde hair from her cheek. "You have to wake up. I never had a friend... wake up, Astoria..."

"Controlling her mind doesn't make her your friend" Hermione, Ron and Draco had run to the ambulance floor after they talked to Professor Madison. Hermione held her wand when Jade pointed her own at her. "You wanted to kill her!"

"NO! We... She wanted to know the truth! She wanted to know if you control her!" Hermione screamed at Jade who lowered her wand. "Why are you here? I said I don't allow it..."

"I feel guilty... I want to help them" Hermione stepped closer and begged Jade to listen to her. The older girl sighed and listen to everything Hermione said. She spoke of everything Professor Madison had told her when Jade looked suddenly back at her. "There is something we could do..."

"What?" Draco and Ron stepped closer too when they noticed a young girl behind the curtains. Kendra didn't want to spy on them and looked scared. "Please... help her..."

"The Grimoire" - "The what?" Hermione watched Jade who nodded to Kendra before she said something Hermione had never heard of. The Grimoire was the book of witches. Every Salem witch of the famous trial had one of these books. The legend said all books were burned but one was rescued. "The muggles keep it somewhere in case the witches come back... It must be somewhere in the city in a house that is old and never changed since the trials. It's not in the school and hundred years ago the church was searched for it but they found nothing... but if we find the Grimoire there must be a spell. The Salem witches used gobstone magic. They knew everything about it... they were the founders of this school"

"How old is the city hall? Muggles keep important documents close to authority and keep it a secret to the rest" Hermione's life with muggles was very useful to Jade. She nodded and decided to go. Hermione wanted to join her while Kendra stayed with Astoria. Ron and Draco were separated and while Draco stayed with Kendra Ron left with Hermione and Jade and broke the rule.

Author's note: to the guest who commented on misspelling Rita's last name: I'm very sorry about the mistake. Since I only read the books in German I sometimes misspell original names.

+ to JeanAndBilius: Thank you for your comments!