On the Friday afternoon of the Hogsmeade weekend, Sapphy sat alone in the Ravenclaw common-room, listening to the sounds of heavy rain pelting the roof of the tower and, from far off, a rumbling of thunder. She had a well needed free period to catch up on her Charms homework while the others were in a double lesson of Arithmancy. There were only a few other solitary students dotted here and there and the common-room was pleasingly quiet. She took a moment to look up from Achievements in Charming to glance out of the nearest window at a moody sky full of bruise coloured clouds - she loved storms.

The peace was broken as the door opened and two voices could be heard talking softly as they wandered near to where she was sitting. Familiar voices, she soon realised.

"I'm surprised that you have the time to tutor me" said Artimus as he sat down in a near-by chair. "It must be tricky, with your Head Boy duties and N.E.W.T.'s and no more time turners. It really is a terrible pity that they all got smashed to smithereens. I had planned to use mine to give myself terrible frights this year, once I had passed my Apparition test." He sounded uncharacteristically morose. "It's good for the heart to be frightened regularly, you know."

"Yes, well… er," came the sound of Perry's voice, sounding oddly strangled. "I need the tutoring experience." He cleared his throat nervously. "I - I want to teach. When I leave school."

This was news to Sapphy - who still hadn't been spotted. She knew she was eavesdropping and that she should announce herself, but overhearing this conversation - between her tortuously shy brother and the wonderfully eccentric Artimus - was too good an opportunity to miss. So instead, she sunk lower in her seat and listened intently.

"Really? Which subject?" said Artimus, and Sapphy could hear him noisily opening a packet of something. "Cockroach cluster?"

"Oh, no… thank you." Perry sounded like he was about to be sick and Sapphy suppressed a giggle with difficulty. "Astronomy, actually." Her brother sounded very nervous, but this wasn't surprising. Social situations were an enormous effort for him.

"Ah, the stars," said Artimus through a mouthful of cockroach cluster. "'The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.' A quote by some-one or other. A muggle fellow... frightfully good writer, actually."

This time, Sapphy could hear Perry suppressing a laugh himself. "Yes, I like him too," he said. He sounded wistful. "Well, I suppose we'd better… shall we look at your alchemy homework?"

"Oh yes," said Artimus and there was a rustling noise as he produced some parchment. A slight pause followed.

"Well this looks… this is all finished," Perry said, sounding impressed.

"Yes," Artimus agreed. "I imagine it's probably correct, too." There was a longer pause as Perry read the essay.

"

It certainly looks that way," he decided finally. "So, are you- are you looking forward to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" Sapphy felt a momentary swell of pride for her brother for making such an effort.

"Oh no, I'm actually going to stay in the castle," said Artimus. "I bought some very potent Peyote from Luna Lovegood last week and it's really best to take it when people are out of the way." He chuckled. "Though the first and second years may get a bit of a shock."

Sapphy cringed. She was sure hallucinogenic drug-taking was probably against Hogwarts rules and she wondered how the Head Boy was going to react to this admission.

"Oh- well, that sounds like... fun," he said weakly.

"Yes, it rather is. Would you like to join us?" asked Artimus politely.

"Maybe next time," Perry said, and Sapphy had to bite down on her fist to stifle her laughter now.

"Yes, over Halloween perhaps. There are some wonderful mushrooms that grow in the forest, we pick them every year."

"Right," said Perry. "Incidentally, Artimus… are there other, er, substances like that being sold in the school?"

"Well, yes. What are you looking for?" Artimus asked, all innocence. "The Hufflepuffs make excellent good use of their Herbology skills, they grow very nice stuff indeed. And I'd ask the Gryffindors if you're looking for amphetamines - though since the Weasley twins left it's not as easy to come by. The Slytherins are coke-heads, obviously," said Artimus.

"Obviously," Perry echoed faintly.

"And you probably know Duncan Inglebee sells LSD, he's in your year isn't he?"

The sudden knowledge that his own dormitory was stashed full of acid seemed to be the final straw for poor Perry.

"Right," she heard him say eventually in a choked voice. "Well… ha- have a good weekend Artimus," he said and Sapphy heard him break into a half run as he made his way out of the dormitory.

Sapphy was now considering the difficult spot she had put herself in, both metaphorically and physically speaking. She couldn't move without revealing herself to be a spy on their conversation, and she was now feeling very cramped.

"Quite a sweet boy your brother, Sapphy," Artimus said off-handedly, as though her crouched position in the chair behind his was the most natural thing in the world.

"Er...yes," she said with shock. "Yes, he is actually." Her cheeks were burning.

"A family trait, no doubt," Artimus said easily, with a smile.

She smiled back with relief and, looking remarkably like her brother, she too took off from the common-room.

Sapphy awoke with a jolt in the very early hours of the next morning. A crack of lightning illuminated the dormitory for a second before everything was dark again and she lay back down, her heart and mind racing. She had had a nightmare; lightning striking a tower, a flash of green light and she was falling with speed, her breath was strangled as she plummeted, the ground was closer and closer… It wasn't a normal nightmare. It was prophetic. The lightning struck tower was a symbol, a tarot card meaning calamity, chaos, death, destruction; and when inverted, rebirth from the ashes of ruin - creation. Onyx glared at her from the floor; she had been sleeping soundly by her feet and had been awoken as she thrashed. She padded away haughtily as only a cat can.

Sapphy clutched at her throat for the moonstone; but it wasn't there. She felt a swoop of dread for a moment, thinking she had lost it. But when she patted her night-stand table her fingers felt its cool, smooth surface. She held it close to her still thudding heart as she stared through the darkness. She lay like that until the other girls began to stir. The storm was still raging as they sat down to breakfast; their trip to Hogsmeade was going to be a wet one and the mood was quite sombre.

"I don't even feel much like going now, to be honest," said Mandy glumly as she spread liberal amounts of marmalade on her toast. "I'd much rather be by the fire. I really need to do more studying for Potions."

Terry perked up at this. "You can come with Kevin and I, Ant," he said cheerily through a mouthful of scrambled egg. "We can see whether Zonkos have anything to out-do Weasley's Wizard Wheezes."

"I heard they closed down," Anthony replied. He looked at Mandy. "I think I'll stay here, too. Do that Transfiguration essay." Terry looked crestfallen.

"Go, Anthony," Mandy said irritably. "I really am going to be studying potions, not snogging you. I came third in our last class. Losing out to Granger is one thing, but now Harry Potter is beating me! Harry Potter of all people! He got straight D's last year!" She threw her toast on a plate, stood up and stormed out of the Great Hall.

There was an uncomfortable silence. "Well, looks like it's going to be a day with the lads after all," said Anthony eventually. The boys all grinned at each other broadly and soon they had all gobbled their breakfast and were swaggering towards the Entrance Hall, talking in slightly louder voices than usual.

"Looks like I'm not invited, then," Lisa said. "Mind if I tag along with you and Noah, Saph?"

"Hmmm?" said Sapphy, coming out of a day-dream. "Oh. Of course not, no… Morag, would you like to come with us too?" she asked, and Morag who sat across the table, looked up from a book with reluctance.

"Er… no, Sapphy, but thanks for askin'," she said in her gruff, Scottish accent. "I'm actually staying behind, too. With Artimus. To, er… to study." She looked very shifty.

Sapphy smiled privately at this, before giving a loud yawn. She was still feeling the effects of her broken sleep. They made their way to the Entrance Hall where they got in the queue to be prodded with a Secrecy Sensor by Filch. "It really is bucketing down out there," Sapphy said, eyeing the sleet out of the big, oak doors. She wrapped her blue and bronze scarf snugly around her neck. "It's definitely a day for the bubble-head charm."

"Hmmm?" said Lisa, who was busy ogling Harry, further up in the queue. Ron Weasley was shouting about something, while Filch brandished the Secrecy Sensor at him. Sapphy felt a warm hand on her back.

"You look very cosy," Noah teased with a grin. He pulled her Ravenclaw scarf away slightly so her mouth was exposed and he could give her a quick kiss. "This is Alfie Stebbins," he said, gesturing to the friendly looking blonde boy Sapphy remembered from the Quidditch pitch.

"Hi," said Sapphy with a smile. "You might remember Lisa?"

At the sound of her name, Lisa came out of her Potter-induced revery looking slightly dazed.

"I do, yes," said Alfie and he smiled at Lisa appreciatively.

"Oh yeah… hi," Lisa muttered.

T

he queue shifted forwards and Noah took Sapphy's hand to hold her back while his friend started chatting enthusiastically to Lisa, who seemed slightly nonplussed. "He fancies her," Noah whispered conspiratorially. "Asked if he could tag along and get to know her." He seemed excited to be using his match-making skills. Sapphy groaned. "What's wrong?" said Noah. "She doesn't have a boyfriend, does she?"

"No," said Sapphy, with a deep sense of foreboding. "She's kind of… in love with someone else, though."

Noah looked momentarily startled, but then broke into a mischievous smile. "She hasn't met Alfie, though. Alfie is lovely. Really lovely. In fact, lets just say that if he was a girl I wouldn't be going out with you," he teased, and she gave him a playful thump before taking his hand. Being with him had cheered her up a bit. Once out of the castle though, they were immediately soaked through and shivering from the wind and sleet. They hurried towards the gates with their winged boar statues. "Sod this," Noah called to her over the howling wind. He looked around cautiously. "Lets just Disapparate," he said, with the twinkle of rule-breaking Gryffindor in his eye.

"But we haven't passed our test," Sapphy protested, gesturing towards herself and Lisa.

"You can come side-along," said Noah. "Oi! Alfie!"

Alfie stopped mid sentence and reluctantly looked back at his friend. Noah beckoned and Alfie and Lisa joined them.

"We're going to Disapparate into the village," Noah explained. "We'll bring the girls side-along."

"Cool," said Alfie casually. Lisa looked horrified.

"But I've heard that's very difficult. How long have you even had your licenses? What if we get splinched?" she asked.

"It'll be fine," said Alfie with a shrug. "Max Bingley in our year, you know, the loud fellow who was rude to you at the tryouts? Well he was still sixteen over the summer and I brought him side along with us to Diagon Alley and Noah brought him back."

Noah chuckled. "If we can handle a great big lout like him I think we can manage you two."

Sapphy still felt uneasy and from Lisa's face she knew she felt the same. But it really was very cold, and the long road to Hogsmeade did not look inviting.

"Alright then," said Lisa, looking mistrustfully at Alfie. She took his arm and from his strained expression Sapphy guessed that he might be tensing his bicep.

"Where shall we meet?" she asked with a little smile as she took Noah's.

"Madam Puddifoot's?" Alfie suggested hopefully, looking at Lisa.

"The Three Broomsticks," Li said firmly and everyone laughed. Both girls closed their eyes with dread. Then suddenly, Sapphy felt Noah's arm being jerked away violently and she clutched on. Then there was enormous pressure on every part of her body; she felt as though her eyeballs were popping out of their sockets with the strain. She started to panic slightly, but then it was over, and she stood unsteady and disoriented in the village - just outside the pub. There was a loud popping sound and then Alfie and Li were beside them. Lisa's face was slightly green.

"Oh no…" said Alfie, who was looking at Lisa with concern. "I forgot about the vomiting."

Noah stepped forward, whipped out his wand and muttered "Apneo" as he waved it over Li.

"Feel ok?" asked Sapphy with concern and she nodded.

"How about you?" she asked weakly. "Leave any body parts behind?"

"No I think I'm all here," Sapphy said, suddenly feeling the exhilaration of the experience. She smiled at Noah. "Can we buy you a drink since you arranged the transportation?"

"Certainly," said Noah and they entered the warm, lively atmosphere of The Three Broomsticks.

It was packed with students and three grizzly looking warlocks; for whom everyone was giving a wide berth. Noah and Alfie stopped to say hello to two Gryffindor girls from their year and Lisa took the opportunity to round on Sapphy.

"Did you know about this-this double date?" she said in a slightly accusatory tone. "Did you three set it up behind my back?"

"No! Honestly, Li, I didn't know anything about it until it was happening," Sapphy said, feeling a little stung. "Noah only mentioned that he had a thing for you this morning, just before we left."

"Well we're having one drink and then I'm going," Lisa whispered, looking at Alfie warily. "He might be Noah's friend but he's really weird, Sapphy."

"What do you mean?" asked Sapphy with some bewilderment. "I like him."

"How can he fancy someone he's never even spoken to? He's like some - some sort of stalker."

The sheer hypocrisy of this stunned Sapphy into silence for a moment. Lisa looked around. "Right, I see some free seats over there by the bathrooms, I'm going to sit down. You get the drinks and then we're staying ten minutes," she said sternly. Then she turned and flounced away to her chosen table. Sapphy sighed and turned towards the bar.

And then she suddenly noticed him; Blaise Zabini was lolling by a pillar, looking at her with his dizzying golden gaze. Her heart started to pound uncomfortably as she avoided his eyes and waited for Madam Rosmerta to serve her. They hadn't been in such close proximity since that first Astronomy lesson and she would have sworn she felt a heat coming from the scarlet glow that surrounded him. After an agonizing few minutes of garbling her order and fumbling with her purse under his stare she finally had four bottles of butterbeer. The problem was that her hands were trembling and she didn't trust herself not to drop them.

"There you are," said Noah, appearing by her side. He took three of the bottles, before glancing sharply at Zabini and moving around so he had put himself in between them. Zabini looked back at him lazily, his expression cold. Sapphy, keen to get away, led Noah over to the table where Li was sitting with her arms crossed. Her face was grim as she watched Alfie approach.

"Sorry, got chatting with Katie about Quidditch," he said as he sat down, seemingly oblivious to the strained atmosphere. "She reckons you're going to flatten Slytherin in the upcoming match."

"Only if Ron Weasley pulls himself together," Noah grumbled. "He's a good egg overall, don't get me wrong, but-"

"Speak of the devil," said Sapphy warningly, as Ron entered the pub with Hermione Granger. They both looked behind them worriedly as Harry Potter followed. He seemed furious and they could hear his irate voice over the lively murmuring of the pub; though they couldn't make what he was saying. Li sat up a little straighter, swiping her windswept dark blonde hair from her face. The atmosphere was very awkward as they all drank their butterbeers. Once the boys finished discussing the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Alfie tried again to engage Li in conversation and was met with cool disinterest. Sapphy was trying desperately to think of a topic to bring up when the door of the ladies bathroom opened and one of the Gryffindor girls from earlier emerged.

And suddenly Sapphy felt icy cold; out of nowhere she remembered one of the images from her nightmare, the blinding burst of green light as she fell backwards. Panic rose in her chest and stomach and yet she felt extremely weak, as though she was about to collapse.

"Sapphy?" Noah asked softly. "Are you all right? You look very pale…"

For a moment she couldn't answer; she was sure she was about to faint. And then her breathing steadied and she felt more stable; though her head was throbbing and she still felt terrified - though of what she couldn't identify.

"I don't feel well," she finally managed to whisper. Noah was looking at her worriedly; he put an arm around her.

Lisa jumped up. "It's ok," she said quickly, "I'll bring you back to the castle." She glanced at the door of the pub, which had just closed behind Harry, Ron and Hermione. She winked dramatically at Sapphy, who realised that Lisa thought she was pretending to be ill. But she didn't care; she just needed to get out of here. She nodded.

"I can bring her back, I'll Disapparate-" said Noah.

"No," Lisa said firmly. "She doesn't look up to it."

"

Well I'll walk with you-"

"It's fine!" said Lisa, loudly. "Just stay here." Even though the weather had worsened, Sapphy was grateful to get outside. She didn't want to have this breakdown, whatever it was, in front of the whole pub. And particularly, not in front of Noah.

"Thanks Saph," said Li cheerily. "That was good thinking." She paused, looking at Sapphy's pale face with confusion. "Oh no…" she said as comprehension spread across her face. "You really are sick." Sapphy clutched at her. She was close to tears.

"Li, I -I feel like something really bad is going to happen."