EEK – thanks for the guest review who reminded me how bad my grammar is.
I need to apologize again. Sorry guys.
I could use a lesson (or two), I know, but my last English lesson was long time ago and apparently just "spitting" a chapter on "paper" without re-reading it to check my grammar doesn't work, but I don't always have time for proof-reading.
So I apologize for my grammar…English is still not my first language (poor excuse, I know) – and it never will be, but I'll try harder… I hope my bad grammar doesn't bother you too much and you'll keep reading. If it gets too bad, let me know…
Thanks to Cookie05 for commenting
The Easter break was almost over and with only four more days left, Jade found herself roaming around the fields with her roommates, enjoying the fresh air and new spring grass while it lasted.
Soon enough they'll be in classrooms, copying notes and writing essays again.
They were walking back to the castle for dinner when Jade spotted George with Fred as they were digging up some plant growing close to the greenhouses.
She hesitated a little. Some weeks ago she promised herself that she'd spend more time with her friends, and she genuinely tried, but twins were up to something and she never passed an opportunity to help with pranks. They managed to get in trouble during Easter vacation – twice, which resulted to another letter to parents. George said it's nowhere close to the number of letters McGonagall sent last year, and that made Jade feel a little bit better and less guilty, when she was sitting in detention one more time.
Fred actually invited her to spend a day with them – hunting for yet another secret ingredient for their inventions but she promised to go some other time.
Joyce looked at her when she hesitated and followed her gaze to the greenhouse.
"See you later." She smiled and kept going after girls who slowed down a bit.
"What? No, no I told you we'll have a girls'day out today." Jade protested and hurried to catch up with them.
"And that we had. Off you go now, and cause some more mischief, you three have been incredibly quiet lately." Chuckled Maddie.
"When was the last time you were in detention? I can't remember. Three, four days ago?" added Sue teasingly.
"We'll see you tonight. Have fun!" smiled Katie and pulled Sue in the direction of castle.
"Alright guys, thanks. See you at dinner." Called Jade after her roommates and then sneaked up on the twins.
"BAM!" she exclaimed, pulling George down to the ground as she jumped out of the bushes.
"That was not even close to surprising us." Commented Fred, still digging in the soil.
"You need to practice your undercover skills dear sister. We can not risk lousy sneaking like this." George shook his head and brushed off the dirt, shaking his head seriously at Jade.
"Whatever. What are you boys up to?" she asked, looking at the root of the plant which was exposed now from one side.
"Looking for some strong licorice root to cover the bad taste of our newest invention. It needs a lot of work, but it's so disgusting that we can't try it on ourselves more than once every day." Shuddered George, remembering the foul taste of the new candy they decided to develop.
"It slows us down and that's bad. We'd like to have it finished before next year starts." Said Fred still digging up the plant.
"Madam Sprout says that the strongest licorice roots grow by the small lake in the forbidden forest." Commented Jade, remembering a piece of seemingly useless information she picked up during one of the lessons. It was always stuff like this that she remembered, but things which would actually appear on the exams would never stay in her head.
"That's what we need!" Exclaimed George.
"Tonight." Nodded Fred.
"You can't be serious! We got into so much trouble lately, remember how your mom sent us that letter with warning! If we mess up there will be no flying this summer!" Jade quoted the letter and looked at them with absolute fear in her face.
"Well, no one's saying you have to go with us…" started Fred.
"Oh please, as if you could do anything properly without me." Teased Jade and punched his arm.
"Alright, so it's set. Tonight, let's say midnight?" suggested George, as if they were discussing an afternoon tea, instead of illegal and potentially dangerous trip to the forest at night.
"Don't worry Jade, we know the forest, and full moon was two days ago, there's nothing to worry about." Fred winked at her. They said good bye for now and agreed that it will be less suspicious if no one sees them together for the rest of the day.
It was quarter to midnight and Jade was sitting in an armchair in the corner of the common room.
She wished good night to her roommates good hour ago. Maddie shook her head but smiled and Joyce told her to be safe, but they didn't protest, knowing that there's always some fun after the three mischief-makers plot something together.
Exactly as the clock chimed for the twelfth time, Fred and George appeared on the staircase, wearing their sweaters from Christmas.
"Jade, it's cold outside, you should bring a sweater too." Whispered Fred, kneeling on the ground and tying his sneakers.
The air was almost sparkling with electricity of excitement, when Jade came back downstairs, pulling the grey Christmas sweater over her head.
George checked the map and quickly told them how they'll run down to the main entrance, avoiding Filch and Snape who was walking through the corridors of the second floor.
They walked silently, following each other with Jade in the middle.
Fred and George carried their empty school bags, like always when they were on a mission.
They sneaked out , closing the heavy wooden door without making any noise.
The grounds were dark, with only a few freckles of yellow, glowing on the grass, from those few windows which still had lights on.
Jade have never seen the castle this dark.
"Let's go." Whispered Fred and pulled her down the hill.
They got close to the forest border and kept walking until George turned to the left and disappeared in the darkness of the forest.
There was a small path on the ground which Jade didn't notice at first.
The further they went, the darker and gloomier the forest appeared, with huge trees covered in moss and dead branches covering the ground.
After ten minutes of walk, they found a small lake, with rocky beach on one side, completely surrounded by the forest.
The water was ink black and didn't reflect any stars, as the sky was covered with clouds.
They found the patch of wild licorice growing close to the water and the smell was lingering over the lake, making the air heavy with sweetness.
"This is exactly what we needed!" exclaimed George, pulling out first root, which was still covered in rocky mud.
"You are a genius Jade!"
They worked quickly, only needing few roots for their experiments.
"We can always come back for more, if we need them." Concluded Fred and closed his bag.
"We should go back, before someone finds us here." Whispered Jade, looking around the lake.
The forest was quiet and wind which was blowing all day finally stopped too.
And suddenly it was too quiet for the silence to be comfortable.
"Yeah." Nodded George, looking around as well.
"Let's get back inside." Agreed Fred, heading towards the hidden path.
They didn't get far however, when a cracking of branches on their right side, interrupted the uncomfortable silence.
Jade grabbed Fred's arm and pulled him closer to her side.
"What was th…" she whispered, but Fred quickly covered her mouth with his hand, which smelled strongly after licorice roots.
The air stood still and for a few seconds nothing moved. Jade let out the breath she was holding and almost smiled – getting scared after hearing breaking of a branch in a forest is pretty stupid, she thought.
Fred and George were standing there, frozen in place, still looking into the darkness. They knew the sounds of forbidden forest. The usual whispers of tree spirits, rattling of snakes hiding under the rocks and drumming noise of centaurs running in the distance.
But this sound was not one from the forest, or at least not a sound they have heard before.
"Run." Whispered Fred and pushed her in the general direction of castle.
Cold sweat was running down Jade's back when she heard him talk like that.
All the mischief and optimistic attitude was gone from his voice.
And they run, crushing through the bushes and fern, their sneakers leaving deep imprints in soft forest soil. George run in front, leading the way, followed by Fred who was breathing heavily. He threw away the bag he was carrying.
Fred heard Jade, running closely behind him, the trouble was, he heard something else following them too.
Impossibly quick steps of feet moving through the forest too silently to be human.
George yelled at them "Come on!" , and Fred turned his head to look at Jade and tell her to run faster, when he saw it.
Six feet tall black spider was right behind Jade who was running as fast as she could, but her foot got caught in a loop of wild raspberry plant and she stumbled.
Fred without thinking jumped back, pulling Jade's foot out of the trap, but it was too late.
The spider, with one quick jump, got close enough and Fred saw his long fangs, glittering in the darkness.
He pulled Jade under him, shielding her from the spider, which sank its teeth to Fred's side as if the boy was made out of butter.
That's all he remembered. Excruciating pain in his left hip, someone screaming, then darkness and how the forest ground disappeared beneath his feet.
What happened next was a blur. George used some cutting spell, which left the spider without one of its legs. The cut off limb fell on the ground with loud thud.
Jade climbed from under Fred's body and tried petrificus totalus on the spider. It didn't work completely but it slowed down the beast and somehow she and George managed to pull Fred to the side of the forest, where the lost path reappeared.
They dragged their brother through the tall grass all the way to the castle.
Professor Dumbledore appeared on top of the stairs as they entered the castle. Hearing Jade's scream echoing from the forest couple of minutes ago, he was rushing down to see what happened.
He was telling them something, or rather asking a question as he seemed to be waiting for answer, but Jade didn't hear him. All she knew was that there was Fred. His dead weight, pulling painfully on her arms as she was still supporting his body.
George might have answered headmaster's question, she wasn't sure.
Jade sunk down to the floor with Fred half pulled in her lap. She noticed a large gap of bloody flesh on his hip, and she was battling the urge to throw up.
Someone was pulling her up. Two strong arms grabbed her shoulders.
Fred was put up on a stretcher which Dumbledore conjured. Madam Pomfrey was leaning over him and whispering some incantations. George was standing by her side, blankly looking at his unconscious brother.
It was only when he looked up and his eyes met Jade's, when she saw the terror in his face, and suddenly something clicked and she heard Dumbledore telling directions to someone. His voice was calm but strict. Everything was too noisy to be real. Professor McGonagall was talking to some healers who apparently came from St. Mungo's, George started to shake and muffled sobs were coming from him, as he still stood frozen on the place.
The healers strapped Fred to the stretcher with bright red straps and as Dumbledore waved his wand over them, they apparated away.
There was more chaos now, McGonagall's strong hand was slightly trembling on Jade's shoulder as she guided her up the staircase, while Madam Pomfrey run up to the hospital wing, to get more potions ready in case they didn't have the right antidote ready in St. Mungo's.
Dumbledore guided George up the stairs, following McGonagall to her office where she grabbed a handful of floo powder and disappeared in the flames together with Jade. They entered the brightly lit waiting room and professor pushed Jade down on one of the chairs.
Dumbledore soon appeared accompanied with George who was openly crying now, his face all wet from the tears, which were forming dark stain on his sweater.
Dumbledore said something to professor McGonagall who nodded and looked down on the two children sitting on the chairs.
Headmaster left, as he couldn't leave the school for too long plus he had to contact the Weasleys.
Jade felt terrible. The whole night was one big catastrophe. Fred was somewhere unconscious, George was sitting next to her, crying, his face covered with his hands.
Jade felt so useless and scared, with McGonagall still standing by the counter, filling forms and documents.
She pulled her legs up on the plastic chair, hugging her knees and she started to cry too.
How could things go so terribly wrong? This morning everything was perfect and they were enjoying one of the last days of the Easter break and now… it was all her fault. If she didn't suggest the lake, or if she didn't trip and fall down in the forest, if she didn't come to the Weasleys at all…
After less than a minute, green flames appeared in one of the fireplaces and angry looking Molly followed by green-faced Arthur who looked good ten years older run across the room stopping by the counter.