The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Drafty though the castle always was in winter, it was better than being out on the Durmstrang ship, with thick walls and roaring fires. The ship sat on the lake, pitching in the high winds, its black sails billowing against the dark skies.
Skylar figured the Beauxbatons had it worse off, after all, they'd been cold when they'd arrived in Autumn. Their horses on the other hand seemed fine, Hagrid was keeping them well provided with their preferred drink of single-malt whiskey; the fumes wafting from the trough in the corner of their paddock was enough to make the entire Care of Magical Creatures class light-headed. This was unhelpful, as they were still tending the horrible skrewts and needed their wits about them.
"I'm not sure whether they hibernate or not," Hagrid told the shivering class in the windy pumpkin patch next lesson. "Thought we'd jus' try an' see if they fancied a kip… we'll jus' settle 'em down in these boxes…"
There were now only ten skrewts left; apparently their desire to kill one another had not been exercised out of them. Each of them was now approaching six feet in length. Their thick grey armour; their powerful, scuttling legs; their fire-blasting ends; their stings and their suckers, combined to make the skrewts the most repulsive things ever seen. The class looked dispiritedly at the enormous boxes Hagrid had brought out, all lined with pillows and fluffy blankets.
"We'll jus' lead 'em in here," Hagrid said, "an' put the lids on, and we'll see what happens."
But the skrewts, it transpired, did not hibernate, and did not appreciate being forced into pillow-lined boxes and nailed in. Hagrid was soon yelling, "Don' panic, now, don' panic!" while the skrewts rampaged around the pumpkin patch, now strewn with the smouldering wreckage of the boxes. Most of the class — Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle in the lead — had fled into Hagrid's cabin through the back door and barricaded themselves in; Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione, however, were among those who remained outside trying to help Hagrid. Together they managed to restrain and tie up nine of the skrewts, though at the cost of numerous burns and cuts; finally, only one skrewt was left.
"Don' frighten him, now!" Hagrid shouted as Ron and Harry used their wands to shoot jets of fiery sparks at the skrewt, which was advancing menacingly on them, its sting arched, quivering, over its back. "Jus' try an' slip the rope 'round his sting, so he won' hurt any o' the others!"
"Yeah, we wouldn't want that!" Ron shouted angrily as he and Harry backed into the wall of Hagrid's cabin, still holding the skrewt off with their sparks.
"Well, well, well… this does look like fun."
Rita Skeeter was leaning on Hagrid's garden fence, looking in at the mayhem. She was wearing a thick magenta cloak with a furry purple collar today, and her crocodile-skin handbag was over her arm.
Hagrid launched himself forward on top of the skrewt that was cornering Harry and Ron and flattened it; a blast of fire shot out of its end, withering the pumpkin plants nearby.
"Who're you?" Hagrid asked Rita Skeeter as he slipped a loop of rope around the skrewt's sting and tightened it.
"Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter," Rita replied, beaming at him. Her gold teeth glinted.
"Thought Dumbledore said you weren' allowed inside the school anymore," said Hagrid, frowning slightly as he got off the slightly squashed skrewt and started tugging it over to its fellows.
Rita acted as though she hadn't heard what Hagrid had said.
"What are these fascinating creatures called?" she asked, beaming still more widely.
"Blast-Ended Skrewts," grunted Hagrid.
"Really?" said Rita, apparently full of lively interest. "I've never heard of them before… where do they come from?"
It was a good question, and glancing at Hagrid, Skylar assumed it wasn't anywhere legal. A dull red flush had risen up out of Hagrid's wild black beard. Hermione seemed to be thinking along the same lines, and quickly said, "They're very interesting, aren't they? Aren't they, Harry?"
"What? Oh yeah… ouch… interesting," said Harry as she stepped on his foot.
"Ah, you're here, Harry!" said Rita Skeeter as she looked around. "So you like Care of Magical Creatures, do you? One of your favourite lessons?"
"Yes," said Harry stoutly. Hagrid beamed at him.
"Like the Skrewts we see all sorts of random creatures." Skylar added.
"Lovely," said Rita. "Really lovely. Been teaching long?" she added to Hagrid.
Harry noticed her eyes travel over Dean (who had a nasty cut across one cheek), Lavender (whose robes were badly singed), Seamus (who was nursing several burnt fingers), and then to the cabin windows, where most of the class stood, their noses pressed against the glass waiting to see if the coast was clear.
"This is o'ny me second year," said Hagrid.
"Lovely… I don't suppose you'd like to give an interview, would you? Share some of your experience of magical creatures? The Prophet does a zoological column every Wednesday, as I'm sure you know. We could feature these — er — Bang-Ended Scoots."
"Blast-Ended Skrewts," Hagrid said eagerly. "Er — yeah, why not?"
Skylar turned from Hagrid to Rita, irritated. She didn't care about the monstrous skrewts, all she cared about was Harry. And that was all she wanted to talk about. None of them could say anything however as they watched Hagrid and Rita Skeeter make arrangements to meet in the Three Broomsticks for a good long interview later that week. Then the bell rang up at the castle, signalling the end of the lesson.
"Well, good-bye, Harry!" Rita Skeeter called merrily to him as he set off with Skylar, Ron and Hermione. "Until Friday night, then, Hagrid!"
"She'll twist everything he says," Harry said under his breath.
"Just as long as he didn't import those skrewts illegally or anything," said Hermione desperately. They looked at one another — it was exactly the sort of thing Hagrid might do.
"Hagrid's been in loads of trouble before, and Dumbledore's never sacked him," said Ron consolingly. "Worst that can happen is Hagrid'll have to get rid of the skrewts. Sorry… did I say worst? I meant best."
Harry and Hermione laughed.
"Yeah well, it's not like she really cares about that, she just wants to talk about Harry."
"Me?"
"Don't be dumb Harry." She said simply, to which Ron snickered and Harry looked at him annoyed.
Skylar had a free period, as she always did when the other three were in lessons on a Monday afternoon. She left the Great Hall after lunch by herself as Harry and Ron went to Divination and Hermione to Arithmancy. In a few hours she'd have to do another animagus incantation. As it was winter, the sun went down earlier than dinner, but after classes ended. Keeping a leaf in your mouth for a month a secret was one thing, but saying an incantation twice a day with a wand tip at your heart was another.
Skylar journeyed through the corridors before she turned one corner and paused, an eyebrow raised. Within the corridor before her was Draco. This was unusual for him to be so high in the school, for one, if he was any higher than the entrance hall it was for the library, which wasn't on this level, or for classes, his Common room after all was down in the dungeon.
"Are you lost?" She muttered. He turned to her and she noticed his face was slightly pink.
"No."
Skylar raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you here? Or are you skipping class? Wouldn't your dad kill you for that?"
"No." He said again.
Skylar looked around the corridor, a sceptical look on her face. This was all very fishy.
Draco avoided her gaze as she moved towards him. "Alright." She muttered and continued on her way through the corridor.
"Are you going to the library?" He questioned.
Skylar's forehead furrowed as she paused. "I could be…" she offered.
Draco nodded. "Me too." And he moved down the corridor, past her. He paused when she didn't follow. He suddenly seemed so forward… It was strange to see Draco without his pride and confidence. She followed him nonetheless, her curiosity spiking.
They walked in silence for a while before Skylar rolled her lips to try and hide her smirk. "Draco,"
"What?"
"Were you waiting for me in order to study with me?"
There was no response, but she knew he was feeling irritated by his embarrassment so she said nothing more. He led the way to a table and sat down, piling his books up and Skylar watched him.
"Draco, what are you doing?"
"Studying." He returned without looking at her.
"You know that's not what I meant." She sighed before sitting down. "You're being oddly non-Dracoish."
"Non-Dracoish?"
"You're not acting like yourself, you've lost your annoying confidence." He glared at her. "Yeah, the stuff that expression comes from." She pointed.
"You talk while you're studying?"
"Why do you want to study with me?" She returned, an eyebrow raised.
Draco was spared from answering. "Hey Skylar!" The two turned to find Stephen walking towards them.
"Stephen. Aren't you supposed to be in Arithmancy?" Skylar asked, confused.
"Yeah, Professor Vector just sent me to collect a few books for us to use." He nodded. He glanced from Skylar to Draco several times. "What about you?"
"Free period." She returned. He nodded. "You'd better hurry before you get in trouble."
"Good advice, I'll catch you later." She waved as he walked off.
Draco scoffed.
"What?" She demanded.
"Bit obvious, isn't he?" He smirked.
"And you're not?" She muttered. Draco blushed slightly. Skylar smirked as she pulled out her books and spread them on the table. Draco watched her as she knuckled down to do some of the homework and after a minute she turned back to him. "Are you going to study, or just watch me?"
"What's been going on with you lately?"
Skylar looked at him confused. "I'm lost?"
"You've been acting weird."
"Okay… well I know you don't care about other people, but my friend might die in this tournament so."
"No, not that, you've been distracted."
"And how would you know?"
"You're always daydreaming or fiddling, or muttering to yourself." Draco confessed.
Skylar's eyebrows rose. "So you've been watching me?"
He shuffled uncomfortably. "So what if I have?"
"Well I've noticed something about you too. You've been learning Occlumency haven't you." Now Draco grinned. "I noticed it at the Cup. Though you get distracted sometimes and lose concentration on it, so it's only something new you've been doing."
"Professor Snape has been teaching me."
"Explains a lot." She nodded. "Was surprised, I'll admit." Draco seemed to gain his confidence back as he looked extremely pleased with himself.
"So, what have you been doing on top of school work?"
"Just a little experiment with Professor McGonagall." She shrugged. "No guarantee of results unfortunately."
"Why not?"
"It's very unpredictable and relies on too many variables." She said simply as she began writing on some parchment, having loaded her quill.
"Suppose you need something to distract you from Potter inevitably losing the tournament." Draco snickered.
"And there it is." Skylar sighed, looking up. "Why is that necessary?" Draco looked confused. "Honestly, what do you gain from making such a comment?" His sneer returned slightly and he turned to the parchment. "Right, there is nothing to gain, so why bother saying it?"
"Stop it."
"Concentrate and I won't be able to do anything." They shared a glare before Draco turned back to his homework. Skylar chose not to say anything either. It was a very awkward period and Skylar walked back to the Gryffindor common room feeling weird… Draco suddenly wanted to spend time with her, but it was more surprising that he noticed something no one else did. He might not have known what it was, but he knew she was keeping a secret. Granted Harry found out, but him she was always with, Draco she only saw briefly in corridors, at meal times and in potions class. It was hardly a comparison.
If it hadn't been Draco, she'd be flattered. And that was what made it weird.