June was quickly approaching, thus meaning that their final exams were just around the corner. This propelled their studying and soon Grace found herself at home at the table in the common room next to Hermione. She had been so stressed over studying that she had her nose in a book the previous Saturday afternoon tea she had with Remus, to which he told her she should go study.
Grace was hunched over her Transfiguration book when there was a rapping on the window close to them. She paid it no mind as she flipped the page to continue reading. "It's from Hagrid," Harry spoke up, and she tore her eyes from her book to look up at him as he ripped open the note. "Buckpeak's appeal – it's set for the sixth."
"That's the day we finish our exams," Hermione said as she looked for her Arithmancy book.
"And they're coming up here to do it," Harry continued, reading the letter. "Someone from the Ministry of Magic and – and an executioner..." Grace's heart plummeted as she stared in wide-eyed horror. It wasn't fair!
"They're bringing the executioner to the appeal!? But that sounds as though they've already decided!"
"Yeah, it does," Harry nodded grimly.
"They can't!" Ron shouted. "Gracie and I've spentagesreading up on stuff for him! They can't just ignore it all!"
"Of course they can," Grace scoffed in disgust. "When they're already paid off by Lucius Malfoy. The appeal is only for show; it's only to keep everyone 'accountable' and for face, showing that they went through the proper steps before 're not really going to deliberate after the appeal," she hissed, sitting back in her seat and crossing her arms."What's the point of having a proper procedure for legal matters, or having an entire committee, or a bloody department for magical creatures when all they're going to do is just do whatever someone pays them enough money to do! It's absolutely disgusting!" She huffed, then stood up. Slamming her Transfiguration book closed, she pushed her chair back and grabbed her books.
"Neville! Let's go!" Grace called out to the boy, who was sitting on the sofa with Dean and Seamus. "You two can come too, I'm going to go practice Transfiguration," with that she waltzed out of the common room, Neville hot on her heels.
Harry's face turned sour as he watched Neville follow after Grace, wondering why she didn't practice her work in the common room. "Why does she always have to leave with Neville?" Harry muttered, turning back to his book, now suddenly disinterested in Charms.
"Why do you suddenly care who she studies with?" Hermione asked slyly, raising an eyebrow at him.
"I don't," Harry glowered. "It just seems like she always studies with Neville, she hardly studies with us."
"You do realize that Neville is like her best friend," Ron muttered awkwardly. "We have been kind of keeping her a lot this year." Harry frowned, realizing that Ron was right. The previous two years, she spent most of her free time with Neville, that is when she wasn't being roped into coming with them by Ron. This year had seemed so different, she was outspoken more, she was more outgoing, more comfortable... or has she always been that way? Ron didn't notice anything different about her, except that she had been spending more time with them. Had Grace always been like this, and Harry just too thick to notice? When did he even start to notice? Maybe it was because they had gotten to know each other more over the summer, and she started opening up more...
Or maybe it was because they both had a common enemy? Someone who wanted to hurt them both? She was the only person that really understood him, and how he felt, and he was the only person who could understand how she felt... As much as he wanted to find Sirius Black and kill him, a part of him was hesitant because of her. He, more than anyone, understood the pull to want to knowmoreabout a parent, especially if said parent wasn't around. Could he really do that to Grace? Who, even though Sirius was bad, still had a part of her that loved her dad and longed for him? He knew that was why she had been avoiding him after Christmas, he had a feeling that the letter she got was from her dad, and didn't want anyone to know about it.
"Oh no," Ron groaned. "Not you too!" he sighed, looking at Hermione, silently asking for help but she ignored him. Harry frowned, confused on what Ron was going on about.
"What?" Harry asked, but neither of them answered him.
Exam week began, and the entire castle had went quiet, as everyone focused on their studies. Third years made their way to the Great Hall for lunch after their Transfiguration exam on Monday, all looking ashen-faced and tired. They all compared their results on turning teapots to tortoises.
"Mine looked a bit like a turtle, than a tortoise," Hermione muttered irritably. This gained a glare from nearly everyone.
"Mine still had a spout for a tail, what a nightmare," Ron groaned.
"Is still had a willow-patterned shell, d'you think that'll count against me?" Harry wondered.
"Were tortoisessupposedto breathe steam?" Seamus asked, turning to Grace.
"I didn't find it hard, mine turned out to be a perfectly cute tortoise," Grace said with a shrug, this earned her and cry of outrage from her friends, and Hermione huffed in frustration and stormed off. She blinked, looking at her friend walk away then turn to her other friends. "What?"
"Stop bragging," Ron muttered. Grace rolled her eyes at him and sat down at the table to eat her lunch.
Charms was after lunch, and Grace had been paired with Dean for their exam. It was a little daunting as she's never practiced with him, but she'd rather have Dean than have Harry as her partner. She would've casted the Cheering Charm horribly if she had to do it on him. After dinner that night, everyone returned to their common rooms, but it was everything but a relaxing evening as they all spent their time studying.
Care of Magical Creatures was first thing the next morning, and Grace sighed. She knew Hagrid's heart wasn't in it, and she didn't blame him at all. She had just wished that...maybe, well, they'd have a better exam. However, since Flobberworms did best when left alone, Grace, Ron, Harry and Hermione took this time to talk to Hagrid.
"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low to appear as if he's checking Harry's flobberworm. "Bin cooped up too long. But stil... we'll know day after tomorrow – one way or another – "
Next was Potions. To most, it was a disaster, but to Grace, she flourished. While she didn't like Snape, well, now she hated him, she rather enjoyed potions themselves. She decided to sit furthest away from everyone so she could concentrate. She watched Professor Snape as he examined her Confusion Concoction and begrudgingly gave a curt nod before moving on. She knew she had done well.
Astronomy, History of Magic and Herbology went by like a breeze, although Grace was nearly dying in Herbology due to the heat.
Thursday, their second to last exam was Defense Against the Dark Arts, and she was so happy to know that Remus had created an extravagant obstacle course for them outside. Grace had to get across a deep paddling pool that had a Grindylow, cross potholes full of Red Caps, make her way through a patch of marsh with a hinkypunk trying to trick and misleade her, then she had to climb into an old trunk to battle a boggart.
Grace was more prepared this time to see her mother, but the boggart didn't turn into her mother. This time it turned into her father. She was thankful that she was in the trunk and not in front of everyone, because if she was still being mocked by Slytherins about her mother, she didn't want to think about what they would do if they learned her boggart became Sirius Black...and that he was her father. However, she was sure they already knew because Malfoy sure did.
She watched as her father turned to her, glaring evilly, and she felt her hands begin to shake. She shook her head as she stared at him, he looked just like his wanted photo. "I should've gotten rid of you when I had the chance," he hissed coldly and she frowned. His voice, however, wasnotthe same. She remembered her father's voice, it was hoarse, but it was warm, and full of care for her. She wasn't sure about anything else that regarded her father, except she knew he loved her. He wouldn't have risked the Dementors to warn her, he wouldn't have risked a few precious moments to make sure she was warm on the couch. Helovedher and she knew that, so why was this boggart taking his form.
The boggart frowned in confusion and then it twisted in on itself and changed shape again. Then Harry appeared, and her heart stopped.
"Why would Ieverlike you?" He scoffed. "You're nothing special. Hermione's smarter than you. Ron is a better friend than you. Cho is prettier than you,anda better Quidditch player. She's also smarter than you, more talented than you. Cho is isn't the reason my parents are dead," He hissed, getting closer. Grace shook her head, her hands trembling as she raised and pointed her wand at the boggart. "You're going to turn out just like him – "
"Riddikulus!" She shouted, and she watched the boggart Harry turn bright read and explode into fireworks. She quickly climbed out of the trunk and calmed her breathing.
"Well done, Gracie," Remus said softly with a smile, but his smile fell when he noticed how pale she was. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly as she passed.
"I'm fine," she assured him and went to wait to the side for Harry, Ron and Hermione to finish their exam.
When Hermione finished, she was a wreck and Grace tried everything to help calm her down, and after twenty minutes, she finally got a grip on herself. As the four of them made their way to the castle, Ron tried not to laugh at Hermione's boggart as she went to explain what had happened with her. Fortunately, or not so fortunately, for peace of mind they had spotted the Minister of Magic which halted any argument that would've broken between Ron and Hermione.
"Hello there, Harry!" Fudge greeted him as he patted his forehead with a hankerchief. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"
"Yes," Harry replied. Grace, Hermione and Ron stood beside him awkwardly, not having officially met the Minister of Magic.
"Lovely day," Fudge said, glancing over at the castle. "Pity... pity..." he sighed deeply and glanced back at the four third years. "I'm here on unpleasant business, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation," Fudge not so discreetly glanced at Grace before turning back to Harry, "I was asked to step in."
"Does that mean that the appeal's already happened?" Grace spoke up from beside Harry, glancing up at Fudge, who looked rather uncomfortable being under her gaze.
"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," Fudge answered, trying to avoid looking at her. Grace's face flushed in anger, and she glared at the minister. She knew why he refused to look at her, it was because of who her father was and how closely she resembled him.
"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" Ron spoke up, frowning. "The hippogriff might get off!"
"He's right, Minister!" Grace nodded. "Buckbeak did nothing wrong! Harry and I both interacted with him before Draco Malfoy did, and we both rode him, too!We experiencednothingdangerous from Buckbeak as we followed Professor Hagrid's instructions! Why should Buckbeak be punished for something a student did because they didn't listen!" Grace said fiercely, her face reddening in anger. The look on her face seemed to unnerve Fudge slightly as he stood awkwardly, looking around. "This isn't fair! It isn't right! Youknowthis is an injustice! How many more innocent beings are going to fall victim due to-"
"Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this!" And older gentleman, one who appeared to look ancient, called out and Hermione pulled Grace back and gave her a look. "Two o'clock is it, Fudge?" he asked. They turned to see him, and another man who was much younger and to have a more fit build approach. The second man carried an axe, and Grace's heart raced with anger, as she glared at them.
Ron went to open his mouth, but Hermione nudged him hard and jerked her head to the entrance hall, forcing him and Grace to follow her and Harry. "Why'd you stop me?!" Ron hissed as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice at all!"
"Ron, Grace, your parents work for the Ministry! You can't go saying things like that to their boss!" Hermione reminded them, even though she looked upset just like them. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak..."
Grace knew Hermione didn't really believe her own words, and Grace didn't believe her either. The only person that could over rule the Committee was Fudge, and she had a feeling that he wouldn't do anything. The four of them couldn't join in the happy chatter, their thoughts were on Hagrid and Buckbeak.
After lunch they had their last exam. Hermione had Muggle Studies, while Ron, Grace and Harry had Divination. The three of them sat beside Neville, who had his Divination book open on his lap. "She's seeing us all separately," Neville told them, looking nervous. "Have any of you ever seenanythingin the crystal balls?" he asked, his eyes went straight to Grace, who, beside Lavender and Parvati, was good at the class.
"Nope," Ron replied as he looked out the window. Grace shook her head as she started chewing on her bottom lip, she opened her golden snitch necklace to look at the time.
"Miss Black, I'm ready for you, my dear," Trelawney called and Grace took a deep breath.
"Good luck," Harry muttered and she nodded.
When she entered the classroom, Professor Trelawney smiled at her. "Hello dear, please have a seat," she said, gesturing to the seat across from her. Grace set her bag down and sat straight in her chair. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb, take your time now and clear your mind... then tell me what you see within it," she instructed and Grace nodded.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, held it for five seconds and slowly exhaled, and did this twice more before opening her eyes to stare into the foggy crystal ball. She tried to concentrate, but her mind kept going to Hagrid and Buckbeak. She blinked a few times and took another deep breath and told herself to focus on the crystal ball. She frowned when she saw something take shape in the fog, and her head tilted to the side in curiosity.
"Well, what do you see?" Trelawney asked excitedly, leaning in.
"I-I don't know," Grace whispered as she leaned in closer, watching the smoke take shape. "It...it looks like a – a rat?" she said, frowning.
"What else?"
"Er..." she paused, watching the smoke-rat transform into a round man, who fell on his knees in front of two other smokey figures as if he was pleading for his life. The smoke figures faded, smoke swirling to show the figure of a dog, and the smoke-dog swirled into a man; the smoke swirled into a familiar shape of a Dementor.
"Miss Black?" Trelawney called, and Grace jerked up, and blinked. "Miss Black, what did you see?" She whispered eagerly.
"Er... a rat," she started and Trelawney nodded, encouraging her to continue, "turning into a man? He...he was pleading for his life...and a – a dog and another man and...and a Dementor..." Grace answered, looking at Trelawney nervously. The teacher stared at her blankly before nodding slowly.
"Yes...yes, quite odd but," she started and patted Grace's hand. "A strong sense of intuition you've got Miss Black, well done," she nodded. "Can you call up Miss Brown?" Grace nodded as she stood up from her chair and before she exited the room she paused, turning back to Professor Trelawney.
"Professor," she spoke up, and the woman turned to her.
"Yes, my dear?"
"What...what do you think that meant? What I saw?" she asked nervously and Professor Trelawney paused.
"TheInner Eyeis a mysterious thing, Miss Black, so mysterious that even I do not claim to know it's in's and outs," Professor Trelawney started. "However, I stand by what I said. You have a strong intuition, and you'll do well to listen to it. Don't let logic clog your mind, if something doesn't feel right trust what your instincts are telling you. You've done well in this class, exceeded my expectations I must say as you are very intuitive. I may not be able to make out what you saw in the Orb, that is for you to figure out as it will reveal it's meaning to you when the time is right."
Grace nodded slowly, taking in everything her teacher said. "Thank you, Professor," she smiled and Professor Trelawney gave her a small smile in return. Grace made her way down the ladder and she told Lavender it was her turn.
"How was it?" Neville asked nervously.
"Er... fine," she shrugged.
"Are you alright?" Ron asked, noticing that she was a little pale.
"I'm fine, look I'll meet you guys in the common room, alright?" she said and pushed between Ron and Harry to begin her trek to Gryffindor Tower.
When she arrived in the Common room, she went straight to her dorm to change out of her uniform. She tugged on a pair of jeans, and a white, short sleeved, v-neck shirt that had little embroidered yellow daisies all over it. She was glad to be out of her uniform and it something that was comfortable and didn't still have traces of stale sweat. She looked at herself in the mirror and fixed her amethyst necklace so the clasp was in the back, and pulled out the golden snitch pendant from under her shirt. After slipping on her shoes, she made her way to the common room and waited until someone came back.