Jolie soaked in the sound of Violette and Natalie bickering and sighed dreamily. Usually, it would drive her crazy. But right now, it sounds like sweet music.
"You need to keep your stuff out of my space you hog!" Violette growled.
"That's what you get for interrupting my studying!" Natalie said.
"You don't even need to study those…it's all just extra spells!"
"So?"
"Why do you need to learn them?"
"Why do you care?"
Okay, so it was a little annoying still, but it was a relief to have Violette back to normal. If it weren't for Natalie, Jolie would be doomed. For a moment, her mind drifted back to how it would be if Violette was still…like she was. But I guess this is for the best. She thought. She shivered at the thought of her being expelled-or even executed for enchanting.
"Girls!" Madame Olympe Maxime burst into the dorm, with a sense of urgency in her voice. "Everyone out! Calmly exit the school in a formal manner and gather in the quidditch field!" The girls all exchanged glances. No one moved. "Now out you go!" She said, ushering all of the girls out.
They all scurried down the hall, the other houses following close behind. Suddenly, Maggie, the , who was leading everyone out, skidded to a halt at the doorway to the History of Magic classroom. Soon the other girls rushed up the front, pushing and shoving others out of the way. Jolie strained to see what all of the buzz was about, but couldn't quite see past the other girls.
"Wait-I want to see-" Jolie was interrupted when a girl from Ombrelune shoved he out of the way, pushing her to the ground.
"Jolie!" Lila said, trying to push her way to Jolie.
"What's happening?" Jolie asked, trying to keep her focus on Lila, instead of the crowd of girls.
"I don't know!" Lila said, practically screaming over the crowd.
"I'll try to go find out!" Lila nodded at Jole. Jolie faced the crowd of girls.
Jolie struggled to push past girls, she received scowls and rude remarks of annoyance from the girls she had to shove aside to get through, but she just had to see this. she could see the back of Maggie's head now, which meant she was close. Finally, she was able to pass Maddie, and look into the classroom.
Jolie's face went pale with shock when she saw the body.
Professor Barbeau lay on the ground, motionless. Jolie wanted to look away, to run away, but it seemed as if she couldn't. She turned to face Maggie.
"Maggie, what-"
"Girls! Everyone exit to the quidditch field! Out! Out! Nothing for you to see here!" Madame Olympe said. "Now come on!" The girls all reluctantly continued down the hallway, looking back at the classroom.
"Isn't it obvious? She was murdered!" Violette said.
"Yes, I suppose…but why?" Jolie asked.
"Who knows?" Maggie said, coming to join them in the seats surrounding the Quidditch field. "What I really want to know is how they killed her." Jolie, Lila and Violette recoiled at the comment.
"You want to know how she died?" Lila asked.
"Yeah, not in a rude way or anything, I'm just curious," Maggie said.
Jolie looked to Natalie, whose face was horribly pale.
"Natalie? Are you okay?"
Natalie turned to face Jolie, lips quivering, "Yes. I-I'm fine." Jolie decided it was best to leave her alone, so instead she tried to create a new story. But her thoughts often drifted back to Mrs. Barbeau's death.
The sound of footsteps woke Jolie up. She rolled over in her sleeping bag, to see two figures out and about. They're leaving the Quidditch field, she realized. She sat up and stretched.
"Hey," She hollered, "You aren't supposed to leave until-" The figures turned to her direction and ran. "Wait-" She said, getting up and running after them. She sprinted out the main doors to the field, and scanned the area, just in time to see the figures turn around a corner on the side of the castle. "Wait! Wa-" She was stopped short when a hand clamped over her mouth, and dragged her into the shadows. She struggled, resisting her captor.
"Jolie," a familiar voice whispered, "It's me." Jolie whipped around. Natalie's familiar face greeted her.
"Natalie? Why-" Another hand clapped her mouth, a different one.
"Shhh…" An unfamiliar voice said, "Be quiet, or we will get caught Blondie," The hand came of Jolie's mouth. Jolie slowly turned around, to see an Ombre lune, with light brown hair and the most annoying sneer on her face. She pointed to Jolie, "You're friends with her?" Natalie rolled her eyes.
"Jolie, this is Brooklyn," She said, gesturing to the girl. Jolie reluctantly held out her hand, but Brooklyn waved it away.
"Natalie, what are you doing here? It's not safe! There could be a murderer running lose right now-and you've run away from the one spot we know we're safe to hang out with her!?" Jolie said, gesturing to Brooklyn.
"Relax, Brooklyn and I wanted to have fun-"
"Since when have you known her?"
"We met in detention this week," Natalie said, seemingly surprised by Jolie's anger.
"Well you can hang out and have fun back at the Quidditch field, where it's safe," Jolie snapped. Natalie looked at Brooklyn, who shrugged.
"Okay, Brooklyn, I…guess we're going back…" Natalie said, heading back in the direction of the field. Brooklyn waved her off and smiled at Jolie. When Natalie was a little bit farther, she turned to Jolie and sneered.
"I'm going to be honest, I was expecting more from the way she talked about you," She said.
"Well, I'm sorry-"
"Let's keep things straight, you let me be friends with Natalie, do what I want to do, and stay out of my way." Brooklyn ordered, jabbing her finger in Jolie's face.
"Or what?" Jolie challenged, but when Brooklyn stepped closer, she immediately wanted to take it back. Brooklyn leaned in close.
"Let's just say, I know your little secret," Jolie gasped. She didn't mean… "It is very surprising how much Natalie will tell you in one night. Isn't it?" Brooklyn said, as she walked away.