Chapter 12

"What's going on?" Jill rubbed her eyes tiredly as they were escorted out of the Hufflepuff common room, in the middle of the night. "Sirius Black's in the castle." A younger Hufflepuff student told them.

"He was spotted outside of the Gryffindor common-room, did a number on the Fat Lady." He explained. "Oh, dear! So where are we going?" Jill frowned. "Dunno?" The Hufflepuff shrugged. "I know!" His friend interrupted.

"We're going to spend the night in the Great Hall, the whole school!" The small boy beamed. "Oh- And.." He looked up at Sage, who was smiling kindly at the younger student. "You're very pretty, miss." He flushed red.

"Oh- Thank you very much." She nodded at the boy, unsure of how to respond to the compliment. "You're very pretty too."

The boy frowned slightly at this. "Why do boys not like being called pretty?" Sage laughed when the younger students were gone. "It's a girls compliment." Harper answered. "It is not." Sage rolled her eyes. "Compliments shouldn't be restricted by gender. Did you know women used to be called handsome, just read any older book and you'll see." She scoffed.

"I wouldn't mind being called pretty. I think it's sweet." Harper shrugged, and Sage felt a blush crawl up her face, had he called her sweet? "Thank you, Harper." She smiled, and they entered the Great Hall.

"Wow." All of the furniture had been pushed to the walls, and sleeping bags had been positioned everywhere. "Where are we going?" Olive scanned the hall, and the group found a quiet little corner to sleep in.

Sage immediately noticed Cedric claim the sleeping bag beside hers, and she was giddy over his wanting to sleep beside her. "Do you think we'll sleep here tomorrow?" Cedric asked her. "I hope not. I much prefer my bed." She laughed.

"Me too." He smiled. "Goodnight Sage." He laid back on the ground, and Sage watched him for a moment longer. "Goodnight Cedric."

----

The next morning, Sage awoke with a very sore neck, her body had not enjoyed the comfort of sleeping on the ground. The rest of her friends also seemed to have similar problems, and they found it much more difficult to get up than usual, they were exhausted. 

"Are we sure it's 8am?" Olive frowned. "It feels like 4am." She groaned. "Do you think they found Sirius Black?" Sage bit her lip. "Probably not, or we would've been told by now." Harper glanced up at the end of the hall, where the teachers were speaking quietly with one another.

They had been up for about ten minutes, and still no word on Sirius. "I think i'll spontaneously combust if I have to spend another night on the floor." Sage frowned. "And it's stone, too. Why couldn't we sleep somewhere carpeted?" 

"We have potions." Cedric frowned. "Two great starts to the day." Harper grinned sarcastically. "Come on." Cedric got up, grabbing Sage's hands and pulling her to her feet. 

----

"Professor, have they found Sirius Black yet?" A Slytherin boy called from the back of the class. "No. I'm afraid he's still out and about." Snape frowned. Something told Sage that Snape was the least happy about the escaped prisoner.

"Professor, why is he here?" Another Slytherin asked. "Back to your potions. Now." He spun around, flipping his cape dramatically as he wrote 'QUIET' on the chalkboard. "He's so creepy." Sage whispered to Cedric, who nodded. 

"You know what'd be funny." Cedric grinned, looking down at their Polyjuice potion which they were halfway through brewing. (It takes a month, so they were about two weeks in.)

"If we found one of Sirius Black's hairs around the school, and turned into him for the day." He grinned. "That's a terrible idea." Sage giggled. "We'd be arrested, or sent to the Dementors." She laughed. 

"It's be worth it."

"It so would not be worth it." She shoved his arm playfully, as they tried to hush their laughing. "Miss Fawley, are you dyslexic?" Snape sneered from the front of the class. "No..?" She frowned. "Then are you illiterate?" Snape continued. "No, Professor.." 

"Then did you simply choose to disobey my instructions." He pointed to the 'QUIET,' which he had written on the board. "Professor-"

"Detention, for you.. And Mr Diggory." He frowned at her. 

"That was your fault." She whispered to Cedric. "Do you want to get another one?" He tried to hold back his laughter. "Shut up." She grinned. 

"If anyone is caught stealing any of the Polyjuice potion once it is complete, they will be expelled immediately." Professor Snape reminded the class, as he had overheard a scheming conversation between two Slytherins. 

"He said if we're caught, so as long as we-"

"No." Sage folded her arms. "We are not changing into Sirius Black, and that is final." She added sternly, and Cedric raised his hands in defeat. 

----

"Can we go see the portrait, now?" Rowan pleaded with the rest of the group as they finished lunch. Majority of the students had visited the Gryffindor portrait, wanting to see the damage done to the Fat Lady.

"Now everyone knows where the Gryffindor common room is." Harper laughed. "They have parties in there every three months, everyone already knew." Sage rolled her eyes. "Oh no." Jill stopped.

"What's wrong?" The rest of the group stopped with her. "You're not going to like this." Jill stared ahead, and Olive was the second to notice what was happening. "Oh. No." Olive's jaw dropped open.

"I don't-" Sage's eyes landed on her sister. At first she didn't quite understand what was happening, she thought perhaps Athena had engaged in some sort of Physical duel.. But then it hit her.

"Athena is not snogging Draco. Freaking. Malfoy." Rowan gaped at the scene before them. Athena sat huddled in a corned, tonguing down Draco, who had his hands on her thighs. "No, no, no, no!" Sage ran after the pair, before anyone could stop her.

"Athena. May. Fawley." She folded her arms across her chest, as her sister and Draco pulled apart. "Sage-" Athena's eyes widened and she leapt to her feet, standing in front of Draco protectively. "Why, of all the people in this school, are you snogging Draco Malfoy?!"

"Sage, listen-" Athena blocked Draco, who was quivering in fear from behind her. "He's not racist anymore!" She pleaded. "And?" Sage scoffed. "I'm going to murder him." She nodded calmly. "I'm going to. This is too far." She sighed as if she had no other choice. 

"Step aside Ath- HARPER!" She shrieked, as her feet were lifted off the ground, and she was once again, thrown over Harper Lee's shoulder. "There will be no murdering Athena's boyfriend today." Harper saluted Athena, before marching away with Sage, who pounded on his back.

"Harper if you do not put me down this instant I will not hesitate to burn all of England to the ground." She shrieked, as he carried her back to the group. "Cedric, help me." She frowned, noticing Cedric's expression. He was most certainly not pleased. 

"I'm with Sage on this one." Jill shook her head, taking a step towards Athena and Draco, before Rowan grabbed her arm. "Take a breath." He laughed. "PUT ME DOWN!" Sage continued to yell at Harper, who eventually set her on the ground once Athena and Draco were gone.

"I will find him. You've only postponed his death." She glared at Harper all the way back to the dorm. When they reached the common room, Sage had tried to strike a conversation with Cedric, but failed miserably. He seemed to resent her for the moment, and dodged her every attempt, why? Sage did not know. 

----

The Easter holidays were soon approaching, but Sage and her friends had all decided to stay at the school. Their O.W.L's were nearing, and they spent every drop of free time they had in the library. 

Every last one of them, even Harper, had gotten up two hours early every morning to study in the library, and they were not the only ones, either. It was near impossible to find a seat, as all the fifth and seventh year students (Who were also studying for their N.E.W.T's) had taken up all the seats.

"Guess we're on the floor again." Rowan groaned as they found a cozy little corner to sit in. "Harper can you help me with this one." Sage shuffled closer to Harper, who was the best at Ancient Runes. 

"Yes, i've got it right here." He placed a sheet of parchment on her textbook, which she read carefully. When she had finished, she looked up and met the eyes of Cedric. She tilted her head slightly, asking with her eyes what had upset him. He had been easily angered in the last couple of weeks, and she assumed it was because of the O.W.L's.

Cedric shook his head, turning back to his textbook, so Sage decided she would ask him later. "I think Care of Magical Creatures will be easy." Jill spoke up. "Shhh." Rowan hissed at her, he was the designated 'shoosher' of the group, maintaining quiet so the rest of them could study. 

As it neared breakfast time, the group packed up their belongings and headed for the Great Hall. As they walked, Sage grabbed Cedric's hand and guided him to the back of the group. "What's up?" He studied her.

"Is something wrong?" She frowned. "No, why?" He looked down. "Are you stressed about studying, or did I do something?" She squeezed his hand, urging him to look at her, which he often didn't when he was hiding something. 

"No." He shrugged, also something he did when he was being secretive. Sage watched him for a moment longer, there was no point in engaging in what could be a long conversation, if they were about to eat breakfast in their friends' company. 

"Can we talk later?" She asked. "Why?" He swallowed. "Just- Can you meet me in the astronomy tower after dinner?" She pleaded. "Fine."

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