YEP!

The exams were flying by, becoming slightly less stressful due to Emily and Draco’s fights on studying. Alicia had announced that Blaise had messed up on his Charms practical, making his pineapple explode instead of tap dance.

Jamie, Emily, Harry, Ron and Hermione were eating breakfast in yet another unused classroom. Alicia and Draco were with Grawp. Their next exam was Astronomy, followed by Divination and then the practical Astronomy tonight. The time given for the written papers seemed to lurch by in strange amounts, making it feel like they were going very slowly or far too quickly. The practical Divination exam found them staring avidly at examiners hands, soggy tea leaves and empty crystal balls. Alicia seemed to be telling her examiner his life story. And then it was midnight and they were on the Astronomy tower, peering through their telescopes at the night sky. Alicia was copying down her observations twice.

‘Oi... Down below in three- two- one’ Emily glanced down as Alicia’s voice sounded in her head. The front doors had opened and a small group of people were crossing the moonlit lawns. Emily noticed that Harry was watching them too.

‘Where are they going?’ Emily thought as she glanced at Alicia, who was staring down towards the ground instead of through her telescope.

‘Hagrid’s...’

People were starting to pay more attention to the scene below as a fight broke out. Alicia’s hair became so short it looked shaved as it changed to black. Jamie stepped away from his star chart as she went to move towards the stairs.

“No, Alicia- you going down there will only making it worse!” He said, holding her wrist tightly, while still watching Hagrid. Once McGonagall had appeared, Emily had to help Jamie restrain her.

*

“She’s such a foul, evil woman! Making Hagrid run like that! Ooh, I wish I could hex her!” Alicia hissed as Umbridge passed them in the corridor the next day.

“Careful, Daniels... Be careful what you say these days... That’ll be another ten points off Gryffindor then” Blaise smirked as he passed them and Jamie grabbed Alicia as she went to step forwards.

“Don’t be an idiot, Alicia! Look, let’s just go and study for History of Magic, okay?” He said, a sharp edge to his voice as he spoke to Alicia. They retreated to the library, where the two Gryffindor’s sat as far apart as possible.

“I think I’ve left my books up in the dorm... You coming, Alicia?” Emily said as she stood up. Jamie threw her a warning look before Alicia stood and followed the red head out the room, her arms crossed defiantly over her chest. “What’s with you and Jamie?” Emily said as soon as they were out of ear range.

“Nothing... He’s just stressed about the exams and I keep acting like a misbehaving child so that he has to keep an eye on me” She said angrily, kicking out at a suit of armour.

“Did he say that?” Emily asked, astounded, as they walked through the castle.

“Doesn’t have to, does he?” Alicia said, tapping her head. “And he doesn’t like the fact that we’re spending less and less time together because of the exams and Grawp”

“Well, that’s not your fault- you’re not in charge of the exams, are you? And we promised Hagrid we could look after Grawp- for some insane reason” Emily said, climbing through the portrait hole after Lavender.

“I don’t think it’s that... I think it’s the fact that I have to go all the time- ‘cause of the Centaurs” Alicia said, taking the stairs two at a time. “Which reminds me- are you planning to go into the Forest any time soon?”

“No- I’m not crazy enough to go up against the Centaurs, Alicia” Emily said, pulling her books out of her trunk.

“Hm... I had a vision of you running through the Forest... Like you were looking for someone” Alicia said, frowning slightly. “Maybe I was wrong” She said after a while, shrugging. They were on their way back to the library.

Well?

Oh, and as it's Christmas Eve here...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!