"Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum."
"Therefore, whoever wishes for peace, let him prepare for war." -- Latin, Unknown
August 31st, 1940,
We're back at Hogwarts now. It was a long,drawn out summer, complete with more misery served by Madame Westyn. I'm glad that we're finally back at Hogwarts again.
Everyday while we were at that vile place, Tom and I would count down the days until we would return to school. August couldn't arrive soon enough for us.
---
Tom, Miriam, and the other students entering the Great Hall found seats at their house tables, which were quickly filling with students. Tom headed over toward the Slytherins while Miriam joined Sophie and Marcella at the Gryffindor table.
"Where were you?" Marcella asked as Miriam sat down next to her. "We lost you in the crowds when we left the train. We thought if we waited by the carriages for you, we'd see you. But after a while we figured you must have left without us."
"Sorry for making you two wait," apologized Miriam. "When I got off the train, I saw Tom, and I went to go see him. When we headed over to the carriages, I looked around for you two, but I guess by then you had already left. But I appreciated having the chance to talk to him, as Carrey or Murdoch weren't anyplace around."
"Besides Tom, you didn't get stuck with any other Slytherins on your ride, did you?" Sophie asked.
Miriam shook her head. "No, we got seated with a couple of second year Hufflepuffs. You?"
"Thankfully no," Sophie replied, very relieved. "We sat with Minerva McGonagall, Hannah Evans, and Peter Longbottom."
Continuing their little chat about their ride over to the school, they stopped when Professor Dippet stood up to announce the start of term.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts! We will begin our feast shortly, but coming up beforehand will be the Sorting."
Everyone in the Great Hall clapped listlessly as most were too hungry to care who got put in what house. As the clapping died away, Professor Dippet started to look rather uncomfortable.
"It's unfortunate that I, uh, must inform you that your Transfiguration teacher and Gryffindor Head of House, Professor Dumbledore, is... uh... won't be here for part of the school year."
Murmurs spread throughout the Great Hall. Someone from the end of Gryffindor table yelled out why. Professor Dippet, who was starting to sweat now, rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and answered rather tentatively, "It's important business. Nothing that students need to worry themselves about."
He turned to face behind him and saw that the first years had arrived. Professor Dippet looked relieved by the distraction and glad that no one else could ask about Dumbledore's mysterious disappearance.
"Let's, uh, begin the, uh, the Sorting ceremonies," he mumbled, once again taking his seat at the long table.
One by one, the first years lined up and faced an old, frayed hat that sat upon a decrepit stool.
Miriam, Sophie, and Marcella gave each other a worried glance as the noise of the Sorting ceremony took place. This was certainly not a good way to start out the school year. How bad could this business be that required Dumbledore to miss part of the school year? It left an icy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Miriam looked around the Great Hall and saw that the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were also looking a bit concerned. Needless to say, it did not seem to bother the Slytherins in the slightest, or at least the ones she could see from where she was sitting.
"Dear old Dumbles has gone an gotten himself lost, has he?" Stephane quipped. A wide grin appeared on his face and a fake tone of concern was present in his voice. The whole Slytherin table erupted into boisterous laughter.
"Imbeciles," Abby muttered as she pulled up a seat across from Miriam and her friends at Gryffindor table.
"Hi Abby," Miriam greeted.
"Hello Miriam," she replied, her face suddenly taking on a mysterious smile. "Notice anything new about me?"
Miriam leaned in for a closer look and saw her friend wearing a 'Head Girl' badge.
"You're Head Girl!" the girls exclaimed.
"That's fantastic!" Marcella complimented. Abby's face suddenly turned as red as her hair.
"Thanks guys," she mumbled. "Unfortunately, there's a downfall to this." Miriam and her friends looked at her inquisitively. They wondered what the downfall to something so wonderful was.
"I have to spend more time with... him!" Abby complained, scrunching up her nose as she pointed over to the Slytherin table at Stephane Lestrange.
"Stephane got named Head Boy and so...," Abby continued taking a deep breath, "you see the predicament I'm in."
Looking once more at the Slytherin table, she gave an involuntary shudder. Thinking about it was just too much for her....
"Well anyway," Abby continued cheerfully, trying to change the subject, "the Sorting ceremonies seem to have started. Good thing too, I'm starved!
The entire Great Hall watched the loads of First year students being sorted (from Avery, Uilliam in Slytherin, to Crouch, Bartemius in Ravenclaw) into the different houses. One of the students waiting to be sorted caught Miriam's eye immediately, and apparently the eye of the entire Great Hall. He was so much different from the other students... a lot different.
Towering over all of the First years, he was so tall, and he could've seen eye to eye with some of the full-grown adult teachers. Miriam couldn't believe that this boy was a soon-to-be First year student.
His name was called from the list and he approached the stool. He sat down awkwardly on it as it was much to small for him. The stool gave a loud creak and the tattered hat was placed on his large head, where it sat for a moment before moving. Miriam couldn't hear what the hat was saying, but it eventually yelled out "GRYFFINDOR!"
Everyone at Gryffindor table applauded for their new house mate as the big First year boy came over to the table. Several Fourth year students had to squeeze together to accommodate the new, extremely large person.
"G'day," he grunted shyly as he sat down next to Marcella, whom was being crushed sideways into Minerva McGonagall. Two First years gasped and looked frightened, but Miriam wasn't scared of him; she was merely curious about him. Even Abby, normally cool, calm and collected, looked a bit surprised. Her eyes grew very wide, but she was able to regain her composure.
"Um, welcome to Gryffindor house," she announced, "I'm Abby, Head Girl and Prefect," upon which she then introduced him to the people around the table. "So, uh, what's your name?"
"Rubeus Hagrid," the new boy answered gruffly.
Once the feast was over with, Professor Dippet stood up once more to address the school. As he turned to face a gray-haired woman, he announced, "Everyone, please welcome Professor Jamison." Murmurs again went through the Great Hall.
"She will be filling in for Professor Dumbledore as Head of Gryffindor house and Transfiguration teacher until he returns. Now that we've eaten and drank til our hearts content, let's all head to bed!"
September 3rd, 1940,
Most dreadful news awaited me this morning in the Great Hall....
---
As Miriam made her way down to the Gryffindor table for breakfast, she was met with a barrage of murmurs and whispers.
"Did you hear?!" Marcella asked as Miriam sat down at the table. She shook her head no, she hadn't heard anything on her way down.
"England has just declared a Muggle war."
Marcella handed Miriam someone's copy of The Daily Prophet, and right there on the front of the paper in large print read:
"Muggle England Declares War Against Muggle Germany. German wizarding school, Durmstrang, under attack."
She handed the paper back to Marcella and asked, "How could a Muggle war affect the wizarding world?"
"I don't know, but it sounds awful."
By then, Sophie had squeezed her way into the table right beside Miriam.
"I was just talking to a Ravenclaw girl, and she heard that they are evacuating many Muggle children to the countryside."
"Really?" Miriam enquired.
"Um-hmm."
That morning, nobody ate breakfast in peace as every so often someone would bring up the subject again.
"Who's this Hitler person?"
"I don't know, but he sounds a lot like Grindelwald."
September 6th, 1940,
This school year has become the hardest yet, and we're hardly a week into it. At the end of last year, we had to make a choice on which classes we wanted to take for this semester. I picked Muggle studies, Divination, and Aritmancy (which is something Tom is taking as well). Marcella and Sophie picked the same as well.
Along with my other classes, I've become very worn down from all the extra work. I hope I can get through all this....
---
In Monday afternoon, Miriam and her friends had their second ever Divination class at the top of the tower. Together the girls walked up the long and narrow, winding staircase that lead to Professor Sanderson's Divination classroom.
"Welcome everyone,"said Professor Sanderson, a tall, sandy-haired haired woman. "Class will begin as soon as the other students arrive."
Miriam, Sophie, and Marcella found a table toward the front of the class that had three chintz chairs.
Slowly the rest of the class trickled in, and Professor Sanderson began the day's lessons.
"First we'll continue our work from the last time we were here," she began. Their work from the previous time had been reading tea leaves. Professor Sanderson set out to hand each student a teapot and set of cups. When Miriam got theirs, they immediately set to work.
Following Sanderson's instructions, they brewed the tea, then while it was still hot, Miriam took the first sip. After draining the tea from the cup, the only thing left inside was a bunch of wet, mushy tea leaves.
"What do you suppose that looks like?" Miriam asked, looking at the soggy mess in her cup. Sophie took the cup from her and peered inside.
"It... it sort of looks like a... heart," she said. Sophie handed over the cup to Marcella, and she peeked inside.
"Nah, I'd say it looks more like a cat."
Miriam pulled out her book Unfogging the Future from under the table and opened it.
"It says here," she began, "that a heart shape means that someone will fall in love with you within the next year. A cat, on the other hand, means that someone close to you will betray you and become traitor. In layman's terms: treachery. Hmm, definitely not a good sign."
She grabbed the cup from Marcella and looked inside. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized that it most definitely looked like a cat.
"Who do you think will turn traitor on you?" Sophie asked with widening eyes.
"I don't know," Miriam replied, looking at her book again to make sure she had read the description right. Something about it didn't seem right to her....
"Well it won't be us!" Marcella told her defiantly. "We'll be friends forever!"
Miriam smiled at both of them, but inwardly, she was deeply concerned. Who could betray her and become a traitor?
She started reeling off names inside her head: Abby... Minerva... No she thought. It couldn't be them. The description said 'someone close to you,' meaning close friends or... family....
Her mind suddenly shifted to Tom, but why would he betray her? Sure, he's hanging out with those Slytherins, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. He couldn't possibly be bad... could he? she thought worriedly.
"Are we having any problems here?" Professor Sanderson asked as she stood before Miriam and her friends' table.
"We're not too sure what this shape is," Miriam answered, rather more shakily than she meant to sound. Professor Sanderson took the cup from Miriam's hands and peered inside.
"It looks to me like a crab, which is very bad news, my dear. A crab means there is an enemy nearby."
As if this were the norm, she gently placed the cup back on the table and went around the room to see if anyone else needed help. Miriam glanced over at her friends.
Traitor? Treachery? An enemy nearby?
She sat through the rest of Divination class thinking it over, trying to piece together the pieces.
What could all this possibly mean?
September 7th, 1940,
I feel absolutely awful! My head is spinning, my stomach is tight, and I feel as if somebody has placed a tourniquet around my chest. All these symptoms came upon me after I awoke from my most recent nightmare....
---
"... someone will betray you... turn traitor.... Someone will betray you... turn traitor...."
These words kept replaying over and over in her head as she went to sleep that night. Swirls of gray mist clouded her brain as a tall dark figure appeared in the mists. It walked closer and became more visible. The figure was wearing a hooded robe covering its face as it began making a hissing sound... almost like a snake.
"I smell blood.... Mudbloods better beware... someone will betray you... turn traitor... the heir will come..."
The voice echoed loudly in her ear. It spooked her to know that she could understand its incessant hissing.
"No," she whispered. "No!"
"Someone will betray you! The heir has come at last!"
Miriam started tossing and turning in her bed. "Someone will betray you... turn traitor...," she muttered over and over again in her sleep. "No..."
Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she jolted awake.
"Miriam, wake up! You're talking in your sleep!"
Rolling over, she saw Sophie standing by her bed.
"Sophie," she mumbled, still half delirious from her dream, "you startled me."
"I'm sorry about that, but you were tossing and turning muttering ‘someone will betray you... turn traitor' repeatedly," Sophie said looking worried. "You shouldn't worry yourself about that silly prediction. It's a known fact that Divination isn't an exact science. The prediction will probably never happen. Mark my words."
Hearing these words comforted Miriam greatly, though the tourniquet feeling still hadn't let up. She smiled thankfully at Sophie, who got the message and smiled back.
Miriam sighed. She didn't feel like going back to sleep just yet as she wasn't feeling all too good. Instead, she pulled out her diary and began writing.
October 18th, 1940,
With the extra classes I'm taking this year, along with my regular classes, homework, and now Quidditch practice, I think I'm slowly beginning to go mad. Every night after dinner I head directly back to the common room and do the homework I've been assigned, but on certain nights I have to head to Quidditch practice.
On those nights, no matter what time I get back to the common room, I'll try and finish my homework. Unless I'm too tired, then I'll try and do it in the morning before class begins... then the madness starts ALL OVER AGAIN!!!
---
"Psst, Miriam," Marcella whispered, nudging her friend in the shoulders.
Miriam slowly opened her eyes. "Wha... wha's wrong?" she mumbled sleepily.
"We're in class!" whispered Marcella. Miriam bolted right up from her slouched over position. Hearing these words set off a bomb inside her chest.
"No! Please tell me I wasn't sleeping in class!"
"You're lucky Professor Binns wasn't looking," Sophie added pointedly.
Miriam rubbed her eyes. It wasn't like her to fall asleep in class, but with all the things pulling her in diffe! rent directions, she felt tired and worn out easily.
"Are you all right?" Sophie asked.
Miriam nodded and replied, "Did any of you happen to take any notes on what the class was about?"
Marcella showed her a piece of parchment where she had written down her notes.
Unfortunately, Professor Binns had noticed that Miriam had fallen asleep. "Miss Riddle, I would like to see you after class," he said in his dull voice.
She gulped as fear pitted itself in her stomach. How could she have been so stupid and fall asleep in class?!
Once History of Magic class was over with for the day, Miriam stayed behind while the others, giving her inquisitive looks, left. Professor Binns glanced up from his notes on his desk and announced, "Miss Riddle, do you find my class that boring and dull that you must fall asleep during it?"
She shook her head no. "No sir," she began, "It's just... I'm just really tired. The extra work is catching up with me. I truly didn't mean t fall asleep...."
Professor Binns looked at Miriam, then answered, "Come with me."
He led her out of the classroom and through the hall, up a flight of stairs and into a part of the castle she had only occasionally been to. Knocking on a wooden door, Binns lead her into a room which she had never seen before. Sitting in the middle of the room was a large desk with many strange objects on it. But it was something behind the desk that caught Miriam's attention... Professor Jamison! Dumbledore's temporary replacement!
Surely she wasn't going to be expelled, was she? Nausea suddenly overtook her....
Professor Jamison looked up from her desk with an amused look on her face. "May I help you two?"
"Professor, Miss Riddle was caught falling asleep in my class today," Professor Binns began. "She told me she was tired from all the extra work she is currently doing, and I believe she is also on your house's Quidditch team."
Miriam's stomach began doing flip-flops. Here it comes, she thought. He's going to have me booted off the team... or worse... expelled.
"I thought that since you're the Head of her house, maybe you could help her find a schedule to fit her needs. It would only seem fair, ma'am. She's the brightest student I've had in a very long time."
Miriam's heart nearly stopped. He was... saving her! Professor Jamison looked even more amused now.
"Certainly!" she said cheerfully. Professor Binns left the room as Professor Jamison pulled out a fresh piece of parchment, and she and Miriam began working on a time schedule.
When she left about an hour later, she looked down at her new schedule and sighed. She couldn't help but wonder how Tom was doing it all. He also had extra classes on top of his regular ones and was probably still searching for that foolish Chamber of Secrets with his friends. And to top it all off, he was also a member of the Slytherin Quidditch team, too.
He, apparently, had better organizational skills than her....