The Third Point and Devil's Snare in the Girls

Chapter 3

Jakkin burst into the fireplace of the Gryffindor common room, seconds after he threw the floo powder. Without bothering to wipe himself off, he hurried to the boy's dorm, and stuffed his newly bought stuff under his four poster, thinking that there has got to be another way to get to Hogsmeade without risking so much getting noticed. He came back down the stairs brushing himself off, just as Harry, Ron, and Hermione came through the portrait hole. They looked pretty excited. Jakkin breezed past them, hoping that his dusty robes would go unnoticed. Hermione however doesn't miss a beat. She called him back, "Jakkin where have you been? You look like you've been rolling around in fireplaces..."

Jakkin just kept his face of innocence, on and continued dusting himself of, hoping the threesome would leave him be. "You missed a spot... there," she continued pointing. After drilling him, she finally turned back to Ron and Harry, who stood looking petrified, with blank expressions, who by now had grown used to Hermione stopping people to point out something obvious. "Now, about this herbology homework," she Jakkin heard her say, "Madam Sprout mentioned a newly modified version of Devil's Snare."

At this, Jakkin suddenly snapped to attention, and whirled around. "Modified?" asked Ron who wasn't much into herbology.

"You mean altered?" asked Harry.

Hermione answered, "Yes, genetically. Something muggles are pioneering now. The new Devil's Snare specimen will be able to live under moderate sunlight, and has a life expectancy of 3 months if kept in sunlight, if not, it has the live expectancy of an average specimen. Because of its small size compared to the original, the Light Resistant Devil's Snare makes a good house plant, and could survive on any household pest. Now, let's see if you two know your new Levitation spells." Harry and Ron groaned in unison. "Honestly you two," she said, "I think its Middle C you guys groan in, very musical indeed." Jakkin left the room, trying hard to contain his laughter.

* * *

During breakfast the next day at the Gryffindor table, Jakkin was finishing off his third pile of pancakes, when the loud rustling of wings filled the whole Great Hall. "Mail's here!" someone shouted. Jakkin looked up, and sure enough, hundreds of owls were flying in from there entrance in the roof, dropping packages into the laps of recipients. Jakkin was surprised when a large, brown barn own landed next to him on the table, and presented him with a piece of parchment, rolled up and sealed. Taking it from the owl's beak, Jakkin started to peel off the sealing wax, and the owl next to him took wing. When he got the parchment open, he read:

Samuel Gretchen to Jakkin Pillburg,

I have something of importance that includes you and Harry Potter that I wish for you to find on your own. But I must give you a clue first. For the first hint, solve the riddle below:

That always bites but never sting,

I am what where lives the thing,

That is alive but cold as death,

It is living but has no breath.

Solve this little riddle of mine,

And in my farthest corner of me you will find,

Under the shadow of the Hawk,

A not gray, but purple rock,

That is hidden in a muggle penny.

Though the sides of it may be many,

You must ignore them all and take your hoe,

And take to the side where the mosses grow.

Easter holidays are coming, and I have knowledge that you will stay at the school. Embark on your quest as soon as possible, bringing in Potter when you feel the tie is right. You both share the same destiny.

Good luck,

Sam Gretchen

Sam got up, and started for the Great Hall doors, re-reading the letter. What was the link between him and Harry Potter? They were in the same year, same age, both had messy black hair. It was then that Jakkin Realized how similar they were. Why, all you had to do was make Jakkin wear glasses, and a fake scar and nobody would know the difference. Jakkin knew that he was missing something that he thought he should know. The seed for the Devil's Snare could wait, all he has to do was make sure it was kept dry, and it wouldn't sprout.

In the mean time, Jakkin had something to figure out, something urgent. Something that meant life or death, and concerned the entire wizarding world. Little did Jakkin know that he was about to embark on a dangerous and thrilling adventure. Little did he know where his destiny lay.