The Diary of a Witch, Volume I

CHAPTER 8: APRIL

Wednesday, April 1, Dorm Room,

It's April Fools Day and Fred and George Weasley celebrated by letting loose a bunch of Filibuster Fireworks in the Great Hall which kind of ruined breakfast. It was kind of funny to see all the teachers jump up at once though.

I didn't really go that far, I just went for a classic. I took all the confetti I had in my art supplies box and put it inside the torches along with a Fire Protection charm (second year spell, thank you very much) so none of them would catch fire and burn the place down. I then put a spell on the torches that would blow the confetti into the air when they were lit. Because the confetti was a mixture of shapes and colors the result was a rainbow colored confetti shower.

But Flitwick somehow figured out I did it thanks to some spell he used to find out who's wand caused the magic. I didn't even know you could do that! But thanks to him I now have detention on Friday with Filch (my most favorite person in the castle, ha ha) and a dorm full of Ravenclaws who are mad at me for messing up their common room. Never mind that Flitwick cleaned up the confetti quickly and gave five points because I was able to do a difficult charm.

Mandy thought the idea was pretty cool and Padma wanted to know where I found the spells. Turpin just rolled her eyes and said I was so immature. I told her that was the point of April Fools day: to act immature. She just sort of stuck her nose in the air and went to the Great Hall for breakfast.

This Saturday is the Ravenclaw V.S. Hufflepuff game. Mandy and I have a bet with Hannah and Owen going that whoever is in the losing house has to go jump in the lake. I hope Ravenclaw wins because even though the weather has slightly warmed up the lake is FREEZING. At least that's what Aqua told me.

Saturday, April 4, Near the Lake,

RAVENCLAW WON!!!

WE'RE PLAYING IN THE QUIDDITCH FINAL!

Ravenclaw scored 30 points first, then Hufflepuff scored 50, then Chang and Diggory saw the Snitch at the same time and raced around the pitch until Chang caught it first. So Ravenclaw will be playing Gryffindor in June for the Quidditch Cup.

But I still jumped into the lake. See after Owen and Hannah jumped in Mandy and I had to take a picture of them because Owen's normally spiky hair was actually flat for once. Well, neither liked the idea of having their picture taken and so pulled us into the lake before I could get out my camera. The two of us retaliated by splashing them and then a water splash fight broke out.

The lake wasn't as bad as Aqua made it out to be. Of course as the four of us were splashing around who should come by but McGonagall who gave us all detention for acting like "hooligans". It probably didn't help that Owen got her wet with a splash meant for me. So I have ANOTHER detention. Jeez, I just had one yesterday.

Sunday, April 5, Breakfast, Great Hall,

THINGS TO DO:

1) Finish essays and assignments due tomorrow.

2) LAUNDRY!

3) Finish portrait of Prof. Dumbledore, remember to buy new lead pencils when I get back home.

4) Stop procrastinating on studying for exams.

5) Perfect Privacy Charm.

Tuesday, April 7, History of Magic,

ODE TO PROFESSOR BINNS

By Jubilee Johanson

Dear Professor Binns,

why must you be so boring?

Can't you see that half of

your class is snoring?

Being dead must really suck,

because why else

would you look so

down in the dumps?

The same routine

every day.

Can't you see

that it's a beautiful day?

LET US OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, April 9, DADA Class,

Spring is totally here.

It's actually WARM today.

Okay, so I still have to wear a cloak, but the grass doesn't crunch beneath my feet anymore and I don't see my breath in the air anymore. So it's all good. Of course, I've made it a point not to step on grass ever since this gift surfaced because the grass always tells you off if you step a foot on them. Other people might not hear it, but I sure can. Yesterday I forgot and cut across a grass covered part of the courtyard and they were all "hey, do we step on YOUR head?"

Birds are also all over the place, there's a whole flock of robins outside my window now. Word got out that I feed them so they all migrate to my window. Hope Professor Sprout doesn't wonder about where all the bird seed she had goes. I don't take a lot, just a handful or two to put in my pockets. Next year I'm going to buy some of my own when I get to Diagon Alley.

The squirrels are also back and are once again bickering over whose tree is which. I am once more stuck waking up to musicals unless I do a silencing charm on my window. The charm only lasts a week though so if I can't forget to do it like I did yesterday because I woke up this morning to "I Could Have Danced All Night".

Easter Break is next week so that means one glorious class free week. Not that it makes much difference, I have a huge pile of homework and projects to do. I'll probably be spending most of it in the library. Oh well, at least Granger will have company. She's in there more then I am.

Sunday, April 12, Library,

ASSIGNMENTS I NEED TO COMPLETE THIS WEEK:

For Transfiguration:

Read ch. 11, answer questions at the end, write essay on differences between turning a object into a animal and turning a animal into a object, 5 feet of parchment.

For Charms:

Read ch. 15 and answer questions at the end, practice charms in the chapter, write one roll of parchment on the development and uses of flower charms and effects.

For History of Magic:

Two rolls of parchment on important events of the fifteenth century and their impact on the wizard world. Read ch. 9

For Herbology:

Read ch. 8 and answer questions at the end, write a twelve foot essay on the uses and growth development of Toadstools.

For DADA:

Read chapter on zombies and answer questions at the end, five foot essay on the ways to get rid of zombies.

For Astronomy:

Do a drawing/map of the planets and major constellations, include labels.

Tuesday, April 14, Great Hall,

I'm halfway through my work!

I've got all the essays done, now all I have to do is the question stuff and the map of the galaxy for astronomy but that can wait since astronomy isn't until Wednesday.

I'm trying to get everyone to relax and take a break, people have been tense because of all the work and the upcoming finals. You wouldn't know it was a vacation with all the people walking around with their noses buried in books and parchment.

Thursday, April 16, Common Room,

I got Mandy, Hannah, and Owen to play a short mock game of Quidditch with Owen and I on one team and Mandy and Hannah on the other. I was a Chaser and Owen was a Keeper. We played for an hour or so until it was time for dinner.

Now everyone's back to studying, oh well, it was nice while it lasted. I'm pretty much finished except for the map. I got chocolate eggs from everyone at the Manor for Easter along with Jelly Babies which I'm addicted too. One thing England has is better chocolate. USA's junk food is nothing compared to England's.

Friday, April 17, Library,

I finished the map.

I'm done! YES!!!!!!

Monday, April 20, Tree Near the Lake,

I DID IT!!!!!

I was chatting with Aqua by the lake (mentally so people wouldn't think I was nuts for talking to a giant squid) and practicing the Privacy Charm. Just as Aqua went into a rant about the merpeople that live with her in the lake I got it.

Take that Professor Snape!!!!

Tuesday, April 21, History of Magic,

-Hey Mandy, are you as bored as I am?

-No. Unlike you, I'm trying to pay attention.

-Oh come on. You aren't the least bit bored?

-NO. Speaking of which, have you started to study for your finals?

-How is asking if you're bored get a "speaking of which" about finals?

-Well, have you?

-Umm...I've done all my assignments. Does that count?

-JUBILEE, these exams are important. If you don't pass, you can't come back next year.

-I KNOW that. But homework is sort of like studying.

-You should have started to study ages ago, like Granger.

-Because the world really needs another Granger (note sarcasm)

-(sarcasm noted and ignored) I'm not saying you have to be exactly like her. But you should study more like her.

-Mandy, if I say I'll start studying for them will you stop lecturing me?

-I don't know. Maybe. It's a good possibility.

-I'll start to study for my exams Friday. Happy now?

-Ecstatic.

-You suck, by the way.

-Why thank you.

Thursday, April 23, Library,

EXAM STUDY SCHEDULE (because Mandy made me)

Monday: one hour Charms, one hour Transfiguration, one hour potions.

Tuesday: one hour DADA, one hour History of Magic, one hour Transfiguration.

Wednesday: one hour Transfiguration, one hour Potions, one hour Astronomy.

Thursday: same as Tuesday.

Friday: same as Monday.

You know the Sorting Hat left out in its song that Ravenclaws are bossy.

Sunday, 3:00 A.M., Dorm Room (Trying Not to Freak),

WHAT WAS THAT????

That was the weirdest, freakiest dream I've ever had. Not as weird as that dream I had where Hogwarts was made of candy like the one in the Candyland game but pretty damn close. Here's what happened so I don't forget it in the morning or something.

The dream started off with me flying. Only it was like I was a bird because I wasn't on a broomstick and my eyesight was wicked. I could see a mouse scuttling around in the grass that was a good fifty feet away.

I flew over Hogwarts, the lake, the Quidditch pitch, and was soon in the Forbidden Forest. I finally stopped in a clearing and you would not believe what I saw: a guy in a dark cloak looking all Grim Reapery SUCKING THE BLOOD OF A HONEST TO GOODNESS UNICORN!!! He had these freaky red eyes he just gave off this feeling of...evil. Believe me, I flew out of there fast when he spotted me.

I then stopped another clearing that was farther away that was full of CENTAURS! I'm serious! There were three of them. One had read hair, a beard, and a tail and a brown horse body. The second had black hair, a tail, and horse body. The third was a bit younger then the two with white blond hair and tail and a palomino horse body.

The younger one was speaking when I arrived, "we must warn them, Bane! If they are unprepared it would be a disaster, not just for the wizard world but for all of the magic world."

The black haired one (who I guessed was Bane) just snorted.

"You know we are sworn not to interfere with what is written in the heavens. Besides, there is no indication that it was the 'end of the magic world'."

"We should still warn them."

"Even if we did warn them, I doubt they would believe us," the red haired one said.

"One of them might."

Bane rolled his eyes. "Even Albus Dumbledore cannot get the Ministry of Magic to listen to us without proof."

"No, they wouldn't. But we could warn the girl. She might believe us."

"HER? She is only eleven years old. She can barely use her gift now and to top it off she's a muggleborn, what good would she be?"

"One of us could train her to give the Light side an advantage."

"They already have Harry Potter."

"He might not be enough, and he is also only eleven. The girl could use her gift to help them. Then we wouldn't be directly interfering but we wouldn't leave them to their doom either."

"It's out of the question, Firenze. A centaur does NOT train humans, it's outrageous. We will not interfere and that is final."

That's when I woke up.

All I can say is WHAT THE HELL!!!!!?????

Monday, April 27, Transfiguration,

How can I concentrate on turning beetles into buttons when I can't keep my mind off this stupid dream? What if it wasn't a dream? What if it was like a vision or something? What if there really are freaky dudes with red eyes going around sucking the blood of unicorns. Call me crazy but I'm thinking that's not a good thing.

What about those centaurs? Are they real? The girl they were talking about sounded an awful lot like me. If it is me how the hell do they know about my gift? Plus, what are they talking about with this whole end of the magic world business? Not to mention, HELLO! Why do I have to be the one to help out the magic world and fight evil? Isn't that the Gryffindors job?

Oh, gotta go. McGonagall's coming.

Tuesday, April 28, Lunch,

THINGS TO DO:

1) Find books in the library on dreams, visions, centaurs, unicorn blood, unicorns, and if I can find one on the Forbidden Forest.

2) Find out if there are centaurs in the Forbidden Forest.

3) POTIONS ESSAY DUE FRIDAY!

4) Study for exams

5) Finish portrait of McGonagall

Wednesday, April 30, Dorm Room,

Stupid, stupid, STUPID!

I ran into the Headmaster on my way out from the library. I was in a hurry because I didn't want to miss dinner and didn't look where I was I going (I got to stop doing that) and boom! Ran into the Headmaster who was chatting with Professor Snape, figures. Of course all the books (seven of them) and my sketchbook toppled to the floor.

I apologized and started to gather my stuff when Snape noticed some of the titles of the books, "Dream Interpretation for Beginners, Centaurs: The Noble Species, Mystical Beasts: A Guide to Unicorns...odd collection of books for a first year." He glanced down at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Uhhh...it's for extra credit work I'm doing." Yeah, I know, real lame excuse. I panicked all right? Luckily the Headmaster chose that moment to pick up my sketchbook and he noticed the portrait I did of him.

"This certainly is good for a young lady your age. You got my rather large nose perfectly," he said with a wink.

I kind of blinked. "Ummm...thanks?"

He handed me my sketchbook and then I said, "well, I don't want to be late for dinner so see you!" then I bolted.

Hope Snape doesn't ask any teachers if they gave extra credit recently.