The Diary of a Witch, Volume I

Chapter 9: May

Friday, May 1, Outside By the Lake (because it's actually WARM!!!)

That was weird. I just ran into Hagrid, but that wasn't the weird part. The weird part was that he was carrying something under his arm that had a voice coming from it. Only it was a stone sort of thing not an animal. As far as I know, I don't hear things like stone because they aren't plants. I hear wood and the fungi that grows on stones but that's it.

Maybe it's not a stone but an egg of some kind. It was oval and sort of looked like it could be an egg. But why would Hagrid lie about having an egg? But then why does Hagrid do half the stuff he does? As much as I like Hagrid his logic really doesn't make sense to me sometimes. For instance Fluffy told me Hagrid was the one who gave him his name. Who in their right mind would name a large three-headed dog Fluffy?

Sunday, May 3, Breakfast, Great Hall,

THINGS TO DO:

1) Finish Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration essays.

2) Finish History of Magic assignment and drawing of Teething Snapdragons for Herbology.

3) Study for exams

4) LAUNDRY!!!

5) Send Gerard a birthday gift for the 10th

6) Water herb garden kit, repot Giggling Geraniums because they keep jumping out of the pot.

7) Finish The Diary of Anne Frank.

8) Return library books to avoid getting glared at by Madam Pince

Monday, May 4, Charms,

I can't believe I forgot my Charms notebook! Why is it I can remember everything I read but forget stupid stuff like this? It makes no sense at all and this is the first time I've ever forgotten my Charms notebook. I blame it on the stress of finals.

Luckily, today is a free note session day so it's not such a big deal that I forgot all my notes. At least I have my book.

NOTES FROM CHAPTER 1:

-"Charms" is derived from the old Latin word for 'song' or 'ritual utterance', carmen.

-Charm: a phrase that is recited or written down to achieve a magical effect.

-Earliest charms were written on pieces of parchment( before the discover of the wand in 500 B.C.

Thursday, May 7, History of Magic,

-Hey, Mandy, when do you think we'll actually NEED to know about when and why Alber Physche launched a attack on Goblins in 1704?

-Jubilee, history is very important. We need to know this stuff.

-WHEN????

-It might come up in a conversation.

Mandy, no one I know talks about Goblin wars willingly.

-You might need to know it for your future job.

I'm going to be an artist! Or possibly a writer. Somehow I doubt it.

-You're only 11, you could change your mind between-okay, why am I even having this argument with you???

-Because you're just as bored as I am. Come on, admit it.

-Okay, I am a LITTLE bored. But only because of Professor Binns' teaching methods.

HA!!! I knew it! I win!

-Wait, I'm sorry, were we having a challenge? You're really immature sometimes J, and I say that in the most caring manner.

Why thank you very much! Though I would like to point out that you can be just as immature or have you forgotten the Weird Sisters impression that we did last Saturday with Hannah? ;evil grin;

-HEY! I was hyped up on candy! Which was entirely YOUR fault along with Hannah's because you two KNOW I have a sugar addiction.

-Oh, sure. Blame the sugar. Like the sugar told you to belt out songs at the top of your lungs and make Turpin come down and tell us off for being loud. Though it was kind of funny to see that vein on her forehead.

-You enjoy antagonizing her don't you?

-It is kind of fun.

-She is a nice person sometimes, you know.

-Yeah, to certain people who come from pureblood families and aren't Americans.

-I guess she could stand to lose some of her attitude.

-She could stand to lose a LOT of her attitude. Not to mention loosen up. Granger isn't as wound up as she is and that's saying something.

IF YOU TWO DON'T STOP PASSING THIS NOTEBOOK YOU'LL GET INTO TROUBLE AND LOSE HOUSE POINTS FOR RAVENCLAW! AGAIN!

-There, I rest my case. By the way, who gave her permission to write in MY JOURNAL?!

Friday, May 8, Lake,

A dragon!

THAT'S what Hagrid had last Friday!.

Of course, I'm technically not supposed to know he has one, the only reason I do know is that I heard the dragon talking as I passed by Hagrids hut. Walls don't really matter when it comes to hearing animals. I can be in History of Magic and hear an owl snoring in his sleep in the Forbidden forest miles away. Sometimes it's difficult distinguishing the voices and I can't tell who it is talking to me. Other times it's really clear like with Aqua because her voice is really loud and she's the only one who calls me 'dearie'.

Well, the dragon part explains why he lied about what he was carrying and why he was in the library earlier today (he's NEVER in the library). He must have been looking up stuff on dragons. I like Hagrid and all but who in their right minds would want to hatch a dragon???

Sunday, May 10, Lake Shore,

I've been trying to talk to Hagrid all weekend but I can't get a hold of him. I only see him during meals. I've done my own research on dragons and you know that owning a dragon is illegal? It was outlawed by the Warlocks Convention of 1709. Plus, dragons grow really fast. Norbert (the dragon told me that's what Norbert named him, where does Hagrid come up with these names) may be small now but in about a week or so he'll be as big as me and later on Hagrid's hut. He's going to have trouble keeping him hidden.

I guess it's just as well I haven't talked to Hagrid. How would I explain how I know about the dragon? It's supposed to be a secret, though I'm pretty sure Potter, Granger, and Weasley know because they've been visiting him a lot and keep giving Hagrid these worried looks in the Great Hall.

I hope Hagrid knows what he's doing.

Tuesday, May 12, History of Magic,

Ugh.

How can I concentrate on Goblin wars (whichever number we're on) when my head is killing me and I feel like I want to throw up? That would be nice: hey, Professor Binns would you like to see what I had for breakfast? This started sometime yesterday afternoon and I completely blame this on the stress of finals. These teachers are killing us with work! Plus, I've been worried that Hagrid is going to get himself sacked. I know it's not really my problem but I like Hagrid, Hogwarts wouldn't be the same without him.

Owen says I should go to the infirmary and see Madam Pomfrey. I told him no way. I hate infirmaries and hospitals of any kind. They're way too white, they all have a funky smell, the doctors make you feel like an idiot, and hello, people die in those things. I don't want to be in a room where a corpse might have been, that's gross. Plus, I hate needles and can't stand the sight of blood. So yeah, I'll pass.

Thursday, May 14, Infirmary,

Whoever said Hufflepuffs are wimps has never met Owen. He practically DRAGGED me here. When I refused to go he got Hannah and Mandy together and the three of them ganged up on me. That is so totally unfair. In my defense I could have put up a fight but my head was foggy and my vision blurry. Plus, I threw up on Owens shoes. Oh well, payback for dragging me here.

I bet I looked ridiculous being dragged through the castle by three people. Malfoy sure seemed to think so when he ran into the four of us on his way out of the infirmary. He kind of looked at me and my friends and sneered, "pathetic" and then walked off. I started to retort something to his back like "at least I'm not a freaky albino" but Owen tugged my arm and said firmly, "come ON, Jubilee." Owen can be surprisedly bossy when he wants to be.

We ran into Ron Weasley who was there for what he said was a dog bite. But the only dog here is Hagrids' dog Fang who doesn't bite people because he says we taste nasty. Still haven't figured out whether I should be insulted by that or not. I have a feeling it was a dragon bite; I'll have to talk to Norbert. I know he feels cramped up at Hagrids' but that's no reason to go biting people.

I'm going to be stuck here for a few hours while Madam Pomfrey makes the Flu Cure potion. On the bright side, I get to miss History of Magic. This place isn't so bad I guess, there's no funky smell at least and the only white in here is the bed sheets. Madam Pomfrey is okay though a little strict with her patients and health. She lectured me about not coming to see here immediately after I started to feel ill. She snorted at me when I told her about my slight phobia of hospitals and said I was being ridiculous.

Now of course, I'm going to have to deal with Owen saying 'I told you so' when I get out. Damn.

Friday, May 15, Library,

EXAM SCHEDULE:

Monday, June 1:

Transfiguration, 9:00 A.M.

Charms: 1:00 P.M.

Tuesday:

Herbology: 9:00 A.M.

Defense Against the Dark Arts: 1:00 P.M.

Wednesday:

Potions: 9:00 A.M.

Astronomy: 10:00 P.M.

Thursday:

Flying: 9:00 A.M.

History of Magic: 1:00 P.M.

Two exams a day, that's not bad. There are two parts to each (except for flying and history of magic): a written part and a practical. All the first years will be taking their exams together so they have time to give the other years their exams.

The ones I'll really have to work on are potions and Transfiguration. While I have gotten better at potions thanks to Owen I do still have clumsy moments and times when my impatience gets the better of me and I forget to measure stuff out.

While I should do well on the Transfiguration practical I have to work on the equation part of the exam because my ability to be a complete dunce when it comes to math. I'm figuring my highest scores will be Charms, Herbology, and Astronomy because those are my best subjects.

Monday, May 18, Charms,

Wow.

One hundred and fifty points in one go. I didn't think that was possible. But apparently it is if you piss off McGonagall enough. I knew I stayed on her good side for a reason.

Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Neville Longbottom got caught out of bed last night and McGonagal was NOT happy with them. She gave them all detentions and took off fifty points each. Jeez, harsh much Prof. M?

Now everyone is mad at Potter for "handing the House Cup over to Slytherin" as Turpin put it at breakfast today. Did it ever occur to anyone that Potter might have had a reason to be out of bed? I walked by Hagrids this morning and Norbert was gone. He's no where near Hogwarts either because I can't hear him. I heard that one of Weasley's older brothers who is out of school, Charlie I think his name is, works with dragons. I bet they were sending Norbert to him. They can't exactly send a dragon away during the day can they?

If you ask me, Professor McGonagall way overreacted, I mean fifty points each? That's a little excessive. I can see fifty points overall but not fifty each. Not that anyone has really stopped to think that Prof. M was unfair or not. People really suck sometimes.

Tuesday, May 19, DADA,

In less then forty-eight hours Potter's gone from everyone's hero to public enemy number one at Hogwarts. The only people talking to him are Granger and Weasley. People point at him and insult him loudly, the Gyrffindor Quidditch team won't even talk to him. I told Fred and George they were being unfair but they ignored me saying I didn't understand.

Why is it when people don't want admit that you might be right they say that you don't understand what you're talking about?

Sunday, May 24, Great Hall,

THINGS TO DO:

1) Study for exams

2) Potions and Transfiguration essays (last ones of the year!)

3) LAUNDRY!!!

4) Return library books

5) Stop doodling on History of Magic notes.

6) Start to go through the clutter that's around room. Try to figure out where it came from in order to prevent it from happening again.

1:00 A.M. Wednesday, May 27, Dorm Room,

This has been one hectic and confusing night.

For starters, someone who isn't an animal or a plant knows about my Wild Magic. Which both sucks and is kind of a relief at the same time. For another, that dream I had with the centaurs and everything? Yeah, that wasn't a dream, that really happened, I saw it courtesy of an owl who decided to clue me in. Thank you very much, mister owl. Really.

Tonight started out normally. Mandy and I quizzed each other on Potions stuff, I showed her how to properly chart moon rotations (Astronomy is NOT Mandy's subject), and then we went up to our rooms. I munched on some Chocolate Frogs and got a few more Famous Witch and Wizard cards to add to my collection (I've got about fifty now) and was a few pages away from finishing The Diary of Anne Frank when I heard someone cry for help INSIDE MY HEAD!

At first I thought, 'okay Jubilee, time to cut down on the chocolate' but then it got more persistent and I realized that it was an animal, a unicorn to more precise, she must have heard about me through what I like to call the nature grapevine. I've been their favorite gossip topic lately according to Aqua. Can't tell you how nice it is to know I'm gossip news to animals.

Anyway, I asked her what was wrong and she answered really frantically, "he's hunting me!"

"Who?" I asked, thinking it was a bear or another wild animal and then thought, why do I have to deal with this? Her answer got me moving though. She said a man dressed in black was hunting her. My first thought was that it was Professor Snape, because he's the only dude I know he dresses completely in black, then I thought 'wait, why would he hunt a unicorn? Even he isn't that much of a creep'. Instead I asked, "where are you?"

"In the forest near your school."

Of course, it had to be the forest and I thought to myself 'oh great, I'm so expelled'. But to my credit I went and helped her because...well it is kind of my duty to help animals and plants. At least that's what the book I read made it sound like. So I pulled on my black jeans with my tye-dye night shirt and my cloak figuring the darker my cloths were the last chance I had of being seen.

I snuck out of the castle without being seen. There was a scary moment where Snape was coming in my direction (clearing him off the unicorn hunting suspect list) but I hid behind the statue of Bartemus the Bloody. After I begged him to not to tell Snape I was there.

I nearly ran into Filch outside because he was leading Potter, Granger, Longbottom, and Malfoy of Hagrid for a detention. I ducked behind Hagrids hut and had to wait for Hagrid to lead them to their detention which was of course in the Forbidden Forest. Heaven forbid they go to the castle to have their detention. So I had to wander around the forest and dodge them at the same time so I wouldn't get caught.

In the end, I was too late. He got her.

I was wandering around trying to follow the sound of her voice when she suddenly screamed and then...nothing. I then heard another human scream from Malfoy I think (who screams like a girl by the way) and ran in that direction. I stopped just before the clearing in time to see REAL LIVE CENTAURS. THE SAME ONES FROM MY DREAM! Harry Potter was with them but I was too busy staring at the unicorns dead body on the ground to really pay attention to him or what the centaurs were saying. None of them saw me because I was behind a tree. You know I never even knew her name. The unicorn, I mean.

I was startled out of my staring when that Firenze guy yelled at the other two and galloped off with Potter on his back. The other two stared after him for a few moments and then left. They just left her there. The unicorn. They didn't even bury her body or anything, I thought centaurs were supposed to be big about stuff like this.

After they JUST LEFT HER THERE I walked up to the unicorn and tried to figure out a way I could at least bury her, and tried not to look at the silver stuff on her neck. Her blood. But I couldn't help but look at it and feel guilt. Lots of guilt. Not to mention this huge wave of sadness even though I didn't even know her. Maybe if I knew how to use more of my powers I could've helped her. I could have done more. I could've done...something. I'm not sure how long I stood there but all I know is that I looked up and there was Firenze standing in the clearing studying me.

"Hello," he said. I just kind of stared at him dumbly and he continued, "you're her aren't you?"

"I'm who?"

"The Wild Mage. The one the whole forest has been talking about."

"Oh. How do you know that?"

He smiled at me, "I'd have to be blind not to see it. The magic is practically leaking out of you."

I had this sudden vision of silver stuff pouring out of my ears like tea pouring out of a teapot. Sometimes having an imagination is NOT a good thing. Firenze must have caught my expression because he said, "of course centaurs are the only ones who can see magic so you wouldn't know this. Though with a bit of training you would be able to see magic like we do. It is a part of your gift."

I looked at him and remembered him offering to train me in my dream (vision-whatever you want to call it) and said, "could you teach me?"

He blinked. I don't think he was expecting me to ask him that. "Possibly, but arrangements would have to be made. Could you meet me here in the forest next Friday?"

"I guess so."

"Good. I'll see you then. In the mean time you better get back to the castle. It's not safe for you to be here."

With one more look at the unicorn I left and surprise, surprise did not get caught sneaking back. Good thing too because I think Turpin would plot my doom if I lost fifty points for Ravenclaw right now. Yikes, I better get to bed. More later.

Wednesday, May 27, Charms,

Note review and note taking, THANK YOU PROFESSOR FLITWICK!

McGonagall had us doing spells which I couldn't accomplish because of the lack of sleep I got last night. I tried going to bed after I wrote in here but I couldn't get the image of that dead unicorn out of my head. Plus, I was trying to decide whether being taught by Firenze was such a good idea and then I wondered what kind of creep would want to kill unicorns. Then, it finally sunk in that SOMEONE ACTUALLY KNOWS! Someone knows about my Wild Magic.

It's kind of nice that someone knows. Now I don't feel so...alone in this. I mean I can actually talk to a person about it without worrying about whether or not they'll think I'm a freak or I've lost it. I've been very close to telling Owen a couple of times but I always stop myself when I imagine all possible reactions he could have.

Guess this is why I wasn't sorted into Gryffindor.

Sunday, May 31, Dorm Room,

My first exam is in less then twelve hours.

AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!