On Saturday, after the match, I turned back time and went to the library with Hermione so we could do work together.

The library was completely deserted – everyone was outside watching the Quidditch match. The storm was a bit distracting, but we managed to do our work okay.

We had done everything except our Defense Against the Dark Arts essay set by Father. Hermione was reading the textbook aloud to me, when I told her what I had realised in class.

“Hermione?”

She looked up. “Mhmm?”

I lowered voice, even though there was no-one else there. “I think…I think that Professor Lupin is a werewolf.”

Her eyes widened, then she flicked through the chapter on werewolves, frowning. Finally, she looked back at me. “You know what? I think you’re right. He’s always sick at the full moon, isn’t he? And his Boggart…it isn’t a crystal ball after all! It’s a full moon!”

I nodded. She raised her eyebrows. “So, who’ve we had as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher so far? A traitor working for You-Know-Who, a fraud and a werewolf. Wow…”

I grinned. A thought appeared to have come to her. “Jade, have you seen that black dog around since that Arithmancy class?”

I almost shook my head, then remembered the event that technically hadn’t happened yet and nodded. “Yeah. At the Quidditch match. It was up in the stand. I saw it in the light from the lightning, but when it faded…the dog was gone,” I explained.

She nodded. “Oh. And, um…well, this is a completely different topic, but…are your twin sister and that Ravenclaw guy – Alex Johnson – going out? Only, Ron and I saw them making out in Hogsmeade.”

I remembered my conversation with Alex after Blaise and I had found them kissing in Hogsmeade. Then I recalled Hallowe’en and smirked.

“Oh, Merlin, yeah.”

***

Our next Anti-Dementor lesson went extremely well.

As usual, my Barn Owl Patronus appeared easily and Alex’s wolf appeared just as quickly.

Then it was Anja’s turn. She appeared to be steeling herself. When the Dementor came forward, she said the incantation as usual, but instead of a wispy, indistinct Patronus coming out of the end of her wand, a huge cat appeared. It chased the Dementor back into the box and Professor Lupin shut the lid.

“A Maine Coon,” Anja said, grinning. “I finally did it!”

We congratulated her.

Then it was Blaise’s go. He looked extremely determined. He held out his wand, eyes shut.

When the Dementor appeared, he yelled, “EXPECTO PATRONUM!”

A large gray dog appeared. It looked sort of like Alex’s wolf, only it was smaller.

A Canadian husky.

Lupin turned to us, smiling warmly. I tried to forget that this man was a werewolf – admittedly not an evil one, but he could still be dangerous.“Congratulations. 15 points to each of you. Well, I don’t think you need these lessons anymore. I would suggest that you practise the Patronus Charm fairly regularly, so you don’t forget how to cast it.”

Alex nodded. “Thankyou, Professor.”

When we had left the classroom, Blaise turned to us. “That’s amazing! We all managed to cast a Patronus Charm! That’s really difficult!”

He looked expectantly at Alex for further information on exactly how difficult it was; information which Alex quickly supplied.

“Many adults are unable to cast the Patronus Charm in its full-bodied form.”

We exchanged looks of glee.

Somehow, we ended up at the front entrance, which Filch had clearly left open.

I knew why we were here – in previous years, we had gone down to the lake all the time. But we obviously couldn’t do that anymore, because otherwise we would end up being attacked by the Dementors.

Not my idea of an enjoyable afternoon.

But, then again, their idea of a fun afternoon was probably not being attacked by four teenagers with strong Patronuses.

Anja was worried. “Um, we can’t go down to the lake. There are Dementors patrolling there!”

I grinned, which again showed the huge difference between the two of us. “Oh, yeah? And we’ve got really strong, full-bodied Patronuses.”

We glanced over at the boys. Blaise shrugged. “Well, okay, we can go down there and attack some Dementors, sure, but I want to practise the Patronus Charm. Expecto Patronum!”

Blaise’s Canadian husky ran across the grass. It ran back to us, its tongue hanging out. Blaise beamed at it.

We all summoned our Patronuses and, surprisingly, they got along.

Alex’s wolf and Blaise’s husky chased each other around the grounds, my owl swooping above them.

As for Anja’s Maine Coon, it followed the canines around. At one point, the cat and the wolf rolled over in the grass.

Alex and Anja blushed furiously.

We all sat down and silently watched our animals play.

We didn’t end up going to the lake after all, but just sat in the entranceway to the castle.

***

About two weeks before the Christmas holidays started, we all agreed with Alex that we would go to his place for Christmas.

Alex lived in a fairly small house, because his family was only four people – the same as Anja and me.

Alex’s mother was Annie Johnson and his father was Andrew Johnson.

His parents conjured three sleeping bags, so Anja and I slept on the floor of Angelina’s room, while Blaise was in Alex’s room.

I wasn’t really used to actual motherly figures in the house.I hadn’t seen Maria for over two years, and my actual mother had been dead for about 13 years, I calculated, since I was now 14.

Dinner had a more relaxed feel than at home.

About halfway through the holidays, I realised that I was comparing everything about the house to my home, and I finally let the constant comparisons go.

We played two-a-side Quidditch in their backyard while Angelina watched – Blaise and me vs Anja and Alex.

I turned out to be surprisingly good as a Chaser, but Alex was easily the best in that position.

The holidays were easily the best I had ever had.