About a week later, Jade was crouched in the dirt, pruning a Habitation Hedge. These were special hedges, which could be enchanted to make a small shelter for a wizard or a huge one for an animal. Her robes had dirt all over their knees, and there was a large branch tangled in her messy hair. The Herbology greenhouse was hot and humid, and sweat poured down her face as she clipped the bush into shape.

Herbology was one of her favorite classes, as it allowed her to forget her trouble through actual hard work. She also liked Professor Morris, their teacher. He had a certain charisma about him, which sometimes made her laugh. He wove through the rows of students and bushes, adjusting a pair of shears here, cracking a joke there, his long dreadlocks swinging around his face as he paced. As he passed Jade, she sat back on her knees and ruminated about the Intruder Incident. Thankfully, no one had been hurt, and nothing important was missing- yet.

Last week's incident was one of the most talked-about events in the past three years of Eaglesclaw. Everyone had different theories. Some people had solid ideas (Cassiopeia from Snowbeak had thought it was a scheme to see if the students all knew their wand-lighting spells), but some of the ideas were downright foolish. One person thought that a Hippogryph had escaped the Magical Menagerie in New York and had somehow entered the castle (although the hippogryphs at the Menagerie were well taken care of and had never even attempted an escape).

Jade was anticipating nervously the next attack, because she did not know what the intruder would do. In the History of Eaglesclaw, the intruder struck twice, failed to take a student, and then disappeared, mystery unsolved. But if Professor Clearwater had been right...she didn't like to think of what might happen.

A small house-elf in a raggedy oversized jacket and floral children's skirt appeared next to Professor Morris with a crack and a puff of smoke. It whispered something into his ear, and the professor's face went pale. He straightened up and cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Students, please go indoors to your common rooms at once. You do not have to go to any classes today, and supper will be brought to your common rooms. Your Heads of House will give you further information."

In the scramble for the door, Jade was stepped upon twice, and she dropped her dragonhide glove on the dirt floor as she headed to the Grizzleheart common room, thankfully near the greenhouses.