128 Increasing tensions (1/2)

Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though all four of them were working together on the same puffapod.

Hermione as always was the first one to break the silence.

”How's Scabbers?” Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail.

”He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking,” said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor.

”Careful, I don't want puffapod on me.” Said Arth with an annoyed undertone as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.

They had Transfiguration next.

Harry had resolved himself to ask Professor McGonagall after the lesson whether he could go into Hogsmeade the the rest.

They joined the line outside the class trying to decide how they were going to argue Harry's case. Arth got out a book and would join in the conversation from time to time.

They were distracted, however, by a disturbance at the front of the line.

Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.

”What's the matter, Lavender?” said Hermione anxiously as they went to join the group.

”She got a letter from home this morning,” Parvati whispered. ”It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox.”

”Oh,” said Hermione, ”I'm sorry, Lavender.”

Arth made a solemn cross motion on his chest.

”I should have known!” said Lavender tragically. ”You know what day it is?”

”Er —”

”The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!”

The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously.