Chapter Eighteen |Year Three|

Amelie had a bad feeling about Buckbeak's execution. She really, really, did. But there was no use getting worked up over it, as the rest of the exams had flooded their way upon the students.

The third-years all emerged from Transfiguration at lunchtime on Monday, limp and ashen-faced, comparing results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks, which had included turning a teapot into a tortoise.

Hermione was fussing over how her tortoise looked more like a turtle, (which was to the least of their concerns) nd the rest of the students were delirious and slumped over their food, expecting doom from their results.

Basically, everyone but Amelie and Draco were moaning and wailing over exams. The two had came out of the room feeling victorious, giving each other high-fives, knowing they had aced it. They were two of the brightest students, alongside Hermione, of course.

Blaise sat down next to them and slouched. "How are you guys feeling? McGonagall looked like she was gonna have a boner when I turned my teacup into a thong."

Amelie's eyes went wide and she gaped at him. "You did what?"

"Yeah, well, I tried. But the heart wants what it wants, ay?" he said sheepishly.

Amelie shook her head. "I don't think that's what the quote is supposed to be used for, but okay."

Taking a bite of his panini, Draco flipped off a shaggy fourth-year boy who was gazing at Amelie lustfully. He didn't it like it one bit when other boys ogled her, and no, it wasn't because he was jealous.

Backtracking... maybe he did, a little bit. But one, the feelings were never going to be requited, two, she was his best friend who he would never want to ruin his friendship with, and three, the feelings were probably going to fade away.

Draco wondered what happened with himself. He used to be the confident, take-no-crap, arrogant and witty blonde Slytherin king of the school. Some might say he was a bully, and he liked that. Now, he had softened.

But he actually did like the feeling... just a bit. Of having a real friend other than Blaise, and a female friend who wasn't drooling over his looks or complimenting him every second. He became sickened thinking of all the females like that, and was once again grateful that he wasn't the player he used to be.

Sleeping with a different girl every night became boring fast, no matter how much cleavage or ass they tempted him with.

He thought back to Amelie. Much more than a pretty face. Kind, daring, beautiful, witty, smart, and strong. She was the anchor to him.

"Drayyyycoooohhhhhh - " came a voice that snapped the blonde boy out of his thoughts.

"What?" he snapped. "Sorry," he then apologized, seeing it was Amelie.

"Okay, I thought you were like dead or something for a moment there. You were just staring at me creepily," she said, laughing, and then slung an arm around his shoulder. He smiled.

"I was just thinking."

---

[rapid time-skip]

After a few more exams, Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid, Potions with Snape, who was slowly warming up to Amelie, and Astronomy, the day was over.

The next day (Wednesday), they took exams for Herbology.

Their second to last exam came on Thursday, which was DADA. It was the oddest exam any of them had taken; some sort of obstacle course that held a grindylow, Red Caps, hinkypunks, and then a new boggart.

Amelie climbed out of the trunk which held the boggart as she finished the exam, grinning. Professor Lupin was amazing, she concluded. His lessons were fun, the classes were fun... hell, he even made the exams fun! And wasn't that supposedly impossible?

"Good job, Amelie," he said complimenting her. "You did wonderful."

She flushed with pride. "Thanks, Professor."

"Full marks."

Draco did well too, except for the fact he was stuck in the quagmire for a little while, being distracted by the hinkypunk. He got out quickly, however, so no points were taken. Amelie heard later that Ron did the same thing.

"Full marks, Mister Malfoy."

"Obviously," he drawled lazily, sliding a hand through his hair. Professor Lupin frowned but didn't say anything.

Once they were out of the room, though, Amelie had something to discuss with Draco. "I have some business in Hogsmeade to take care of, Draco. Think you'll fend alright without me?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows teasingly.

Draco stuck his tongue out at her. "Sure I will. But wait, what business?"

Amelie rolled her eyes. "You're such a child. And to answer your question, it's just some self-defense lessons I'm taking, because I don't want to forever be so helpless, you know?"

Draco's jaw dropped. "You're not helpless... you have me, and Blaise, and - "

"Yeah, but what if one day you guys aren't there and I get jumped or something? I don't want to not be able to fend for myself."

"But - okay..."

Amelie smiled at her blonde friend, and then climbed up the stairs to the girls' dorms to change into an outfit that would let her be able to move better. She chose a grey tank top, and slipped on some black sweatpants, and then some black Nike's. Nike was a sports brand in the muggle world that was gaining popularity, Amelie had discovered, and she had quite enjoyed their products.

Tying her hair into a ponytail, she ran downstairs, but bumped into someone as she was about to exit the common room. She looked up.

Her luck was just fan-freaking-tastic. There stood Adrian, in his black and green robes, eyeing her from head to toe greedily.

"Hey, Santerre. Going somewhere?"

"Yeah, and it's none of your business."

He smiled at her. "Okay, but I just wanted you to remember that we have a date tomorrow, okay? Hogsmeade?"

Amelie groaned on the inside, but she faked a smile and went along with it. "Yeah, okay. Now can I leave?"

"Sure, beautiful. Also, you look nice today... but that would be nicer if it was in my bed," he told her huskily, winking at her.

"Okay... bye ..."

The brunette jumped out the portrait hole, then went to the statue she and Harry had visited, as it was marked on the Marauder's Map as a secret entrance to Honeydukes in Hogsmeade. Hagrid had told her he'd cover for her, and that was enough said.

She crept through the tunnel quietly, and reached the cellar door. Silently unlatching it, she climbed out of the tunnel, and ventured out towards where "Raymond Westin" had notified Hagrid, who in turn had informed Amelie, where her lessons would take place.

It was inside "Spintwitches," [A/N yes this place really exists in HP Hogsmeade lmao] which was a sports shop in Hogsmeade. There was a spacious free room there, and so apparently Mr. Westin had arranged for her to train there.

She entered the store, which was filled with Broomsticks (the main display was one with that of a Firebolt) broomstick servicing sets, and Quaffles, snitches, bludgers, bats, and gloves. And more, of course.

Amelie walked up to the front counter, which was residence to a middle-aged, balding wizard who looked grumpy. "Excuse me, sir, but did a certain Raymond Westin come in earlier?"

"Humbug! Yeh, the ministry worker? He's in the room over there," the man said impatiently, pointing at a door. No wonder he was losing hair.

"Thank you, sir, I'll be off then. Have a nice day!" she said amiably.

"Pfft."

Amelie swung open the door of the room the worker had gestured to, and in there stood a tall, blonde man with a black fedora on. "Mr. Westin?" She asked tentatively.

He turned around. "Hello, ah, Amelie, is it?"

She nodded. He smiled. "Well, my friend Hagrid seems to have you held up high in his regard. Let's see if your physical abilities can be put to the test, shall we, my dear?"

Another nod.

The lesson progressed with running laps around the room, push-ups, planking, sit-ups, flexed-arm hang, and weight-lifting, and then stretch tests.

Westin nodded as she completed the stretch tests, breathing a bit heavily. "Not bad. But some work is still needed, however."

The girl smiled. "Thanks. That means a lot, Mr. Westin."

"Please, call my Ray," he said, waving a hand.

"Okay, Ray."

"You did well today, it's getting late - you should head back, now."

Amelie nodded. "See you next week, Ray. It was nice meeting you!"

She left the room, sad goodbye to the grumpy employee out front, and left without a word. Walking back to Honeydukes, she changed into her animagus form and padded through the tunnel, back to Hogwarts.

---

Amelie, Harry, Hermione, and Ron stood in front of the prime minister, Cornelius Fudge.

"Hello Harry, French veela, and their friends. I must admit... I'm here on some nasty circumstances - to rid of a mad hippogriff, to be exact..."

"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Ron interrupted, stepping forward.

"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," said Fudge, looking curiously at the ginger-haired boy.

"Then you might not have to witness the execution at all!" exclaimed Ron stoutly. Amelie winced at his bluntness."The hippogriff might get off!"

Two wizards stepped through the castle doors towards them, saving Fudge from his response. One was a wizened old man, and the other was tall and muscular, the strapping look completed with a thick black mustache. It was clear who was the executioner and who was not.

The beefy man, the one with the black mustache, was caressing the side of a shining axe. Ron's mouth opened, as if he was to say something, angrily, but Hermione jerked his armand pulled him towards the Great Hall.

Amelie followed suit.

"Why'd you stop me?" asked Ron callously as they entered for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"

"Ron, your dad works for the ministry... I'm just being logical, which I know you don't appreciate, but don't you think it's downright stupid to insult your dad's boss?" Amelie told him calmly,but inside she, too, was extremely upset. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak..."

"Now you aren't being logical, Amelie, you're just being downright optimistc," Ron snapped, mimicking her.

Amelie sighed. Just because he was cross, didn't give him the right to take it out on his friends.

---

Amelie was standing outside of the Divination classroom, (or rather, below it), waiting for Professor Trelawney to finish with Daphne. She was the second-to-last person waiting for the one-on-one exam in Divination. It was her last subject, and so she hoped to do well in it... even if she wasn't the best at it.

"She's so slow," moaned Lexi, who had a Pansy patting her shoulder. Lexi was the last person in line.

"I know, and it's even worse inside. But at least it's not as bad as being stuck in a room with that horrid fourio, Weaselbee, Mudblood Granger, Saint Potter, and Slutty Santerre."

Amelie's blood boiled a bit. "For your information, Pugsy, it's called a quadruplet, and their names are Ron, Hermione, Harry."

"So you agree that you're Slutty Santerre?" sneered Pansy. Lexi looked slightly uncomfortable, but went with Pansy.

"Yeah, slut."

Amelie sighed. This was just cruel of them. They knew most girls were fairly insecure, and lucky for them, she wasn't. Otherwise they'd never show their face again.

"I don't care what you call me, you can call me a slut, whore, bitch, but it won't matter because it's not true. I'm more virgin then the rest of the virgin Slytherin girls put together, and I'm the one that has the friends. The friends that say I'm nice, the ones who's opinions actually matter to me. And guess what? Your's doesn't. So fuck off, Pansy. Lexi. What happened? We were like, besties, and then a week later you ditched me for her. What's wrong? And you know what? Your opinion used to matter, but know. Huh. I guess it doesn't. Sayonara, and hope you keep that insulting feeling you radiate in check. But maybe you can't," Amelie burst out,and whirled around, back towards standing under the trapdoor that led to Professor Trelawney's.

The trapdoor opened a few minutes later, and Daphne climbed slowly down the ladder, her face pale.

"What happened?" Amelie asked worriedly, draping an arm around Daphne's shoulders soothingly.

"If I tell anyone - Professor Trelawney said - s - said something very bad'll happen to m-me," Daphne told her, her voice wobbling.

"It's okay," Amelie said, hugging her blonde friend. When she heard her name called, ("Amelie Santerre!") she climbed up the ladder, into the room. The curtains were drawn, it was bloodily hot, the fire was alive and crackling, and the same sickly scent Amelie had become accustomed to.

She made her way towards Professor Trelawney, stifling coughs and sneezes along the way.

"Good day, my dear," the woman said softly. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb... take your time, now... then tell me what you see within it..."

Amelie looked into the crystal ball, trying to focus on the whirling shapes of grey and the swirling white fog.

"Well?" prompted Professor Trelawney. "What do you see?"

Amelie bit her lip. The pieces were coming together slowly. She looked at the blob in front of her, scrutinizing it carefully. She wanted to pass.

"Um... a hippogriff..." she said carefully, thinking of the first thing that came to mind.

"Indeed!" exclaimed Professor Trelawney, scribbling furiously on the piece of parchment in front of her. "My girl, you may well be seeing what will happen this afternoon!"

"But wait - the shapes are rearranging - " Amelie said quickly, watching the figures inside the Orb. "It's changing into... a boy. And... a girl?"

"Love, maybe?" mused Professor Trelawney, continuing to jot down notes.

"Friendship, heart, boy, girl" she muttered, staring intensely at the blobs. They suddenly turned dark and the pacifying image of two objects being weighed.

"A scale... no, a decision! A boy and a girl will fall in love, through friendship, and then in the future will have to make a big decision," Amelie stated, still warily surveying the crystal ball.

Professor Trelawney smiled. Amelie was surprised. It was, in all regard, a real, honest-to-goodness smile. Nobody would ever have guessed that the cynical, eccentric Professor Trelawney would ever have smiled like that.

"You did wonderful, dear."

"Thank you, I guess I'll just... go now, then?"

"Yes."

Amelie climbed down the stairs, towards where Blaise, Daphne, and Draco were waiting. "Hey, guys!"

"That exam was rubbish," commented Blaise, making a face. "You think you did okay?"

Amelie nodded. "Yeah, at the end, Professor Trelawney smiled - like not one of those loopy smiles, but - you know whatever. I think I did fine, is what I'm trying to say," she said, giggling.

Draco smiled. She was so endearing... he had come to terms with his crush on her. [A/N lmao this sounds like he's coming out] Not that he would ever tell her, at least.

Daphne looked sick. "That reminds me of earlier...gonna go to the bathroom, be right back!"

Draco shrugged. "Okay."

Blaise ran off to grab some snacks, which left the young Malfoy and Santerre to chat a while by themselves.

"So, what did you get?" Draco asked Amelie.

"Oh, it was weird. A boy and a girl, falling in love or something, through friendship, and then having to make a big decision," Amelie told him, shaking her head. Wisps of her light brown hair fell across her forehead.

Draco smiled. "Yeah, totally weird."

A/N - PLEASE READ!

I won't and haven't updated this story in a while. I hope you understand and can possibly relate, as school has started and I have many activities and other things to attend you. Thank you, so much, for supporting me, but I don't think I'll be getting you guys a new chapter until a while.

THANK YOU! <3

(I do have another story, however, that I will start uploading onto watt pad as well, and it's also a DM ff!)