There wasn't much longer until the term ended for the summer, only one more week, many first and second years cheering, and many seventh years crying. The results had finally been given out, and Abigail stared at the envelope, too frightened for what her results would be if she'd opened it. Alison, Chris and Billy seemed over-enthusiastic, almost ripping their envelopes to shreds. Prior to the envelope-tearing, Chris pressed his envelope against his chest, praying that he'd got an 'O' in everything.

Abigail stared at Alison as her eyes scanned the paper, her smile not disappearing, only getting larger as she got to the end of the page. Billy huffed happily, holding his results up for them to see. He'd passed everything; not one letter was wasn't an 'O.' It seemed Chris passed everything with OUTSTANDING written beside the subjects.

Not caring any longer, Abigail huffed as she stripped her envelope, unfolding the paper that was contained on the inside. She felt nothing but joy as she read her results. She'd received an O in everything, apart from transfiguration which she had just managed to pass, but it was still a good feeling, knowing she had passed everything without knowing she would or could receive such high success.

"I passed everything," Alison squealed. "There are too many 'O's for me to handle!"

"That makes two of us, love, but, see, I was expecting it," Chris smirked. He wasn't the only one expecting himself to pass everything with the highest mark; he was one of the smartest people in the entire school.

"We should go to Hogsmeade," Billy exhaled, tucking his results away in his bag. "I want to go there one last time; dunno when I'll be back."

"Right, it's opened for seventh-years for the rest of the week, isn't it?" Alison furrowed her brows, pointing a thumb at Billy to signify that she'd been sharing the exact same thoughts. Billy nodded.

"I'll catch up with you guys later," Abigail concluded, her friends giving her an odd look.

"No, you're coming with us," Alison decided for her, arms crossing. Billy and Chris were giving her a look as though they were thinking the same thing Alison was thinking.

"Come on," Billy nodded. "This will be the last time us four do something like this. Many people who go to school together lose contact out in the real world, or just stop being friends."

She knew he wasn't lying; she'd heard the exact same thing from her parents.

Instead, she sighed, smiling. "Fine. Let's go, then."

"Wait!" A voice called from behind her. A familiar voice, in fact. Abigail looked behind to see Brianna walking quickly over to them, until she reached beside Billy. "I'm coming, too."

"You mean you heard us from all the way over there?" Billy said to her, furrowing his brows.

She shrugged in return. "You lot were talking rather loudly."

And so they reached the inn, ordered butterbeer - though Chris got highly upset when he was declined a firewhiskey - and chatted at a table.

"I'm going to work for the M.o.M as soon as I can," Brianna chirped, taking a large gulp of her butterbeer.

"I hope you're as determined as you sound," said Abigail, fighting back her laughter at the look on Brianna's face.

"Sorry, the M.o.M?" Chris huffed. "Like, American mothers?"

"No, you git, the Ministry of Magic," Billy chuckled. Alison was too busy laughing at Chris's response to reply to him.

Alison eventually teased Chris, saying something about having his nose in too many books to notice that there really was a Ministry, but Abigail wasn't paying any more attention; she had just spotted Emily walking in the Inn, all alone, too. By the time Emily had ordered her own butterbeer and turned to head toward an empty table did she notice Abigail watching her, and her eyes flickered between Abigail and Brianna, annoyance flushing over her features, and then she continued to make her way to the empty table.

"I have a theory," Brianna said quietly in her ear, making her jump. Brianna was, too, watching Emily.

Abigail noticed the others were in deep conversation about something that wasn't important, and then she said, "a theory?"

"Yes."

"Is it about Emily?"

"I suspect Emily has just realised how foolish she was to join Bellatrix in the first place. That perhaps she has just realised the horror Bellatrix plans to unleash on Half-bloods and Muggle-borns, and that maybe, just maybe, Emily couldn't take it any more because she cares about you. She knows you're a Half-blood."

Abigail nearly spit out her butterbeer as she listened to Brianna spill her thoughts, but she swallowed it down. "What? You knew?"

Brianna gave her a look as though she were stupid. "I knew? Of course I bloody well knew. Emily talked to me about it one night. She was asking me to join Bellatrix's little coven of nightmares, but I declined. I've never liked Bellatrix. In fact, I've never liked any of the Slytherin's that she hangs around. So, of course I declined."

"That still doesn't give off how you know that Bellatrix wants to...you know. Do you-know-what to Half-bloods and Muggle-borns."

"I knew from the night Emily was telling me. I could understand but she couldn't. Actually, I think Emily knew all along," Brianna furrowed her brows, focusing on her empty glass. "I think she just wasn't taking Bellatrix seriously. And if Emily tells anybody Bellatrix will kill her."

The glass in Abigail's hand slipped when her fingers loosened and shattered against the wooden floor. Alison, Chris and Billy stopped talking and jumped at the noise, as did many other people who were close enough to hear it; there weren't many Hogwarts students as it was only acceptable for seventh-years to go to Hogsmeade, so it wasn't as noisy as it usually was.

"Sorry," Abigail said to the waitress when she came over to clear off the glass and mend it back together. The waitress didn't reply, only walked away when she had the glass fixed.

"Snobby cow," Alison scowled, flicking hair away from her face.

"Brianna that doesn't sound at all like you think it, it sounds like you know," Abigail hissed quietly.

Brianna's expression didn't change. "I just might."

"Don't lower your arm!" Tom snarled from in front of Abigail, and Abigail's arm shot back up, her wand targeting Tom's chest.

"It hurts!"

"And? What if I was really trying to harm you? Would you whinge and complain about your arm hurting or would you keep your arm elevated?"

They were in the room of requirement practising defensive and offensive spells. Her favourite spell at this point was the Shield Charm, where it makes an enemy's spell rebound and bounce back at them.

Tom exhaled loudly when Abigail didn't reply, and he rubbed the side of his face. Abigail knew he was tired and exhausted and many other things rather than satisfied.

"Why don't we try Legilimency?" he suggested anyway.

"No, absolutely not. I'm not interested in Legilimency nor do I want to learn it."

But Tom didn't appear to be taking her word for it, for he smirked slightly. "You think you'll fail."

"How exactly would Legilimency save my life?"

"You'd be surprised, Abigail," Tom said smoothly, pacing in front of her, the tips of his fingers holding either side of his wand horizontally. "You could learn your enemy's worst fears without their consent or knowledge. You don't have your own power anymore, your gift as you call it."

"You've used it on me!" Abigail exclaimed angrily, and she could feel her face reddening, but she wasn't confident on whether it was from anger or embarrassment.

The way Tom spoke made it seem like he'd used it on her. The was he was looking at her. The expression in his tone. It all made it seem obvious.

"I have not, Benjamin, you'd know if I had," he rolled his eyes. "Remember what I said? Your gift blocked my attempts, why else would I have to ask you to see into my future? If your gift didn't stop me from finding out myself, I would simply have used Legilimency."

"And I'm just supposed to take your word for it?"

Tom squinted at her. "I don't care what you do with my word. I shouldn't have to explain myself to you. You wanted to learn, and I'm teaching you - and for what? Accusations?"

Abigail sighed, feeling as though he was right. He didn't have to teach her. He didn't even have to listen to her. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Tom nodded. "Now, let's see how well you Stun your enemy."