002 | ❝it's my job not yours.❞

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             Jessica awoke with a jolt. Her breath came quick and shallow, and sweat slicked her forehead and neck. She turned her head to find one of her roommates watching her with wide, worried eyes.

"Are you okay?" the girl whispered.

Jessica swiped her forehead with the back of her hand and forced a nod.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she murmured, pushing the blanket away. "Thanks."

She dressed quickly, wanting out of the stifling dorm, and made her way up from the Slytherin dungeons toward the Great Hall. At the entrance, she scanned the long tables until she spotted her friends—Clarissa and Carter—chatting over breakfast at Ravenclaw. But first, she stopped at Professor Slughorn's side to collect her timetable.

"Morning," she said when she reached them, still glancing at the parchment.

"Good morning!" Clarissa chirped. Then she squinted. "Sit. Eat. You look like—" she hesitated, "—like you didn't sleep well."

Jessica knew Clarissa had nearly said something else but ignored it, sliding onto the bench. "Emily and Pandora whispered half the night. When they finally shut up, I fell asleep—then the nightmare came."

Carter leaned forward. "What about?"

Clarissa shot him a look, but he shrugged. "What? I'm curious."

Jessica shook her head, spearing a sausage. "Doesn't matter. This year's going to be a handful."

"You mean O.W.L.s?" Carter asked, chin in his hand.

They both nodded.

"Mum says it's torture, but worth it in the end," Carter said, standing and hoisting his bag. "Better not be late—see you later." He kissed Clarissa's cheek, hugged Jessica, and strode off.

Jessica wrinkled her nose. "I'll never get used to that." She finished her toast, drained her pumpkin juice, and stood. "See you."

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Transfiguration
Jessica slipped into the classroom early.
"Good morning, Miss Denbrough," Professor McGonagall greeted. "How are you?"

Jessica couldn't tell if the question was polite habit or loaded with meaning. She shrugged. "I'm fine. And you?"

McGonagall nodded as Jessica sat down at a front table. Soon the rest of the Slytherins filed in, Justin taking the seat beside her without a word.

The professor launched into the year's expectations: more work, higher standards, the looming O.W.L.s. Jessica scribbled notes but barely heard the words. She'd never thought much about her future before—but this year, she'd have to.

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Defense Against the Dark Arts
By afternoon, Jessica sat beside Clarissa in Professor Holland's classroom. Again, there was talk of O.W.L.s, but soon the professor moved to the day's lesson. Jessica's quill flew across the parchment; notes now meant less panic later.

They were just about to practice a new jinx when it happened—a scream.
High, sharp, and so full of terror that the whole class froze.

Professor Holland's chair scraped the floor as she stood. "Stay in your seats," she ordered, striding to the door.

Nobody listened. Students drifted forward, pressing toward the double doors, craning for a glimpse through the narrow crack. They saw nothing. Heard nothing now but the pounding of their own hearts.

Jessica and Clarissa exchanged a glance and backed away.
"What do you think happened?" Clarissa whispered, her voice thin.

Jessica shook her head. At Hogwarts, chaos was never far—ghosts, trick staircases, poltergeists. Still... this felt different.
"Even if Holland doesn't tell us, someone will. This place runs on gossip."

They were right. By the time the bell rang, rumors were already sprouting. Outside, they found Carter pacing.

"It was a first-year Hufflepuff," he said grimly when Clarissa asked. His thumb was between his teeth—a nervous habit. "No one knows what happened, just that it was in the bathroom. It's been shut for ages now."

"I doubt the teachers will tell us anything," Jessica said as they turned a corner—then stopped dead.

Her father stood in the corridor with Dumbledore and a couple Jessica didn't know. The woman's shoulders shook as she cried into the man's chest.

"What's my dad doing here?" Jessica muttered.

"Maybe it's about the Hufflepuff girl," Clarissa guessed. "You should talk to him."

"He won't tell me anything," Jessica said flatly. "He'll think I'm obsessing over Sammy again."

"It's worth a try," Carter said, eyes still on Bill Denbrough.

Bill noticed them and nodded. After a few more words to Dumbledore, he crossed the hall.

"Shouldn't you be in class?" he asked.

"We were just going, Mr. Denbrough," Clarissa said brightly, shooting Jessica a look that screamed Ask him.

She tugged Carter away, whispering as they went.

When they were gone, Jessica shifted her bag strap higher. "Dad... is this about the Hufflepuff girl? Is she okay?"

Bill sighed, clearly debating what to say. "Jessica, it's best the adults handle this. Rumors will just make things worse."

"Who am I going to tell, besides Carter and Clarissa? I promise we won't say anything."

He studied her for a moment, then relented. "Yes—it's about the girl."

Jessica bit her lip. "What happened to her?"

Bill's voice was low. "She's gone missing."

Jessica opened her mouth to bring up Sammy, but he cut her off with a sharp shake of his head.
"Don't start, Jess. This is why I didn't want to tell you. I'll walk you to class, but I don't want you dwelling on this."

"But—"

"No, Jessica." His tone was firm enough to halt her. "Don't think about this. Don't talk about it. And make sure Clarissa and Carter don't, either."

"What if it's connected to Sammy?"

He stopped, looking at her with something like anger and grief mixed together. "Jessica, drop it! I've looked everywhere for Sammy. She's gone—and we're never getting her back."

The words hit like a slap. Before she could answer, he turned and strode away.

Jessica swallowed hard, willing away the knot in her throat. Without another word, she pushed open the classroom door.