Ch 21: The Black Lake Retrieval

                                    

                                          
The next morning, the entirety of the school buzzes with excitement. The second trial is to be held later in the afternoon today, and everyone is eager to watch. All that we know is that it'll be held at the black lake, so we will have to take boats to our destination. I couldn't hide the fact that I was curious as well, not just because of the trial itself but curious if Neville had indeed found a plant in his book for Harry to use.
Sitting up in my bed, I gather a thick sweater with the crest of my house symbol, Gryffindor, sewn on the top left of my chest. The sweater is a deep crimson red, nearly black, with orange stripes from the shoulders of my sleeves, all the way to the edge. Putting my hat and gloves on, I wrap my scarf around my neck and go to leave; winter may be ending, but the air is still chilly, and will be especially cold while on the lake.
Before leaving the room, I turned around and walked over to my familiar who was now stretched and twisted on his back basking in the sun that shined from the opened curtains. Reaching down, I caressed his cheek, giving him soft and loving pets. He enjoyed the presence of my hand petting him, as his purrs began to get louder, reverberating with his breathing.
Chuckling softly, I lean lower and give him a soft kiss on the other side of his face, as I go to lean back up to leave, p/n opened his once closed eyes and looked at me with his yellow eyes, that had just a hint of green flecks in them. Blinking a couple times, he let out a soft chirping meow and rubbed his cheek against mine for a quick moment. It took every ounce of my being to not cave in with how cute he was being.
Sighing, I give him one last pet on his head and whisper "You're too cute for your own good, and you know it" he meowed back in response before sitting up, letting out a long stretch, his claws extending; before he laid back down in the sun dozing off for another nap.
Before leaving the room, I give the room one last look over. I had left my special bag in here for just today, I felt that it would be too risky to bring it onto a lake where I had the possibility of losing it, so I felt that it' be best to keep it in my room until later. I had hidden it underneath the cushions of my bed, so unless someone came in here with the sole purpose of going through my things, it'd be alright. 
Leaving the common room, I make my way out of the castle following behind everyone as we are escorted to the landing docks. I was right to get dressed in warmer gear and not just my normal Schoolwear, as soon as I stepped outside, a large gust of wind pushed through; the remnants of winter still lingering in the air.
The trip to the landing docks wasn't too far of a walk thankfully, I had originally planned to walk there with the twins, but the night before they had told me they would meet me there instead, that they had a plan for something. As I walked down the uneven dirt pathway through the hilled fields to the black lake, I spotted them and their bright red hats with the fuzzy pom poms on top.
Stepping into a light jog, I ran past the other students who were walking together in their own conversations and met up with them. The two of them were wearing their thick sweaters too, along with the hats I recognized them in, and long thick scarves. Each of them had small boxes with pieces of paper in them, and they were shouting different bets that were commonly taken the last time as well; who the students believed would make it first place, or who believed they'd completely bomb the trial.
Shaking my head laughing, I walked up to them "I see you still haven't learned from your experience of underaged gambling?"
George grinned and leaned in on my right side, showing me the box "We have, but in comparison we're actually good men compared to Ludo" He winked grinning.
"Care to make a bet y/n?" Fred asked, leaning in front of me on my left showing me his box as well.
I looked at them and raised my eyebrow "You asked me this during the dragon trial, and my answer stays the same. I have no interest in bets"