Through the Pages of Time: Joey’s Hogwarts Tale

After the chaos in the Forbidden Forest, the group returned to Hogwarts, but not without consequences. Shafiq, the Slytherin student who had been injured, was rushed to St. Mungo's for treatment. Meanwhile, Sirius, Joey, Fred, and George found themselves in hot water with the professors.

Professor Snape had followed them into the forest, ostensibly to rescue Shafiq, but it was clear he'd been waiting for an opportunity to catch Sirius in the act of breaking school rules. When Dumbledore arrived, he listened calmly to Snape's accusations.

"Sirius' recklessness endangered four students," Snape said coldly. "He should be dismissed immediately."

Dumbledore, ever the mediator, sighed. "Severus, Sirius is not a student. We cannot deduct points or assign him detention. However, I have asked him to resign at the end of the school year."

Sirius, lying in the hospital bed, groaned. "Dumbledore, Snape's been following me like a shadow! He's just looking for excuses to get rid of me!"

Joey and the twins, who had been ordered back to their dorm by Professor McGonagall, couldn't help but feel a little guilty. They knew Sirius had taken the fall for their adventure.

---

Once Sirius was discharged, he confided in Joey and the twins. "Dumbledore wants me to resign gracefully at the end of the year. Snape's been waiting for this—he's been following me for ages, just like he used to back in school. He's always been a sneaky little git."

Joey couldn't help but agree. Snape had been unusually smug lately, and it was clear he'd gotten what he wanted for Christmas: Sirius' impending departure.

Sirius, now with nothing to lose, threw himself into his role as the rebellious professor. Every Saturday night, he'd sneak the twins into the Forbidden Forest for "educational outings." Joey, however, was grounded—literally. Linda, her mother, had sent a magical ruler that would chase her and smack her bottom if she even thought about going near the forest.

Joey spent her weekends watching from her window as Sirius, Fred, and George waved at her from the edge of the forest. She muttered under her breath, "I hope you run into Snape every time!"

---

When Shafiq finally returned to Hogwarts, he made a point of seeking Joey out. With a smug smile, he said, "Oh, I might have mentioned your little adventure to Dr. Linda. You don't mind, do you?"

Joey responded with a middle finger, resisting the urge to dump her pumpkin juice on his head.

Shafiq's smile widened. "Thank Dr. Linda for taking such good care of me. I promised to write to her often."

Joey's hand twitched toward the pumpkin juice, but Shafiq walked away before she could act.

Fred, sitting next to her, grabbed the cup and drank it himself. "Don't let him get to you. Your mom will figure out he's a jerk eventually."

Joey groaned. "You don't know what she wrote in her letter! She called him 'handsome, polite, and knowledgeable'! She even said he's better than me!"

Fred chuckled. "Aunt Linda will see through him. And Ryan will set her straight when he gets home."

Joey slumped on the table. "Ryan's not talking to me. He found out about the Forbidden Forest from Mom's letter and hasn't forgiven me."

Fred patted her head. "He hates Shafiq more than you, trust me."

Joey sighed. "I hope you're right. This summer's going to be a nightmare..."