A few days later, the three girls were sitting at long tables in the Great Hall. There were black drapes on the walls and black silken cloths on the tables. The candle flames were low, and there was no gleeful chatter or singing and laughter. Everyone was quiet, looking at one chair that was empty.

Professor Dumbledore stood, his dark grey robes swirling. "Today, we honor the memory of one of our own who was lost- Cedric Diggory." A few of the girls sniffled. "There is no reason to conceal the truth from any of you. Mister Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."

Screams and gasps filled the air. Jade felt tears welling in the corners of her eyes, and tried her hardest to blink them away. This Voldemort sounded terrifying.

She then realized that Dumbledore was still talking. "Let his death not be in vain! Remember his loss, and make yourselves the stronger for it. Remember his kindness, and try to be as accepting and loving as he was. Remember Cedric Diggory."

"Cedric Diggory," the entire room repeated.

Jade was really crying now, tears trickling down her cheeks and leaving wet marks on her collared shirt. She couldn't stop, so she just lifted her napkin and tried her best to dab away the dampness on her face. It wasn't that she had thought Cedric handsome, or wished he was her boyfriend. He had always been nice to her, and he had always inspired confidence in everyone.

She felt arms around her shoulders. Alana and West were on either sides of her, each of them giving her gentle smiles.

"Let's go outside for a minute," West suggested. She was playing with the broccoli and green beans that were on her plate, as if her new connection with plants made eating things like asparagus uncomfortable.

******************************************************************************************************************

Outside, Jade reveled in the warm evening. She dried her tears on her tie and then took a seat in the soft grass. Alana, her teal-blue sweater sparkling in the low light, sat next to her. West sprouted some moss out of the ground and perched on it like a cushion.

"Thank you guys for being there for me," Jade said, yawning a bit. She was pretty tired, and couldn't wait to get back to Eaglesclaw and then- home. Home to her mother and father, to Gideon and her older sister Catherine, who was back from Healer Training for the summer. Home to her bedroom with the furry blankets, and the little room all her own with the basket chairs and the stars on the ceiling. Home to muffins for breakfast and swimming in the lake and reading in a tree and taking long walks in the woods.

"Of course!" West gave her a hug.

"We'll always be here for you, you dope," Alana added, smiling. "The three of us are friends, no matter what."

The girls took hands. "Friends forever," Jade intoned.

"Always together," the other two responded.

Something incredible happened then. The girls seemed to rise into the air, spinning gently. Sparks flew from Jade's fingertips, sending a line of liquid fire dancing onto each girl's left wrist. It didn't burn, just tickled a little, and wrapped like a bracelet around. Drops of salt water spat from Alana's hands, making ribbons of water that interlaced and danced with the fire. The fire didn't go out, just glittered. Tiny shreds of leaves scattered now, as emerald green vines snaked across to join the other two. The girls separated, still hovering.

Jade glowed and shimmered, fizzing balls of light resting on her hands. Her hair was blown by invisible wind, and fire licked at the hem of her skirt and the ends of her hair. Alana had a skirt of waves, which moved up and down in a consistent tide. A circlet of pearls wrapped around her head, and sea foam danced into mist on her palms.

West's transformation was the most incredible of all. Her hair had turned green at the tips, and the freckles stood out more strongly than ever on her nose. Her dress seemed to be of cloth woven from a thousand blades of grass. It shifted in the breeze and smelled of summer. A coronet of flowers crowned her bobbed hair.

The girls sank to the ground, returning to their everyday selves- but for the bracelets. They sparkled and shone, each one matching each other.

"Friends forever?" Jade asked, laughing a little as she extended her wrist.

"Always together," Alana and West replied, and the girls pressed their bracelets together to form a symbol of their bond.