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Hogwarts, A Mystery	By : Marionne25 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 3444 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and am not making any money from this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
Author's Notes:

OMG I'M ALIVE.
I am atleast trying to stay.
I have tried since Monday to update each story I've got and for today, Wednesday (i'm from east coast) I am going to update this one.
I have not abandoned this or any of my stories.
Life and writer's block are just getting in the way.
Anyway interested to Beta this one, kindly message me.
And yes, it's decided that this is a Dramione story although it is also focused on Harry and probably a bit of the Marauders.

Welcome to all my new readers, I'm sending lots of love and thank you to my old readers, there's a chapter for you and thank you for being patient to my out of the blue will she ever update ever again hahahahaha.

I've only been busy with my teaching and stuff.
As i've said, by day i'm a music teacher.
Any advice on how i could advertise better?
It's the random season of the year so lessons aren't much.
speaking of careers, anyone willing to share what they do for day job when they're note reading or writing fanfics or anything?

Lots of love
xx

Chapter Seven
A Bloody Message

“Mr. Potter, please.” McGonagall began as they sat in her office. “I would not want to judge you or punish you for something at this point. But you have to tell me what exactly happened.”
Harry remained silent as he sat before her desk.
He wasn’t sure how to answer her question.

“Mr. Potter, please.” McGonagall began as they sat in her office. “I would not want to punish you at
After his screaming and the attention and the humiliation that was then bestowed upon his bearing, he wasn’t sure anymore of what to do.
Draco Malfoy basked at the event that took place a few moments ago by calling him something he didn’t want to think about and pointing over the crowd that he had been screaming for nothing like a crazy idiot.

And thanks to Malfoy, the whole school now thinks that his grieving over Sirius’ death had taken its toll on him and had unhinged him completely.
Draco Malfoy’s scrutinizing the situation didn’t help the whole situation and if any, only egged and damaged his reputation for the school year.
Not that he cares of what Malfoy does but he did care about the idea that he had planted on the student body.

He had hoped that Ron and Hermione would understand him or would believe what he had seen.
But after all the blood he had seen and screamed for had vanished right then and there, even Ron and Hermione stared back at him with utmost reluctance and fear in their eyes.

“You heard me, professor.” Harry simply told her. “I saw what I saw.”
McGonagall stared at him, contemplating an answer and studying him carefully.
“I do not say that I don’t believe you.” McGonagall sighed heavily. “But I need an explanation because no one else saw what you did.”
“There was blood everywhere.” Harry pressed on not meeting her eyes. “Blood everywhere and there is this-“
He stopped and looked up at her and realized that McGonagall’s expression only told him that even if she did believe him, she couldn’t bring herself fully to it unless he had a solid and identified answer.

“Mr. Potter-“
“I know what I saw, professor.” Harry bitterly said controlling his temper. “I’m sure of it. And I don’t understand why no one else saw what I did.
“But the thing is no one else saw what you did.” McGonagall said straightening up and staring back at his fidgeting fingers over his lap. “Stop that.”

Harry looked up at her and immediately stopped this little habit he had developed over the summer when he was either angry or anxious.

“Are you getting enough sleep?” she inquired then. “Enough sleep after classes and after Quidditch?”
“Yes.” Harry said. “And Veregnicea suspended me from one practice and game.”

“I heard.” McGonagall told him. “I am doing my best to fix that which is unlikely to happen if you keep doing things that are.. not very ordinary of you.”

“Not ordinary of me?” Harry repeated incredulously as he began to lose his patience. “Professor, I know what I saw – I’m not sure why no one else did – but I was sure that there was blood everywhere.”
“Harry, please-“
“I know what I saw!” he said standing up, eyes wide at McGonagall. “I don’t understand why it vanished and why nobody would believe in me!”

Her eyes were wide at him.
She wasn’t afraid or angry, she was worried.
Harry stared back at her and after a moment, must have realized his behavior.
He quickly sat back down and apologized for it.

“I will exclude you for a few weeks from practices.” McGonagall said with finality in his tone that made Harry open his mouth to argue but she only held up a hand to stop him. “Get enough rest and we will talk after two weeks.”
“Are you suspending me too?” Harry asked unable to hide the disappointment and anger in his voice. “Are you blaming me for something?
“I’m not blaming you for anything, Mr. Potter.” McGonagall clearly told him. “But I want you to take enough rest as to avoid all these hallucinations-“

“I’m not hallucinating!” Harry argued with her. “I’m not running mad!”
“Mr. Potter-“
“I saw it!” Harry exclaimed at her. “I saw it – I’m sure – there was this man and I followed him!”
“A man?” McGonagall repeated raising her eyebrows. “What man?”
“A man, professor.” Harry impatiently answered. “There was a man back there walking after Veregnicea like the other day and –“
“First off, Mr. Potter- ” McGonagall sternly said. “- you are to address all superiors ‘professor’ – and that includes professor Laura Veregnicea.”
Harry stared back at her, disbelieving that she was still correcting him despite what he was trying to tell her.
“Do you understand?”
“Yes, professor.”
“What about this man?” McGonagall asked him. “I think the staff would know if there is any other adult in Hogwarts that is either faculty or staff.”

“I don’t know who he is.” Harry said. “That’s why I got curious and followed them. He has dark hair – he looks just about the same age as her or Snape-“
“Professor Snape –“
“He’s definitely not a student – dark eyes and good looks and slightly lengthy dark hair and he has this air-“
“Harry.” McGonagall’s voice was short and calm but her tone in interrupting made Harry stop.

“I’m telling the truth.” Harry simply said
She looked back at him as if unsure how to tell him her next words.
“Professor-“
“Harry, it sounds to me like you’re just describing young Sirius Black.”

Harry blinked at her and stared.

There was still the hint of pain in her voice and she was then very careful with her next words that as it were, her voice suddenly sounded motherly.
“Mr. Potter, I know this is not any easy for you. To be back here after.. after everything.. to live further like nothing- we have all been affected, Mr. Potter. But if what happened last year upsets you-“
“I’m not upset!” Harry suddenly said, eyes wide. “I’m not a child! I’m telling you the truth – I have no reason to lie to you!”

There was silence between them as Harry knew that despite that she believed him, his actions were showing otherwise.

And the further he showed his agitation towards the situation, he knew that the farther he was from gaining what he wanted – to be believed for the truth he was telling.

“Is there anything else, professor?” Harry softly said in a defeated tone sitting back down.
McGonagall looked calm but remained alert at his behavior.
“Is there anything else that you would like to tell me?” she asked slowly.
Harry stared back at her.

Was she asking him to apologize or was she giving him a last chance to rebuke what he had said?

He wasn’t sure.

“I’m sorry.” Harry said not really meaning it. “I apologize for the behavior, professor. I’ll get some sleep.”

McGonagall stared at him for a moment then gave him an approving glare.

“Should there be anything you are welcome to come to me to talk about it but please avoid that kind of behavior.” She said giving him a nod that he could leave. “We don’t want things.. spreading this way about you.”

Harry stared at her and gave a curt nod in understanding what she meant by that.
Should the Dark Lord find out any weakness in his side, he was sure to use it against him to win the battle that they all knew would soon commence.
Harry nodded at McGonagall for the last time and took his belongings with him and left the room without another word.

“Do you think he’s alright?”

Hermione looked up at Ron from the book she was reading.

It was half past ten already and Harry hasn’t returned since they parted earlier on.

Hermione wanted to go to the library a few hours earlier to look for him but Ron told him that maybe Harry needed some time off and he was possibly just at Hagrid’s finding some fresh air.
“I don’t know.” she honestly answered looking back down to the book she was reading. “I supposed he’ll come back soon. We have a homework to do.”

“Are you really more concerned about homework than Harry at the moment?” Ron asked skeptically looking at her.

She eyed him momentarily before turning another page from what she was reading.
“We were both there, Ronald.” Hermione snapped at him. “We both saw nothing of what he was screaming and you know that.”
“So what are you saying?” Ron asked her with a raised brow. “You don’t believe him cause you didn’t see anything?”
“I’m saying he needs sleep.” Hermione pointed out. “He’s been dreaming a lot lately, isn’t he? You told me about it. What if this is because he lacks sleep-“
“He’s hallucinating because he lacks sleep?” Ron repeated incredulously back at her. “You seriously don’t believe him?”

Hermione snapped her book shut.

She hated it when either of the two interrupted her reading time.

“I’m saying he needs rest and I’m saying that we both know that we didn’t see anything. I didn’t see anything. Did you?”
“I didn’t.” Ron slowly said avoiding her gaze. “I didn’t either.”
“Will you lie to Harry that you saw something to make him feel comfortable when he talks to us about it later?” she asked in a challenge.
“No.” Ron immediately answered. “He’s going to know that we’re lying.”
“Exactly.” Hermione pointed out. “He’ll be better once he gets more sleep. Tell him to try it when he has free time.”

“Did we not just miss what he could be pointing at?” Ron said unable to drop the subject. “We could have missed it.”
“Ron, he was screaming for blood.” Hermione impatiently told him. “There was no blood everywhere and after professor McGonagall took Harry, we returned to the spot and started checking all the near corridors. There’s absolutely nothing.”

He looked back at her in worry.

She was right.

But he couldn’t shake off the fact that they needed to believe Harry.

In truth, they believed him that he was seeing something or whatever it was.

But where was the evidence of that?

Harry had spent another night full on tossing and turning over his bed as the same dreams occurred once more.
He was back in the endless tunnel filled with melting candles that lit it to its infinite length.

He breathed heavily, inhaling the mesmerizing and yet alarming odor around him.
He tried to calm himself down telling himself this was the same dream all over and all he needed to do was understand the message it was trying to tell him.

He looked around him, a little bit sure of himself and sure of what he wanted to do in this dream.
This was his dream and he knew that he could somehow, hopefully, take control over it.

The walls remained the same, glistening with something that he had already been suspecting to be blood but didn’t have enough courage to go over and verify for himself.

Looking down at his feet, he stood and walked on the same grimy looking, damp ridden ground.
Based on all these and the way the light and shadows were casted, the whole tunnel depended on the light from the candles and nothing came from natural light.

He was in an underground tunnel that was for sure.

But where did the tunnel lead?

Harry tried to walk forward as careful as he could.

There it was again.

The figure he knew would show up at the end of the tunnel.
But he wasn’t afraid this time.
He knew of it and he had been expecting it; after all, the same figure had been visiting him in his waking life.
And then as he had expected it, the humming melody began again.

It was the same all over: the candles, the tunnel, the damp grounds, the figure and then the humming melody.

All that lacked now was one thing: the bloody message.

And it soon appeared.

At the wall close him, the bloody message was written again.
But he could never distinguish what it was.
He forced himself to walk forward it but his legs suddenly felt heavy and the lack of air and abundant amount of candles in the room began to suffocate him.

His visions started to blur but he forced himself forward the wall to read the bloody message.
It reminded him a lot of the way the bloody message was written in the Chamber of Secrets in his second year.
But something about this one felt different – felt a lot more dangerous than the previous encounter to such idea.
And just as he neared it, just as he was close to it and visibly able to read the message, something knew happened in his dream.
Somewhere in the tunnel, a loud clanking of something that had fallen echoed all throughout the tunnel and as he turned he heard it clearly.

Coins after coins were clanking and echoing all over the tunnel as if they had fallen from some aerial space and were tossed out to roll all over the ground.

But that was odd.

The tunnel was made of grimy soil-like ground – coins wouldn’t bounce off and echo.
Unless there was another room somewhere around him that had solid ground.
Harry turned around, quick in his thinking and the bloody message was again.

He closed his eyes knowing what would come up next – the ground began to disperse and turn into a melting ground that began to take him in down with it in its bloody form.

He started to scream uncontrollably again and then he woke up, breathless and sweating from another nightmare.

Friday…

It was half past two in the morning and Harry could no longer go back to sleep.

Deciding he wanted to watch the hearth in the Common Room where he used to talk to Sirius, he went downstairs.

He was only halfway to it when he heard the dormitory’s portrait hole close.

His eyes quirked as he heard footsteps down the Common Room area.

Someone had just come back in their dormitory at this hour.

Curiosity got the better of him and like a discreet cat, he slowly walked down the steps to see who it was.

“Bloody hell, Harry!” Hermione shocked voice yelped as they almost hit head on against one another as she started taking the stairs up the girls’ dormitory while he was making his way down.

“What the bloody..” he stared at her, shocked and relieved at the same time to see that it was just her and not some hallucination that he didn’t want to deal with at that ungodly hour.

“What are you doing?” she asked in an accusatory tone. “Why are you awake?”

“I was-“ he began until he realized that it was her who had some explaining to do. “Where were you? It’s nearly three, where have you been?”

She looked back at him, for a moment she looked harassed at his question and her eyes quivered and she blinked.

Her mistake.

Harry immediately knew that there was something.

“Where have you been?” he asked her suspiciously. “Don’t tell me the library because it closes before midnight.”
“At the kitchens.” Hermione was quick to answer pointing to her stomach. “I got a little hungry.”
“Really?” Harry asked her. “Where’s the food?”
“I already ate it, ofcourse.” Hermione snapped at him moving past him but Harry didn’t let her.
“Can you prove that?” he asked her further sounding a little bit like an arse for doing this.
“Yes.” she answered thickly. “What do you want, Harry?”
“Can Dobby prove it?” he challenged her knowing that he could initially and easily asked Dobby if ‘Miss Hermione’ had been in the kitchens and he was sure that he was never going to lie to him.

Not to him.

Even Kreacher won’t lie to him – most especially not Kreacher because he was bound to him as his master.

For a moment, she only looked at him and with snotty look over her face she nodded at him.

“Yes.” she said with an air of defiance about her. “Would you like to go there now and ask them?”
He looked at her, taken aback by her attitude.
“I’m sorry.” he genuinely said. “I’ve been having another dream. I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t mean to sound this way.”
She looked back at him and nodded, now she only looked worried at him.

“Get some sleep.” Hermione told him. “Isn’t that what professor McGonagall advised you? Our first class isn’t until nine tomorrow, you can get a bit more sleep until later. I can save you some breakfast since I have Muggle Studies at eight.”

Harry nodded at her and thanked her and easily let her pass this time.

Just before she turned to her dormitory, Harry called her back.

“You believe in me, right?” he asked her unable to stop himself. “What I tell you and Ron?”

She looked back at him and for a moment, Harry was almost sure that she was going to deny him judging by the look in her eyes.

“Ofcourse, I do.” Hermione answered him with a small smile spreading from her face. “That’s what friends do, right?”
He stared and then nodded at her and bid her goodnight.

And as he just retired back to his bedroom instead of going to the Common Room, he realized something as he fell back into an uneasy sleep.

What she had said – he suddenly wasn’t sure if it was an affirmation that she believed in him or if it was a sort of obligation that she wanted to tell him that she and Ron had to do in the name of their friendship.

Harry was distressed enough to think about the exhausting day they were going to have that he was no longer able to go back to sleep when he woke up at around six that morning.

He cleaned, dressed and got himself ready deciding to visit Hagrid after breakfast since he knew that he won’t have any class to teach until eleven that morning.

At breakfast, the talk was nothing else but Lucius Malfoy who was given a pardon and was being expected to arrive at the school that day together with other school governors concerning what was spreading as a closed door meeting with the headmaster.

Harry and Ron spent the first hour of free period by the boys’ locker room at the Quidditch where Oliver was initially stationed for the try outs in the coming week in his search for the project he had been given.

This was the first time they get to spend time with their old friend without being harassed by a class schedule or him being asked to spend it at McGonagall or Madam Hooch’s office who were both helping him in the project.

They learned that halfway through the year, he would be expected to leave as an application in position at Bulgaria with a chance to work with none other than Viktor Krum was on its way for a final document approval.

They were very proud of him.

And by the end of their talk, Harry and Ron invited him to a butterbeer on them to celebrate this joyous little secret that he had not shared to anyone else except the headmaster and McGonagall.

Harry and Ron swore not to tell anyone and their excitement for it had been plastered over their faces as they walked back up the castle only to be greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arriving both Bill and Fleur.

Deciding that they could afford to miss the few minutes of their first class, they quickly walked up to them.

Mrs. Weasley was more than glad to take them in her arms and then berated them for not being in the class knowing that most of the students were in their classes at that hour.

Ron explained to her the free period but she barely listened as she asked how they were doing and that they were there for the headmaster.
Mr. Weasley didn’t seem pleased to hear her tell them why they were there but nevertheless, he was glad to see both boys.

Harry and Ron didn’t ask but seeing Bill and Fleur with them, they knew that their presence had something to do with Lucius Malfoy’s expected arrival that day and had something to do with the Order of the Phoenix.

This was proven when in just a few minutes, Lupin had arrived with none other than Cornelius Fudge.

They were both seemingly in an intense discussion with Fudge shoving a newspaper article in his hand that which he quickly took and kept out of sight upon the realization that Harry and Ron were at the entrance door with the rest of the Weasleys.

“Professor!” Harry excitedly exclaimed walking to his favourite teacher but he only gave a curt nod at him.

“Shouldn’t you be in your classes?” he asked him almost sternly.
Harry blinked and he stared at the others who seemed oblivious to Lupin’s recent treatment towards him.
“Free period.” Ron answered him knowing that Harry was back at the issue again in his head. “But we have Defense Against the Dark-“
“No.” Lupin cut him short. “It wasn’t cancelled. It was announced at breakfast. Were you not there?”

They were there.

It wasn’t announced.

And Lupin wasn’t at breakfast.

Despite the oddities, Harry ignored it and was just glad that they didn’t have to deal with Laura Veregnicea as their first period.

“Well we can stay at the library.” Ron told Harry. “We can finish reading the essay for Snape before our class at ten-“

“Professor Snape, Ron.” Lupin corrected him and looking back at Harry he said, “Severus won’t be at class today. There won’t be Potions this morning. There is a staff meeting. Some school governors are present and also the Minister of Magic is here.”

“Fudge is here?” Ron asked with interest. “Why is he here?”

“Some Ministry business with the school.” Lupin simply answered. “So better be at your best behavior, you lot.” Lupin said with a smile over his face.

Lupin had explained that Severus would be attending a short emergency meeting with the rest of them and that they could happily spread the news to their other classmates that he won’t be having classes until two that afternoon before the Quidditch match.

Despite the questions in their heads, Harry had taken Ron with him to go back to the Common Room and quickly share the news to Hermione whom they knew would be waiting for them since the two classes for the rest of the morning were now officially cancelled.

She would surely be displeased, but they would have time to study for the other subjects and they were sure that Hermione also wanted that though she’d never admit it.

The hours had gone, ticking by slowly by every minute of it and Harry felt that he didn’t want to do anything else today but go back to the dormitory and get some sleep.
The headache he had been having since morning was getting worse because of the lack of sleep he had the previous night.

“Has anyone seen Hermione?” Ginny asked Ron and Harry who had a free period as she passed them by at the Great Hall that was filled with studying students.

“Library.” Ron answered without looking up from the chart he was completing. “She said she’ll stay there until lunch or before the match or something. She’s doing some reviewers or something.”

“Harry, you want to join us at the library?” Ginny asked him. “I just need to submit something at professor Flitwick’s class then I might head straight to the library if Luna isn’t going to see me to study by the lake.”

“I’ll follow, I guess.” Harry said looking up momentarily from his own chart. “I need to finish something. I’ll see you there.”
“Alright.” Ginny answered and before walking away, she pointed over Ron’s chart telling him he copied a whole row incorrectly so he had to repeat it all over again.
“I need Hermione for this.” Ron said sighing heavily as Ginny walked away. “You want to find her in the library now?”
Harry stared at his finished work and though he was almost sure that it was very correct, he wanted to see Hermione first before submitting it.
“Sure.” Harry said as they both began gathering their things to go to the library and meet Hermione.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Hermione said quickly turning away upon accidentally walking in on Draco and Laura who were at the end of the library.
He looked surprised as she did but Laura looked calm at the sight of her.

“Miss Granger.” she greeted pointing she could join them by the long table at the end of the library. “You finished with what I asked of you?”

“Yes.” Hermione said trying to ignore the look that Draco was giving her as she walked towards the.

Laura only nodded at her as she opened her bag and pulled out a thick envelope from her bag.
“Nothing after the year you have, professor.” Hermione said as she stepped back from the table and Laura read the label of dates over the thick envelope that Hermione had written over.
“I could do more research, professor.” Hermione offered her. “I haven’t checked the archives on-“
“This will do.” Laura had said putting the envelope inside her black bag that she had only seen for the first time. “Mr. Malfoy would deal with the rest of it.”
Hermione nodded and an uncomfortable look passed her features at the idea of having to work on something with Draco.
But if she looked uncomfortable, Draco looked worried all the same.

“Does this mean I have to bring her with me?” Draco asked unable to stop himself as he stood up from the table, folding his arms and eyeing Hermione.

Laura stared at either of them and quickly realized that she did not only put a Slytherin and Gryffindor together but had definitely put two people together who weren’t in good terms.

“Are you sure the two of you can work together?” Laura asked them both with a stark look in her eyes as she folded her arms again.

Hermione and Draco’s eyes met and though she didn’t want to, she wasn’t going to back out just because this was Draco Malfoy.

“I can do my part professor.” Hermione said giving Draco a cold stare. “As long as Malfoy doesn’t do any funny business.”

Draco stared back at her, a spark in his eyes gleamed as he judge her with a glare but he didn’t say anything.

“Mr. Malfoy?” Laura asked him. “Can you work with Miss Granger?”

Draco didn’t say anything.
It wasn’t like he had a choice at all and after all, this was better than getting a real detention.

“I’m fine.” Draco muttered looking away from Hermione. “I’ll do my part but tell her not to go and be nosy on how I do it.”

“Miss Granger?” Laura slowly asked her, observing Hermione’s features.

She looked like she wanted to protest on Draco’s accusation but she nodded.

“I can work professionally, professor.” Hermione said with a quick nod. “I can work with Malfoy.”

Laura stared at them, unsure if believed them both but she would rather take chances on two people with enough pride to prove themselves than two friends who were likely to work against her at the end of it.

“Fine.” Laura simply said taking her bag with her. “You can begin anytime you wish. I’ll see you after the practice match.”

Before either of them could say anything, Laura had walked away from them without looking back, without a word.

Draco stared back at Hermione, watching her carefully and Hermione felt uncomfortable under his gaze.
She gathered her things altogether, aware of Draco’s eyes still on her.
“Where are you going?” he asked her.
“Archives.” Hermione said as she began heading to the left corridor. “That’s where I’ll begin.”

Draco watched her walk away from him before rolling his eyes and deciding that she had a better chance of finishing this detention with her strategy.
Without much of a choice, he grabbed his things and followed her wordlessly.



“I’m hungry.” Ron sighed as they walked out of their last class to meet Ginny at the corridor. “Reckon we should check on Hermione or just meet her for lunch?”
“Today is her detention, right?” Ginny said. “I heard it’s today or something. They have no Muggle Studies so I think she was asked to be at detention.”
“I think she’ll just meet us over lunch.” Harry said as they turned to the corridor and reached the staircase.

As like the other day, they were halted down the long and large corridor by a group of students all barred down the way.

“What’s going on?” Ginny asked the first student they met down the corridor as Ravenclaws ran past them with a terrified look over their faces.

“Oy, what’s going on?” Ron asked loudly as other students just passed them and were running at one same direction.

Harry looked around the spread of people all rushing down the stairs to see what had been going on.

“Luna!” Ron loudly said catching her through the crowd and grabbing her arm so she would stop by them.

“Oh, hi there.” Luna calmly said smiling at them and moving with the crowd with them.

“What’s goin on?” Harry asked as they walked down the corridor following the crowd.

“Don’t know.” Luna gently answered. “Heading there too to see for myself. I heard it’s something gruesome.”

The other three exchanged glares and Ginny quickly pulled Luna to walk faster while Ron and Harry paced forward and pushed their way through the crowd.

Just as they had reached the end of the corridor and near the stairs, Harry felt a heavy tug behind him.
He turned and saw Draco staring at him, walking down with the rest of his friends.

“What do you want?” Harry spat as he continued walking and Draco paced faster so he could walk by Harry’s side.

“Nothing.” Draco simply told him. “Just a little amused about all these. You’re in for a ride this year, Potter.”

Harry tried to ignore him but his words seemed to mean something.

“That’s great.” Harry muttered eyes flashing at him. “Coming from a boy who’s father is in Azkaban?”

A sharp gleam passed Draco’s face but it quickly vanished.

He smirked at Harry.

“Who told you?” he asked him with a boastful smile. “Who told you he’s staying there for long? For all you know, he’s out of Azkaban sooner than you can say Quidditch.”

And before Harry could even retort, Draco had pushed students out of his way and moved forward, disappearing in the crowd of students.

Harry turned to Ron and was about to say something when they both felt a tap on their shoulders.

“What’s going on?” Hermione asked them both. “I was at detention after my library work.”

Ron quickly filled Hermione up of what was going on and before Harry could join the conversation, he stopped walking.

Ron and Hermione did a double take and walked back to him trying to avoid the crowd walking past them.

“He’s here.” Harry quietly said pointing over Draco’s shoulder at the far end of the crowd where Draco’s sleek blonde hair stood in the crowd.

“Who?” Hermione and Ron said together looking at the direction he was pointing at.

“The man. The one I’m telling you about.” Harry said as they pulled them aside to let the crowd pass. “Behind Draco. He’s staring at us – he’s staring at me.”

Hermione and Ron stared around the crowd but could barely see anyone who wasn’t in uniform or wasn’t a student.

“Students should not be here!” they heard McGonagall’s loud voice around the crowd. “Oh, Sybill!”

They all looked around and saw teachers coming in to the end of the stairs.

“I saw this! I saw that the omen was coming!” she was right behind McGonagall and was scared to her wits. “Minerva, I told you – someone had brought in the omen and it is now here with us! The headmaster should have listened-“
“Calm down, Sibyll you will alarm the students.” McGonagall hissed at her as she pulled her closer to her.

The trio followed through McGonagall and Trelawney’s way through the crowd as they were let pass by the students.

“Excuse me, make way.” Hermione’s voice rang into the crowd as they made it forward. “Excuse us.”
Harry, Ron and Ginny and Luna soon came near them and all of them wore the same expression.

They reached the front and stared at Harry who was pointing at the wall – the exact corridor where the Chamber of Secrets’ message had once been.

The same chills from that year returned to Harry but with a different kind of burden in his heart.

Whispers were heard and jaws dropped as they all stared by the wall where a very visibly written by blood was a message that could hardly be understood.

By despite of its language, it gave Harry and the rest of the crowd a certain chill through their bones just like the time when the chambers have been opened.

    “La Mujer de Judas volver..” Harry whispered as he read the shining red letters. “.. Yo volver a mis enemigos y a esas yo atender..” he quickly looked back and walked to Hermione who was reading the same thing and was repeating it over her head.

“Hermione?” Harry slowly asked seeing her gaze closely at the written message.

The blood was coiled in scrawls and were dripping in fresh writing.

Hermione’s eyes were trained and focused on the glimmering message by the way and as her eyes passed each word, Harry knew that she clearly understood what was written.

“The Woman of Judas returns..” Hermione whispered enough for her friends to hear her as they stared at the shimmering message by the wall. “I return..I return to my foes and to those –“

But Hermione stopped.

Another scream was clearly heard from the outside grounds.

A window from the corridor they were in showed something vague and yet vicious.

“Bloody hell.” Ron gasped as the crowd’s attention was this time diverted and some students started getting out of the corridor and out of the castle. “Isn’t that Fudge’s horse?”

A few other students gathered by the nearest window and saw the Minister of Magic’s carriage horse that had brought him there earlier was running amok and running in havoc down the grounds.

“Look!” they were pointing as a very large and wild horse was suddenly running amok at the grounds. “Someone call the headmaster!”

Harry heard some people scream in the crowd and within moments he saw that McGonagall had come out of the grounds, wand drawn and was soon followed by professor Sinistra, professor Spout and professor Flitwick who had done the same thing.

They all ran down the steps and were trying to clear the crowd.

The large horse made blurs of sands in the ground as it wildly ran back and forth and was seemingly bearing and dragging something at the end of its other leg.

   Harry tried to make or what he was seeing when Hagrid and Filch came pelting into the ground, pointing towards the wild horse

“What is it dragging?” he had asked looking closely at the horse, still wildly jumping in what seemed like pain and dragging a long and heavy object with it.

“No!” Hermione gasped, quickly covering her mouth when she realized what it was dragging. “Who is it dragging?” she cried out loud looking closely and everyone else did notice that it was dragging not an object but an actual person.

The horse had run amok and had dragged the person like a ragged doll from where it came from and up to the grounds and was evidently heading to the entrance of the castle.

“Out of the way!” boomed a large voice and everyone parted as the headmaster came striding towards the entrance hall with the wand in his hand.

He had waved it in one go and the horse had frozen in mid-action in the middle of the grounds, quickly silencing the whole of the school that was still in awe on what it had done.

“Minerva!” the headmaster said, quickly making a gesture for her to follow closely as they walked towards the frozen horse and to untie the ropes from its legs.

“It is hurt.” Flitwick had said, checking the frozen part of the leg of the horse.

He looked closely and there was a long and deep gash at the side of its leg that was why it was going wild and the pain had been increased when the damaged leg was roped with a heavy object.

But it wasn’t what made the whole scenario gruesome.

It was the fact that someone was indeed tied to its legs that had been dragged all the way across the grounds to the castle.

“Is it a student?” Ron whispered through the crowd as everyone tried to move forward to see a closer look of who it had dragged.

“Oh, god..” Hermione whispered closing her eyes and pointing discreetly to where Harry and Ron should look to see who it was.

Harry and the others looked on more closely and soon McGonagall and the headmaster quickly untied the rope and turned over the person that the horse had dragged all the way towards the grounds.

Hermione heard McGonagall made a sound as they turned over the body.

“Oliver Wood..” they heard McGonagall gasped through the crowd, clutching her chest as they turned over the body.

His hands were tied at the back with a bloody cloth and his leg has been previously injured before it had been tied to the running horse.

“To Madam Pomfrey.” the headmaster quickly whispered after checking his very weak and waning pulse. “Carry him, quickly. Quickly!”

Some of the older students quickly moved forward to untie Oliver’s bounded hands and mouth with the bloody cloths and tried their best to quickly untie his leg from the horse.
“Someone call Fudge, someone tell Madam Pomfrey first aid but said letter to St.Mungos, quickly!”
As the students attempted to carry Oliver Wood through, something came falling out from his pocket.

McGonagall moved forward to pick up what looked like a small bloody pouch.

Harry watched as she lifted it to the headmaster who opened it and spilled its contents in his hands.

“Silver coins.” Hermione whispered watching the crowd watch all the coins roll down all over the floor.

“Albus?” McGonagall slowly asked, fear evident in her eyes.

“I want to see Severus.” the headmaster said as he turned around the crowd looking for Snape. "Kindly look for Severus -"
“I’m here, headmaster.” Snape’s voice came out from nowhere from the crowd.
Harry stared as the crowd parted to give way to him and behind him was the Minister of Magic Fudge himself, some school governors and to his utter surprise, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy.

“What are they doing here?” Ron whispered as he stared at Lucius who was obviously fresh and out of Azkaban.
“The same reason perhaps your parents are here.” Hermione pointed out as out from the other corridor, Lupin had come out with Molly and Arthur Weasley right behind him.
“I thought they’ve left?” Ron whispered back trying to catch his parents’ attention but to no use.

They were all staring at the bloody figure of Wood that was being taken from the ground.

Harry stared as Snape halted at the scene, his black eyes observant of the blood trail and cloth on the ground and then at the silver coins in the headmaster’s hands.

“Gather all the staff.” Dumbledore urgently told him. “I want a meeting now. All students – head back to their dormitories – we are going to hold the match and have- heads of houses please ather your students back to your dormitories and meet me at the-“

“Laura’s not here.” Snape suddenly said watching the headmaster closer and scanning the crowd diligently. “Headmaster, she’s not here.”

There came a flash of warning and alarm in the headmaster’s eyes as he looked at Snape and then at the crowd.

For the first time, Harry saw a momentary panic spread across the face of the headmaster.

He had looked around and about, wand in hand and was searching for Laura within the crowd but she was nowhere in sight.

“Find her.” Dumbledore simply said. “Find her, now. Quickly. Remus, where are you? Severus, accompany Remus and find-"
“I will, headmaster.” Lupin said quickly scanning the crowd with disappointment in his face. “I will get her to your-“
“Headmaster I already told you about this.” Snape’s voice came as he stared at Lupin. “Chances that he would help us find her-“

“Severus –“

“He’s helping her I think this is evidence enough for that matter.” Snape said not holding his tongue by use of words in front of the crowd that remained. “I already told you- from the beginning that we cannot have her in the castle – Laura is-“

“Why can’t I be in the castle?” asked a strong voice. “Why did I hear my name come out of your mouth again?”

Heads turned and bodies parted to give way.

Laura was walking towards them, arms folded over her chest and her eyes focused on Snape with such hatred she could kill him with it.

She took one glance at the crowd who stared at her in awe for a moment.

She was walking from the direction that Lupin had come from but her boots were somewhat dirtier than Lupin’s.

Her eyes caught sight of Harry but she quickly looked away, arms folded she gave what looked like a smirk on her thin lips.

Her eyes were at the crowd as if searching for someone in them.

“I heard my name.” Laura said as she walked forward as Oliver’s body was taken away. “What is going on?”

“That’s what we wanted to know from you.” Snape quickly said. “We were-“

“Why is she here?” came a high pitch and scandalized voice.

They turned and to Harry’s utter surprise, it was Narcissa Malfoy who had spoken.

She moved forward the crowd, eyes wide at the sight of Laura.

Her gleaming eyes turned from her then to the headmaster and back at Snape.

“Why is she here?” she asked with a certain tone in her voice and her eyes quickly moved around the crowd obviously searching for her son.

“Narcissa.” Laura simply said staring at her with no indifference in her face or surprise. “I am apparently your son’s mentor this year.”

There was a smile in Laura’s face that Narcissa, for some reason, heavily disliked.

A gleam of fear in her eyes passed very momentarily and her disbelief about the situation had been enormous and obvious.

But Laura remained her stance, staring at her and intimidating lady Malfoy.

“She can’t be here!” Narcissa said turning to the headmaster. “You hired – she can’t be – I thought you-“

“Enough of this, please.” the headmaster had spoken eyeing the Heads of Houses to take their students away. “I want a word with you Laura. The rest of the staff please follow and Heads of House, kindly follow in the staff room once all your students are taken to their dormitories.”

Harry followed through the crowd, following McGonagall who didn’t look back at the situation anymore and firmly pressed on the Gryffindors to follow her without a word.

And as Harry turned, he could swear in Oliver Wood’s dying form that Laura had followed the headmaster out of the crowd with Lupin behind her and the same man he had been seeing wearing a morose look over his face as he looked back at Harry and turned to follow Laura behind.
- 8
- 9
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Hogwarts, A Mystery