I wake up the next morning to the hospital wing blazing with winter sunlight and my arm re-boned-but still quite stiff. I sit up quickly and look over at Colin's bed, but it's been blocked up by the curtains. Madam Pomfrey soon comes bustling over, obviously seeing that I'm awake, and begins bending and stretching my arm and fingers.

"All is in order." She says, giving me a breakfast tray. I begin to eat my porridge left-handed. "When you've finished eating, you can leave."

"Thanks." I say.

Once I finish my porridge, I quickly get dressed and hurry off to Gryffindor Tower, desperate to tell the others about Dobby and Colin, but they aren't there. Where are they?

I then realise, Myrtle's bathroom. But why would they be in there? We don't have the ingredients yet.

I walk my way to the bathroom. As I pass the library, I run into Percy.

"Oh, um, sorry Percy." I say.

"That's quite alright, Sarah. Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor have just taken the lead for the House Cup-you earned fifty points!"

"Thanks Percy. You haven't seen Harry, Ron, Hermione, Bonnie or Amy have you?"

"No, I haven't." He says. "I hope they're not in another girls bathroom..."

I force a laugh. I watch Percy leave and then I sprint towards Myrtle's bathroom. After I check that Filch or any Prefects are around, I push open the door.

"It's me." I call out.

I hear a clank, a splash and a gasp from further inside.

"Oh, it's only you, Sarah." Amy says. She's standing outside the cubicle with Bonnie and Ron while Hermione and Harry are in the cubicle.

"Sarah!" Hermione says. "You gave us a fright. Come in-how's your arm?"

"Fine." I say, squeezing into the cubicle. An old cauldron is propped up on the toilet, and a crackling from inside the toile tells me there a fire underneath. Conjuring water-proof water is a specialty of Hermione's.

"We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion." Harry explains. "We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."

I nod. I then start to tell them about Colin, but Bonnie interrupts. "We already know, we heard McGonagall telling Flitwick this morning. That's why we wanted to get a start on the Potion."

"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy the better." Ron snarls. "D'you know what I think? I think he was in such a foul mood after the match, that he decided to take it out on Colin."

"There something else." I say, as Hermione tears up bundles of knotgrass and throws them into the cauldron. "Dobby came to visit me last night."

I told them earlier in the year about Dobby when he visited me at Privet Drive. I tell them everything Dobby told me last night-or didn't tell me. They all listen with their mouths open.

"You mean this has happened before?" Amy asks.

"That settles it." Ron says I a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened it when he was at school, so now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."

"Maybe it can make itself invisible." Bonnie says.

"Or maybe it can disguise itself." Harry says.

"It could pretend to be a suit of armour or something. I've read about Chameleon Ghouls..." Hermione says, prodding leeches into the bottom of the cauldron.

"You read too much." Ron says, pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches.

"There's nothing wrong with reading." I protest.

"Anyway, so Dobby stopped Harry and I from getting onto the train and broke your arm..." Ron says, shaking his head. "If he doesn't stop trying to save your life, he's going to kill you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The news that Colin Creevey was petrified and was now lying in the hospital wing, looking dead, has spread through the entire school like wildfire.

The first years are now moving around in tight-knit groups, scared they could be next if they ventured forth alone.

Ginny has been distraught ever since Colin's attack and Bonnie has been quieter than usual, and not eating much. Fred and George are going the wrong way in cheering Ginny up, they've been covering themselves up in fur or boils, then taking it in turns to jump out from behind suits of armour or statues. Percy isn't pleased. He told them they if they don't stop, he'll write to Mrs Weasley. They stopped.

Meanwhile, everyone else were trading talismans and amulets and other protective devices for safety, and I've been preparing for a prank. Since I've mastered changing some of my looks, I'm going to change to into a random student, and I'm going to trash Snape's private storeroom. I'm going to change into a Slytherin though. I've been looking for a perfect Slytherin for the prank. I've chosen a girl named Alison Dunn. She's a blonde haired, nasty girl who's picked on some first year Gryffindor's. She's perfect. Pay back for her.

So, that night, while everyone is asleep, I go into the bathroom and change into Alison. I quickly grab a pair of green pyjamas and sneak down to the dungeons.

I go into Snape's storeroom. While I'm here, I'd better get the ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion. I grab a powdered horn of a Bicorn. I think that's the only thing. I stuff it into my pyjamas and start throwing things around the room. Causing a racket, Snape comes thundering in.

"What the devil is going on here?!" He says, angrily.

I turn around.

"Miss Dunn, what in the name of Merlin are you doing?" He says to me.

I pretend to look confused. "I don't know, sir. I guess I was sleepwalking and I came crashing in here."

"Ten points from Slytherin, now off to bed." Snape says, sending me out of the storeroom.

Making sure he's not looking, I speed off upstairs and back up to Gryffindor Tower, trying not to laugh out loud. I go back the bathroom and change back to my normal appearance. That was pretty funny. I then go to bed and fall back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You did what?" Amy asks me a breakfast the next morning.

I sigh. "I said, I used my metamorphmagus powers to turn into that Slytherin girl, Alison Dunn, then I went into Snape's private stores and trashed it."

"Wicked. No one has ever done that before." Amy says.

"Yup. And I also got the powdered horn of a Bicorn while I was there. That's all we needed, right?"

"I think so...wait, we also need the hair of a Boomslang or whatever it was." Amy tells me.

"Damn, the shredded skin of a Boomslang. I forgot about that one. We should tell Hermione I got the Bicorn horn though..."

"You should." Amy says. "Look, here they come now."

I turn around and Hermione, Harry, Ron and Bonnie are coming out way.

"Morning guys." I say.

"Morning." Harry and Bonnie say in sync.

"Guess what?" Ron says. "You know that Soytherin girl, Alison Dunn? Snape's just in the corridor yelling at her for the 'mess she caused last night'. Apparently she broke into his private stores and trashed it."

I snort.

"What?" He says.

"It wasn't actually her. It was me." I say.

"You didn't?" Hermione says.

"Yup, I did."

"Why?" Bonnie asks.

"I was bored and I hadn't pranked in ages, so I though, why not. Plus I hate her." I tell them.

"That was really stupid, Sarah. What if Snape caught you? And why does he think it was Alison?" Harry says.

"It's okay Harry, I used my metamorphmagus powers to turn into her."

Hermione just shakes her head.

"But, if you would like to know," I say. "I did get the powdered horn of a Bicorn for the potion. I forgot about the shredded Boomslang skin."

"You did? Thanks Sarah!" Hermione says. "Where is it?"

"Up in my trunk. I'll get it during break and we can add it to the potion. And I was thinking, because I forgot the Boomslang skin-"

"Potter's, Weasley, Granger, Lupin and miss Fields," McGonagall says coming over to us. "Are any of you staying at Hogwarts for Christmas?"

"Yes." Harry and Amy say in sync.

"I staying home this Christmas, father is busy with work for the minister, very important. If only mother could've let me come home." I hear Malfoy say, coming into the Hall.

I glance at Ron and Bonnie.

"Yep, we're staying too." I say for them.

They both nod.

"Thank you." McGonagall says and she walks off.

"Malfoy's staying." I say. "It'll be a perfect time ask him."

"Yeah. What were you saying before McGonagall came over, Sarah?" Hermione says.

"Oh yeah, I was thinking, because I forgot the Boomslag skin, we could cause I diversion in Potions this afternoon, and one of us could sneak past and get the Boomslang skin."

"That's good." Harry says.

"I'll do the actual stealing." Hermione says.

"Alright. So all we need to do is cause enough havoc so Snape'll be busy for like, five minutes so you can steal it?"

"Yes."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the afternoon break, I go up to Fred and George.

"Hey guys." I say.

"Hey Sarah." Fred says.

"What are you up to?" George asks.

"I want to play a prank on Snape." I say.

"Cool. Can we help?" They ask.

"Yes, but I want to pull it on my own, I'll pull it next lesson when I have potions. Can I have a few Filbuster Fireworks?"

"Yeah, I'll just run up and get one now." George says and he speeds off towards Gryffindor Tower.

"So, what exactly are you going to do?" Fred asks me.

"I just want to cause some havoc." I shrug. I can't tell him about the Polyjuice Potion.

"Mmhmm. Why can we help pull it?" He asks.

I sigh. "Hermione and I just want to make a difficult Potion, for academic purposes, but one of the ingredients is in Snape's private stores. I need to make a diversion so we can sneak in and get it." I tell him.

"Okay. Just, be careful. He's in a foul mood. We had him just after lunch, he's still in a bad mood ever since that Slytherin girl trashed his private stores."

"Yeah, about that, it was actually me." I say.

"Really? How didn't he know it was you?"

"Metamorphmagus powers." I whisper.

"Right."

George comes back, panting, holding a small box.

"Inside is some of the fireworks." He gasps.

"Thanks." I say, taking the box from him.

"Did you hear about that Slytherin girl who broke into Snape's private store and trashed it?" George asks.

"Of course. Fred and I were just talking about it before you came running back. And by the way, it wasn't actually her, it was me. I used my metamorphmagus powers." I say.

"Wicked. Anyway, we'd better go and talk to Lee, bye." George says, and they walk off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Potions lesson takes place in the large dungeon as usual, with twenty cauldrons around the room, placed between the wooden desks which have brass scales and ingredients on them.

This lesson, Snape tells us to make a Swelling solution. He puts the method on the blackboard and puts us in pairs. I'm working with Bonnie this time.

"Okay, now we add the puffer-fish eyes." Bonnie says and I add them to the Potion.

Snape's sweeping around as usual, criticising the Gryffindor's and praising the Slytherins. Our potion is perfect.

I look over at Harry and Hermione. Harry's the one whose going to cast the firework. I give him the signal when Snape goes over to Neville and Amy.

He takes out one of the fireworks, prods it with his wand and lobs it over towards Goyle's cauldron. Right in target, it explodes, showering all those near with the potion.

I guess his potion works, because people are starting to swell up. I try to stifle laughter as I see Malfoy's nose swell up to the size of a melon. I see Hermione quickly slip quietly into Snape's office, while everyone is screaming.

"Silence! SLIENCE!" Snape roars. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draught. When I find out who did this..."

As half the class hurries foreword, weighed down by the swelling, Hermione slips back in as if she never left.

When everyone takes a swig of the antidote and the various swellings subside, Snape goes over to Goyle's cauldron and scoops out the black remains of the firework.

"If I ever find out who did this," he whispers. "I shall see to it that they are expelled."

I look over to Harry and apnea trying to pull an innocent face, but Snape is looking right at him.

The bell rings and we quickly leave.

"He knew it was me." Harry says. "I could tell."

"He can't prove it." I say.

We all hurry over to Myrtle's bathroom, while I run back up to Gryffindor Tower to collect the Bicorn Horn.

On my way back down, I run into Fred and George.

"So, Sarah, how did the prank go?" Fred asks.

"Great." I say. "He suspected it was Harry though, but he won't get in trouble."

"You mean, you didn't pull the prank?" George asks.

"Nah, I let Harry throw the firework."

"Damn." The say in sync.

"Anyway, I gotta run, I've want to deliver a get well card to Colin." I lie.

"Okay, bye." They say and I run off.

When I get to Mytle's bathroom, Hermione is adding the Boomslang skin to the potion.

"Sorry, I ran into Fred and George." I pant.

"That's alright." Hermione says, taking the Bicorn horn from me.

"So, how long now?" I say, reading the Polyjuice Potion method.

"About a fortnight." Hermione says.

"Great."

"As I was saying before Harry, Snape can't prove it was you." Amy says, reassuringly to Harry. "What can he do?"

"Knowing Snape, something foul." Harry says, as the potion froths and bubbles in the cauldron.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A week later, Harry, Hermione, Bonnie, Amy, Ron and I are walking across the Entrance Hall when we see a knot of people surrounding the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that's just been put up.

Seamus and Dean beckon us over, looking thoroughly excited.

"Guess what?" Seamus says. "They're starting a Duelling Club!"

"First meeting's tonight! I wouldn't mind duelling lessons, might come in handy one of these days..." Dean says.

"Cool." I say. Duelling lessons could come in handy these days.

"What, do you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" Ron says, but reads the sign with interest.

"It could be useful." Amy says. "Do we want to join?"

The others are all for it, so, like many others, we put our names down. That night, at eight o'clock, we make our way down to the Great Hall where it's taking place. The four long house tables have vanished and have been replaced by a golden stage along one wall.

Most of the school is packed underneath the velvet black sky/roof, anxious to start.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" Hermione says as we join the large crowd. "Someone told me that Flitwick was a duelling champion when he was young, maybe it'll be him!"

"Let's hope so." I say.

"As long as it's not-" Harry says, but Lockhart comes striding onto the stage.

I groan. Not Lockhart. What's worse, is he's accompanied by Snape. This is going to be horrible.

"Gather round! Gather round!" Lockhart says. "Can you all hear me? Can you all see me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start up the Duelling Club, to teach yup students how to defend yourselves. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape. He tells me he knows a little bit about duelling himself and has strongly agreed to help me with a small demonstration before we begin-now don't worry,you'll still have your Potions master after I'm through with him."

Lockhart gives us all a great smile.

"Wouldn't it be great if they could finish each other off." Amy says to me.

I stifle a laugh.

Lockhart and Snape turn to face each other, bow and raise their wands in front of them like swords.

"As you see, we are holding out wands in the acceptable combative position." Lockhart tells the now silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"Damn it." I mutter to Amy.

"I wouldn't count on it though, just look at Snape's face." She replies.

I look at Snape who's baring his teeth. You know, I hope Snape finishes Lockhart off. I could live with Snape alive, just not Lockhart.

"One-two-three-"

Both of them swing their wands up and over their shoulders. Snape cries: "Expelliarmus!" There is a dazzling flash of scarlet light as the spell knocks Lockhart off his feet. He flies backward off the stage, smashes into the wall and slides down, sprawled on the floor.

I burst out laughing. As does Amy and some of the Slytherins start to cheer. For once I'm on their side.

Hermione is dancing on her tiptoes. "Do you think he's alright?" She squeals through her fingers.

"Who cares." Harry, Ron, Amy and I say together.

Lockhart gets to his feet unsteadily and fixes up his hat which was lopsided from the fall.

"Well, there you have it!" He says, tottering back to the platform. "That was a disarming charm-as you see, I've lost my wand-ah, thank you Miss Fields(he says to Olivia). Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying, it was quite obvious what you were going to do. If I was going to stop you, it would be only too easy. However, I felt it would be instructive for them to see..."

Snape looks murderous. I scoff. Lockhart knows he doesn't have enough magic in him to beat Snape. Lockhart notices Snape's glare and clears his throat. "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come and out you into pairs. Professor Snape, if you would help me..."

Snape and Lockhart go through the crowd, pairing people up. Seamus with Dean, Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchly from Hufflepuff, Pavarti with Lavender, Olivia with Padma and Lockhart comes to pair our group up, but Snape is too fast.

"Time to split up the dream teams..." He sneers. "Weasley, you can partner Crabbe. Potter's-"

I immediately go to Amy while Harry goes to Hermione.

"I don't think so," he smiles coldly. "Mr Malfoy, you can partner Mr Potter, Miss Potter, you can partner Miss Parkinson, Miss Granger can partner Miss Bulstrode, Miss Fields, can partner Miss Dunn, and Miss Lupin...it seems there are no other people, you can trio with Miss Dunn and Miss Fields."

I groan as we all split ways; Harry to Malfoy, Hermione to Millicent, Ron to Crabbe, Amy and Bonnie to Alison and I go over to Pansy who is smirking at me.

"Face your partners!" Lockhart calls, back on the platform. "And bow!"

Pansy and I bow. We don't bow much as we are glaring at each other.

"Wands at the ready!" Lockhart shouts. "When I count to three you can cast your charms to disarm your opponents-only to disarm them-we don't want any accidents. One...two...three..."

I swing my wand over my shoulder. "Locomotor Mortis!" I shout. The spell shoots out and locks Pansy's legs together.

"I'll get you back for that, Potter!" She screeches. "Rictusempra!"

A jet of silver light hits me straight in the stomach. I groan.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouts in alarm to the crowd, but to no effect.

She's hit me with the tickling charm. I'll get her back for that.

Get up. "Tarantallegra!" Next second Pansy is dancing around like a fool. I double over laughter at her embarrassment.

"Stop! Stop!" Lockhart yells over the crowd, but Snape takes charge.

"Finite Incantartum!" He shouts and Pansy stops dancing. Way to ruin the fun, Snape.

I look around at all the other pairs. There are different flashes of light as the castes spells hit the opponent.

I see Harry and Malfoy glaring at each other-as are Ron and Crabbe, Bonnie is glaring at Alison while Amy is shooting random spells at her and Millicent has Hermione in a headlock.

"Dear, dear," Lockhart says. "Up you get Macmillan...careful there, Miss Fawcett...punch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot...

I think it'll be better if we teach you how to block unfriendly spells. Let's have a volunteer pair...Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you?"

"That's a bad idea, Professor Lockhart," Snape says, gliding over like a bat. "Longbottom causes damage with even the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley to the hospital wing in a matchbox. How about Malfoy and Potter?" Snape's face turns into a twisted smile. Evil git.

"Excellent idea!" Lockhart says. Nope, he's a git.

Lockhart ventures Harry and Malfoy up into the stage to duel. This isn't going to end well.

"Now Harry," Lockhart says to him. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."

He raises his wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggle action and drops the wand. I scoff and Snape smirks. Lockhart quickly bends down and picks it up.

"Whoops-my wand is a little over-excited."

Snape moves closer to Malfoy and whispers something in his ear. Now Malfoy's smirking.

"Scared, Potter?" Malfoy sneers.

"You wish." Harry retorts.

"Just do what I did Harry." Lockhart tells him.

"What, drop my wand?"

I laugh out loud. Take that Lockhart.

"On the count of three boys. One-two-three!"

Malfoy raises his wand over his head and bellows: "Serpensortia!"

The end of his wand explodes. Everyone backs off as a long, black snake shoots out of it and emerges from the smoke. It rises and looks ready to strike. Some of the other girls scream. Harry just stands horrified.

"Don't move, Potter," Snape says, clearly enjoying Harry's expression towards the snake. "I'll get rid of it for you..."

"Allow me!" Lockhart shouts. He brandishes his wand at the snake and there's a loud bang. The snake, instead of vanishing, flies ten feet into the air, and falls back to the floor with a smack. Angrier than it was before, it hisses and slithers towards Justin Finch-Fletchley, raises itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.

A few people scream. I'm just horror-struck. Unable to make any noise. I hate snakes. They terrify me.

Harry, as if on command, strides towards the snake and says something in a weird language, and miraculously, the snake slumps back down to the floor. A few people gasp.

I look over to Justin. He looks scared.

"What do you think you're playing at?" He shouts and he storms out of the silent hall.

Snape steps foreword, waves his wand and and the snake vanishes in a puff of black smoke. He, like everyone else, is looking at Harry weirdly. Everyone starts to whisper.

"Let's go." Ron whispers. We grab Harry and drag him out of the Hall, Hermione, Amy and Bonnie following.

We make our way up to Gryffindor tower in silence. Once inside, Ron pushes him into an armchair.

"You're a Parslemouth. Why didn't you tell us?" Ron says.

He's a Parselnouth? He want speaking Parselmouth. All he did was say 'leave him.".

"I'm a what?"

"A Parselmouth!" Amy says. "You can talk to snakes!"

"I know." Harry says casually. "I mean, that's only the second time I've done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley once at the zoo. It was telling me how it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to. That was before I knew I was a wizard."

"You mean, you've done this before?" I say.

"It was telling you how it had never been to Brazil?" Ron repeats.

"So?" Harry says. "I bet loads of people here can do it."

"No they can't." Hermione says. "It's not a very common gift, Harry."

"This is bad." Bonnie says.

"What's bad?" Harry says. "If I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin-"

"So that's what you said to it?" Ron says.

"What d'you mean? You were there...you heard me."

"We heard you speaking Parsletongue," Amy says. "Snake language."

"You could have been saying anything." I say. "No wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something."

Harry gapes at us.

"I spoke a different language? But-how can I speak a different language without knowing I can? And why can't you speak it, Sarah?"

"Don't ask me." I say, throwing my hands up dramatically.

"D'you guys want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a dirty great snake from biting Justin's head off?" Harry says. "What does it matter how I did it as long as Justing doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"

"Harry, it matters, because being able to talk to snakes is what Salazar Slytherin was famous for," Hermione says. "That's why the symbol for Slytherin is a serpent."

Harry's mouth falls open.

"Exactly," Ron says. "And now the whole school's gonna think you're his great-great-great-great grandson or something..."

"But I'm not." Harry says worriedly. "Sarah and I can't be."

"You don't know that. He lived about a thousand years ago." Hermione says. "For all we know, you could be."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the next morning, snow has begun to fall and coat the castle in thick, white clumps. The blizzard is so thick, that Herbology has been cancelled. Professor Sprout said that it was fine, as she needed to fit socks and scarves onto the Mandrakes and that only she could do it. Oh well, FREE PERIOD!

So, while Harry is being anti-social, Hermione, Ron, Amy, Bonnie and I are taking it in turns playing wizard chess. Hermione against Ron, and Bonnie and Amy against me.

Once again, I beat Amy, but I lose against Bonnie. Why does she have to be so good at chess?

"For heavens sake, Harry!" Hermione says, exasperated. I jump. Damn it Hermione. "Go and find Justin if it's so important to you."

So, as Hermione said, Harry gets up and leaves the common room.

After another loss against Bonnie, I say, "I'm done. I'm gonna go find Harry."

I get up, leave the common room and go looking for Harry, wherever he might be.

I go to the Hufflepuff common room first, but neither Harry nor Justin are there. Alanah, a girl in our year, said that Justin was upstairs, but if I wanted to see the others, then they're at the library. Well, I'd better get to the library then. So, I head off towards the library.

I get there, and most of the Hufflepuffs are sitting at the back, talking with someone, I go closer and I see it's Harry.

I duck behind a bookshelf and move closer to where they are.

"-was you speaking Parseltongue and chasing the snake towards Justin." I hear Ernie Macmillan say.

"I didn't chase it at him!" Harry says, heating up with anger. "It didn't even touch him!"

"It was a very near miss." Ernie says. "And in case you're getting any ideas, I might tell you that you can trace my family back through nine generations of witches and warlocks and my blood's as pure as anyone's, so-"

"I don't care what sort of blood you've got." Harry says fiercely. "Why would I want to attack muggle-borns?"

I step out from behind the bookshelf.

"Do you really think he'd attack muggle-borns-anyone-just because of their blood status?" I say, making all of them jump. "If you might want to know, one of our best friends is a muggle-born. Do you think Harry's want to attack her? I didn't think so."

They all stare at me, dumbstruck.

"But I heard that you hate those muggles you live with." Ernie says to Harry. "That'd give him a reason."

"It's not possible to live with the Dursley's and not hate them." Harry says. "I'd like to see you try it."

He then turns on his heel and storms out of the library.

"I hope you're happy with yourselves." I say. "And if you had any brains-or were just-then you wouldn't be pointing your finger at anyone."

With that, I storm out of the library and go to look for Harry again.

I start looking down different corridors for at least ten minutes until I hear, "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"

I sprint towards where the shouting is coming from. I sprint and sprint until I find a massive crowd clustered in a corridor. I push through and I see Harry standing next to Justin on the floor, stiff as a board. Oh no. I look past them and see Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor.

Everyone is muttering and Professor McGonagall comes running into the corridor, followed by other teaches, and pushes through the crowd. She pulls out her wand and sets off a loud bang which restores silence. She orders everyone to go back to class while she 'deals' with this.

Soon, the Hufflepuffs from the library come to the corridor, panting.

"Caught in the act!" Ernie yells, pointing at Harry, his as face white as chalk.

"That will do Macmillan." McGonagall says sharply.

Peeves is bobbing overhead, grinning wickedly.

The teachers bend over Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, examining them. Peeves then breaks into song:

"Oh, Potter, you rotter, gopher what have you done?

You're killing off students, you think it's good fun-"

"That is enough, Peeves!" McGonagall barks at him, and Peeves zooms off, poking his tongue out at Harry.

Justing is now carried off to the Hospital Wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra, but no one knows what to do with Nick. In the end, McGonagall conjures up a fan, gives it to Ernie telling him to waft Nick up the stairs and to the Hospital Wing. Once Ernie's gone, she soon realises that I'm still here.

"Oh, Miss Potter. Go back to your common room while I deal with your brother-"

"But it wasn't him, Professor." I say.

"It is out of my hands, Miss Potter. Now off you go."

I sulkily turn around and tread my way back to Gryffindor Tower, think of only the worst for Harry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N

Okay, I officially suck at updating. Sorry guys.

I will try, and I mean TRY to update again tomorrow.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Vote, comment, fan, follow...whatever :)

Hugs and butterfly kisses,

~Elise