Liar. Harry Potter's sister ~ Book 2

chapter thirty-five

"I don't... I don't need the hospital wing," I stutter as I try to pull away from Professor Tofty, who was looking at me and Harry with serious concern as he helped us out into the Entrance Hall with the students all around staring and gaping at us like we were crazy. When I realised that I was in the middle of an exam hall after having the nightmare the embarrassment and panic set it. I looked around the room and, sure enough I saw Harry in the same position as me, on the floor, sweaty and anxious.

"We're - we're fine, sir," Harry stammers, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. "We just... fell asleep... had a nightmare... right Olivia?" I only hum in response.

"Pressure of examinations!" the old wizard says, sympathetically patting the two of us gently on the shoulder, "It happens, it happens. Now, a nice drink of water and perhaps you'll be able to return to the Great Hall? The examination is nearly over, but you might be able to round off your last answer nicely?"

"Yes," I say wildly, "I mean... no... I've done as much as I can I think..."

"Me too," Harry says, nodding frantically.

"Very well, very well," The old wizard says gently, "I shall go and collect your exam papers and I suggest you both go and have a nice lie down."

"We'll do that," I say, nodding vigorously.

"Thanks very much," Harry says. The second that the old man's heels disappeared over the threshold into the Great Hall, he grabs my arm and pulls me along with him, up the marble staircase. We turn a corner, his grip tight on my wrist and hurtle along the corridor, past a long line of portraits, muttering unfathomably and into a small, empty classroom. He closes the door behind us.

"You saw that too?" He asks, anxiously. I nod, sitting down on the edge of the teachers desk, holding my head in my hands. My mind was whirring, terror rising inside me. That couldn't have been real, could it? I take a deep intake of air, trying to calm the raging monster building inside my stomach.

"What should we do?" I say, my voice was hoarse and my throat dry. It seemed so real. Maybe it was.

"I don't know," Harry says running his hands through his hair. We both seem to have forgotten that we weren't speaking to one another. It feels as though nothing ever happened between us. But there were bigger things to think about.

"The exam will be finishing soon," I say, gripping onto the side of the wooden desk, my knuckles turning white from the force. "Hermione will know what to do."

He nods, looking to the floor, his chest heaving up and down. We don't wait in here for long, only about two minutes, before he grabs my wrist, once more and pushes me out of the door. We sprint down the hall once more, passing the confused looking portraits again, running down the marble staircase, just in time for the doors of the Great Hall to swing open. We hang back, as to stay slightly unnoticed, but soon enough students begin piling out of the hall, chattering away happily with their friends, heading out the front door and onto the lawn to relax in the blazing sun with friends. We spot Hermione and Ron exit the hall together, looking extremely worried. They spot us instantly.

We run forward, pushing students out of our way. Panic exploded inside me like a poison as I realise how serious this situation could potentially be.

"Harry!" Hermione says what we reach her, looking very frightened. She gives me an uneasy look, but I ignore her. "What happened? Are you alright? Are you ill?"

"Come with us," Harry says, running back up the marble staircase. I follow him. He leads us back into the classroom where we had just been. As the last person to enter, I close the door behind me and lean against it, panting.