Link of Hogwarts

Twenty-One

When a patrolling Prefect discovered the petrified form of a Hufflepuff student and the horrifying sight of a blackened and unresponsive Nearly Headless Nick, alarms were raised. Security tightened in the form of patrolling staffs and students walked in large groups. Link, having always been part of a quartet, walked with his usual friends.

Unfortunately for the Hufflepuff student, the mandrake solution for anti-petrification had been used up by Colin so now they have to wait for the ones in the greenhouses to mature. Link would go out to the mandrake clearing but with how everyone's movement been tightened, he doubted he can go into the Forbidden Forest...even if it's just the edges.

He did informed Prof Sprout about the clearing but she frowned, "Mr. Potter, there's a reason why we use the ones in the greenhouse. Wild mandrake can sometimes be too powerful due to being in the wild. But most importantly it is to conserve. If we simply go and take without considering the consequences to nature, it will harm the already balanced ecosystem,"

Link accepted her argument. Besides, from her conversation, the greenhouse's mandrake has started to move into each other's pots after throwing a wild party. Apparently that was a sign that they are ready to increase their number and maturity.

So all that was left was to wait for the potion, but...

Link noticed how Dumbledore seemed busier than usual, which was saying a lot. While at the library, he overheard Malfoy bragging about his Father's plan to remove unnecessary and incompetent elements in Hogwarts. While he kept calm on the outside, Link was alarmed by the information. He had heard that Malfoy Sr. was the chairman of school governors.

Hermione scowled, "He can't be serious?!"

Ron huffed, "Malfoy's probably just bragging,"

Neville shuffled nervously, "But...what if it's true? If he could convince the others on board to get rid of Dumbledore, then..."

The group was unhappy at the possibility. They were passing by the once marked wall near the scone where Mrs. Norris hung stiffly from when their feet splashed into a large puddle. Hermione groaned in distaste, "Not again,"

Neville looked at the growing puddle, "Does this always happen?"

She sighed, "Its Myrtle, she haunts the girl's loo ahead," She then gestured at the flooded floor, "She always flood the floor whenever something upset her...which was a lot,"

Ron stepped forward at the sound of wailing, "Hello? You're flooding the hallway,"

Needless to say, his complain only make things worse for them as the water grew bigger with greater speed. Link winced at the shriek of rage as the ghost in question started bombarding Ron for his tactlessness and his cold treatment to her woe.

Neville quickly came forward, "What makes you so upset, though?"

She turned sad eyes at him, "Someone threw their things at the U-bent...as if I haven't suffered enough!"

Then Ron said something stupid, "So? Not like you feel a thing,"

Link stepped back and hid behind Hermione who groaned at Ron's tactless stupidity. The ghost seemed to grow in size as she sneered at Ron, who grew pale, as she floated right at his face, "Let's all throw books at Myrtle because she can't feel it!" She shoved her faded hand through Ron's stomach, "Ten points if it goes through her stomach!" She then shoved it into his face, "Fifty if it goes through her head!" She then snarled at him, "Well, ha, ha, ha! What a lovely game, I don't think!"

She then moaned in misery before floating up and threw herself into her haunted U-bent, splashing water everywhere as she disappeared down the hole. Hermione looked at Ron with a roll of her eyes, "That was stupid, Ron,"

He didn't say anything, being busy wiping his face of the unnatural chill of a ghost's touch. Neville then bent and picked up an item, "Is this the book she was talking about?"

Before they could discuss, Percy Weasley's voice called out, "Ron? What are you doing in here?"

The group looked at the Prefect who was staring in horror as it slowly dawned on them they're all in a girls only territory, minus Hermione who looked embarrassed that she have boys in a girl's loo. As Percy dragged them to McGonagall, he lectured the group about trespassing and propriety. It was awkward and made even worse when the quartet stood before a far from amused McGonagall who set them all on a detention with Filch.

Luckily for the group, Filch was much more lenient on them than he would on other students. Part was because of Link's charity with the matter of Mrs. Norris but another was because his cat adored them. But though he may be more lenient on them, he's still a punishing man so the group found themselves spending the evening cleaning up the trophy room.

Neville was in charge of mopping the floor, Hermione brandishing a feather duster with a vengeance against the innocent dust bunnies while Ron had to wipe all the trophies. Link, however, was in charge of keeping an eye on them.

Ron grumbled about the fact, "It's just not fair!"

Hermione growled, "Shut up, Ron. It's your brother who put us here,"

He continued regardless, "But how come all Link had to do is sit there and watch us work?!"

Link sheepishly answered, "I would help but..." He gestured at the happily purring cat on his lap, "I guess my punishment is being Mrs. Norris' throne for the evening,"

Ron gave him the stink eye, "Not much of a punishment then,"

Hermione whipped her feather duster at his face, causing Ron to flinch away from her acquired weapon, "Ron, if you say another word..." She warned him. He quickly mummed.

Neville was drying the mop when he saw the trophy in Ron's hand, "Wait, that name..." He quickly dug into his discarded book bag in the corner and took out the book he picked up from Myrtle's loo, "I knew I've seen that name before..."

The group collected around Neville, baring Link who's stuck sitting with Mrs. Norris on his lap, and looked at the book. Hermione frowned, "Why would a book belonging to..." She looked at the trophy in Ron's hand, "...someone from fifty years ago is thrown at Myrtle?"

Ron put down the trophy and grabbed at the book, looking at the name embellished on the cover. He struggled between opening the book and chance the possible curse that might have placed on the pages of the book. Hermione stared at him, "Well?"

He grimaced, "I have heard enough horror stories on cursed books to know better than to open this. I mean, one of the books Da found cursed whoever read it to speak in limerick for whole a year!"

Neville blanched and eyeballed the item in Ron's hand, "I almost open that book,"

Hermione huffed, "Fine! Let's read up on spells that reveal curses before opening it," She then brings up the feather dusters between them, "In the meantime..." Neville sheepishly took the book before continuing his mopping duty and placed it in his bag while Ron groaned at the reminded detention.

Meanwhile, Link who felt left out piped up from his corner; "Will you fill me up on what you guys were discussing later?"