No Goodbyes \ Ron Weasley

The First Match

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professor McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the perfects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall, and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who looked immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

Dumbledore paused, about to leave the Hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing...." One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the wall; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags. "There we are. Sleep well," said Dumbledore, closing the door behind him with a whoosh.

The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

"C'mon," Ron said to Harry, Hermione, and Josephine; they seized four sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner before others could snag it.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," Ron replied, glancing around; his eyes lingered on the windows like he expected Black to jump through them.

"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower."

Tough luck on his part, she reckoned. 

She sat up a bit. It was hard to see in the room. Dumbledore dimmed the candles. Most of the Hufflepuffs were on the farside of the room. She assumed Cedric wasn't there, though. He was probably with the prefects toward the front doors.

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise, he'd have come bursting in here."

She moved, so she laid on her back, only looking over when she felt a tug on her arm.

"Your brother's okay," Ron said quietly. "I saw him on the way in."

"I'm just...I'm worried about Black, but I'm more anxious about the dementors," she said softly, shivering. The Great Hall was not as warm as her dormitory.

The more she learned about the dementors, the more she despised them. Black was a murderer, yes, but did he deserve to get his soul sucked out of himself? She didn't think anyone did besides Voldemort.

"They can't get you in the castle," Ron murmured, and he moved his bag closer to her.

"I know," she breathed. "That's not what I'm worried about...you're going to disagree and think it's dumb, but I just." 

"You what?" he pushed.

"Something's off," she settled on.

"About the dementors or Black?" Ron asked.

"Black," Josephine replied. "If he wanted Harry, it would've made more sense to get him on the way to Care of Magical Creatures or when we're hanging out around Black Lake or when we're walking back from Quidditch practice or even on the way to and from Hagrid's hut...to try and get in the common room is just so bold. A little too bold. He must know what time of year it is."