A Memorable Tale

15 | Enemies of the Heir

Being called down to the Headmaster's office was one thing.

Being called down to the hospital wing was another.

After the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff was cancelled, I was instructed by a rushing Madam Pomfrey to pick up some potions she had asked Snape to procure.

As I ran through the halls with Filch yelling at me to slow down and Peeves singing a dumb song about the petrified students, I assumed the worst.

When I entered, I saw the Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope, and Hermione lying on the bed, frozen. Flitwick and McGonagall guided their attention away from their petrified students and at the one that just answered.

Ron and Harry looked away from their friend, seeing me with a hoard of books and potions gathered in my arms.

"Well, it's a good thing Quidditch was cancelled then," I muttered as I placed the items on a nearby table. "There aren't really much beds left."

I sat between the two beds, eying something on Hermione's side table. "What's this?" I asked, holding up the hand held mirror.

"Hermione was found holding it," Harry explained. "Do you think... you might know why?"

I laughed a bit. "What, you think that just because I'm a bit smart, I can read minds?" My eyes landed on Hermione's clenched fist and I reached into her grip, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. "Hm. Maybe I can."

The two shared a glance before uncrumpling the paper and reading its contents. Their eyes went wide and they looked at me, who continue to feign cluelessness.

"Ah, Y/N, dear, thank you for bringing these things," Madam Pomfrey said to me as she rushed in.

"Why do you get to be 'dear'?" Ron pouted.

"Because I'm not in here because I snuck out to find the Philosopher's Stone or because I lost all my bones."

"Well, children," Professor Flitwick began, stepping off of his stool. "It's about time we lead you back to your towers. This is turning out to be far more serious than we had anticipated."

I watched him walk by before following, uneasiness settling in my stomach. Should I tell him that it might be a basilisk? If I did, what would the school do?

Frankly, it would probably immediately close down.

I entered Ravenclaw tower after answering a quick riddle and rushed up the stairs to my dorm.

Padma rushed after me, watching me rummage through my things. "What are you doing?"

"I need to ask Draco something, do you know where my notebook is?"

Padma opened the canopy for my bed and I sighed, seeing it lying on my bedsheets. I kicked off my shoes and sat down to write.

Draco!

What?

Were you escorted back to your dorms too?

Of course. Everyone was after Granger and that prefect was found.

That's two Gryffindors, a Ravenclaw, and a Hufflepuff... So it's definitely the Heir of Slytherin and not some cruel prank. Was anyone missing from the stands when the Quidditch match was about to start?

How am I supposed to know?

Right, you have the memory of a goldfish.

Hey!

I shut the book and looked out the window, noticing Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, Dumbledore, and Lucius Malfoy walking towards Hagrid's hut.

That combination could never be good.