𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕲𝖎𝖗𝖑 𝖂𝖍𝖔.. 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙?

Missing

[The next day, Hayley and Ron are visiting Hermione in the Hospital Wing again; Hayley takes the old dried-up flowers out of the vase next to Hermione's bed, puts in some new white flowers, then sits on the bed.]

"Morning!" 

Hayley: Wish you were here, Hermione. We need you. Now more than ever.

"Yes, they do. So, they don't accidently KILL THEMSELVES!" Tony exclaims, knowing at least one of them will do something stupid.

"I would never accidently kill myself. I did it on purpose." Hayley says, but at the alarmed looks she gets, she continues speaking, attempting to redeem what she has said, "I mean- I didn't kill myself- I didn't- I would never- I- I'm happy- I... Oh forget it."

[Hermione just lays there with her glossy facial expression as Ron sighs sadly. Hayley rubs Hermione's left hand: feeling something in it, she looks down and removes her hand to discover a crumpled-up piece of paper, a library book page, which she carefully removes and straightens out.]

Fred and George dramatically gasp, "OH. MY. MERLIN!" They say in sync.

"HERMIONE RIPPED A PAGE OUT OF A BOOK!" Fred continues.

"IT IS THE END OF THE WORLD!" George fake faints and Fred grabs him into a hug as he fake sobs.

Hermione just watches them and rolls her eyes.

Ron: [glancing at the page] What's that?

"Tony's mum's grave..."

"I swear to GOD HAYLEY! TALK ABOUT MY MOTHER AGAIN!"

"OHH I WILL!"

Hayley: [examining the page] Ron, this is why Hermione was in the library the day she was attacked. 

"I thought she was always in the library."

"Same..."

Hayley: [glances at the page and then back at Ron as she gets up] Come on! [Hayley and Ron walk through the corridor as Hayley reads from the page] "Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land, none is more deadly than the Basilisk. Capable of living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meet this giant serpent's eye."

Bruce's eyes widen, "EXCUSE ME-?" Bruce gets cut off by Hayley correcting him.

"I think you mean 'exsqueeze me'." Hayley pointedly says, pushing up her glasses and sitting up straighter.

Bruce turns to glare at her, the same glare Hermione uses when she does something stupid.

Hayley stumbles over her words saying, "Uhh- um- I mean- I didn't think- you're so right."

Bruce turns away from her, clearing his throat and getting his shocked face back, "A SNAKE THAT KILLS YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT?! YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT!"

Hayley smirks and says, "Watch me bish."

"Fine. I'll watch you die immediately."

"No faith." 

Hayley: "Spiders flee before it..." [looking up at Ron] Ron, this is it. The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a Basilisk. That's why I can hear it speak. It's a snake.

Ron: [processing the information they just read] But if it kills by looking people in the eye, why is it no one's dead?

"Well, you can't see them, they can't see you."

"I don't think that's how it works, Hayley."

"Shut up, Draco."

Hayley: [thinking for a few seconds then looking at the window] Because no one did look it in the eye. Not directly, at least.