Melanie Granger?

Chapter 11

Disclaimer I don't own Harry Potter.

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I spent the majority of the morning with Potter and it was only when a certain frizzy haired Gryffindor interrupted out research that we stopped.

'Hello Hermione.' Potter smiled as my sister approached.

'Hi Harry, what are you doing here? We missed you at breakfast and we've been trying to find you since then and it's almost lunch time now!'  She stated.

'I was um....  Just....'

'Talking to me about whether or not we will be given any homework on the potion we're meant to be brewing on Monday.' I replied butting in.

'Oh....  Well it must have been a heated discussion for it to go for so long.'  She said raising a brow.

'Well that isn't really your concern, is it?  After all you weren't part of it so it shouldn't matter to you.'

'I suppose not.'

'I guess I'll leave the two of you to talk then.' With that I then walked out, feeling Harry's eyes on me until I disappeared from his view around the corner.  I wonder if her tell Hermione what we were really talking about.

I later found out that he didn't as I heard my sister explaining to Ron what had happened and where Harry had been. I admit I was rather glad that Harry hadn't changed his story and told her the truth or she would have been her usual meddling self and tried to stop us.

At the same time I was also intrigued to hear Hermione explaining to the boys about the Philosopher Stone, a magical stone which can turn anything into pure gold and contains the elixir of life.  It was created by....  Nicholas Flammel if I'm not mistaken and if I remember rightly that was the name they were trying to find information on after Hagrid accidentally spilled a few beans.

Interesting. They seemed to be getting further along in their quest to find out what is going on with Snape.... Or whoever is behind all of this.... If only I was so lucky to find out more about all the attacks by the.... Vampire. I needed to get some kind of lead and soon!  Or else I fear the school will be closed!  Still it was getting late and having skipped dinner I was famished, I was tempted to go and try to find a snack, but I knew I had more pressing matters to deal with.

'Potter!' I hissed knocking on the door to the boys dorm, only to have him come out a few seconds later.

'Melanie? What are you doing here at this late hour?' He asked rubbing his eyes sleepily.

'I think I might know a way to get a little more information on who our vampire really is!'

'Wait, really?!' He immediately came alive.  I nodded.

'Yeah, but you are going to have to get dressed properly.'

'Ok, I'll be right back!' He closed the door then emerged again after several minutes. 'Let's go!'  We walked down out of the Common Room and down the stairs from the tower.  'So what's the plan?'

'We need to get into the Hosptial Wing and swab those marks on their neck to get DNA samples from the victims then have them tested to see who bit them or if they are indeed bite marks.'  I explained, he nodded, but his expression soon became s little nervous.

'What if we get caught?  Shouldn't we tell the teachers our plan so they can help?'

'And have them mess it up?  Not a chance!' I replied and we went straight to the Hosptial Wing.

Once we got there I went ahead to make sure that Madam Pomfrey wasn't there and upon discovering that she was nowhere in sight I signalled for Harry to follow in.  We then grabbed some cotton swabs from one of the cupboards and we set to swabbing the marks on the necks of the victims.  It still gave me chills having to look at those who could be described as the living dead, but I did what I had to without complaint.  Or at least until I came to the last one.

It must have been attacked fairly recently as the blood on the neck was still fresh and I stared intently at it as the wicked smell hit my nostrils.  I noticed Harry was staring at me and glanced back at him as my face turned into a frown and I began to heave!

'Are you alright, Melanie?'  He asked and I shook my head.

'N-No....!  C-Could you....?'  I stepped back from the body as he nodded and did the job for me.  Once I knew he would take over I quickly sprinted to the closest bathroom, which just so happened to be Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

I ran in and went straight to the sink where I put my hands on it to steady myself and stared at my reflection in the mirror, sighing when I saw my slightly scared face staring back at me. That had been close.  Too close.

'Hello!'

And it only looked to be getting closer.

'H-Hello.' I replied shakily when I heard the high-pitched voice of Myrtle.

'I wasn't sure you'd come back and I'm so glad you did! Though you have rather strange timing.' She said coming to float next to me as I turned to look at her.

'Well, yeah, it's kind of an long story....' I replied.

'I have plenty of time.'  She smiled eagerly.

'Well I'm sorry to say that I'm not as fortunate, I need to get back to Gryffindor Tower before someone misses me.'

'Aww....  Ok.'  She nodded.  'At least now I know you'll come back again!  Right?'

'Of course I will Myrtle and I promise to explain everything!  See you then!'  I said and quickly returned to the Tower, happy to find Harry waiting for me with each of the samples in their own container.

'Hey Mel are you alright?'  He asked concerned as I walked in through the portrait hole. I nodded.

'Yeah I'm fine, Potter. Seeing the blood just turned my stomach, that's all.'

'Oh, are you feeling any better now?'

'Much. Still our mission is only half complete, tomorrow night we will need to try and analyse the samples to see if the attacker left any saliva and try to get some DNA from that which will tell us who he is!'

'Awesome! But.... We don't know how to analyse blood.' He pointed out.

'That's true, but I'm sure Madam Pomfrey does.'