Diamonds

18. I Am

Except for a chance almost-encounter with Mrs Norris, the caretakers cat, and with the castle poltergeist. Ron wanted to kick the cat, and Draco was all for it. More rational minds won out when Harry pointed out that she'd make a run for Filch

"Peeves," said Harry, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

After the poltergeist zoomed away, Ron complimented Harry's quick thinking. Hermione tensed beside Draco as the Slytherin hissed his own opinion; "That's not what the Baron sounds like, Potter."

"I didn't hear you saying anything, Malfoy. Sorry if my thinking wasn't quick enough, but everyone knows he only listens to your creepy house ghost."

"What's with the chains, anyway? Did he get locked up for something?"

"If you must know, Weasel, the rumours say that he wears the chains to remind everyone of how dangerous he really is. They say he wears them to remind everyone how he once strangled dozens men as they slept for the crime of sleeping with someone who didn't deserve them. Supposedly, he'd creep into their homes at the dead of night and strangle them with the chains, using a charm to silence their death throes as their lover, worth so much more than them, slept soundly beside him. And he'd slip away as though nothing had happened, and the partner would wake to a dead man at her side. When he was finally caught, he was flayed until he died of blood loss, his body in shock. Only he swore to continue to punish unworthy lovers, and so he returned as a ghost to do exactly that."

"Is that true?"

"No," Draco told Ron, "he's the Bloody Baron. He doesn't talk to students, that's the point of him - I've got no idea why he carries around chains, and it's rather annoying at night when we're trying to sleep. Fun making you think he had a horror story background, though."

Hermione sighed and the rest of the way to the third floor corridor, the four of them were silent. Seeing that the door was already open a crack, Harry winced. "Snape's already here. "

"As if it's going to be Snape," Draco interrupted. He stopped talking when Hermione pinched him.

"Listen, none of you have to come. I understand if you want to go back to your dorms. You especially, Malfoy."

"Don't be stupid, I already said I'm not leaving you alone with Malfoy and Hermione."

"Why don't you just call me Granger?" Hermione crossed her arms. "We all know that if you're right you'll get yourselves killed without my help."

"Fine, I suppose that makes sense. But Malfoy -"

"I am not leaving her alone with you two. You'll do something impossibly stupid and get her hurt, and I can stop that from happening."

"Can you really?" Hermione sounded sceptical, although she thought it was rather sweet. Less so when he clarified:

"What would it say about the Malfoys if something happened to her?"

"Thanks, Draco," she snapped, sarcastic. "Give me the flute, Harry, there must be a reason you have it."

"Oh, yeah. Hagrid told me and Ron that Fluffy falls to sleep if you play music to it. Start playing as soon as we go inside."

"What exactly is this 'Fluffy'?"

"Three headed dog," Ron answered instantly, not watching Draco's jaw drop. He could guess that the reaction would be something like that.

"What? Hermione, is he serious?"

Hermione didn't answer, as Harry had unlocked the door with a charm. She had to take a breath in preparation for playing the flute while the boys slipped down the trapdoor. The flute was whittled, the wood rough against her fingers. The sound she managed to get from it was not a tune and certainly wasn't a song. Fortunately Fluffy didn't seem to mind, and each of its three heads began to droop.