"Alrighty, listen up," Oliver Wood stood in front of us explaining our plan. I was sitting next to Harry and Fred. It's been a few weeks since my space in the room got destroyed. After I had told Hermione who I was with, she really didn't react much. Besides being in utter shock that she couldn't say anything.
Wood continued on, "We play our game, and Hufflepuff won't stand a chance." Wood picked up his broom and started to walk. We all followed with our brooms. "We're stronger, quicker , smarter."
"That makes you sound very arrogant," I smirked.
"It is helps us win, I will be arrogant," Wood said.
"They'll also be terrified that Harry with petrify them if they get close," Fred laughed.
"Oh please," I rolled my eyes, and shook my head.
As we got outside, I noticed Professor McGonagall walking down the steps towards us. "Professor McGonagall?" Wood asked.
"The match has been canceled," She stated. I furrowed my brows.
"You can't cancel Quidditch," Wood stated.
"Silence, Mr. Wood. Take your team and go to the Gryffindor Tower instantly," she demanded.
"What happened for it to be canceled?" I asked.
"Potter, Meadows, we need to find Mr. Weasley. There's something you need to see," McGonagall told us as the team walked away. I looked into McGonagall's eyes, they showed melancholy, and pity.
"What happened?" I asked as we started to look.
| Time Skip |
I was in shock to say the least. I took a deep, slow breath as I stared at her. There she was. Lying there. I felt as though she was looking at me, although she wasn't. I almost thought she was dead at the first sight of her.
"Hermione..." I muttered.
The voices around me faded in and out. I could barely hear understand them. It was like I was in my own little bubble. I understood that she wasn't dead, but she was close. If she would've looked at the wrong place...
"Bridget?" I heard a soft voice call me.
I slowly turned my head to my right. Ron had his hand on my shoulder. I turned back to Hermione, and put my hand on Ron's. There was silence for a little bit, and sorrow hung in the air.
"Do we know how this happened?" I asked.
"She was found near the library," McGonagall explained, "with this," she held up a mirror.
"At least she was smart enough to know not to look directly at it," I moved closer to her bedside. I felt Harry and Ron follow.
"Does the mirror mean anything to you three?"
I took a quick look at it, "I've never seen it before."
"Hm," McGonagall hummed in curiosity.
I reached forwards and grabbed Hermione's petrified hand. She felt warm, which mad me happy she wasn't dead. Her heart was still circulating like normal. What happened 'Mione?
...
I watched as everyone around me was talking away with friends, or playing chess with other. I was sitting on the Gryffindor couch with Ron and Harry. We haven't done much but talk. There wasn't much to do anyways. Hermione would usually blabber her mouth about O.W.L.s or a new fact she learned. It wasn't normal without her.
Just as I was about to start talking, McGonagall came waltzing in, "Attention, please."
We all stopped talking and looked in her direction. She continued, "Because of recent effects, we have put these new rules into order immediately: all students will return to their commons by 6 every evening, all students will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No exceptions."
I sighed, as well as Harry and Ron. Maybe it's for the best...
"Also, I should tell you that unless the culprit behind these attacks are caught, it's very certain that Hogwarts will be closed." As she left, everyone looked to each other. It went dead silent.
"We need to talk to Hagrid," Harry stated softly.
"I've told you before," I groaned. "It's not him."
"But if he did set the monster loose last time, he'll know how to get inside the chamber," Harry turned to me.
"I guess that's where we can begin," I stated.
"You heard McGonagall, we can't leave the commons unless it's for class," Ron piped up.
"Technically, she never said that, but I don't think we should go. It's too late," I shook my head.
"I think I need to get the cloak out again," Harry spoke.
"Guys," I groaned, "this isn't good."
"Then don't go with us," Ron stated.
"I can't not go with you guys. I need to help you out situations and we're friends. We need to stick together, especially since Hermione isn't here," I argued. "And I would rather get killed or petrified with my friends than alone."
"Then we'll go," Harry put his chin up, "tonight."
---
I sighed and knocked on the wooden door. It was slightly chilly out that night. I think that the air was just sad too.
"Who's there?" I heard Hagrid's voice bellow, low and deep. I kept still and didn't say a sound. I heard the footsteps of him walking over to the door. With a burst of wind, I flinched. The door was open, and Hagrid was standing there holding his cross bow. "Hello?" he asked.
Harry, Ron, and I immediately whipped off the cloak. Ron was fold it around him forearm. "What's that for?!" Harry asked Hagrid.
"OH nothing," he lowered the cross bow. "I was just waiting..." he trailed off.
He's waiting for Dumbledore or the Minister of Magic, isn't he? He knows something will happen.
"Never mind that. Come on in, just made a pot of tea," he turned and started walking deeper into his home.
We walked in and Hagrid started pouring the tea into blue teacups. I watched as he over flowed the cup, "Hagrid, are you okay?" I asked.
"Oh, yeah. I'm fine."
"Have you heard about Hermione?" Harry asked. I froze up the minute he said her name. I miss her.
"Yeah, I definitely heard about that," Hagrid nodded.
"Listen. We have to ask you something," Harry said. "Do you know who the person is that opened The Chamber of Secrets?"
"What you need to understand is-" Hagrid was cut off by the sound of knocking at the door. "Under the cloak," he whispered.
I nodded and Ron quickly unfolded it. We all threw it over our heads, and stood over by cauldron and fireplace. We watched as Hagrid opened the door and let in two old men. One was Albus Dumbledore.
"That's Cornelius Fudge," Ron almost seemed astounded. "The Minister of Magic."
"Shh," I spoke very quietly. I was trying to listen into the conversation. They started talking about how Hagrid needed to be taken because he might be the cause of this. I opened my mouth, but closed it. I can't say anything...but Hagrid can't be taken away. This is terrible. They can't take Hagrid. They just...can't.
Right as Hagrid said something about the Azkaban Prison, the door opened. A blonde man walked in. Lucius Malfoy...
"What are you doing here?!" Hagrid sounded angry. "Get out of my house!"
"Oh trust me," Lucius stepped over to our general direction and kept getting closer; the guys were pulling me back because I refused to move, "I would like to be other places than your..." he stopped talking. Lucius was in front of me just a foot or so. "You call this a house?" he muttered just low enough for me to hear.
He spun around, his back facing us. He started talking to them about how he was looking for Dumbledore. Albus asked what he wanted, and what Lucius said made my mouth drop. "I as well as the other governors have decided that you need to step down." He held out a scroll of paper, "This is your suspension."
My heart stopped. I watched as the blonde walked over and handed it to Dumbledore. My mouth dropped. I felt a hand go over my mouth, making sure I didn't scream or something. I walked backwards, unknowingly. no. No. NO! They can't him away. Not now. Not with everything going the way they are.
Then, Hagrid started to stand up for Dumbledore. All the points he stated were great. But Dumbledore stopped him, "Calm down, Hagrid." Albus started to walk towards Lucius, "If the governors would like me to go, then I shall. But," he stopped in front of the blonde, "everyone shall know, you will always fine help at Hogwarts, to those who ask for it."
I know he knew we were in here. He must've known. There would be no other reason why he would say that out loud. Once Lucius made his way out the door, Dumbledore look at us. He smiled at me, and turned to leave. I wanted to follow, but one of the boys grabbed my arm.
"Come on, Hagrid," Fudge gestured.
"Welp," Hagrid started swinging his arm, "if anybody is looking for something, then all they need to do is follow the spiders." He stopped and started to head towards the door. Once he got there, he opened it and said, "And someone's going to need to feed fang while I'm gone." With that, Hagrid left. Cornelius followed after him. After a few minutes, I threw the cloak off of me.
I took a big breath, and let out a loud scream. I held my arms close to my chest, and leaned over. My legs buckled as the scream ended. "I really needed that," I stood up straighter.
Fang came over to me, and sat down. I smiled, and squat down. I pet him, and my eyes started to tear up. Fang noticed and licked them off. I laughed a little bit.
"You okay, Bridge?"
I looked back at the two boys. I sighed and stood up, "Yeah I'm okay. Just really frustrated at the moment."
Harry and Ron looked to each other but something had caught Harry's eye, "Look." Ron and I both looked in the direction of where Harry was looking. There were spiders. A lot of them. They all seemed to be heading in the same direction. "That's weird," I commented.
"Come on," Harry started to walk towards the door. He grabbed the lantern, and opened the door. Ron followed Harry.
"Come on Fang," I patted my leg as I followed Ron. We all got outside, and it had gotten darker and colder. I shivered as I got up besides Ron.
Ron noticed, "Want my jacket?"
I shook my head, "I'm okay. I'll survive."
Harry started to go closer to the trail of spiders, "Come on."
"WhAt?!" Ron voice cracked. I started to giggle and stifle in a laugh.
"You remember what Hagrid said, 'follow the spiders'," Harry started to closer. I began to follow Harry.
"ThEy'Re HeAdInG towards ThE dArK fOrEsT!" He voice cracked again. I broke out in laughter. I could hardly breath. They both look at me confused.
"H-H-His voic-c-ce! HA!" I was crying.
"That's no funny," Ron sported a frown.
I took a deep breath, "I know. But when we meet something in there," I gestured to the forest, "let me take care of it."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Because I need to take out my anger at something," I smiled.
"What if they aren't scared?" He asked.
"An angry girl on her period is scary," I answered in a deadpan face and voice.
They both went wide eyed, "Oh..."
I laughed, "Let's go."
I started to walk and follow the spiders. Behind me I could hear Ron complaining, "Why spiders? Why couldn't it be 'follow the butterflies'?"
I shook my head and chuckled, "This is going to be a long night."