THEIR QUIDDITCH MATCH AGAINST HUFFLEPUFF WAS SUPPOSED TO GO GREAT. Oliver had been very enthusiastic about the game. Even Harry had thought they had a wonderful chance at winning the Quidditch Cup. Lorelei didn't even frown when she had to wake up extra early because Oliver wanted them to have a nice breakfast.
Once Lorelei had finished stretching with Angelina and Katie, the trio were on their brooms to begin practicing passes as a warm-up. After a few throws, they decided on one good lap around the Quidditch Pitch. Fred and George had followed them. They hadn't even made it halfway around when Professor McGonagall came out with a bright purple megaphone.
The cheering and screaming from the stands stopped as McGonagall announced the match was canceled.
Oliver looked absolutely dejected, but he was not the only one. The crowd booed and yelled as the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor teams all frowned lowering to the ground. Oliver called to McGonagall, "You can't cancel Quidditch!"
Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff Seeker, had made his way over to the Gryffindors as he was trying to find out information. He stopped next to Lorelei.
Lorelei looked over at the boy with a small smile. The last time she spoke to him was apologizing first-year after a prank from George and Fred. He leaned on his broomstick now looking all the same as Oliver: defeated.
"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Head of Houses will give them further instructions. As quickly as you can, please!"
Cedric sighed looked at Lorelei. "Guess we'll play another day?"
"Hopefully," she said with a grin. His matched hers as he began to walk away toward his team.
Fred and George folded their arms across their chests. She looked at them as she tried to walk passed, but they blocked her. "What?"
"Diggory? Really? You're attracted to him or something?" George muttered.
"It was a sentence! Not even, it was a word!" She spluttered with a disbelieving look. "Come on, we don't need McGonagall angry."
When they reached their Common Room, still clad in Quidditch gear, Professor McGonagall came up with a sigh. Her face looked rather tired and worn. She explained more rules and regulations that were to be followed as there had been another attack. Quidditch practices and matches were postponed. They were to be escorted to classes. They couldn't even use the bathroom without a teacher nearby! What would Lorelei do without being able to go to the lake when she pleased?
McGonagall said the school will be closed if the attacks did not stop.
It had been Hermione Granger who had been petrified this time. Penelope Clearwater had been petrified a few months ago at the start of term. That was five people now. Harry and Ron looked as if they saw a ghost.
Lee began to grow angry. "That's two Gryffindors, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw, and one Hufflepuff," he said out loud counting on his fingers. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin--why don't they just chuck out al the Slytherins?"
Percy was sitting near Lee. Lorelei sat on the arm of his chair and rubbed his back soothingly. George muttered to Harry quietly, "Percy's in shock. That Ravenclaw girl that's always in here? The one Lorelei's friends with? Her name is Penelope Clearwater. She's a prefect, obviously. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a prefect."
Lorelei smiled sadly when Percy had laid his head on her stomach while she continued to rub his back. It was obvious he fancied the girl. This was all too much, Lorelei thought. Hermione was the brightest witch, so how had she been petrified? How had the monster fooled her? Lorelei frowned at the idea of coming in contact with the monster.
She felt Harry tug on her sweater. Kissing Percy's head lightly, she stood up to follow Harry who was near Ron.
"Keep this to yourself. I won't go into detail, Lor, but I found out the monster attacks Muggleborns and half-breeds. An...er--A source," Harry paused. Lorelei noticed he was trying not to tell her something, but still, give off a good warning. "I came across something that gave me a few details of the last time the chamber was opened fifty years ago. Let's just say the Heir of Slytherin is not fond of half-breeds. Stay safe, please."
Lorelei felt herself pale thinking of being petrified like the others. She decided she wouldn't break any of the new rules no matter how bad her skin itched.
Well, she tried at least.
It was nearing the end of term, and those who had been petrified were nowhere near being fixed. Lorelei had done well with following all of the new rules, and she stuck close to one of her Weasleys or her other friends. Harry's warning burned in her mind thinking of a monster attacking her at any time.
But it was growing increasingly harder for her. She had to get to the lake. She just had to. Her skin was burning, and the twins knew it. There was nothing they could do. McGonagall had asked her not to go just in case, and there was nothing they could do until the heir of Slytherin had been caught.
She was walking briskly ahead of her escort to Arithmancy, and she decided she needed to use the restroom--well, not really. She just needed to throw water on her face. She needed to feel the burning and itching die down for a moment. Notifying Angelina where she was going, Angelina decided to wait for her in the hallway with their escort.
Lorelei made it to the sink and began to splash water on her face. She gasped out in relief when she felt the burning die down a bit. She heard a bit of rustling and movement but thought it was only Angelina coming in after her. After all, were they even safe in the toilet?
The answer was no.
She looked up with a chuckle on her lips when she saw beady, yellow eyes staring at her reflection in the mirror.