Hope's POV:
It's been days since I've talked to Harry or Ron. I'm still mad that they think Hagrid would do something like this and they still think he's the culprit. Me, I've been researching with Hermione, trying to figure out what creature is doing this. It's not easy.
There are several things that can petrify someone. The main thing we need to figure out is how it is getting around the school. One day I'm sitting in the Common Room when Ginny rushes down from the dormitories, looking flustered. "What's wrong?" I ask.
"Oh nothing, the other girls were in there and I didn't feel like being the odd one out." She says. I smile softly at her. She's talked with me about how uncomfortable the other girls make her. "Well you can sit here with e if you like, I'm just finishing up an essay." I tell her.
She smiles gratefully at me and takes the seat to my right. She gets out a book on charms that I gave her for Christmas. We sit there quietly for an hour or so before someone else enters the Common Room. I look up and smile at Neville who smiles back and heads up to the dormitories.
Not even a minute later I hear hurried footsteps and look up to see Neville sprinting out of Gryffindor Tower, a panicked look on his face. Confused I got back to my essay. It's not until Neville returns with Harry, Ron, and Hermione that I decide to figure out what's going on.
"I'll be back ok?" I tell Ginny. She nods and I race off after the group, towards the second year boy's dormitory. When I get there I gasp at the sight. The place is trashed. "What happened?" I ask. No one answers me and Harry makes his way further into the room.
"It had to be a Gryffindor, nobody else knows our password." Hermione states. "Unless it wasn't a student." Ron adds. I roll my eyes at the insinuation. "Whoever it was was looking for something." I say, walking a bit further into the room.
"They found it. Tom Riddle's diary is gone." I run my hand through my hair at his words. "Uh, Neville, can you give us a moment?" I ask, turning towards the boys. He nods, knowing not to argue with me, and heads downstairs.
"That diary is bad news. Whoever through it away must have realized their mistake and wanted it back. They know who had it now so we all need to be careful." I tell them. They all nod and we go to exit the room when Harry stops me. "Uh, Hope can I talk to you?" He asks.
I nod and wait for Ron and Hermione to leave the room. "What?" I ask, crossing my arms. "Look, I'm sorry for automatically accusing Hagrid. I would tell him that I'm sorry, but he doesn't know that we thought he did it." He says. I nod at the apology.
"We're trying to figure out more about Tom Riddle to see if he would have had something to do with it. We also plan on going to talk to Hagrid about it soon." He says. I smile at this and walk over, pulling him into a hug. He squeezes back before letting go.
"Thank you. I'm sorry I was so cold, it's just, people back home saw me as a threat. First borns in my family are extremely powerful and before I was even born people thought that me being born was too much of a risk so they tried to kill me." Shock is evident on his face.
"I hate looking at people as a threat until I know for sure that they are one." I explain. He nods. "And I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions before letting our friend explain his side." He says. I smile at this. "Well, I have an essay for Herbology to finish, so I'm going to get back to that." I say.
With that I head back down stairs, a smile prominent on my face. I'm glad we're no longer fighting. It's hard to stay mad at your best friend. When I get back to the Common Room Ginny is still there with her book, but I can tell she's not really reading it. She looks fidgety and nervous.
Concerned I walk over to her. "Ok Gin, what's wrong? You've been nervous all afternoon." I say, sitting next to her. "I can't talk about it Hope, I just can't." She says. "Well when you want to you come to me and I'll help you." I tell her.
She nods and shoots me a grateful smile for one, not pushing her, and two, being there for her. We spend the rest of the afternoon chatting about classes and I notice her physically relax by the time we decide to go to bed. A week passes and things are back to normal with my friends and I.
Hermione and I are getting closer and closer to the answer of what is doing this to people. Right now Harry and I are in the Gryffindor locker room, preparing for our match against Hufflepuff. I'm not too worried.
I mean, their best playing is their seeker, Cedric Diggory, and if Harry is at the top of his game, we'll be fine. Wood is ranting about strategy, but honesty, Slytherin is the only team we really worry about because they play dirty. When Wood finished his speech we walk towards the field.
"We're stronger and faster." He says. "Not to mention they're bloody scared that Harry is going to petrify them if they fly anywhere near him." Fred says. I roll my eyes at the comment. We're almost to the field when McGonagall stops us. "Professor McGonagall." Wood greets.
"This match has been cancelled." She says. I furrow my brows in confusion. "You can't cancel quidditch." Wood says. "Silence Wood. You and your teammates will go to Gryffindor Tower, now." We all go to walk away when McGonagall stops Harry and I.
"Hope, Potter, us three will find Mr. Weasley. There's something all of you need to see." She says. I glance at Harry, confused before we follow after the Transfiguration teacher. We find Ron quickly and we walk through the castle at a quick pace.
We are led to the Hospital Wing and the sight in front of me stops my heart for a second. When I regain the ability to breath I race over to Hermione's bedside. "No, no, no, no, no." I mutter, my breathing speeding up. Not here, I refuse to let anyone I love in this world get hurt.
This can't be happening. Harry is suddenly beside me. "Hope, you need to calm down." He says. I don't listen. I feel myself getting light headed. "Hope, please calm down. You need to calm down. Passing out won't do Hermione any good." He says. His words hit me. I have to help her.
I'm going to find whoever did this. Once my breathing is stable I turn towards Professor McGonagall. "Where did you find her?" I ask. "She was found near the library, with they, does it mean anything to any of you?" McGonagall asks, holding up a mirror. We shake our heads.
"Well then, we better get you three back to the dormitory." She says. We nod and head off. She doesn't walk us back. When we get to the Common Room no one is in there. I didn't talk the entire way back. I'm angry. No, I'm furious.
If who ever did this thinks that they are going to get away with it, then they are sorely mistaken. "Hope?" Harry asks. I didn't even realize that Ron is gone. "Hope, talk to me, what are you thinking?" He asks. I turn to face him. He has a concerned look on his face.
"I'm thinking that when I find this person, I'm gonna make them wish they were never born." With that I storm upstairs to the girl's dormitory.