DISCLAIMER: I do not own HP!
Midnight
I was at the start of a narrow corridor. I couldn't move. My heart was pounding in my ears. I could hear voices coming from the end, light voices, but somehow terrible voices. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prick up. Then an eerie voice whispered to me: 'Come to me, my child. Do not be afraid. Come to me.' I couldn't locate the voice, it seemed to be everywhere. 'Quickly!' said the voice, now growing impatient. 'No! Where are you! Who are you!?' I cried, now terrified. 'I think you know where I am,' the voice replied. 'You shall come even if you must be forced.' I now knew the voice was coming from the door at the end of the corridor but I couldn't run. At that point an invisible force pushed me forward, I struggled but it made no difference. 'That's better,' the voice whispered. It was too late. I was at the door. It swung open before me. I screamed.
―~∞~―
I woke up with a start. The time: 00:00. Midnight. Again. Every night this happened. I always get the same dream and wake up at midnight. I can never remember what happens. The dream… so vivid in my mind. I tried to remember it but only a few details were left. It was like trying to keep water in your cupped hands. Suddenly, I remembered a single detail; being shoved into the room by something invisible and seeing what was inside. That was when I woke up. But what was it I saw? Urgh. There was no use. I couldn't remember. But then again, the dream was nonsense, you can't just be pushed into a room by thin air; it is impossible isn't it? My thoughts echoed over and over in my head. I supposed that I should sleep on it. Oh well. I drifted off into an uneasy sleep.
―~∞~―
'Hermione Jean Granger! Get up! Its 11:45!'
'Mum, it's the weekend!'
'Maddie's coming in 15 minutes to pick you up for the sleepover so you'd better be ready for her.' Drat. I'd forgotten about Maddie's so called "Haunted House" sleepover at Whitehall Manor.
'Okay, I'm coming,' I called downstairs to my waiting mother. She was quite fussy. I quickly donned a jumper and some jeans before I grabbed my rucksack and headed downstairs.
I left my rucksack by the front door and walked into the kitchen. 'I made you some pancakes for breakfast dear. Oh and don't forget the snacks I prepared for when you're there. Some quick nibbles before the ghosts get ya!' said mum with a wink.
'Mum! There won't be any ghosts there for the last time!' I sighed exasperatedly. She grinned and gave me the pancakes.
'Thanks,' I said to her and gobbled up my pancakes.
10 minutes later, after many "goodbye's" and "be good's", Maddie arrived, and we jumped into her car. We looked extremely unalike, Maddie being tall and lean with bright green eyes, long, straight red hair and slightly tanned skin, and me having brown eyes, frizzy brown curls and pale skin. She was 11, and I would be 11 in 2 days. We both had one common interest: Haunted houses. We figured out this was a perfect opportunity to see what haunted houses were really like. Of course, neither of us really believed in ghosts or anything like that. We were just curious about why they are classified as "haunted".
'So 'Mione, what's been going on with you?' asked Maddie, as the car veered into the forest of which the mansion resided.
'Nothing interesting, what about you Mads?' I replied.
'Nothing much too, I'm too busy revising for my exams. Anyway we are nearly there now; just another 5 minutes.' I looked out the window and sighed. My thoughts swirled around that dream I had, but that was not all. Ever since I was about 7, I had been able to move things around telekinetically. It happened mostly when I was feeling particularly sad, angry or any other strong emotion. Maddie looked at me and mouthed "Why so glum" "I'll tell you later," I mouthed back in reply, signalling that I did not want her father hearing. She nodded. Just then, we pulled into the wide driveway. Our guide was waiting for us near the front door.
'There you go girls, have fun!' said Maddie's dad, Mr Clarke, as we jumped out the car.
'Bye!' we said and waved at the retreating car. We looked up at the huge mansion before us. It looked medieval; almost every inch of the place was covered in ivy. The windows were thick and there was a gigantic front door with a brass doorknocker. The door was made of oak with patterns carved into it.
The guide tapped me on the shoulder. She was in her twenties. She was wearing an elegant red dress. She had bright green eyes and black hair that was tied back in a ponytail.
'Ah, you must be Hermione Granger,' I nodded at her to signal it was me, 'and that means you're Madison Clarke.' Maddie nodded.
'Please, call us Hermione and Maddie.' I said.
'OK, I'm Kaitlin, and I will be your guide for the next two days. Please follow me.' said Kaitlin gesturing at us to come inside. The inside of the building was grand, although it did feel quite spooky, with its stone walls and large, echoing rooms. She gave us a quick tour of the building and its workers.
'This is Tom, the doorman,' she said as we passed a tall, bald man who looked as if he was in his mid-thirties. 'This is Kim, the nurse, oh they are Talia and George, the helpers, and that's Ricky, the butler.' She chattered as we passed a blonde woman who looked about 20, a set of ginger twins who looked about 25 and a tall, brown-haired man who looked about 30. 'This is the hall, the first door to your right is the living room, on the left is the portrait room, and on the second door to your right is the kitchen and dining room. If you'll follow me upstairs please…' she swept up the stairs, beckoning us on. 'This is your bedroom and there is the…' Kaitlin began again. I froze. I had been here before. This was the hall from my dream. I stood there gawping when…
'Hermione? Is there something wrong?' Kaitlin asked with a look of evident concern on her face.
'Umm no… I-I'm fine.' I said.
'Are you sure? She asked. Maddie looked at me curiously.
'Yes, I'm sure.' I replied.
'OK, back to the tour,' grinned Kaitlin as she began explaining all the different rooms again. I was too preoccupied to listen to her. I realised that I'd better just stay close to Maddie and not go on any night time strolls. I shuddered. What could this mean?
Half an hour later, we went to bedroom to unpack our things. It was then that I told Maddie about the dream that I couldn't remember, but I had recognised the corridor and that I was afraid to go anywhere alone. She was sympathetic, and said that she would stick with me.
'After all,' she told me 'that's what best friends are for.'
'Mads, I think it will happen in the night. Can we lock the door and place cameras there in case I am taken or possessed or whatever?' I asked her; after all, I didn't want to take any risks. She nodded, and we began to unpack our things. Afterwards, I began working on the cameras.
―~∞~―
'Girls! It's dinner time!' we heard Kaitlin call. We went down the stairs and Kaitlin showed us into the dining room.
'Girls, this is Pedro, our chef. Pedro, this is Hermione and Maddie, the girls that are staying with us for tonight.' Pedro was a small Chinese man with dark hair and sharp eyes.
'Ah yes, I remember you telling me of them. By the way do you two like noodles?' he added rather sharply.
'Um… yes?' replied Maddie, glancing at me uncertainly. 'Good, that's what I've made for dinner.' said Pedro. He left the room, and when he came back with a large pot, full to the brim with hot, juicy noodles we had already sat down.
'That looks delicious Pedro!' exclaimed Kaitlin approvingly.
'Thank you,' replied Pedro with a faint smile.
After we ate our dinner, we headed upstairs for bed. 'Have you put the cameras up?' she asked me.
'Don't worry, I have, and they are linked to your phone; if anyone enters or exits this room an alarm will be activated on your mobile.' I replied.
'Wow Maddie, how on earth did you do that!?' she cried in amazement. 'Well, you take the red wire of the camera, attach it to the…' I began before she cut me off.
'OK, OK, I get it; you attach the whatnot to the thingamabob on the left side of the thingamajig and so on.' she laughed at my horrified expression. 'Come on 'Mione, let's go to bed, we're just tired.' she suggested still laughing at my face. We fell asleep completely forgetting about the dream.
I awoke in the middle of the night. It was midnight. I needed to go to the corridor. Someone was calling me. I looked at Maddie. I could see a lump where she was obviously under the covers. Well, it couldn't hurt to look. I darted out the room, not noticing the absence of the alarm's ringing. I closed the door. Oh no. It was the dream all over again.
I was at the start of the narrow corridor. I couldn't move. My heart was pounding in my ears. I could hear voices coming from the end, light voices, but somehow terrible voices. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prick up. Then an eerie voice whispered to me: 'Come to me, my child. Do not be afraid. Come to me.' I couldn't locate the voice, it seemed to be everywhere. 'Quickly!' said the voice, now growing impatient.
'No! Where are you! Who are you!?' I cried, now terrified.
'I think you know where I am.' The voice replied. 'You shall come even if you must be forced.' I now knew the voice was coming from the door at the end of the corridor but I couldn't run. At that point an invisible force pushed me forward, I struggled but it made no difference.
'That's better.' The voice whispered. It was too late. I was at the door. It swung open before me. I screamed. Kaitlin, Talia, George, Tom, Maddie, Ricky and Kim were all bound and gagged together in a huddle. A figure was facing the opposite direction to me. He was holding a gun.
'Why, hello Miss Granger. Glad you've arrived.' said the man.
'Release them and tell me who you are.' I said to him, with as much courage as I could muster.
'Oh, but can you not really tell who I am? I have got everyone from this manor right here. And no, I will not release them. Yet.' My heart raced. Who wasn't here? Oh no. Not…
'Pedro!' I cried.
'That's right.' said Pedro, turning around. He laughed a cold, cruel laugh. 'Now, hands up, while I tie you up.' He loaded the gun in his hand. I put my hands up and walked to the others. Pedro tied me up and I lowered my hands. Quick as a flash, I slipped my penknife from my pocket to up my sleeve. He tied up my hands, but did not gag me. 'What do you want from me?' I asked.
'I want your secret.' He told me, a glint in his eye.
'What secret?' I was confused.
'I think you know. Haven't you ever wondered why you've been having those dreams? It's because you are a witch. And yes, I heard your conversation with Miss Clarke in your room. Just put some effort and you can have everything. You don't realise it, but you could make some money from it, and that's what I'm going to do once your powers are transferred to me!' he said. My mind was racing. I was a witch? That would explain the dreams. And why I always woke up at midnight.
'That's all very nice but how are you going to do that exactly?' I asked, trying not to think of all the possible horrid answers. 'Oh, let's not ruin the surprise,' he answered. I had a feeling it wasn't going to be pretty. 'Hang on, why did you bring them here then?' I said, gesturing at the people tied around me.
'I have to make seven sacrifices for it to work. Enough questions! Let's get on with it shall we…' There was a small gasp to my right. Talia had fainted. I couldn't take it any longer. I slipped the penknife from my sleeve to my hands and cut my bounds free from the back, so Pedro couldn't see. Pedro turned for a second and I whispered my plan to George. George had told me he was a former boxer at dinner, so I selected him specifically. I cut his bounds free and he pulled off his gag. He jumped up and punched Pedro in the back. Pedro was knocked unconscious.
We took our chance. I ran to the bathroom and got some water in a bottle to revive Talia, while George cut the bounds that tied up everyone else. They thanked me, but I chivvied them away. We rang the police, and they came 5 minutes later. They arrested Pedro when he regained consciousness. As Pedro passed I heard him hiss menacingly:
'I'll be back…'
In the morning, on the way home, we kept the events of which happened secret, because we didn't want people like Pedro to try and steal my powers. We also told the police to keep it private. They agreed, and Pedro was given a life sentence in prison. 'I can't believe you're a real witch!' whispered Maddie on the way home.
'It is pretty cool, but what if there are more people out there like Pedro?' I whispered back.
'Don't worry only me, the people at the manor, you're parents and 1 police officer knows.' whispered Maddie back. 'I suppose so.' I said with a small smile.
―~∞~―
The next day, (my birthday) there was a knock on my door.
'I'll get it!' I called to my mum as I bounded downstairs. I opened the door. I was TOTALLY unprepared for what I saw next. A tall man with a white beard tucked neatly into his belt was standing before me. He wore a pair of long, deep purple robes, a matching pointed hat and high heeled boots. He was holding a letter made of thick parchment.
He surveyed me through his half-moon spectacles with a smile. 'Hello Hermione.' He said. ' I've come to take you to Hogwarts.'
THE END
I hope you liked it!