H = How

The Rhyme

Part one

Hi this idea came from the Program "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

Carlotta jerked wide-awake with cold sweat running down her face

. The second years dormitory (Gryffindor) was eerie from the cold outside and the ghostly shadows being cast on the school grounds. The room was cold since the Common Room fire was not to be lit after nine o' clock in the evening. The houselves had lost their jobs since Dumbledore lost his job and the school was low on money. (You will find out more about this in another story) So the students were expected to make their own breakfast and beds.

"Why did Dumbledore have to lose his job," thought (find out more about this later in the story) Carlotta. Her fire-like hair was sprawled all over the pillow. She sat up realising her hair was too untidy to brush within five minutes (that's what you get with fire-like hair.)

Creeeeeak.

Click

Creeeeeak.

Carlotta froze.

What was that noise? She tried to get out of bed when she heard it again

Creeeeeeeeeeeak.

Click.

Creeeeeeeeeeeak.

Thinking it was her bed (since it was old with a slightly soggy mattress), she settled back down to sleep. There was no more noise. However something was bothering Carlotta, yet she didn't know what. As she lay back a sweet childish, voice began to sing. The voice was unbelievably beautiful, like an angel's Carlotta did not recognise the voice. The girls in her class like Kathryn and Maria had lovely voices. But they didn't sing as lovely as this voice.

"No one can scream.

No one can shout.

The Gentlemen need seven

And they might take yours.

No one can scream.

No one can shout.

The Gentlemen need seven

And they might take yours."

Carlotta couldn't hold her curiosity any longer. Overcoming the stiffness by her curiosity of the new blankets made of denim. She got up around for her wand, which she had placed in a cheap pine dressing table. Finding her wand in the third drawer on the left, she muttered "Lumos".

Carlotta tiptoed out of the dormitory (nearly knocking over Maria's dresser). She crept down a winding staircase leading to the common room.

The fire was lit brightly but the whole of Gryffindor tower was pitch black and the air was still very chilly. The fire illuminated of what seemed to Carlotta a young princess

She had long blonde hair that frayed over her shoulders. She had bright wide blue eyes like dolls. She wore a navy blue pointed hat, which had red winding up it like those candy sticks you have at Christmas. Medieval pictures on sewn on in gold and thin silvery ribbon dangled on top of the point.

She wore a gold ball gown dress. She held a little brown box. Which contained God knows what. Carlotta was speechless. Finally when the young girl had finished The Rhyme. Carlotta found her tongue. Managing string three words together. She asked

"Who are you?"

The young girl smiled. She said nothing but she gestured with her pointing finger to Carlotta to follow her. Carlotta followed the girl through the entrance where the Fat Lady was sleeping.

Carlotta continued following the girl until she was beginning to think she'd followed her round Hogwarts. The girl stopped. Carlotta followed suite. The girl turned round her face had become old skinny and gaunt. Her hair was turning grey. Finally, the girl looked dead. Carlotta was shocked she looked as if she had cancer! But she was an old lady. She screamed

"HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPP." The noise was unearthly and high. However, Carlotta, wasn't affected. She just dropped asleep on to the floor and the dead looking woman dissolved into grey dust that was blown out the window.

Carlotta stirred Madame Pomfrey was shaking her. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and Flitwick and a few Gryffindor prefects were surrounding her. She sat bolt right up.

"Ow!" she moaned. Her head hurt badly. "Where am I?"

"In the middle of the Great Hall." Replied Snape in a disgusted tone.

"Snape!" Said McGonagall in a startled voice. "Anything could have happened."

"That is true," said Dumbledore's calm voice. "Poppy please take Carlotta to the Hospital wing. As soon as Carlotta is fit enough send her down to my office."

Flitwick conjured up a stretcher for Carlotta to lie on and he accompanied Madame Pomfrey back to the Hospital wing.

Dumbledore noticed a small wooden box lay next to where Carlotta had lain and a small blood patch in the shape of the old lady. He sighed and muttered

" I knew this time would come," So he collected up the box made a mental note of the blood and set off down the corridor to his office.