A/N: I am currently writing this at 3:10 am where I am in the US. Yes, I know I shouldn't be awake at this time of night- or shall I say morning, but in the words of a wise young woman, *cough cough me cough* screw it! Anyways, I'll post this tomorrow. Why haven't I updated in a while?, you may ask. Well to answer that fabulous question, I have had the craziest and frankly... Oddest week of my life. I hope that counts as an excuse, because for me, that is hardly one. I will post the new chapter a lot sooner than last time. Short chapter, but important.

Replies to Anonymous:

To Perseia: We shall see. *chuckles evilly* Also, I agree fully with you!

To Guest: Thanks!

Well enough of my crap. Lights, camera, action!

Disclaimer: I only own a gender confused, gay cat. 100% true.


HARRY

"Nia!" He yelled as he rushed forward to the collapsed body.

The few witnesses of the attack regained their composure and ran for help. Surprisingly enough, the first person to arrive, was Nick Burlstrode.

"Nia!" he shouted, much louder than Harry. "Move it Potter!" he growled as he roughly pushed Harry out of the way and caressed Nia.

She looked horrible to say the least. Her hair was tousled and her eyes stayed a swampy green. Her neck was bruised and she was fading in and out of consciousness. Her usually tan skin, was now ghostly white. She had a large gash on her cheek which was... turning black..

"Get Madame Pomfery! She's been poisoned!" Nick belted.

The way he looked in her eyes... It was almost as if he loved her.

When the healer arrived, she was the only one Burlstrode let close to the sickly looking girl. Even then he still held her hand as Pomfery levitated her to the hospital wing.

The healer plopped Nia onto a bed where practically all of Hogwart's population surrounded. Harry and Nick were at the center of the circle along with Nia. Nick was too busy fussing over her that he didn't even notice the surrounding pupils.

"Out! Everyone out!" screeched the worried nurse. She then left the room for medicines.

Harry looked behind him to see the crowd fizzling out, and two figures bursting in.

"Harry! Are you alright? We heard what happened!" questioned Neville who had just appeared.

"I'm fine, but she isn't." Harry answered frowning as he looked over at Nia.

"She doesn't look to good." Luna dead-panned as Nick took time to glare at her.

"What's wrong with her?" Neville asked while looking worriedly at the now convulsing girl.

"I don't know..." Harry stated.

They were just about to leave Nick to his mourning when Nia regained consciousness for a brief moment. "The gods will never forgive you, Nico di Angelo." she stated weakly before sinking back into the Realm of Dreams.

"Out! I said, out! Now go! No one is allowed to see her!" Madame Pomfery yelled as she re-entered the room.

We all left, including Nick, who was forced out by a well placed spell from the healer.

'So Nico di Angelo is the boys name.' Harry thought to himself. 'I wonder what she meant about "the gods".'

The four seventh years flinched at the noise of several locks locking. They knew that there was no way to get back in.


JANUARY 2

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione had gotten back to Hogwarts the day before. They were astonished that Nico di Angelo had the guts, to ambush a Hogwarts student! What really baffled them, was his ability to apparate and disapparate inside of Hogwarts with ease, and stealth.

At breakfast that morning , eight days after the attack, Hermione approached Harry. "Harry I need to tell you something incredibly important. I figured out th-" Hermione was cut off by Ron.

"Bloody hell! We have to go to class now if we don't want to be late!"

They left without much of a thought. They didn't want to be late for class with McGonagall.


There was no more time to talk the rest of the day. The seventh years had received so much homework due the next morning, that they had no free time to do anything else other than that.

Finally, everyone had either passed out form exhaustion, or went to bed. Harry was wary of sleeping however. He felt something bad would happen if he did. If this had been under normal circumstances, he would have been awake all night, on alert. However this was certainly not normal circumstances.


NICO

THAT NIGHT

The Ghost King prowled the halls of Hogwarts shrouded in darkness. He needn't worry about silence, for if he was caught, he would simply use the Mist to make the mortal forget their encounter.

That Granger girl and the other nitwits Potter associated with had stuck their nose in too deep. He would have to stop them before they caused too much damage. Plus, they played a big role in his plan.

He paced the seventh floor, passing a portrait of a man trying to teach trolls ballet. He thought to himself what he needed. 'I need a room that provides stealth, not too much. It needs to be almost yet not quite impossible to reach.' he thought of his other needs when he saw a door that wasn't there before.

Nico walked up to it, and cautiously turned the knob. With no traps throwing themselves at him, he peered in.

Nico grinned. He might be able to get his job done in the next week. It was just what he needed.


HARRY

THAT NIGHT

Harry awoke to what he thought was shrill screaming. He pushed that thought down, it was probably his imagination. He started to go back to sleep when he heard a yell. Right next to him.

He bolted up and pushed back the curtains surrounding his bed. He knew that yell and those screams anywhere. It was Ron, Hermione and Ginny's.


A/N: Sorry for another cliffhanger, but I just HAD to stop there. It was impossible not to. You know the drill: CC wanted, flames=s'mores, and REVIEW!