4. Armour
Midnight was drawing nearer as twelve year old Harry Potter lay awake in his four poster bed, listening to the storm outside.
It was Friday night and no one had been in the common room since nine o'clock that evening. McGonagall had a set of rules pinned on the notice board ever since the weird things started happening around Hogwarts.
Harry stayed awake for what felt like an eternity before he finally drifted off into an unsteady sleep.
He awoke at around half past eleven the next morning to find the boy's dormitory empty.
He decided that he had missed breakfast and that there was no point rushing to make his way to the Great Hall. Besides, lunch wasn't long from now.
After lying in his bed for ten more minutes, he decided to get up and get dressed. He was glad to get be alone but he would have preferred if Ron had woken him up.
He grabbed his wand from beside his bed and made his way to the Entrance Hall. He peered through the doors of the Great Hall to find the five tables stacked against the walls with Professor Lockhart standing in the middle of the hall surrounded by students.
'That's this duelling session finished,' he grinned, showing off his dazzling teeth, 'Make sure you come back next week. I will be teaching you how to do the stunning spell. '
Harry quickly closed the huge oak door and moved aside before the rush of students trampled him to death.
The door swung open and a large flock of children rushed through. Among the rush were Hermione and Ron.
'There you are, mate!' Ron said as he approached Harry
'Where have you been?' Hermione joined him
'I thought Ron would have woke me up instead of just leaving me there,' glared Harry
'Sorry,' Ron's ears went pink, 'I thought you might want some extra sleep,'
'It's okay. How was duelling club?' Harry didn't really care about duelling club but he wanted to avoid an argument with Ron.
'It was okay, I suppose,' Ron replied, 'Didn't really learn much.'
'We learned a lot!' objected Hermione, 'Just because you couldn't actually do any of the jinxes!'
Harry allowed Ron and Hermione to argue along the corridor until he came to a halt on the first floor.
It took a few seconds for Ron and Hermione to stop fighting and to discover that Harry had stopped.
'Harry what are you - ' started Hermione. Harry didn't need to answer Hermione as she looked up the corridor to see one of the suits of armour moving robotically to the centre of the corridor where it came to a halt.
The armour walked mechanically towards the trio as Ron shrieked, 'I don't suppose you've read anything about fighting off suits armour, Hermione?'
'Of course I haven't!' Hermione replied in the same tone, 'That's completley rediculous!'
'Use one of the spells you learned in Duelling club!' yelled Harry
'I lied earlier!' Hermione admitted, 'We didn't learn much at all!'
'You've got to know something!'
After a momentary pause, Hermione shouted 'Immobulus!' as a blue jet of light came from her wand, hitting the suit of armour squarely in the chest.
The spell ricochet off the armour and hit the wall, extinguishing two of the torches.
'That went well,' said Hermione as she backed away slowly
The suit of armour got closer and just as Harry was about to grab his friends and run, the armour tripped on the carpet and the mask opened, releasing Peeves the poltergeist back into the air.