Chapter 9
Bella's POV
Weeks later, it was a Hogsmeade weekend. The Cullens had stayed at Hogwarts. I'd needed to go shopping for them for Christmas.
After buying and hiding my purchases, I was walking back to the school with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny.
It was chilly so we were in a hurry. Two students were ahead of us. Soon, I recognized them to be Hannah Abbott and Ernie MacMillian.
The seemed to be having an argument about something Hannah had in her hands.
"It's nothing to do with you, Ernie!" Hannah suddenly shouted. Hannah was not an angry person, rather she lacked self confidence. It was not like her to scream…at all.
Ernie tried to grab whatever it was she held, but only managed to swat it to the ground.
Suddenly, Hannah rose in the air, arms outstretched. It was an eerie, frightening sight. Her long blond hair swirled around her in the wind, but I could see that her eyes were closed and her face was expressionless. It wasn't natural.
Ernie, my friends, and I halted in our tracks.
Hannah suddenly let out a horrible, deafening shriek. Her panicked eyes flew open. I ran to her instinctively.
"Get help!" I shouted over my shoulder.
Hermione took off back towards Hogsmeade, at an impressive pace.
Meanwhile, I grabbed Hannah, legs and pulled her downward. Immediately, she collapsed onto the ground, writhing in pain.
Determined, I grabbed her and carried her towards the castle. "Get help," I grunted again, holding onto the writhing girl as best I could. Ron and Harry took off ahead of me. Ginny and Ernie helped me as best as they could.
Hannah was a smaller girl—much smaller than me—so I could easily lift her without too much effort, but that was without the writhing.
When we reached the castle, I saw Harry and Ron coming with Hagrid, McGonagall, (surprisingly) Dumbledore, and Madam Pomfrey running.
Quickly but gently, Hagrid scooped the writhing Hufflepuff.
They took her to the Hospital Wing. Ernie followed them, while my friends and I lingered in the halls.
Then I remembered the object Hannah had held.
Without a word of explanation, I sprinted back to where the ordeal had occurred.
Lying in the snow was the package. It had ripped and its contents were visible.
My friends, including Hermione, came up behind me.
"What's that?" Ginny asked, reaching for it.
I swatted her hand away, exclaiming "Don't touch it! I know what it is!"
The ornate silver and opal necklace gleamed in the light, looking deceivingly innocent.
"Hey!" Harry said. "It's the necklace from Borgin and Burkes!"
"Exactly. The cursed necklace," I said. "Hannah must have touched it. But…why did she have it?"
I didn't give them a chance to reply. Carefully, I used my scarf and covered it, then picked it up. "They'll want to see this. Come on!"
I flung the door to the Hospital Wind open, my breathing heavy and labored because of all the running I'd been doing lately.
"Miss Swan!" McGonagall exclaimed, "This is a hospital! What do you think you're doing bursting in here?"
Almost unable to breathe, I held my hand out, showing the wrapped up necklace.
Gingerly, I set it on the counter and carefully unwrapped it. "This is what cursed Hannah, I think. It was on display in Borgin and Burkes a while ago. It's cursed. Hannah touched it…and now…you know."
She stared at me for a moment, then nodded and drew her wand. She made it float through the air as she went to Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore to show what we'd found.
After talking to Ernie, we discovered Hannah had used the restroom in the Three Broomsticks and she'd been acting oddly, with the necklace, claiming she had to deliver it to someone at Hogwarts.
It was my guess that she'd been under the Imperious Curse.
When I'd told the others, Harry admitted that he suspected Malfoy. It fit because I knew the little ferret was up to something Death Eater bad…but…I was hesitant to agree.
Meanwhile, Hannah had been transferred to St. Mungo's.
After the shock wore off, Dumbledore called Harry and I to another lesson. This time, we delved into memories of a very pregnant Merope Gaunt selling a locket to Borgin and Burkes, and then Dumbledore's own memory of meeting the young, eleven year old Voldemort.
Before we left, I looked to Dumbledore and asked him, "Did you know, sir, then?"
He only looked at me sadly and replied, "Did I know I just met the most dangerous Dark wizard of our time?" He paused, looking grim and a bit sad. "No. I did not."
A/N: The last 2 lines are from previews of the HPHBP movie. Couldn't resist.
For an update on the 'Guess the nice Slytherin' contest, no one has got it. I don't think s/he was mentioned much in the books, so you might have to look Slytherins up, but I will tell you a few things:
1-- S/He was Sorted in 1991, the same year as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Bella.
2-- It is not:
- Draco Malfoy
- Vincent Crabbe
- Gregory Goyle
- Pansy Parkinson
- Millicent Bulstode
- Blaise Zabini
Try Wikipedia or Harry Potter Wikia.
Thanks for guessing! I'll update todorrow!!
---- Twilight4eternity
