CHAPTER 14: Macbeth

Apart from Halloween, first term was progressing rather smoothly, and both Professors Gaunt and Snape stopped watching for any instability in Hannah. Her and Hermione's friendship was growing, and Professor McGonagall had handed in no incident reports, so they were in the green as far as they were concerned.

In actuality, Hannah was not doing overly well. It started small; every now and then she would hear Laura, as though on the other end of the hallway or room. It was easy for her to ignore until Laura's voice began to yell and beg, the sound then changing into the wail of the Rat King.

There was a Ravenclaw student with long black hair like Laura's, and at meal times Hannah would confuse her for her twin, leaping into a standing position and begin to go over, until the elusion broke and she would return awkwardly.

The first time Hannah saw blood on her hands, she screamed and locked herself in the bathroom. It was the weekend, and everyone was out either studying or socializing, including Hermione, so Hannah was alone in her weeping. The bathroom mirror, which had learned to not usually talk to the girl, was trying everything it could to calm her down.

When an abandoned bathroom flooded, Hannah remembered the dark basement of Baker farm, and the bloody room within, and tried to focus entirely on her friend, who was talking about a ghost named Moaning Myrtle. The small episodes increased in frequency, sometimes happening simultaneously, creating a habit in Hannah of biting away the skin on her thumbs. Then in charms and DADA, students were introduced to longer spells that could take a few minutes to perform. Each elongated Latin word and long-winded sentence brought back images of Mr. Baker, Mr. Kain, and Augustus, the three men always standing in the corners of the room with the elegant blade in their hands. And at night, when the other girls were asleep, Hannah would listen to the sound of their doorknob being twisted and turned, as though someone was trying to come in.

With their attention no longer on the girl, neither Professor Snape nor Professor Gaunt properly noticed the bags under her eyes, or how she would watch the shadows in fear and confusion.

_oOoOoOo_

I can recall standing in the hallway between potions and the grand staircase, alone, as Hermione had gone off to return a library book. Gasps and sighs were coming from a closed broom closet down the way, and I found myself unable to move. I kept thinking it was poor Mary or Linda, and wanting nothing but a weapon of some sort, to put as many holes in the attacker as I could. But then the noise stopped, and two elder students opened the door and snuck away, having not seen me. I still didn't move though, not for a long while.

_oOoOoOo_

English was taught by Professor Charity Burbage - who also taught Muggle Studies and Textiles - and was beginning a unit on Shakespeare. And so it was that Hannah's class were beginning their first read-through of Macbeth, which was Professor Burbage's favorite play. Students were alternating roles in each scene, some becoming quite dramatic in their readings. When it came time for the murder of the Macduff family, the readers had leapt up from their chairs and were acting it out. It was quite a fun display, as the students involved were members of the Theatre class, and Hannah found herself giggling at the slapstick.

"What are these faces?" Cried one.

"Where is your husband?" The 'murderer' said with his want raised.

"I hope, in no place so unsanctified where such as thou mayst find him."

"He's a traitor."

"Thou liest, thou shag-hair'd villain!" The boy playing the son leaped forwards and onto the 'murderer', beating his chest lightly with tilted fists.

"What, you egg!" The class laughed at the line, and continued when the 'murderer' pulled out a stunt knife and began to stab the other. Hannah had stopped though, seeing blood pool to the floor where there was none.

"Young fry of treachery! He has kill'd me, mother: Run away, I pray you!" With those words, Hannah's mind once again spilled. It was not some drama student on the floor, but Henry, covered in sperm and blood with his heart stopped.

Augustus was approaching now, holding Hannah tightly as he tried to drag her away. Laura was behind, headless, her blood making the floor slippery. Hands were grabbing, on Hannah's thighs, on her mouth, squeezing her nipples and pulling her hair as Mr. Baker brandished the knife. Mr. Kain was behind, unzipping his pants as he had that night in the kitchen, and was forcing her legs open.

Hannah screamed loudly, drawing the class's attention to her, and when Hermione rushed over to see what was wrong, Hannah pushed her away and ran out the door. She ran down the corridor, up the stairs, across a courtyard and into an abandoned classroom where she stayed for the rest of the day.

Hogwarts's gossip wheel was as fast as ever, and by dinnertime most had already heard about the incident. In a matter of hours, Hannah Potter was labeled psycho or attention-seeker, depending on whom you asked, and those around her shuffled away. Fortunately however, the eyes of Tom and Severus were once again on her.

_oOoOoOo_

I had scared Hermione away, and although she still tried to be friendly, I could see how much I frightened her. We were both alone again, as she had been deemed too Ravenclaw-ish for Gryfendors, and too Gryfendor-ish for Ravenclaws.