The next day, around ten minutes into our Transfiguration lesson, McGonagall told us that exams would take place one week (on the first of June).
"Exams? We're still getting exams?" Seamus howled, sounding truly devastated.
Unfortunately, McGonagall's announcement also cause Nev to lose concentration, and he somehow vanished the table leg. A small scream escaped me as the disfigured table fell onto my leg.
McGonagall returned it to normal, placing it how it was originally. I winced at the pain, wondering how a wooden table could be so heavy.
"The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education. The exams will therefore take place as usual, and I trust you are all revising hard." She said sternly, eyes lingering on a couple of people.
I'm not sure what the fuss was about, exams weren't going to be stopped by a change of staffing, no matter how unsavoury the situation was. The fact they thought it was still going to be cancelled made me sure they had to take the exams.
"Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible, and that, I need hardly point out, means finding how much you have learned this year." McGonagall explained.
I raised my hand quickly. "Professor, can I go to the Hospital Wing, the desk fell on my leg." I said wincing once again as I held my leg.
She nodded, looking slightly worried. "Mr Longbottom, accompany Miss Malfoy, please."
Nev awkwardly allowed me to lean on him as we made our way to the Hospital Wing.
"I really am sorry Nash." Nev told me for the umpteenth time, his expression grim. I shook my head, rolling my eyes at his apologetic ways.
"Doesn't matter, I visit the Hospital Wing a lot anyway, must be accident prone." I assured him, laughing as we entered the Wing.
Madam Pomfrey stopped the pain with a flick of her wand. "There will be minimal bruising." She said promptly before rushing off to attend to the petrified patients.
As we left, I shot the unmoving Hermione a sad glance ,but quickly returned to the classroom, not wanting to face McGonagall's wrath.
Nev apologised several times, becoming rather annoying, so I told him. "If you spend the lesson apologising about something that has been fixed you will not turn these rabbits into slippers."
He hurriedly looked at my already transfigured slippers and picked up his wand from the desk.
Four days later, I sat opposite Nev and in between Seamus and Dean at the Gryffindor table, all scanning my revision notes. Many people had ignored their breakfast, putting their heads down in preparation for the exams, which took place in only three days.
"I have good news!" McGonagall said, the Great Hall erupted.
"Dumbledore's coming back!" Several people yelled.
"You've caught the heir of Slytherin!" A Ravenclaw girl cried.
"Quidditch matches are back on!" Oliver roared. I laughed, but hoped he was right all the same.
As silence fell, McGonagall began her announcement. "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."
An explosion of cheering filled the Great Hall. I hugged Dean and Seamus and high-fived Nev over the table. Ginny suddenly arrived next to me and I pulled her into a hug too, not only because I was ecstatic, but also because she looked rather nervous for some reason.
Just before break McGonagall's voice magnified across the school "All students to return to their house dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."
My eyes widened and I looked at Nev. Professor Binns hadn't really reacted. "Well... class... um, to your common rooms..." The old ghost said before floating through the wall, leaving a class of second years in silent panic.
"Um, see you later, okay?" I said to Neville, quickly putting my parchment in my bag.
He nodded "Sure."
"Aren't we gonna get a visit from the nicest Slytherin?" Seamus whispered, leaning towards us. I shook my head, glancing around the room.
"McGonagall sounded serious, I could detect a tone of worry in her voice."
"See ya then." Dean said, an unsure smile appearing on his face as we left the classroom, going our separate ways.
I silently walked to the dungeons, anxious to find out who had been attacked, or worse, killed. McGonagall was fretting, that much I could tell, and my gut sensed something horrible had happened. This was different from the other attacks, I could tell. It wasn't because Dumbledore wasn't here that made it seem worse, but the seriousness in the attack had increased.
I sat bewildered with Daphne, Tracey and Astoria. I coped with Astoria, unlike usual, for she was being silent (which is a first) and we were all fretting about the situation.
Sev walked in after what seemed hours. I gulped as he cleared his throat and spoke, worry taking over my mind.
"A message, similar to the last one has been written on the wall. A student has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets. You shall all pack your backs, the Hogwarts Express will take you all home first thing tomorrow morning."
I choked. Before he walked out of the common room I ran up and tugged on his sleeve. "Sev, who is it? Who was taken?" I croaked.He looked shocked at what I called him, looking around the slytherin common room unsurely. "Please?"
He stared at me, contemplating if he should share his knowledge. "Ginerva Weasley."
Ginny. Slytherin's heir had taken Ginny.
If anyone finds out who Slytherin's heir is, I will make sure they become cold and dead very quickly. You do not mess with my friends, you do not mess with Gryffindor and you do not mess with the Weasleys.
I barely noticed Sev leaving, let alone that Tracey was leading my up to our dorm. No one else had heard the name that slipped out of Sev's lips, and none of them would care. Other Slytherin's didn't care about Gryffindors; but I did.
Ginny had so many friends. And all her brothers. They must be devastated. Who was going to tell Mr and Mrs Weasley?
"Nash, you need to pack. You heard Professor Snape, we're leaving tomorrow." Tracey said weakly, looking at my broken expression with one of concern.
I waved my wand and my belongings floated across the room and neatly placed themselves into my trunk. I then just sat on my bed, staring at a piece of wall, unable to concentrate on going to sleep.
"Ginny?" I whispered, so quietly it could have just been a thought.