Disclaimer: Not ours :D

Chapter 20

So much for staying under the Radar!

"Discipline, the lot of you! Discipline!"

Headmaster Armando Dippet shouted to the mob that had gathered round. Whispers were going all around and confusion was in the air. Nobody in the group knew exactly what was going on, but everyone knew that something had certainly happened here this morning. As the headmaster's voice had engulfed all their muted whispers, they were now looking at him, with an I-want-an-explanation look on their faces. When he ascertained that he had everyone's attention, Dippet announced,

"The current situation will be assessed as quickly as possible. As of now, a curfew has been declared at Hogwarts. No student is to leave their dormitories after six in the evening. Classes are suspended for today and all of you, return to your common rooms. Food would be provided for you there. Library is closed and any student, any student caught after hours will have to face serious repercussions."

His statements were met with a collective 'Huh!' from the students.

It's that serious?

A curfew? That's uncalled for!

At least there's no class today! I'd forgotten the charms homework!

Why is he not saying anything about what happened here?

I heard that someone was knocked out.

The whispers resumed with an even greater ferocity and slowly the students started to walk away, their questions were to be answered elsewhere, not here, and definitely not by the headmaster. Soon, the crowd thinned and scattered away.

Dippet looked down at the corner of the wall. It was late afternoon and the classes for after lunch had barely just begun. The girl was first noticed by some second years, at the very spot he was gazing at, lying still. They said she was like a mannequin, cold to the touch and looking lifeless. She was rushed to the hospital wing and Pomfrey had to be sent for.

An attack on Hogsmeade and now another inside the castle? Has Hogwarts become that vulnerable?

"Horace, in my office, ten minutes. I wish Albus hadn't gone for whatever private business he had. This is indeed most troubling."

He turned briskly and walked off, rounding the corner, away from the second floor corridor that led to the girls' lavatory.

Both of them rushed into the hospital wing in order to have a look at the 'frozen student'.

"I am sorry, but no student is…. Oh! It's you." Madam Pomfrey said, momentarily taking her eyes off her patient.

"Hello, Madam Pomfrey. What happened to her? Have you found out the cause?" Harry said as he moved closer to the afflicted. Hermione followed, close behind.

"Unfortunately, no. It's definitely paralysis, but unless you know what caused it or how it spread, I cannot devise an effective treatment. I've checked the whole body – no scratch marks, no puncture wounds, not a scratch on the skin. There are no toxins in her bloodstream either. I am at a loss here."

He moved closer to her. She was laid in bed, one arm raised as if in a reflex to cover her face and the rest of the body straight and upright. She was limp, all the color seemed drained from her face. She was a Ravenclaw, and was not one Harry was familiar with. Harry bent down to have a look at her face. One of her eyes was half closed, while the other was wide open. The pupil in the right eye was highly dilated. Harry straightened up and looked toward Hermione. They exchanged grim nods.

"It's a miracle her heart's still beating and lungs still working, but if we do not figure out a way to get at least the muscles of her digestive system up and running, I fear we may lose her in about three days' time." Pomfrey said as she approached the patient's bed.

"Who is she, Madam Pomfrey?"

"What? Oh… Leona Higgins. Second year, Ravenclaw." Pomfrey looked intriguingly at Harry, wondering why he should be focusing on the identity. Harry looked down at the student and raised his left hand above her face. It glowed white and he closed his eyes to focus. He held it there for a few seconds and then turned to Madam Pomfrey.

"It's petrification, visual. It started at the eyes and then through the optic nerve, straight to the brain. There are no toxins in her blood, but the nervous system - it's partially shut down. I think you should focus on the brain and more on the motor neurons."

Pomfrey's eyes widened. Four hours she toiled to find a diagnosis and this lad comes along and does it in ten seconds! She got up and walked towards the infirmary, to see if there was any Mandrake Draught left. She made a mental note to contact Horace with the need for more. Harry stepped back and turned to leave.

What was with the hand gesture? Hermione enquired

I had to look like diagnosing her and not recollecting what Madam Pomfrey had told me in my second year. A little magical illusion took care of the glow. Harry looked at Hermione.

That was my diagnosis when I was petrified?

Word for word.

Hermione stopped and turned to look at the girl again. An empathetic look dawned on her as she recollected how it felt. She tried concentrating on the girl, only to feel a void where she laid. Just like the dead, she gave off no emotions. Harry tapped on her shoulder and gave a shake of the head. Now was not the time for recollection or an emphatic reading. They had somewhere to be, and it was perfectly clear to them both where it was. Both of them walked toward the door. Pomfrey had grabbed a handful of boxes and bottles and bustled towards the bed. Harry suddenly stopped and looked back.

"Madam Pomfrey?"

"Yes, Harris?"

"Was she…." He pointed towards Leona Higgins.

"…. A muggle born?"

"Aragog!" He shouted hard at his pet Acromantula, but to no avail. It was going crazy and he didn't know why. Aragog was never this crazy, or aggressive. He had had him since he was an egg and was secretly raising him in the dungeons of Hogwarts castle. He had to keep his pet a secret, as discovery of a man-eating creature such as an Acromantula inside the castle surely would have serious repercussions.

"Wha's yer problem today?"

"It's loose." The spider hissed.

"Wha's loose?"

"IT!"

"I dunno wha's gotten inta yer, bu' if yer don behave, I'm gonna lock yer up in tha box fo' sure."

"No! I can't stay here! Let me go! It's dangerous!"

"It was dangerous from tha start! Bu' don' worry! I'll take care of ya!"

"Hagrid! I know you will, but you can't anymore. Not that's its coming! I need to leave, it'll be best for me and for you."

"I'm not lettin' yer go! Yer's only two years old! I'll let yer go when yer ready!"

"Aaaarrrrggh!" Aragog let out a loud hiss. He was shaking all over, and constantly looking left and right.

"It's on the move again." He looked at Rubeus Hagrid, the one who had hatched him, the one who took care of him for the past two years. It pained him to leave him, but he must.

"I'm sorry, Hagrid." In a swift push, Aragog lept through the legs of Hagrid and scurried along the dungeon corridor as fast as he could.

"Wait! Aragog!" Hagrid tried to grab his pet, but his bulky frame was not agile enough to catch the spider going through his legs. He turned around and darted after him, he had to get a hold of Aragog before anyone could see him; else there would be a great deal of trouble, especially because of the incident of the frozen girl and the curfew that was in effect.

Mia, Check whether he is in there. We don't have to fall under his Radar more than necessary.

How?

Oh! Right! Harry sighed exasperatedly. She always seemed to forget she was an Empath. It didn't come naturally to her like his healing. He looked at her – eyes closed, eyebrows scrunched together and lips pursed. He had a sudden urge to right the glasses that seemed lying askew at the tip of her nose. Huh! If she continues wearing them, she is gonna resemble Albus in a couple of years!

Harry!

Err

Shut up and let me concentrate!

It's not as if I can control my thou…

Harry!

OK!

He quickly put up his Occlumency shield. After a few minutes, he began to get bored and started tapping on the ground. He tried imagining his magic core pulsing inside him and felt a warm glow infuse his being. Looking down, he found himself glowing and cursed. Quickly, he envisioned a rock-cocoon encasing his core, like Albus had thought him, and sighed when it worked. Suddenly Hermione's eyes flew open and she rounded on him.

"What did you do?" She asked in a furious whisper. Harry looked at her like she was crazy.

"Till now you were projecting your emotions all around, and suddenly it seems where you stand there is a void. For a moment I was afraid you were petrified! This is exactly how Leona felt when I tried to get a read on her emotions!"

"I didn't do anything!"

Harry!

Er… I did mask my core.

What?

I have a tendency to glow if I concentrate too much on my core. Fawkes said it's because of my phoenix animagus. You know, the healing thing. Anyway, Albus taught me to mask my core if that happened, by envisioning a rock-cocoon around it.

Oh!

I wonder if the girl's core is masked or if it's protected from the petrification by her own immune system.

We could run a few tests next…

"How…. delightful."

Both of them whipped around, only to realize Tom was standing right next to them, a sneer on his face and his eyes focused on the pair.

So much for staying under the Radar! Harry moaned.

"Hello Tom!" Hermione said, an obvious-overt cheerfulness in her voice.

Oh ya! You are gonna get Oscar for that performance.

Shut up Harry!

"Amelia." Tom's face blanked out, a slight smile on his lips.

"Weren't you there for Dippet's announcement? You aren't supposed to be out after hours." Tom's tone was slightly chiding.

"Why are you out then?" Harry couldn't keep blurting out.

"I, unlike you Bolt, am a Prefect. I did not leave my common room to meet my…" He briefly glanced at Hermione. "Paramour."

Hermione blushed and started to speak, but Harry suddenly cut her off.

"That's none of your business Riddle, what I do with my paramour."

Harry?!

"It is exactly my business what my charges are doing, Mr. Bolt. I'm responsible for what unfortunate thing might happen to you."

"Nevertheless, I know how to take care of myself and my…friend. I'm grateful for your concern but it is neither wanted nor welcome."

Harry! Why are you deliberately goading him? He is Voldemort!

Shut up Mia!

Err…. Give me a minute Mia.

"Ten points from Slytherin for breaking the curfew and disrespecting a Prefect. Five points from Gryffindor for breaking the curfew. Both of you are to return to your respective common room right away."

Harry started to speak, but Hermione cut him off.

"Thank you, Tom. Harris was just worried about me. Attacks, even not on my person, always makes him over-protective." She turned and gave Harry a quick hug, whispering a short goodbye.

Go now!

What! And leave you with Him?

I know to take care of myself….

Mia

…and he won't do anything with a witness.

Harry reluctantly walked away, towards the Dungeon. Hermione turned towards the tower, only to be stopped by Tom calling her name.

"Amelia." Hermione half-turned and looked at him.

"I will escort you. Your….friend's concern is not unwarranted. This is dangerous times."

"It's inside the castle Tom, of course it's safe. Hogwarts is the safest place in Wizarding Britain."

"Leona Higgins didn't stay safe."

"How did you know her name?" There was a short pause.

"Remember, I'm a Prefect. How did you?"

"We went there, after Headmaster's announcement. Harry wanted to see if there was anything he could do."

"Oh?"

"It seems the girl was petrified." Tom suddenly tensed and then relaxed. No one would have noticed his change in posture, if they weren't carefully looking for it. Hermione was. Not that she had any doubts about who the culprit was, but it was always safe to be sure.

"Did Bolt diagnose her?"

"Yes."

"Interesting"

"Shouldn't we…you know…get going?"

"Yes. Come on. I will take you."

"There's no…"

"Amelia."

Hermione clamped her mouth shut at that tone. She so did not want to anger the Dark-Lord-Wannabe.

Psst! Mia!

Harry?

Thank Merlin! I thought he had killed you and left you as an appetizer for his pet Basilisk.

Harry!

What? Don't tell me you believe him to be all nice and fair!

Urgh! Of course not. I told you, he won't dare to do anything to me while you are a witness.

There she goes, daring dark lords to do things. Mia! What have I told you about suicide tendencies?

Harry Potter, you better shut your trap or I am going to….

"You are concentrating really hard. A Knut for your thoughts?"

Hermione was startled from her inner dialogue. She couldn't believe she had forgotten her surrounding even for a moment. May be Harry was right. May be she did have suicide tendencies. She furiously thought, and decided to take a gamble.

"I was wondering what happened to Leona. The petrification spell leaves behind a distinct magical energy, easily discernible to any talented healer, which both Madame Pomfrey and Harry are. So it's not a spell. And the medallion of Medusa was destroyed in the last Goblin war. I just can't figure out what caused Leona to be affected so."

"You are very well versed in all subjects. Were you…" Whatever he was about to say was quickly lost in Hermione's rather girly scream. A two-foot spider was hurling through the corridors, straight towards them. It tried to climb the castle walls to bypass them, but Hermione quickly sent a paralyzing hex at it. Tom had his wand out and helped her by sending a stupefy.

"No… Don't hurt him. He is mine. He won't harm you." A giant figure appeared at the end of the hallway and was hurrying toward them. His breathing was so heavy that it consumed the entire corridor with its echoes.

"Hagrid?" Hermione blurted out without a thought and then regretted it a moment later. Tom looked at her speculatively, and she didn't miss the way his wand slightly turned its aim. Hermione cursed, again.

"Do I kno' yer?" Hagrid had picked Aragog, there was no doubt it was Aragog, and held it close to his person.

"No! I….uh…saw you talking to Dumbledore the other day!" Hermione finished in a rush. Hagrid scratched his head.

"I did?"

"You did." Hermione said it with such conviction that Hagrid nodded his head.

"Why are you handling an Acromantula, Hagrid. And don't deny it. I know one when I see it."

"Errr….Riddle….Tha's…. It's me pet."

"You have an Acromantula for a pet?" Tom looked at him as if he was crazy. Suddenly something calculating glinted in his eyes.

"Hagrid, where were you this afternoon? When Leona Higgins was attacked?"

"Wha'?"

"No way! Hagrid didn't do it." Hermione was furious. She wouldn't allow this monster to frame their friend once again.

"How are you so sure, Amelia? He is holding on to an Acromantula."

"And pray tell, Riddle, where the hell did you read an Acromantula has Petrifying eyes?"

"Eyes, Ms. Sparks?"

Uh oh

A/N: There you go! Now you are gonna definitely say we love cliffhangers. And after a deep and thoughtful discussion, we decided we do love them! ;) So, action is picking up. Still our reviewers are missin…. Do R&R!

Guevera: You like teasing us! Thank you for ur review. We usually take turns at writing, but the last few chapters we have written together. And we do hope you wont be so quick to judge our little Dark Lord!

Guest: Thank you for provoking us to write faster. We never meant for our reading community to be diminished….its just life catching up with us. Hope you are satisfied with this update