the swinging portrait
hi guys! my name is carmen, and i have decided that my first story on this account will be a harry potter mystery type story. i have loved harry potter since i was super little and i actually have written fanfiction about it on another account, but the quality was fairly low and i wanted to start new. so, happy reading!
and, i don't own harry potter, so don't sue me 3
story background information-
-harry and the gang are 3rd years, but prisoner of azkaban events are NOT taking place
-romione for life
-i think that's it
"Ronald Weasley. Sleeping in class again?" Snape sneered at Ron.
Yeah. He was. And the reason was perfectly solid. At least, to any sane human. Professor Snape was not one of those. He also is not the type to understand, or feel for that matter. Merlin knows why Dumbledore hired him to be anywhere near children, but here we are.
"Professor, if I may, Ron was probably up all night yesterday due to his visit to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had to regrow his bones." Hermione piped up.
"Granger. I do not remember giving you permission to speak," He glared at her, and then said to ROn, "You are excused this once. But I expect a written letter from Pomfrey on my desk by dinnertime."
Luckily, the bell rang just then. Since potions was ROn, Harry, and Hermione's final class of the day, they could now take a bit of rest and prepare for dinner.
"And I mean, I was having bones regrown last night? Can't Snape give me a break? He needs to check himself. I mean, he's awfully confident for someone who looks like an old rat." Ron exclaimed in the corridor, the slightest bit too loud.
"Shush," Hermione warned, but it was too late.
"Weasley." A snide voice said, creeping up behind the trio.
"Malfoy. Shove off," Harry glared over his shoulder and took in the sight of Draco's smirk.
"Why would I do that, Potter?" Draco laughed, and turned to Ron, "Snape let you off too easy today. What if someone told him what you said there a minute ago. Think he would give you detention?"
"Malfoy, last I checked, you were sleeping in class all the time too," Harry bounced back at him.
Malfoy just glared back as a response. That wasn't usual. Most of the time, he would make a "witty" comeback, or at least say one of us stinks. This time, he gave Crabbe and Goyle a nasty look and dashed down the hall.
"What was that about?" Ron stared at Malfoy's receding frame.
"Malfoy being a prick, clearly," Harry rolled his eyes and strolled further down the hall.
"Harry, he means the strange looks from Malfoy, and the way he just walked away without his usual barrage of rude comments," Hermione informed Harry.
The three continued debating on this topic until they reached the Fat Lady Portrait. It was one of the things Harry found most interesting about Hogwarts. The way that it, or she, listened for the code word, and then swung open with a surprising amount of force, letting you into the common room. The first time Harry had gone by himself to the portrait, he ended up in the hospital wing with a shattered nose. After that, he always stood a bit farther back from the fat lady.
"Whatever guys. Let's just get in here," Hermione sighed, exasperated.
When the code word was said, the fat lady swung open (narrowly missing Ron's face), and the three stepped into the Gryffindor common room.
The weirdness didn't stop at Malfoy. When they entered the Red and Gold room, they immediately noticed that the room lacked it's usually bustling traffic. Instead, it was nearly empty. A few first years lurked in one of the corners, but that was it. Strange.
"Where is everyone?" Ron stared blankly, echoing everyone's thoughts.
"Uh…" A first year in the corner blinked, thinking Ron was confronting her, "Probably the L-"
Her friend cut her off, "Sarahhh, Macy told us to not talk about that!"
"Kate, but if everyone's there," She turned back to her friend Kate and made a face at her.
"Whatever," Kate sighed.
The trio stared at the girls annoyed.
"Wait! You're Harry POtter!" The previously quiet girl in the back blurted out before Sarah could continue her previous answer.
"Er.. yes. That's me," Harry said awkwardly.
"Can you sign this for me? Oh and my name is Jenna," She ran over and beckoned her friends to follow.
Kate and Sarah trailed behind the girl slowly, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry…" Sarah started.
Ron whispered something in Hermione's ear, and she stifled a giggle. Harry turned to the two with a piercing look.
"All fine," Harry forced a smile, and then signed Jenna's notebook.
"Now," Hermione started, pushing Harry out of the way, "Where is everyone again?"
"Oh yeah. They're at the lake."