Chapter 9
The Third Death
"Cho Chang?" Harry gasped, almost choking on his breakfast.
A.J. nodded. "Yes," she said coldly.
Ron, like Harry, couldn't believe his ears. "But, why would Cho want to kill people?"
"Because she is evil, pure evil," A.J. said, her dark eyes narrowing on Ron.
Ron shuttered violently. "That really doesn't sound like something Cho would actually try to pull, though."
"How well do you even know her?" A.J. asked darkly.
Harry started to argue, but decided not to press the matter. "Er, I guess maybe you're right."
A.J. smiled evily. "Of course I'm right. Anywho, no sense in bothering you two anymore," she said as she started walking away.
Harry glanced at Ron and then yelled at A.J.. "Wait!"
A.J. spun around, looking quite annoyed "What?" she demanded as she stormed back towards the Gryffindor table.
"You said you know who has been killed?" Harry asked, staring A.J. in the eyes.
"Yes," she responded in a tone of voice that even Voldemort himself would have feared.
"Would, could you er…" Harry quickly gulped, "tell us who was killed?"
A.J., who was still using that terrifying voice, said, "Why?"
Ron, who had kept his mouth shut during most of this, decided that he should finally have his say. "Because You-Know-Who is after Harry."
A.J. quickly sat between Ron and Harry. Her dark eyes were full of fear. "It's not Harry that Voldemort is after" she said, lowering his voice so that they could barely hear her. "Voldemort is just killing everyone. He doesn't care who it is."
Ron stared blankly at A.J. "Say You-Know-Who!!"
"Who do you know that?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"THAT is none of your concern," A.J. said as she walked back towards the Hufflepuff table.
"We better go and find out who was killed!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
Harry shook his head stubbornly. "No…Dumbledore will take care of it."
Ron looked at Harry weirdly. "Why don't you want to go and check it out?"
Harry sighed and started looking around the Great Hall. Most of the students were quietly talking about the death among themselves. Still, there were quite a few students who were acting like nothing had happened. "Because, maybe A.J. is right about Voldemort. Maybe he's not after me."
Ron stared at Harry blankly. "That thought has never stopped you from checking things out before."
Harry shrugged and stood from the Gryffindor table. "Things change, I guess," he said as he started walking out of the Great Hall and towards potions class.
Ron sighed sadly. 'Harry usually doesn't act like this,' he thought. 'Something has got to be terribly wrong with him.' Ron jumped from his chair and started running to class, not wanting to be late.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Good morning class," the potions teacher sweetly said as Harry and Ron entered the dungeon.
They both sat down and their eyes nearly popped out of their heads. Their potions teacher was none other than Professor Louv're.
"But…I thought she was sacked!" Ron exclaimed, gaping at the teacher.
"She was! I mean, no one has seen her for a month," Harry replied, unable to believe his eyes.
"Quiet down class," the professor said. It seemed as though Harry and Ron weren't the only two to notice that Professor Louv're was back to teach. "Now, I understand how awkward this is for all you you, seeing as though I'm your third potions teacher this year. Many of you may have also realized that I bear a striking resemblance to your first potions teacher this year, Professor Louv're."
"That's an understatement," Ron said loudly, forgetting to keep his voice down when talking to Harry.
The professor glanced weirdly at Ron, but didn't say anything to him. "I am actually Alina Louv're's twin sister. We are nothing a like, so don't worry!" she said, seeing the worried looks on the students' faces.
Dean Thomas slowly raised his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Thomas?" The professor asked.
Dean smirked. "Well, it would kind of help all of us if we er…knew your name." Several snickers arose from the class.
The professor smiled. "Right, my name is Maple Louv're."
"So are we going back to love potions?" Seamus Finnigan asked.
Professor Louv're looked at Seamus like he was out of his mind. "Of course not! Love potions are strictly forbidden here at Hogwarts."
Seamus slowly nodded. "Ahhhh…"
"Now, enough talking.," Professor Louv're said sternly. "You have already wasted half the year on love potions," she said, cringing when she said 'love potions.' "There is a lot of work to get done, so I would suggest it would be in everyone's best interest to pay attention."
Harry stared at Ron. "Boy, she sure knows what is going on!" he whispered as they started getting their notebooks and books out for class.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Headmaster, we must close the school. It cannot remain open!" Professor McGonagall screamed as she went storming into Dumbledore's office. "There have already been three deaths! We cannot afford any more."
"Maret and Chrissy Raustinberge, and Hermione Granger have all died mysterious deaths. All of them have had their blood sucked away," Professor Louv're said, who was on Professor McGonagall's side.
Dumbledore's eyes turned to stone. "No."
"What?" Professor Louv're and Professor McGongall asked in unison.
"I said no. the school must remain open. It is still the safest place from Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore sternly said.
"But, Dumbledore!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed in shock. "We have already had three deaths! We cannot risk anymore."
Dumbledore stared at Professor McGonagall blankly. "They would have died sooner and more painful deaths if they hadn't been here at Hogwarts."
Professor Louv're and Professor McGongall nodded as they slowly left Dumbledore's office. Once outside, Professor Louv're leaned over to Professor McGonagall and whispered, "We might as well just kill the students before we leave them at THIS school."
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Hermione's dead," Ron yelled as he went running into the Gryffindor common room, which had been extremely noisy. Suddenly, everyone stopped talking. All eyes were fixated on Ron.
"You're joking, right?" Harry asked, unable to believe this ears. "I mean, they thought she was dead once before."
Ron walked solemnly over to his friend and laid a hand on Harry's shoulder. "No…I'm-I'm sorry…" Ron said, his voice trailing off.
All color seemed to drain from Harry's face. He had been quite fond of Hermione and this had been the biggest blow of his life. Harry could feel the tears starting to form, but he was too embarrassed to cry in front of Ron and the rest of the common room.
"Wait a minute," Seamus cut in. "I thought all of You-Know-Who's victims were coming back to life?"
Harry looked over to Seamus. "Good point," he said. "In fact, really good point. I better write to my friend…he happens to know a lot about Voldemort." Harry grabbed a piece of paper and a quil, and quickly started writing a letter to his friend.
Sirius,
Just a little question about the rise of Lord Voldemort. You said that all of the people that he has killed would start coming back to life. Well, Hermione was killed, we don't know how she died yet, so does that mean she will be coming back to life? Please respond as soon as possible. Thanks,
Harry
Harry jumped from his chair, grabbed a piefce of rope and rushed over to Hedwig's cage. He slowly opened the cage door as Hedwig flew out and perched on Harry's arm. Trying to hold his arm still, which Hedwig was perched on, Harry slowly tied the letter onto Hedwig's leg, threw his arm out of the tower window, and watched her fly off into the distance.
"I hope this friend replies soon," Ron said as harry sat back into his chair.
Harry closed his eyes and leaned into the huge armchair. "Me too, Ron. Me too…"
*~*~*~*~*~*
Mysterious Deaths
There have been several so called "mysterious" deaths this year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, writes reporter Rita Skeeter. Michelle Ran Maree-Sue and Chrissy Raustinberge, and Hermione Granger have all died puzzling deaths at, or near Hogwarts. All of the bodies were found severely stabbed, but surprisingly, not a trace of blood was found inside or outside of the bodies. Many researchers believe that animals may have drunk the blood from these poor, defenseless girls, but other evidence points in a different direction. On the side of the girls' necks were tiny bite marks, about two inches apart. The bites were first thought to be simple bug bites, but further investigation showed otherwise. The bites appeared to have been made by a pair of fangs, and researchers have found that all the blood had been sucked from the bodies from those holes. Many people are starting to wonder if vampires are real, and if so, if they are connected to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The world will just have to watch and wait, going to sleep every night, wondering if they will ever wake up again.
Harry finished reading the Daily Prophet and started looking around the Great Hall. Much of the conversation was over the Daily Prophet article. Harry grimaced as he turned to look at the Slytherin table, seeing them all look so happy. He turned back to the Gryffindor table, picked up Sirius' letter, which had just arrived that morning, and began to read it.
Harry,
I'm quite sorry, but your young friend Hermione Granger will not be coming back to life, nor the other people Voldemort has killed this year. That we I kept mentioning in my last letter is myself and several Aurors. We also thought all of Voldemort's victims would come back to life, but they haven't and probably won't. Better run-
Sirius
Harry slowly lowered the letter onto the table. He could feel hot tears running down the side of his face, but for once, he really didn't care.
"Harry, what's wrong?" Ron asked, noticing the tears. He quickly picked up Sirius' letter and began to read it. Ron's face was an unatural ghostly white even before he had finished reading the letter, which he had let drop from his hands. "Oh god Harry, I'm terribly sorry," Ron said, who was on the verge of tears.
Harry closed his eyes and slowly nodded.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Cho Chang threw her black hair back and startled walking towards Harry, who had just entered the Great Hall for dinner. "Harry, I'm terribly sorry about what happened to your friend, Hermione Granger," she said as she walked along side him.
Harry nodded without even bothering to glance up.
Cho roughly grabbed Harry's arm and spun him around so that he faced her. "You don't understand just how sorry I am, since I was the one who killed Hermione."
Harry gasped loudly. "It was you?!"
Cho hung her looking, not wanting to meet Harry's stare. "Yes, but I killed the wrong girl," she said. "That coffin…that funeral was meant for A.J. Solo.
*~*~*~*~*~*