CHAPTER 12

**********************************************

It was lunchtime, and all the students and teachers were in the Great Hall. Harry nudged Ron.

'Look at Professor Moss. It looks like she's been crying.'

Ron agreed. Anastasia's eyes were red and swollen, and she kept dabbing at them with a tissue. She kept looking down the table at Snape, but he didn't return her glances.

The food appeared on the table, but Ron didn't start to eat.

'What's up?' Harry asked, between mouthfuls of toad-in-the-hole.

'Malfoy.' He replied. 'He keeps staring at me. It's putting me off my food.'

'Oh, for goodness sake, don't be so melodramatic' Hermione snapped at him. 'Here, swap seats, then you won't be able to see him.'

They swapped, so Ron was sitting with his back to the Slytherin table. Hermione didn't so much as glance at Malfoy before she started eating-she didn't see the worried and confused look on his face...

On the head table Anastasia was feeling tired. Drained by the row she'd had with Severus, she supposed. It was strange though...she could hardly keep her eyes open...all she could do was....sleep...

There was a crash as, simultaniously, Hermione and Anastasia slumped and fell to the floor, comatose. Professor McGonagall rushed to Anastasia's side while Harry and Ron tried to rouse Hermione. But it was no good. Both just lay there, dead to the world.

'Nobody eat another mouthful of food!' Dumbledore cried. 'Everybody stay calm. Hagrid, Severus, please assist in taking Professor Moss and Miss Granger to the hospital wing. Everybody else, return to your dormitories while we try to find out what has happened here.'Severus was in despair. He had analysed the food on Anastasia and Hermione's plates and there was no doubt in his mind about what had happened to them. Somebody had spiked their food with The Draught Of Living Death.

He sank back into his chair and put his head in his hands. He couldn't believe this had happened, not now. He had been preparing to talk to Anastasia, to tell her that he believed her story, and now it was too late. She would never wake again.

Up in the common room, Ron was thinking of similar things. He had had the chance to speak to Hermione, to tell her how he felt, and he'd blown it. Now he would never get the chance.

'What I don't understand' Harry said 'Is why however did this just went for Professor Moss and Hermione.'

'Professor Moss and me, you mean.' Ron replied miserably. 'I swapped seats with her, remember?'

Harry didn't know what to say. There was no way he could make his friend feel better. So he just continued with what he was saying.

'It was obviously something in their food, so we've got to work out who put it there. I mean, it certainly wasn't one of the house elves, and apart from them the only people allowed in the kitchens are the teachers....' He trailed off. 'Ron, you don't think it was Snape, do you?'

Ron looked up at Harry. 'I wouldn't put it past him-it's obvious that he can't stand Professor Moss. But why would he try to poison me too?'

'I don't know' Harry replied. 'But we're going to find out. Come on.' He stood up. 'We're going to the kitchens. We can ask Dobby if Snape has been down there recently.'

They made their way down to the kitchens, only to find that Dumbledore had beaten them to it. He smiled when he saw them.

'Ah, Harry and Ron. I should have known that you wouldn't take long to get here' His smile faded as he added 'No doubt you are as anxious to find out, as we all are, who has done this terrible thing to Miss Granger and the Professor.'

'We know who it was, Headmaster.' Ron said bitterly. 'It was Snape.'

'It must have been' Harry continued 'He's been teaching us about the Draught Of Living Death, and he hates Professor Moss...'

'I can assure you, Potter, that I have nothing to do with this incident.' Harry and Ron turned and noticed for the first time that Snape was standing in the corner, along with Dobby.

'On the contrary, I am rather...fond of Professor Moss. However, the real culprit, I am ashamed to say, is a pupil in my own house.'

'I shouldn't be telling you this' Dumbledore said to Harry and Ron, who were both looking bemused 'But as he is shortly to be expelled, I'm sure it will do no harm.' He cleared his throat. 'I am sorry to say that the person responsible for this is Draco Malfoy.'