Hello.
I have to say a big thank you to reviewers!
HermioneHarry4ever: OK, I meant to explain that later, but it can't hurt to do it now! I think everyone's guessed something's up with the necklace. I'm not explaining much, but it's not a nice necklace. In fact, it's decidedly evil. And you may just be right about what it does to Hermione (maybe, but I'm not telling!) but if it's going to try and drive her mad then it's going to do it in every way it can. It's cleaver, and never strikes the same way twice. It called her 'mudblood' and the fat thing… I don't know if you've heard of anorexia, but people can die of it. (And no, I'm NOT telling what happens!). Thanks for reviewing again!!!!
Ashkickerchic: Awww, gee, thanks! I probably just gave something big away about the necklace above, didn't I? Doh! Why is your username Ash Kicker Chic? I'm curious!
Mir-kitty: Once again, I can't thank you enough. Your guess is very close… but it's not haunted. You are positively amazing! Truly, thanks!
Amara: yep, you're right! But there's more to it than that! So I've got you hooked, have I? Good, that's what I like to hear!
Julie Fisher: You are just so cool! Thanks for reviewing, it really brightens my day! (Could you see who your character was???)
starship gazer: Oh, thanks so much! I'm really touched! No one has said that sort of thing before! So here it is. Enjoy!
~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that day, Hermione sat in the library with Harry and Ron, finishing Professor Flitwick's essay on famous enchanted objects. For Hermione at least it was quite interesting. But Harry and Ron were moaning, insentlessly.
"Who cares whether the stupid cloak was enchanted or not? The stupid witches could have given themselves the horns, and then have made up the whole enchanted thing."
"The Amara goblet. Grants protection to all who drink from it. Destroyed when Voldermort came to power. Who gives a…"
"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!!!"
"Uh, guys," Hermione interjected. "I've found it."
She was pointing at a page in a book, which had a picture of a large golden sceptre set with glistening ruby's and diamonds.
"The Mirkit Sceptre," Hermione read aloud. "Is one of the most mighty enchanted objects in the history of magic. Created by the four founders of Hogwarts, it has no limitation of power. Only to be used by people of uttermost goodliness and courage, intelligence and cunning, it is the single most powerful talisman against the Dark forces. It is a common belief that the dark lord himself tracked it down, and tried to destroy it, but it didn't work. The current whereabouts of the sceptre is unknown, but it is thought to be in safe hands. It is rumoured to be the only defence against the Avada Kedavra curse. There is a legend attached to the sceptre, that it has an heir, one who is so powerful as to be able to …someone's torn the rest of the page out."
Harry and Ron, who had been listening interestedly, leaned over the table.
"Awww!" Ron exclaimed, looking crestfallen. "That was vaguely interesting!"
"I wonder what the sceptre could do for the heir?" Harry said, thoughtfully.
"Well, why has someone torn half the page out and missed the most important bit?" Hermione pouted.
"Something on the other side?" Ron shrugged his shoulders.
Hermione flipped to the contents and ran her finger down the page numbers listed.
"Just something about the…" Hermione screwed up her eyes to see the tiny writing. "Dragonia Pendent and the legend of The Twentieth Cursed." She slammed the heavy book shut. "Well, this looks quite an interesting read…I'm getting it out."
"Where did you find the book? There might be another copy, or a different book with the same information."
"I found it in the magical objects section."
At that moment Madame Pince bustled over and told them to leave because the Library was closing. Hermione tucked the book under her arm, and followed Harry and Ron to the common room.
~*~*~
"Finished." Ron threw his pen down on the table in triumph. "The whole nine yards. That was quite some work."
Hermione was struggling to keep her face serious.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Gone the whole nine yards, have you Ron?"
"Uhhh, yeah."
Harry got it. He looked like he might laugh too.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just muggle stuff."
Ron rolled his eyes. Harry gave a huge yawn, which set everyone off.
"If it's O.K guys, I'm going to bed."
"You mean you're going to lay on the bed, but read the book."
"Something like that. 'Night."
"Good night."
Hermione ran up the stairs to her dorm, leaving Harry and Ron in the common room. At the top, she pushed open the door. Parvati wasn't in there, but Lavender was fast asleep, hugging Winnie the Pooh close to her chest. Hermione smiled. It's stuff like that, she thought to herself, which could put Ron off Lavender in a serious way.
Hermione walked forward, and promptly stubbed her toe on something. Wincing, she raised her wand.
"Lumos."
By the feeble wand light, Hermione surveyed the mess that Lavender and Parvati had made. Clothes, homework, inconspicuous looking objects which were actually lethally sharp when you trod on them, books, quills. Hermione sighed.
"Naetious" she muttered and with a small rush of wind the room was tidy. Better.
Hermione plonked herself on her bed, and opened the book. She started to relax, and found herself submersed in interesting facts and figures. She read progressively through the thick, musty pages of tiny text feeling her eyelids droop progressively lower, and her brain getting progressively more tired.
Her eyes were just in the process of fluttering shut, when she heard it. Low and singsong. Mocking her in a tone that cut Hermione to the very bone.
*Mudblood.*
Hermione's eyes flew open, and she quickly twisted herself off the bed, half expecting to see a gang of death eaters behind her. She had never heard anyone express a syllable with so much hate.
*Filthy stinking mudblood.*
The voice laughed, cold and low, unmerciful and unnatural.
"Who…who's there?" Hermione quivered, gathering her courage.
More laughter.
*You must know who I am. I hang on your every word, every hour of every day. *
Hang on her every word?
*Not so smart really, are you mudblood? Whatever will you do? THE one, who must know everything, doesn't know something after all. What will you do now? Cry? Go to the library? *
That mirthless laugh again.
"My name's not mudblood it's Hermione." She told the voice, angrily.
*Mudblood must die. *
"What do you mean 'mudblood must die?" Hermione asked, her lip quivering.
*Mudblood – must – DIE, * the voice whispered maliciously. Hermione shook ever so slightly. It was as though invisible hands were softly stroking her neck, smoothing back her hair from her face, touching her larynx.
*The legend of The Twentieth Cursed will be fulfilled. The heir of the founders will cease to exist, all darkness will prevail. * The voice was filling Hermione's head making her mind boggle, her senses dizzy. The hissing turned to crude laughter. And then, mind reeling, Hermione heard it again.
*Mudblood – Will – DIE! *
Partly a combination of fear and anger made Hermione do something very silly indeed. She ran to her bed, climbed on it and started to shout.
"FOR THE LAST TIME, MY NAME IS NOT MUDBLOOD, MY – NAME – IS – HERMIONE. DO YOU HEAR ME????!!!!
Lavender woke with a start, and Parvati burst through the dormitory door, wand raised.
"Hermione? What's wrong?" Parvati asked.
Hermione couldn't answer. The invisible hands at her throat had become more and more harsh, and as she tried to thwart them, they had grabbed hold of her neck, so tight she couldn't breathe and lifted her clean off her feet. Hermione's skin turned blue from lack of oxygen as she fought against her captors. Choking and sobbing, hanging in midair, she suddenly felt the fight go out of her. Parvati was shooting spell after spell at her, but to little effect.
"Lavender, for the love of Jove, HELP ME!" Parvati screamed at her friend. Lavender dived for her wand.
"It's dark!" She moaned. "I can't see a thing. Lumos."
A thin stream of light burst from Lavender's wand.
And, as though the invisible force hanging Hermione in the air was afraid of it, the hands let go, and Hermione fell onto her bed, still choking and unable to breathe. Lavender and Parvati rushed over to her side.
"Hermione! Are you alright?"
"What the HELL happened?"
"Parvati, she's having a sort of asthma attack." Lavender was in total 100% freak out mode. "What will we do?"
"Finite Wheaxarus." Parvati pointed her wand at Hermione, and she was able to breathe normally again. The choking stopped, and silent tears coursed down her cheeks. Lavender touched Hermione's throat. She flinched away from Lavender as thought her fingers were made of fire.
"Look." Lavender said to Parvati, disbelievingly, pointing to the red and white finger marks, livid against the light blue colour Hermione's neck had gone.
"Why?" Hermione breathed throatily. "Why did you do that to me?"
"We didn't do anything to you, 'Mione." Parvati told her gently.
However, Hermione didn't appear to be talking to them.
"Who are you?" She moaned to thin air. Parvati and Lavender looked at each other.
"Parvati, you go and get Ron and Harry. They might know something." Lavender told Parvati. She nodded, and tiptoed off.
Hermione seemed oblivious to everything except who or what she was talking to.
"What are you?"
Hermione's whole body tensed, as though she was straining to hear something.
"Why must I die?"
Lavender looked at Hermione, shocked. Harry and Ron who were just entering hadn't heard. The walked over to the bed, rubbing sleep out of their eyes.
"What is going on? Parvati burst in saying something about Hermione going mad… Oh my god." Ron had caught sight of Hermione's bluish body, taunt almost…possessed.
Lavender ignored him. Hermione was trying to say something. She motioned for the boys to be quiet and watch Hermione's lips.
Hermione's mouth opened and closed soundlessly several times. Her mouth was dry. She licked her lips.
"W…W…Wh…Why m…must…I be…t…t…t…the twenty…twentieth cu…cur…cursed?
Harry cried out suddenly. He heard a small, distant yet distinctly evil voice laughing like a maniac. And a brief pain was felt in his scar. Ron looked at him strangely.
"Why?" Hermione asked again.
But this time it seemed as though the invisible force had had enough of her questions. Suddenly, unavoidably Hermione's rigid, small frame went skidding off the bed…
…And with a sickening crack hit the rough stone wall.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ha! Cliffies, dontcha just hate 'em! I'll leave you being driven mad by suspense until I can get the next chapter out. Will Hermione be O.K? Who is behind the voice? Who, or what is The Twentieth Cursed? Why can only Hermione see the hands, or hear the voice? Why did Harry's scar hurt? Why is that page missing from the library book? Why must Mudblood die? Why must Hermione die? Will Lavender and Parvati ever learn to be tidy?
Well, you ain't gonna find out unless you REVIEW, and tell me what you think!
I'm evil!
:o)
With love,
~*Angelifire*~
0O-}-
I have to say a big thank you to reviewers!
HermioneHarry4ever: OK, I meant to explain that later, but it can't hurt to do it now! I think everyone's guessed something's up with the necklace. I'm not explaining much, but it's not a nice necklace. In fact, it's decidedly evil. And you may just be right about what it does to Hermione (maybe, but I'm not telling!) but if it's going to try and drive her mad then it's going to do it in every way it can. It's cleaver, and never strikes the same way twice. It called her 'mudblood' and the fat thing… I don't know if you've heard of anorexia, but people can die of it. (And no, I'm NOT telling what happens!). Thanks for reviewing again!!!!
Ashkickerchic: Awww, gee, thanks! I probably just gave something big away about the necklace above, didn't I? Doh! Why is your username Ash Kicker Chic? I'm curious!
Mir-kitty: Once again, I can't thank you enough. Your guess is very close… but it's not haunted. You are positively amazing! Truly, thanks!
Amara: yep, you're right! But there's more to it than that! So I've got you hooked, have I? Good, that's what I like to hear!
Julie Fisher: You are just so cool! Thanks for reviewing, it really brightens my day! (Could you see who your character was???)
starship gazer: Oh, thanks so much! I'm really touched! No one has said that sort of thing before! So here it is. Enjoy!
~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that day, Hermione sat in the library with Harry and Ron, finishing Professor Flitwick's essay on famous enchanted objects. For Hermione at least it was quite interesting. But Harry and Ron were moaning, insentlessly.
"Who cares whether the stupid cloak was enchanted or not? The stupid witches could have given themselves the horns, and then have made up the whole enchanted thing."
"The Amara goblet. Grants protection to all who drink from it. Destroyed when Voldermort came to power. Who gives a…"
"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!!!"
"Uh, guys," Hermione interjected. "I've found it."
She was pointing at a page in a book, which had a picture of a large golden sceptre set with glistening ruby's and diamonds.
"The Mirkit Sceptre," Hermione read aloud. "Is one of the most mighty enchanted objects in the history of magic. Created by the four founders of Hogwarts, it has no limitation of power. Only to be used by people of uttermost goodliness and courage, intelligence and cunning, it is the single most powerful talisman against the Dark forces. It is a common belief that the dark lord himself tracked it down, and tried to destroy it, but it didn't work. The current whereabouts of the sceptre is unknown, but it is thought to be in safe hands. It is rumoured to be the only defence against the Avada Kedavra curse. There is a legend attached to the sceptre, that it has an heir, one who is so powerful as to be able to …someone's torn the rest of the page out."
Harry and Ron, who had been listening interestedly, leaned over the table.
"Awww!" Ron exclaimed, looking crestfallen. "That was vaguely interesting!"
"I wonder what the sceptre could do for the heir?" Harry said, thoughtfully.
"Well, why has someone torn half the page out and missed the most important bit?" Hermione pouted.
"Something on the other side?" Ron shrugged his shoulders.
Hermione flipped to the contents and ran her finger down the page numbers listed.
"Just something about the…" Hermione screwed up her eyes to see the tiny writing. "Dragonia Pendent and the legend of The Twentieth Cursed." She slammed the heavy book shut. "Well, this looks quite an interesting read…I'm getting it out."
"Where did you find the book? There might be another copy, or a different book with the same information."
"I found it in the magical objects section."
At that moment Madame Pince bustled over and told them to leave because the Library was closing. Hermione tucked the book under her arm, and followed Harry and Ron to the common room.
~*~*~
"Finished." Ron threw his pen down on the table in triumph. "The whole nine yards. That was quite some work."
Hermione was struggling to keep her face serious.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Gone the whole nine yards, have you Ron?"
"Uhhh, yeah."
Harry got it. He looked like he might laugh too.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just muggle stuff."
Ron rolled his eyes. Harry gave a huge yawn, which set everyone off.
"If it's O.K guys, I'm going to bed."
"You mean you're going to lay on the bed, but read the book."
"Something like that. 'Night."
"Good night."
Hermione ran up the stairs to her dorm, leaving Harry and Ron in the common room. At the top, she pushed open the door. Parvati wasn't in there, but Lavender was fast asleep, hugging Winnie the Pooh close to her chest. Hermione smiled. It's stuff like that, she thought to herself, which could put Ron off Lavender in a serious way.
Hermione walked forward, and promptly stubbed her toe on something. Wincing, she raised her wand.
"Lumos."
By the feeble wand light, Hermione surveyed the mess that Lavender and Parvati had made. Clothes, homework, inconspicuous looking objects which were actually lethally sharp when you trod on them, books, quills. Hermione sighed.
"Naetious" she muttered and with a small rush of wind the room was tidy. Better.
Hermione plonked herself on her bed, and opened the book. She started to relax, and found herself submersed in interesting facts and figures. She read progressively through the thick, musty pages of tiny text feeling her eyelids droop progressively lower, and her brain getting progressively more tired.
Her eyes were just in the process of fluttering shut, when she heard it. Low and singsong. Mocking her in a tone that cut Hermione to the very bone.
*Mudblood.*
Hermione's eyes flew open, and she quickly twisted herself off the bed, half expecting to see a gang of death eaters behind her. She had never heard anyone express a syllable with so much hate.
*Filthy stinking mudblood.*
The voice laughed, cold and low, unmerciful and unnatural.
"Who…who's there?" Hermione quivered, gathering her courage.
More laughter.
*You must know who I am. I hang on your every word, every hour of every day. *
Hang on her every word?
*Not so smart really, are you mudblood? Whatever will you do? THE one, who must know everything, doesn't know something after all. What will you do now? Cry? Go to the library? *
That mirthless laugh again.
"My name's not mudblood it's Hermione." She told the voice, angrily.
*Mudblood must die. *
"What do you mean 'mudblood must die?" Hermione asked, her lip quivering.
*Mudblood – must – DIE, * the voice whispered maliciously. Hermione shook ever so slightly. It was as though invisible hands were softly stroking her neck, smoothing back her hair from her face, touching her larynx.
*The legend of The Twentieth Cursed will be fulfilled. The heir of the founders will cease to exist, all darkness will prevail. * The voice was filling Hermione's head making her mind boggle, her senses dizzy. The hissing turned to crude laughter. And then, mind reeling, Hermione heard it again.
*Mudblood – Will – DIE! *
Partly a combination of fear and anger made Hermione do something very silly indeed. She ran to her bed, climbed on it and started to shout.
"FOR THE LAST TIME, MY NAME IS NOT MUDBLOOD, MY – NAME – IS – HERMIONE. DO YOU HEAR ME????!!!!
Lavender woke with a start, and Parvati burst through the dormitory door, wand raised.
"Hermione? What's wrong?" Parvati asked.
Hermione couldn't answer. The invisible hands at her throat had become more and more harsh, and as she tried to thwart them, they had grabbed hold of her neck, so tight she couldn't breathe and lifted her clean off her feet. Hermione's skin turned blue from lack of oxygen as she fought against her captors. Choking and sobbing, hanging in midair, she suddenly felt the fight go out of her. Parvati was shooting spell after spell at her, but to little effect.
"Lavender, for the love of Jove, HELP ME!" Parvati screamed at her friend. Lavender dived for her wand.
"It's dark!" She moaned. "I can't see a thing. Lumos."
A thin stream of light burst from Lavender's wand.
And, as though the invisible force hanging Hermione in the air was afraid of it, the hands let go, and Hermione fell onto her bed, still choking and unable to breathe. Lavender and Parvati rushed over to her side.
"Hermione! Are you alright?"
"What the HELL happened?"
"Parvati, she's having a sort of asthma attack." Lavender was in total 100% freak out mode. "What will we do?"
"Finite Wheaxarus." Parvati pointed her wand at Hermione, and she was able to breathe normally again. The choking stopped, and silent tears coursed down her cheeks. Lavender touched Hermione's throat. She flinched away from Lavender as thought her fingers were made of fire.
"Look." Lavender said to Parvati, disbelievingly, pointing to the red and white finger marks, livid against the light blue colour Hermione's neck had gone.
"Why?" Hermione breathed throatily. "Why did you do that to me?"
"We didn't do anything to you, 'Mione." Parvati told her gently.
However, Hermione didn't appear to be talking to them.
"Who are you?" She moaned to thin air. Parvati and Lavender looked at each other.
"Parvati, you go and get Ron and Harry. They might know something." Lavender told Parvati. She nodded, and tiptoed off.
Hermione seemed oblivious to everything except who or what she was talking to.
"What are you?"
Hermione's whole body tensed, as though she was straining to hear something.
"Why must I die?"
Lavender looked at Hermione, shocked. Harry and Ron who were just entering hadn't heard. The walked over to the bed, rubbing sleep out of their eyes.
"What is going on? Parvati burst in saying something about Hermione going mad… Oh my god." Ron had caught sight of Hermione's bluish body, taunt almost…possessed.
Lavender ignored him. Hermione was trying to say something. She motioned for the boys to be quiet and watch Hermione's lips.
Hermione's mouth opened and closed soundlessly several times. Her mouth was dry. She licked her lips.
"W…W…Wh…Why m…must…I be…t…t…t…the twenty…twentieth cu…cur…cursed?
Harry cried out suddenly. He heard a small, distant yet distinctly evil voice laughing like a maniac. And a brief pain was felt in his scar. Ron looked at him strangely.
"Why?" Hermione asked again.
But this time it seemed as though the invisible force had had enough of her questions. Suddenly, unavoidably Hermione's rigid, small frame went skidding off the bed…
…And with a sickening crack hit the rough stone wall.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ha! Cliffies, dontcha just hate 'em! I'll leave you being driven mad by suspense until I can get the next chapter out. Will Hermione be O.K? Who is behind the voice? Who, or what is The Twentieth Cursed? Why can only Hermione see the hands, or hear the voice? Why did Harry's scar hurt? Why is that page missing from the library book? Why must Mudblood die? Why must Hermione die? Will Lavender and Parvati ever learn to be tidy?
Well, you ain't gonna find out unless you REVIEW, and tell me what you think!
I'm evil!
:o)
With love,
~*Angelifire*~
0O-}-