Chapter 8

That night Harry kept spinning the day's events over in his head. A dragon, what did Dumbledor want with a dragon? And what was Hermoine up to? Snores coming from the bed next to his told Harry that Ron was asleep. Harry suddenly heard a noise, it was coming from outside his window. It was like a whisper, faint at first but growing slightly louder. Harry could just make out the words now, they seemed to be coming from outside the dormitory window "He's coming, he's after you, he'll get you, he'll get revenge". It kept repeating these words. Harry climbed out of bed and walked to the window, he looked out, there was nothing there. But where was that voice coming from. Harry looked down at the ground and he saw something move, there was no mistaking what it was. It was the creature that looked like his dad and it was carrying a big bag over its shoulder.

"Its back." Harry muttered to himself.

"Ron get over here, quick." Harry called to Ron, but Ron didn't reply. Quietly as possible Harry walked over to Ron's bed and pulled back the curtain. Harry gasped, Ron wasn't there. Harry did the first thing that came to his mind, he ran down the stairs to get Sirius. When he got there he saw Sirius lying on the floor unconscious with a cut on his forehead.

"Wake up, please wake up." Harry said tapping Sirius on the cheek, this didn't help so Harry stopped and checked his pulse. Good he's still alive, Harry thought relief washing over him.

"I'll be back in a minute." Harry told the unconscious Sirius. Then he ran up to the girl's dormitory.

"Wake up." Harry panted. "Sirius…downstairs…Ron…disappeared." Then Harry ran back downstairs to Sirius, who had just awakened, the girls quickly followed him.

"What's going on?" Hermoine asked.

"Ron's been kidnapped." Harry said glumly. There was a shocked silence.

"Who did it." Sirius asked." I didn't get a chance to see them."

"It was the thing that was here last night." Harry replied." I saw it outside the window carrying a big back, then I realised Ron wasn't here."

"Right everyone go back to bed, including you Hermoine." Sirius ordered, she started to protest but the stern look on Sirius's face told her not to disagree. When Sirius had made sure that no one was trying to listen from the stairs he sat down and gestured for Harry to do the same.

"Are you ok Harry?" Sirius asked Harry worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine but what about you? And what's going to happen to Ron?" Harry replied panicking.

"Calm down Harry, I'll get Dumbledor to send out a search party." Sirius said standing up." We'll need to get those extra security measures put in quick."

"What security measure's?" Harry asked also standing up now. But Sirius ignored him and walked to the portrait hole.

"Follow me." Sirius ordered, but Harry already knew where they were going, to Dumbledor's office. Before Harry knew it they were standing in front of Dumbledor explaining what had happened and that Ron was missing.

"Don't worry Harry I'll send out a search party to look for him." Said Dumbledor calmly." And as for this creature, I now know what it is based on the information you have given me."

"What is it?" Harry asked, panic starting to build up inside of him.

"It's a spell." Dumbledor said plainly." Its called "Undeathis Returno". It brings a dead person into a part ghost; it can carry things and is controlled by the caster. The worst part about it is no spell can touch them, the only way of breaking the spell is to use the hottest flames known on it or when the caster makes them."

"Now I need a word with you in private Dumbledor, Harry would you wait outside." Sirius asked Harry.

"Sure." Said Harry walking out of Dumbledors office. Harry waited for about five minutes, finally Sirius emerged from the office to take him back to his dormitory. All that night Harry lay awake, to scared to close his eyes.

The next day rumours where spreading about Ron and the creature, each of these rumours more exaggerated than the last. A few days had gone by and nothing else out of the ordinary happen, although there was now bags the size of tennis balls under Harry's eyes. The fourth day after Ron was missing no one had come close to finding any clue of where he was, by now Harry was really worried and scared about what had happened to him. On the fifth day Harry and Hermoine were walking down to care of magical creatures, Hermoine was trying to get Harry's mind off Ron by reading him facts from Deadly and Dangerous Creatures.

"Did you know that the flame from a Norwegian ridgeback dragon is the hottest flame known." Hermoine read. This sparked a memory in Harry's head, what was it that Dumbledor had said, " the only way of breaking the spell is to use the hottest flames known on it", and that time they heard Bill say he could get him a dragon. But before Harry could think about this they had reached Hagrid's hut.

"Hello there." Said Hagrid in a cheery voice." Got a real treat for yer this year."

"Yeah, cos those your last treat of those blast-end shkrewts went down really well." Said Malfoy sarcastically walking up behind Harry.

"You shut up Malfoy, or I'll give you a detention." Hagrid shouted back at Malfoy. But Harry had had enough he drew his wand and aimed it at Malfoy.

"Armos bendio" Harry yelled, Malfoy's arm spanned up behind his back and started pulling upwards.

"Aarggghhhhh." Malfoy cried out in pain, Crabbe and Goyle were reaching in to their robes for their wands when Hagrid shouted, "STOP", it nearly deafened everyone in the area.

"Armos normatis." Hagrid said, pointing his umbrella at Malfoy. Malfoy's face was now changing from pain to anger, but he didn't reach for his wand. There was a moment's silence, which was interrupted by Hagrid.

"Now, lets get started. This term I have some extraordinary creatures for you, but they are also very dangerous." Said Hagrid looking very pleased with himself. "They're called Spikeballs. Com'on there over here". Hagrid lead them over to a fenced off area behind his hut. They all looked in side, but couldn't see anything.

"So, where are they." Malfoy grinned." All I see are some boulders."

"Watch." Said Hagrid picking up a small stone. He threw it at the nearest boulder, to everyone's surprise when the stone hit the boulder the boulder shot spikes out of its self at all angles. It then unrolled itself, it was about ten feet long when fully rolled out. Its underside was a dark yellow colour and I had two holes in its face for a nose, and it had two eyes that were as big as small footballs, its hears where not visible but its mouth was the size of a banana. Hagrid threw another stone at it, its mouth opened wide and they saw two rows of razor sharp teeth. It move towards the stone and caught it in its mouth and began to chew.

"Don't worry, they only eat rocks." Hagrid told them after seeing the frightened expression on the girl's faces." Now everyone throw them rocks, so that they can eat and get used to your smell." Malfoy picked up a rock and through it as hard as he could at the Spikeballs, the rest of the Slytherines did the same but to their annoyance the Spikeballs caught them every time. The Gryffindors were a lot kinder and threw them to them, not at them. About three minutes after they started feeding them, the Spikeballs rolled back up. Hagrid walked over to them.

"That's enough feeding for toda…" He was cut off by a voice that could only just be heard. "Help me", it seemed to be saying.

"Hagrid that's Ron's voice." Harry shouted in a surprised voice." Its coming from the forest."

"Wait here." Said Hagrid and ran off into the forest, a murmur of people talking excitedly. Minutes Hagrid came back into view carrying Ron in his arms.

"Everyone, the rest of this period is free, I'm taking him to the hospital wing." Hagrid panted then ran off.