"Where is she? Where did she go, Ron?" Harry tore through the Gryffindor Tower, flinging open dormitory doors. "We have to find her, especially if the Malfoys are still here."
A sleepy-eyed prefect poked her head out of her dormitory. "What's going on, Potter?! It's late, people are sleeping, you know." She yawned hugely.
"Fern, have you seen Ann?" Harry was frantic.
"Yeah. We gave her the password to the prefect's bath. She looked like she needed some alone time."
"What's the password, Fern?" Hermione pushed past Harry. "Ann might be in serious trouble and we need to find her, now."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The three friends stood outside the prefect's bathroom, listening. They could hear muffled sounds from inside, but nothing distinct. Harry started to turn away, to look elsewhere, when an immense pain tore across his forehead. He heard Ann, screaming, as if she was inside his head. The pain was staggering. He flung out an arm to support himself against the wall. Hermione gasped aloud.
"Harry. Your scar. It's bleeding."
"She's here. And so is Malfoy. Hermione, open it." Harry raised his wand, as did Ron. Hermione stepped close to the door, and spoke clearly. "Privacy." The door popped open.
Titus Malfoy whirled to face them. His crisp white shirt was spattered with blood and more blood dripped from the short length of cane in his right hand. On the floor, Ann crouched as close to the wall as she could, trying to shield her face from the blows. Her back was striped with open wounds, which she tried to cover with the tatters of her robe. Her breath came in harsh gasps interspersed with almost soundless cries. Harry screamed her name as he raised his wand, intending to deliver a killing curse.
"Expelliarmus!" a different voice roared from behind the three friends.
Harry was flung away from Malfoy, his wand spinning into a far corner. Ron and Hermione whipped around, intending to curse the interfering person.
"Headmaster!" The pair dropped their wands.
"Indeed. I regret that I did not arrive sooner. Perhaps this moment could have been prevented."
Harry lunged to his feet, reaching for his wand.
"Harry Potter! Cease!!" Dumbledore seemed to grow to an immense size. Harry backed away from the headmaster, suddenly unsure of himself. "Harry, I believe that Ann requires your assistance. I will take care of Mr. Malfoy until the Azkaban guards arrive. If you would, please, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, help Harry get Miss Llewellyn-Pale to the infirmary."
Harry woudln't let anyone else touch Ann. Her stripped off his Quidditch robes and wrapped them around her, then lifted her carefully into his arms. He winced when she moaned at the contact against her injured skin. Hermione saw tears well up in his eyes and heard him whisper to Ann.
"I'm so sorry, Ann."