After lunch, Harry went to visit Hermione in the hospital wing. She was
awake now, but frequently dozed off for an hour or more after being awake
for a mere ten minutes. Harry was with her long enough to ask her who and
where Sabrina had been living with since her parents' death, but Hermione
couldn't remember.
"I was probably going to say she was with her foster parents or something," she said, yawning. The next moment she had fallen asleep.
Harry pondered this for a while as he went down to the Quidditch field for practice. Maybe that's what Hermione really was going to say. He wanted badly to trust Sabrina, and he decided to do just that for now.
Ron and Sabrina accompanied Harry to the Quidditch field and watched the team practice well into the night. Most of them were falling sideways as they made their way back to the castle.
Harry, Ron, and Sabrina had just reached the entrance hall when Ron cried out, "Look! Up in the sky! What's that?"
Harry turned and he too saw a ball of bright green light hanging in midair over the Quidditch field. "Should we go see what it is?" he asked.
Ron shook his head. "No way! We don't need any detentions this year. Let's just go to bed and see if it's gone tomorrow-"
But Sabrina didn't agree. "Let me see that," she said, and before anyone could stop her, she had seized Harry's Firebolt and run outside. Harry and Ron ran after her, unsure of what she would do next.
Once in the field, Sabrina mounted the Firebolt and took off after the green light. It was almost as if it sensed her approaching, because it immediately zoomed off in the other direction. Sabrina kept on it until the ball of light suddenly stopped. She looked shocked as she ran into the light, not having any time to stop. She screamed as she was knocked from the broom and came hurtling down to the earth.
"Accio stretcher!" exclaimed a voice from behind Harry and Ron. Before Harry could even look to see who it was, Sabrina came to rest on a stretcher that had zoomed out of the castle at top speed.
Sabrina looked up long enough to mutter, "Oh, it had to be her, didn't it?" before collapsing again.
Harry and Ron then turned around to see Professor McGonagall standing with her arms crossed, looking furious.
"What - were - you - DOING?" she yelled, her face turning red. "Flying outside at night unsupervised is a very serious offense that will not be taken lightly. And after everything you two have been through, I think it's time to seriously consider expulsion."
Harry nearly had a heart attack. Expulsion? A whole miserable life with the Dursleys?
"Come with me," said Professor McGonagall sternly.
But before anyone could take a step, the green light came whizzing out of the sky and smacked Professor McGonagall in the back. With a cry, she fell to the ground. The light then turned on Harry and Ron, who had no time to run before the light settled itself on Harry's arm.
"Umm," he said, unsure of what to do. "What is it?"
Ron peered closely at the light, which was now gently bobbing up and down like a buoy. "No clue," he told him. "Maybe we should go bring it to Dumbledore."
"Yeah," agreed Harry. He pointed his wand at Professor McGonagall, clearly said, "Follow me," and began walking to the castle, Professor McGonagall floating upright behind him.
Ron did the same to Sabrina's stretcher, and Harry briefly saw that she appeared to have passed out, for her eyes were closed, although she was breathing with a regular pattern.
When they reached the top of the marble staircase, Harry said, "Ron, take these two to Madam Pomfrey. I'll go see Dumbledore."
Ron nodded and headed for the hospital wing. Harry continued along, still watching the green light. When he reached Dumbledore's office, he realized he didn't know the password. Two years ago it had been 'cockroach cluster', but Harry was pretty sure it had been changed since then. He stared at the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to the headmaster's office.
"Uh, ear wax?" he asked tentatively.
To his immense surprise and pleasure, the gargoyle sprang to life and hopped aside, leaving Harry utterly bewildered as he climbed the stairs to Dumbledore's office. When he reached the great oak door, he knocked and waited a moment before a voice called, "Come in."
Harry opened the door and found Professor Dumbledore sitting at his desk, adding thoughts to his Pensive, a great stone basin full of swirling translucent, silver liquid which were the thoughts Dumbledore no longer wished to dwell on. As Harry sat down across from him, Dumbledore put his wand tip to his temple and removed a thin, silver thought and dropped in the basin. The contents began to swirl madly.
"Hello Harry," said Dumbledore pleasantly. "How are you?"
"Uh, I'm fine, thanks," said Harry, "but Ron, Sabrina, and I found this outside just now." he showed Dumbledore the light, which was now perfectly still on Harry's forearm. "It was bobbing before," he added.
Dumbledore frowned. "Hmm," he said, prodding the light with his wand tip. The light did not react. "Curious, curious."
Harry wondered what was so 'curious'. "Professor?" he asked.
"Yes, Harry?"
"Erm, is this light from the Avada Kedavra curse? I mean, it's green."
Dumbledore looked up quickly. "Harry, it is possible. However, not probable. That curse usually strikes its target and vanishes. If it misses, though. Well, I suppose. But who?" he rubbed his forehead and stared down at the light, still frowning. "Where are Ron and Sabrina?"
Harry's stomach did a somersault. "Well, sir, I had just finished Quidditch practice and Ron, Sabrina, and I were going inside. But Ron saw this light and Sabrina decided to go after it on my broom." Harry held up his Firebolt and continued, "The light zoomed away when she approached it, and then it suddenly stopped. Sabrina ran into the light and came hurtling down to the ground. However, Professor McGonagall was behind Ron and I without our knowing, and she summoned a stretcher, which Sabrina landed on. Then Professor McGonagall started to take us inside, but the light slammed into her back and she passed out, just like Sabrina. Then the light came to rest on my arm, just bobbing lightly up and down. Ron took Professor McGonagall and Sabrina to the hospital wing," Harry took a deep breath.
Dumbledore nodded slowly. He said, "Well, why don't you go see how they're doing? I need to make contact with Mr. Fudge." Cornelius Fudge was the Minister of Magic.
Harry nodded too and left Dumbledore still frowning at the still light. He walked quickly to the hospital wing, meeting Ron there.
"Madam Pomfrey thinks they'll be okay, but she's a bit shaken," Ron informed Harry. "Teachers are hardly ever attacked."
Harry saw Madam Pomfrey round a corner just then and she said, "Boys, there shouldn't be any need to worry. They're both knocked out, but they should awaken by midmorning tomorrow. Now, get some sleep."
Harry and Ron left the hospital wing.
"I was probably going to say she was with her foster parents or something," she said, yawning. The next moment she had fallen asleep.
Harry pondered this for a while as he went down to the Quidditch field for practice. Maybe that's what Hermione really was going to say. He wanted badly to trust Sabrina, and he decided to do just that for now.
Ron and Sabrina accompanied Harry to the Quidditch field and watched the team practice well into the night. Most of them were falling sideways as they made their way back to the castle.
Harry, Ron, and Sabrina had just reached the entrance hall when Ron cried out, "Look! Up in the sky! What's that?"
Harry turned and he too saw a ball of bright green light hanging in midair over the Quidditch field. "Should we go see what it is?" he asked.
Ron shook his head. "No way! We don't need any detentions this year. Let's just go to bed and see if it's gone tomorrow-"
But Sabrina didn't agree. "Let me see that," she said, and before anyone could stop her, she had seized Harry's Firebolt and run outside. Harry and Ron ran after her, unsure of what she would do next.
Once in the field, Sabrina mounted the Firebolt and took off after the green light. It was almost as if it sensed her approaching, because it immediately zoomed off in the other direction. Sabrina kept on it until the ball of light suddenly stopped. She looked shocked as she ran into the light, not having any time to stop. She screamed as she was knocked from the broom and came hurtling down to the earth.
"Accio stretcher!" exclaimed a voice from behind Harry and Ron. Before Harry could even look to see who it was, Sabrina came to rest on a stretcher that had zoomed out of the castle at top speed.
Sabrina looked up long enough to mutter, "Oh, it had to be her, didn't it?" before collapsing again.
Harry and Ron then turned around to see Professor McGonagall standing with her arms crossed, looking furious.
"What - were - you - DOING?" she yelled, her face turning red. "Flying outside at night unsupervised is a very serious offense that will not be taken lightly. And after everything you two have been through, I think it's time to seriously consider expulsion."
Harry nearly had a heart attack. Expulsion? A whole miserable life with the Dursleys?
"Come with me," said Professor McGonagall sternly.
But before anyone could take a step, the green light came whizzing out of the sky and smacked Professor McGonagall in the back. With a cry, she fell to the ground. The light then turned on Harry and Ron, who had no time to run before the light settled itself on Harry's arm.
"Umm," he said, unsure of what to do. "What is it?"
Ron peered closely at the light, which was now gently bobbing up and down like a buoy. "No clue," he told him. "Maybe we should go bring it to Dumbledore."
"Yeah," agreed Harry. He pointed his wand at Professor McGonagall, clearly said, "Follow me," and began walking to the castle, Professor McGonagall floating upright behind him.
Ron did the same to Sabrina's stretcher, and Harry briefly saw that she appeared to have passed out, for her eyes were closed, although she was breathing with a regular pattern.
When they reached the top of the marble staircase, Harry said, "Ron, take these two to Madam Pomfrey. I'll go see Dumbledore."
Ron nodded and headed for the hospital wing. Harry continued along, still watching the green light. When he reached Dumbledore's office, he realized he didn't know the password. Two years ago it had been 'cockroach cluster', but Harry was pretty sure it had been changed since then. He stared at the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to the headmaster's office.
"Uh, ear wax?" he asked tentatively.
To his immense surprise and pleasure, the gargoyle sprang to life and hopped aside, leaving Harry utterly bewildered as he climbed the stairs to Dumbledore's office. When he reached the great oak door, he knocked and waited a moment before a voice called, "Come in."
Harry opened the door and found Professor Dumbledore sitting at his desk, adding thoughts to his Pensive, a great stone basin full of swirling translucent, silver liquid which were the thoughts Dumbledore no longer wished to dwell on. As Harry sat down across from him, Dumbledore put his wand tip to his temple and removed a thin, silver thought and dropped in the basin. The contents began to swirl madly.
"Hello Harry," said Dumbledore pleasantly. "How are you?"
"Uh, I'm fine, thanks," said Harry, "but Ron, Sabrina, and I found this outside just now." he showed Dumbledore the light, which was now perfectly still on Harry's forearm. "It was bobbing before," he added.
Dumbledore frowned. "Hmm," he said, prodding the light with his wand tip. The light did not react. "Curious, curious."
Harry wondered what was so 'curious'. "Professor?" he asked.
"Yes, Harry?"
"Erm, is this light from the Avada Kedavra curse? I mean, it's green."
Dumbledore looked up quickly. "Harry, it is possible. However, not probable. That curse usually strikes its target and vanishes. If it misses, though. Well, I suppose. But who?" he rubbed his forehead and stared down at the light, still frowning. "Where are Ron and Sabrina?"
Harry's stomach did a somersault. "Well, sir, I had just finished Quidditch practice and Ron, Sabrina, and I were going inside. But Ron saw this light and Sabrina decided to go after it on my broom." Harry held up his Firebolt and continued, "The light zoomed away when she approached it, and then it suddenly stopped. Sabrina ran into the light and came hurtling down to the ground. However, Professor McGonagall was behind Ron and I without our knowing, and she summoned a stretcher, which Sabrina landed on. Then Professor McGonagall started to take us inside, but the light slammed into her back and she passed out, just like Sabrina. Then the light came to rest on my arm, just bobbing lightly up and down. Ron took Professor McGonagall and Sabrina to the hospital wing," Harry took a deep breath.
Dumbledore nodded slowly. He said, "Well, why don't you go see how they're doing? I need to make contact with Mr. Fudge." Cornelius Fudge was the Minister of Magic.
Harry nodded too and left Dumbledore still frowning at the still light. He walked quickly to the hospital wing, meeting Ron there.
"Madam Pomfrey thinks they'll be okay, but she's a bit shaken," Ron informed Harry. "Teachers are hardly ever attacked."
Harry saw Madam Pomfrey round a corner just then and she said, "Boys, there shouldn't be any need to worry. They're both knocked out, but they should awaken by midmorning tomorrow. Now, get some sleep."
Harry and Ron left the hospital wing.