FIVE
Birds and Beasts
***
Three days before exams, I went to Herbology class, to find that Ginny was looking a little bit pale. She seemed preoccupied the entire class, and kept staring at something under the table. When Professor Sprout called her name, she jumped out of her shoes, but the professor had just wanted to ask her if she was all right. Ginny said, "Yes! Yes," and continued picking threads out of the frayed edge of her sleeve.
After class we slipped away from Professor Sprout, while she was helping up a Gryffindor boy who had tripped on his robes. Ginny looked at me with wide, frightened eyes. "I can't stand it anymore," she said. "I can feel the book pulling at me. I've got to do something! This morning at breakfast I nearly told Harry everything! At first I thought there wasn't much worse than being expelled. But this is! I have to fight..."
Then her eyes became distant, and she wore a smug smile that looked strange on her face. She spoke in a low voice: "You have not kept me away this long by yourselves. I was merely hiding. It won't be that easy. She has given too much of herself to me." Tom put Ginny's wand to her own throat, and said, "Give me the diary, or I will kill her now."
I didn't know what else to do. I gave her the diary.
She ran up to the castle. When she was out of sight, I turned into a bat and followed. She went up to the corridor where the victims had been found, and began painting a message on the wall. I couldn't read it as a bat. It wasn't solid; it didn't reflect sound. I hid behind a pillar to transform once again. I looked out in horror as the words appeared before me: Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever. She had the strange grin on her face as she clutched the diary and started walking towards me. I ducked back behind the pillar. Does she see me? I shouldn't have transformed until she was gone! But then I thought I heard a door open and close. It was quiet, and I dared to look out. Ginny was gone! I noticed the bathroom door with its perpetual out-of-order sign. She must have gone in there.
I was scared, but I needed to find out where Ginny was. I took out my wand and steadied myself to follow. Quietly I opened the door and looked in. There was no one there. "Ginny?" I whispered. I walked in. It was dead quiet. I checked all the stalls. I was suddenly unsure that she had gone in. There are many ways to disappear. But Ginny was gone! I needed help. I rushed out of the bathroom.
I was running through a long, dark, deserted corridor, when a stern voice rang out. "Who's there?" said Professor McGonagall, as she appeared at the end of the hall. I stopped in front of her, catching my breath. "Miss Wellington!" she said, shocked. "Students roaming the halls by themselves! Is no one taking this situation seriously?" she seemed to say to the ceiling. "I'd expect it of young Potter and his friends, but you, Miss Wellington!"
"Professor!" I said urgently. "Ginny's been taken to the chamber! She ran off after Herbology - I think a spell or something was controlling her - and I followed her to the corridor. I'm not sure where she went after that, I think it was that out of order bathroom, but, Professor, there was a message on the wall! It said, her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever!"
"Oh, dear," the professor said quietly, her eyes wide. Then she shook herself a little, and said, "I shall have to inform the staff. All classes must be cancelled. But first I'll return you to your dormitory. Come with me."
As we approached the little round door with its brass knocker, I asked her, "Professor McGonagall, do you know why Harry wasn't in class?"
"He and Ron Weasley were just trying to visit Miss Granger in the hospital wing," she said sadly. "I let them go, because I know how hard it must be for the students whose friends have been attacked. I can't tell you how sorry I am that all of this had to happen." She hurried off, trying to keep from showing her distress.
I knew where Harry was. I knew that Ginny had been taken, and maybe where the Chamber was. I had to go find him and tell him. I transformed into a bat so that I would not be stopped again, and glided through the dark corridors as fast as I could. I got to the hospital wing just in time to see Ron and Harry hurrying out. I couldn't stop and become human again for fear of losing them. They ducked into the teacher's lounge, but I didn't have time to go after them, because just as I got to the door, Professor McGonagall's voice boomed through the castle. My bat ears shook.
She told the teachers to take the students to their dormitories, and then meet in the teachers' lounge. I wondered if I should go back, so that I wouldn't be missed. But I had to talk to Harry! I perched upside down over the door, and turned my big black ears in, so I could listen. I heard Professor McGonagall announce to the staff that Ginny had disappeared. I heard Professor Lockhart's footsteps approach, and the conversation as he entered the room. The coward! I thought. He isn't going to try to save Ginny! Neither are the others! They're all just giving up! Her only hope now is the heroic Harry - or me. I wondered what I could do, but I had to try.
Then I was startled by a voice from beside me. "What's that? A bat? Sitting on the wall, bold as brass." It was Filch, coming along the corridor with a broom, which he suddenly lifted and waved at me. "Filthy bat!" he shouted. "We want none of your kind in here, you ugly, disgusting creature! I've got enough trouble around here without having to sweep up old bat droppings. Shoo! Get out!"
He chased me down the corridor, and into a classroom with an open window. I tried to get past him, into the castle again, but even a smart bat couldn't do it. Filch knew what he was about. He forced me out the window, and shut it in my face.
As I flew around the school, looking for a way back in, I thought back on the staff meeting I had heard. If McGonagall wasn't even going to try to save Ginny, what was the point in telling her what I knew about the whys, hows and whos? She just didn't know what to do, not like Dumbledore always seems to. Now that Ginny was probably dying, I wished I had told Dumbledore while I had the chance. I wished he could come back and fix everything.
I was angry at myself for not knowing what to do, and letting this happen to my friend. I was angry at the existence of magic, for making such secret and terrible things possible. I wished I had never come to this horrid castle! I flew fast and blindly. I saw an open window in a tower, and sped in. I didn't realize what I was doing until I found myself pinned to the stone floor by a huge, sharp talon. This little flying furball was owl food!
Stunned, I squeaked loudly, and saw the beak of a large white owl bearing down on me. I tried to get ahold of myself, and concentrate on transforming. As I started to grow, the owl flew up, startled. "Whooo?" Shaken, I took account of myself. That had been a hasty change, but I was all there, with my robes, wand, and even my schoolbag. I had had it with me when I left Herbology that morning to follow Ginny. Then I finally looked around at where I was. Hundreds of owls looked down at me with confusion in their glowing yellow eyes. The big white one edged toward me curiously, and it almost seemed to be apologizing.
"You're Harry's owl, aren't you?" I asked, for there weren't many giant snowy owls up here. She perked up at the mention of his name. "I'm trying to help him save Ginny." I had an idea. "Could you carry a letter to Dumbledore for me? It's urgent."
I wrote down everything I knew. Maybe he could come in time to help. If none of us came back from the chamber, he would know what happened, and who was responsible. I tied the letter to the snowy owl's leg, and sent her off with my fervent hopes.
Then I heard a noise on the stairs, and I quickly looked for a place to hide. I watched Percy Weasley wander in with a letter in his hand, addressed to his parents. It was shaking. He must be telling them about Ginny, I thought. I had to stay quiet. Otherwise I would be caught and I would be no use to Ginny. But I didn't like spying on Percy like this. He must feel worse than anyone.
He stood looking lost for a moment, then chose a small brown owl with black patterns on his wings. It seemed to me that he took forever just to tie the twine around its leg. Then Percy took it to the window and watched the dark owl fly away.
As he left, I was more determined than ever to do something. I was back inside the castle. Looking up at the owls with their many hard gold eyes, and shuddering at the memory, I left the owlery and went down the stairs before I donned my own wings again.
What could I do? What was Harry going to do? What could I do without him? I had no idea how to open the Chamber. I had no idea what to do if I suddenly came face-to-face with Voldemort, the dark lord who thousands of wizards still feared to name.
Birds and Beasts
***
Three days before exams, I went to Herbology class, to find that Ginny was looking a little bit pale. She seemed preoccupied the entire class, and kept staring at something under the table. When Professor Sprout called her name, she jumped out of her shoes, but the professor had just wanted to ask her if she was all right. Ginny said, "Yes! Yes," and continued picking threads out of the frayed edge of her sleeve.
After class we slipped away from Professor Sprout, while she was helping up a Gryffindor boy who had tripped on his robes. Ginny looked at me with wide, frightened eyes. "I can't stand it anymore," she said. "I can feel the book pulling at me. I've got to do something! This morning at breakfast I nearly told Harry everything! At first I thought there wasn't much worse than being expelled. But this is! I have to fight..."
Then her eyes became distant, and she wore a smug smile that looked strange on her face. She spoke in a low voice: "You have not kept me away this long by yourselves. I was merely hiding. It won't be that easy. She has given too much of herself to me." Tom put Ginny's wand to her own throat, and said, "Give me the diary, or I will kill her now."
I didn't know what else to do. I gave her the diary.
She ran up to the castle. When she was out of sight, I turned into a bat and followed. She went up to the corridor where the victims had been found, and began painting a message on the wall. I couldn't read it as a bat. It wasn't solid; it didn't reflect sound. I hid behind a pillar to transform once again. I looked out in horror as the words appeared before me: Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever. She had the strange grin on her face as she clutched the diary and started walking towards me. I ducked back behind the pillar. Does she see me? I shouldn't have transformed until she was gone! But then I thought I heard a door open and close. It was quiet, and I dared to look out. Ginny was gone! I noticed the bathroom door with its perpetual out-of-order sign. She must have gone in there.
I was scared, but I needed to find out where Ginny was. I took out my wand and steadied myself to follow. Quietly I opened the door and looked in. There was no one there. "Ginny?" I whispered. I walked in. It was dead quiet. I checked all the stalls. I was suddenly unsure that she had gone in. There are many ways to disappear. But Ginny was gone! I needed help. I rushed out of the bathroom.
I was running through a long, dark, deserted corridor, when a stern voice rang out. "Who's there?" said Professor McGonagall, as she appeared at the end of the hall. I stopped in front of her, catching my breath. "Miss Wellington!" she said, shocked. "Students roaming the halls by themselves! Is no one taking this situation seriously?" she seemed to say to the ceiling. "I'd expect it of young Potter and his friends, but you, Miss Wellington!"
"Professor!" I said urgently. "Ginny's been taken to the chamber! She ran off after Herbology - I think a spell or something was controlling her - and I followed her to the corridor. I'm not sure where she went after that, I think it was that out of order bathroom, but, Professor, there was a message on the wall! It said, her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever!"
"Oh, dear," the professor said quietly, her eyes wide. Then she shook herself a little, and said, "I shall have to inform the staff. All classes must be cancelled. But first I'll return you to your dormitory. Come with me."
As we approached the little round door with its brass knocker, I asked her, "Professor McGonagall, do you know why Harry wasn't in class?"
"He and Ron Weasley were just trying to visit Miss Granger in the hospital wing," she said sadly. "I let them go, because I know how hard it must be for the students whose friends have been attacked. I can't tell you how sorry I am that all of this had to happen." She hurried off, trying to keep from showing her distress.
I knew where Harry was. I knew that Ginny had been taken, and maybe where the Chamber was. I had to go find him and tell him. I transformed into a bat so that I would not be stopped again, and glided through the dark corridors as fast as I could. I got to the hospital wing just in time to see Ron and Harry hurrying out. I couldn't stop and become human again for fear of losing them. They ducked into the teacher's lounge, but I didn't have time to go after them, because just as I got to the door, Professor McGonagall's voice boomed through the castle. My bat ears shook.
She told the teachers to take the students to their dormitories, and then meet in the teachers' lounge. I wondered if I should go back, so that I wouldn't be missed. But I had to talk to Harry! I perched upside down over the door, and turned my big black ears in, so I could listen. I heard Professor McGonagall announce to the staff that Ginny had disappeared. I heard Professor Lockhart's footsteps approach, and the conversation as he entered the room. The coward! I thought. He isn't going to try to save Ginny! Neither are the others! They're all just giving up! Her only hope now is the heroic Harry - or me. I wondered what I could do, but I had to try.
Then I was startled by a voice from beside me. "What's that? A bat? Sitting on the wall, bold as brass." It was Filch, coming along the corridor with a broom, which he suddenly lifted and waved at me. "Filthy bat!" he shouted. "We want none of your kind in here, you ugly, disgusting creature! I've got enough trouble around here without having to sweep up old bat droppings. Shoo! Get out!"
He chased me down the corridor, and into a classroom with an open window. I tried to get past him, into the castle again, but even a smart bat couldn't do it. Filch knew what he was about. He forced me out the window, and shut it in my face.
As I flew around the school, looking for a way back in, I thought back on the staff meeting I had heard. If McGonagall wasn't even going to try to save Ginny, what was the point in telling her what I knew about the whys, hows and whos? She just didn't know what to do, not like Dumbledore always seems to. Now that Ginny was probably dying, I wished I had told Dumbledore while I had the chance. I wished he could come back and fix everything.
I was angry at myself for not knowing what to do, and letting this happen to my friend. I was angry at the existence of magic, for making such secret and terrible things possible. I wished I had never come to this horrid castle! I flew fast and blindly. I saw an open window in a tower, and sped in. I didn't realize what I was doing until I found myself pinned to the stone floor by a huge, sharp talon. This little flying furball was owl food!
Stunned, I squeaked loudly, and saw the beak of a large white owl bearing down on me. I tried to get ahold of myself, and concentrate on transforming. As I started to grow, the owl flew up, startled. "Whooo?" Shaken, I took account of myself. That had been a hasty change, but I was all there, with my robes, wand, and even my schoolbag. I had had it with me when I left Herbology that morning to follow Ginny. Then I finally looked around at where I was. Hundreds of owls looked down at me with confusion in their glowing yellow eyes. The big white one edged toward me curiously, and it almost seemed to be apologizing.
"You're Harry's owl, aren't you?" I asked, for there weren't many giant snowy owls up here. She perked up at the mention of his name. "I'm trying to help him save Ginny." I had an idea. "Could you carry a letter to Dumbledore for me? It's urgent."
I wrote down everything I knew. Maybe he could come in time to help. If none of us came back from the chamber, he would know what happened, and who was responsible. I tied the letter to the snowy owl's leg, and sent her off with my fervent hopes.
Then I heard a noise on the stairs, and I quickly looked for a place to hide. I watched Percy Weasley wander in with a letter in his hand, addressed to his parents. It was shaking. He must be telling them about Ginny, I thought. I had to stay quiet. Otherwise I would be caught and I would be no use to Ginny. But I didn't like spying on Percy like this. He must feel worse than anyone.
He stood looking lost for a moment, then chose a small brown owl with black patterns on his wings. It seemed to me that he took forever just to tie the twine around its leg. Then Percy took it to the window and watched the dark owl fly away.
As he left, I was more determined than ever to do something. I was back inside the castle. Looking up at the owls with their many hard gold eyes, and shuddering at the memory, I left the owlery and went down the stairs before I donned my own wings again.
What could I do? What was Harry going to do? What could I do without him? I had no idea how to open the Chamber. I had no idea what to do if I suddenly came face-to-face with Voldemort, the dark lord who thousands of wizards still feared to name.