"I want to know who did this," Jessica growled as they made their way
across the wet and spongy lawn back toward the castle.
"What makes you think someone did this? Do you think maybe the gloves malfunctioned by themselves?" Harry asked.
"No," Jessica said, shaking her head, "Professor Sprout has been teaching this subject for a long time, don't you think she would have seen a glove malfunction before? And she even said she didn't know how to fix it."
Neither of them said anything for a while.
"Can you imagine how stupid we look?" Harry asked, as a wind picked up, blowing their hands to the far right.
Jessica grinned. "If it's half as stupid as I think it is, we'll be lynched the moment our hands are down again."
Harry laughed.
"I think this is probably one of the worst days I've ever had," Jessica said, now laughing too.
"Oh, it's not over yet," Harry said, "We still have our detention tonight."
Jessica sighed.
They talked very little for the rest of their trip to the hospital wing. When they were just a few corridors away from it, Harry suddenly stopped walking.
Jessica, who hadn't noticed, kept going, and tripped when her hands (still attached to his) pulled her back.
"Harry!" she said, exasperated, "What are you doing? If we don't hurry, the leaves will stop working!"
Harry didn't answer her, he merely continued to stare down a darkened corridor to their right.
"What is it?" Jessica whispered, trying to get a good look.
Harry didn't say anything.
"Harry," she said slowly, "You're scaring me."
Harry remained silent for a moment longer.
"What do you see down there?" he asked suddenly.
"What? Where?" she asked incredulously, craning her neck to see down the corridor.
"There," he said, pointing his free hand to the end of the dark corridor.
Jessica leaned forward even more, nearly losing her balance. That's when she saw it.
At the end of the corridor, a small figure was hunched over in the corner. A candle had been recently lit, burning at the feet of the figure. At first, she had not recognized it. From where she and Harry were standing, the candle was not visible and the dark figure blended with the smoky wall behind it perfectly.
"What is that?" Jessica said shakily, completely forgetting that they had a strict time limit in which to reach the hospital wing.
Harry shook his head. "I don't know."
Jessica had begun to shake, although she couldn't explain why. "Harry, please, let's get out of here," she whispered, pulling him away slightly by tugging her hands.
Harry remained transfixed, staring at that figure with an odd glazed look in his eyes.
"Harry," Jessica said a little louder.
He made no move, nor did he respond.
"Harry!" Jessica shouted in to his ear, growing more terrified by the second.
Without warning, the figure at the end of the hall shifted. It stood slowly. Jessica gasped, and tried to pull Harry away. In an instant, two fiery red eyes had appeared near the top of the still dark figure. Before Jessica had time to react, it was drifting down the hall toward them.
Jessica's scar suddenly began to sear as it never had before. She screamed in pain and stumbled back. Harry was still staring at the figure, unaware of anything happening around him. Still being bound at the hands, Jessica was unable to run or even to prod him back to his senses, so, she did the only thing she knew how to do.
She leaned way back, counting on her weightless hands to hold her up, raised her left leg, and kicked him as hard as she possibly could in the back of the legs.
Instantly, he stumbled. Jessica took advantage of his momentary consciousness.
"Harry!" she screamed, "Move! Come on!" She jerked her hands violently, and he responded.
They raced down the next corridor, the shadowy figure still following them, now gaining speed.
With a jolt of the stomach, Jessica realized that her hands were becoming heavier by the second. If the leaves were to wear off before they reached the hospital wing…
She pulled her hands in front of her, bolting down one corridor after another. After what felt like a year, but was more like a minute, they came in sight of the hospital wing. Jessica's hands were now hanging down past her waist, making it very difficult to run, but Harry was helping her. He had apparently broken free of his trance and was now leading the way with their running. The shadowy figure had closed its range behind them to about three feet, and Jessica could hear its rattled breathing. The only thing that kept her running was the pure, extreme fear, which was coursing through her veins. Her scar was still burning painfully, but that didn't matter to her now. The only thought on her mind, her only purpose for being was to get to that hospital wing.
Her hands were weighing them down more by the second, now hanging below her knees. The figure was now a foot behind them. Jessica could feel its breath, causing the hair on her neck to stand on end. With one last effort, she concentrated all her energy and dove straight in to the hospital wing, where Harry slammed and bolted the door behind them.
Harry slumped against the door, breathing hard. Putting his ear against it, he held up a hand to silence Jessica. They stood like that for a full minute before Harry finally straightened up.
"I think it's gone," he whispered.
"Where's Madame Pomfrey?" Jessica said, casting a glance around the office. She would have been much more relieved about escaping, had her hands not been becoming heavier by the second.
"I don't know," Harry sounded bewildered, "She's usually always in here. I don't know where she could be…"
At that instant, Madame Pomfrey's office door was flung open.
"What is all this racket?" she demanded, "I was writing a very important letter and I…" She stopped upon seeing their hands, now touching the floor. "Freeze," she commanded, suddenly businesslike, "Don't move anything."
She reached over to a plant that was sitting on the windowsill. Jessica sighed as she realized it was yet another Doleflower. As she watched, Madame Pomfrey hurried over and shoved a great quantity of small yellow leaves in to the gloves.
"Sit," she ordered, pointing at the nearest bed. They did as they were told, and Madame Pomfrey hurried to her cabinet, rummaging through jars and bottles.
Harry and Jessica said nothing. They were each amazed that Madame Pomfrey had made no comment about how they looked like they had just run a 10K.
In close to no time, Madame Pomfrey was standing in front of them again, now holding a small glass bottle.
"Only once before in my career have I had to use this," she said, shaking her head. "Now hold still, or you'll get one nasty burn," she said, leaning over the gloves.
Jessica and Harry froze obediently, scarcely daring to breathe. Madame Pomfrey pulled out the tiny cork, which kept the bottle sealed. Jessica immediately crinkled her nose as the smell of something rotten permeated the air. Then, before either of them could react, Madame Pomfrey dumped a large quantity of the contents directly on to the gloves.
Jessica watched, amazed, as the gloves seemed to melt before her eyes. Harry jerked back slightly when it started to melt where his fingers were connected to it.
It was over in about ten seconds. The gloves were gone, but now Jessica had two big red marks around her wrists, and a large amount of Doleflower leaves clutched in her right fist. She looked up at Madame Pomfrey, who was putting the cork to the bottle back in.
"There now," she said finally, setting the tiny bottle down, "Hold on just one more minute." She turned back to her medicine cabinet and once again busied herself with its contents.
Enormously relieved that she now had her hands back, Jessica lifted her arms and stretched. Before she could really enjoy them though, Madame Pomfrey was back and had seized both of her arms.
Jessica looked on as Madame Pomfrey wrapped her hands, wrists, and forearms in thick white gauze. Then, she turned to Harry and wrapped his entire right hand.
"That," she said, straightening up, "Will keep the acid from seeping back up through your skin and burning you."
Jessica was sure she felt Harry shudder next to her.
"I would demand that you stay here for a few days," Madame Pomfrey continued, eyeing them carefully, "But you seem alright enough to go on with your classes. Speaking of which, I think you should get back to them right now. If your hands start to burn again, come straight to me." She moved to the door.
"Now who locked this?" she said, more to herself than Harry and Jessica. She unstuck the bolt, shaking her head. Harry and Jessica jumped off the bed and walked over to the door, trying not to look too guilty. Jessica turned to thank Madame Pomfrey, but she was already headed back in to her office, muttering something about not-so-harmless pranksters.
(A/N) oook! Here's the next chapter! Hoooooooraaaaayyy!! Oh yes, the dance is approaching fast ^_^ so be prepared for that! I promise that updates will be coming sooner from now on I've just been a little busy lately! But today we had a snow day!!! Yeaaaa!!!! Ok well that's all! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! heehee ok im done :D
SO much for stopping at 40 chapters, huh?
"What makes you think someone did this? Do you think maybe the gloves malfunctioned by themselves?" Harry asked.
"No," Jessica said, shaking her head, "Professor Sprout has been teaching this subject for a long time, don't you think she would have seen a glove malfunction before? And she even said she didn't know how to fix it."
Neither of them said anything for a while.
"Can you imagine how stupid we look?" Harry asked, as a wind picked up, blowing their hands to the far right.
Jessica grinned. "If it's half as stupid as I think it is, we'll be lynched the moment our hands are down again."
Harry laughed.
"I think this is probably one of the worst days I've ever had," Jessica said, now laughing too.
"Oh, it's not over yet," Harry said, "We still have our detention tonight."
Jessica sighed.
They talked very little for the rest of their trip to the hospital wing. When they were just a few corridors away from it, Harry suddenly stopped walking.
Jessica, who hadn't noticed, kept going, and tripped when her hands (still attached to his) pulled her back.
"Harry!" she said, exasperated, "What are you doing? If we don't hurry, the leaves will stop working!"
Harry didn't answer her, he merely continued to stare down a darkened corridor to their right.
"What is it?" Jessica whispered, trying to get a good look.
Harry didn't say anything.
"Harry," she said slowly, "You're scaring me."
Harry remained silent for a moment longer.
"What do you see down there?" he asked suddenly.
"What? Where?" she asked incredulously, craning her neck to see down the corridor.
"There," he said, pointing his free hand to the end of the dark corridor.
Jessica leaned forward even more, nearly losing her balance. That's when she saw it.
At the end of the corridor, a small figure was hunched over in the corner. A candle had been recently lit, burning at the feet of the figure. At first, she had not recognized it. From where she and Harry were standing, the candle was not visible and the dark figure blended with the smoky wall behind it perfectly.
"What is that?" Jessica said shakily, completely forgetting that they had a strict time limit in which to reach the hospital wing.
Harry shook his head. "I don't know."
Jessica had begun to shake, although she couldn't explain why. "Harry, please, let's get out of here," she whispered, pulling him away slightly by tugging her hands.
Harry remained transfixed, staring at that figure with an odd glazed look in his eyes.
"Harry," Jessica said a little louder.
He made no move, nor did he respond.
"Harry!" Jessica shouted in to his ear, growing more terrified by the second.
Without warning, the figure at the end of the hall shifted. It stood slowly. Jessica gasped, and tried to pull Harry away. In an instant, two fiery red eyes had appeared near the top of the still dark figure. Before Jessica had time to react, it was drifting down the hall toward them.
Jessica's scar suddenly began to sear as it never had before. She screamed in pain and stumbled back. Harry was still staring at the figure, unaware of anything happening around him. Still being bound at the hands, Jessica was unable to run or even to prod him back to his senses, so, she did the only thing she knew how to do.
She leaned way back, counting on her weightless hands to hold her up, raised her left leg, and kicked him as hard as she possibly could in the back of the legs.
Instantly, he stumbled. Jessica took advantage of his momentary consciousness.
"Harry!" she screamed, "Move! Come on!" She jerked her hands violently, and he responded.
They raced down the next corridor, the shadowy figure still following them, now gaining speed.
With a jolt of the stomach, Jessica realized that her hands were becoming heavier by the second. If the leaves were to wear off before they reached the hospital wing…
She pulled her hands in front of her, bolting down one corridor after another. After what felt like a year, but was more like a minute, they came in sight of the hospital wing. Jessica's hands were now hanging down past her waist, making it very difficult to run, but Harry was helping her. He had apparently broken free of his trance and was now leading the way with their running. The shadowy figure had closed its range behind them to about three feet, and Jessica could hear its rattled breathing. The only thing that kept her running was the pure, extreme fear, which was coursing through her veins. Her scar was still burning painfully, but that didn't matter to her now. The only thought on her mind, her only purpose for being was to get to that hospital wing.
Her hands were weighing them down more by the second, now hanging below her knees. The figure was now a foot behind them. Jessica could feel its breath, causing the hair on her neck to stand on end. With one last effort, she concentrated all her energy and dove straight in to the hospital wing, where Harry slammed and bolted the door behind them.
Harry slumped against the door, breathing hard. Putting his ear against it, he held up a hand to silence Jessica. They stood like that for a full minute before Harry finally straightened up.
"I think it's gone," he whispered.
"Where's Madame Pomfrey?" Jessica said, casting a glance around the office. She would have been much more relieved about escaping, had her hands not been becoming heavier by the second.
"I don't know," Harry sounded bewildered, "She's usually always in here. I don't know where she could be…"
At that instant, Madame Pomfrey's office door was flung open.
"What is all this racket?" she demanded, "I was writing a very important letter and I…" She stopped upon seeing their hands, now touching the floor. "Freeze," she commanded, suddenly businesslike, "Don't move anything."
She reached over to a plant that was sitting on the windowsill. Jessica sighed as she realized it was yet another Doleflower. As she watched, Madame Pomfrey hurried over and shoved a great quantity of small yellow leaves in to the gloves.
"Sit," she ordered, pointing at the nearest bed. They did as they were told, and Madame Pomfrey hurried to her cabinet, rummaging through jars and bottles.
Harry and Jessica said nothing. They were each amazed that Madame Pomfrey had made no comment about how they looked like they had just run a 10K.
In close to no time, Madame Pomfrey was standing in front of them again, now holding a small glass bottle.
"Only once before in my career have I had to use this," she said, shaking her head. "Now hold still, or you'll get one nasty burn," she said, leaning over the gloves.
Jessica and Harry froze obediently, scarcely daring to breathe. Madame Pomfrey pulled out the tiny cork, which kept the bottle sealed. Jessica immediately crinkled her nose as the smell of something rotten permeated the air. Then, before either of them could react, Madame Pomfrey dumped a large quantity of the contents directly on to the gloves.
Jessica watched, amazed, as the gloves seemed to melt before her eyes. Harry jerked back slightly when it started to melt where his fingers were connected to it.
It was over in about ten seconds. The gloves were gone, but now Jessica had two big red marks around her wrists, and a large amount of Doleflower leaves clutched in her right fist. She looked up at Madame Pomfrey, who was putting the cork to the bottle back in.
"There now," she said finally, setting the tiny bottle down, "Hold on just one more minute." She turned back to her medicine cabinet and once again busied herself with its contents.
Enormously relieved that she now had her hands back, Jessica lifted her arms and stretched. Before she could really enjoy them though, Madame Pomfrey was back and had seized both of her arms.
Jessica looked on as Madame Pomfrey wrapped her hands, wrists, and forearms in thick white gauze. Then, she turned to Harry and wrapped his entire right hand.
"That," she said, straightening up, "Will keep the acid from seeping back up through your skin and burning you."
Jessica was sure she felt Harry shudder next to her.
"I would demand that you stay here for a few days," Madame Pomfrey continued, eyeing them carefully, "But you seem alright enough to go on with your classes. Speaking of which, I think you should get back to them right now. If your hands start to burn again, come straight to me." She moved to the door.
"Now who locked this?" she said, more to herself than Harry and Jessica. She unstuck the bolt, shaking her head. Harry and Jessica jumped off the bed and walked over to the door, trying not to look too guilty. Jessica turned to thank Madame Pomfrey, but she was already headed back in to her office, muttering something about not-so-harmless pranksters.
(A/N) oook! Here's the next chapter! Hoooooooraaaaayyy!! Oh yes, the dance is approaching fast ^_^ so be prepared for that! I promise that updates will be coming sooner from now on I've just been a little busy lately! But today we had a snow day!!! Yeaaaa!!!! Ok well that's all! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! heehee ok im done :D
SO much for stopping at 40 chapters, huh?