Episode Forty Five
Part One
Gwen peered avidly into the dark. She couldn't see around the damn hood of the cloak. While she was great at gazing right through magical disguises she couldn't see through fabric itself. She frowned sharply, the glass she pushed her forehead against was cold.
There was only one way to find out who the dark figure was. While it was risky, the curious side of Gwen was biting too hard. She couldn't ignore it any longer. She got up, threw her cloak over her pajamas and sneaked quickly and quietly from the Gryffindor dormitory. She rushed down the stairs, fortunate in her flight that Filch was no where to be found.
She slowed immediately as she came close to the main hall. Whoever had been on the lawn was now prowling around outside of the Great Hall seemingly searching for something. In her rush she had forgotten her wand, but as she reached in her pocket she realized she had never taken it out of her cloak.
She pulled it out carefully, prepared to defend herself if this marauder proved to be a problem. She stepped down from the last stair and slunk along the wall opposite the invader. She held her breath as best she could and concentrated very hard on being invisible.
Whoever it was sensed a presence. The hooded figure turned around and she caught her gasp before it escaped her lips. With one hand covering her mouth and the other clutching her wand she stepped out from the wall and let herself be seen.
"Gwen?"
The figured asked in a confused whisper.
"Graves?" She
replied in question.
Part Two
"What in the hell are you doing here?" Gwen asked.
"I came back for you." Graves replied.
"Why?"
"You're in grave danger."
"I know that. But…" She couldn't think of something to say. She just gazed at him in disbelief. "This isn't your first visit is it?"
"No. I didn't think anyone would catch me though."
"You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were some… I don't know what I thought you were, but I thought it couldn't be good if someone was sneaking in and out of Hogwarts."
"I've been searching the grounds at night, looking for any other intruders. Things aren't going so well out there Gwen. Voldemort is gaining power again and his supporters are coming back pretty strong. They wanted you dead once and they'll want you dead again. If you're anything half so strong as I think you are, they'll want you dead sooner than later."
She looked at him. "If I'm that strong, then they can't kill me."
"That's a nice thought Gwen, but a little naïve. Voldemort's killed some of the brightest and the best."
A noise from above made them both jump. "You should go." She said quickly.
"What about you?"
"I'm fine. I have this new super power I'll have to show you sometime. Owl me when you get back to wherever it is that you're staying ok?"
"Ok." He said, rushing out of the front doors.
Gwen pushed herself back against the wall and concentrated on invisibility once again. Filch passed her without so much as a side glance and when he had disappeared again she ran as fast as she could back to Gryffindor Tower. When she pushed her nose against the glass of her favorite window safe and warm in her dorm room she saw a cloaked figure stepping into the Forbidden Forest and disappearing as well.
