libra071988: Thank you! I'm glad you like it!
Sorry it took me so long to post! I'm quite busy at the moment. . . Anyway, here's chapter 8!
Disclaimer: All characters you recognise belong to the great J. K. Rowling.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Draco was thinking hard as he walked down the corridors to Slytherin. The things that Harry had said bothered him. He hadn't thought that any of the students would even notice that something was wrong. And now someone was even involved. Draco wondered who might be the kid that had spoken that incantation.
Well, it was most likely a Slytherin, since most of their parents where followers of Voldemort. Could it be Crabbe or Goyle? Draco laughed at the thought. It would take a very, very long time to teach them a complicated spell. And they'd probably still mess it up. Maybe it was Blaise. The boy's parents were some of the most loyals of Voldemort's followers, after all.
He could ask him. Or he would just threaten him. He could say that he would molest him, or something. As absurd as it sounded that actually might have worked. Blaise was not very . . . bright.
That would have to wait until tomorrow, though. Draco wanted to change out of his wet and dirty clothes and quickly go to the kitchens to something to eat. And then he would just go to bed and sleep a little.
~*~*~
When Harry and Ginny entered the common room the other Gryffindors were chatting happily about the things they had done in Hogsmeade today. Harry spotted Ron in an armchair near the fire, playing chess with Seamus. When Ginny and Harry approached he looked up and grinned.
'Where have you two been so long?', he asked in a teasing voice. Ginny blushed slightly and glared at him.
'Where is Hermione?' she said a little louder than necessary.
'Oh she's already gone to bed. She was tired.' Ron answered still an amused expression on his face. Harry returned his grin slyly.
'What did you do in Hogsmeade, that was so tiring?' Seamus, who had his eyes upon the chess board looking frustrated answered for him.
'Actually, the two of them didn't bother with leaving the castle at all. They stayed here, all alone.' He moved his pawn and motioned to Ron that it was his turn. Ron looked at the board for a moment then moved the queen.
'Check.' He said indifferently. Seamus sighed exasperatedly and put his head into his hands. Ron looked up again and frowned as he saw the expressions of his best friend's and sister's face. They looked shocked and pale.
'What is it? We were not completely alone. There very many other Gryffindors who stayed as well. It was cold outside.' He obviously misunderstood their looks.'
Harry looked almost pained as he asked in a rather shaky voice: 'Why did you stay in the castle?'
Ron just shrugged. Hermione said it was too cold and she didn't feel too well and since you wanted to go on your own . . . I didn't imagine you'd go with my sister, though. Why didn't you tell me?' His grin had returned, but neither Harry nor Ginny smiled back. They were looking at each other very seriously and didn't say anything.
Then suddenly Harry spoke. I'm going to go to bed now, right. I'm tired.' He told them good-night and disappeared up the stairs to the boys' dorms. Ginny excused herself as well and climbed up the other staircase.
Seamus gave Ron a confused look but Ron just shrugged. They had no idea what was so frightening about not leaving the school.
~*~*~
Harry lay down on his bed, still in shock. This just couldn't be true. He tried to tell himself that there must be another explanation why Hermione had refused to go to Hogsmeade, because Ron would take every opportunity to get out of school. But there wasn't any other explanation.
Hermione was the student Sirius had talked about! But now that he thought about it, Hermione had been different lately. Harry had had the impression that she had been avoiding him. Ron had told him many times that Hermione wanted to have a little time to herself when she wasn't with them.
But Ron had obviously noticed nothing. He appeared as always, but he too had kept a distance between himself and Harry. Maybe the spirit had manipulated him, too.
But what did it mean to have that dangerous power in his second best friend's body? Were they in danger? It would probably be best to warn Ron. But first he would talk to Ginny, he decided. He shut the curtains and crawled under the covers. They had to be discreet, as long as they didn't know what powers that demon thing had. It could maybe hurt Hermione if it found out that they knew the truth. They had to work out a plan. And he had to contact Sirius very soon.
~*~*~
Ginny surely was worried to death by the thought that one of her best friends and her brothers girlfriend was obsessed. Why did it have to be her? Of course she had already thought of it, when Harry had told Draco and her about that spirit. She had been wondering why Dumbledore and Sirius wouldn't want Ron and Hermione to know about it. But she had never imagined that it could actually be one of them!
On the other hand, Hermione had been behaving strangely he past few weeks. Ginny had noticed the first time, when Hermione had come down to the common room one morning, pale as death and unable to face anyone. She hadn't even stopped to greet Ginny. She had practically run out of the portrait hole. And she had not told Ginny were she had gone to.
For a few days Hermione had avoided all of them, and then at some point she had started talking again, but mostly to Ron. Where her and Ginny had once talked about almost everything they had barely had a real talk in weeks. Ginny just hoped that Hermione was not in danger.
At least they now didn't need to search anymore.
~*~*~
Draco's steps were quiet. He was not allowed to walk through the school at this time. But he was hungry and if he was careful nobody would notice him. As he approached the Defence Against The Dark Arts corridor, he remembered what Black had told them.
He had been together with Professor Barnes!
It was quite difficult to imagine her with him, even if his appearance had changed over the past years. Draco had never really thought about it, but since she had embarrassed him in front of the whole school and had destroyed his life he had developed some kind of crush for her.
The way she had handled him had proved to him that she was not as dump as he had thought first. He knew that he should have hated her for what she did to him but in fact he had tried to show her that he was not just bad since all this happened. Every time he earned a smile from her he felt surprisingly proud of himself.
And she had been together with Black. Would they come together again now that he was back? Was Draco jealous? Did he want to . . .
His line of thought stopped suddenly, when he heard a strange noise from inside the DADA classroom. He stood still and listened. Someone was inside there and it didn't seem to be Barnes, because the noises sounded as if someone was searching for something. . .
Suddenly everything went quiet. Draco listened carefully but couldn't hear anything. And then, suddenly the door opened. And after a moment Draco was standing face to face with Blaise Zabini.
Blaise looked shocked, but after a moment he hissed: 'What are you doing here Malfoy?' He didn't wait for a response. He closed the door behind him and grabbed the bag that he was holding firmly. He walked up to Malfoy and said in a menacing voice: 'If you tell anybody you saw me in there, I swear I'll break your neck. Is that clear?' He gave Draco a hard shove than walked away quickly.
Draco had stared at him since the boy came out of the classroom. Now he stared at his retreating back and still couldn't believe it. What had Blaise been doing in there? And since when had he become so confident? Usually the sight of Malfoy would have scared him, or at least intimidated him. There was only on explanation. That strange spirit thing must have taken him! He was the one they were looking for! But what would he do now? Potter and Ginny were probably already asleep. And there was no one else he could tell about it now. He just had to wait until next morning.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
What do you think? I'm still not sure if Blaise is a boy or a girl, but I just assumed it would be a boy. Who do you think is the demon? You'll probably find out next chapter.
I'll try to get it out sooner!
Sorry it took me so long to post! I'm quite busy at the moment. . . Anyway, here's chapter 8!
Disclaimer: All characters you recognise belong to the great J. K. Rowling.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Draco was thinking hard as he walked down the corridors to Slytherin. The things that Harry had said bothered him. He hadn't thought that any of the students would even notice that something was wrong. And now someone was even involved. Draco wondered who might be the kid that had spoken that incantation.
Well, it was most likely a Slytherin, since most of their parents where followers of Voldemort. Could it be Crabbe or Goyle? Draco laughed at the thought. It would take a very, very long time to teach them a complicated spell. And they'd probably still mess it up. Maybe it was Blaise. The boy's parents were some of the most loyals of Voldemort's followers, after all.
He could ask him. Or he would just threaten him. He could say that he would molest him, or something. As absurd as it sounded that actually might have worked. Blaise was not very . . . bright.
That would have to wait until tomorrow, though. Draco wanted to change out of his wet and dirty clothes and quickly go to the kitchens to something to eat. And then he would just go to bed and sleep a little.
~*~*~
When Harry and Ginny entered the common room the other Gryffindors were chatting happily about the things they had done in Hogsmeade today. Harry spotted Ron in an armchair near the fire, playing chess with Seamus. When Ginny and Harry approached he looked up and grinned.
'Where have you two been so long?', he asked in a teasing voice. Ginny blushed slightly and glared at him.
'Where is Hermione?' she said a little louder than necessary.
'Oh she's already gone to bed. She was tired.' Ron answered still an amused expression on his face. Harry returned his grin slyly.
'What did you do in Hogsmeade, that was so tiring?' Seamus, who had his eyes upon the chess board looking frustrated answered for him.
'Actually, the two of them didn't bother with leaving the castle at all. They stayed here, all alone.' He moved his pawn and motioned to Ron that it was his turn. Ron looked at the board for a moment then moved the queen.
'Check.' He said indifferently. Seamus sighed exasperatedly and put his head into his hands. Ron looked up again and frowned as he saw the expressions of his best friend's and sister's face. They looked shocked and pale.
'What is it? We were not completely alone. There very many other Gryffindors who stayed as well. It was cold outside.' He obviously misunderstood their looks.'
Harry looked almost pained as he asked in a rather shaky voice: 'Why did you stay in the castle?'
Ron just shrugged. Hermione said it was too cold and she didn't feel too well and since you wanted to go on your own . . . I didn't imagine you'd go with my sister, though. Why didn't you tell me?' His grin had returned, but neither Harry nor Ginny smiled back. They were looking at each other very seriously and didn't say anything.
Then suddenly Harry spoke. I'm going to go to bed now, right. I'm tired.' He told them good-night and disappeared up the stairs to the boys' dorms. Ginny excused herself as well and climbed up the other staircase.
Seamus gave Ron a confused look but Ron just shrugged. They had no idea what was so frightening about not leaving the school.
~*~*~
Harry lay down on his bed, still in shock. This just couldn't be true. He tried to tell himself that there must be another explanation why Hermione had refused to go to Hogsmeade, because Ron would take every opportunity to get out of school. But there wasn't any other explanation.
Hermione was the student Sirius had talked about! But now that he thought about it, Hermione had been different lately. Harry had had the impression that she had been avoiding him. Ron had told him many times that Hermione wanted to have a little time to herself when she wasn't with them.
But Ron had obviously noticed nothing. He appeared as always, but he too had kept a distance between himself and Harry. Maybe the spirit had manipulated him, too.
But what did it mean to have that dangerous power in his second best friend's body? Were they in danger? It would probably be best to warn Ron. But first he would talk to Ginny, he decided. He shut the curtains and crawled under the covers. They had to be discreet, as long as they didn't know what powers that demon thing had. It could maybe hurt Hermione if it found out that they knew the truth. They had to work out a plan. And he had to contact Sirius very soon.
~*~*~
Ginny surely was worried to death by the thought that one of her best friends and her brothers girlfriend was obsessed. Why did it have to be her? Of course she had already thought of it, when Harry had told Draco and her about that spirit. She had been wondering why Dumbledore and Sirius wouldn't want Ron and Hermione to know about it. But she had never imagined that it could actually be one of them!
On the other hand, Hermione had been behaving strangely he past few weeks. Ginny had noticed the first time, when Hermione had come down to the common room one morning, pale as death and unable to face anyone. She hadn't even stopped to greet Ginny. She had practically run out of the portrait hole. And she had not told Ginny were she had gone to.
For a few days Hermione had avoided all of them, and then at some point she had started talking again, but mostly to Ron. Where her and Ginny had once talked about almost everything they had barely had a real talk in weeks. Ginny just hoped that Hermione was not in danger.
At least they now didn't need to search anymore.
~*~*~
Draco's steps were quiet. He was not allowed to walk through the school at this time. But he was hungry and if he was careful nobody would notice him. As he approached the Defence Against The Dark Arts corridor, he remembered what Black had told them.
He had been together with Professor Barnes!
It was quite difficult to imagine her with him, even if his appearance had changed over the past years. Draco had never really thought about it, but since she had embarrassed him in front of the whole school and had destroyed his life he had developed some kind of crush for her.
The way she had handled him had proved to him that she was not as dump as he had thought first. He knew that he should have hated her for what she did to him but in fact he had tried to show her that he was not just bad since all this happened. Every time he earned a smile from her he felt surprisingly proud of himself.
And she had been together with Black. Would they come together again now that he was back? Was Draco jealous? Did he want to . . .
His line of thought stopped suddenly, when he heard a strange noise from inside the DADA classroom. He stood still and listened. Someone was inside there and it didn't seem to be Barnes, because the noises sounded as if someone was searching for something. . .
Suddenly everything went quiet. Draco listened carefully but couldn't hear anything. And then, suddenly the door opened. And after a moment Draco was standing face to face with Blaise Zabini.
Blaise looked shocked, but after a moment he hissed: 'What are you doing here Malfoy?' He didn't wait for a response. He closed the door behind him and grabbed the bag that he was holding firmly. He walked up to Malfoy and said in a menacing voice: 'If you tell anybody you saw me in there, I swear I'll break your neck. Is that clear?' He gave Draco a hard shove than walked away quickly.
Draco had stared at him since the boy came out of the classroom. Now he stared at his retreating back and still couldn't believe it. What had Blaise been doing in there? And since when had he become so confident? Usually the sight of Malfoy would have scared him, or at least intimidated him. There was only on explanation. That strange spirit thing must have taken him! He was the one they were looking for! But what would he do now? Potter and Ginny were probably already asleep. And there was no one else he could tell about it now. He just had to wait until next morning.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
What do you think? I'm still not sure if Blaise is a boy or a girl, but I just assumed it would be a boy. Who do you think is the demon? You'll probably find out next chapter.
I'll try to get it out sooner!