Feallan Steorra

Chapter 11: Three

Author's jibberish: I know Ch. 10 was short…sorry! This is a little longer, I think. Yeah, Draco is at my mercy; it's fun like that =)  !

            "I don't believe it…"

            "It was really Malfoy…"

            "Do you think any others will be next?"

            Gossip started to spread as the Great Hall was gathered for dinner. News of Draco's condition scared everyone.

            "Dark magic, it is…"

            Draco Malfoy was a Slytherin. He was never expected to be a victim. If he didn't have a chance, the other houses were shaking in their socks.

            "Do you think it's…You-Know-who?" Ron asked.

            Harry shook his head. "How could he? I heard that it happened in the Slytherin House. There's no way he could get in without being noticed. Besides, he wouldn't dare attack with Professor Dumbledore around."

            Ginny sat next to Ron, her plate still full. "I feel sorry for Malfoy; you know, not being able to speak."

            "It somewhat beneficial though," Fred said. "You won't be able to hear him gloat."

            Professor McGonagall tapped her glass, getting the hall's silence. "Your attention please…"

            Professor Dumbledore stood. "I assume many of you know what has happened to one of your fellow students. Until we find out what happened, I advise caution to everyone. Furthermore, safety precautions will take action as of now. Quidditch practice ends at sunset. Students will be escorted to their classes by a teacher. Curfew time will be changed to 8 pm; roll will be taken and all students must stay in their house until 6am. That is all; have a pleasant sleep."

            "'Pleasant sleep'?" George repeated. "He must be joking."

            "Is this all necessary for just one attack? The last time this happened…" Ron's eyes turned to Ginny. She shot him a warning glare. "Well, I mean, what if the only target was Malfoy?"

            Two weeks passed and the hospital wing gained a few new tenants: Crabbe, Parkinson, and another Slytherin Harry didn't know quite well.

            "They're all Slytherin," Ginny muttered. "Is it a pattern?"

            "Only one way to find out," Harry entered the hospital room.

            "What?" Ron held Harry's shoulder. "How will you know? Ask them? They can't talk."

            "They can nod their heads, can't they?" Harry approached Madam Pomfrey. "Hello, Madam Pomfrey. Can we visit them?"

            She raised an eyebrow. "Sure…" Gryffindors visiting Slytherins? "Just don't make too much noise. I'll be in the office." She retreated to the office near the entrance.

            The three approached the only awake patient, Draco. Crabbe was asleep, mouth open. Pansy must have been crying because of a nightmare she was having. The other boy was asleep, drooling.

            "Malfoy," Harry greeted.

            Draco looked up and his face filled with utter disgust and shock.

            "We need to ask you some questions," Harry explained. "Did you see who did this to you?"

            Draco gestured his fists to his mouth, open and soundless.

            "Great, charades," Ron grumbled.

            "Can you write?" Harry asked.

            Draco shook his head. He held his fist towards Harry. He, Ron, and Ginny had a good look: his fists were clenched, his fingers sealed together and against his palm.

            "The attacker sealed your fists?" Ron noted. Draco nodded. "Bummer…now you can't hold a wand." He shrugged.

            Draco shot him a dagger look. Then while looking at Ron, he started making his fist into a drinking motion in front of his mouth.

            "What the--," Ron's eyes narrowed.

            "He wants a drink," Ginny interpreted. "Go on, Ron. Give him some water."

            "Why me?"

            "He asked you."

            Ron growled. He grabbed the glass and pitcher of water sitting near Draco's bed. He poured the glass half-full. "Ok, here," Ron held the cup against Draco's lips and tilted the glass slightly as Draco drank. Then, Draco spat the water out in Ron's direction. Ron, along with Ginny and Harry, jumped back. "Bloody hell!" Ron hissed. A mischievous smile played on Draco's thin lips. However, it disappeared as Ron splashed the rest of the glass of water in his face. Draco's face grew red and he began to open his mouth and holler. However, no curses or words came out. "Go ahead, yell you stupid git," Ron grunted, "no one can hear you."

            Seeing Draco lose his temper in silence…Harry tried to suppress a laugh.

            However, Ginny came next to Draco. She had obtained a washcloth in her hand and sat beside Draco. He backed up against the headboard, a warning look crossing his eyes.

            "Virginia Weasley, what are you doing?!" Ron exclaimed.

            Ginny knew Ron was pissed; he used her full first name. "What does it look like?" she reached the washcloth towards Draco's face.

            Draco swatted her hand away.

            Ginny's eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't complain; just let me. Do you want to be wet forever?"

            Draco rolled his eyes and moved forward, returning to where he originally was. Gently, she wiped his eyes, forehead and the frame of his face. Her fingers brushed his hair away from his face.

            Ron cringed as he watched his little sister dry the creep's face. "Well? Did you see who did it?"

            Draco's eyes quickly turned to Ron and shook his head as his gaze returned to Ginny.

            "Turn left," she told him.  Draco reluctantly obliged. She patted the left side of his neck dry. "I feel sorry for you, that's all." Ginny reasoned. She saw Draco smirk slightly, one corner of his mouth turned up. "Other side," she told him. As she dried the right side, Harry spoke.

            "Wait, Ginny, stop." He pulled her hand back. Behind Draco's right ear, near the end of his jaw, there were 3 black dots in a perfect row.

            "Nice birthmark, Malfoy," Ron teased. "You can play connect-the-dots."

            Draco made a questioning look.

            "What?" Ginny asked. "It wasn't there before?"

            Draco shook his head.

            "Come on," Harry pulled on Ron's arm, "check Pansy's neck."

            They checked the three others and saw the exact same mark in the same spot.

            "It must be the attacker's symbol," Ron said. "What a boring symbol…"

            "But it means something; it stands for something," Harry told him.

            Just then, a bell rang. Professor McGonagall's voice echoed. "Attention students: it is 10 minutes before 8:00. Please report to your houses."

            "Come on, Harry, we better go," Ron told him. "Come on Gin."

            Ginny patted Draco's collarbone dry. "There, all done." She tossed the washcloth beside the water pitcher. She looked at him; he was giving her a blank expressionless look with his grey eyes. Then he snapped his head away. "You're welcome," she said to him.

            "Gin!" Ron called. "Come on."

            She turned away from Draco and joined Harry and Ron.

            They quickened their pace towards Gryffindor Tower.

            "Four victims, same markings…" Harry pondered. "It's like Sherlock Holmes…"

            "Who?" the Weasley brother and sister asked in unison.

            "Um…a detective…never mind," Harry shook his head as they stopped in front of the Fat Lady. "Maroon moons" he said and the portrait swung open.

            All of the Gryffindors were packed in the common room. Many squished on the couches, sat on the top of the tables and shared seats. The rest stood.

            "We should have a party," Fred suggested.

            "Yeah, especially after our Quidditch game with Slytherin coming up," George said. "With Malfoy gone, they won't have a seeker…"

            Angelina Johnson tisked. "If this keeps up, we won't have Quidditch."

            At 8:00 pm exactly, Professor McGonagall came in, seven pieces of parchment in hand. "All right everyone," she called out loud. "First years:

            "Claire Abbott?"

            "Here."

            "Alexander Brick?"

            "Here."

            George yawned. "Wake me when she gets to 7th year." He leaned forward on the table and pretended to fall asleep.

            "Aw, I was going to sleep," Fred frowned.

            "You did last night. My turn," George said face-down on the wood table.

            It took a good 10 minutes to get through the first 6 years. Finally:

            "Fred Weasley?"

            "Zzz…" came a snore

"George Weasley?"

"Zzz…" came an identical sound.

Professor McGonagall's eyes turned to the table.

"They're here, Professor," Katie Bell told her.

"All right," she continued to call roll. When she finished, "Gryffindors, stay in your tower. Remember, if you need anything, send one of your 7th years or prefects for me. Good night." She left through the portrait hole.

"So how are we going to find anything on those marks? Where do we start looking?" Ron asked Harry.

Harry was silent for a moment. "Do you realize something's missing?"

"What?"

"Well, whenever we had a problem like this, Hermione managed to find an answer."

Ron nodded sadly. "Yeah, but you expect to ask her? She's not talking to me and she's avoiding you. We got to do this ourselves."

"Yeah."

"I think I better go upstairs…study for the O.W.L.'s."

Harry thought he was hearing things. "You will?"

"Yeah," Ron said, "I'll read for about 15 minutes before I get distracted with your Quidditch game. Later," and he headed upstairs to the boys' dormitories.

Harry turned and saw Hermione sitting down across the room, a book laid over her lap. Just try… Harry told himself. He took a few steps towards her but stopped as she began to move. She slammed her book shut and headed upstairs. Escaped again…

Hermione wasn't around, especially when he needed her. Harry felt his insides sink.