"Harry Potter, sir!"
"Huh?"
"Harry Potter, sir! You must wake up!"
Automatically Harry reached for his glasses. He pushed them up the bridge of his nose and asked, "What's the matter, Dobby?" Harry looked at the house-elf standing beside his bed.
"Harry Potter must come with me!"
"Where? Why?"
"Dobby has something to show you."
"Dobby, it's early. Can't this wait?"
"No. Harry Potter must come with Dobby now," the elf insisted urgently.
"Alright, alright." Harry put on some slippers and followed the house- elf down the stairs. The common room was empty.
Silently, Dobby trod onward, through the portrait hole. He stopped a little ways away. "Look, Harry Potter."
Harry did look and his eyes widened.
Parvati Patil lay on the ground, apparently unconscious. But that wasn't all. There appeared to be a cut along her scalp as if she'd been hit in the head by something sharp. The cut was still leaking blood. Also, her head had been shaved except for a "V" in the back of her head made of just a little bit of hair.
"What happened to her?"
"I don't know, Harry Potter. Dobby is coming up here to light a fire in the common room and he sees the girl like this and Dobby says, 'Dobby must tell Harry Potter!' and so Dobby tells you and brings you."
"She's out cold, what are we supposed to do?"
"Nurse might help, she might."
"But how are we supposed to get her there?"
"Dobby will stay here while Harry Potter gets his wand to bring her to the hospital."
"I guess that's best." Quickly and quietly, Harry retraced his steps back to the dormitory. He picked up his wand, and went back down to where Dobby was waiting outside the portrait hole. "How does that spell go, again?" he muttered; Harry was trying to remember the words that would conjured a magical stretcher. Goodness knows he'd ridden in one enough times that he should have learned the spell by now. At last Harry recalled the words and got Parvati onto the stretcher. With Dobby walking beside him, Harry went to the Hospital Wing.
He had to rap loudly on the door before Madam Pomfrey answered it, still in her nightclothes.
"Harry! What are you doing here? It's hardly five o'clock in the morning. You don't look ill. What are you doing in your pajamas and out of bed at this hour?" she demanded.
Harry had forgotten that he had failed to get dressed and was still in his nightwear. "Madam Pomfrey, I need help. Look." Harry stepped back, allowing Madam Pomfrey a full look at the stretcher and its occupant.
"Oh, my!" Madam Pomfrey ushered the stretcher into the room and transferred Parvati from the stretcher to a hospital bed. Immediately she began to clean up the cut on Parvati's head and to assess the situation. "Mild concussion. Looks like someone hit her over the head. This cut is jagged. What happened to her?"
"I don't know. Dobby, here, was coming up to the tower to light the morning fire and he found her like this and we brought her up here."
"Her poor head. Who could have done this? And her hair." For the first time she caught a glimpse at the "V" on the back of her head. Her face paled.
"What is it?" asked Harry.
Madam Pomfrey didn't answer. She was silent a moment before becoming stern. "Dobby, go find Professor Dumbledore at once and tell him he is needed here immediately. Harry, go back to the dormitory. Right now. Do not come down."
"But-"
"Don't leave the tower until Professor Dumbledore or one of the teachers tells you to."
Unwillingly, Harry went. He reached the tower and sat in the common room by the unlit fireplace. He conjured a fire himself. He didn't bother going back up to his dorm to try and get more rest; he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. So instead he sat by the fire.
The "V" meant something. Harry was sure of that. He had a suspicion of what it was. Madam Pomfrey must have known for sure by the way she had reacted. Harry mused, what could have possibly drawn Parvati out of her room and the common room before five in the morning?
Around seven o'clock the first early risers were coming down the staircases. Harry forgot to tell them not to leave, but it didn't make the slightest difference. They couldn't get out.
"What's wrong with the door?" asked a first or second year boy.
"I don't know. Why won't it open?" complained his companion. The two of them sat in some chairs and began to chat. As the morning progressed the scene repeated itself numerous times. At last, Hermione, Renata, and Ron, came down.
"Where were you, Harry?"
Harry yawned, "You won't believe this." Harry told them about waking up with Dobby there and about how they'd found Parvati and about how the door wouldn't open.
"Harry, you really should have gone back up for a couple more hours sleep. You look exhausted."
"I can't sleep. Who do you think did it?"
"I don't know. What was she doing awake at that hour?"
"Who knows?"
"Harry," Renata said, with light humor, "Even if you won't go get more rest, at least go change out of your pajamas."
Harry looked down and realized that he still was wearing his pajamas.

He went upstairs to change and just a few minutes after he came back down, Professor Dumbledore's voice rang above their heads. "All students report to the Great Hall as soon as the head of your house comes to collect you. All students report to the Great Hall as soon as the head of your house comes to collect you. Thank you."
It wasn't long after that that Professor McGonagall came to get them. "I want everyone to organize into a single file line. We will report to the great hall in a calm and orderly fashion."
There were many whispers of "What is going on here?" and Lavender Brown questioned Hermione and Renata on the whereabouts of Parvati. They continually sidestepped her questions with answers like, "How are we supposed to know?" and "I'm sure she's around somewhere."
They all ended up in the great hall with the students from the other three houses. Professor Dumbledore stood and raised his hands for silence. "We are currently taking care of the situation. Now, if you will all report outside to the Quiditch field you will find breakfast laid out for you there."
The confused students did as they were bidden and found a buffet style breakfast set up for them. Many students took their plates and went up into the stands to eat.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Renata followed the example of the others and found a place to sit up in the stands. They were discussing what was happening when suddenly a shadow fell across them.
"Excuse me?" asked the owner of the shadow.
Harry and the others looked up. It was a Slytherin student, and a prefect at that, but they didn't recognize her. She appeared to be younger than them though she was tall and lanky.
"Can we help you?"
"I think so." The girl sat down. "You're Harry Potter, aren't you?"

"That's my name."
"Good. That's who I was looking for. And you are Hermione Granger, right?"
"Yes."
"Then my job is half-done. I was sent to find you both."
"Who sent you?"
"Professor McGonagall. If you'll come this way I can get the other students." She led Harry and Hermione down the stairs and then up into another set of the stands, along the way she chatted. "You always do seem to be in the thick of things, don't you?"
"Er-"
"Yes, you are. Always in the spotlight. Always having something on your mind. Preoccupied really. The both of you are. Wait here." She went and brought out a girl from Hufflepuff. "Follow me."
The Hufflepuff stayed a few feet behind them and the girl continued talking. "So what really went on this morning? Why are we all locked out of Hogwarts?"
"Locked out? We were locked in the rooms earlier but locked out of Hogwarts? Really?"
"Oh yes. Some students tried to get back inside. Let's see, there were some Ravenclaws and who else was it? Oh, Draco was trying to get in. Tried everything but ramming his head against the door," she gave a tinkling little laugh. The group went and got seventh year, Ravenclaw boy.
The Slytherin girl started ticking off names on her fingers and murmuring, "Tammy Burnelli, Ian Kopcha, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy is there already and-"
"Malfoy?"
She looked up. "Yes?"
"What is he doing wherever we're going?"
"Same as you."
"Where are we going?"
"I told you, to see Professor McGonagall."
"Why?"
"You'll have to find out when we get there." She led them up to the steps in front of the entrance doors.
"I thought you said we are locked out?"
"We are. Artemis! Artemis! Where are you, you strange ghost girl? Artemis!"
"Stop yelling," the first year student, Artemis, came floating through the door (she was a ghost after all and she could do it).

"Tell them we're ready."
"Alright." Artemis glided back inside and a moment later the doors were opened.
Professor McGonagall stood looking at them all. Harry couldn't interpret the look on her face as they were ushered in.

They were brought to a small room with seven students as well as Professor Dumbledore and the heads of the houses.

Dumbledore stood up, "Ah, thank you, Liana. Please sit down, all of you. Now I suppose you're all wondering why you are here. Four other schools have made arrangements with us for an exchange student program. Only four of you can go, one to each school, but it must be decided which four among the twelve of you will be leaving. We would like to see it be one student from each house but if it works out otherwise then it will simply work out otherwise. Now," Dumbledore went on to explain about which schools would be sending a student and how it was going to work.
Harry began to look around at whom else was in the room. From Hufflepuff there was Justin Finch-Fletchley, a seventh year boy Harry didn't recognize, and the girl that had come in with the group. From Ravenclaw were the boy who had been part of the group, Mandy Brocklehurst, and a girl Harry didn't know.
The Slytherins included Draco Malfoy, the girl who had gathered them (her name was Li-something or other) and a girl that looked familiar but Harry couldn't quite remember here name. Representing Gryffindor were himself, Hermione, and Neville Longbottom.
"Any questions?" asked Dumbledore.
Hermione raised her hand as if she were in class. "Professor, on what grounds were we chosen?"
"There were several factors contributing to who was chosen. Acceptable grades-"
"Then what's Longbottom doing here?" snickered Malfoy.
"Quiet, Mister Malfoy. Acceptable grades, appropriate behavior, those who would get along well learning new cultures. Many things. If there is anyone who does not wish to participate and knows that now please sign your name on this list so that we know that."
Harry stood up immediately and put his name on the list. He had suspicions that Dumbledore wanted him to be one of the students who went to the other schools but he had no intention of going. He was going to stay at Hogwarts and see what would happen.
Hermione got up to put her name on the list, as did Liana. Draco sauntered over and put his name on the list as well. No one else moved.
Professor McGonagall said, "Very well, those of you who have signed up may leave. Artemis, please escort them outside."
The ghost led the four of them out onto the lawns again before floating back inside.
Harry muttered to Hermione and tugged on her sleeve. When they were out earshot of the Slytherins he exclaimed, "I'm not buying this for one minute."
"What?"
"This. The exchange student thing."
"Harry, a lot of schools have an exchange student program of some sort."
"Hermione, let's review his candidates reasoning for choosing them. Academics: other than Herbology, Neville's not that good at any classes."
"That's not fair to say. Haven't you noticed? He's been improving."
"Hermione, we've only been here a week this year and last year he was gone for, what, 4 months or something like that. Next reason was behavior. Malfoy is bad to the core and I'm almost in trouble as much as he is. Face it; Dumbledore had something else in mind. Did you see the look that passed between him and McGonagall when I signed that paper?"
"No."
"Well I did. Dumbledore was hoping he could send me off somewhere to be safe, I'm sure."
"But Harry, the safest place for you would be here with Dumbledore. It's been like that for fifteen years, you're safe wherever Dumbledore is."
"Maybe, maybe not. What if something's changed? And Malfoy. I can guess why he was there too. If Dumbledore couldn't get rid of me I'm sure he at least wanted to get rid of Malfoy for a while so he wouldn't cause trouble."
"You think so, Harry?" she asked gently.
"I'm almost sure of it," he responded quietly. "Let's go. We should talk to Ron and Renata. Tell them what's going on."
They found Ron and Renata waiting at the bottom of the stand where they had eaten breakfast. They filled them in on what had happened and Harry told him of his suspicions.
"But why did Malfoy and that other Slytherin sign?" mused Renata.

Harry said, "For a Slytherin, she wasn't that bad. Malfoy on the other hand, must definitely have plotted something."

"What is it then?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
"Why aren't we allowed inside?"
Someone came up to them and leaned casually against the wall. "That's always the trouble, isn't it? All questions and no answers."

"Your name is Liana, right?" asked Hermione.
"Yeah. That's right."
"If you don't mind my asking, why didn't you want to do the exchange program?" asked Hermione.
"Why didn't you want to do it?"
Hermione smiled. "It seems like we're all questions and no answers again."
"So it would seem. I'll square a deal here. Answer for answer. You tell me why you said no, I'll tell you why I said no. Sound fair?"

"Yes. It does."
"You three, go over there."
"Why?" asked Harry.
"If you knew why I was staying and I didn't know why you were staying it wouldn't be a fair trade of information, would it? No, it wouldn't. So, unless you care to divulge the reason why you wanted to stay, I'd prefer if you and the other two went somewhere else why I talk to Hermione."

Harry and the others left them to talk. When Liana had gone Hermione came over to talk to them again.
"She said she didn't want to leave because she likes it here and she didn't want to get used to a new school. Groups don't willingly let others in and she didn't want to spend months feeling left out."
"And what did you tell her?" asked Ron.
"I said I didn't want to leave my friends."
"She bought that?"
"It was the best I could come up with! I couldn't very well tell her that I wasn't leaving because Harry thought Malfoy was plotting to kill him or something. Honestly would you have said that?"
"No."
"Alright then. Besides, I would miss you all if I left."
Harry looked over and saw Draco Malfoy talking lazily to a group of Slytherins. Liana was not among them.

The students were forced to remain outside through the rest of the morning and lunch was served on the Quiditch field. There were purple and white-checkered picnic blankets on the field with a basket of food sitting on each one. The students gathered on the picnic blankets to consume their lunch.
It wasn't until an hour after everyone was finished that they were at last allowed back in the castle. It was on the stairs that Lavender caught up with them.
"Have you seen Parvati? I can't find her anywhere."

Harry sighed. "Hospital Wing."
Lavender gasped. "What happened? Is she alright?"

Ron looked annoyed, "Is someone in the Hospital Wing usually alright?"
Harry briefly explained. "She was outside the common room. Unconscious. Apparently someone hit her on the head with something." He didn't add the part about the shaved head.
Lavender rushed passed Harry and the others and up in the direction of the infirmary.
"I think we should go see Parvati. But I want to wait until Lavender is gone so we can ask Madam Pomfrey some questions." They took the walk to the Hospital Wing as slowly as they could.
Lavender was just leaving as they reached the door. Her lip was trembling as if she might cry but she went on and they didn't speak to her.

Harry opened the door and they went inside. Hermione, Ron, and Renata went to see Parvati, lying motionless on the bed. Harry went to talk to Madam Pomfrey.
"Yes?"
"How is she doing?"
"She should be fine. It's like I told you earlier: she received a mild concussion and it looks as though someone hit her over the head with something sharp."
"Do you know how it happened?"
"No, I don't, and even if I did I wouldn't be allowed to tell a student."
Madam Pomfrey steered the students outside. As soon as the door was shut, Renata and Hermione grinned broadly at the boys.
"What are you so happy about?" asked Harry. "She didn't tell me anything."
Renata smirked. "True, but while you had her distracted we got a chance to look in the file at the end of Parvati's bed."

Harry asked perplexedly, "They keep files?"
"You've been there enough times, you should have known that by now, Harry," Hermione said.
"You can't exactly see the files if you're lying down, Hermione. Then again, Harry is never lying down like he's supposed to. At any rate, Hermione and I looked at Parvati's file and we found out something you don't know. Whatever the thing was that Parvati got hit over the head with was poisoned."
Ron and Harry asked at the same time, "Poisoned?"

"Poisoned," Renata and Hermione repeated firmly.

"Did it say anything about who got her?"
"No."
"Then I think we ought to pay a visit to Dobby."
"I think you're right." They made their way down to the kitchen in search of Dobby. They got there only to find that Dobby wasn't there in the kitchen with the other elves. A group of four elves brought a tray of tea and muffins as Harry asked, "Where's Dobby?"
One of the elves standing nearby stepped up. "Dobby has gone."

"Gone? Gone where?" asked Hermione.
"Dobby is with Professor Dumbledore, miss. Miss, Dobby has been gone since this morning. Dobby came back to us for a few minutes with Professor Dumbledore and Professor Dumbledore said, 'Dobby will help me today and will not return here for at least the rest of the day.' I don't know where they is, miss, only that they is not here."
"Thank you. What's your name?"
"Chip, sir. Just Chip."
"Thanks, Chip." Harry and his friends left. "Now why would Dumbledore take Dobby?" Harry asked for the fifth time as they approached the portrait.
For the fifth time he received the same answer. "He's got to have a reason, Harry. I'm sure it's got something to do with this morning."