CHAPTER 7.
WHISPERS IN THE HALLS
"A ghost?" Ron said, his mouth hanging open.
"That's right. Peeves said a new ghost was looking around for me to talk to me." Harry said, nodding fervently.
"But you didn't find this ghost did you?" Hermione whispered. Harry shook his head with a sigh. He and his friends stood in the hallway outside the Dining Hall, waiting for dinner to begin. Harry had made sure to find Ron as quickly as possible after he talked to Peeves. Fortunately Hermione was with him, though they were both fighting again, this time about Ron's lack of study skills. "But Peeves wouldn't say if it was a girl or boy or anything?" Hermione asked.
"No. He disappeared before I could ask him anything else." Harry said, a grim look upon his face.
"What would a ghost want with you? Do you know anyone who died recently that would want to, I don't know, contact you?" Ron asked, shrugging his shoulders. Harry frowned and ran his fingers through his hair thoughtfully.
"Not really, but," Harry stopped dead in his thoughts. Only one person that fit that description came to mind: Cedric Diggory. Cedric had died recently, only last year and he had been killed by Voldemort. Now that Voldemort was returning, perhaps he needed to tell Harry something that he didn't know about Voldemort. "What about Cedric Diggory?" Harry asked. Both Ron and Hermione's faces froze.
"You don't think he could do you?" Ron gulped.
"It would make sense though wouldn't it? Cedric died while you were with him. He was killed by Voldemort. Perhaps he's trying to protect you from something." Hermione said knowledgeably.
"Yeah sure. Or maybe he wants revenge." Ron said grimly.
"WHAT?" Hermione almost yelled.
"Well think about it, Harry suggested that they take the cup together, Harry was the reason that Voldemort killed Cedric, Harry was the only one who came out of it alive." Ron said reasonably. As Harry stared at him, his blood chilled in his veins.
"Don't be stupid Ron! Cedric asked Harry to bring his body back! He wasn't looking to get back at him! If he wanted to do it, he should have done it there while he had the chance! Don't be such a prat! Its foolish. Don't listen to him, Harry." But Harry wasn't listening. Not to them anyway. A whisper had sounded in his ears, a faint one, but it was a voice he had heard before, but he wasn't sure.
Harry Potter.
The eyes.
The Master's Mirror, Harry.
Harry.
"Harry?" Harry jolted as Hermione tapped him on the shoulder insistantly. Then he pricked his ears again. The voice was gone. "Are you alright Harry?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I thought I heard something." Ron's eyes widened and his mouth gaped.
"Was it, it, Cedric?" He whispered.
"Ron," Hermione started warningly, but Ron didn't stop.
"Was he calling out for your blood?"
"Ron!"
"Did he say he wanted your head on a silver platter?"
"RON!"
At that last yell, Hermione smacked Ron hard on the back of the head.
"HERMIONE!!" He yelled as he grabbed his head in pain.
"Serves you right," She said, her brown eyes flashing. "For saying such awful things! And after all that Harry has been through! And you call yourself his friend!" Hermione snapped.
"I AM his friend! I'm just trying to help! Geez, why do you have to be so physical all the time? You know, you're gonna kill someone one of these days." Ron moaned as he checked his hand for blood.
"Oh, dry up." Hermione said sarcastically.
Harry shook his head slowly, his eyes unfocused as he tried to bring back the sound of the voice in his mind.
"I don't think it was Cedric. Unless ghost voices sound different." Harry said.
"Well, Nearly-Headless-Nick told me that his voice was one of the DEEPEST when he was alive. Now he said its shrunk to a mouse's squeak." Ron said, shrugging.
"I don't know, but," Harry started but stopped as he heard loud crashes coming from somewhere in the depths of the castle.
They looked around. All the teachers and students were in the Dining Hall eating dinner, they thought.
"Lets go see whats happening!" Ron said as he began to run down the hall. It turned out that the sound wasn't coming from down the hall, but was coming from further away. The children walked farther and farther away from the Dining Hall till they found themselves outside, "Snape's classroom?" Ron said in disbelief. They stared at the tightly shut door and listened to the crashes and now explosions that were occuring inside the room. They all looked at each other. "Ah, lets go." Ron said, starting to walk back towards the Dining Hall. Hermione quickly grabbed his arm.
"Oh no you don't! We've got to stop whoever's doing that!" Hermione said, wrenching open the door.
What they saw made them stare in horror at the sight. The entire place was a wreck. Tables, chairs, potions, potion ingredients were spilled everywhere and in the midst of them, was a huge, fully grown constrogo.
"Oh, my, gosh." Ron said slowly, his mouth hanging open. The constrogo heard the tones of his voice and quickly turned his pulsating eyes toward them.
"Don't look at his eyes!" Hermione yelled, turning her head away from it. Harry did the same, but snuck a glance at the creature's feet. It had stopped stomping about and was now staring at them. A moment later it began to take a few steps in their direction, walking slowly towards them, the thing about the size of a half-grown dragon "Well, any ideas? Ron? RON!" Hermione yelled in horror. Harry turned to look at his friend.
He was standing perfectly still, his eyes wide and staring straight ahead, his hands limp at his side. Hermione began to shake him hard as the creature came closer. "Ron! Ron! Wake up! Wake up! Oh goodness!" Hermione quickly fumbled for her wand, glancing over her shoulder as the constrogo slunk closer. "EXCITO!" Hermione yelled frantically, waving her wand over Ron. Harry stepped closer to Hermione as the constrogo came closer, its long tongue running over its pointed teeth. "Oh come on, come on!" Hermione whispered, staring at Ron and waiting for a change.
Finally, Ron's blue eyes focused and blinked. "What happened?" He muttered, moving his hands over his eyes.
"Ron! We've got to get out of here! The constrogo," Hermione started, before Ron's eyes became wide as he saw the creature.
"HERMIONE!! That's a constrogo! A BIG constrogo and it's, it's, IT'S GONNA KILL US!" Ron yelled. Hermione smacked him hard on the shoulder.
"Snap out of it. We've got to find a way to get out and get the constrogo to follow us." Ron stared at her in disbelief.
"Has all that studying finally made you nutty? Get him to follow us?" Hermione turned to Harry with a look of disgust.
"You agree don't you, Harry?" She asked. Harry gulped as he backed up towards the door.
"I agree that we've gotta do something because it's almost here." He said slowly.
"Well what should we do?" Hermione asked, throwing her hands in the air.
"RUN!" Ron yelled, breaking for the door. Harry followed him, leaving Hermione standing alone in the middle of the aisle.
"Come back! We can't run! We've got to get it out of here!" From behind her, the constrogo pounced and would have grabbed Hermione's leg, had Ron not jerked her away.
"I have a theory!" Hermione gasped as Ron pulled her along.
"I'm sure you do. Tell us when we have time alright? Can't believe I saved your neck." He muttered. Harry stood in the doorway urging the two of them on. Hermione and Ron were only a few feet away from the door before something long and gray lashed out behind them. The door slammed shut and the lock burst into pieces. Hermione, Ron and Harry stared at the wedged door in disbelief, then turned slowly to the constrogo as it moved its tail away from the door, licking its lips hungrily.
"Don't let it smell your fear. Don't be afraid." Hermione whispered.
"Too late." Ron gulped.
"You were saying something about a theory, Hermione?" Harry asked frantically.
"He probably took some of Snape's body-enlargement potions. Constrogos never get this big." She whispered, never taking her eyes off of the creature.
"So it's a little bigger than its Mummy. What do you suggest we do? Prick it with a pin and see if it deflates?" Ron hissed.
"We have to get the right potion that can turn it back to its normal size." Hermione said quickly, watching the creature closely.
"Oh yeah, and who's gonna do that?" Ron scoffed. Hermione drew herself up and drew her wand from her pocket. Ron stared at her incredulously.
"Oh no. No, no." He muttered.
"You and Harry distract him. I have to get to the closet." She said, moving away from them, her eyes on the constrogo. The creature's eyes quickly darted towards her and began to move closer to her.
"Hermione! Are you insane?" Ron yelled.
"You're supposed to be distracting him, so if he gets me it's all your fault!" She yelled back.
"It's all my fault is it? Well........COME AND GET ME YOU PILLOCK! YEAH ME! I'M RIGHT HERE!" Ron yelled as he waved his hands around in the air.
The constrogo's eyes immediately left Hermione and fixed on Ron, eyeing him hungrily.
"Yeah! Come and get us!" Harry yelled weakly. "If only I had a broomstick." He muttered.
"Well you don't. So help me keep him occupied. COME ON YOU BIG, FAT, OVERGROWN LIZARD!! COME AND GET ME!" Suddenly the creature's jaws snapped a few feet away from Ron and he jumped back. "That was close." He muttered. "Hey Harry! Wands!" He yelled, drawing out his wand, Harry doing the same. "Now do what I do." Ron instructed, waving the wand in the air, casting bright purple sparks in the air, right under the creature's nose. The constrogo reared back, his gigantic head almost hitting the ceiling. Harry grinned and let loose a shower of green sparks. The constrogo snorted angrily and brought his head down quickly. Ron flew across the room, slamming into the wall with a groan.
"RON!" Harry yelled. Ron didn't move, his broken wand falling from his limp hand.
Harry took a deep breath as the constrogo reared his ugly head towards him. His eyes gleamed hungrily: he could smell Harry's fear.
"I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid, WHAT AM I SAYING?" Harry yelled in frustration as he ran from the constrogo. The creature followed him, though it was hard for him to move his huge body quickly. Harry ducked behind Snape's table as the constrogo searched for him, his huge footfalls causing impact tremors around the room. As Harry crawled backward to come out the opposite end of the desk, his leg hit something hard. Metal. He thought turning around and feeling for the thing he'd bumped against.
It was a long thin box, one end wider than the other. In the darkness he felt clasps and he worked his fingers on them, trying to pry them up. "Maybe its a sword or something. Please let it be a sword, or a gun, yeah, a gun." Harry muttered as he jiggled the latches, growing more nervous by the minute as the constrogo came closer, smelling his fear. Finally the latches popped and the lid popped open. Harry took his wand out and whispered, "Lumos." There was a small bit of light as Harry covered it, lest the constrogo should see the light. He stared with surprise at the contents. It was a long thin broomstick, a very old model, a Moonbeam '87, but still in very good shape from the looks of it. The bristles were like new, the wood polished. Harry lifted it slowly and his fingers ran across indentations in the handle. He held up his wand and read the inscription on the handle,
Severus Snape.
"Professor Snape?" Harry whispered. What's Professor Snape doing with a broomstick? His mind muttered. But he didn't have time to ponder it any further, for the constrogo's great green eye was fixed on him under the desk. Harry quickly slammed the lid on the box shut and shot out the other end of the desk. "NOX!" Harry yelled as he stepped out from the desk. He then shoved his wand in his pocket and jumped on the broomstick, rising quickly into the air in front of the constrogo. The constrogo eyed him curiously as if not sure what to make of him. "YOU WANT ME? COME AND GET ME!" Harry screamed, veering quickly away.
The constrogo rushed towards him, snapping at his legs as he flew above him. There wasn't much room, so Harry simply circled the creature's body, barely escaping its lightning fast jaws. "HERMIONE! HAVE YOU FOUND IT YET?!" Harry yelled as the creature's teeth snagged his shoe, ripping a large hole in it.
"ALMOST! GIVE ME SOME MORE TIME!" She yelled from the closet. The creature's teeth snagged his shirt before he jerked away.
"HERMIONE! WE DON'T HAVE ANYMORE TIME!" He screamed. A moment later, Hermione emerged from the closet, dusty but triumphant.
"Harry catch!" She yelled as he swooped towards her. Harry quickly caught the vial in his hand and hovered above her for a moment.
"Do I just sprinkle it on him?" He yelled, darting away as the constrogo came too close.
"No! You have to get it in his mouth!" She yelled back, her voice tinny over the footfalls of the constrogo. Harry nodded dismally.
"TAKE CARE OF RON!" He yelled before swooping away. He went through his thoughts furiously. What could he do? He'd done something like this before when he fought the dragons in the Tri-Wizard tournament, but this was different. He wasn't trying to get a potion in a fear-smelling constrogo.
But he had to do it, before the creature destroyed the rest of the room and got out into the castle. "ALL RIGHT YOU! COME ON! TIME FOR YOUR MEDICINE!" Harry yelled swooping a mere few inches over the constrogo's head. The constrogo snapped at him furiously but did not manage to touch him. Beads of sweat stood out on Harry's forehead as he slowly backed the constrogo up against the wall, the creature's jaws snapping the entire time. Finally Harry took a deep breath and dove right by his mouth. Just as he had anticipated, the creature's jaws opened wide to take him in, but instead he threw the entire vile into his mouth and darted away. The creature crunched down upon it and swallowed. Harry hovered in the air for a few moments, watching, waiting for an affect. The creature seemed to stare into space a moment, then slowly it's body began to shrink till it was the same size it had been in the classroom that morning.
Harry let loose a sigh of relief as he brought the broom down to the ground. He stepped off it and stared at the constrogo lying on the ground as he fingered the inscription on the handle. He turned to face Hermione and Ron, but instead found himself facing Professor McGonagall, Professor Flutterae, a frightened, pale, Fred, George, and Artemis, and finally an incensed Professor Snape. He stared at Harry, his eyes almost burning holes into the boy. His mouth moved as if to say something, but he didn't, just stared. Harry was surprised to see his gaze falter slightly as they clapped upon the broomstick in Harry's hand. Then it hardened once more as he stormed over to him and grabbed the broomstick from Harry, making him wince.
There was a slight yell from Professor McGonagall as she rushed over to Ron, who still lay unconscious against the wall, but Snape's eyes didn't move from Harry. Harry drew himself up and stared at the Professor defiantly. He was expecting Snape to break out into a lecture, but to his surprise, he didn't. He just stared at him, just stared. And when he did speak, his voice lacked its usual anger. He simply said, void of emotion,
"Just like your father."
Then he whirled about on his heel and walked quickly from the room, his cloak billowing around him, the broomstick still in his hand. Professor Flutterae quickly uttered a few words, moving the constrogo into a metal box she had brought with her and walking out quickly after Snape.
It was only then that Harry saw the cat that paused a moment in the doorway, stared at him with it's wide green eyes, then followed on Rhiannon's heels. It was a completely black cat, save for a few spottings of white on it's glistening fur, and on it's head was a spattering of white, almost in the shape of a crescent moon. Harry shrugged and looked away. Most witches and wizards had pets. It didn't surprise him much that Professor Flutterae had a cat. Fred, George and Artemis quickly rushed over to him, their faces pale and worried.
"You alright, Harry?" Fred asked.
"You get hurt?" George added. Artemis stared at them incredulously.
"You're brother is unconscious over there! You should be asking him that!" She said angrily. They both shrugged.
"We would be, but McGonagall wouldn't let us come near him." Fred said sadly.
"Told us we'd done enough damage already." George added. Artemis shook her head.
"Mister Potter! You could have been killed!" McGonagall said crisply as she quickly stepped up to him.
"Yes, Professor." Harry murmured.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor for such utter nonsense! But thirty points for Gryffindor for heroism, that includes stopping the constrogo and helping your friends. As for you three," McGonagall said, turning to the twins and Artemis.
"You will have detention. Detention for such an utter display of disobedience, carelessness and cruelty! And your detention will be to help Professor Snape clean up his classroom, and you will do his errands for him as long as he sees fit. Weasley," McGonagall said angrily. Both twins' heads shot up. "Your brother will be taken to the infirmary. I suggest you go with him, seeing as it was you two who caused this." She said, her tone brittle. Both brothers hung their heads as they shuffled over to where Ron lay on the ground.
Artemis sighed as she watched them, then watched as Ron was carried out of the room.
"It was my fault too. I was so mad at Snape this afternoon that I didn't care what Fred and George's scheme was. I just wanted to do it. Now I've gotta be around Snape even more than I am already. Its my own fault. Just wanted to say I'm sorry." She said with a sigh. Harry gave her a weak smile.
"Sure. I forgive you." He said generously.
"Thanks. I better go. I don't wanna do anything else but sleep and pray that this was all a dream. Of course I'll know it isn't when I've gotta wait on Snape." Artemis said with a groan. Harry smiled as she walked out of the door. He and Hermione were the only ones left and she slowly approached him, a small, frightened smile on her pale face.
"Wonderful job, Harry! Sorry it took so long, but I couldn't find the right one." She said apologetically.
"Yeah, I know. It's okay. Is Ron okay?" He asked. Hermione shrugged and glanced back wistfully at the door.
"Professor Flutterae said he probably only had a concussion. I'm gonna go to the infirmary for a little while. Are you going to come?" She asked. Harry glanced around the destroyed room before turning back to her.
"Yeah, in a little bit. I just wanna think for now." He said slowly.
"Sure. I'll see you, Harry." Hermione said, giving him a small wave before she walked out the door, leaving him alone.
Harry stood in the room for a while, listening. Someone was watching him. He could feel it. He suddenly whirled around and focused on a certain point in the dungeon wall. A ghostly hand slipped through, then another, then a head, then a torso. The head lifted and spoke,
"Why Harry Potter! Was hoping you'd stay for a chat!" Nearly-Headless-Nick said cheerfully. Harry breathed a sigh of relief as Nick popped fully through the wall.
"Hullo, Nick. Did you see the whole thing?" He asked. Nick nodded fiercely.
"Of course I did! Those Weasley's and that Durmstrang girl came in here with that box and let out the constrogo, then ran off and closed the door. I think they only meant for him to mess up the place, not knock over the Professor's cabinet and drink the contents that broke onto the floor." Nick said knowledgibly. Harry chuckled and shook his head.
"I don't think so either. Hey Nick, have you been talking to any other, well, new ghosts lately?" Harry asked tentatively. Nick scratched his chin in thought.
"Well now let's see, there was that one fellow who asked for directions to the nearest pub, he's got big aspirations on haunting a pub you see. I told him, not much business in pubs. The people are so drunk that even if they see you they'll think its the alcohol talking! Anyway, then there was the young lady who got lost, ah, the boy from Hogwarts," Nick murmured, counting off his fingers.
"The boy from Hogwarts!? Who was he?" Harry cut in. Nick raised his head quickly and shrugged.
"Oh I dunno. Don't have a head for names you understand. If I don't see 'em on a daily basis their names go straight out my head." Nick said sadly, waving his hand over his head with a 'whoosh' sound. Harry slumped dejectedly.
"Oh. Well do you at least remember what he talked about?" He asked hopefully.
"Well let's see now, he did ask about you, and also Professor Snape and Professor Flutterae. Seemed to take great interest in them. And also some piece of paper with a drawing on it. Can't remember what was on it. Icicles? Ice-cream? Islands?" Nick muttered, trying to think of the right answer.
"Eyes?" Harry prompted. Nick sighed happily.
"Yes, thats it. It had eyes on it. But they're not any ordinary eyes. He didn't know what they did, but its something terrible. Something to do with a mirror and something else. Can't remember. The chappie wasn't exactly clear you understand. But he did put especial emphasis on Professors Flutterae and Snape. Especially them." Nick said slowly.
"Well, you'll tell me if you see the boy again, won't you Nick?" Harry asked. Nick grinned and saluted.
"Will do my best! Now I've got to go. I promised Peeves that I'd play a game he thought up tonight. One of his own games, so most likely this night will end with me getting chased off by Filch. Quite degrading, in my opinion." Nick sighed. Harry chuckled and waved good-bye to the ghost.
"Good luck then!" Harry said as the ghost slipped back into the wall.
Harry stood silently in the dimly lit room. Shivers ran up and down his spine as the wind blew through the cracks in the walls, causing a low whistling to echo up and down the corridors. Harry closed his eyes only for a moment, trying to regain control of himself, but when he opened them again, the room was completely dark. He stifled a yell as he stepped over broken glass as he felt for the doorway. But as he turned around, blind in the darkness, there was an eerie glow near what he now saw was Professor Snape's desk. There in the darkness, letting off an ghostly green glow, was a pair of eyes, the eyes from the train. Only now they were not docile as they had been before. They were furious and seething. Fires brimmed in the darkness of its gaze and the irises were completely covered by the enlarged and enflamed pupil. They opened wider and narrowed as he stared at them.
Harry yelped and whirled around, but not before seeing another glow in the doorway, and a pair of haunting gray eyes that lingered after the transparent body had disappeared. Harry's breath caught in his throat. He was alone in the room with a pair of furious eyes that seemed to see right through him, and a ghost was here, had just rendered himself invisible. But then again, he noticed that the hairs that had risen on his neck were now lying back against his neck as they always had. No breeze stirred the corridor. With a deep breath, Harry turned slowly around to face the eyes. But they were there no longer. Only a small glow, reminicent of the burst of light that it had once been remained. Harry took no more chances. He ran through the door as fast as he could, feeling a slight coldness as he rushed through the doorway.
He didn't stop running until he had reached the hospital wing, where he bumped into Madame Pomfrey, who clucked at him disapprovingly.
"Now, now Harry. I've taken care of Mister Weasley as best I could. Only a good night's sleep can help him now." She said, wagging her finger at him.
"Please Madame Pomfrey! It's important! I didn't get to see him before and I just want to make sure he's alright." Harry pleaded as he panted. There was a slight change in the woman's eyes which Harry took to be softness as she said,
"Alright, but ten minutes! No more! No less!" She said firmly, opening the door for him.
Harry crept into the hospital ward silently. There were only a few other people there, but not many. It wasn't hard to detect the Weasley boy with his shocking red hair. To Harry's surprise, Ron was sitting straight up in bed, his eyes wide open. His hands were in his lap and he was running them over and around each other nervously.
"Ron?" Ron didn't answer, didn't even look at him. "Ron?!" Harry said a little louder. Ron jumped as if he'd been shocked and finally looked up at him, relief evident on his face.
"Oh Harry! I'm so glad its you! I was afraid it was that bo-, Madame Pomfrey." Ron stuttered, a silly grin spread across his face. Harry quickly sat down beside him on the bed.
"How're you feeling Ron?" He asked. Ron shrugged and waved his hand back and forth.
"Alright. A little queasy and my head hurts as bad as the time Fred banged me over the head with his beater, but I'm alright. Alright now that you're here." He shivered. "Hermione was here for a while. Didn't expect that I tell you! And so were Fred and George and Artemis. They explained what happened. I would kill them if I didn't feel the same way they did about Snape. Golly! Slaves to Snape's every whim! Geez, McGonagall was feeling especially cruel today!" Ron said with a smile. "But then, there hasn't been anyone else here and I've been getting, I don't know, lonesome maybe? I don't know, but I don't want to be alone. That bo-, someone might come see me that I don't want to see me." Ron stuttered, stumbling over his words.
"That's the second time you've said something like that Ron. Who did you see before?" Harry asked suspiciously. Ron's ears grew pink and he turned away from Harry.
"It's nothing. Honest. Nobody saw me. I was unconscious remember?" Ron said nervously.
"But before you were unconscious? Did you see anybody?" Harry pressed. Ron looked straight ahead, never looking once at Harry.
"I saw him, Harry." Harry stared at Ron's wide open blue eyes, and his pale face that glistened in the darkened room.
"Who, Ron?" Harry whispered.
"The ghost. The ghost that was looking for you. I never saw his face, but, but," Ron gulped, unable to go on.
"It's okay Ron. I'm here." Harry whispered. Ron finally turned his face to Harry and worry stretched across it.
"He had gray eyes Harry. Didn't, didn't Cedric have gray eyes?" He whispered worriedly. Harry sat back in his seat.
"Yeah he did. Grayest eyes you could ask for." Harry whispered. Ron shook his head, all happiness driven out by his unexplainable fear.
"It must have been him there, when I got hit. Put a softening spell on the wall so I wouldn't hit it so hard. He told me I could have cracked my skull. He asked about you Harry. Wanted to know if you've figured out the paper yet. Said he's leaving Hogwarts, but he'll be back." Ron shivered and pulled the covers closer to him as he whispered,
"What would Cedric want with me?" Harry could not answer him. He could only sit still in the quiet room and listen to the echoes of the halls, whispering and calling his name.
The Master's Mirror, Harry.
The Master's Mirror.
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Author's Note: Thank you! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! Thanks! You're all great! Hope you're enjoying the story so far. And don't worry. Heh-heh, things are just getting started.
T.H.