Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and I don't own clue - most of you
have probably figured that out, already.
Dedication: This chapter is for Rachel - thank you for the great review. I really appreciate your comment on how this story should get more reviews. That was one of my all time favorite reviews! This is also for CrystalMoon - yes, this is based on clue, as many of you may have guessed. Just to let you know, this isn't a Harry and Hermione fic. They are just the characters that I am deciding to focus on. There are two couple things in this - but I won't tell you what! Finally, this is also dedicated to Sparkles and Sabner. Thank you so much for reviewing!
I'm sorry that it took so long to get this chapter up. I've been really busy. I hope no one gave up on me, and I won't give up on this story, just as long as everyone likes it. I'm having a lot of fun writing it. So, thank you for reading.
*****************THE MYSTERY OF STONE MANSION*******************
Chapter 3: Let the Game Begin
For the rest of the week, the entire school was buzzing about the invitations. Each house (except Hufflepuff, that is) was positively ecstatic about the prospect of winning 250 points. In many ways, it was just like the atmosphere before a quiditch match. The Slytherins were all going out of their way to try and trip up the Gryffindor participants. One burly sixth year went as far to curse Ginny. She was forced to spend an afternoon in the hospital wing with water leaking out of her ears.
However, before anyone else knew it, it was the weekend, and miraculously, all of the participants were in perfect condition. It was half past four on Friday when Harry and Ron decided to get their things ready.
"So, what exactly are we supposed to bring?" Ron asked.
"I don't know. I guess I'll just take my wand. Do we really need anything else?" Harry said.
"Guess not. Let's get going. Hermione and Ginny should be waiting for us in the common room."
They exited their dormitory and made their way down the spiral staircase. Hermione and Ginny were both standing near the portrait hole. Harry saw that they were each clutching small bags, and Hermione was tapping her foot up and down in impatience.
"Finally," said Hermione looking up, "we've been waiting ages. Let's go. We're supposed to be there in twenty minutes."
"What are you two bringing all that stuff for?" Ron asked, pointing to their bags.
"Well, we are going to be there for a whole weekend, aren't we?" Hermione responded.
"Yeah, so?"
"Oh, never mind."
With nothing more said, they walked briskly down to the Entrance Hall, where they would be meeting the other contestants. When they got there, Malfoy was leaning against a wall, and Cho was standing in the middle of the hall. When she saw Harry coming down the stairs, she waved merrily. Harry suddenly felt heat rising in his face as he waved back.
"Do you know who we're supposed to be meeting?" Cho asked when the four Gryffindors were level with her.
"No idea," Ginny said, but just as she spoke, the great oak doors flew open. Ginny gave a little jump. A silhouette of a giant of a man appeared in the door. "Oh, hello, Hagrid. You scared me for a moment, there."
"Hello there Ginny, and Harry, Hermione, Ron. I've come to collect yeh. Are yeh all here?" Hagrid asked, looking around. He spotted Malfoy and Cho. "Well, come on then." He turned and walked right out of the front doors again, onto the grounds. The six of them followed him, and they walked for several minutes in silence. Harry was expecting Hagrid to turn into Hogsmeade; perhaps they would be taking the train, or a portkey to their destination. However, Hagrid lead them, not towards Hogsmeade, but in the direction of the lake.
"Hagrid, where are we going?" Harry asked, running to keep up with Hagrid's enormous strides.
"Yeh'll see in a minute." Harry doubled back to walk with the others. They were now approaching the lake's edge. Harry saw that there were two large boats tied to shore nearby.
"Hagrid -" Hermione began, but then she gazed across the lake. Right in the center of the mass of blue-green water was a rickety old house on a small island that certainly was never there before.
"Yup, that's where yeh'll be going, all right," said Hagrid, pointing across the lake. "Now first, I'm to give yeh some instructions, and then yeh'll get the rest while yer up there. Let's see, oh yeah. I'm supposed to collect yer wands."
"What?" Malfoy yelled, apparently outraged. "I'm not giving my wand to you!"
"Yeh will if yeh want to participate," Hagrid growled. Malfoy fell silent. "Like I said, I'm suppose to get yer wands. Yeh'll get them back when yeh come back up to the castle. They don't want any magic ter be used up there." He nodded to the island. "Now give 'em here."
The six of them reluctantly gave up their wands. Harry couldn't help but remember the last time when he was in the wizarding world without his wand. That had been last summer when Barty Crouch sent the dark mark into the sky at the quiditch world cup. He had felt completely helpless then, too.
Once Hagrid had all of their wands, he steered them over to the boats. The six students all shared the first (Malfoy made sure that he was at the back of it, a good distance away from the others) while Hagrid alone took the second. When they first got in the boats, however, Harry noticed that Ginny was looking rather grim. He was about to ask why when he was jerked backward as the boats sped off along the surface of the water.
It took several minutes to reach island. However, as they approached the towering old house, they saw that up close, it was a large Victorian home. Even though everyone present could tell that it was a lovely house, the several windows that were boarded up made it look rather menacing.
"Well, here yeh go," Hagrid said, as the boats skidded along the sandy surface of the island. "There'll be someone inside to tell yeh exactly what's going on. Good luck."
Everyone clumsily climbed out of the boats and started up to the looming mansion. Harry was the last to get out. When he did, Hagrid brushed passed him and muttered, "Keep yer wits about yeh."
Wondering what Hagrid meant, Harry watched him and the two boats zoom back to the castle. They were now stranded.
"Harry, come on!" a voice called from behind him.
He turned around, said, "Coming," and made his way up to the entrance.
He soon joined the other five, who were looking uncertainly at the manor. Harry was pleased to see that even Malfoy seemed a little scared.
"Well," Hermione said after a few moments of silence, "shall we go in?"
They climbed the creaking front stairs and approached the door. There was a large brass doorknocker there. Harry reached forward and grabbed it. He knocked twice; the sound echoed through the silence.
Within a second, Harry hastily let go. The door swung open. They all peered inside; there wasn't a person in sight. However, they beamed at what else they saw. Harry was astonished to find that everything seemed very well kept inside, if not outside. The spacious entrance hall gleamed with black and brown marble. All of the doors seemed to be made out of thick willow, and there was a sloping staircase to the left. Feeling more confident, they entered the hall, looking wildly around. Their eyes wandered across everything from the glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling to a gold candlestick perched on top of a small table in the corner.
"Welcome sirs and misses to Stone Mansion!" came a squeaky high pitch voice from a door off to the right. They all turned and saw a small figure wearing a bright white pillowcase that was sunk into a deep bow. Harry immediately recognized it to be a house elf. "My name is Gabbla, sirs and misses, and I will be joining sirs and misses here for the weekend. Gabbla is most pleased to make acquaintances of the guests."
"Err.Hello," said Harry when no one responded. "I'm Harry Pott -"
"Oh, but no, sir, you is surly not Harry Potter. Gabbla recognizes you as Professor Gold, is you not, sir?"
"Oh," said Harry. "Right."
"Please come with me, sirs and misses. Gabbla has prepared dinner for your welcoming."
They followed the elf past several towering doors and entered into a brightly lit room that must have been the dinning room. An oak table with several silver candles was displayed in the middle of the room. There were six places drawn up to the table, all with gleaming name cards set upon golden plates.
Hermione picked one of the cards up, read, "Miss Silver," and sat down, looking perfectly content. The rest of them looked around the places in search for their alias. About three seconds after they all took their seats, the house elf bustled in, dishing out soup onto each of their plates.
For a few minutes, they all sat there in silence, wondering what on earth was going on and when they would be told what to do. When they were halfway through their soups, Ginny put down her spoon with a loud clunk and said, "So.Mr. Gabbla," she turned to the corner in which the elf was holding a water glass. He beamed.
"Oh, no, miss. I is just Gabbla."
"Err.Gabbla then.are you supposed to explain to us what exactly we're doing here?"
"Alas, miss, that will come in time. For now, though, please just enjoy the dinner that Gabbla has prepared for miss."
"Err.alright, then." The room returned to silence.
Harry looked up at Cho, who happened to be sitting across from him. To his surprise, she had been eyeing him, too. They both hastily looked back down at their plates.
"Oh, this is silly," Hermione said with a sigh. "Gabbla, can we at least introduce who we are?"
"Oh, miss, that is to be done later, but Gabbla supposes sirs and misses could tell the other's their names," Gabbla said tentatively.
"Good, then," said Hermione, seeming very pleased. "Alright, I'll start. My name is Miss Silver, but I suppose I can't say more than that, can I?" she asked. Gabbla shook his head and his gigantic ears flapped.
One by one, they all introduced themselves. Ginny was Miss Ruby, Ron - Colonial Bronze, Harry - Professor Gold, Cho - Mrs. Sapphire, and Malfoy was Mr. Emerald. They were all soon engrossed in conversation. As they talked, Gabbla brought out the main course that consisted of turkey, potatoes, and even a few peppermint hamburgers.
Somehow, the conversation was steered in the direction of quiditch.
"So, are you going to try out for the Gryffindor team, Ron?" Harry asked. "You know, we do need a new keeper."
"Indubitably, my good chum. 'Tis a fantastic sport. However, I fear that I may worsen the efforts of the entire equipe," he answered rather dignified.
Harry snorted into his soup. "What?"
"I am Colonial Bronze. I thought I should act like it."
"Okay, I'll try it again. Just talk normally for a minute. Are you going to try out for quiditch?" Harry asked slowly.
"Fine. I don't know. I thought I might, but I'm really not any good," Ron replied.
"I'm sure you're great at it. I've seen you fly before, you know." Harry expected some rude reply, or even a smirk from Malfoy, but it never came. Malfoy was merely sitting, eating, and glaring at everyone in the room as if he really didn't want to be there. Harry supposed that this was all because Malfoy had found himself in a room full a Gryffindors who could easily favor against him, and with no teachers around, he couldn't complain to anyone. Harry smiled at the thought.
"Gabbla," Hermione asked, "what exactly are in the other rooms?"
"Oh, miss, there is a study, the kitchen, a lounge, and the library on this floor," Gabbla answered happily. Hermione looked absolutely delighted at the prospect of a library all for herself the entire weekend.
Soon, the entire dinner was consumed. Gabbla came out of his corner and announced, "Excuse me, sirs and misses, but if you wish, Gabbla will now show sirs and misses to their rooms. It will give sirs and misses a chance to change. Dessert will be served at eight o'clock in the lounge, and it is then that I have been instructed to tell you everything."
With that in mind, each person jumped out of his or her seat. The seven of them exited the dinning room and entered the entrance hall once again. Gabbla led them up the marble staircase into another hall in which the walls were covered in brick red velvet. Small lanterns were glowing dimly, lighting their path.
Harry felt a chill up his spine, which caused him to turn around. What he saw was Ginny, but she still looked uneasy. As she turned at the top of the stairs, she grabbed onto the handle. He walked back to her.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine. Thanks, Harry." She put on a brave sort of smile and regained her posture.
"Miss Ruby, your room is here miss," Gabbla spoke over the others' heads.
"Right," she said, and walked up the hall with Harry.
"Please come down to the study at eight o'clock, miss," he said, as he bowed her into her room. Harry caught the briefest glimpse of a large room decorated in every shade of red imaginable before Gabbla closed the door behind Ginny.
Malfoy and Cho got off at the first floor, as well. Hermione entered the first room on the next floor, then Ron, and finally Harry.
When Gabbla opened the last door, Harry found himself in a blinding room where nearly everything was gold - the sheets, hangings on the four poster, several small trinkets, the carpet, even the ceiling. He walked over to an oak dresser, which was one of the only things that wasn't dazzlingly gold. He opened it to find several changes of silk robes - all, of course, were bright gold.
Deciding that he'd better change from his school robes, Harry pulled a new set of gold robes over his head.
Harry began to examine all of the objects more closely; he did, after all, have time to spare. He noticed that many of the small twirling objects that were placed on small tables greatly resembled the trinkets in Professor Dumbledore's study.
After several minutes of wandering, he looked at a grandfather clock in the corner of the room. It read seven forty five. Time had flown surprisingly fast considering the fact that he wasn't really doing anything. He decided that he should probably start back downstairs.
Just as he closed his door, however, a horrible yell came from downstairs. It sounded like Ron. Was he in trouble? Heart pounding, Harry ran as fast as he could toward the yelp. Running down the hall, he saw Hermione peer out of her room excitedly and joined him in his race. He skidded as he turned a corner near the top of the marble staircase and gaped in horror at what he saw.
Lying stiff and motionless in the middle of the hall was Ginny. Leaping down the stairs two at a time, Harry flung himself toward her body.
"What happened?" Harry asked urgently, bending over her. His heart was beating uncontrollably against his chest. He didn't think he could take it if this was happening again.
"I don't know," Ron answered, drawing very sharp, gasping breathes. "I just came down and - and found her."
Hermione dashed to his other side a few seconds later. She was rather red in the face, yet she seemed oddly calm.
"Come on, Ron," she spoke, "we need to go to the lounge to meet Gabbla."
Ron gaped at her in amazement. "What?"
Harry brain was rattling with the same concerns of Ron. Here was Ginny, lying on the floor, possible even - no, he would say it - but Hermione didn't seem to care at all. Wasn't Ginny her friend, too?
"Ron, it will all be fine. Dumbledore said that we wouldn't be in any danger. Besides, I've been expecting something like this to -" but she abruptly broke off in mid sentence. Her eyes widened to the size of galleons, and she slowly bent down next to Ginny. No one said anything. She reached out and touched Ginny's arm, which was snapped to her side. Her fingers made their way to the body's stiff hand. She tried to lift it, but it wouldn't budge from her side.
"Wait a moment," Hermione whispered. "This is the full body bind. You would need a wand for that spell - but I thought that all of our wands were confiscated."
~*~The plot thickens. So, did anyone enjoy this chapter? You know what to do. Click!
Lots of love,
Carmen
Dedication: This chapter is for Rachel - thank you for the great review. I really appreciate your comment on how this story should get more reviews. That was one of my all time favorite reviews! This is also for CrystalMoon - yes, this is based on clue, as many of you may have guessed. Just to let you know, this isn't a Harry and Hermione fic. They are just the characters that I am deciding to focus on. There are two couple things in this - but I won't tell you what! Finally, this is also dedicated to Sparkles and Sabner. Thank you so much for reviewing!
I'm sorry that it took so long to get this chapter up. I've been really busy. I hope no one gave up on me, and I won't give up on this story, just as long as everyone likes it. I'm having a lot of fun writing it. So, thank you for reading.
*****************THE MYSTERY OF STONE MANSION*******************
Chapter 3: Let the Game Begin
For the rest of the week, the entire school was buzzing about the invitations. Each house (except Hufflepuff, that is) was positively ecstatic about the prospect of winning 250 points. In many ways, it was just like the atmosphere before a quiditch match. The Slytherins were all going out of their way to try and trip up the Gryffindor participants. One burly sixth year went as far to curse Ginny. She was forced to spend an afternoon in the hospital wing with water leaking out of her ears.
However, before anyone else knew it, it was the weekend, and miraculously, all of the participants were in perfect condition. It was half past four on Friday when Harry and Ron decided to get their things ready.
"So, what exactly are we supposed to bring?" Ron asked.
"I don't know. I guess I'll just take my wand. Do we really need anything else?" Harry said.
"Guess not. Let's get going. Hermione and Ginny should be waiting for us in the common room."
They exited their dormitory and made their way down the spiral staircase. Hermione and Ginny were both standing near the portrait hole. Harry saw that they were each clutching small bags, and Hermione was tapping her foot up and down in impatience.
"Finally," said Hermione looking up, "we've been waiting ages. Let's go. We're supposed to be there in twenty minutes."
"What are you two bringing all that stuff for?" Ron asked, pointing to their bags.
"Well, we are going to be there for a whole weekend, aren't we?" Hermione responded.
"Yeah, so?"
"Oh, never mind."
With nothing more said, they walked briskly down to the Entrance Hall, where they would be meeting the other contestants. When they got there, Malfoy was leaning against a wall, and Cho was standing in the middle of the hall. When she saw Harry coming down the stairs, she waved merrily. Harry suddenly felt heat rising in his face as he waved back.
"Do you know who we're supposed to be meeting?" Cho asked when the four Gryffindors were level with her.
"No idea," Ginny said, but just as she spoke, the great oak doors flew open. Ginny gave a little jump. A silhouette of a giant of a man appeared in the door. "Oh, hello, Hagrid. You scared me for a moment, there."
"Hello there Ginny, and Harry, Hermione, Ron. I've come to collect yeh. Are yeh all here?" Hagrid asked, looking around. He spotted Malfoy and Cho. "Well, come on then." He turned and walked right out of the front doors again, onto the grounds. The six of them followed him, and they walked for several minutes in silence. Harry was expecting Hagrid to turn into Hogsmeade; perhaps they would be taking the train, or a portkey to their destination. However, Hagrid lead them, not towards Hogsmeade, but in the direction of the lake.
"Hagrid, where are we going?" Harry asked, running to keep up with Hagrid's enormous strides.
"Yeh'll see in a minute." Harry doubled back to walk with the others. They were now approaching the lake's edge. Harry saw that there were two large boats tied to shore nearby.
"Hagrid -" Hermione began, but then she gazed across the lake. Right in the center of the mass of blue-green water was a rickety old house on a small island that certainly was never there before.
"Yup, that's where yeh'll be going, all right," said Hagrid, pointing across the lake. "Now first, I'm to give yeh some instructions, and then yeh'll get the rest while yer up there. Let's see, oh yeah. I'm supposed to collect yer wands."
"What?" Malfoy yelled, apparently outraged. "I'm not giving my wand to you!"
"Yeh will if yeh want to participate," Hagrid growled. Malfoy fell silent. "Like I said, I'm suppose to get yer wands. Yeh'll get them back when yeh come back up to the castle. They don't want any magic ter be used up there." He nodded to the island. "Now give 'em here."
The six of them reluctantly gave up their wands. Harry couldn't help but remember the last time when he was in the wizarding world without his wand. That had been last summer when Barty Crouch sent the dark mark into the sky at the quiditch world cup. He had felt completely helpless then, too.
Once Hagrid had all of their wands, he steered them over to the boats. The six students all shared the first (Malfoy made sure that he was at the back of it, a good distance away from the others) while Hagrid alone took the second. When they first got in the boats, however, Harry noticed that Ginny was looking rather grim. He was about to ask why when he was jerked backward as the boats sped off along the surface of the water.
It took several minutes to reach island. However, as they approached the towering old house, they saw that up close, it was a large Victorian home. Even though everyone present could tell that it was a lovely house, the several windows that were boarded up made it look rather menacing.
"Well, here yeh go," Hagrid said, as the boats skidded along the sandy surface of the island. "There'll be someone inside to tell yeh exactly what's going on. Good luck."
Everyone clumsily climbed out of the boats and started up to the looming mansion. Harry was the last to get out. When he did, Hagrid brushed passed him and muttered, "Keep yer wits about yeh."
Wondering what Hagrid meant, Harry watched him and the two boats zoom back to the castle. They were now stranded.
"Harry, come on!" a voice called from behind him.
He turned around, said, "Coming," and made his way up to the entrance.
He soon joined the other five, who were looking uncertainly at the manor. Harry was pleased to see that even Malfoy seemed a little scared.
"Well," Hermione said after a few moments of silence, "shall we go in?"
They climbed the creaking front stairs and approached the door. There was a large brass doorknocker there. Harry reached forward and grabbed it. He knocked twice; the sound echoed through the silence.
Within a second, Harry hastily let go. The door swung open. They all peered inside; there wasn't a person in sight. However, they beamed at what else they saw. Harry was astonished to find that everything seemed very well kept inside, if not outside. The spacious entrance hall gleamed with black and brown marble. All of the doors seemed to be made out of thick willow, and there was a sloping staircase to the left. Feeling more confident, they entered the hall, looking wildly around. Their eyes wandered across everything from the glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling to a gold candlestick perched on top of a small table in the corner.
"Welcome sirs and misses to Stone Mansion!" came a squeaky high pitch voice from a door off to the right. They all turned and saw a small figure wearing a bright white pillowcase that was sunk into a deep bow. Harry immediately recognized it to be a house elf. "My name is Gabbla, sirs and misses, and I will be joining sirs and misses here for the weekend. Gabbla is most pleased to make acquaintances of the guests."
"Err.Hello," said Harry when no one responded. "I'm Harry Pott -"
"Oh, but no, sir, you is surly not Harry Potter. Gabbla recognizes you as Professor Gold, is you not, sir?"
"Oh," said Harry. "Right."
"Please come with me, sirs and misses. Gabbla has prepared dinner for your welcoming."
They followed the elf past several towering doors and entered into a brightly lit room that must have been the dinning room. An oak table with several silver candles was displayed in the middle of the room. There were six places drawn up to the table, all with gleaming name cards set upon golden plates.
Hermione picked one of the cards up, read, "Miss Silver," and sat down, looking perfectly content. The rest of them looked around the places in search for their alias. About three seconds after they all took their seats, the house elf bustled in, dishing out soup onto each of their plates.
For a few minutes, they all sat there in silence, wondering what on earth was going on and when they would be told what to do. When they were halfway through their soups, Ginny put down her spoon with a loud clunk and said, "So.Mr. Gabbla," she turned to the corner in which the elf was holding a water glass. He beamed.
"Oh, no, miss. I is just Gabbla."
"Err.Gabbla then.are you supposed to explain to us what exactly we're doing here?"
"Alas, miss, that will come in time. For now, though, please just enjoy the dinner that Gabbla has prepared for miss."
"Err.alright, then." The room returned to silence.
Harry looked up at Cho, who happened to be sitting across from him. To his surprise, she had been eyeing him, too. They both hastily looked back down at their plates.
"Oh, this is silly," Hermione said with a sigh. "Gabbla, can we at least introduce who we are?"
"Oh, miss, that is to be done later, but Gabbla supposes sirs and misses could tell the other's their names," Gabbla said tentatively.
"Good, then," said Hermione, seeming very pleased. "Alright, I'll start. My name is Miss Silver, but I suppose I can't say more than that, can I?" she asked. Gabbla shook his head and his gigantic ears flapped.
One by one, they all introduced themselves. Ginny was Miss Ruby, Ron - Colonial Bronze, Harry - Professor Gold, Cho - Mrs. Sapphire, and Malfoy was Mr. Emerald. They were all soon engrossed in conversation. As they talked, Gabbla brought out the main course that consisted of turkey, potatoes, and even a few peppermint hamburgers.
Somehow, the conversation was steered in the direction of quiditch.
"So, are you going to try out for the Gryffindor team, Ron?" Harry asked. "You know, we do need a new keeper."
"Indubitably, my good chum. 'Tis a fantastic sport. However, I fear that I may worsen the efforts of the entire equipe," he answered rather dignified.
Harry snorted into his soup. "What?"
"I am Colonial Bronze. I thought I should act like it."
"Okay, I'll try it again. Just talk normally for a minute. Are you going to try out for quiditch?" Harry asked slowly.
"Fine. I don't know. I thought I might, but I'm really not any good," Ron replied.
"I'm sure you're great at it. I've seen you fly before, you know." Harry expected some rude reply, or even a smirk from Malfoy, but it never came. Malfoy was merely sitting, eating, and glaring at everyone in the room as if he really didn't want to be there. Harry supposed that this was all because Malfoy had found himself in a room full a Gryffindors who could easily favor against him, and with no teachers around, he couldn't complain to anyone. Harry smiled at the thought.
"Gabbla," Hermione asked, "what exactly are in the other rooms?"
"Oh, miss, there is a study, the kitchen, a lounge, and the library on this floor," Gabbla answered happily. Hermione looked absolutely delighted at the prospect of a library all for herself the entire weekend.
Soon, the entire dinner was consumed. Gabbla came out of his corner and announced, "Excuse me, sirs and misses, but if you wish, Gabbla will now show sirs and misses to their rooms. It will give sirs and misses a chance to change. Dessert will be served at eight o'clock in the lounge, and it is then that I have been instructed to tell you everything."
With that in mind, each person jumped out of his or her seat. The seven of them exited the dinning room and entered the entrance hall once again. Gabbla led them up the marble staircase into another hall in which the walls were covered in brick red velvet. Small lanterns were glowing dimly, lighting their path.
Harry felt a chill up his spine, which caused him to turn around. What he saw was Ginny, but she still looked uneasy. As she turned at the top of the stairs, she grabbed onto the handle. He walked back to her.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine. Thanks, Harry." She put on a brave sort of smile and regained her posture.
"Miss Ruby, your room is here miss," Gabbla spoke over the others' heads.
"Right," she said, and walked up the hall with Harry.
"Please come down to the study at eight o'clock, miss," he said, as he bowed her into her room. Harry caught the briefest glimpse of a large room decorated in every shade of red imaginable before Gabbla closed the door behind Ginny.
Malfoy and Cho got off at the first floor, as well. Hermione entered the first room on the next floor, then Ron, and finally Harry.
When Gabbla opened the last door, Harry found himself in a blinding room where nearly everything was gold - the sheets, hangings on the four poster, several small trinkets, the carpet, even the ceiling. He walked over to an oak dresser, which was one of the only things that wasn't dazzlingly gold. He opened it to find several changes of silk robes - all, of course, were bright gold.
Deciding that he'd better change from his school robes, Harry pulled a new set of gold robes over his head.
Harry began to examine all of the objects more closely; he did, after all, have time to spare. He noticed that many of the small twirling objects that were placed on small tables greatly resembled the trinkets in Professor Dumbledore's study.
After several minutes of wandering, he looked at a grandfather clock in the corner of the room. It read seven forty five. Time had flown surprisingly fast considering the fact that he wasn't really doing anything. He decided that he should probably start back downstairs.
Just as he closed his door, however, a horrible yell came from downstairs. It sounded like Ron. Was he in trouble? Heart pounding, Harry ran as fast as he could toward the yelp. Running down the hall, he saw Hermione peer out of her room excitedly and joined him in his race. He skidded as he turned a corner near the top of the marble staircase and gaped in horror at what he saw.
Lying stiff and motionless in the middle of the hall was Ginny. Leaping down the stairs two at a time, Harry flung himself toward her body.
"What happened?" Harry asked urgently, bending over her. His heart was beating uncontrollably against his chest. He didn't think he could take it if this was happening again.
"I don't know," Ron answered, drawing very sharp, gasping breathes. "I just came down and - and found her."
Hermione dashed to his other side a few seconds later. She was rather red in the face, yet she seemed oddly calm.
"Come on, Ron," she spoke, "we need to go to the lounge to meet Gabbla."
Ron gaped at her in amazement. "What?"
Harry brain was rattling with the same concerns of Ron. Here was Ginny, lying on the floor, possible even - no, he would say it - but Hermione didn't seem to care at all. Wasn't Ginny her friend, too?
"Ron, it will all be fine. Dumbledore said that we wouldn't be in any danger. Besides, I've been expecting something like this to -" but she abruptly broke off in mid sentence. Her eyes widened to the size of galleons, and she slowly bent down next to Ginny. No one said anything. She reached out and touched Ginny's arm, which was snapped to her side. Her fingers made their way to the body's stiff hand. She tried to lift it, but it wouldn't budge from her side.
"Wait a moment," Hermione whispered. "This is the full body bind. You would need a wand for that spell - but I thought that all of our wands were confiscated."
~*~The plot thickens. So, did anyone enjoy this chapter? You know what to do. Click!
Lots of love,
Carmen