Disclaimer: Don't you all know this? I don't own Harry Potter. But I do own the odd creature introduced in this chapter!!!!!! *hehe*

A/N: I'm sooo sorry about the wait!! I really wanted to post sooner! I'm sorry!!! Okay, this is a kind of crazy chapter, but don't blame me. My pen just writes what it wants!! Oh and the OWL results last chappie, they were supposed to be in a chart. But it didn't work properly when I uploaded it. Oh well.

Chapter 6: Fighting Prefects-Not Allowed

The start of term feast was boring in Harry and Parvati's opinion. In everyone else's, too, actually. Nobody found very intersting (except maybe Hermione!).

For what happened afterwards surpassed all.

The Prefects were leading the first years to dormitories and keeping order when the fight broke out In the middle of the Entrance Hall.

Hermione had just taken points off a Ravenclaw second year for rough housing. Ron decided Hermione was being silly and tried to stun her! And then it all started.

Harry thought something was dreadfully ( A/N: I love that word) wrong. Even if Ron was stark raving mad (which he had no real reason to be at Hermione) he would never attack anyone. But Harry shrugged it off.

Professor McGonagall was racing towards Ron and Hermione, clearly scandilized. "What is going on here?" she demanded. "You two are prefects!!"

"He attacked me, Professor," stated Hermione shakily, straightening her robes and glaring at Ron through her tears. "He attacked me."

"Mr. Weasley! I declare, I have never seen such childish behaviour displayed be a Gryffindor prefect. You will receive two weeks' worth of detentions and I will be writing to your parents!!"

Ron didn't even pale. "Yes m'am." He turned and left, not another word.

 There was definitely something wrong with Ron's eyes, thought Harry, as Ron passed him. Did that mean there was something wrong with him?

~*~*~*~*~

Harry and Parvati followed Hermione to the common room. She was crying and very clearly distressed. She ran straight up to the dormitories.

Harry sighed. "Will you talk to her, Parvati? Please? She needs a friend. And plus, I want to know what Ron said to her on the train."

Parvati smiled. "Of course. Love you." She kissed his cheek and raced up the stairs to find Hermione.

"Love you, too."

Harry climbed the stairs and jumped into bed. But he didn't sleep.

~*~*~*~*~

"Hermione? You okay?" asked Parvati of the forlorn looking girl sitting with her head in her arms.

"Yes," came the muffled reply.

"No you're not," stated Parvati. "Who would be after that? What did he say to you anyways, that made you so upset?"

Hermione looked up. "He-he," she sobbed. "He-" she took a deep breath. "Malfoy said that the reason I was looking for Ron was because I stopped him from kissing me. Ron heard and asked me if I would want to kiss him. I didn't say anything. He said I was a common girl with this really cold look in his eyes as if he didn't care." She sobbed again.

"You like Ron? Really? Oh wow!! But that's horrible what he said. I'm sure it was just a spur of the moment thing, in anger. I know for a fact he likes you. He told Harry, whom he told not to tell, but Harry told me. So, I don't know where the 'common girl' came from. Just forget about it for now and go to sleep, okay?"

Hermione nodded and crawled into bed. She was asleep in an instant. Boy, thought Parvati, do I wish I could fall asleep like that!

~*~*~*~*~

Harry was afraid to go to sleep that night. He wondered what would happen if he did.

Eventually, he decided to go to the common room. It was very late. After midnight.

The common room was empty and very quiet. But for some reason, Harry felt as if he was being watched. Very closely watched.

That's when he saw it. A strange looking creature, floating in the air. It had the long tail of a lion and green scaly legs. Its torso was covered in tan coloured fur. It was very thin. Its head was shaped somewhat like a snake's. The flaps like those on a cobra seemed to be its ears. A tuft of reddish hair grew from the top of its head and more around the face. Its pink tongue was like a snake's his nose like a lion's. It's eyes were a piercing emerald green, like Harry's. It was slightly…no, very…creepy.

The creature moved slowly towards him. "Hello, Harry Potter. I think you know, deep down inside why your friend is acting so strangely. And because of this, you must go to Dumbledore."

"Who are you? And how do you know my name?" asked Harry, shaking slightly from fear.

"That information is irrelevant at this time. Follow my advice, Harry and someday you will know." The creature disappeared in a puff of silver smoke. Harry felt an odd sensation in the region of his stomach, but it disappeared quickly. What was that thing?

Probably just a figment of his imagination. "It's no wonder Prefect fights aren't allowed," he said to himself. "They drive you crazy!"

~*~*~*~*~

"This isn't fair! Where is he? I thought you said he would be here, Lucius!"

"That's what the boy told me. He can't have gone far, my Lord."

"No…I hear something. Do you hear it, Lucius?"

"No my Lord. What is it?"

"I'm not sure. No it can't be! We must leave now, Lucius. I believe we have been discovered."

Lucius nodded. "Yes my Lord."

And so they left.

~*~*~*~*~

Harry awoke the next morning bright and early, incredibly stiff. He had fallen asleep on the couch in the common room. Luckily no one had seen him.

He wondered if the creature he had seen was real. If it was, then what did it want? Had Voldemort sent it, or what?

Before anyone could come downstairs, Harry raced to his dormitory and dressed quickly. Little did he know he was lucky he had slept in the common room.

~*~*~*~*~

Shortly after, Harry left the common room with Parvati and headed off to breakfast. He hadn't gone far when he again heard Ron's voice in a fight. Again with Hermione.

Coming around the corner, Harry and Parvati saw Ron had cornered Hermione by a suit of armour. Harry glared at Ron's back and, for some reason, Ron flew out of the way. Nobody knew what had happened.

Hermione stood up shakily and continued her trek to the Great Hall. She glared tearily at Ron as she passed.

Ron stood up quickly and stormed away. Harry wondered what his problem was.

But that creature had been right. Deep down inside, Harry knew the answer. Ron had been possessed. Harry just didn't want to believe it.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Parvati asked, squeezing his hand. "You look odd."

"I'm fine, Vat. I think it's time we went to Dumbledore."

"About Ron?" Harry nodded. "You're right. Something has to be done."

~*~*~*~*~

Yet all that day, they had no chance. Both Harry and Parvati had gruelling schedules. I want to be an Auror schedules.

Potions, Charms, DADA, Transfiguration. And Harry had his Occlumency class. This time with Dumbledore. It would be easy to tell him then.

But Harry didn't have Occlumency until Thursday afternoon. He would have to wait.

For now, he'd just have to sleep in the common room and try to keep Ron in check.

A/N: Finally! This chapter is like twice as long as my others! Wow! How did I do that? I love this chapter. Oh and don't pester me about that mystery character. You'll find out soon enough (in about…3 chapters) its purpose will become known. Please review!!! Please!!!