CHAPTER 8:
A SHORT REST
Harry backed himself harder against the oak door as the creature's ghastly eyes slowly crept closer, and closer. As he stared into those eyes, his very blood grew cold. He wanted to grab his wand. He wanted to blow the creature back into the depths of Hell where it came from. He didn't care if he used an Unforgivable Curse, as long as he killed the damned thing. And he would have, if his hands weren't numb with fear. But he just stood rooted to the ground as the creature came closer, and closer. He could hear Ron and Hermione whimpering helplessly on either side of him. Suddenly, everything grew blurry, then dark, and he remembered nothing more.
***
Harry soon found himself lying in a bed in the hospital wing. He raised his head off the pillow, found his glasses on the bedside table, and put them on. Ron and Hermione were both in beds to his right.
"Have a nice nap, Harry?" Professor Dumbledore's voice asked from his beside.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry replied groggily. "Wh-what happened?"
"Mr. Filch found you and your friends unconscious near the great oak doors," he explained with a slight smile. "Do you remember what happened earlier tonight? Anything at all?"
Harry thought back. "All I really remember is a pair of large red eyes coming down the hallway, towards us. Professor Dumbledore, I've been seeing this thing ever since summer. You must know what it is, right? You've always had the answer before."
"How flattering! What does this 'thing', as you call it, look like?"
"I doubt you'll believe me."
"Remember, Harry, this is the Wizarding World. What is there not to believe here?"
"I guess you're right. Well, I've never really gotten a good look at it. It was always lurking in the dark, see? Anyway, it's about seven feet tall, and it looks like a human torso, covered in black feathers, with big wings sprouting out of its back, and it has a pair of big, red eyes that glow like fire. Oh, and it makes a sound like a woman screeming."
Dumbledore's smile vanished from his usually cheerful face. "Where did you see this, Harry?" he asked in his most serious voice.
"Actually, it's been following me around for some time, but I first saw it at the Weasleys' house."
"So, it begins...." he muttered, looking out the window.
"Wh-what begins?" Harry asked, feeling nervous.
Dumbledore's smile reappeared. "Never you mind, Harry. I advise that you and your friends get some rest. You may leave the hospital wing in the morning."
"Yes, Professor." Harry then laid his head back onto his pillow as Professor Dumbledore walked out of the room. But he couldn't sleep. His mind was filled with too many questions. What did Dumbledore mean by, 'so, it begins....?'" Why was this creature following him around? There are hundreds of people in this school. Why him? But the question that seemed to haunt his mind the most was, what did it want?
TO BE CONTINUED
A SHORT REST
Harry backed himself harder against the oak door as the creature's ghastly eyes slowly crept closer, and closer. As he stared into those eyes, his very blood grew cold. He wanted to grab his wand. He wanted to blow the creature back into the depths of Hell where it came from. He didn't care if he used an Unforgivable Curse, as long as he killed the damned thing. And he would have, if his hands weren't numb with fear. But he just stood rooted to the ground as the creature came closer, and closer. He could hear Ron and Hermione whimpering helplessly on either side of him. Suddenly, everything grew blurry, then dark, and he remembered nothing more.
***
Harry soon found himself lying in a bed in the hospital wing. He raised his head off the pillow, found his glasses on the bedside table, and put them on. Ron and Hermione were both in beds to his right.
"Have a nice nap, Harry?" Professor Dumbledore's voice asked from his beside.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry replied groggily. "Wh-what happened?"
"Mr. Filch found you and your friends unconscious near the great oak doors," he explained with a slight smile. "Do you remember what happened earlier tonight? Anything at all?"
Harry thought back. "All I really remember is a pair of large red eyes coming down the hallway, towards us. Professor Dumbledore, I've been seeing this thing ever since summer. You must know what it is, right? You've always had the answer before."
"How flattering! What does this 'thing', as you call it, look like?"
"I doubt you'll believe me."
"Remember, Harry, this is the Wizarding World. What is there not to believe here?"
"I guess you're right. Well, I've never really gotten a good look at it. It was always lurking in the dark, see? Anyway, it's about seven feet tall, and it looks like a human torso, covered in black feathers, with big wings sprouting out of its back, and it has a pair of big, red eyes that glow like fire. Oh, and it makes a sound like a woman screeming."
Dumbledore's smile vanished from his usually cheerful face. "Where did you see this, Harry?" he asked in his most serious voice.
"Actually, it's been following me around for some time, but I first saw it at the Weasleys' house."
"So, it begins...." he muttered, looking out the window.
"Wh-what begins?" Harry asked, feeling nervous.
Dumbledore's smile reappeared. "Never you mind, Harry. I advise that you and your friends get some rest. You may leave the hospital wing in the morning."
"Yes, Professor." Harry then laid his head back onto his pillow as Professor Dumbledore walked out of the room. But he couldn't sleep. His mind was filled with too many questions. What did Dumbledore mean by, 'so, it begins....?'" Why was this creature following him around? There are hundreds of people in this school. Why him? But the question that seemed to haunt his mind the most was, what did it want?
TO BE CONTINUED