The moment Ron escaped the classroom he started to run. He didn't have time to think. He didn't want to think. All he wanted to do was get to Dumbledore.

Snape continued staring. The classroom was a mixture of destruction, blood, and mangled, unconscious bodies. His eyes slowly travelled over it all, with no change in expression and no sound at all. He could barely concentrate on his breathing. But that was all he could hear. He looked barely aware that Ron had left the room.

Ron kept running, he tripped up twice on the un-level cobble floor but he kept staring straight ahead. At last, he reached Dumbledore's office. Then to his horror, he couldn't think of the right password.

"Liquorice!" he shouted. Nothing.

"Sherbet Lemons!" Still nothing.

"Cockroach clusters!" Still nothing. He must have changed it again.

"Dumbledore! Dumbledore! Are you there? Please say something! Please! I need your help! It's an emergency! Come down!"

Out of breath and giddy, he spun on his heals and looked around. The whole school seemed to be deserted.

"WHERE IS EVERYONE?!"

Still nothing.

"Come on! Where is everyone?!"

"Sorry dear. No one around at the moment."

"Who said that?"

"Me. Turn around and look at me when you speak it's quite rude you know when people don't look at me! No one ever looks at me."

Ron found himself looking at a painting of a tiny girl in a little pink dress, with pig tails and a little lollipop.

"I'm sorry."

"That's quite alright little sir. I do appreciate it when people take the time to look at me. Or even talk to me. No one has talked to me in years. It's because I'm so high up. The students never get this tall. But you'd be surprised what I can see from here. I can see everything."

"That's nice, but where are all the student's gone?"

She looked quite irritated. Ron had to strain his neck to look up.

"Well, little sir, it was most strange. Something very bright and blue swept across the corridor. But I was so high up that it missed me. All the poor students simply, vanished. I remember shivering, will you stop looking down little sir I'm trying to talk to you!"

"I'm sorry, it hurts!"

"Well anyway, I remember shivering, as I said, and everything went quiet. Then someone in a long black robe holding a silver staff, walked by very slowly. I tried to shout but he didn't seem to hear me."

"Which way did he go?"

"Through those doors there. I can't see any further."

"Thanks." Then he started to run again.

"Please don't forget me! I love you!"

He suddenly stopped in his tracks by the doors.

"You what?"

"I love you! Don't leave me! Stay here! You can live here! Then you can always talk to me forever and ever, you don't ever have to leave! Oy! Don't you walk away you pompous little idiot! You user! Don't you walk away! Uuuuuuussssssssssseeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Get you're arse back here! I can't see you anymore but I know you're there! I know you can here me! You can never escape me! Not ever! You hear me YOUNG SIR? NOT EVER! NOT EVER!"

Now we know why she was put up there. Anyway, Ron walked on down the corridor, very slowly and carefully. He wanted to yell out 'hello' or something but then he thought better of it. Whatever the painting described it didn't sound good.

"Beware."

Ron stopped again. This voice was deep and shuddering. It was another painting. This time, a sad looking old man holding a sword and shield.

"Huh?"

"Beware the hand of death."

"What?"

"Beware the hand of death."

"You what?!"

"I said, BEWARE THE HAND OF DEATH! Puh, students! I'm only trying to help you out this mystery is difficult enough as it is!"

"Ok." Said Ron, "Thanks for your, uh, help."

"Whatever Mr. ruin the scary atmosphere for me!"

Ron kept walking. He had been doing a lot of that lately. So he picked up the pace, looking left and right as he walked along. Still nothing. How boring! But wait. Something was making a noise at the end of the corridor. Footsteps. Something black. Like a cloak. Ron suddenly shivered violently. The air became icy cold. The walls were covered in shadow. Something wasn't right.