Crystal Clear

"'Cause I'm broken when I'm open

And I don't feel like I'm strong enough

'cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome

And I don't feel right when you're gone away"

"Hermione!!" the three boys screamed as they watched the sight before them in horror. She was disappearing before their very eyes and they were clueless as to how to save her. Before they knew it, she was completely gone, leaving behind a black rose as a memory. The boys were still frozen to their places, mouths wide open and unable to process what had just happened.

Ron was the first to break out of the trance, throwing the Invisibility Cloak off of himself and completely lunging his whole body on the unsuspecting Draco, and attacking him with all of his might.

"WHAT... DID... YOU... DO... TO... HERMIONE!!" he screamed as he started punching the poor boy in between words.

"WHERE IN HELL DID YOU COME FROM?!" the confused but furious Draco screamed back as he tried to control the situation. Since he was much stronger than Ron, it was very easy to throw him off in just one push.

"I SAW WHAT YOU DID TO HER!! GET HER BACK, YOU SON OF A-"

"You better watch what you say, Weasley! You have absolutely no clue what you're talking about!"

Harry, who fully emerged from his cloak, spoke up. "We've caught you in the act, Malfoy. We saw what you did to her, so you better get her back right now."

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! WHERE IN BLOODY HELL DID YOU TWO COME FROM?!"

"That's none of your business! What have you done to Hermione!" Harry yelled in frustration.

"I TOLD you, I haven't done anything! I'm just as surprised as you are, and I would do whatever it would take to get her back! Can't you two idiots get that through your bloody, thick heads?!" Draco shouted. "Besides, what are you doing here! This is strictly the Heads' Tower, and you two are obviously not the Head Boy and Girl!"

The two boys remained silent but glared dangerously at their enemy. They didn't want to confess that they were actually spying on Draco, and they were more than angry that they were wasting time arguing instead of saving Hermione.

"I'm going to get Dumbledore. You," Harry pointed his finger at Draco, "better watch your back. We're going to get you for this."

He then walked out of the common room with Ron following behind, who had a fierce expression on his face. Once they were out of Draco's view, Ron exploded with anger.

"I can't believe you let him get away!" he exclaimed, causing his voice to echo throughout the halls.

"I'm not. I'm just going to get Dumbledore and tell him that we know who's actually behind all of this. Then, the punishment for Malfoy would be up to the Headmaster. Hopefully, he goes to Azkaban or something equally cruel," Harry replied.

"Good idea. But-"

"What?"

"I could've still pummeled the guy until he wished he never existed."

Harry doubted that fact since Draco had much more strength than Ron, but he didn't want to break the news. "Whatever you say, Ron."

They finally arrived in front of Dumbledore's office not long after, but had no idea how to get to him since they didn't know what the password was. It was obvious that it would be a name of a sweet, but they had no idea which one.

"What should we do? We have no time! Hermione could be in trouble, Malfoy could be out terrorizing half of the school, and WE'RE JUST STANDING OUT HERE WAITING FOR NOBODY!!" Ron panicked.

"Stop yelling, and let me concentrate! There's got to be a way in!" Harry replied. He was becoming increasingly frustrated by the minute since he had no idea of how to save Hermione, and he couldn't get to the one person who could help him.

"Why can't we just go get Malfoy and stop him before he goes any further?"

"Yes, but-"

"WE'RE WASTING TIME HERE!!"

"I know, but-"

"LET'S JUST GO AND GET THAT STUPID GIT! WHO KNOWS WHAT HE'LL DO NE-"

Ron was immediately silenced when Harry's hand covered his mouth to avoid any further noise.

"Shh! I think someone's coming!" Harry whispered, and led his friend behind one of the statues that was beside Dumbledore's entrance. Indeed, they heard some sort of strange noise coming down the hallway, but had no idea what caused it.

"What do you think it is?" Ron asked, terrified and visibly shaking.

"I-I think..." Harry listened harder to the noise that seemed to be coming closer and closer. "I think it could be someone crying."

He came out of his hiding spot, and tried to see if he was right but Ron had grabbed him by the arms to stop him from going anywhere.

"Where are you going? You're just going to leave me here alone?"

"I'm only checking to see who it is. I'll be right back. For Merlin's sake Ron, I think you could take care of yourself without me having to be there for you."

"But, but-"

Before Ron could finish his sentence, Harry walked off in a hurry, not wanting to be involved in the conversation with him anymore. He didn't have to walk far before he knew he was correct about the noise; someone was undeniably crying out loud, and it seemed to be a girl. He took a few steps further, and could now see a figure leaning against the wall with her head in her hands, weeping.

"W-who's there?" Harry asked softly, not wanting to scare the girl.

Realizing that someone was there, she stopped sobbing as much and looked up, revealing a face full of tears. He immediately recognized her as one of the Hufflepuff students – Hannah Abbott. The only question was why was she acting this way?

"H-hannah? Is that you? What's wrong?"

"Nobody c-can help me! I can't f-find the H-headmaster!" she cried out.

"Dumbledore? Why do you need to find him?"

"I-I-I..." Hannah took a deep breath before continuing, "I saw Justin disappear right before me!"

"He what?!" Harry questioned, not quite believing it.

"He disappeared! Poof, gone like that!"

It must be Malfoy, Harry thought. It just has to be him.

"Did you see anyone else there?" he asked.

"No, I don't think so," Hannah replied through her tears. "I've also heard that a few Ravenclaws had suffered the same fate as well. That's why I was crying; everything is just so chaotic and there's nothing we could do about it! Isn't there anything we could do to prevent this?"

Yeah, kill Malfoy, Harry told himself. "I don't really know."

"And you know what's worse? All of the Slytherins are still intact. I bet they're laughing in their common rooms right now, and saying how we deserved this," the girl said.

Yeah, especially since they planned it all, Harry thought. "Look, I'm trying to find Dumbledore too. I saw Hermione disappeared."

"Oh Merlin. I-I..."

"Let's just go find him, okay?" he said, and then led Hannah to the spot where he left Ron. However, when he got there, the red-headed boy was nowhere in sight.

Oh no, Malfoy couldn't have gotten to him, could he? Harry asked himself. He had already lost one friend; he didn't want to lose another, but he was afraid he did.

"Malfoy sure works fast," he said softly.

"What was that?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing."

"Ron? Ron, where are you?!" Harry cried out, hoping to see his best friend come out of his hiding place.

But he didn't.

"RON!!!" he screamed as he tried to look for him.

"You don't need to yell, mate."

At the sound of that familiar voice, Harry turned to Dumbledore's entrance to his office, and sure enough, his friend was standing there.

"Ron!" Harry cried happily. "I thought you were gone!"

"No, I wasn't. Actually, Dumbledore found me crouching behind his statue and asked me to come in to see what was the matter. I told him everything, but then I heard you call out my name, so I came out here to get you," Ron turned to the girl who was behind Harry, "Hannah? So you were the one who was making all that racket?"

The girl ignored him, and instead walked past him into Dumbledore's office.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Ron inquired.

Harry only rolled his eyes, and followed her. He wanted to know what was happening, and he sure hoped that the Headmaster can help him.

----

"Is that all, Ms. Abbott?"

"Yes, sir," Hannah replied. She had just finished telling her story of what happened to Dumbledore, and was now waiting for his response.

"I see."

"Sir, may I say something?" Harry asked.

"Most certainly, Mister Potter."

"I think both me and Ron have figured out who's actually behind all of the vanishings here in school."

"Oh? And who, may I ask, is it?"

Harry glanced at Ron, who gave a slight nod, and continued on. "Malfoy."

"Mister Malfoy? And why do you believe it is him?"

"Well, at first, the attacks were mainly directed at Gryffindor. Malfoy's the leader of the Slytherin House, who hates us the most, and we thought he might be wanting some sort of House War. But now, the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws are equally suffering as well, and we think that's all part of his plan to help deteriorate every House except his own, so that the Slytherins would remain the most powerful."

"How would you explain then, the occurrences that have happened outside of Hogwarts?"

"I..." Harry started to say but stopped himself. He actually didn't know the answer to that. "I don't know, sir."

"Strange coincidence, maybe?" Ron asked.

"I'm afraid not, Mister Weasley."

"Sir, do you know what's happening?" Hannah asked.

"I'm trying to make sense of the situation, and provide safety for my students," he paused for a few seconds, "I'm afraid I have some work to do, so I cannot keep you three here. I urge you all to go back to your Towers, and stay there until further notice. Understood?"

They all nodded and began to leave when Dumbledore spoke up again.

"Mister Potter and Mister Weasley, would you stay behind for a few minutes?"

The two boys stopped in their places, and turned back around, giving each other confused glances as to what the Headmaster would want to say to them.

Once Hannah left, Dumbledore continued. "I know you have lost a very good friend, but I do not suggest you both to meddle with things you do not know. However, if you really want to know the reason behind these disappearances, I suggest you look harder at what each of the victims have in common. You may go."

"Yes, sir," they both said simultaneously and left the room.

"What was that about?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Harry replied but was already deep in thought at what Dumbledore said.

----

What in hell just happened?

One minute, Draco was talking with Hermione, and the next he was being punched by two people who came out of nowhere. He absolutely couldn't get over the shock that Hermione was one of the latest victims, and he didn't know what to do. He had nothing to do with making her disappear, contrary to what Harry and Ron believes. But he couldn't get rid of the feeling that he did have something to do with it. He just couldn't figure out what it was.

Why would Hermione be one of the people who had to disappear? Was anyone against her in that way? He knew the Slytherins would be opposed to her but they didn't have the power to do this. The only one who did though, was the one he dreaded the most. But what could possibly be the reason to make her vanish to who knows where?

Because she's not a pureblood.

Of course, that could be it! But were all the other victims the same? Did they have the same background as she did? He didn't know, but he had to find out... and he knew how.

Draco went up to his room, and searched all over his drawers for that letter he's been hiding for a long time now. It might be of some help; it might be not, but he had to know. After rummaging through dirty clothes that he meant to clean for some time now, he finally found it. He held the letter in his trembling hands, and began to read the content; his eyes going from left to right, reading every single word on that paper. In that letter, it read:

Dear Son,

This is the second time I've had to write you. Why you did not respond to my first, I do not know, but I expect that you will answer my letters promptly each time. What I have to say is of great importance to you, me, and the reputation of this family. I do hope you keep your honour to our family, and also your loyalty to the Dark Lord. He is gaining strength after a lengthy recovery period and had to have a few sacrifices, but that is absolutely perfect for the new plan. I do not want to mention it in great detail but I do expect you to participate. You can expect great rewards for this family when you join the dark side, as you already know. I've already had everything sorted out, so the next time I see you, we can go according to plans. All I can say about it for now is that we can finally have the power to remove those of lower statuses than us. You better make the right choices, boy.

Lucius

After reading the letter, everything was beginning to come clear. It was so obvious; why didn't he think of it before? Now all Draco needs to figure out is how to save Hermione and all the other victims, and any further details of this "plan". He didn't want to wait if he writes back to his father using his owl. No... he has to find a faster way.

Yes, of course, he knew what he had to do now.

A/N: I'm back! I had an amazing time visiting Quebec (Canada), i seriously didn't want to leave! It's a beautiful place to visit, so if you've never went there before, you should!! I personally recommend Mt. Tremblant, and the outskirts of Quebec City..i love going on the mountains for hiking. It's way better than living in Hogtown (aka Toronto) :P.. lol anywho, thanx guys for your reviews, and i hope this chapter's ok. :)