A Sinister Message

Rating: PG
Genre: Mystery/ suspense
Setting: Hogwarts/Hogsmeade
Main Characters: Harry, Hermione, Ron.

Note from the Authoress: This is my first ever fic! For the purposes of it Sirius is alive again! Sorry the chapters are so short, I originally wrote it for a website.

Part 8

Harry's blood ran cold at the sound of the voice. He spun around. Hermione stood there, a strange neon glow shimmering all around her.

"Hermione" he gasped. Hermione spoke, in the same harsh voice as before

"I knew you would return here, Harry Potter, to find out what had happened to your friend. That is why I have possessed her! You cannot harm me! Any damage you try to inflict upon me will be taken by your friend." Harry backed away. So that was what had happened to Hermione. The person who had been writing the messages had possessed her when she went back to the rock. Her eyes were like steel. The glow was distinctly red, Harry noticed. Hermione waved a hand in the air and a sword materialised in front of her. Harry heard Ron gave a yelp of horror. Hermione was laughing, the laughter was awful, to Harry it sounded like someone had scraped a rusty nail down a blackboard. Hermione pointed the sword at him. Harry knew that whoever had possessed her was going to try and kill him. But he also knew that he couldn't hurt Hermione. He was going to die, he could sense it. He could no longer back away. The rock was right behind him. Hermione advanced. Ron made a move, he looked like he was going to try to stop her, but Hermione simply waved a hand at him. Ron's face went pale. Harry could tell that he couldn't move. Hermione swung the sword over her head. Harry closed his eyes. Any minute now he was going to die. But then a growling was heard. Harry heard a cry of shock from Hermione. He opened his eyes. A black dog had pinned Hermione to the ground. It was Sirius. He had pinned her hands to stop her using magic, and he was growling menacingly. Harry grabbed hold of the sword and, without thinking, held it at Hermione's throat.

"Make one move and I'll kill you" he hissed. The hoarse voice rang out again.

"If you kill me your friend dies to"

"If I have to kill her I will. Why don't you stop possessing her. Or are you afraid to face me face to face?" Harry snarled. There was a rush of wind and Hermione stopped struggling. She appeared to have lost consciousness. Harry gazed at her for a moment, before a blazing pain made his head throb. He turned round slightly groggily. The harsh voice sounded out again, near to the rock.

"So Potter, here I am! Ready to die?" Harry's head cleared a bit and he saw a figure wreathed in fog crouched on top of the rock. The same red aura that had been around Hermione framed the figure. In a smooth move it launched itself from the rock, claws outstretched, at Harry's throat. Without thinking he shot the expelliarmus spell at the figure. It hit the figure, knocking it to the side. It rolled over and got back onto its feet. Again it jumped at Harry, snarling. Harry heard Sirius' voice shout out nearby "Lumos" a blinding light lit up the area. As Harry recovered from the sudden blindness he realised that the creature has vanished. Ron seemed able to move again, and Hermione moaned slightly before sitting up a little. Harry ran to her.

"Hermione, your all right!" Ron soon joined his side. Hermione sat up, and looked around.

"What…what happened?" She asked weakly. Sirius answered

"You were possessed by a nymph." He said. Hermione stared at Sirius a moment.

"But, aren't nymphs friendly creatures?"

"This one wasn't. Some creatures turn to evil ways to gain more power. The nymph was probably working for Voldemort, since it wanted to kill Harry. Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment.

"So that was what was writing the messages then?" Sirius nodded. Harry turned to him curiously.

"but what happened to the nymph? Did you kill it? It just vanished."

"I didn't kill it. It's still out there, somewhere. All I did was weaken it." Hermione seemed slightly scared.

"I remember a voice telling me to kill Harry."

"that was the nymph talking to you. I would tell Dumbledore about this whole thing if I were you Harry. It may return someday."
Relieved that the messages had stopped, but with a dark cloud hanging over them, the three friends headed back to Hogwarts, each wondering whether the nymph would return.

THE END

Note from Eiko

Well, its finished! My first story ever! I hope you enjoyed it! Perhaps I'll write a sequel at some point! Who knows!