The four were climbing up the staircases. "It's spooky." Ron said. "She knows more about you than you do."
"Who doesn't?" Harry asked.
"I don't." Erin said, though technically it was a lie, it was also true. Harry knew just as much, he just couldn't remember.
"I knew there was a reason I liked you." Harry said.
"Oh, you mean it doesn't have something to do with my stunningly good looks?"
"Well, that might have something to do with it." He joked and they laughed. The laugh was cut short as the stairs started to move under their feet. It stopped. "Let's go."
"Before the staircase moves again." Ron said. They went through the door in front of them.
The corridor was dusty and dark. "Does anyone feel like we shouldn't be here?" Ron asked.
"We're not supposed to be here. This is the third floor. It's forbidden." Hermione swallowed.
"Let's go." Harry said again…although for a different reason.
They turned to see Mrs. Norris. "Run!" Erin said running down the corridor to…a locked door.
Harry was the one that tried the latch. "It's locked!"
"That's it, we're done for!" Ron squeaked.
"Oh, move over!" Erin ordered.
"Alohomora!" Hermione waved her wand and the latch opened.
Erin pushed the others inside closing the door behind them. "Alohomora?" Ron asked.
"Standard Book of Spells." The girl said.
"Chapter Seven." Hermione elaborated putting her wand away.
Harry was listening at the door. Erin turned and her eyes widened. "He's gone." Harry said.
"He thought this door was locked." Ron said.
"It was locked." Hermione reminded him.
"And for a very, very good reason." Erin said behind them. They turned and there was a great three-headed dog and it was waking up. Erin screamed and heard the others scream too. She turned shoving the other three out in front of her. They slammed the door a couple of times before it finally closed. "Colloportus!"
"Colloportus?" Ron asked.
"Honestly, Ronald, don't you read? Don't you want to know spells to help you in certain situations?" Erin sighed exasperatedly at him.
"Well, yes—"
"Then why don't you figure out how to lock and unlock doors?" Hermione asked.
"I swear if he passes this year it will be because we made him study and learn things." Erin sighed.
They got back to the Common room a few minutes later. "What do they think they're doing? Keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?"
"You weren't using your eyes, were you?" Hermione asked. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"
"I wasn't looking at its feet, I was a little busy with the heads! In case you didn't notice, there were three!"
"It was standing on a trap door." Erin sighed. "It must be guarding something. So it wasn't there on accident."
"Exactly." Hermione said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed before anyone else comes up with another idea to get us killed, or worse expelled." She went through the door to the girls' dormitories."
"She needs to sort out her priorities." Ron said. Harry and Erin nodded.
"Erin? Can I talk to you for a moment?" Harry asked.
"Sure." She said sitting down in front of the fire. Harry said something to Ron and Ron nodded going to bed.
Harry sat down. "Erin, have you noticed that we have a lot in common?"
The girl looked at him for a moment trying to see what he was getting at. She decided that he didn't know about their pasts. "Yes, I did. I mean our lives up to this point have been very similar. My mother was killed when I was very young, as was yours. I grew up without my mum and dad, as you did. Neither of us came from very happy homes, and neither of us wants to go back. We even look a little alike. The black hair and green eyes."
"Our parents knew each other." He said smiling.
"Yes, they did. They were best friends. My mum and yours were."
"They were in the same year weren't they?"
"Yes." Erin had never seen Harry this happy. He was thinking about his parents.
"I don't remember much." He admitted. "I remember a green light and that's about it."
"The green light was from the curse Voldemort used." Erin explained.
"You just said his name…"
Erin smiled. "I only say You-Know-Who when others are around. I have never feared him, Harry. He destroyed my family, just as he did yours. I won't fear him for that."
He nodded. "I feel the same way. I mean I do fear him…I fear him because I don't understand why he tried to kill me."
She nodded too. "You are famous, Harry, all because of something you never wanted to happen. I understand that, Harry."
"You do?" He asked.
"Yes, Harry. I do." Erin sighed. "I go by my mothers' name, Harry. If I didn't more than just the Slytherins would know who I was. And even more people would hate me for no reason. Someday my father will be free…they will know that he is innocent. I long for that day, Harry. I always have."
"How do you know he's innocent? What took place took place when you were a baby."
"It is just something I have always felt. Oh, yes, it might be just that he is my father..." She stood and crossed her arms in front of her. "My father is innocent Harry, of all they said he did. And I know it…"
"You must love your father very much." Harry said.
"I love both my father and mother, Harry." She paused and put her hand on her shoulder. He should know the truth. "Harry, there is something I really need to tell you."
"Yeah?" The boy asked curiously feeling this was very important.
"Harry—"
"Private conversation?" They turned to see Percy standing at the door to the boys' dormitory.
"Yes, as a matter of fact." Harry said.
"You should be in bed."
"No rule says we can't be in the Common Room." Erin argued.
"Let's go." Harry said. "No need to argue."
Erin was at the door to her own dormitory before she looked over at Harry. "Good night."