Chapter Five:
The Halls: Murder-Affair
"He murdered her! I know he did!" Hermione wailed to her two friends after they had searched every place possible for Luna Azura.
"Who murdered her?" Ron shrieked. He hadn't heard this yet.
"Snape! That evil bastard!" Hermione cried as she grabbed Harry's arm. She squeezed it too tight and he gasped.
"Snape? Hermione I know Snape is mean and scary and all but I don't think he would murder Luna," Harry said. Hermione sniffed nervously and pulled a tissue from her pocket.
"Yeah but you saw how much she annoyed him. She did it for kicks, but he probably took it seriously and killed her!" She said. Harry laughed.
"Hermione, it's okay. It's probably just coincidence that Luna and Snape are both gone," he said. Hermione sniffled again.
"No! It's not! The last time I saw Luna was last night with Professor Snape!" She shrieked.
"Well then let's go ask McGonagall if she's seen Snape this morning… I mean we can always say we were wondering why we're sitting alone in potions class…" Harry suggested and his two friends nodded instantly. He had to admit that Snape was always kind of a subject on his suspect lists as well… just being Snape and all.
………………………………………………………………
"I apologize for being late. I had important work to do," Professor Snape said as he walked rapidly into his classroom with the many eyes on him. He glanced over at where Luna usually sat and noticed something that wasn't incredibly unusual:
"Where are Potter, Granger, and Weasley?" He asked with an exhausted look on his face. Draco Malfoy raised his hand before wondering why the Professor hadn't noticed the missing Mexican girl… who just happened to be the cutest girl in the class in his eyes (although he couldn't help but glance at Hermione Granger occasionally…)
"They ran out shouting something about why Luna Azura wasn't here and going to check in the hospital wing for her," he explained as the Professor suddenly burst into sinister laughter.
"What?" Draco asked nervously.
"Do the assignment from page two hundred and eighty six and I shall return soon. Any destruction when I get back and those responsible will be spending two hours with me after class," Professor Snape said before walking out, then he poked his head back in, "cleaning my office."
…………………………………………………………………
"Madame Pomfrey!" Hermione shouted as she, Ron, and Harry burst insanely into the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey shushed them and pointed to a student who was asleep on one of the beds.
"What seems to be the trouble today?" She asked quietly as she led them away from the sleeping student.
"Have you seen Luna Azura this morning?" Harry asked in a much calmer manner than Hermione would ever be able to muster. Madame Pomfrey thought for a moment.
"Nope, sorry. Why? Is she alright?" The nurse asked. Harry shrugged.
"We can't find her anywhere. She wasn't in class, in her dorm, in the great hall, she wasn't anywhere…" He said. The nurse looked concerned.
"Should we—" Hermione began.
"Contact Professor Dumbledore, he'll know what to do!" The nurse shrieked. She knew Luna Azura's secret. She knew that she was no witch and she knew what demons could become if they truly wanted: killers.
…………………………………………………………………………
"Come on!" Harry led the way towards the entrance to Professor Dumbledore's tower.
"Can I help you?" Ron and Hermione clung to each other and shrieked when Professor Snape came around the corner glaring at them.
"N-no Professor, we just needed to speak with Professor Dumbledore," Harry (the only one brave enough to stand up to the Potions Master) said.
"No, you need to be in class," the Professor emphasized in a deep, scary voice as he pointed down the halls towards the dungeons. "Now."
"P-please Professor, we are uh…" Hermione did not want to mention anything about Luna to him… if he did hurt her then he might hurt them to keep them from telling the secret.
"Sir, Luna Azura is missing!"
Thanks Ron, Hermione thought. The Professor snorted.
"Luna Azura is out of class today on account of illness," he said simply.
"But she wasn't in her dorm, or in the hospital wing," Ron continued on and Hermione was about to smack him.
"That's because she is with me in my office. I am treating her," he said with the same monotone as usual.
Murderer! Hermione thought. "Oh, alright," she said.
"Now please, return to class…" the Professor groaned as he led them down the hallway.
"Harry, go get Dumbledore," Hermione whispered.
"Uh Professor?" Harry perked up before they had walked too far from Dumbledore's tower.
"What?" the Potions Master snapped.
"Can I uh… may I use the WC real quick before returning?" He asked. The Professor rubbed his temple.
"Fine, make haste Potter," he snarled as Harry turned and ran off. Hermione sighed and followed Ron and the Professor back to class.