Chapter Sixteen

The blond glared at his rival for the sarcasm, "Fine. Whatever." He really didn't want to hear more out of the Weasel's mouth but he needed to know, "How did you get here? I just remember trying to sleep and then being forced to drink something vile."

"Altering potion. A rare one they said, made by our favorite Potions Professor. It suppose to alter the clones they made with magic to be more like the original copy so they can easily control us. They like to brag at times." Ron simply shrugged at the raised brow from his hated classmate, "I was taken first. I was originally at the library to do some research at Mione's insistent but when she was distracted by her books, that let me to go off to find a bathroom quick, someone stunned me from behind. I woke up bound and gagged. About three days later I woke again with a vile taste in my mouth, locked here in this room with a sleeping Susan and Luna next to me."

"We were on our way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. We wanted to get away from everyone making fun of Luna. She was upset and couldn't find Ginny to talk to. Someone must of followed us because all we remember was waking up here in this cell."

Millicent's soft voice, contrary to her strong build, spoke up last. "I was in the common room. I was in Pansy's room with a few of the other girls. We were celebrating one of the Hufflepuff's mistake in the library. We botched her levitation spell to a different spell, made the book explode. All I remember was drinking a butterbeer one of the girls had taken from home. I think someone drugged them because I was the only one brought here, still out cold."

"Now that that's clear, who's responsible, Weasel? That is if your tiny little brain was actually able to see past those hideous orange things called bangs."

"Ha ha, Malfoy. Our one captor I saw a glimpse of and I could swear was Lavender Brown. She stuck me with a needle the day I had arrived. I couldn't believe it at first, but she would do anything to be a true seer."

"But she wouldn't do that! She's my friend!" Susan couldn't control her outrage at the accusation.

Ron glared at the appalled female, not caring if he accused a fellow housemate. Not since his third year after Sirius Black's escape. "Tell that to Peter Pettigrew!"

"Who?"

"Pettigrew was best friends with Harry's father and godfather. He was once a Gryffindor who went to You-Know-Who."

"Voldemort. He has a name, use it, Weasel. Or are you really yellow instead of red and gold?"

"Fine, Ferret." Pale features flushed an angry red. "But as I was saying, Pettigrew had told old Voldie where to find Harry's parents since he was made Secret Keeper instead of Sirius Black. Remember, Black was freed not too long ago. He had been framed for murder and betrayal caused by that rat, Pettigrew."

As the small group of captives tried keep their minds from feeling trapped, midnight found the Forbidden Forest looking even more dangerous and shadowy. Deep inside the forest, six Mages were seated in a tight circle. "Find anything else to help us, Maya?"

Maya grimly nodded. "In detention, you oh so gracefully assigned to us, I found the last connections. But one is the enemy host of one other person in the same house, as well as a missing lion student, whom I have yet to identify. Whatever the host used on the missing student had to be the first victim since it's harder to identify."

"So, mainly it's a Gryffindor and a Slytherin student changing things on five students. We know three of those five. Who could be the other two?"

"For now, I don't know."

Uneasy with the changes just after the defeat of a Dark Lord, "We defeated the last reign. But who could be threatening the peace now?"

"Osiris?"

"Twins, go home. Find the seers, anyone who can help. Find out anything, I don't care how insignificant it is, find something."

"We shall."

"Isis, you're meeting She-Demon soon, right?"

The immortal demon nodded, "First day of winter break, which arrives shortly. My mates and I will be meeting her."

"She should know something. Find out what it is. It might be important." Osiris then turned to the last Mages, "Thor, you and I will question the creatures in the magical world. They are a resource no one ever means to ask. And Lucas, find your mate. Those damn Slytherins always know something. They won't come out, but they always seem to find things no one else knows. Someone somewhere must know something. I refuse to wait until thousands are dead before we can stop this, not like last time."

"Do we tell anyone else or share our information with them?"

Osiris mentally debated with himself at first, "No. If this is nothing, I won't have a world wide panic. If it is small, we'll deal with it. But should we ever need help, after all the facts, we shall ask them. Understood?"