Chapter 29: The Worst That Could Happen Part 2

The first step to any good detective work: track down a witness. As far as I could tell, I was the only one currently in the library. I made my way to the front desk to check with the librarian Ma'am Pince. She was pretty pale and wore this dark red lipstick with a smirk that made her look like the witch that gave Hansel and Gretel candy.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am Pince?" She looked up from her scroll to give me an annoyed look. "I was wondering if I could ask you a question."

"You just did, child. And it's Madame Pince."

"Oh! Like the nurse! Okay I'm sorry. Um, Madame I was wondering if you happened to see anyone leavin' the library recently?"

"Many of you come and go. You will have to be specific."

She was so sharp, but I pressed forward anyway. Good detective work didn't flinch in the face of hur-hurdles. "It would- um- be a boy I guess?" I dug into the pocket of my robes when she rolled her eyes. "I just want to track down who gave me this," I went further, handing over the anonymous Valentine. "Someone left it under my Charms book when I went to the bathroom. I'm trying to find out who it was."

Something softened in Madame's eyes as she turned it over in her hand. "Youth," I could hear her mutter to herself before she handed it back over to me. "There's a bit of magic that could easily help you find out who left this for you."

"What spell?!"

"I will not say." She rolled her scroll back up, no longer making eye contact. "You will learn it as it comes to you in your syllabus. Besides, getting the spell wrong could destroy it." I flinched protectively over my little piece of evidence, tucking it away in my pocket next to my wand. "There were two students that departed a few moments ago that may have seen your admirer."

"What did they look like?"

"One Ravenclaw. The other was that Hufflepuff girl that was attacked by the troll."

My blood froze. "L-Leanne?"

"That would be the one. Now go. I have work to be done." Madame turned her back, ending the conversation.

I stammered out a small thank you and left the library.

Leanne. Leanne. Leanne.

I had seen her. Well, we saw each other. But it was like there was this thing between us. I wanted to ask her if she was alright. She had missed so much school. I took one step toward her and she practically hissed at me before putting as much distance between us as possible. It had been hard for her at the time. She had a limp now. She wore black tights to hide what I was sure were scars on her leg. If you looked closely enough, you could even see it was a little crooked.

Maybe this was the excuse I needed to apologize! I'm not sure exactly what I needed to apologize for. I did save her life after all. But my Papa apologizes to Mama all the time without knowing what he did wrong so maybe if I just apologize, we could go back to being…whatever we were. Not enemies?

I stopped to talk to a Gryffindor boy sitting in the hallway alone outside the library. He looked like he was waiting for someone and looked up . when I approached him. I recognized him when he looked up.

Stupid Harry Potts.

"Have you seen Leanne?" I asked. I think it came out kind of ruder than I meant it to. I shouldn't be mean. I don't even know him. At his puzzled look I eeee-….eeeelaaaboro- eeeelaaaboooorrrrated. Elaborated. At his puzzled look, I elaborated. "The Hufflepuff girl in our year? She's been out of school because of the troll accident?"

His green eyes rounded. "Someone was attacked by the troll that night?"

I didn't really notice I had been staring until he started to squirm in discomfort. He didn't know? He really hadn't heard? He really didn't know?! "…Do you even know who I am?" At least he had the nerve to blush in embarrassment. I mean, this was a really big school. You won't know everyone. Of course, you won't. But I could name you everyone I have at least three classes with. Definitely if a troll nearly ripped their leg off!

"Harry." His bushy haired friend that stole my book came around the corner just then. Hermione. She looked like she was returning a stack of books herself. "What are you doing here?"

He visibly relaxed. "Waiting for Ron. He's not back yet." They both paused to look at me. Clearly, I was the intruder here even though I'm not the one who interrupted. "She's looking for a Laura-"

"Leanne."

"A Leanne. From Hufflepuff."

"Oh!" Hermione pointed off to the hall she just came from. "She and Lisa just walked that way."

Finally! Something useful! I was one step closer to solving the mystery of the anonymous Valentine. No time for a thank you. I bounded around the corner and down the hall. They couldn't have gotten too far.

I thought I spied the ghost of Almost-Headless-Nicholas floating above but the second I looked up, he was disappearing into the side of a wall. The ghosts, that were normally always floating around, seemed to be missing a lot lately. At least, I hadn't seen them much. Dean still complained every now and then about Peeves. He was the evil spirit that liked to bully the living.

I made a right when I heard the growing sound of raised voices coming from the exit to the grounds. I came to find Lisa, a Ravenclaw girl, and Leanne having what I quickly realized was an argument. I ducked slightly back behind the wall, feeling like an intruder and maybe this exact moment wouldn't be the time to ask if she'd seen who left behind my Valentine.

"I don't understand what you're asking me," Lisa said shaking her head and hugging her books closer to her chest.

Leanne bounced from foot to foot, hands gripping the end of her skirt. "I just really need a friend right now. I need you to be my friend."

"I understand what happened to you-"

"You don't understand anything!" she snapped. Lisa took a large step back from her. "I-I'm sorry. You've just been so nice to me."

Lisa attempted a smile, but it came out a grimace. "You got attacked by a troll, Leanne. I was just helping you catch up with your assignments, but I don't really know you…"

"You could get to know me!" Leanne reached out a forcibly grabbed Lisa's hand, forcing her to drop her book. It was in this moment that I really felt like I shouldn't be seeing this. Something told me to stop this. I wanted to interrupt but my feet were frozen in place. I was being a dirty eavesdropper. I shouldn't be here. "I've fallen too far behind. I need an Advisor. That has to be you!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Lisa attempted to get her hand back, but Leanne's grip was too tight. "Let go. You're hurting me!"

Leanne ignored her request. "I could explain everything," she pleaded instead with a smile. What was she doing? "About the Hufflepuff. The secret society. Everything! I can't come in last again."

NO! I leapt from around the corner. "Leanne, don't!" But I was too late. I knew I was too late. Alarm bells rang louder than I'd ever heard before. The floor shifted, and there were black spots. It came and all at once it was gone. I could tell Leanne had felt it too. She stood completely still, allowing for Lisa to yank her hand away successfully.

"Freak!" she spat. "Just stay away from me. Find someone else to help you." Scooping her book into her arms, she stomped off.

Instead of watching her failed attempt at securing an advisor walk away, Leanne looked to me. Her eyes were wide at the realization that I had been there. "Leanne…"

"How long have you been there?" It was a whisper, but I'd heard it anyway.

We both know I saw it all. "I'm sorry," I apologized instead. "You…you really shouldn't have said any of that. I don't think that was a good i-…idea…" The words died on my lips. Behind her, a good distance away, glittered gold. It was the shiniest woman I had ever seen. Was I the only one that could see her? She felt familiar. And frightening. Was she an angel? She noticed my staring. A single golden ringed finger raised to her smirking lips. Shhh. I think she meant fer' me to shut up about her.

"Why is it always you?!" Leanne shouted, snapping me out of it. Another quick glanced showed me that the angel was gone. "Why can't you ever just mind your own business!"

I adjusted my bag and shrugged. "I'm sure Lisa will come around. You're a nice girl and-"

"Oh, shut up!" Leanne turned and ran. "Just stay away from me!"

A cold having nothing to do with the February frost settled over me as I watched her, surprisingly, run away. A dark figure I couldn't exactly see left my side. "Leanne! Wait!" I knew I shouldn't follow her. Every instinct I had said to stay put. That feeling just a moment ago. Leanne had done something wrong. Very wrong. I should run as far away from wherever she was going to be as I could.

So why did I run after her?