Author's Note: All Harry Potter based characters belong to J. K. Rowling. But I own all the original characters.
Note: Thank you to Wadesoj, Sailor Hecate and Kears for your reviews. Kears all will be revealed on way Snape was unharmed.
Chapter Four
Writing the Clues and the Little Girl
"Give me that quill for a moment," said Hermione to Ron.
Ron wondered why and gave Hermione his quill. Hermione took a sheet of parchment and dipped the tip of the quill into the inkwell before writing upon the parchment.
"What are you doing?" asked Harry.
"Writing down the names of those who were killed," said Hermione.
"Don't forget to put Snape down," said Harry. "He may not have been killed, but he was still visited."
"How do you know?" Ron asked.
"Just the feeling, being that Ann and Seamus were both found on his bathroom ceiling," said Harry. Then he paused for a second; "Hey notice that all for bodies were found in a bathroom."
Hermione wrote this down.
"Also I heard Snape mention that Ann had her throat slit," said Ron. "Just like Parkinson."
"Plus Seamus having his eyes taken out like Moya," said Harry.
"Okay," said Hermione. "So far I have got the four victims, five if you count Snape, the location of where they're found and what happened to them. What's interesting is that none are from the same house."
"So we ought to rule out house as something that is of connection between these deaths and the attempted killing of Snape," said Harry.
"How come it didn't get Snape?" Ron asked frowning. "Everyone else has been killed, but not Snape."
"That is a mystery," said Hermione. "Perhaps he did something that made Mary think twice."
Harry looked at the clues Hermione had written down. There had to be something about this connection.
"Hang on, how did Seamus get from our common room to Snape's bathroom?" Harry suddenly asked. "Plus I assume the Ravenclaw girl was also in her common room."
This question raised some silent thoughts in each one of the trio's heads. How indeed?
"We need to find out more about Mary and what is going on," said Harry, he looked at Hermione. "This is no longer a ball of fairytales Hermione, this is the real deal and we need to find a way to stop her from killing again."
Hermione seemed to think more of the possibility of a Bloody Mary after the discovery of Seamus and Ann.
"We need to get to the library," she said.
"It is possible that we need to get into the restricted section," said Harry.
"Let's see McGonagall first," said Hermione, grabbing her bag.
The trio hurried to find McGonagall, only to nearly collide into Snape.
"If it isn't the Golden trio," said Snape, coldly. "What are you doing running about in the castle?"
"We need to find Professor McGonagall," said Harry straight out.
"Professor McGonagall is busy with the Headmaster and some of the ghosts," Snape smoothly replied.
"We need to get into the restricted section of the library," said Hermione, straight out, ignoring the looks from Harry and Ron. She gave Snape what she wrote; "We need to know more to why these victims … and you, were targeted by Mary and how those bodies wound up in your bathroom."
Snape looked at this and raised his eyebrows.
"And you believe that the explanation is in the restricted section?" he asked, giving back the parchment.
"Yes," said Hermione.
Snape stepped aside; "Don't let me stop you then, tell Madam Pince I requested it."
The trio were stunned.
"Get out of my sight before I change my mind!" Snape snapped in his usual way.
Harry, Ron and Hermione didn't need to be told twice and hurried towards the library. Madam Pince didn't seem to want to believe them, but she eventually allowed them into the restricted section. The search began, they could only hope and pray.
Filch was mopping up the hallway floors of the second floor, muttering on how disgusting students were. He was so busy with his chore; he didn't seem to notice the shadow zipping ahead of him.
"Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, how does your garden grow? Silver bells and cockle-shells, and pretty maids all in a row," a sing song voice came singing out from somewhere in front of Filch.
Filch looked up and he saw a girl, she looked to be about eight years old. Her hair was all dark like the colour of coffee beans, her eyes were blue and she looked rather pretty. She was wearing a violet colour dress with a bow at the back and white Mary-Jane sandals and white socks. One her left wrist was a silver bracelet and around her neck was a silver necklace with a silver heart and small pink gem in the centre of it.
"Hello," she said. "What's your name?"
Filch looked about him and looked at this girl, she was still standing there before him.
"How did you get this castle you little brat?" he snapped.
"No need to be rude, sir," said the little girl. "Have you seen my mother?"
"No I haven't you little brat, so go on, get out of here?" Filch was extremely frustrated.
The girl looked behind Filch and her eyes widened, as face turned from pleasant to terror. Filch saw the girl's change of expression and frowned a little before turning to see, to his fulfilled horror, a figure of a young woman. Her hair was dark, uncombed and her clothes of white seemed to blend in with her dead white skin.
Filch turned back and saw that the little girl had disappeared. His heart thumping he turned back and saw that the girl had moved a couple of steps towards him. He wanted to run, but his feet were bolted to the ground.
The figure took another step forward then suddenly fast forward so that she was now only ten steps away, then as she took another step forward, she fast forwards again. She stood just centimetres away from Filch and she glared at him straight into his eyes.
Filch felt her hand running up his front and stopped at his chest. Her hand rested for a minute, it felt so cold. Suddenly, without any indications, her hand shot straight into his chest, Filch screamed the loudest scream his voice box could muster, before he collapsed to the ground.
The sound of running footstep were heard, Harry, Ron, Hermione and McGonagall reached the area. They saw Filch's body, lying on his back, with a hole in his chest, right where his heart used to be. His heart was on the ground beside the corpse. It was still beating, but it was slowing down to a stop.
Harry looked above Filch and saw that he was standing by a mirror.
"She's getting bolder," he said. "She's not using a bathroom mirror."
"What are you talking about, Potter?" McGonagall asked, deeply disturbed by the sight of Filch's heartless corpse.
"We've been doing some research, Professor," said Hermione, carefully. "We've been looking up on anything that will give us a clue as to what is setting off these attacks. We have found a list of victims that have died mysteriously, not to mention brutally, dating back since the first of January 1957 here in the United Kingdom."
McGonagall raised her eyebrows at this.
"You have?" she said, her voice seemed a little broken.
Hermione pulled out the list from her bag and gave it to the Deputy Headmistress. McGonagall looked at the list. But it was the first name on the list that hit her the most.
"Where did you find this?" she asked, her eyes were going a little teary.
"In the restricted section, Professor," said Hermione, carefully. "Snape gave us permission to find out what we could."
"May we ask if you knew who the first girl was?" Harry carefully asked. "She shared your surname."
McGonagall looked at the name. "I knew her, very well," she replied, keeping herself from going into tears. "Elizabeth Marie was my daughter and only child. I found her on the morning of the first of January, lying on her bedroom floor, in front of the tall mirror she used to own. Her throat was slit and no-one could explain who, what and why.
"I have been wondering for so long what had happened to her. Now these unexplained deaths, just seem to be giving more clues as to what happened."
The trio were stunned. They had no idea McGonagall even had children, let alone had been married. But then, teachers don't go about talking about their personal lives.
"What else have you found out?" McGonagall asked, wiping away a straying tear.
"We better get everyone else first," said Harry.
"What do we do about Filch?" Ron asked, looking at the corpse.
"It will be taken care of," said McGonagall, "Best to tell Dumbledore to get everyone into the Great Hall."
The trio all nodded, Harry and Ron went to find Dumbledore, while Hermione stayed to help McGonagall take care of the body. The feeling of unsettled darkness illuminated the halls of Hogwarts Castle.
