Chapter Three - Lost Book
I had now been at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for around two days. I was really starting to miss my family and wonder if they were worrying about me. The first night here was the worst. It began to rain and thunder vigorously just like the evening I was running home from my detention - I kept waking up every hour. The early wake-up call from Hermione rustling about with pages of books was very aggravating, but as I was still half-asleep I decided not to say anything, after all the 5th year O.W.Ls were coming up soon and knowing her she would be revising non-stop for days (how she does it, I'm not so sure.)
It was early afternoon and Hermione, Ron, Harry and a couple of other 5th years including Lavender and Parvati were all revising and practicing spells for there upcoming exams. It had been a very long day as I didn't have to revise, I was being reeled in by my thoughts on how to tell Harry about Sirius. How do you tell someone about something like that? They were going to go into the Department of Mysteries probably any day now - I wasn't sure on where we were in the book as I had lost it, which was worrying me quite a lot as anyone who finds it will read it and see the title, maybe even put two and two together. I had been gazing into the alive flames of the fire for quite a while and it had begun to give me a head ache so I looked away to the commotion forming between Harry and Hermione. Harry had been testing Hermione for her Theory of Charms exam, but Hermione kept grabbing the book back off Harry to check she'd said the right answer.
'Hermione you got the answer correct, why do you need to look at it for yourself…do you not trust me?' Harry said, raising his eyebrows.
'Of course I do Harry…it's just all the exams coming up, I really do want to do well in all of them - I've been a bit … pre-occupied lately.' She replied back.
Ron looked up from his charm notes, 'Pre-occupied? With what?'
'Oh…nothing, nothing important, it's just …school work…' She said nervously.
Being the inquisitive person I was, combined with the out-of-character way she seemed to be acting, I pushed her a little bit further, 'What school work? I thought you got it all done on Friday night?'
'Well…erm…I decided to go over it a couple of times, make sure everything was up to standard.' She replied.
As soon as the conversation was over everything went quite again, but this time Hermione and Harry were reading their own books. Due to the silence my thoughts were invading again, this time with worry on where the book had got to.
I swiftly decided that while everyone was in their common rooms most lightly revising for the tests, I would go down to the hospital wing and see if I had left it there (I was dearly hoping I had). My tired, green eyes fell on the exit of the Gryffindor common room, giving one last glance at the trio, I quickly got up and started to walk steadily towards it.
'Hey, Eva, where are you going?' Asked Harry, furrowing his brow.
'Just for a walk, need some fresh air, you know. Being cooped up in here all day isn't doing me any good.' I said jokily.
I'm not sure why I lied to them, they do know about the book after all. I just don't think they would be to pleased if I lost it. Especially Harry.
'Oh ok, well don't be to long. Were going to dinner in about half an hour and Ron won't be to pleased if we miss it.' He replied back
Ron shot Harry a playful glare, 'Nor will you.' He said with a smile.
I glanced back over my shoulder and carried on with my journey. The portrait hole gave a eerie creak that echoed downs the corridors as it opened, then shut with a bang. The hallways looked different in daylight, the sun beamed in from the arched, stain glass windows, the suits of armour shone and the frames of the paintings glinted while every ounce of light bounced of the walls and creped in to dark places.
If I remembered correctly the most direct route to the hospital wing was to go through the main part of the school and past the great hall. I knew if I got lost, I would definitely be out here for a while, and the half an hour time limit I had…really wasn't enough.
I trekked down the ever-changing staircases to the ground floor, where I found greasy-haired Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle. As I walked past they all seemed to stare at me, eyes fixated on me and nothing else. This was making me feel very uneasy so I shot back a look at them, as soon as I did, I wish I hadn't.
'You must be the new girl, the one that got transported here. You know, I heard she is a bit weird, but I guess that's normal for mudbloods like her.' He said, talking to his so-called friends
That really hit the spot, my temper was rising, I hated the way he treated Harry, Ron and Hermione in the books, and I knew in this world, mudblood was a very foul name to be called.
'What did you just call me ferret?' I said walking straight up to him and looking him directly in the eye.
Anger now invaded his eyes, he was burning up with fury, 'Did your little friends tell you to call me that? I bet they don't have the courage.' He said gritting his teeth.
'Oh believe me Malfoy, they have the courage, you should be scared of what lies ahead for you. Not for them.' I replied with a smirk.
He seemed a bit bemused by this and from what I could see his thoughts were on what I had just said and what it meant. So I used the silence to carry on.
'And you do realise, I am not actually a mudblood - I am not learning magic here, I am not a proper student here and finally I don't --'
Just then Harry, Ron and Hermione came round the corner and stood rooted to the spot when they saw me and Malfoy having an argument., locked in eye contact.
'--Eva! What are you doing?' Shouted Harry running towards me, closely followed by Ron and Hermione.
'Ah! Its Potter. Weasel and Mudblood!' Sneered Malfoy.
Ron was just about to go for Malfoy (he looked as though he was going to tear him limb from limb) But Hermione held him back repeating, 'Ron, don't worry it's ok, calm down.'
'I don't mean it to sound like this Harry but what does it look like I'm doing?'
'Fair enough, come on, lets go and get some dinner and leave these alone.' He said tugging on my arm to follow. I gave Malfoy one last look and walked into the great hall with the trio.
'This isn't the end' He mouthed at me while I was being pulled away.
The plates caught the light as we walked past each one of them. The wooden benched tables were as grand and as long as they were in the films, the great hall was my most favourite room in the whole of Hogwarts, it was very magnificent.
We chose a spot in the centre of the Gryffindor table and started to eat. Ron was loading his plate up along with Harry but Hermione was doing some more revision. I was just picking at some food - I wasn't really that hungry as I hadn't done anything all day. There was know conversation looming so I decided to start one off. But with what? Then I decided seeming as I was here I may as well ask the one and only question that would be on anyone's lips if they were in my shoes - and after having an argument with Malfoy I needed to have some laughter.
'Ron?' I said.
'Yeah…'He said eyeing me suspiciously.
'Do you fancy Hermione?'
Hermione dropped the book she was consistently reading from and looked up instantly at Ron. Harry smiled and Ron stopped eating.
'Well…?' I said waiting for the answer.
His mouth opened then shut again trying to think of an answer to give me.
'Uhm…what -- kind of a question is that?
'A liable one.' I said trying not to smile at the way he was blushing. His face nearly matched his hair. Then I decided I was being cruel putting him on the spot like that so I changed the topic.
'Anyway I better get going, I've still got to go and find - go for my…walk.' I said quickly.
'Find? Find what?' Hermione asked.
'Find? I said I was going for a walk.'
'No you definitely just said you were going to find something…' She replied.
'You must have misheard', I said trying to look as though I was telling the truth, 'See you back in the common room…'
Before anyone else could ask me anymore questions I ran up the pathway created by the two tables and out of the Great Hall to go and find the Hospital Wing.
I had now been walking for around fifteen minutes and asked two teachers where to go - but still managed to get my self lost. I turned a corner abruptly and stumbled straight into Professor Umbridge.
'Oh sorry.' I said automatically.
'So you should be,' She cast me a surveying look as if I had done something terribly wrong, I was actually scared of her - the things that she did to Harry in those detentions was horrid, and I didn't want that to happen to me … so I decided to be as polite as possible. 'What is your name?'
'Eva', I said quickly, looking down at the floor.
'Eva what?'
'Uhm…Eva Deonté' I replied looking up at towering figure.
'I advise you, Eva, to be careful where you are going next time. What house are you in?' She said sternly.
'Gryffindor, Professor. '
'Yes, yes, I can tell from your lack of sense of surroundings. Well, if your in Gryffindor what are you doing all the way over here near the Slytherin common room? You should be either in the Great Hall or somewhere near your common room. I demand an explanation.'
How did I ever find my way to the dungeon where the Slytherins are? I know I've been walking about for a while but how did I ever end up here.
'Well, I…uh…was trying to find my way to hospital wing…I was in there a couple of nights ago and I left one of my belongings in there…I guess I just got lost…' I said shakily.
'Lost? Lost! My dear girl you've been here--what year are you in?'
'Fifth'
'Five years! And you don't know your way to the hospital wing?'
Now I was in a predicament. No-one had obviously told her about me being transported here - and no, I wasn't going to tell her either. I was very surprised that Malfoy hadn't said anything to her, after all he was in her 'Inquisitorial Squad', he might be to scared to tell her, she would probably think he was lying anyway. How could I tell her out of everyone about the book? She would probably have me thrown out of here and with Voldemorts death eaters roaming everywhere, it just wouldn't be safe.
'Well? I'm waiting Miss Deonté.'
This was it I would have to make something up on the spot (which I'm not so good at).
'No I don't, you see I have short term memory loss, and get easily confused on whereabouts I am sometimes.' I said with a smile (I know its not the best of excuses but it was the best I could come up with).
'Oh really? Well I believe that you are lying to me Miss Deonté and lying is not very good manners to your Head Mistress is it?
'But I wasn't lying!'
'And neither is shouting, you will be serving detention with me tomorrow night. Come to the Defence against the Dark Arts teachers office at 8 o'clock tomorrow night - I'm sure I can sort you something out to do. Do not be a minute late otherwise you will be serving a weeks worth's of detentions. Do I make myself clear?' She said full of pride.
'Yes…' I said in a sigh. So much for not getting myself into trouble.
'Yes what?'
'Yes, Professor Umbridge.'
'Good, I shall see you tomorrow then and don't use that pitiful excuse about that you couldn't get there. Oh and before I go, the hospital wing is upstairs, down the left hallway then to your right.' She said slyly.
And with that she walked off. My anger to her was infuriating. I know it was a stupid excuse but is it worth giving me detention over it? Well I may as well be getting to the hospital wing now that I had some directions. I knew for one thing. I didn't want to stick around down here.
I arrived at the big mahogany hospital wing doors a couple of minutes later. I pushed the door open and strolled in, a tapping sound from my shoes could be heard as I walked across the cold, stone floor.
I went over to the area that, me, Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in two days ago. I searched and searched for around half an hour. But nothing was there. I was in shear panic at this point, what happens if someone like Malfoy had it? I would have to tell one of the trio I had lost the book and that person would be Hermione. She always knew how to sort this sort of problem out, and she was trustworthy.
So, I ran out of the hospital wing then realised I didn't know my way back. Everything was going wrong for me today. Just then I heard someone coming down the hallway, it was Madame Pomfrey.
'Madame Pomfrey!' I yelled.
She jumped backwards at the sound of my voice and placed her hand on her heart.
'Oh, sorry did I startle you?'
'Yes, but nothing to worry about, what is it you want?' She said slowly.
'Could you give me directions back to the Gryffindor common room, please?'
'Of course…go down this corridor, to the left then down the stairs on your right. That should lead you to the Great Hall --'
'--Thank you, I know my way from there.' I cut in, I was in a hurry, it was actually getting quite late, I'd been walking these vast maze of corridors for over 2 hours.
I rushed through the halls and down the spiralling staircase to the Great Hall. I was just about to start making my way back up to Gryffindor Tower when I heard someone shouting at me from behind…
'Eva! I've been looking for you everywhere would you mind coming down those stairs? I need to speak to you urgently.'
I stopped in my tracks and turned my head around to see who it was. Professor McGonagall was standing down on the shining, marble floor in her velvet green over-cape and her pointed, black hat.
'Oh, yes, of course Professor.' I said politely.
I quickly came down the old, wooden staircase and stood right in front of her.
'Ok, Eva - follow me, we must be quick as you need to be getting back to your common room. What on earth were you doing wondering around with no-one else, you could have gotten lost.'
'I did…' I whispered.
'What was that?'
'Nothing.' I said quickly.
She gave me a stern look then started to walk towards, I presumed, her classroom. We walked for a good five minutes passing, paintings; some awake and some snoring in their sleep, prefects doing their rounds (smartening themselves up as we walked past) and unfortunately, Peeves who was causing some mischief in an old classroom that seemed to not be used anymore considering the way it appeared. I expected Professor McGonagall to go and tell Peeves to 'get out' but she just walked past him, as if nothing was there.
Finally we reached her Transfiguration classroom, she opened the door (it gave a loud screech) then shut it slowly again when I had walked in. Our footsteps echoed around the gloomy, cold room, we walked hastily up to the front of the class to go and sit at her tidy desk. She pulled out a chair for me, then went and sat on her (what looked like) kitchen table chair on the other side of the table. I warily started to sit down. I could feel that something was not right.
'Ok,' She started, 'we have not got a long amount of time so I'm going to get straight to the point.'
I gave a nod in agreement.
'This morning Professor Dumbledore contacted me. Eva, what I am going to say is a very important and serious matter. You said a couple of nights ago that you knew what was going to happen in the next two years of Harry's life, am I correct?'
'Yes Professor.'
'Now, you must not tell Harry or anyone for that matter about the events that you know about. As you so rightly said that night in the hospital wing, it will change future events…and for now we must let them run as they are - or as closely as possible. Otherwise it could result in serious tragedy. Also, keep the book well hidden, no-one must find it. Do I make myself clear?' She looked up at me.
'Yes Professor.' I replied.
'One more thing before you go back to your common room. You may well have read in the book that before you got transported here Professor Dumbledore had gone into hiding. And you maybe wondering what he was doing here, in the castle that night.'
I looked at her questioningly - so she carried on.
'At the start of the year Eva, Professor Trelawney made a prediction, that something peculiar would happen on that very night. So he came back, just to see what would happen and when he found out that you, Eva, had been transported here - he needed to hear what you had to say and how much you knew about our world. Now, any questions.'
'No…'
'Ok, with that said and done I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower to make sure you get back ok and don't spend the night walking up and down corridors. Also if you have any queries about anything at all, feel free to come and get me.'
With that, she got up and I closely followed in her wake. Neither of us spoke as I trailed behind her, I was running over what she had said in my mind. Now I definitely really did need to find that book, I was still going to ask Hermione for help, right now I needed it.
We reached the entrance to the common room where the Fat Lady was talking to a old man in the painting next to her. Professor McGonagall caught the Fat Lady's attention and said the password.
'Ok, Eva, goodnight.' She said then briskly walked off down the wide corridor.
I burst in through the portrait hole then strolled across the glowing common room to try and find Hermione.
'Where have you been? You've been gone ages! You said you were only going for a walk.' Harry said.
'I got lost.' I replied simply.
'Lost?' Ron said.
'Yes, lost, I've only been here a couple of days and you know and this is one big castle. I was lucky enough to bump into Umbridge on my…walk…so she gave me directions back here and a detention.'
'Blimey! A detention? For what? Walking about the corridors?' Ron said.
'Yeah, well long story, do you know where Hermione is?'
'Yeah…she's in her room revising. It's not wise to disturb her you know.'
'Thanks Ron but this is important.' I said hastily.
I followed the staircase up to the fifth year dormitories and opened the door. Only, Hermione wasn't revising. She was reading a book, my book. She looked up to see who it was and her eyes widened.
'Eva!' She shouted, closing the book instantly and trying to hide it beneath her red, patched duvet cover.
'Give me that book, now.' I ushered my hands towards the book.
She slowly got up and placed the book in my hands carefully. I brought the book into my chest for safe-keeping.
'Eva, listen, let me explain before you jump to any conclusions. You gave me that book to read that section in the hospital wing. You didn't ask for it back so I decided to give it you back when we were in our dormitory. But you went to sleep before me so I couldn't…then well it was just asking to be read…so I did' She explained.
'How far did you get through the book?' I snapped.
'Far enough to know what is going to happen at the Department of Mysteries.'
'This is not good.' I sighed.
'Why is it not good? We can prevent Siri - his death.'
'No, Hermione, we have to let events run as they are.'
'What? So were just going to let Harry lose the only close family he has left? If it does happen then Harry will blame you for not telling him and now along with me.' She bellowed, 'Eva, we cannot, I repeat, cannot let this happen.' She said in a softer tone.
'Keep your voice down, Harry must not hear this, nor Ron. This is why I didn't anyone to read that book and also why I didn't tell you about the future. Look, the seventh book hasn't come out yet and for all I know Sirius might have fallen behind that veil for a reason. And if Harry doesn't go to the Department of Mysteries he won't hear the prophecy. While I was on my 'walk' I also met Professor McGonagall along my way back here. She said she had been looking for me. She took me to her classroom and told me that Dumbledore told her to tell me that I had to keep events running as they were in the book.'
'But Sirius!' She replied eyes shooting everywhere.
'But nothing. You know the night I came here. Dumbledore was here wasn't he?'
'Yes.' She said looking at me questioningly.
'Well he wasn't meant to be here was he? He's meant to be on the run. Dumbledore was here that night because he was expecting me to come. Professor Trelawney made a prediction at the start of the year that something out of the ordinary would happen on that particular evening. So he came back to the school - to see me and to hear what I had to say, we can't tell anyone about what's going to happen.'
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That took a lot of writing, well here it is hope you enjoy it. Chapter four might take a while as I have to go back to school in a couple of days time. Compliments and Constructive criticism are welcomed. I will reply to your reviews in the next chapter.
Thank you to my reviewer:
MiKaYGiRl
yay! lol i didn't die, lolz, Loved it it was kewl, i think u have an awsome plot : Keep on writing : Good job.
D Thank you for reviewing, again! ... lol it really keeps me writing, chapter four will be coming soon, it may take longer than others though as I have to go back to school in a couple of days time. But thanks for reading )
Love, Temitope.
