Chapter 87: Detention

Hermione watched Phoenix look around as the three of them followed Filch. 'There is something off.' Hermione thought. 'She hasn't acted like herself all night.'

Feeling eyes on her, Phoenix turned and smiled. "Something wrong?" she whispered, distracted by the moving paintings.

"Of course, something is wrong. We got caught." Hermione breathed, hands trembling as they made it to Professor McGonagall's study. "How are we going to get out of this?" she asked as they sat and waited.

Shrugging, Phoenix waited till Filch left, watching Harry mull things over in his mind. "I can always memory wipe them."

Hermione looked at Phoenix horrified, "you mean with memory dust?"

Phoenix gave her a quizzical look, "yeah, how did…"

The door opened before she could finish, revealing Professor McGonagall and Neville. "Harry!" Neville burst out the moment he saw the other three. "I was trying to find you to warn you. I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you. He said you had a drag-"

Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she toward over four of them. "I would never have believed it any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."

It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue. Harry's eyes became glossed over, not sure what he could say. Phoenix looked between her three companions, then at her head of house. Her mind was trying to come up with some excuse. "It was my fault, Professor." She mumbled, still unsure where her plan was going. She glanced at Hermione and Harry, who returned looked at her in shock.

"Let me see if I can piece it together, Miss Matthews," said Professor McGonagall. "You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble." Phoenix swallowed. "I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"

Phoenix looked over at Neville, who looked stunned and hurt. Harry and she tried to show him without words it wasn't true. "I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Five students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. Miss Matthews, maybe there was more to your aunt's visit than previous thought." Phoenix looked at her in confusion. "All four of you will receive detentions-yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom. Nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days. It's very dangerous-and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

'Points? Points for what?' Phoenix thought, 'Doesn't sound good from how the others are reacting. And what did she mean about dangerous?'

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

The four of them sauntered back to the Gryffindor Tower. Neville sobbing, Harry walking next to him looking lost, Hermione watching Phoenix quizzically, and Phoenix looking around the halls with aw again as the figures in the paintings grumbled and looking as if she was needing something. Hermione was about to ask her what she was looking for when she heard the portrait open. Phoenix's eyes went wide. 'Why is she acting like she is seeing this the first time?' Hermione wondered as Harry ushered them inside.

"I will see you all at breakfast." Harry mumbled, walking a still sobbing Neville to the boys' dormitory.

Hermione was heading towards the girls' dormitory when she noticed Phoenix wasn't following. "Aren't you coming?"

Phoenix looked over. "Oh, I'll be up soon."

"Do you want me to stay?"

"No, I just want to unwind."

Hermione looked at her concerned, then sighed. "Okay." She started heading up the stairs but couldn't. She shouldn't be alone. For once, something was different about her. Phoenix had been acting strange all night. Hermione turned around and head back to the common room. When she hit the last step, she saw the tail end of blue and white lights.

Phoenix paced the empty room nervously. Her eyes and ears open. The last thing she needed was to get caught. It was taking longer than what she originally thought. Did they run into Peeves? Malfoy? Filch? A Professor? There were a few times she had to make herself invisible. Thank goodness Hermione insisted on her practicing. Were they okay? She was about to call out when she sensed someone. Phoenix turned around and saw the blue and white orbs. "It's about time! You had me worried!"

The Phoenix double smiled. "Aww, you care about me."

Phoenix rolled her eyes. "What took you so long?"

"This place! It's amazing! You said the paintings move and talk and they do! Well… I mean, most were asleep, but…"

"You are ignoring the question."

"Oh, we got the dragon, Norbert, right? Which was cool! He was heavy, but we slowly got him where we needed to be. Then those guys flew over on their brooms and had this contraption to hook the dragon up to. The three of us stayed until they flew off. It was awesome! You said in your letters you got a broom, right? Well, I want to try riding it during the summer. Aunt Phoebe said it was wicked." The doubleganger held the smile and look of enjoyment on her face.

Phoenix stared at herself. It was strange and unsettling. Is this what Fred and George see? "Why are you dodging the question?"

"I didn't realize I was." She said, scratching her head.

Phoenix gave herself an annoyed look. "Fine! We got caught by… some old guy. I think someone said Filch. We got detention." The doubleganger answered nonchalantly.

"What."

"Well, technically you, Harry, Hermione, and a boy named Neville. Toddles." Waving the doubleganger orbed out, leaving Phoenix dumbstruck.