"I can't sit about anymore! I'm going for a walk."
Harry had been an anxious mess since the incident in the courtyard the day before. The drizzle had turned into a full blown storm and so their last Herbology lesson of the term was cancelled. Ron and Hermione were engaged in a tense game of Wizard's Chess (Ron was winning as usual), Freya and Emily were engaged in a heated discussion about the juiciest boys in the castle and Bella was curled up with her blanket on the couch, her head in Seamus' lap as she read.
"Will you be okay?" Bella asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." He grumbled, traipsing through the common room and through the portrait hole, out of sight.
"Do you reckon he'll be okay?" Bella asked Seamus.
"I think he will, he could do with clearing his head a bit." Seamus replied.
Bella stared at the portrait hole for a minute after Harry left. She was extremely worried about him but she knew he would want to be on his own right now and that was why she left him to walk the corridors alone. Twenty minutes later and Bella could read no more, her worry for Harry had grown larger and she wanted to go and find him, to make sure he was okay. She pushed up from where she lay in Seamus' lap and stood to her feet.
"What's up?" He asked her.
"I'm going to find Harry." She replied, placing her book down gently on the side table.
"Want me to come with you?" Seamus asked.
Bella nodded her head and together they set off to find Harry. They hadn't gotten far when the booming voice of Peeves was heard above them.
'ATTACK! ATTACK IN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!'
Bella and Seamus shared a look of utter terror before they ran as fast as their feet would carry them to the Charms corridor. When they turned the corner, they found Harry stood stock still, staring at the body on the ground in horror. The body at his feet was Justin-Finch Fletchley, a muggle-born Hufflepuff in their year, lying there with a look of shock on his face as he stared emptily at the ceiling above him. Floating beside him was the Gryffindor ghost, Nearly-Headless Nick, inky black in colour and slack-jawed, the same look of shock on his face. Bella rushed forward and pulled Harry into her arms as he shook. Seamus stood behind them, a sad look in his eyes as he watched Bella comfort an obviously upset Harry.
"I didn't do it Bella, you've got to believe me." He whimpered as he pulled back to look into her eyes.
"Shh, it's okay. I know you didn't do it."
He dropped his face to the crook of her neck to hide his tears as she ran her hands through his hair in an effort to calm him. Within seconds the corridor was full of students all whispering and gossiping.
'I knew it was him -'
'He's always been out for attention -'
'I bet she's helping him -'
These were just some of the cruel words echoing around them as Bella continued to hold Harry in her arms. She locked eyes with Draco over Harry's head and she shook her own, his taunts were not what she or Harry needed right now. Surprisingly, he listened and no cruel words came out of his mouth as he stood among the chattering crowd. Professor McGonagall pushed her way through the mass of students, Snape and Filch hot on her heels, and gasped at the scene in front of her. Professor Snape lifted Justin bodily and stalked off towards the hospital wing and Filch was looking utterly perplexed at Nearly-Headless Nick. McGonagall conjured a huge fan and handed it to Filch who began to waft Nick up the corridor and out of sight.
"Come with me please, Mr Potter." She said calmly. "You too, Miss Weasley."
Harry pulled himself quickly out of Bella's embrace, a look of outrage on his face.
"But Professor -"
"No buts, Mr Potter, come along."
The crowd split as Professor McGonagall set off down the corridor, Bella and Harry behind her. Bella took Harry's hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze, which he returned, as they followed after Professor McGonagall. After what felt like an age, Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a very large, very off looking stone gargoyle.
"Sherbet lemon."
These words were undoubtedly a password as the gargoyle sprang to life and leapt to the side as an enormous, swirling staircase emerged from the ground behind it. Professor McGonagall was first to step onto the moving staircase, Harry going next and Bella following just after him. As the staircase grew higher the dull thud of the stone sealing them in could he heard and Bella began to grow nervous. She gripped Harry's hand tighter as the staircase ground to a halt and a large oak door appeared in front of them. McGonagall rapped on the door sharply before pushing it open slowly.
"In you go." She said tightly, ushering the pair inside.
McGonagall told them to wait where they were and left them there alone. Bella spun around where she stood, admiring all the weird and wonderful artifacts lining the walls.
"This is definitely Professor Dumbledore's office, isn't it?" She asked Harry.
"Seems like it." Harry replied.
Something across the room had caught Harry's eye and he turned to Bella with a fearful expression on his face.
"What if this really is my fault?" He asked.
"Why would you say that, Harry? You haven't done anything." She replied.
"The Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin, maybe this is why." He said darkly.
"Oh don't be dim. You're not the Heir of Slytherin." Bella scoffed.
Harry turned back to whatever had caught his eye and Bella realised it was the Sorting Hat, sat in a glass case behind Dumbledore's desk. Harry took the few steps between him and Dumbledore's desk and reached up into the case, pulling the tattered old hat from within.
"Harry, what are you -"
Harry jammed the hat on his head and it fell over his eyes. Bella watched as he shoulders slumped and he ripped the hat from his head. He stuffed it back in the case and shut the door, muttering under his breath. Bella opened her mouth to speak when an almighty shriek sounded from behind them. It had gone unnoticed by them before but in the corner of the room sat a large platform and atop it sat a magnificent Phoenix. Bella took two steps towards the beautiful bird and it burst into bright orange flames. Bella looked back at Harry before turning back towards the pile of ash that had been Dumbledore's Phoenix. The office door opened slowly and Professor Dumbledore strolled into the room looking grave.
"Professor!" Bella cried.
"Your bird-" Harry added.
"Finally." Dumbledore replied. "He hasn't been looking himself for days."
Dumbledore shuffled across the room and settled gently into his chair. Bella and Harry stood in front of his desk, sombre looks on their faces.
"Professor, this isn't Bella's fault." Harry said quickly.
"It isn't Harry's either." Bella added.
Dumbledore held up his hand to silence the two frantic students and he smiled at them before he spoke.
"I know. You both are not in trouble." Dumbledore replied.
The door of the office burst open and Hagrid's large form came bounding into the room, a dead rooster swinging wildly in his hand.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir." He wheezed. "It weren't Harry's fault. He were with me when it happened."
"Hagrid, Hagrid, I know." Dumbledore chuckled.
"Oh." Hagrid replied. "Oh, well I'll be off then."
Hagrid left the office in much the same fashion as he arrived, the door slamming loudly behind him.
"You don't think it was us Professor?" Harry asked.
"No I don't. I do want to ask you something though." Dumbledore replied. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"
Bella thought back on that absurd plan Harry had with the polyjuice, she thought about the incident with the snake in the courtyard the previous day and she thought about the voices Harry heard within the walls. It seemed Harry had been doing the same thing as he answered for both of them: "No Professor, nothing at all."
