To terrorize yawls neighbourhood


Every single time I encountered a Centaur, without fail, I had been left with more questions than answers. Penny, Beatrice, Astra, and Zari all had the similar feeling of being flummoxed by Nocturna's statement.

"I'm sorry, but what?" Zari asked.

"I thought my words were clear," Nocturna said. "But, the stars spoke of a dire warning. You must return home, Harry Potter. Or Mars will burn brighter than ever."

"Yes, I gathered that much," I said. "Home? What do you mean?"

"Home," Nocturna said.

"I'm certain that there is a double meaning," Penny said.

"You are a friend of Cassandra Jacobs, are you not?" Nocturna asked.

"Yes," Penny said. "Although, I haven't heard from her in ages."

"Cassandra and her brother always find themselves intertwined in these mysteries of Hogwarts," Nocturna remarked. "But, with the Dragon who has been foretold making his grand return, the stars are in more of a flux than ever before. Especially when darkness looms across the land. With the midnight hour close at hand. Creatures crawl in search of blood."

"Did she just quote Thriller?" Zari asked.

I nodded. Although I struggled to see how Vincent Price and Michael Jackson fit into this little weird Centaur prophecy.

"But, with the Dragon, the stars will bend to his triumph. Or his tragedy."

"Dragon?" Beatrice asked. "What is she talking about?"

I knew precisely what she was talking about. But enough people knew about that for my comfort right now. Why was Penny Haywood looking at me like I had two heads? Did she know something? Did Cassie? Or her brother? I know Merula knows, but that's a long story I feel like I should not go into.

Well, until it's relevant for whatever I'm doing.

"Not quite sure," I said. "There's some great evil coming."

"I think I'm getting a headache," Astra said.

"It's been here this entire time, Harry Potter," Noctruna said. "The Holder of the Air Totem, the Ice Cream Queen, the Condemned Child, and the Paragon of Hope have followed the Dragon though time and space. But others loom. They approach. But will they outrace the looming darkness? The stars are unclear, but home will hold the answer to the next step of your journey."

"Any hints?" I asked.

"Please, if something bad is happening, we really need to know," Zari said.

Zari, I love you, to death, but you trying to get a straight answer from a centaur, you would have better luck trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.

"What is ahead is fluid and shifting, even we Centaurs will mistake the signs," Nocturna said. "But, you will have to head home again. Mars will burn red though the skies and a shower of blood will condemn those who fail to yield to the darkness."

"And now I'm getting a migraine," Astra murmured.

"Look!" Penny snapped. "If you're going to tell us something, then tell us. Seven bloody years, I've dealt with all of these mysteries. And riddles! And strange conspiracies. I've seen one of my good friends die because of this bullshit. And my sister lost a year of her life! Neither deserved it! And my best friend, she's on the run because of something that she can't explain! And the Ministry is asking questions! Making all of our lives miserable. And I want answers! NOW!"

Beatrice's mouth hung open in abject shock. She was as surprised as we all were that her sister flipped. Always the nice ones, I swear. Astra put a hand on Penny's shoulder.

"Breathe," Astra said. "Just breathe. We won't get any answers like this."

"Makes me feel better," Penny said.

"I feel your grief," Nocturna said. "And we all feel for the death that happened within this forest two years ago."

"You better talk," Beatrice said.

"Please, just tell us," I said. "You've been following us for months. I don't think it's because you were transfixed by my green eyes."

"Well, they are extremely bewitching," Nocturna said. "But my fellow centaurs refuse to warn of the danger that is foretold in the stars. They believe it is a human problem. I feel they're wrong. Especially my father."

Her father. Who was her father?"

"NOCTURNA!"

Oh, that was her father. I recognized that centaur. Bane.

Fucking Bane.

Of course it was fucking Bane. Bane and a small group of Centaurs marched over.

"Return to our camp this instant!" Bane roared. "How dare you embarrass me like that?"

"She didn't mean anything from it, Bane," Firenze said.

Firenze, you are the voice of reason. But, somehow I think Bane doesn't particularly want to be reasonable.

"She knows not to be seen by humans, much less interact with them!" Bane growled. "And this one has a lot of nerve coming back into our forest."

Bane's eyes locked onto Penny. Penny stood her ground.

"The Jacobs siblings have caused enough misery to last us all a lifetime," Bane said. "And their friends are just as poisonous. We Centaurs have sworn not to intervene."

"Listen here, if it's something that affects the entire world, it's your problem too!" Astra snapped.

"We should eliminate this issue once and for all," one of the more fierce centaurs said. "Humans need to be taught a lesson."

"No," Ronan said in a tired voice. "We cannot harm the young. We do not touch foals."

"These two have old souls," Bane said while staring at me and Astra. "They, and this totem bearer are part of these accursed Legends who have caused great instability within the stars. They should be eliminated at all costs."

Oh, fuck, this is really bad. Especially the Haywood sisters flashed me one of those baffled looks. Fuckity, fuck, fuck, fuck, I might have to explain this to them.

FUCK!

"Hey, we have a right to walk these forests as much as you do," Zari said.

"Then walk," Bane said. "But you better not let that beast out in the forest again, or we will kill it."

This caused my temper to glare threatening Rosa like that. She had a right to be free and not be cooped up in that Chamber. She had control over her abilities. I weighed the merits of sticking that crossbow where the sun did not shine.

"He did eliminate Hagrid's folly," one of the centaurs said.

"And corrupted my daughter," Bane said. "You are to leave. And never come back."

"Oh, I'll be back," I said. "But you should think about how you're no different than the humans you condemn with your intolerance."

"Guess you're not so high and mighty after all," Astra spat.

"HOW DARE YOU!"

Firenze and Ronan held Bane back before he could do something. It looked like half of the centaurs were trying to appease them.

"Let's go," Penny said. "I've got everything I need anyway."

We walked to the forest edge and no one said anything until we reached the area near Hagrid's hut. And I could still hear the Centaurs shouting back and forth.

"What was that about?" Beatrice asked me.

"Bea, he has his secrets, we should respect that," Penny said.

"But…"

"Help me get these back up to Hogwarts," Penny said. "I'm sorry you were put in danger on my account. I should have known that they were still riled up from the entire…mess we had to deal with."

"And I'm sorry about your friend," I told her.

"Thank you," Penny said.

"Her name was Rowan Khanna," Beatrice said firmly.

"Bea."

"They deserve to know," Beatrice said curtly. "How dangerous it could be out there. And it's only slightly safer now that Dumbledore's finally gone. And he better stay gone."

Beatrice and Penny went the separate way from myself, Astra, and Zari.

"I'm thinking we narrowly avoided disaster," Zari said.

"Really?" Astra asked. "I feel like we would have had to murder some centaurs if things got more heated."

"I really hope she'll be okay," I said. "We've got a lot to unpack."

"I've got more questions than answers," Astra said.

"That's what the Centaurs do to you," I sagely replied.

Nocturna did risk a lot telling us what she did. Especially given who her father was. Although I do wonder what Beatrice and Penny were thinking right now. Beatrice seemed to want to ask and I'm thinking Penny came to the conclusion she might not be better off not knowing.

We might come back to this later. Actually, we will.

I had a vague idea what happened in the seven years prior to me going to Hogwarts, and even further back. Enough for me to understand fully that Hogwarts being safe before Harry Potter attended was a load of barnacles.

And yes, I just referred to myself in the third person.


Every night we have dinner at Hogwarts. But, sometimes we have dinner and show. And tonight, Augusta Longbottom marched down into the halls of Hogwarts in all of her vulture-hat wearing glory. Neville sat up at the Hufflepuff table, with Susan, Hannah, and Megan all eying the woman as well.

"Mrs. Longbottom what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" Rowena asked.

Godric leaned towards Helga.

"Best ready the catapult," Godric said.

"But, she's merely an old lady," Helga said.

"Yes," Godric said. "I stand by what I said."

"I no longer feel that Hogwarts is the proper environment for my grandson to be taught in," Augusta said. "Especially given you have still not replaced this Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Oh, you want to say something to me, Augusta?" Bellatrix asked. "You can say it to my face!"

And here we go!

"Bellatrix, watch it," Zari said.

"You don't think I can take that old crone?" Bellatrix asked.

"I believe I would put any money I have on Professor Lestrange," Gideon said.

"Thank you, Gideon, I know I liked you," Bellatrix said.

"Is there a problem here?" I asked.

Augusta Longbottom turned her eyes to me.

"I received your letter," Augusta said. "And with all due respect, you don't understand what you're talking about. Bellatrix Lestrange is manipulating these students and poisoning my grandson's mind. She should have received the Dementor's kiss for all of her crimes."

"Well, I don't necessarily disagree," Bellatrix admitted. "But, let's talk about you. You were entrusted to your grandson. You constantly made him feel like crap, comparing him to his father, as he lingered in St. Mungo's…."

'Your doing!" Augusta snapped.

"Well, I set them up, but I didn't put them there," Bellatrix said. "Frank and Alice, they were strong. They were fighters. It took three days for some random hobo to crack underneath the Cruciatias Curse. It would have taken far longer than I had them. Even with Junior, my idiot husband, and his doofus brother performing the curse, with me, we still wouldn't have broken it. You really need to look at those medical reports. The real ones!"

"I don't need to know that, and neither does Neville," Augusta said. "He shouldn't question things like that."

"Well, if I wouldn't have questioned things, I would be going back to relatives who hate me because of what I am," I replied. "And my godfather would still be in Azkaban."

"This is different," Augusta said.

"Is it?" Susan asked.

"I respect your aunt, but you should understand…"

"Oh, tell me what I should understand?" Susan asked. "Because, I'm dying to hear that. We're all dying to hear that. How you seem to know better because you just blindly swallowed what those reports said."

"Crouch wanted that investigation sealed quickly," I said. "He was the one who set up Frank and Alice. You recall that at Sirius's trial, don't you?"

"Yes, and he's punished for it," Augusta said. "But, I know what I was told. They would never be the same."

"You believe it, because I'm believable as the monster," Bellatrix said. "True. But, you can't even think that the institutions that you trust have failed you. This is why he recruited so many of us to his cause. Because, this world is fucking broken, and there are people who will take advantage of the trusting nature of people. You think the system works, well it doesn't. THE SYSTEM IS FUCKED!"

Bellatrix shouted so loudly that everyone forgot they were having dinner.

"Catapult?" Godric asked hopefully.

"Not now!" Rowena snapped.

"We allow our hero to be sent to his magicphobic relatives, and live in a cupboard for ten bloody years!" Bellatrix continued. "And your son and his wife, they were war heroes."

"Yes, and you ruined their lives," Augusta said.

"I attacked them, we all did," Bellatrix said. "But, no matter what I did, what you did to your grandson was reprehensible. You let that fat-fuck Algie drop him out of a window!"

"He was okay,' Augusta said. "He had magic."

"And if he didn't?" Bellatrix asked. "Whoops, guess I just killed my great-nephew. Hey pass me me that tart! I might not have many scruples, but what you did is absolutely disgusting."

"He…we just wanted to encourage him," Augusta said. "AND HE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN SLOW TO SHOW MAGIC IF…"

SLAP!

Augusta Longbottom stood, completely stopped in her tracks. Bellatrix did not slap her, neither did I. Neville did not have the nerve to do it, bless him.

It was Sprout. Neville's head of house. Did not know she had it in her, so fairplay.

"You're out of line," Sprout said. "Your grandson is a sweet boy, because who he is. Not who you want him to be. He's not Frank. He's Neville. And if he was a squib, would you have loved him regardless?"

"I…." Augusta said. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Susan asked.

"That's disgusting," Bellatrix said.

Augusta took a step back and Neville stood up, putting himself between Bellatrix and Augusta.

"I don't know, and I don't ever want to think of something like that," Augusta said.

"Frank and Alice would be ashamed of you," Sprout said.

"Well, better you said it, then me," Bellatrix said. "Longbottoms prime family of the light, are secretly offended that their grandson might be a squib."

"A BLACK WOULD HAVE MURDERED ONE IF THEY WERE IN THE FAMILY!" Augusta snapped.

"Yeah, but we don't act high and mighty and pretend we have the moral high ground," Bellatrix said. "Yes, my dear aunt or Mummy dearest would have drowned one. And I shudder to think what Great Auntie Elladora would have done to a squib. Likely would have been mounted next to the house elf heads. But, any Black squib would have been drowned. Just like when that fat fuck Algie nearly drowned Neville by pushing him off of the edge of Blackpool pier."

Augusta glared at Bellatrix.

"Fudge and Dumbledore, they never should have let you into Hogwarts," Augusta said.

"Yes, I agree," Bellatrix said. "But what are you going to do about it?"

"You need to leave," Rowena said.

"Ask Dolores Umbridge what happens if you don't comply with that request," Gideon chimed in.

"Come with me Neville," Augusta said.

"No!"

I smiled at Neville.

"The only way I'm coming home is if you look into what happened to my parents," Neville said. "Otherwise, Susan's aunt has agreed to take me in for the holidays. And I'll be spending my time at Hogwarts. And I'll be evoking the rite of emancipation."

Augusta had been shocked and I had been surprised about Neville's rather bold play.

"If you lose, then you forfeit your magic," Augusta replied solemnly.

"Then, it's not like you would want me around your house anyway," Neville said. "We'll talk after my exams again."

"And Miranda Brocklehurst and Andromeda Tonks are following up on Neville's inquiry," I told her. "I would highly suggest you don't interfere. They have a pretty good success rate lately."

Augusta nodded and turned to walk off.

"Damn," Godric grumbled. "No catapulting today."

"I know," Bellatrix said. "I wanted to see her fly like her hat."

"I'm surrounded by mental cases," Salazar grumbled.

Everyone returned to their meals. Because it was dinner time.

"What possessed you to suggest that?" Susan asked.

"Malfoy mentioned it to me," Neville said.

Well, I am not sure if that was a good idea. Although Malfoy's strange research on blood rituals kept going on. It made me wonder what he was up to.

"If you know what you're doing," I said.

"I researched it a little bit," Neville said. "I know Gran. It takes a good solid shock to force her hand. And maybe she'll understand how weird what happened to Mum and Dad seems."


It is really amazing how slow time drags at certain instances. And how fast it can go in others. We were settling into the new routine at Hogwarts, and even with the power of foresight, I felt there were some challenges when doing the classes. I settled into my project to try and help Rosemary and free her from being bound to Bellatrix and her rather erratic emotional state. Although a lot of ways to break how they were intertwined could be fatal.

Nocturna's words in the Forbidden Forest really stuck with me all of this time later. Divination was a rather tricky subject even under the best of times. And I had little patience for divining the stars.

The entire mess regarding the Longbottoms was being dealt with. The representations of St. Mungos denied any wrongdoing and the Ministry representatives said the investigation was a closed case. I read the latest report in the Daily Prophet along with Miranda's letter, talking about how she could smell something really juicy, because of the fact that they were doubling down on making sure no one got a close look at the medical reports.

I thought there might be something off there.

Now, I knew, especially when an injunction was filed on certain records. Although they could only kick the can down the road so far, as the cracks were there.

Although, I feel like something dire could happen to the Longbottoms if this masquerade came undone.

I studied a few things in the library. Our lovely Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater, looked dead on her feet. She was in preparation for OWLs.

"Chocolate?" I asked her.

"In the library?" Penny asked. "You live dangerously."

We both smiled.

"Yes," I said. "Kiss for a kiss?"

Penny just grinned and leaned over and kissed me on the lips. She had been working hard. I passed her the chocolate.

"I'm going to be a better witch, even if I feel like we've done about three years work in five months," Penny said. "I haven't asked, what's up with you?"

"Oh, the usual," I said. "Turning the world on its head. One scandal at a time."

"And you've been leaving every Saturday for the forest," Penny said.

"Checking up on a friend," I told her.

Penny responded with a nod. I had been checking up on Nocturna, sneaking into the camps under the invisibility cloak. She had been grounded for all of these months.

I also made a point to take Rosa into that forest as well at least once a week. Because, as Penny cheerfully just mentioned, I live dangerously. And I'm not about to let a shithead like Bane dictate what I do.

"We're still on for that camping trip, in July?" I asked her.

"Yes," Penny said. "If I survive."

"You will, luv," I said. "But, then there's no rest for the wicked. NEWTs."

"Really wish they did career consulting before we chose our electives," Penny said.

"That would be more practical," I agreed. "And it's onto France. For a nice relaxing vacation."

And if I happened to just bump into an old friend from our old timeline.

"Before, I work my arse off to get those NEWTs," Penny said.

"We'll celebrate when you nail it that following August," I said.

Penny just flashed me a knowing smile. The clock was ticking. Providing nothing stupid happened which prevented me from enjoying the fruits of my first maturity. Which, I would give pretty good odds of happening.

I feel like I should take bets on what cockblocks me.

"You'll do well on your exams, too," Penny said. "Studying hard?"

"Very hard, although not as much as you," I told her. "But, I have to lead by example. Got to get top marks. Wouldn't feel right putting everyone to a higher standard to myself."

"People are leaving after this year," Penny said. "To go to that new Ministry school. Not sure if they even have a staff, premises, or even a name."

Yeah, it sounds like a fiasco, and I forestalled doom. Penny and I continued to eat chocolate in the library.

"Smith is bragging how Hogwarts is going to be left in the dust, when he leaves and goes to this new school," I remarked with a chuckle. "Ron and Blaise told him they'll throw him a going away party."

"He's…something else," Penny said.

That was Penelope Clearwater speak for "a real douchebag." I wrapped my arm around her, and noticed someone looking at me from the book shelves.

Hermione Granger. One day, she was just in Magical Heritage class. Not quite sure when she left the Hospital Wing. She did not really draw too much attention to herself these days. Hermione took a heaving breath and walked over towards me.

"Um, Harry?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"I need to talk to you. Alone. Please."

"Fine."

I took my leave, making sure to dispose of the evidence that we defiled Madam Pince's beloved library with her chocolate. I walked down to a corridor with Hermione before slipping into a classroom.

"I want to say I'm sorry."

Well, I did not quite expect that.

"Sorry?" I asked.

"For accusing you of cheating, and for all of the bad things I said about you, when you were helping out Professor Lestrange," Hermione said. "They were wrong. And I'm sorry. You don't have to forgive me. I just come off as a little strong sometimes, and I don't really have any friends. Susan, Megan, and Hannah are nice, but I think that they have a lot of patience to put up with me."

"They're great witches," I told her.

"Yes," Hermione agreed. "But, I…I just want to tell you that I'm sorry. And I can tell you it won't happen again. You won't see me again after this year, because…well my mother and I are leaving the country. Right when I get off of the train. After what happened at Christmas, it's for the best, all things considered."

And there's a small part of me that's intrigued. What the hell happened to make Charlotte dump David like a bad habit this early? Was there some kind of row at Christmas? I was not familiar enough with Hermione to pry. Hell, when we were best friends, I could barely get anything out of her about her family dynamic. About the only hint I got was Charlotte not being too broken up when she found out her in-laws were killed by Death Eaters.

"Good luck," I told her.

"Thanks," Hermione said. "You too. And you'll do great things. I just hope I can focus on finding out who I am, and not have this pressure, not anymore. Now that…well now Mum and I are going away."

Hermione extended a hand and I shook it. We parted ways. And that was that.


One more Friday night before we tackled the yearly exams. We were all sitting around the Ravenclaw Common Room, indulging in our S'Mores. And also some complementary Harry Potter ice cream bars that Daphne's mother had sent over.

"We're really doing business now," Daphne remarked.

"I can tell," Tracey said. "I swear these are addictive."

"Well, you can always buy more," Daphne said.

"Give us a free taste, than jack up the price?" Mandy asked. "Clever."

"Yes, very," Daphne said. "Um, what are you doing?"

I had been making some notes about some strange irregularities that I noticed in Astronomy Class the other night. Contrary to popular belief, I did not spend the entire class checking out Professor Sinistra. Although she is motivation to drag myself out of bed to that tower at midnight once a week.

"Homework," I told her.

"Put that away," Padma said. "We're supposed to relax before exams. That's what you said."

Daphne eyed it and could see it was something other than homework.

"I should," I said. "It can wait."

I needed to look through old records, to find more of these irregularities. Because, I had a theory. Although if this pattern keeps up for another two weeks, then I'll know for sure.

"We're going to do great," Su said.

"Well, I can get a perfect score, but I'm not sure it's going to matter much," Marietta said.

"What do you mean?" Lisa asked.

"Well, Marietta's mother, she works for the Ministry," Cho said. "And she wants Marietta to attend the Ministry's new school in the fall when it opens up."

"Oh, really?" Sophie asked. "Well, I saw the Ministry's entrance requirements for that school, and you either have to have a magical parent or be sponsored by an approved magical family. Counts me out."

"And their manifesto talks about how the Ministry is trying to bring back traditional magical values that have been lost over the years," Daphne said. "Heard that they're going to work-release Snape to teach Potions."

Man, Snape could not get his beloved Defense Against the Dark Arts post, even at a new school. That's a bit harsh. And funny.

"Would not surprise me in the slightest," Tracey grumbled.

"Dad's putting a bit of pressure on me to show support to the Ministry," Andrea said. "Although the choice is mine."

"I wish the choice was mine," Marietta said. "Mum is talking about how it's my duty to support the Ministry."

"Your mother is wrong," Su said.

"Yes, I know!" Marietta snapped. "I'm going to have to leave my school, all of my friends, just to appease her. And Dad just does whatever she tells him to do. And she's got her head so far up Umbridge's arse, I'm sure she could get details on what that woman has for breakfast every morning."

Well, I am pretty sure they might know what I had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with that lovely image Marietta put in my head. Nearly.

"Her getting launched out of Hogwarts though, that will never fail to make me smile," Morag commented.

All of us, Morag, all of us.

"Marietta, is there anything I can do to help?" I asked her.

"I…I'll be fine," Marietta said. "It's just, Hogwarts is the only place where I feel like I can be who I want to be."

"And this school is going to train a new generation of Ministry drones," Daphne murdered darkly.

"Just don't go," Cho said.

"I…Mum won't allow that," Marietta said.

"You can live with me," Cho said. "Mum would love to have you."

"She'll make your life miserable, and your mum doesn't deserve that either," Marietta said. "I'm sure there's a lot of people who have parents in the Ministry, who will be attending that school. They're highly suggesting that they send their children there and not Hogwarts."

"In five years, this will be one of history's greatest blunders," Su said.

"Yeah, and in five years, my entire education will be ruined," Marietta said sadly.

I am beginning to see why Marietta betrayed Dumbledore's Army in the old timeline, if her mother was such a tyrant. Not that I like it, although one could see it.

"Rowena wants to make this a sanctuary," I told her. "Talk to her. See what your options will be."

"On first name terms with the Headmistress, are we?" Andrea asked calmly. "That doesn't help the rumors that you brought the founders back to life with a necromatic ritual."

Well, that's a half-truth. I only brought Rowena back and she summoned the other three.

"People believe anything, don't they?" Cho asked.

"Mmm, I'm beginning to think that we could tell them that Elvis is a dark wizard, getting his power through arcanic rituals with peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and they would believe it," Sophie said.

"You mean he's didn't?" Tracey asked.

We all laughed. And tried to enjoy the S'mores.

"I'll talk to Professor Ravenclaw," Marietta said. "But, I don't think Mum's changing her mind on this one. And I can't invoke the rite like Neville is doing."

No one should be scared to be in their own home.

"Just let me know if I can help."

"You've done plenty to help us all," Marietta said.

And with that, she kissed me on the cheek. And Cho did so as well, smiling at the support I showed her friend.


Exams came and went, and I think that I nailed them. Although I would not know until next week just how many records I destroyed. Everyone who was going to stick with Hogwarts seemed pretty damn motivated to do their best. At least that was what I saw.

Let's see, these irregularities were strange. Back to this. Astra and Kara were working on them as well, and my research was indicating one of those things.

"They're consistent with all of the known times throughout history where the Fountain of Imperium appeared!"

Astra appeared at the foot of my bed just as I came to the same conclusion. And Kara did as well.

"It's going to turn up," I said. "We can use it to eliminate the Horcrux."

"I'm sure of it!" Astra yelled.

Astra, Kara, and I all embraced in excitement. Kara had a stack of news reports with her. Both of the Daily Prophet and transcripts of various Wizarding Wireless news reports over the twenty-four hours.

"Strange events," Kara said.

"All reported in the general area of…Merlin's Cosmic Staff, of course!"

Astra, Kara, and I all locked eyes within each other.

"Godric's Hollow," I said.

"Home," Astra said. "That's where she meant by home."

It makes sense.

"It's there, we have to get to it," I said. "Now. Because if they're noticing weird things, someone is going to investigate the anomalies. And we might have another day and a night to get there and use it."

Thankfully, we could use it to eliminate this final Horcrux.

"Then, we've got to go now!" Astra shouted. "So close, I can feel it!"

A loud crash echoed outside of my dormitory window. I flung the window open and I could see someone falling off of their broomstick.

Kara darted out like a blur and caught the falling figure. Then she came back up.

I noticed the severely injured figure in Kara's arms. Astra and I had the same conclusion at the same time when we got a look at her swollen face, with green veins edging out of it. Her breathing was pained, as if each breath was a marathon.

"Merula Snyde!"

"Poison!" she gasped. "Help…Misery…Voldemort…fountain…Cassie…trouble…no Mungos…get Haywood!"

And she blacked out. Breathing, and still barely. Although if I did not stabilize her, and get her help, she would not be for much longer.

To Be Continued.