chapter 12 - showtime

This is it folks! It's the last chapter. I know you can't WAIT to hear who it is. But, before that, I want to thank all of you for the support on my stories! It really means a lot to me to read every review you leave, even if it's just a short sentence. Alright, on to the reveal. It's showtime.

recap-

The entire mass of hogwarts is locked in the Great Hall, and the only two missing are Blaise Zabini and Percy Weasley. Strange, right? I don't think it was Percy, but who else could it be? Let's find out.

"Who is it, Hermione?" Ron stared at her blankly.

Quite obviously, Ron was not on the same wavelength as us.

"Let me start from the beginning," She replied, turning to Dumbledore and the professors.

Everyone in the room went quiet. It was all eyes on her.

"So, we all know that the first murder was Crabbe, and that he had supposedly stayed back at school on Halloween. My theory: he actually did. While it would seem like Crabbe to sneak over to Honeydukes if he was ill, I don't believe he did."

"It's true he was gone," Madam Pomfrey interrupted.

"And you figured he left, didn't you," I realized.

"Yes. I had the boy on bed rest, but goodness knows he never listens, and-" She rambled.

"Point is," Dumbledore turned to Hermione, "He was taken from the school."

"Right. But this is where Zabini comes in. You see, there is no way a Ravenclaw would know about Crabbe's location in the hospital wing. It has to be Blaise." She concluded about the first death.

"Right, but what about the rest of the deaths?" Someone shouted in the crowd of students.

"I'm getting there," She glared into the mass of people, "But now onto Malfoy's attacking. This one, I found, was rather peculiar. Poisonous gas, in the shrieking shack. The strangest bit being how on earth he got in there. Someone would have had to tell him to, had to make him."

"Meaning…" Ron sighed, clearly not getting the big picture.

"...Meaning someone he knew would have had to tell him to go in. Like a dare of some sort," I replied to him, trying to get him to understand.

"Yes," Hermione went on, "So Blaise must have given someone the idea to dare him, because even an idiot wouldn't put his name so clearly on the blame."

She paused for a second, letting the professors soak in the new information.

"Anyways, the next body, of course, was Zabini's. But I want you to think back at who found it."

There were blank looks from everyone.

"It was Percy." Ron grumbled, annoyed at the thought of his brother. Then the look on his face changed.

"Wait, Percy found that body, and that's the last day I saw him!"

Whispers echoed in the hall. People shifted awkwardly away from each other, assuming the worst...any one of them could be a killer.

"Is Percy.. dead?" A voice muttered from somewhere around me.

But I wasn't listening. Everything happening around me was a blur. Hermione was talking, but I was listening to the voice in my head. The puzzle pieces were connecting, and I was so close. But where was the last piece? It was so close...

"Harry!" Ron nudged me.

He looked at me knowingly, then pulled a blank piece of parchment from his pocket.

Then it clicked. I glanced through the room.

"The killer, therefore, must be in the room." Hermione concluded, looking proud, but she quickly straightened her face.

"She is." I said.

"What?" A few of the teachers wondered aloud, awaiting my explanation.

The students in the room started freaking out at this point, and chaos was clearly about to ensure.

"Harry James Potter. If you know who it is, tell us." Hermione stared bullets at me. The teachers backed her up with their stares. Except Snape, but he looked intrigued, at the least.

"Penelope." I shouted.

She looked at me. Our eyes met for just a second, before she burst out in a fit of giggles.

"Almost a week!" She laughed maniacally, "It took you almost a week!"

Students scrambled away, and teachers started guarding them.

"What the hell?" Ron stared at her in disgust. "My brother's girlfriend? I mean, I thought Percy had lost it a bit, but I guess it was the both of you."

"Oh but did you really know Percy? Because he was missing and you didn't give the thought a second glance! None of you care about him, and it's almost like I'm the first one who ever knew him!" She screamed, walking closer to Ron and us.

"Penelope. We can figure this out," Hermione glanced between her and Ron, a scared look in her eyes.

Tears began to stream down her face.

"I loved him. Zabini knew that," She sobbed.

"It's ok." Hermione said, a quite pitiful look on her face.

"Hermione.." I warned.

"Sorry, sorry," She waved off.

Dumbledore stepped in front of us, with McGonagall and Snape closely behind.

"Ms. Clearwater, come with me." He said.

"No!" She screamed.

"I didn't want to have to do this," He looked at her.

Two spells were cast.

First, he disarmed her. She screamed.

Then, he used the charm petrificus totalus.

She sobbed, unmoving, except her eyes moving wildly.

"Snape, go."

Penelope was no Occlumens. Snape saw right through her.

"I have what I need. Minerva, unlock the doors with the secret keys under that fruit bowl. Poppy, take this girl to a mental ward, she dearly needs it. For Zabini, he's staying at a pub in London.

*A few weeks later*

"Yeah, it was bloody insane," Ron grinned at a 4th year.

Hermione and I watched him from across the room. She looked mad, and it amused me quite a bit.

"Is he ever going to realise that they don't care?" She grumbled.

"Doubtful," I chuckled, "But let him flirt."

I took one look at her reaction, and knew something quickly.

"Ron!" I shouted a bit.

The girl quickly dashed away. He sat down with us, then turned to me.

"Come on man, I think she liked me!" He whined.

"No. And, besides, hang out with us for a while!"

And so he did. We talked and enjoyed each other's company.

Also,

I knew something they didn't yet. It was going to be interesting watching this unfold. But for now, that's the end.

Thank you guys so much for reading! Review if you want a sequel, and I'll deliver sometime soon. I love u besties!