"The voice!" Harry exclaimed as the three friends walked back from dinner.

Before Hermione or Ron could say anything in response Harry took off running back down the stairs.

"Where are we going?" Ron asked with his breath coming out as laboured panting alongside Harry.

"It's going to attack!" Harry shouted, ignoring Ron's question.

Hermione and Ron shared a worried expression but kept running alongside Harry. They all rounded the corner towards the east wing before Harry stopped cold in his tracks. This caused Ron to run right into him and ended up on the floor.

"Maybe a little warning?" Ron asked grumpily as he picked himself up.

Hermione however shushed Ron and pointed towards the other end of the hall.

"There's been another attack," Ron stated in a frightened voice. He was starting to pick up on the trend that it always seemed to be the three of them discovering the bodies of petrified students.

Hermione nodded but kept pointing at the crumpled figure.

Harry was rooted in place.

"Wait, is that Marnie?" Ron asked causing Hermione to become annoyed since it was obvious Harry was taking this much worse than anything else that had happened this year already.

Harry ignored the both of them and finally started walking towards the familiar body. His sister looked lifeless and Harry found he couldn't breathe. What if she was dead? The entire school knew her father was a squib and Flint had even said something to her about it when the chamber had first opened. Plus, Malfoy was always running his mouth about there being killings next. It couldn't be her.

Marnie was the only person who he felt truly understood him. She knew when he was keeping something from her, but she also knew not to pry and let him come to her. She was kind, patient, and caring amongst their group of friends but also fiercely protective. Harry knew that Marnie worried excessively about him and did everything to prevent worse things from happening. But above all she was his sister and Harry didn't have the nerve to be able to bend down and check if she was still breathing.

Harry was slightly brought out of his trance at the notice that Ron was talking with someone. Harry let his frustration start to surface since he couldn't bear the thought of being accused of hurting Marnie. But he stopped short at the sight of Fred Weasley. His face was as white as a ghost as he just stared down at Marnie, much like Harry had been doing.

It seemed as if they had been standing there for an infinite amount of time. Harry still couldn't touch Marnie, but he was now kneeling beside her as he felt tears fall down his cheeks. Fred was sitting opposite him with a horrified expression. Harry had no idea where Hermione or Ron had gone off to but at least one of them, probably Hermione, had had the sense to go and get a professor.

Flitwick was now running down the hall looking harried and frantic.

"She's only petrified my dear boy," Flitwick finally exclaimed sadly before he put a levitation charm on her.

Harry let out the breath he had been holding and merely nodded. He then followed Marnie up the stairs being guided by Flitwick.

However, Fred and Harry were turned away from the hospital wing since Madam Pomfrey wanted to assess Marnie for any risks; Harry didn't have the energy to argue the point. So, the four Gryffindors skulked back to the common room instead where they were greeted by their friends. George was the first to sense trouble.

"What's going on Fred?" he asked seriously already having assessed Fred's expression.

"It's Hare," he choked out.

"No!" Angelina exclaimed coming over to see what was going on.

"Is she…?" Lee stopped short, scared to ask about the fate of his friend.

"Petrified," Harry answered before walking past the group and heading upstairs.

Ron followed him shortly after and was joined by Neville. Both boys remained quiet as they sat with Harry on each of their beds. There was nothing to say to each other that they didn't already know. Each boy cared deeply for Marnie and were devastated that she had been attacked.

Harry's despair gradually turned to anger as he thought about the person who had done this, who was unleashing this demonic thing that preyed to kill the students. Without a word Harry got up from the foot of his bed and stormed out of the room. Neville and Ron looked at each other quizzically before following him out.

"Hermione," Harry called out as he looked around the common room.

"She went out mate," George replied in a rather dejected tone.

"What?" Harry asked disbelievingly, Marnie had just been attacked. How could she be so reckless to go back out at night when the Heir of Slytherin was obviously on the prowl. Not to mention that Hermione ranked fairly high on possible targets.

"She said she had to look in the library for something," Alicia added.

"Is she out of her mind, it's almost curfew and Marnie was just attacked!" Ron added sounding rather hysterical.

Harry and Ron then ran out of the common room before they could hear the protests from the others. However, they weren't two feet out the door when they came toe-to-toe with Professor McGonagall. The professor had a grave look which made Harry's stomach sink even farther, as if that were possible.

"Potter. Weasley," she sounded surprised but solemn. "I have to address the common room, something else has happened."

Harry had already guessed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention?" Professor McGonagall announced once she stepped into the common room, commanding the attention of all the students before they fell into a hushed silence. "There have been three more attacks this evening."

The professor's tone was grave as she addressed her house.

"Three!" several students exclaimed, many of whom hadn't found out about Marnie yet.

"Things are looking quite severe at this point and I must tell you that if the person responsible is not caught quickly, the school will have no choice but to close," McGonagall explained gravely.

Harry felt as if his entire world was threatening to cave in around him. Marnie was petrified, Hermione was most presumably also petrified, and now it was a very real possibility that he was to go back and live the rest of his life with his aunt and uncle without the use of magic until he was of age. Maybe Joss and Remus would be able to adopt him, but who knows how long that would take since they hadn't had any success in the past.

Professor McGonagall then went on to announce new rules that were to be effective immediately, including an earlier curfew and the need to be escorted between classes by a professor. Once she had ended she came over to where Harry and Ron were standing and beckoned them to follow her.

When they reached the hospital wing Harry could feel his stomach sink to the floor. Professor McGonagall pulled back a curtain to reveal a very still looking Hermione. Apparently, she had been holding a mirror in her hand which confused Harry even more than he already felt. Marnie lay beside Hermione in the next bed. Apparently, they had both been assessed by Madam Pomfrey by this point and were now allowed to receive visitors.

Harry looked up to see that Fred and George had also followed Professor McGonagall and were now sitting by Marnie's bed. I guess it made sense they were able to visit since they were her best friends. Harry also couldn't help but remember that Fred had appeared moments after they had found Marnie, which was surprising since he had thought Fred had gone up with the other fourth years when they all left the Great Hall. But Harry was feeling too exhausted and overwhelmed to question him about it at this point. Plus, it wasn't like Fred was the one who was responsible, he would never harm Marnie.

XXX

The next month dragged by with uncertainty. Most of the other students were scared and sullen as they feared they may be attacked next. Very few people now believed that Harry was the heir since Marnie and Hermione had both been attacked, and when Harry had been seen somewhere else no less. But this didn't really do anything to lift his spirits.

"We should go talk to Hagrid," Harry announced one day as he and Ron sat in the common room.

It also happened to be the twins' birthday, and by late afternoon they still hadn't surfaced from their dorm. Harry knew that they had not taken Marnie's condition very well and had been uncharacteristically quiet, mostly keeping to themselves. Harry didn't blame them though, he was barely keeping it together as it was.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked sceptically.

This hadn't been the first time Harry suggested this, but Harry felt more determined this time.

"Yes, time is running out and he is our only lead," Harry answered confidently.

Ron nodded, feeling just as futile for doing something. Both of them set out for the gamekeeper's cabin before they could voice many of the reasons telling them to believe Hagrid was innocent and to just drop it.

"Hagrid?" Harry called out as he knocked on the large wooden door.

It took a moment for the half-giant to appear at the door with a cross bow aimed right at them, nearly sending Ron toppling onto his backside.

"Hagrid!" Ron yelped feeling only slightly relieved once the gamekeeper quickly lowered his weapon and ushered the boys in.

"You shouldn' be out 'ere, it's gettin' late!" Hagrid exclaimed but nonetheless invited the boys to take a seat at his table.

"We have to ask you something important," Harry pressed.

Instead of answering Hagrid placed the weapon against the wall and joined the boys. He was obviously nervous which only heightened when there was a sudden knock at the door.

"Do you have the cloak?" Hagrid asked hurriedly motioning for Harry to put it over them as he reached back for his crossbow.

Thankfully Harry had figured they would be getting back past the earlier curfew and brought it along. Him and Ron moved over to the far corner of the wooden hut. He had no idea who had Hagrid feeling so on edge but Harry certainly wasn't expecting it to be Professor Dumbledore who entered followed closely by a professional looking man.

"That's dad's boss!" Ron whispered while Harry continued to stare at the men.

Harry and Ron stood in the corner, somewhat horrified as they listened to the men talk to Hagrid about being arrested and coming quietly to Azkaban. It only got worse when Lucius Malfoy walked in and handed Dumbledore an Order of Suspension.

Harry couldn't believe it as he watched two of his mentors being carted out of the hut as if they were criminals. But before Hagrid stepped out, he started talking aloud, knowingly towards the boys.

"Fer any answers yer may wan' ter follow the spiders," he said vaguely. "An' someone will have ter feed Fang."

Moments later all four men were gone, and the two boys were left standing under the cloak. They waited several minutes to make sure no one came back before they finally pulled it off. The look on Ron's face was troubling to say the least since it resembled the time he had vomited slugs in their first year.

"Why did it have to be spiders?" he whined, anxiety filling his voice.

"Come on!" Harry thought that was the least of their concerns and pulled hastily at his friend's hand and beckoned Fang.

XXX

"Some birthday this is," Fred huffed at the fact him and George had spent the day sitting in their dorm.

Lee had spent the morning with them, trying to cheer them up, but had since gone off to find Katie and the others. Fred knew that the others were worried about Marnie, but it didn't seem to compare to how debilitating it was for Fred and George. They hadn't bothered with setting up any pranks recently since Marnie wouldn't be able to see their success (or failure). It had been a very long 45 days.

"Ready to go and see Marnie?" George asked while Fred peered forlornly out the window.

The sun was already setting which he found somewhat surprising. Time seemed to drag by without their best friend being able to wake up, but it also seemed to not have any bearing. Fred constantly found himself not knowing the time as his friends dragged him between meals and class.

Before Marnie, it had always been just Fred and George against the world. Of course, they loved their family, but it always seemed that all they ever needed was each other. But that all changed when Marnie entered their lives. He knew how George felt, especially since he knew that George's greatest fear now included losing Marnie. But now Fred was faced with his own feelings and vowed never to take his best friend's presence for granted once she was revived.

Fred nodded at his brother and headed down towards the common room. None of their friends were there which Fred silently felt thankful for since he had started to find it irritating how they looked at him with pity. There was no doubt it would be worse on their birthday.

When they finally made it to the hospital wing they were surprised to find it locked. George knocked on the door. They knew there was still at least an hour before curfew.

A frazzled looking Madam Pomfrey answered the door and stared sadly at the boys.

"I'm sorry you two but we are no longer allowing visitors," her voice was sullen.

"Why not?" Fred asked with only a half-hearted attempt to try to check his anger.

"Dumbledore is gone and now we can't trust that whoever the heir is won't come back and finish the job," she continued in a frightened voice.

She then closed the door without another word and Fred could hear the lock re-latch.

"With Dumbledore gone, people could actually start dying," George whispered from beside him.

Fred turned to survey his brother who had his anxious eyes downcast towards the floor. But as much as he wanted to console his brother, he knew he was right and Marnie may be in even worse danger than they had originally thought. His anger roiled to the surface.

Fred then spun around on his toes and stormed down the stairs. George followed him only saying something once Fred turned away from the Gryffindor common room.

"Where are we going?" he asked nervously, but it was redundant since he already knew the answer. "We don't actually know that it's him."

"Of course, we do! We have said it a million times since Marnie was attacked and now we have to do something!" Fred retorted storming towards the Slytherin common room.

The twins had figured out how to get into the Slytherin common room in their first year when they had put magical dye in Flint's shampoo bottle. And now Fred was going to kill him.

They were making their way through the dungeon corridor when they were met by their other friends who seemed to be coming back from the library. Angelina was leading the group and gave them an affronted look.

"What are you two doing down here?" she asked with her arms crossed over her chest.

She knew they had no intent on going to the library.

"You just thought you would storm the Slytherin common room?" she asked with her eyebrows shooting above her bangs. "We're not stupid," she continued while both twins refused to meet her eyes and remained quiet. "We know what you two think, that Flint is responsible. But you two hair-brained idiots confronting him on his turf surrounded by his entire house will only get you sent to the hospital wing or worse. You act like you are the only ones hurting which is absolutely ludicrous. We all love Marnie and are worried for her sake, so you need to smarten up or she will come after you when she wakes," Angelina finished her rant.

Fred couldn't help but smile at the idea of Marnie coming after him, because there was no doubt that she would.

"Dumbledore is gone," George said which brought Fred back to the present.

Alicia and Katie gasped while Lee and Angelina looked confused and worried.

"They won't let us see her anymore," Fred added.

Angelina nodded, but rounded her five friends to start quickly making their way towards the Gryffindor common room. The others no longer felt safe just standing in the corridor this close to curfew near the Slytherin common room.

The rest of the night was spent by the fire as they all sat mostly in silence. There was nothing to say as they all realized how dire the situation had become with the forced absence of their headmaster. The others all trickled off to bed as the hour got late but Fred and George couldn't find the will to even try and go to sleep. Luckily this meant that they were still awake when their younger brother and Harry stumbled into the common room looking as if they had survived the apocalypse.

"What happened to you guys?" George asked getting up in concern and walking towards the boys.

Fred noticed Harry and Ron give each other a look before coming over to sit with them. Harry looked as if he were struggling to decide what he wanted to divulge, but Ron jumped the gun. Ron dove right in and re-hashed their entire night as he explained what had happened with Hagrid and Dumbledore and how that had led them into the Forbidden Forest.

"A real acromantula!" George asked in awe.

"I can't believe you survived!" Fred added, recognizably proud of his younger brother for one of the few times in his life.

Ron and Harry looked exhausted and soon after their regalement, headed off to bed.

It was then that Fred and George decided to follow suit and headed upstairs to their own dormitory.

When they were laying down, Fred knew that George was still awake by the sound of his quieter breathing.

"Happy birthday Forge," he whispered.

"Happy birthday Gred."

XXX

I am definitely missing Marnie and am anxiously awaiting her return. It's way more fun to write with her as the lead.

Thank-you for all of the interest in my story, it is truly amazing and appreciated!