'Calm down, mate, and breath for crying out loud!'

Harry's throat felt like it had been cut by knives as he panted hard. He leaned up against a stone pillar struggling to catch his breath. He stared in panic at Ron straight in the eye, lost for words.

Unsurprisingly, Ron looked concerned.

'Now, tell me what's wrong, eh?'

'Not…*gasp* no…I.' A sharp pain in his side started throbbing as his lungs gulped for air. He felt himself shaking as the razor-mouthed monstrosity came rushing back into his memory. His trembling body overwhelmed with fear and adrenaline, he could not help but vomit right where he was standing. Ron jumped back in pure surprise to avoid the unexpected projection.

'Woah mate, chill! What the hell…!'

Harry didn't have time for this. 'Ron... I saw…' he spat the last of the fluid out and coughed in distaste, 'I saw a thing…*pant*… a thing back there!'

'You're gonna' have to be more specific,' Ron said kindly, patting Harry's back.

'Ron, what's up with Potter?' Seamus peered out from behind the portrait of the Fat Lady looking rather bewildered, and no wonder. He and Ron were enjoying a comfortable chat in the Griffindor common room, when Harry unexpectedly dragged Ron outside in haste, leaving Seamus mid-sentence. He looked down by their feet in disgust. 'And what's all thisgunk!'

Harry ignored the distraction, focusing on Ron's quizzical face, like it was the most important thing in the world to tell him what happened. He inhaled deeply.

'Ron, it was a monster… a beast of some kind. Outside the library, it was tapping at the window. It was hanging upside down, and was looking at me straight in the eye!'

Ron's eyebrow was raised in disbelief. After a few painfully long seconds, he frowned anxiously. 'Harry, you're obviously sick and it's getting late…'

Harry abruptly cut him off and looked at him pleadingly. When no sign of support was eminent, he turned to Seamus, who was watching Harry in pity.

'It was a human, a woman of sorts with dark hair.' Harry waved his arms frantically, attempting to describe the horrific image in his mind. 'Her cloak was stained with dirt and…and blood! She was smiling at me with long sharp teeth… !'

All of sudden, Ron's eyes widened in shock, and he swiftly turned to Seamus. Harry watched in surprised uncertainly as the two exchanged a look of revelation. Seamus then gradually moved his gaze back towards Harry, head tilted and eyes narrowed in puzzlement.

'You've been reading too much of the Daily Prophet lately that your imagination has gone wild, Harry. Maybe you saw a usual 'run-of-the-mill' ghost and thought it was something else.' Seamus stepped out from behind the portrait, and, minding the sick puddle, he sauntered towards Harry, laying a hand on his tense shoulder. 'Come on, I'll take you to Madam Pomfrey.'

Harry forcefully pulled his shoulder away from Seamus. How could they ignore this? Did they think of him as a raving lunatic? Suddenly, something struck home.

'What do you mean, 'read too much of the Daily Prophet'?'

Ron stared at him in incredulity. 'What your describing sounds a lot like that Death Eater… you know… that escaped Azkaban last month. But that would be stupid!'

Harry shook is head in response and shot confused glances between the two of his friends, seeking answers. He hadn't been reading the Daily Prophet at all lately, mainly due to the fact that he could not physically take any more bad news. He felt ashamed at this rare bout of cowardice.

Ron sighed in exasperation, unsubtly showing that he'd rather be in bed then re-telling news stories. 'Ever heard of Mileena? You-Know-Who's famous failed experiment? The most savage half-breed known to wizard-kind!'

Harry grimaced in rage and impatience, 'No, Ron, I don't know a bloody thing! Now stop with these questions and tell me what I saw!'

Ron looked taken aback by the unnecessary outburst. He eventually huffed and turned away seemingly hurt.

'Enough of this, Harry! She was locked up, she escaped, no one can get into Hogwarts, neither can she, end of!' Ron's ears were flaming with irritation. He walked towards the portrait in a stroppy fury. 'I'm going to bed! You should too Seamus. Leave Harry alone with his imagination.'

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing! He felt nothing but brutal betrayal and anger! Fists clenched, he watched as two of his best friends crawled into the warm glow of the common room. Seamus paused and frowned at Harry in condescending sympathy before he closed the portrait door.

Harry found himself stood, unyielding, in front of the great stone statue, tense and determined. He needed definite answers now… he needed to see Dumbledore face to face. However, something occurred to him that made his eye twitch in annoyance at being too headstrong. I don't know the blasted password! He glared at the gargoyle blocking his path, as if just looking would force the giant obstruction to leap aside. Of course, nothing happened…

Harry slumped into a sitting heap on the floor, feeling his laboured muscles finally relax. Wiping beads of cold sweat from his forehead, he twisted his head to look outside the adjacent window. The night sky had become denser with heavy grey clouds that now blended with the gloomy atmosphere. Surprisingly, he partially hoped for a monstrous face with bloody teeth and pitted yellow eyes to appear. He was prepared to see the monster again. He wanted to prove to himself he wasn't imagining things... or was he? What was this about an escaped Death Eater? 'Mileena?'

'The most powerful weapon ever made…?'

A sudden realisation hit him like a mace across his head! How could he not have thought of this!

'He is making something dangerous…virtually indestructible…'

The letter… it mentioned a weapon of sorts…

Harry panicked as he then re-played Ron's words…

Mileena was a failed weapon. What if Voldemort was trying again…? What if he succeeds this time? What if what I saw was Mileena? So many darn questions…

Harry stared down at the floor, trying to make sense of the chaos that was swirling in his mind before he might let it loose and scream. He clutched his hair, shaking.

Just then, a loud, thumping sound erupted in front of him. Eyes shooting up, he saw the gargoyle had bounded aside. Harry scrambled to his feet in preparation… He heard refined footsteps echoing down the stone spiral staircase. Holding his breath, hoping it was the Headmaster himself, Harry waited steadily.

A moving shadow appeared that became darker with every step… Harry widened his eyes in astonishment…

Who came down the stairs was not Dumbledore, but a woman shrouded in a faded and worn emerald cloak. As she walked, sea green boots could be seen emerging under her garbs. The lower half of her olive-skinned face was covered in a jade silk mask that seemed well preserved and vibrant. As she came down the steps, she did not acknowledge Harry. She didn't even glimpse at his confused expression as she swept passed him. Suddenly, a few feet down the corridor, she stopped and a deep, calm voice materialized.

'You want something?' She did not turn to look at Harry. Her tone suggested that she did not appreciate Harry's intriguing gaze. He couldn't help but feel slightly afraid of this emerald stranger…

'Uh, no, sorry.'

Quite boorishly, she brushed Harry off like gum on the bottom off her tattered boot, and carried on gliding down the corridor, cloak fluttering around her ankles. When she was eventually out of sight down the darkening corridor, Harry drew his suspicious stare away and ran up the spiral staircase in sudden remembrance of his task, before the gargoyle jumped back into his forever-long guarding post. He twisted up the stone flooring and reached the great wooden door. As he stepped forward in haste to knock, he heard a stern woman's voice that could only be Professor McGonagall's.

'I can't believe what you have put this school into, Albus!'

Harry held his trembling breath as he strained his hearing.

The voice of Dumbledore replied in soft quality. 'I can understand your concern, Minerva, but I cannot think of any other possible solution.'

'That 'Jade' girl had her weapon out just now! Did you not see! Once we discussed the problem, she was threatening to become violent!' McGonagall's voice was becoming shrill. 'Well, I think this was exceedingly irresponsible of you, Albus. Those three, dare I say it, maniacs are around children. Children!'

'I know Professor,' sighed Dumbledore calmly, 'but they are the only hope we have.'

There was silence. Harry's heart was pulsing fiercely.

'Now,' continued the controlled Headmaster, 'I have requested that Miss Jade will persuade Miss Mileena to keep her hunting restricted to the forest, and to not bring her prey to the grounds.'

McGonagall sniffed in disgust, 'I certainly hope not! Students are becoming worried and suspicious with carcasses strewn all over the grounds.'

Harry could hear the sound of Dumbledore's fond chuckle emanating through the hollow door.

'Be fortunate it's not the students…'

'Albus!'

'I jest, my dear, I jest.'

A shaky sigh from McGonagall was heeded. 'Oh Albus… Why them? Why those three? They care for nothing but killing! They have murdered, for goodness sake!'

'They are under my supervision. They will do no harm to the students.'

A slight rare sob erupted from McGonagall; sorrow and dread apparent in her voice. 'How can you be sure though? What could you give them? What could you promise them?'

Harry lingered on baited breath…

'Revenge, my dear Professor. It is revenge.'