Harry awoke with a start. He found himself slouching at an empty table in the common room in a puddle of his own drool where he had unexpectedly fallen asleep. He pushed his sleep-heavy body to attention and wiped his chin carelessly with his sleeve. As his blurry eyes adjusted to the light, the memory of last night came flowing back into his awakening mind. He looked down on the desk to see a chaotic mess of the Daily Prophet and magazines, dating back to the beginning of the term. He had rifled through the pile of them near the Gryffindor notice board and updated himself all night on news regarding what he had over-heard between Dumbledore and McGonagall. He picked up the nearest issue of the Daily Prophet and glanced at the grotesque and disturbing image in front of him.
The beastly deformation, known as 'Mileena,' dominated the front page. Her body, which was abnormally flawless, was covered in old, bloody bandages, as if she had been brutally attacked. She was squatting on the floor like a preying creature, snarling at the camera, her razor-sharp teeth stained with blood; her mouth salivating and her pus-coloured eyes wide with hunger. The only thing hindering her from pouncing on the seemingly shaky photographer were four brutally built aurors struggling to keep her down with their 'enchanted chain' spell wrapped around her neck, her arms and her ankles. The image made Harry shiver uncomfortably. The heading read: Captured then lost!
18 years ago, this vile monstrosity was discovered in a 'death pit' outside Herbald Manor in Norfolk where 2 other death eaters were found administering plans set out by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It was found devouring flesh from Muggles and Muggle-born Witches and Wizards, which the death eaters admitted that they had been feeding it. 'To teach her to hunt those that should be hunted,' explained one of the death-eaters named Jade (no recorded surname) when forced in questioning, who seemed to have some twisted fondness for this hellish creature. It was later found that this beast was a biological experiment concocted by You-Know-Who for unknown reasons that caused an outburst in magical politics that same year.
32 first-class aurors were needed to arrest the 2 death-eaters and restrain their 'pet'.
Now they have somehow escaped the grasp and the kiss of the dementors, and are now roaming our very streets. The Ministry is monitoring all areas and making it a priority to re-capture them. But would they succeed? Would they stay captured? This makes us ask the question. Are any of us safe?
Harry felt himself biting his lip in concentration and utter confusion. What was Dumbledore thinking, letting psychopaths like Jade and Mileena into Hogwarts? He clenched his fist into a strained ball and pounded the table in frustration. Underneath the article were the black and white pictures of the two death eaters mentioned. One was captioned 'Jade' which showed the shrouded stranger, unmasked and frowning, that Harry had been so close in contact with last night outside Dumbledore's office. Her colourless eyes were narrow and fixated on the reader, as if to threaten whoever glances. To think he was feet away from one of the most dangerous women of all time… he felt sick to the stomach. However, the other picture had eluded him all night…
What he saw was a young proud woman, no older than the other, that seemed completely harmless to the sight. With long dark hair cascading down her back and pale white skin, she had an almost regal air to her that made her stand out on the pallid page. Regardless of the fact she was painfully chained, with fresh blood trickling down her smooth neck with the tightness, there was a feeling of calmness about her. A feeling of leadership… Underneath read: Kitana.
'Harry!'
Harry gasped subconciously at the tense voice and grabbed the article to thrust it into Hermione's astonished face.
'Hermione, I need to talk to you about this!'
She carefully took the newspaper with suspicion, and fleetingly looked down at the front page. Shaking her head, in what seemed like irritation, she promptly handed it back to Harry.
'Look, I know what happened with you last night. Ron told me.'
Harry bit his lip in annoyance. No doubt Ron made the story seem more unbelievably than it already sounded.
'Hermione! You need to hear it from me!' Harry pleaded to his trusting friend. 'After I told Ron, I went to Dumbledore's office last night and overheard a conversation, and this girl, Jade, walked right out of it!' He pointed to the picture of the woman with the murderous glare. Hermione's eyes locked onto Harry's. Her eyes seemed kind and understanding, but unbelieving.
'Harry…'
He wasn't going to give up.
'That's not all. Dumbledore has employed them. I suspect he has employed Kitana as well as there was a mention of three girls. My main concern is about Mileena...'
'Harry, please…'
'Just hear me out. We need to find out what would possess Dumbledore to do this...'
'Harry!'
Her voice was so sharp and spiteful that Harry couldn't help but gaze at her in utter confusion. With a pang of puzzled guilt, he saw that Hermione's eyes were a watery glaze.
'Hermione… what's wrong?' With all other concern out of his mind, Harry leaned across the jumbled desk and reached for her trembling hand. To his wounded surprise, Hermione snatched her hand away in anger.
'Stop talking about that…that thing!'
Harry could not hide his quizzical expression. He knew Hermione too well. Whenever she lost her calm exterior to rage, it meant she felt fear.
Hermione continued, trying to compose herself. 'It scares me.'
Harry lifted himself out of the chair, attempting to comfort his terrified friend. 'Hermione, you have to believe me. I'm not trying to scare you. It really is happening…'
'Dumbledore knows what he's doing! I don't care what's happening!'
Harry slouched back down onto the hard chair, unable to comprehend what was being said. 'Hermione, how could you not care? We could be in danger…'
'STOP!'
Silence. An uncomfortable air wavered between the two of them. After an awkward minute, Harry couldn't hold back a disappointed shake of his head, glaring at Hermione's downturned head.
She sensed this with what sounded like fault. 'I'm sorry Harry. I feel safe here. I don't want to feel frightened.' She turned away briskly, not even looking at Harry's bewildered expression. This wasn't like her at all.
As his last hope of support walked away, her bushy hair swaying out of sight up to the girl's dorm, Harry's heart sank with impossible guilt as sudden realisation dawned upon him. He looked down at the article underneath the grim picture of the blood-splattered Mileena.
It was found devouring flesh from Muggles and Muggle-born Witches and Wizards…
Harry laid his head down softly onto the desk, feeling like the stupidest friend to ever have existed…
'Hermione, I'm so sorry…'