Chapter 2
Harry found Hagrid coming up the path moments after he rushed down in search of help.
"Hagrid, Katie Bell's been cursed!"
Hagrid cried out, "Cursed?! Where?"
As he and Hagrid rushed back down the lane to find Katie, he saw the white-haired stranger on the ground, screaming his head off, while a giant yellow ball with wings bared its teeth at Ron and Hermione, who looked panickedly between a hysterical Leanne and the thrashing stranger.
Hagrid shouted, "Get back! Lemme see 'em!" He stared at Katie for a moment before scooping her up, and then turned to look at the stranger and the yellow thing hovering over him protectively. Hagrid reached out but the thing growled, leaning forward threateningly. Hagrid frowned in determination and said to the creature, "I'm just tryin' ta help him."
The thing continued to growl and hover over its screaming companion, and Hagrid asked it, "Can you carry him?" which confused Ron, Harry, and Hermione. The thing stopped growling and nodded, before turned and scooping up the boy between its teeth, careful not to bite down even as the boy screamed and thrashed. Without another word Hagrid was off, the yellow thing following close behind.
As Hermione asked Leanne what had happened, Harry identified the necklace. "I've seen that before," he said, explaining to Ron and Hermione that he'd seen it in Borgin and Burkes and then continuing that Malfoy knew about it. He picked it up carefully with his scarf before the four of them trekked back to the school, where they met McGonagall just outside the castle. She led the group to her office.
Trying to control her tears and with many pauses, Leanne told McGonagall what happened with Katie, from when the girl went to bathroom, to her strange behavior with the package afterward.
"All right," McGonagall said, not unkindly, "go up to the hospital wing, please, Leanne, and get Madame Pomfrey to give you something for shock." When she was gone McGonagall turned on Harry, Ron, and Hermione and demanded, "What happened when Katie picked up the necklace?"
They explained how she floated and then screamed, and then Harry added, "And when I went to look for help, there was a boy there, with white hair."
"He reached over to touch the necklace," Ron said, "and then he started screaming too. After that, this big yellow thing came out of nowhere and wouldn't let any of us come near him."
"Where is this boy?"
"Probably in the hospital wing. The thing carried him and followed Hagrid to the castle."
"Do any of you know who he was?"
They shook their heads.
"He looked like a student, but I've never seen him before," Hermione replied. She would certainly remember someone who looked like that—white hair and that shocking red scar, even with a quick glance, were memorable.
"Professor," Harry said after a moment, "can I see Professor Dumbledore, please?"
"Professor Dumbledore is away at the moment, he won't be back until Monday." Harry's face fell and McGonagall resisted an impatient sigh.
"Whatever you have to tell the headmaster surely can be shared with me, Potter."
Harry hesitated and then said, "I think Malfoy gave Katie that necklace." Ron and Hermione suddenly looked very uncomfortable, and McGonagall stared hard at Harry, frowning severely.
"That is a very serious accusation. What evidence do you have for this?" He didn't, not really—just a feeling.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy couldn't have given Ms. Bell the necklace. He was serving detention with me all afternoon."
"What?!"
"If that's all, Mr. Potter, perhaps you, Weasley and Granger should head back to the common room." Harry couldn't object any more, and so looking somewhat betrayed and frustrated, left, Hermione and Ron following after him.
After the three left her office, McGonagall quickly made her way up to the hospital wing. As she entered the corridor, she could hear screaming from within the wing, and saw several students hovering outside, looking terrified yet curious of what could possibly be making that much noise.
"Back to your houses, all of you," McGonagall instructed harshly.
"Professor, what's happening?" asked a Hufflepuff third year.
"One of the students was injured, now back to your houses or it'll be points," she snipped, before entering the wing, where the screams intensified in volume and sent shivers down her spine.
When she entered, Hagrid was there, hovering around the entrance, out of Madame Pomfrey's way, who was rushing between two beds, muttering spells as she went, first to stop the both of them from thrashing, then silencing the screams. The sight of two teenagers with mouths open in silent howls, however, did nothing to comfort McGonagall. The sight of her own student wrenched McGonagall, but the sight of the stranger—and the yellow thing that hovered by his side—had her head reeling in questions. They had to wait.
"Poppy," she called, and Madame Pomfrey glanced up, "is there anything I can do to help? Do we need to call St. Mungo's?"
"Get that thing away from the boy, I can't help him if it keeps hovering," she snapped, too busy for niceties. McGonagall eyed the yellow thing, which bared its teeth and growled at her. She glanced at Hagrid.
"Do you know what that is?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Not a clue. I tried ta calm it, but nothin's worked. It won't leave the boy's side." McGonagall glanced over at the boy, straps the only thing keeping him on the bed as he tugged and pulled against the restraints.
"Have you ever seen him before, Hagrid? Is he from the village?"
Hagrid shook his head. "'Fraid not. This is the first time. Must be just passing through."
McGonagall sighed at the unfortunate timing, and then cautiously approached the boy's bed, where the thing flew at her, its growling intensifying.
She cleared her throat and said in crisp tones, "My name is Professor McGonagall. Over there is Madame Pomfrey, our head nurse, and she is trying to help your friend." It wasn't working; the thing just growled louder. The boy continued to thrash, and McGonagall wanted nothing more than to cast a Body Binding spell to stop it, but didn't, for fear of making the problem worse.
She walked away from the bed and back to Hagrid. "Has Leanne been up here yet?" she asked, and Hagrid pointed to a bed on the far side of the room, which was enclosed in curtains. She nodded her thanks and went over, cautiously opening the enclosure. Leanne sat on the bed within, a bottle of half-drunk potion in her hands as she cried, wiping at the tears. She jumped as the professor came in, and McGonagall sighed, clasping her hands together.
"I am very sorry about Katie," she said, her voice stiff but not unkind. She wasn't used to this; comforting students had always been handled better by Albus, Poppy, and others. Poppy was busy right now, and McGonagall was quite certain Leanne shouldn't be left alone.
"Is there anything I can do for you, dear?"
Leanne shook her head.
"No, thank you, professor," she managed, the effects of the potion beginning to take effect as she calmed down. She was still crying, but her sobs had quieted.
McGonagall stood awkwardly for a moment before asking, "Would you like me to walk you to the common room?"
"I want to stay with Katie."
McGonagall stared sympathetically at the girl, then shook her head. "I'm afraid there's nothing you can do for her until Madame Pomfrey treats her. Why don't you go back to the common room and join your friends? I think it'll be better than staying up here."
Leanne considered for a moment and then nodded slowly, coming to her feet and finishing the potion in one gulp. McGonagall opened the curtain and they walked together down the room, coming closer to the doors as well as the other patient.
As they approaching the growling yellow thing McGonagall took out her wand to move the curtains so Leanne wouldn't see; but as she did Leanne stopped and stared at the thing.
"Come along," McGonagall urged, but Leanne wouldn't move. The yellow thing growled at them both, and, to McGonagall's surprise, Leanne took a step toward it, sniffling and wiping her eyes.
"He's your friend, right?" she said softly, and for a moment it stopped growling.
"Over in the other bed, that's my friend too," she said, and her voice choked for a moment. McGonagall placed a hand on her shoulder, meaning to steer her out of there as well as offer comfort, but Leanne brushed her off and took another step. "You'll see, Madame Pomfrey will fix him right up. She's the best, really."
She spoke as if she desperately needed to believe it herself.
As though it understood, the thing stopped growling and shrunk slightly in size, but stayed by the strange boy, never leaving his side.
Leanne allowed herself to be led from the room, and as McGonagall took a last glance into the wing, she could see Poppy setting to work on the boy, while the yellow thing hovered nearby, guarding them both.
A/N: Many thanks to KappasRule for looking over the chapter and volunteering to be my beta. Thank you also to the folks who've already reviewed and followed this story. I truly appreciate your support.