"I have the book for you now," Haylie walked out from behind Edith Bakely's tombstone, the mixture of snow and ice spread on the dead grass crunching beneath the weight of her feet.
"Don't come any closer girl," the voice of the cloaked figure boomed, cracking uncontrollably. Haylie rolled her eyes, annoyed with the figure's behavior.
"You know I'm not gonna touch you," Haylie snapped, "After all, I've seen you enough times, I would've done it a while ago." The cloaked figure pointed to a flat gravestone, cleared off by Argus Filch after the late night snowfall the last evening. Haylie, understanding his kind of sign language perfectly, set the Lullaby book down on the flat surface, taking an immediate step backward towards the castle.
"Excellent work Miss Granger," the voice told her, snatching the binding and heaving the book under the blackness of his flowing cloak. A loud moaning sound erupted from the dark trees behind them and Haylie twisted around, searching frantically for the cause.
"What was that?" Haylie asked her voice shaky. The figure chuckled hoarsely, his voice once again cracking annoyingly.
"Afraid are you?" he questioned, arrogance and amusement evident in his tone, "If you are don't be. It's probably just a wolf…" Haylie turned to face the figure.
"A wolf killing a rodent…an innocent rodent," the cloaked person finished. To Haylie's surprise the figure didn't start to laugh, as he or she usually did when something horrible occurred.
"You're disgusting," Haylie muttered, wiggling her toes around in her shoes. The frostiness of the late December air chilled Haylie to the bone, leaving her fingers and nose tingling with numbness. Her feet began to feel wet, as the snow melted beneath her, allowing freezing water to soak through her thin black shoes.
"Thank you darling, you're such a peach," the figure's voice grew amused, "Sorry but I must leave you now. I'll keep in touch."
"Please don't," Haylie shot back, turning to walk back up the hill to Hogwarts.
"Eileen," Corinne screamed running over to a short girl with bouncy red hair. Both girls embraced, Eileen dropping her bags, and jumped up and down screaming with happiness. Haylie smiled, walking away from Eileen, as she had already given her a huge hug herself. About ten feet away, Haylie could see Elvin thumping down the train stairs, struggling to keep his grasp on the three large suitcases he was carrying.
"Do you need some help Elvin?" Haylie asked, not even waiting for his reply before seizing one of his blue suitcases with both her hands. A whoosh of air erupted from Elvin as if he had just let go of all the weight of the world.
"Thanks Haylie," Elvin said, his cheeks blushing.
"No problem!" Haylie assured him, walking over to the carriages that would transport the students back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Haylie threw the suitcase into the trunk and climbed into the full carriage. Inside Eileen and Corinne were waiting for her.
"Where did you go?" Eileen asked, putting away her compact mirror after receiving devilish stares from Professor McGonagall. Now Elvin had plopped his bottom down on the seat beside Haylie, the last available seat in the carriage.
"I was helping Elvin with his bags," Haylie told her, smiling at Elvin who in turn, blushed once more.
"Did you have fun with your Mum and Dad?" Corinne asked Elvin curiously. Only a half-enthusiastic nod followed her question and Elvin turned toward the carriage window. Corinne's eyes traveled to Haylie and she shrugged in return, wondering if Elvin had had a fight within his family. The sun shone bright on Hogwarts as they entered the grounds. Haylie looked upon the melting snow, wishing it would not soak into the earth. She wished that the snow would stay, at least for a little bit longer.
"I love the snow, don't you Elvin?" Haylie said, trying to start a conversation. Elvin shook his head "no".
"Why not?" Haylie asked.
"I don't know. I just never liked the wintertime. It's too cold and dark and…" Elvin trailed off, turning his head to face the window, "Do you hear that?"
"What?" Haylie was surprised to hear something so random come up. She did notice, however, that Elvin seemed uneasy, even scared.
"What is it Elvin?"
"Don't you hear that?" Elvin asked, his voice now shaky. Haylie stopped talking and began to listen. A faint sound of crashing reached her ears and she gazed out the window. A streak of lightning exploded beside them, but the weather remained bright and perfect.
"That's strange," Haylie said, resting her back against the seat, "I've never seen lightning when it's sunny before."
"You never want to," a small voice suddenly whispered from next to Eileen. This wispy voice belonged to Rose Forbes, who now decided to contribute to the conversation.
"Never want to what?" Corinne asked, obviously confused. Rose glanced at her and rolled her clear blue eyes.
"You never want to see lightening on a sunny day," Rose repeated, looking from Corinne to Haylie, "It means something horrible is approaching, something evil. Lightening on a sunny day is bad luck."
"Rubbish," Eileen muttered, shaking her head. Roses head jerked in Haylie's direction, her eyes now angry and defensive.
"No! It is true!" she snapped at Eileen, sticking her finger right to the tip of her nose, "I wouldn't insult luck if I were you. You never know when the good will leave and the bad will come running in." A few seconds passed by slowly before Eileen gathered her composure and blurted out what she had wanted to say since the first day of school.
"You're so…weird!"
"Welcome back students!," Professor Dumbledore announced with a stern, somewhat old-looking face expression , "I hope that your vacations were well." A loud rumbling of agreement followed.
"Good" Professor Dumbledore said, his voice not as full of spirits as it had once been. Haylie seemed to be the only one to notice the difference in Dumbledore's eyes and she seemed to be the only one who could relate somewhat to what kind of circumstance could lead to such a troubled look.
"Let us eat!" Dumbeldore yelled, his voice raised and full. At once a glorious feast appeared in front of Haylie. Of course, she had witnessed this sight many times over the last few months but even now the freshness of the warm bread and the exciting, creative presentation of the meal made her stomach turn over with immediate delight. Though Haylie did enjoy the delicious smells of the food, she couldn't help but gaze over at Dumbledore, wondering what had washed the brightness from his eyes.
"So what did you get for Christmas Elvin?" Haylie asked a week after the welcoming feast, "anything good?"
"I got some shoes," Elvin replied, bowing his head sheepishly. Haylie couldn't help but smile. Elvin never seemed completely content with what he was saying. Sometimes, she even doubted whether he was telling her the complete truth.
"Oh really," Haylie nodded her head, "anything else?"
"Well," Elvin's eyes rolled in all directions and he gave Haylie a funny look, one of discontent. Taken aback, Haylie studied him carefully, trying to make any sense of his odd manner. Finally Elvin decided to continue.
"I got a new pair of socks as well," Elvin gave Haylie a small smile, which immediately turned off all suspicions she had of him, "I also got a sketch pad, a book, a shirt, and new watch." Elvin suddenly punched his fist outward, making Haylie jump back with surprise. Once she had caught her breath Haylie realized Elvin was only trying to show her one of his Christmas presents. Hooked around Elvin's bony wrist was a brand-new watch of pure gold, outlined with at least a dozen cubic crystals. Haylie watched as the thin, second-hand ticked repeatedly. Tick, tick, tick…The watch seemed to almost hypnotize her. Haylie could feel her pupils focus on that one tiny blue hand, clicking one second to another around the circle.
"Haylie?" Elvin's faint voice reached her ears, immediately breaking her from the slight trance she had been engaged in. Now she dare not even take a peek at the watch, for fear of being hypnotized once more. Haylie pulled Elvin's sleeve back over his wrist, trying to ignore the faint ticking sound still reaching her sensitive ears.
"Who gave that thing to you?" Haylie asked curiously, still not allowing her eyes to wander from Elvin's face to his wrist.
"Honestly, I have no idea!" Elvin told her, "I just found a green box on my night table. There wasn't even a card with a name in it!"
"What?" Haylie screeched. Her heart seemed to stop, just for a split second, and she stared at Elvin, her eyes wide and alert. At Haylie's sudden outburst, Elvin looked confused.
"What's wrong? Is something bad?" Elvin asked innocently, peering down at his watch and then back to Haylie's face.
"No, it's fine," Haylie assured him, not sure why she reacted so strongly, "I'm fine."
"Everyone!" Dumbledore's voice echoed off the high walls of the monstrous Great Hall, as all the students were beginning their meal. Only a few heads lifted up to gaze at the headmaster, but most students rudely kept on with their own business. This fact was not lost to the old headmaster, who furrowed his brow and lifted his wand in the air.
"ferishmentorium," Dumbledore chanted, giving his wand a sharp flick. At once, gasps were heard from all four tables, as the food vanished from their plates. Now, all became quiet, most understanding Dumbledore's attempt at silencing the room. All heads turned towards Dumbledore, who lowered his wand and gazed around at his confused pupils. Haylie once again noticed the sadness in his eyes, and the tenseness in his forehead. A few moments passed before Dumbledore finally cleared his throat and began to speak softly.
"I'm afraid I have some horrible news," he stated loudly, not showing a bit of emotion in his deep voice, "I am sorry too have to report this only a short month and a half after Christmas." After this comment, the crowds of students began to whisper uneasily. Hermione grabbed her little sisters hand tightly, as if Haylie was about to be taken away. Luckily, Haylie knew that was not what was happening. Haylie knew something was happening outside of their comfortable Hogwarts.
"Two children have been kidnapped from Hogsmeade," Dumbledore continued, not bothering to hush the anxious students, "Many of you have met them before. They are Brandon and Cora Honeyduke."
"Are those the children who sold us the chocolate lemonade?" Haylie gasped, turning toward her sister. Hermione's lips curled inward as she nodded in conformity.
"I'm afraid…" Professor Dumbledore interrupted the chatter, "that that is not all. We have been told that another child has been kidnapped as well. With all three of these children, a note has been found." Haylie shuddered as the headmaster said this. Mysterious letters were nothing new to her and she suddenly felt as though she was certain that the same person, who had been pestering her all year long, had branched out to other, more intense ventures.
"Each note has been designed carefully as to not give away the identification of the captor. Inside each note the same message is written. The kidnapper will keep on kidnapping the children of the muggle-born lovers until he defeats every last one of them. He won't stop this until he gets what he wants." Or who he wants, Haylie thought to herself angrily. At once Haylie began to raise her hand high above her head, trying to catch Dumbledore's gaze. She succeeded.
"What is it Miss Granger?" the Headmaster asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"What does the kidnapper want?" Haylie questioned, not taking her eyes from Dumbledore's. He shook his head.
"We don't know," Dumbledore told her, "Apparently, only one person, besides the captor himself, knows what he wants."
"Who?" Hermione yelled behind her. Haylie whipped around to look at her big sister. Something in her voice sounded different, something harsh. This change in Hermione's voice, rose Haylie's suspicions, but Haylie quickly threw away the thought of her sister being the culprit.
"We do not know the identity of that person either. The kidnapper has said that they have been communicating with this person for months," Dumbledore answered, pausing for a few seconds, "I guess that you are all wondering why I am giving you this information. I bet you are all telling yourselves it has nothing to do with Hogwarts….but it does. Apparently, the other person the kidnapper has been communicating with is a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."