A year in the life of Harry Potter
Chapter 41: September, 5
Harry crouched down behind an armour as Ron, who had stayed after lesson on Professor McGonnagall's request, left the Transfiguration classroom. He didn't look too happy. Harry grinned as he thought about the revenge Ginny would get. As soon as Weasley had turned his back to him Harry flicked his wrist and muttered something under his breath. As he saw how Ronald started to change colours wildly he took off in the opposite direction. After a few minutes he was lost. There wasn't anyone in sight.
"There you are!" Hermione hissed as she appeared next to him with Ginny.
Ginny's eyes were wide with fear. "We're in the corridor on the third floor!" she breathed.
Harry smiled. "Why don't we explore a bit? I mean, what can here be so dangerous that Dumbledore could forbid us to come here?"
"Dumbledore forbid it, Harry!" Hermione shrieked.
"Rules are there to break them," Harry shrugged.
"Filch!" Ginny exclaimed, pointing at a cat sitting next to them. It must have been there quite a while.
"Come," Harry said, hurriedly pulling the girls deeper into the corridor and, if they were caught, deeper into trouble.
As they walked briskly along the corridor trying to find a way to get away the lamps on the wall lightened themselves. Although Mrs. Norris wasn't in sight anymore they could hear the janitor himself coming thundering after them.
"I'm scared," Hermione breathed. "What if we get caught and get expelled?" Harry pressed her hand to comfort her.
"A door!" he said, pointing ahead. Sure enough there was a thick wooden door at the end of the corridor. He let the girls' hands go and sprinted over to the door. "It's locked!" he said in dismay.
"Let me try," Hermione said, pushing him away. She pulled her wand out of her pocket and made a small hand movement while she said, "Alohomora!" With a click the door opened and she pulled it open. Ginny, Harry and Hermione entered. Then they pulled the door closed again.
"Phew," Ginny said, taking a deep breath. "That was close."
"And I still don't see why this corridor is meant to be so dangerous," Harry commented.
"Uhm... maybe you should turn around," Hermione told him quietly. Harry and Ginny turned around to figure out what she meant.
"What the," Harry gasped as he saw an enormous dog face staring into his face. Ginny whimpered as saliva from the dog looking at her dropped onto her uniform. As a third dog face breathed into Hermione's face she screamed and ran out of the room, and the other two followed her.
"I don't have any idea why Dumbledore would keep a giant dog in this school," Hermione said, gasping for breath.
They returned to their common room still shaking from what had just happened. As they entered it they passed a fifth year trying to suppress a smile.
"Harry," Hermione asked. "What did you do to Ron exactly?" He had told them that he'd punish him for what he had done to Ginny, but he hadn't given them any details.
"You'll see," Harry said mysteriously. They all walked over to the fireplace where there was a huge crowd. They pushed their way forwards. In the middle sat Ronald. His whole body including his uniform changed colour minutely. He seemed oblivious to that fact, however he seemed greatly annoyed.
"Can't you just leave me alone?" he yelled.
Hermione and a few others erupted in guffaw as he turned bright pink.
"What's the matter with yo all?" Ronald shouted. Hermione produced a hand mirror out of her school bag and gave it to him. As the boy screamed loudly like a girl she looked at the wall clock.
"Dinner is in half an hour," she remarked. "How long does the spell last."
"Twenty-four hours," Harry laughed, and Ronald fainted.
A/: School is taking up way too much of my time, so I try to update as often as possible, mostly on weekends though