"This is simply an inquiry, not an interrogation. Headmistress McGonagall is here as an advocate. Please state your name for the record."

"Hermione Granger."

"Miss Granger, what is your relationship with Mr. Malfoy?"

She rolled her eyes. "That's irrelevant."

"Do not be a smartass. Answer the question."

There was a moment of hesitation before she sighed. "Draco and I are…we like each other."

"You're sexually involved?"

"Mr. Snipely!" McGonagall admonished.

Hermione's cheeks burned. "No! We're just in a relationship. It's very simple."

"Right. How long have you been involved?"

"A little while. How is this relevant?"

"I am wondering as to Mr. Malfoy's motives."

"Motives?" Hermione shook her head. "Draco has nothing to do with this! None of us do!"

"Really? Why did he claim responsibility for the creature last year?"

Mr. Snipely had a shrewd disposition that Hermione detested. "I'm sorry, I don't recall that. We never talked about the time he disappeared into Ministry custody for weeks without formal charges."

His eyes narrowed and he leaned down so that they were at eye level. "Miss Granger, do not consider me to be a fool. I have done my homework on you and I know you are a smart witch, despite not getting Head Girl. That must have stirred you the wrong way, not getting that prestigious school position."

Hermione's fingers went cold. "I don't understand where this is going-"

"You don't? I would have thought a bright witch like you would pick up on things fairly quickly. I have been told that you and Celeste Gibbons did not get on well."

"She didn't get on well with anyone."

"Especially you, though. You had words at the station. I understand that you threatened her."

"I did no such thing!"

"Did Draco know about your issues with Celeste?"

"Draco has nothing to do with what happened to her!"

"How do you know that? Did you?"

She trembled but kept her mouth firmly shut. He smiled and straightened up.

"Miss Granger, I really must reiterate how much trouble you are in. At the moment, I will not be making any arrests, but I will be making inquests about the castle while my men go over the crime scene. If, during the course of my investigation, I find evidence of your connection, then I will be making an arrest and there will be no room for grace."

He turned to McGonagall. "Madam, the Head of the Beast Division in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures will be arriving soon. This is the second time an unauthorized creature has infiltrated Hogwarts grounds and I am sure he will have questions for Miss Granger and her friends. Please make sure they are available or I will have no trouble going straight to the Minister, your relationship with him be damned."

"Mr. Snipely, let me remind you that it was the responsibility of the Ministry to keep said unauthorized creature from returning to Hogwarts in the first place!"

"Do not turn this on us! Take care of who you accuse, Madam Headmistress. This is one time when protecting your students will get this school into more legal trouble than you want. Right now, you have every reason to worry. Your supposed smartest witch is behaving suspect and despite having the resources to trace probationary students, our principal suspect goes unfound. If you thought the temporary shut down of last year was bad, I will ensure Hogwarts does not open for the rest of the year!"

Snipely stormed out and McGonagall sighed. "Miss Granger, you heard him. You will head back to the Great Hall where the rest of the students are staying. Directly, Miss Granger. Do not attempt to find Mr. Malfoy, as that could be very damaging for both of you. I will send Hagrid to accompany you."

Hermione nodded slowly and left the office. Luna and Blaise were waiting for her when she came down.

"You haven't been arrested," Blaise pointed out unnecessarily just as Hagrid ambled up.

"Come on. I have to take you all to the Great Hall."

Blaise pushed the girls ahead of Hagrid so that they were out of earshot. "What happened?"

"I didn't tell them anything."

"But I thought-"

"It wasn't Easter."

"What?"

She shushed them, glancing over her shoulder at Hagrid. "I'll explain later, but I really need to find Draco."

"They haven't found him?"

"No. He must have moved. Maybe the Room of Requirement."

"We can't go now," Luna said. "They have everyone in the Great Hall."

"How much trouble are you in?" Blaise asked.

"We'll talk later." She turned to Luna. "If you want to go in ahead-"

Luna shook her head, slipping her hand into Blaise's. "I cannot imagine why I would want to do that."

They entered the Great Hall and all eyes were immediately upon them. There was nothing hostile in them yet so Hermione assumed that Celeste's death had not yet become public. Harry gestured them over to where he, Ginny, and Ron were sitting. To Hermione's surprise, Ron did not get up when she sat down at the table, but he would not look at her.

"Where have you all been?" Harry asked hurriedly. "They called roll and everyone knows you were gone. Malfoy and Celeste Gibbons were gone, too."

Hermione shook her head. "Not now, Harry."

"Do you know why we're here?" Ginny asked. "They won't tell us why we're here, but we know something happened up on the fourth floor."

Before any reply could be given, McGonagall walked in with Snipely. She went up to the staff table and faced the student body.

"Students, as you are aware, last year we had an incident with a creature attack. It was believed that the situation was taken care of, but it seems that is not the case. About an hour ago, there was an attack."

Students broke into murmurs and people looked between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. McGonagall held up her hands.

"Please. I must be allowed to finish. During the course of the attack…It is my sad duty to inform you that our Head Girl Celeste Gibbons has been killed."

The Hall fell quiet. Expressions of horror and disbelief ran rampant and people started looking over to where Hermione and her friends were sitting. She could feel Ron's eyes on her, but she could not meet anyone's gaze. When McGonagall failed to crack a smile and call it all a joke, tears started.

"In this time of grief and uncertainty, I am extending to all students the opportunity to return home. The creature has not been found, but measures are being taken to secure the castle. However, I have contacted your parents and you are perfectly at liberty to leave. It should be known that the Ministry is devoting all of its resources to closing this horrible crime as quickly as possible and has assured me that they will provide sufficient protection to students so that no other attack takes place." This statement seemed to upset Snipely, but he managed to keep his mouth shut. "Celeste's parents will be holding a memorial service out by the lake in two days and has extended an invitation to…to all students." Her gaze flickered to Hermione before she sighed. "Now, classes will be cancelled tomorrow for a day of silence. Students will stay in the Great Hall tonight."

People were crying, yelling, and the Ravenclaws turned on Gryffindor, causing such a scene in an attempt to get to Hermione that professors had to come in and separate them. Blaise pushed the girls back while Harry and even Ron had their wands out to ward off attackers. They all retreated to a corner while professors tried to soothe the crowd.

After things calmed down and sleeping bags were distributed, the group circled up and leaned in.

"So, what is going on?" Ginny asked. Hermione glanced between her and Ron nervously, and Blaise rolled his eyes.

"Granger, it is a little late for you to get a conscience about who you're recruiting for your trip to Azkaban."

"What?" Ron frowned. "Who the hell's going to Azkaban?"

"Shh!" Blaise rolled his eyes. "Bloody hell, Weasley. Keep your voice down before we all get expelled."

Hermione shook her head. "Nobody's getting expelled. It wasn't Easter."

Now Harry's eyebrows rose. "What?"

"Yeah, you should probably explain that, Granger."

She took a deep breath. "Blaise, tell me where you hit Easter with the Killing Curse."

"Face. Burned the side of the face."

"Harry, where did I hit Easter when we were down in the dungeons?"

"Chest."

Blaise frowned and then there was a sort of righteous rage that passed over his face. "No. NO! Damn it, Granger!"

"Shh! I know."

"What?" Ginny snapped. "Will someone fill us in?"

Hermione turned to her. "That creature from Christmas…I found him in Knockturn Alley before school started. I never told you all about it because it kept disappearing every time I tried. Dr-Malfoy," she changed at Ron's agitated look, "found out about Easter and…he started helping me take care of him. Helped me try to figure out what he was, but we never figured it out. He got bigger, but he wasn't dangerous. I should have known he wasn't dangerous. Not to me and…what attacked Malfoy and what killed Celeste wasn't Easter. It was something else."

"Granger, it was exactly like Easter."

"I know." She pulled her knees up to her chest, worry clear on her face. "I know. But Easter didn't do any of these things. He saved Draco, he didn't attack him. That other creature did."

Harry shook his head. "Hermione, even if…even if what you're saying is remotely possible, how are there two of these things in the castle? Do you know how mad that sounds?"

"I know, Harry, but it's the truth! He showed up right before the officers found me and I saw his face and his chest. Nothing on his face, burn on his chest. There has to be another creature in the castle."

Luna made a strange noise before slapping a hand over her mouth, eyes wide. Ginny frowned.

"You're telling me that another creature like the one at the Burrow is here in the castle and killed Celeste?"

"And tried to kill Malfoy and myself last year. Maybe even Henrietta King, which would explain why Easter took off the way he did that day."

"Hermione, do you know how implausible that sounds?"

Blaise snorted. "That's not even the problem."

"What is?"

"Aside from the fact that there could be two giant, bloodthirsty creatures roaming the halls? Well, how about the fact that, even if it is true, it is impossible to prove. How do you know if another creature didn't save Draco and Easter is the one who tried to kill us? And if you're right and Easter is on the up and up, then think very hard Granger about what that means for you."

"I'm not following," Ron muttered.

"He means that even if there is another creature, it can't be proven and Draco and I will still be blamed for Celeste's murder. They already think he killed her for me."

"Seriously?"

Hermione nodded. "I need to find Draco. We need to sort this out before someone else gets hurt."