January 1943

Even after the New Year rolled around and term started again, things took quite a long time to return to normal. The Great Hall still stank strongly of smoked wood when they entered it for the first time since the pantomime, and for most of the Start of Term Feast Ro kept the sleeve of her robe covering her nose. Despite the repair work that had been carried out, there were still obvious chunks missing from the walls and ceiling so the image of the sky charmed onto the ceiling had bits of real sky poking through. Most of the candles were greatly misshapen, and the Hogwarts banners were still singed.

Curious as to why the Repairing Charms hadn't worked, Ro had sought out Professor Kettleburn after the Feast and he'd explained that as Ashwinders were very powerful magical creatures, damage caused by their flames took a long time to mend. That, he explained, was why his missing leg couldn't be grown back as it had been touched by the Ashwinder's flames, and why Millicent and Druella's burns were still unhealed. Millicent's arm was still encased in a sling and Druella's hand was in bandages, but William's leg had been completely healed and Poppy was as right as rain.

Due to a complication with his magically disfigured head late in the Christmas Holiday, Professor Beery had been taken to St Mungo's for an indefined period of time until his head had fully returned to normal. Herbology lessons were now taught by Professor Ainsley, a elderly man with a shock of white hair who many were sure had lost his mind, as he spent most of the first-years' lessons talking to the plants and completely ignoring the students.

Despite the few abnormalities, everything else was able to continue as normal. Ro and Minerva both put their new Christmas presents to great use on the Quidditch pitch; they had vowed that they would both make the Gryffindor Quidditch team in their second year and were practising on their broomsticks at least once a week. It became clear very quickly that Minerva's Comet 180 was one of the best brooms on the market, as she could outstrip nearly everyone else in their Flying lessons and perform the techniques with ease. Although she spend a lot of time admiring Minerva's broom, Ro never once wished she could replace her Silver Arrow; Poppy said to her on many occasions that from where she always sat reading in the stands, Ro's broom and goggles made her look like a proper Quidditch player.

The first Quidditch Match of the new term took place in early February, where Gryffindor beat Hufflepuff in a very close and tense game. With the aid of the Omnioculars, Ro was able to see every technique that either team used and replay it for Poppy and Minerva to see too. But the celebratory party held in the Gryffindor Common Room after the match was brought to an abrupt halt when it was realised that one of the Beaters, Ernest Lawrence, was missing.

"Can anyone remember seeing Ernest last?" The Team Captain, Marilyn Douglas, called out above the anxious murmurs.

"He came down to the kitchens with me 'n' Larry to get food earlier." Shirley Miller said, and Larry Spencer-Moon nodded from where he stood next to her. Both were second-years just like Ernest, and were looking understandably worried.

Edgar Maurice, one of the seventh year prefects, climbed up to stand on the arm of one of the armchairs and whistled loudly. "Alright Lions, listen up. I can't imagine anything unpleasant could have happened to Ernest, but we need to find him to make sure. Prefects, I want you to take a couple of people with you to search the corridors. We'll meet here at 6pm."

The Common Room burst into activity as the six prefects organised the students into search parties. Edgar left almost immediately with Shirley and Larry behind him, and fifth-year Fleamont Potter not long after with third-years Judy Page, Anthea Newton and Nancy Campbell. Dodging past Lester Longbottom and his party, Ro bumped into Augusta Brown who instantly pointed at Ro and said "You, Poppy and Minerva can come with me."

Ro was given no time to protest as Augusta literally rounded up Poppy and Minerva and marched them out of the portrait hole. The back of Edgar's group could be seen disappearing round a corner down the corridor on seventh floor, Fleamont had taken the stairs down to the sixth floor and they could hear Lester telling his group they'd be heading for the fifth floor, so Augusta led them down several staircases until they reached the fourth floor of the castle.

"I can't see why he'd be in the library, so we'll check that last." Augusta said as they passed the huge double doors into the library, stopping just in front of the History of Magic classroom. "We'll need to split up here, but only for a few minutes. Ro can come with me to look in here, Poppa and Minerva I want you to check the Magical Theory classroom. Meet us outside the library in five minutes."

Without another word, Augusta took Ro's arm and led her into the History of Magic classroom. It didn't look like anyone had been in there; the room was exactly how Ro had left it a few hours earlier when she'd had History of Magic that morning. The globe on Professor Binns' desk was still displaying Russia, where the first-years had been learning about the Soap Blizzard of 1378, making it almost guaranteed that no-one had been in the room since classes had been dismissed before the Quidditch match.

Ro was about to suggest they try a different classroom when a meowing sound caught her attention. She took a few steps towards the door in hope of finding the cat that caused the noise, when Augusta grabbed Ro's wrist again and dragged her behind a desk.

Ro was about to voice her protest when Augusta shhh'd in her ear, and they both peered around the desk to see a scrawny cat in the doorway. It looked around the classroom for a moment, and they both ducked back behind the desk as the yellow eyes swept towards them. There was a tense few moments before pawsteps could be heard echoing down the corridor.

"What was that?" Ro asked as she got back to her feet.

"Mrs Norris," Augusta said, keeping her voice low, "she belongs to the caretaker, Orpheus Filch. Have you come across him yet?"

Ro shook her head. "Not in person, but I've heard of him. Apparently his youngest son's a squib?"

Augusta shrugged "Haven't heard either way. Well Mrs Norris is Filch's cat, and if she sees you in the corridor after dark she'll run back to Filch and I guarantee he'll be there within two minutes. According to Hogwarts Legend she's actually a witch transfigured into a cat, as she's belonged to the Hogwarts caretaker for as long as anyone remembers, but no-one really kno- wait, where are you going!"

Ro had rushed to the doorway while Augusta was telling the story, looking both ways to check which way Mrs Norris had gone. "Poppy and Minerva won't know that!" she said hurriedly, her heart sinking when she saw the cat run from the classroom where Poppy and Minerva where. Not waiting for Augusta to follow her, she sprinted down the corridor and skidded to a halt just outside the classroom.

Minerva was on her feet in an instant when she met Ro's gaze. "Have you found Ernest?"

"No, but we need to run. That was the caretaker's cat, and we've got about a minute before he'll get here." Seeing Minerva and Poppy's confused looks, Ro added "I'll explain when we get to the Common Room, just come on!"

Augusta reached the classroom just as the sound of running feet became audible heading in their direction. Knowing by instinct that the footsteps belonged to Filch, they wasted no time in starting to sprint back down the corridor. As they ascended the stairs they could hear Filch shouting "Students out of bed!" repeatedly, but Ro refused to look backwards for fear of losing her footing.

"Humbug!" Augusta cried out the password as they rounded the last corner and the portrait of the Fat Lady came into view. Ro guessed she must have sensed their urgency, as she swung forwards almost instantly and slammed shut the moment Poppy had hurdled the step into the Common Room.

The thick atmosphere in the Common Room was noticeable from the moment the portrait hole had closed, and Ro made an effort to stifle her laboured breathing that was disturbing the silence. The Gryffindor students were gathered around the largest sofa; Ro elbowed her way through the crowd just behind Augusta and gasped when she saw what everyone was looking at.

Ernest was lying on the chair, and at first glance Ro thought he looked dead. That was clearly what Shirley thought, as she was crouched on the floor in front of the chair holding Ernest's still hand and sobbing. Larry was patting her shoulder while looking equally distressed, and Edgar was sat on the arm of the chair with a puzzled look on his face.

"Edgar, what's happened?" Ro heard Augusta ask, pushing past her to look more closely at Ernest's body. Now that the initial shock had left her Ro could see that he wasn't dead- his eyes were wide open and his face frozen in an expression of terror. One arm was stretched upwards, as if he'd been pointing at something before his fate befell him.

"We found him by the window," Shirley said between sobs, "it was all misted up so you could see your refection in it, and he was just lying in front like this."

There was a length pause before Edgar spoke. "It doesn't make sense," he started, his voice troubled, "but this reminds me of something I read about in a library book Professor Kettleburn recommended to me. There are creatures that when looked at can cause... no, it's impossible."

"Just spit it out, Edgar!" snapped Bertha Maurice, Edgar's younger sister in fourth-year.

Edgar gave Bertha a warning glare that Ro had often been given by her older siblings, before looking up to face the students. "I think Ernest here has been petrified."

"Care to explain what that means?" Bertha asked, voicing the question that Ro had been wondering in her head.

"In essence, Ernest has been turned to stone." Edgar's words were met with panicked mutters from nearly everyone in the Common Room, but they fell silent as the portrait hole opened and Fleamont rushed in.

"I fetched Madame Quinine and Professor Dumbledore like you asked, Edgar." Fleamont called, stepping back to allow Madame Quinine and Professor Dumbledore through the portrait hole.

The crowd of students cleared as they moved to examine Ernest, and it was only a few moments before Madame Quinine announced "This boy needs to be taken to the Hospital Wing, Professor Dumbledore, there isn't any time to waste."

Professor Dumbledore nodded his permission as Madame Quinine conjured a stretcher which she moved Ernest onto and quickly levitated him out of the room. Professor Dumbledore went to follow her, before turning back to the students. "I want you all to go to your beds, we will see to Ernest and let you know in the morning what has happened."

The next morning, Professor Dumbledore returned to the Gryffindor Common Room and confirmed what Edgar had suggested the previous evening. He assured the students that Ernest would be revived as soon as they were able to get hold of some Mandrakes (as Professor Ainsley had sent away the Hogwarts population of Mandrakes claiming they weren't suitable to talk to), and that no similar incidents would happen again.

However, he was very quickly proven wrong. In the beginning of March, Professor Merrythought arrived nearly 20 minutes later to the first-years' DADA lesson looking upset and shocked, and announced that third year Ravenclaw Peggy Gilbert had also been petrified. It was only a week later that Millicent and Septima told Ro, Poppy and Minerva that another Ravenclaw had fallen victim to the mystery attacker, third year Harvey Dale. Things fell quiet for a while, but as soon as Ro began to think the scare was over, both Wilhelmina Grubbly and Norma Clarke vanished from the first-year classes that the Gryffindors shared with the Hufflepuffs.

"If it weren't for Wilhelmina, Norma and Ernest, I'd say they're just targeting Ravenclaws." Minerva said as the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws walked back from the greenhouses where the two Houses had just had Herbology.

"There's got to be a link somewhere," Millicent said, to which everyone nodded in agreement.

But they were left with no further clues until just under a month later when Ro returned to the Gryffindor Common Room to be told that Marilyn Douglas had been petrified on the way to the Gryffindor Quidditch Team's practise session.

"Have you noticed that none of the victims are from Slytherin?" Ro suggested to Poppy and Minerva while in their dormitory that night.

"Two Gryffindors, two Hufflepuffs, and three Ravenclaws." Poppy murmured "No Slytherins at all."

There was a muffled thud as Minerva dropped her book onto the duvet. "I think I've figured it out - the petrified victims are all Muggleborns!"

Silence met her revelation, until Ro said "How'd you get from Slytherin to Muggleborns?"

"Do you know of any Slytherins who are Muggleborn?" Minerva asked, but before they could answer she continued "In fact, with the exception of Irma, do you know of any Slytherins who aren't Pureblood?"

"I think you're right," Poppy said slowly, "Ernest and Marilyn are Muggleborn, Septima mentioned that all the Ravenclaw victims are Muggleborn- hang on, isn't Wilhelmina a Halfblood?"

Ro looked at Minerva expecting her to have found a hole in her thought, but she still looked convinced. "But what if Wilhelmina was an accident? She wasn't alone, remember who she was petrified with?"

"Norma Clarke. Muggleborn." Ro nodded. "I guess that proves it then."

Poppy was looking increasingly uncomfortable as they talked through their idea, and Ro remembered with a jolt that she was a Muggleborn too. "But why would this attacker only be attacking Muggleborns?"

"I'll bet you my next birthday's money that this is to do with Slytherin." Ro groaned, falling backwards onto her bed. "You'd think even they know where to draw the line!"

"I'm not so sure, Edgar said that Petrification is a very advanced kind of dark magic." Minerva pointed out, "Sending Professor Beery to St Mungos with a enlarged head is one thing, turning people to stone is quite another."

"Even so," Ro said loudly as Poppy paled even further, "we're going to be careful. Until Professor Dippet finds out who's behind this, you're not going off by yourself, ok?"

Minerva nodded. "We'll have to tell the others tomorrow," she said, and Ro knew that by 'others' she was referring to Septima, Irma and Millicent. "Irma's got nothing to worry about and Septima should be fine, but Millicent's a Muggleborn. She needs to know."

For the next couple of weeks, a rota was planned to make sure Poppy and Millicent were never left alone without someone else with them. The plan seemed flawless in Ro's opinion, and her idea that Slytherin House were somehow behind it gained more evidence when attacks seemed to stop in the run-up to the two-week period of exams at the end of May.

"It makes sense!" Ro insisted as she, Minerva and Poppy headed downstairs towards the classroom on the first floor where their first exam was held. "It must be a student, as what with the exams they've got more to think about than petrifying us!"

Minerva didn't answer, muttering under her breath what Ro thought were various incantations they needed to remember for Theory of Charms that morning.

They had just reached the bottom of the stairs when Poppy stopped and asked "Why have you two got your quills with you? I thought they gave us special ones for exams?"

"Nah, that's just for OWLs and NEWTs I think," Ro said, "You left yours in the Common Room?"

Poppy nodded as she turned back towards the stairs. "I'll go and fetch it, wait for me outside the exam room."

Ro was too occupied with running through her notes in her mind to realise what Poppy had suggested, so it was only when she and Minerva reached the exam room alone did it dawn on her that they'd let Poppy go off on her own. Unease coursed through her, but she pushed it to the back of her mind until the first-years were all sat at their desks in the exam room and Poppy still hadn't turned up.

Just before Professor Aurelius announced that the exam was to begin, Ro shot her hand into the air and waved it about wildly. "Err, Professor, can I go to the toilet before the exam starts."

"May I too, please?" Minerva added, clearly catching onto what Ro was doing.

Professor Aurelius looked between them with a mildly irritated expression before finally saying "You should have done that on your way here girls, but you may. If you're not back within two minutes, the exam will start without you."

Ro wasted no time in sprinting from the exam room and up the staircase with Minerva hard on her heels. "She'll be ok, she probably just went to the toilet, it'll be-" she broke off with a scream when they reached the fifth floor and a huddled shape on the floor came into view. Terror rooted her to the spot for a moment, and it was only when Minerva gripped her hand and guided her forward that she regained control of her legs.

It was a girl lying faced down towards the floor, small in frame with blonde wavy hair. Ro hardly dared to breathe as she took hold of the girl's shoulders and rolled her over. Sky blue eyes stared blankly upwards, one hand was clapped over her mouth and the other holding the metallic golden case that quills were often stored in.

Ro felt Minerva sway sideways and hit the floor next to her, and a fresh wave of fear rose over Ro when she realised they were looking down at the petrified body of Poppy Pomfrey.

Authors Note:
 Quite a fast paced chapter, things will slow down again in the next update.

The names of the Gryffindor students and the petrification victims are mostly made up, with the exception of Wilhelmina Grubbly (later becomes Professor Grubbly-Plank who covered for Hagrid in OoTP), Fleamont Potter (father of James Potter), Augusta Brown (Neville's grandmother with an invented last name), and Lester Longbottom (future husband of Augusta and Neville's grandfather, with invented first name).

Larry Spencer-Moon is kind of made up and kind of not; he's my own creation but he is the daughter of the Ministry of Magic at the time (Leonard Spencer-Moon). He becomes a pretty important character from second-year onwards, and his younger brother will arrive when the girls are in third year.

The book Edgar is referring to is the book that Hermione looked in where she found information about the Basilisk. However Edgar assumed that since it's stated that there have been no Basilisks in Britain for multiple centuries it is impossible for the attacker to be a Basilisk.

Thank you so much to everyone who's followed, favourited and reviewed, you kind people give me the motivation to carry this on.