Chapter 8

The four students remaining in the Hospital Wing looked at each other and immediately ran to the door. Only to find it locked. They all tugged on it repeatedly. Hermione pulled out her wand and incanted, "Alohomora!" They pulled again but it still wouldn't open.

A voice from another part of the room spoke, "You won't be able to leave, children. When the matron is out of the Hospital Wing, the door can only be opened from the outside or with the emergency spell."

Hermione located the voice. It was coming from a picture near Madam Pomfrey's office. "Please, won't you tell us the spell? Our friend needs our help!" she exclaimed.

"The Headmaster said you were to stay here and here you'll stay. Now take a seat and be a patient patient!"

Hermione turned to Professor Babbling with pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger, but we will stay here until they get back or Professor McGonagall returns," the Ancient Runes Professor said.

Instead of returning to their beds (or chairs in the case of the twins), the four clustered around the map. Hermione tried to use the spell that Professor Lupin used. Instead of the map coming up with nothing, it now said, "Mister Prongs believes Mister Mooney must have been neutered as his voice has just risen two octaves. Mister Padfoot warns the person imitating Mister Mooney to go find other toys to play with."

Hermione looked at Ron and asked, "What did your letter from Harry say, Ron?"

"I got a letter from Harry? Why would he send me a letter?"

Hermione huffed and went to the bedside table and plucked the unopened letter and started to open it before it was snatched out of her hand.

"Hey! It is my letter! Let me read it first, Hermione," said Ron.

Hermione was a bit embarrassed by that but waited to give Ron a chance to read it himself.

Dear Ron,

Thanks for being my best mate and sticking with me through all of the crazy things at Hogwarts. Hogwarts would never have been half as much fun without you. I know I'll never be able to beat you at chess.

I don't think you knew that Sirius asked me to live with him tonight. I've never been so happy as I was at that minute. You know the Dursleys don't treat me right. The night you and the twins rescued me was one of the worst days in my life. I'll never be able to thank you and the twins for that. Your family has always been great about letting me stay with you. Your mum even sent me presents in first year when she didn't even know me.

I want you to know if anything happens to me, I want you to have my Firebolt. I've also told the goblins to split my vault between you and Hermione. You won't have to worry about hand-me-down robes again. I know what it's like not having anything of your own.

I'm sorry about Scabbers, but I'm glad we know that it was a rat in more than one way. I hope you can find another pet that's more trustworthy.

Your mate,

Harry

"Hey! Harry's giving me his Firebolt!"

There were two "Huhs?" and one "WHAT".

"Wait! Why is Harry giving me his Firebolt? Why is he going into the Chamber of Secrets? Is there another basilisk there? What's going on?" Ron finally spits out.

Fred mussed his little brother's hair and said, "Welcome back to the land of the living Ronnikins. That's what we're all trying to figure out."

"But why would Harry give me his Firebolt and half his vault? Isn't he going to need it?"

Hermione hesitated, but answered her friend, saying what everyone else had been avoiding, "No Ronald, he won't. Not if he commits suicide."

The three boys in the room sat there with their mouths open, contemplating that thought.

If anyone had been watching the map, they would have seen Professor Dumbledore was no longer on the map, then Professor Lupin's dot disappeared, Sirius Black's, then finally Madam Pomfrey's. Now all they could do was sit and wait; something none of them were good at doing.