The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 51

Alexis' POV

        Weeks are continuing to pass. Draco and I have been waiting to hear more about anything but once again it's gone quiet.

         I've even tried to interrogate my dad but that never ends well. You're probably picturing him shouting at me or reminding me of all the trouble I've caused, but that's not how it goes. Instead he'll just completely ignore me.

                  Honestly, I'd rather him yell.

            Every morning in the great hall I'll read the newspaper over someone's shoulder and see if there's been some sort of chaos in our area. I got so used to not seeing anything that when I finally did, I didn't really believe it.

           "Did you see what Amycus has planned next class?" Abbie asks me.

             I shake my head while finishing up my morning pumpkin juice.

         "Apparently he's making students practice the Cruciatus curse on first years."

             I nearly choke on my juice when the words come out of her mouth.

                         "You can't be serious." I scoff while wiping my face.

          "I wish I was messing," She responds. "Aubrey said that's why Neville's face is all bruised up. He refused to do it."

          Looking past the other students at the Gryffindor table, I spot Longbottom sitting alone. The top part of the newspaper covers his lower face.

                       "Neville, did Amycus say why he's making everyone do that?"

           He ignores my question but I can tell it's not on purpose; something in the paper has caught his attention.

                 Abbie slides closer to him. "Hey, Longbottom."

     Still, he continues to read deeper and deeper. And suddenly, his eyes start to get larger.

           I see Abbie starting to get irritated and she doesn't hesitate to read over his shoulder. I wait a few seconds for her to say something but just like Neville, her eyes grow big.

                             "What is it?" I huff.

         Abbie and I exchange looks and eventually Neville joins in. I see worry starting to cover each of their faces and can't help but rip the paper from their hands.

                 Imposters Break into Gringotts and Set Dragon Free

          The second I read the title I know exactly who it's talking about. As I read further down more things start to add up and piece together.

      The thieves used Polyjuice Potion to disguise themselves, one of them as Bellatrix Lestrange. No one has figured out what was stolen, but we can all conclude that it was something important.

         "Do you think it was one of the Horcruxes?" Neville says quietly to Abbie.

              I shoot my head up from the newspaper. "What did you say?"

        Neville swallows hard and struggles to reply, so Abbie decides to answer for him.