Petals of Oleander

Chapter Ten: No shit she wasn't in herbology!

The next few weeks flew by like a Nimbus 2000, and it was finally spring. The snow had melted, the sun peaked through the clouds, and buds and blossoms were appearing all over the grounds. Spring and autumn were my two favorite seasons because they both meant big changes were coming, full of possibility. 

It was a morning just like any other. I stretched, got out of bed, chatted and did my hair, made an attempt at mascara (my dads were right. I wasn't ready for that.), put on my robes, ironed out the creases with Avalon's hair straightener, and headed to the great hall for breakfast.

We all ate our usual breakfasts. Miri had her egg scramble, Avalon had waffles with thick maple syrup, Ondie had an omelet with garden vegetables, Kitsune had tea with a jam smeared scone, and I had a fruit bowl paired blasphemously with a large helping of bacon and sausage. What can I say, a girl has got to get her protein. 

What made this morning different was Harry and Ron scurrying toward the Slytherin table with worried scowls on their faces. 

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked when they made it over to me.

"Have you seen Ginny?" Ron asked, out of breath. 

"Not since yesterday, why?" I too had a worried expression painted across my face now. It wasn't like Ginny to go missing. 

"She's not here, and the girls in her room said they didn't see her at all last night." Harry hastily explained, "Has she been acting strangely lately? Do you think it has something to do with all the kids being frozen recently?" 

"She's just been stressed, I think. I did notice she was off but she said she just had a massive workload for her classes." I said.

"So she has been acting weird?" Ron gulped.

"I mean, I suppose so. Maybe she fell asleep in the library?" I offered, trying to help them calm down. 

"What's all this about kids being frozen?" Avalon chimed from across the table. I was glad she said something, I wanted to ask, but if there was one thing I learned from my years of friendship with Harry and Ron, it was to ask questions only on a need-to-know basis. Otherwise I'd surely become roped into something I'd be better off having no part in. 

"You're telling me you haven't heard? Collin Creevey? Nothing?" Ron probed.

"No, mate. We haven't heard shit." Avalon replied. 

"Well, you ladies had better open your ears. Something is going on, and its not good, and its got Ginny." Ron panted. 

"Can you help us?" Harry asked.

"No, I've got class in about 30 minutes, and after that I have to run down to-" 

"Sorry, but I wasn't asking you. Avalon? Is it?" Harry interrupted. 

Avalon said nothing, just rolled her eyes and whispered something to Kitsune, who almost choked. 

"Winnie, meet us in the library at four?" Harry looked down at me with desperation in his eyes. 

I really, really, really did not want to become involved in whatever this was. If there really was something sinister afoot, I was sure the adults in charge would promptly take care of it. This was a school packed full of extremely capable and accomplished wizards after all. Harry and Ron were twelve, and I was merely approaching my twelfth birthday. I was sure there was nothing we could actually contribute to the cause. Whatever it was.

"What do you need me for?" 

"You know Ginny better than anyone." Harry replied.

"Okay, so go check the library and if she's not there come find me after class." I said and turned back around. Not wanted to get any more involved. 

They walked away and the gossip began. 

"What the hell were they talking about?" Ondie asked.

"I do not know. I do not care." Miri replied with a mouthful of eggs. 

Ondie ignored her, "Are kids actually being frozen? Like, in ice?"  

"And who the fuck is Collin Creevey?" Kitsune joined in.

"You know, I was going to care, but clearly I'm not invited to the caring party so I'm keeping my cute nose out of it." said Avalon, wrapping her last waffle in parchment and stuffing it in her bag.

"Ah, but you were invited to the bitter party?" Miri shoved her playfully.

"If you really want to know, go ask the Gryffindors, look at them." I said as I pointed to the Gryffindor table. Practically everyone there was sitting in an uncomfortable silence. Or whispering to their friends with pale faces and wide eyes. "Obviously they know things we do not know." 

"Say no more." Ondie got up and marched over to them. They impulsively scooted away from her as she sat, but eventually she got a group of girls to spill. When she came back she was just as pale and wide eyed as they were.

"It's not ice." She said as she stiffly sat down. 

"What are you talking about?" Avalon chuckled.

"It's like, their bones are frozen. They're paralyzed. Like corpses only they're technically alive. Nobody knows how long they'll stay that way." 

"Bloody hell." Kitsune dropped her spoon and it clattered into her mug. 

"Okay, lets not panic." I said "If the Gryffindors are the only ones being affected, we haven't even heard about it, and none of the adults are saying anything, I'm sure it's nothing. Probably just a weird bug going around." 

"Sexually transmitted, I'd assume. Those Gryffindors.." Avalon muttered. 

"Take this seriously Avalon!" Ondie yelped "There are people who might die and no one is doing anything about it. That's what is happening. Elle, you're the only one out of us who has friends in Gryffindor, can you ask them to keep you updated?"

"And by extension keep us updated?" Kitsune added. 

"Okay. Sure. Fine." I surrendered. 

My classes that day were perfectly normal. No mention of any frozen children at all. I had almost forgotten the matter completely. Until I made it to the greenhouse for herbology and found that Ginny was still M.I.A. 

I stared off into space for the duration of the class, thinking of all the horrible things that could be happening to Ginny, and then being angry for giving myself anxiety, and then getting anxious all over again. 

Finally, the class ended and I hustled to the library. At the very least, I could get more information from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. 

I found them at a secluded table in a corner, arguing in hushed voices. 

"Hey," I pulled a chair over and joined them. "Ginny wasn't in herbology."

"Yeah no shit she wasn't in herbology!" Ron croaked. He looked like he had been choking back tears all day.

"Merlin, Ron. I'm only here to help." I said. 

"We've checked all the places she could possibly be. Is there any chance you know of any hiding places she might be sulking in?" Hermione asked.

"No, she isn't one to hide away." I replied. 

"So there has to be something else going on." Harry continued the conversation, it went on for about an hour and we got absolutely nowhere. I was the only one who reached a conclusion, and that was to get adults involved. Apparently the three of them had already tried that, and they said that they were taking care of everything and that there was nothing to worry about. It didn't make me any less worried, but it did make me wonder what the hell we were going to be able to actually accomplish in the matter. 

Finally, everyone got tired enough to quit arguing and going in circles, and we went our separate ways.

I worried my way through the following day of classes, and as I headed toward the dungeon that afternoon, shit hit the fan.