Emerald Moon

Chapter 11 - The Night Everything Changed

Blaise knew the moment he woke up that night, that something was wrong. A cloud of dread swirled around him and he felt disoriented in the dark room. As he scrambled out of bed and found a sweater to pull on, he saw Malfoy's bed was empty. The emerald curtains were drawn back, the bed still in pristine condition. The hair on the back of his neck started to rise and he registered noises coming from somewhere.

Beside him, Nott too had woken up. It was still relatively early, just shy of midnight, and already his friend looked completely dishevelled, as if woken from a deep sleep. His chestnut curly hair sticking out at every angle and his hazel eyes were glazed over.

"What's... going on?" Came the confused and slow question. No movement or sound from Crabbe and Goyle.

Blaise had managed to pull on a pair of jeans and stuffed his wand in his pocket.

"Don't know. Off to see. Malfoy's gone."

And he made his way out of the dormitory and into the Common Room, where more students had started to gather. Several apprehensive glances were made at the Entrance way and the ceiling from where now clearly sounds of an altercation was heard. Before he was even aware of it, he was holding his wand out in front of him. Just in case.... For what?

Blaise found Urquhart, who hadn't bothered to change out of his pyjamas.

"Do you know what's going on?" Blaise asked but the older boy shook his head.

"No clue. It started with a bang but now the sounds are getting louder. I expect Slughorn at any moment. Parkinson is trying to find Malfoy. As Prefects, they should deal with this."

"I don't think she'll find him." Blaise said, ignoring Urquhart's confused look.

"I am going to see what's happening." He said and now strode out of the Common Room, ignoring several shouts to stay there. But Blaise knew something was wrong, and he knew he couldn't rest until he knew what it was.

There were definitely shouts echoing down into the dungeons and the unmistakable grunts and cries made during a duel. Fighting, but by whom? He instantly thought of telling Snape and had just rounded the corner to his old head of house's office when he saw the door was open and concerned female voices came out. As he heard her dreamy tone, laced with something he had never heard before, Blaise felt his blood run cold. He looked in.

There sat Luna, pale hair billowing around her. Beside was Granger and on the floor an unconscious Professor Flitwick. Snape was nowhere. The bizarre scene made no sense to him. Luna was waving her wand over Flitwick, muttering healing enchantments, but with no results. The tiny Professor didn't move.

"Lovegood?"

Both girls turned to him, fear and apprehension clear on their faces. Grangers wand aimed directly at him. Seeing him, Luna's posture immediately softened.

"Blaise." She stated and he felt a surge of satisfaction, hearing the relief in her voice.

"What's going on? Who's fighting?"

Granger gave a disapproving squeak, but Luna gave her head a small shake at her friend.

"It's alright," she told Granger first before turning to him. "Professor Flitwick told us and Professor Snape there are Death Eaters in the school. Professor Snape went off immediately but Professor Flitwick is still unconscious and nothing seems to revive him."

"Death.... Eaters? Here? At Hogwarts?"

Luna nodded.

"We don't know how, but they managed to get into the castle. We called the Order and the rest is fighting." She turned to Granger, who kept giving him accusing stares. "Hermione, I'll watch over Professor Flitwick for now. You go help Ginny, Ron and Neville. Maybe Harry has returned..."