Clara Black and the Hidden Chamber

The Hanging Cat

October arrived, bringing the damp chill and of course my birthday. Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, is keeping busy by all of the sudden colds among the staff and students.Her Pepperup Potion works instantly, but it leaves the drinker smoking at the ears for a while. Poor Ginny Weasley, who had been pale recently, was bullied into drinking it by Percy. It appeared as if her whole head was on fire.

Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on castle windows for days on end; the lake was rising; and Hagrid's pumpkins had reached the size of a shed.

I saw Filch leading Harry away. I highly doubt Harry did anything, but Filch is in a pissy mod. He's got a cold and he was cleaning the frog brains some kid in Emma's class had plastered to the ceiling of the dungeon. 

I ran into Nearly Headless Nick. "Why's Filch dragging Harry off?" I questioned. Ghosts know a lot about the happenings of the castle.

"Harry came in from Quidditch practice and tracked a little mud inside. He stopped to talk and Filch caught him." Nick says. "If we could distract Filch, perhaps Harry wouldn't get punished."

"Brilliant." I said. "I know just who to ask."

Nick and I went in search of Peeves. Peeves is a poltergeist. He lives for trouble. He doesn't listen to anyone but the Bloody Baron. Maybe, just maybe, I can convince him to cause a little havoc for a good cause.

I found him in the Charms room drawing offensive pictures on the board.

"Hey Peeves!" I called. "I want to talk with you! Could you come down for a minute?"

He turned, made a rude gesture, blew a raspberry, and floated upside down.

"Why should I help you, girlie?" he said.

"Because I'm Black's kid. You remember him?"

"Of course, right infamous isn't he? I liked him. He thought I was funny. Helped me pull a few pranks." Peeves sounds almost nostalgically.

After that revelation, I said, "Could you do me a favor? For my old man?"

Peeves thought about it. "All right." He agreed. "I'll help you, Black."

'"It's Clara. And thanks. Here's what I'm planning. I need you to cause a little havoc above Filch's office. Raise a little hell. I'm busting Harry Potter out of trouble."

"There's a vanishing cabinet above Filch's office." Nick says. "You could drop it from a great height."

Peeves saluted us and flew off. I heard a loud crash as Peeves threw down the Vanishing Cabinet.

We ran into Harry downstairs. 

"Harry! Harry! Did it work?" Nick asked. "Clara persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch's office. Thought it might distract him-"

"That was you?" Harry said gratefully. "Yeah, it worked, I didn't even get a detention. Thanks, Clara!"

"It was Nick's idea," I said, as the three of us walked down the corridor.

"I wish there was something I could do for you about the Headless Hunt, Nick." Harry said.

Nearly Headless Nick stopped in his tracks and Harry and I walked through him. I really wish I hadn't; it felt like I'd just taken and ice bath. 

"But there is something you could do for me.," Nick said excitedly. "Harry-would I be asking too much-but no, you wouldn't want-"

"What is is?" asked Harry.

"Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth deathday," said Nick, drawing himself up and looking dignified. Is a deathday something I should be sad about? Or should I be happy?