Harry Potter - Fanfiction

Year 3 - Werewolf? Animagus? Page 394?

Professor Dumbledore sends word for all Slytherin's to move down to the Great Hall. We arrive there with great confusion, along with Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Only to find the Gryffindor's already there.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," says Professor Dumbledore as Professor McGonagall and Flitwick close the doors into the hall.

"I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbances should be reported to me immediately," he adds to Percy, who is looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore pauses, about to leave the hall, and says, "oh yes, you'll be needing..."

One casual wave of his wand and the long tables fly to the edges of the hall and stand themselves against the walls; another wave and the floor is covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," says Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.

The hall immediately begins to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindor's are telling the rest of the school what had just happened.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouts Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

Tracey and I look around for any empty sleeping bags, most already occupied by students. George waves us over.

"I saved you guys a spot," he says eagerly.

"Thanks," I answer as he lays my sleeping bag down next to his and then Tracey's next to mine.

"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouts. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

The candles all go out at once. The only light now coming from the silvery ghosts, who are drifting about talking seriously to the prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which like the sky outside, is scattered with stars. Whispers still filling the hall.

Once every hour, a teacher will reappear in the hall to check that everything is quiet. And I eventually find myself falling asleep after talking to George and Tracey most of the time.

As I drift into sleep, I hear George's voice whisper to me, "I'm glad to have met you Nyx."

George places his hand on top of mine, giving my hand a light squeeze. He obviously thinks I'm already asleep as he leaves his hand placed over mine.

The school talks of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days, a prisoner from Azkaban that has escaped; The theories about how he has entered the castle become wilder and wilder. And as the weather steadily worsens so the first Quidditch match draws nearer as well.

That Friday morning, a day before the match, the winds reach howling point and the rain falling harder as ever causing it to become dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns have to be lit.

We walk into our first class for the day, Defence Against the Dark Arts. Draco and I take a seat near the front with Crabbe and Goyle behind us. Tracey wasn't in yet and the only seat available now is next to Pansy unfortunately, which is right next to mine coincidently. She certainly doesn't know what it means to be stealthy, she's like a lap dog always wanting to sniff into my business with Draco.

A shiver runs down my spine causing my body to twitch slightly from the cold.

"Are you okay?" Draco whispers.

"Yeah, this weather is just rather suited for being in bed," I answer.

Tracey runs in at the last moment, panting as she sits down next to Pansy with a disgruntled moan.