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"What's that thing hanging underneath?" Ron asked, his voice wavering.
They walked closer, Harry almost slipping over due to a large puddle of water that was at the foot of the wall, Ron and Hermione caught him before he fell.
Lina gasped as she and the others realised what the thing was, they jumped immediately "Mrs Norris" Lina whispered.
The poor cat was hanging by her tail from the torch bucket, she looked frozen with her unmoving body and her eyes that were wide open and glassy.
"Shouldn't we try and help-" Harry began.
"Trust me we dint want to be found here," Ron said.
But it was too late, they could hear the beat of multiple footsteps, the feast had just ended, they'd have no time to move as from both ends of the corridor they could hear footsteps and happy chatter. The next second students were crowding the corridor from both ends.
The noise died instantly when the students saw the cat. Lina, Harry, Ron and Hermione stood alone in the middle, Lina couldn't help but feel like one of the creatures that were prodded and exclaimed in her care of magical creatures class.
"Enemies of the heir beware!" Draco's voice called out "you'll be next mudbloods" he was at the front of the crowd grinning at the eight of the immobile cat. Lina tried to catch his eye but he refused to look at her.
"What's going on here? What's going on?" The voice of Argus Filch rang through the corridor. He pushed his way through the crowd and then he saw Mrs Norris, he fell back looking horrified. "My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs Norris?" He shrieked and turned to Harry "you!" He cried "you! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you" Lina quickly placed herself between Filch and Harry in case his grief got the best of him "I'll-"
"Argus!" Dumbledore's voice immediately silenced him. The first thing he did was unhook Mrs Norris from the torch bucket "come with me Argus" Dumbledore said, "you too, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Miss Black, Miss Granger."
Lockhart stepped forward eagerly "my office is nearest headmaster, just upstairs, please feel free-"
"Thank you Gilderoy," Dumbledore said. The silent crowd parted to let them pass, Lockhart, McGonagall and Snape following along.
As they entered Lockhart's office, Lockhart lit the candles on his desk while the painting versions of him scurried out of sight. Dumbledore laid Mrs Norris on the desk and began to examine her, Lina, Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged a tense look and sank into their chairs.
Dumbledore was so close to Mrs Norris as he examined her that his long crooked nose was almost touching her fur. The Professor gently prodded and poked her, Professor McGonagall was bent almost as low, her eyes narrowed as she examined the cat as well, Snape stood behind them half in the shadows, every few seconds he would cast a nasty look to Lina and then back to the cat, he looked rather pleased with the whole situation. And Lockhart, he was hovering around them making suggestions.
