Voldemort's Secret

Chapter 15

We had the first of our O.W.L.s today. I've always been a good student, but these were awful. We sat in the Great Hall for hours on Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Then we had our Astronomy test. Which got a little interesting.

It started out quiet and nervous, like all of our other O.W.L.s. I was breezing through it, when Harry shouted.

He looked down Hagrid's hut, and several wizards were attempting to stun him. He shouted at them, but I couldn't make it out. His dog, Fang, barked at the intruders.

The stunning spells bounced off of Hagrid effortlessly. I guessed this was Umbridge's method of sacking Hagrid. But Hagrid sure wasn't going to go easily.

There was more shouting, and a witch ran onto the scene. I looked closer and saw it was McGonagall. She was trying to defend Hagrid. And four of the bloody goons hit McGonagall square in the chest with four Stunning Spells. McGonagall crumpled on the ground, and Hagrid slipped away. We gave small cries of terror. The goons quit firing. Professor Trelawney can and rescued McGonagall.

We were quietly told to please finish our test, but I don't know if anyone had the heart. McGonagall was a old woman, and that Stunning Spell hit her hard. I shed a tear. She was one of my favorite professors.

I went to bed full of misery and woe. I had heard McGonagall was a tough old woman, she was was going to be fine. I still worried for her.

~~**~~

Everything changed the next morning. We were taking our History of Magic O.W.L. It was a tedious, boring subject that nobody but Ravenclaw and Hermione ever actually did well in. Or at least tried.

In fact, the majority of students were dozing off. I felt urge to sleep, too. My eyelids fluttered, and I leaned into my hand.

Resting well, Natalie?

Well, yes I suppose...

You should wake up, I'm busy.

Busy?

Long story. But you're causing an interference, I can't concentrate on my work.

I heard someone screaming.

My work, yes.

An image of a tortured man flashed against my eyelids. He cried out, as Voldemort was tortured him. I looked at the man's face. Sirius.

I woke up screaming, but my screams weren't the only ones. I turned around, and Harry's eyes met mine. He'd seen it, too. We had to get out.