Blood to Love | 3rd year

11- Black is Back

Ron dragged me to the Great Hall and I sat with the Gryffindors for a large feast. We ate and discussed what fake news was in the Daily Profit. We ate until one more bite would make us explode then waited for the cue to go back to our common rooms.

"Y/n!" Hermione said, startling me but getting my attention all the while.

"Yes?"

"Maybe you should stay with him tonight? To stop your nightmares of course," she whispered.

I nodded and turned to Ron who had just stopped a conversation with Harry.

"Hey Ron, do you mind if I stay with you tonight? In your dorm, I mean."

"Oh — er — of course. I'd love that." He then nodded reassuringly and smiled.

Many people started rising from the table. We imitated their actions and followed a crowd to the Gryffindor common room. There was a massive hold up on the stairs. We stood there until Harry led us through a gap to see what was going on.

Ron grunted. "I suppose Neville has forgot that password again."

"Hey!" Neville stated right behind us.

Ron went scarlet red and faced forward, sure to make no eye contact after insulting the poor boy. We took a couple more steps forward and heard whispers and rumors flying all over the castle.

"The Fat Lady is gone!"

"There's been an attack!"

We continued walking up through the gap, pushing through people to see what was going on. The portrait, in which the Fat Lady resides, was now slashed with giant, bloody scratches and the woman was, in fact, missing. The scratches on the portrait picture were enormous and could've easily wounded a student in a matter of seconds.

"Move!" Dumbledore demanded as he made his way up the stairs.

He stopped at the portrait hole, slightly gasped, and then kept frantically walking up the stairs whipping his head in every direction. He finally found the Fat Lady lingering behind a portrait with a cow blocking her body, seeming to be terrified.

"He's in the castle! Sirius Black," she said as she sobbed while peering over the farm animal.

"Students, there is a serious matter at hand at the moment. You will not be returning to your dormitories. There is a possible mass murderer in the castle at this time; it is not safe to be wandering around. I will set up sleeping arrangements in the Great Hall. Prefects, please lead the students there immediately. I will be there shortly but I must inform the other professors." Dumbledore spoke with certainty and passion, emphasizing the importance of the situation.

Students started whispering, spreading rumors, and frantically jogging to the Great Hall as if they were Sirius Black's next target. Harry, on the other hand, wouldn't move from the portrait. He stared at it oddly until I nudged him. His face snapped out of the trance and we walked side by side with Ron and Hermione for the night.

Dumbledore was heading to all of the other common rooms and dormitories to inform the houses on the ludicrous event that just partook.

Since we had walked to the front of the line earlier, we were now walking in the back behind everyone, considering those at the bottom of the staircase had to move first.

Harry looked numb, Hermione stressed, and Ron nervous. I grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him aside. Harry and Hermione stopped for a moment and looked at us.

"Ron, it's fine. I can tell that you are worried but I'm here and everything is fine," I reassured him, hoping to aid his evident anxiety.

"Merlins beard, I don't know what I'd do without you," Ron sighed, glancing at my lips.