Heroes with Wands

Chapter 28

Annabeth

"Oh my Gods!" We ran forwards to the girl, Katie Bell, Harry called her, being possessed in the air. We stopped, watching in terror, as she just hovered.

Then her body fell into the snow like a rag doll. She started twitching, but made no response to Ginny calmly saying, "Katie. Katie, it's me, Ginny." 

Ginny, despite her bravery and trying to help the poor girl, she stood there next to Dean, trying not to panic. A voice from behind commanded, "Don't anybody touch her! Get back, all of you!"

"Hagrid!" Hermione looked at Katie. "What's happened?" Hagrid pushed past us. He was a large man, half giant, Ginny said, with a furry, uncombed, tangled beard and a kind face.

The girl who'd been walking with Katie backed up to us. Harry whispered, "That's Leanne." Hagrid approached Katie and picked her up. Harry walked over to something in the snow.

An open package lie there. The wrapping had come undone and a beatiful, jeweled necklace sat on it. Harry pushed back the wrapping to look at it.

"Don't you touch that," Hagrid said. "Do you understand?" We all nodded. Harry kneeled by it, staring.

After that, we were all sent to see Professor McGonagall and Snape. Since we were there at the scene, they wanted to talk to us. All of us.

McGonagall glanced at the necklace and turned to Katie's friend Leanne. "You're sure Katie didn't have this in her possession when you entered the Three Broomsticks?"

"Like I said," Leanne shrugged. "She went to go to the loo, and when she came back, she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it."

McGonagall looked astonished. "Did she say to who?"

"To Professor Dumbledore."

"Very well. Thank you, Leanne, you may go," McGonagall said, a worried expression on her face. Leanne smiled half-heartedly and left. Then she turned to face us—the seven of us, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, and Ron. Dean was sent away. I had a feeling she wanted to talk to us in private.

"Why is it that when something happens, it is always you three?" She looked pointedly at Hermione, Harry, and Ron. Then she turned to Ginny. "And now you, Ms. Weasley?"

Ron sighed. "Believe me, Professor. I've been asking myself the same question for six years," he said. Then there was a flash behind us. I turned and Harry scowled.

"Hello, Severus," McGonagall flashed a small smile in greeting. Snape came over and pointed his wand at the necklace. It hovered in the air as he inspected it. "What do you think?"

"I think," Snape said, "Ms. Bell is lucky to be alive." 

"She was cursed, wasn't she?" Harry intercepted. "I know Katie, off the Quidditch pitch, she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Professor Dumbledore, she wasn't doing it knowingly."

The teachers were quiet. I squeezed Percy's hand. We had a conversation with our eyes. It pretty much consisted of this: Thank the gods it wasn't you. I love you. 

"It was Malfoy," Harry said assuredly, before anyone could say anything else to him.

"Are you so very certain of your accusation, Potter?" asked McGonagall. Snape turned to see Harry's reaction.

That guy gave me, in Leo's words, the 'freaky-deakies'. "Indeed," Snape said. There was a pause. "Your evidence?" 

"I just know."

"You just," Snape put emphasis on the last word, "know." 

Luckily, Piper stepped in. "Professor," she said. I recognized her charmspeak. "I'd have to agree with Harry. Draco looked a little shady. He was walking past the Quidditch practice and kept looking at the girls on the team."