Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)

50

Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away and after dinner, the three of them spilt up and headed down where they needed to be. Hermione had reached the library where she met Madam Pince, who was standing right beside about twenty to thirty large piles of about fifteen to twenty books. 

"I have already put these books in alphabetical order for you and put numbers on top of those piles to let you know which selves to put the book. All you need to do is sort them. Simply enough," Madam Pince explained to her. 

Hermione quickly began sorting and not wasting a moment of her time to delay. It didn't take long till Hermione had reached over the half-way point of the books. 

"Not bad," Hermione overheard Madam Pince mumbled as she looked impressed. She was just finishing the last pile of the books when she heard something. It was a voice that sounded like ice-cold venom. 

"Come... Come to me... let me rip you... let me tear you... let me kill you..." Hermione jumped, nearly dropping a couple of books onto the ground. 

"What?" She said, loudly. 

"What is it?" Madam Pince called out to her. Hermione peered over the bookshelves.

"Didn't you hear it? The voice?" Hermione asked her. 

"What voice? I didn't hear any voice," Madam Pince told her. Hermione proceeded to finish her shelving in silence. As soon as she was done, Hermione made her way to Gryffindor Tower. Walking down the corridors, she felt there was a pair of eyes looking on her. She carefully peered over her shoulder but found no one was there. 

"Hello?" Hermione called out, expecting it to be maybe Harry or Ron coming back from their detention. There was a silence. Hermione proceeded to continue with her walking but paused around the corner when she noticed the footsteps again. She listened as the footsteps began to walk closer to her. Hermione pulled out her wand, tightened her grip on her wand. She listened to the sound like tapping against the wall and getting closer. Her heart began to race within her chest, listening as they got closer. 

Hermione soon could hear it inches towards her. Quickly, she jumped back into the hallway, wand drawn only to find no one. It was still an empty corridor. Hermione felt her skin start to crawl while she proceeded to hurry at a speed that made lightning look slow back to the Gryffindor Tower. 

Hermione was sitting in one of the chairs in the common room, waiting for Harry or Ron to get back. It was like an hour or so before she found Harry walking into the common room, looking worn out and rubbing his wrist. 

"I'm surprise my hand hasn't fallen from all the addresses I wrote," Harry told Hermione, sinking into the chair, "How was it with Madam Pince? 

Hermione began to tell Harry exactly what happened to her in the library and down the hallway. As soon as she finished her story, Harry jolted upright in his seat and stated how he also heard a voice similar to what she heard. 

"And Lockhart couldn't hear it? That's just like Madam Pince. She didn't hear anything as well." Hermione stated to her. 

"Do you think they were lying?" 

"Why would they lie about not hearing any voices? There's no reason for them to do so. And it couldn't be someone who's invisible because even they have to open door." Hermione explained to him. 

"About the person walking down the corridor... you don't think that it's Barty Crouch do you?" Harry asked, looking concerned. 

"How could he get in? After all, Dumbledore is here and Barty is sure to avoid trying to do anything while Dumbledore is here." Hermione assured Harry... even though she wasn't too sure herself. 

October soon arrived and it was murky and stormy throughout the weeks. Worst, Madam Pomfrey was kept busy helping staff and students, who was down with a horrible cold that had been going around the school. Even Ginny was forced to take some Pepperup potion to help her. Harry wasn't exactly thrill during the month given how determined Oliver Wood was in winning this year's Quidditch cup. 

While walking alongside Harry one morning after Harry's training, they ran into Nearly Headless Nick, who looked just as gloom as the weather. 

"Hello, Nick?" Harry told him. 

"Hello, hello, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger," Nearly Headless Nick told them. 

"Is everything okay?" Hermione asked. 

"It's not a matter of importance... it's not as thought I really wanted to join... Thought I'd apply, but apparently I don't fulfill the requirements..." Nick mumbled on before getting all steamed up, "But you would think, wouldn't you? That getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?" 

"A mere inch of skin holding my neck but it's not good enough Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore!" Nick growled, "So-- what's bothering you, young lad? Anything I can do?" 

"Not unless you know where we can get seven free Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for our match against Sly--" Harry started when a loud mewling came echoing into the air. Hermione peered down to see Mrs. Norris at her ankles, brushing up against her. 

"You'd better get out of here, Harry!" Nick warned, "Filch isn't in the greatest mood! He not only caught the flu but some students accidentally plastered frog brains on the ceiling in one of the dungeons. And if he sees the mud trail..." 

"Right," Harry mumbled as Hermione and Harry hurried along but they weren't fast enough. Rounding the corner, Filch came huffing and puffing. 

"Mess and muck everywhere! I've had enough of it, I tell you! Follow me, Potter! You too, Granger!" Filch ordered them and motioning them to follow behind him.