Anxiety [hp]

- 2.7

[Camera pans the walls of Lockhart's office, lined with framed photographs of... Gilderoy Lockhart. Harry and Lockhart work by candlelight at an ornate desk. Bleary- eyed, Harry addresses envelopes, while a cheery Lockhart puts his signature to the stack of glossy photos bearing his image.]

Lockhart: Harry, Harry, Harry... Can you possibly imagine a better way to serve detention than by helping me answer my fan mail? [Harry forces a smile.] Fame's a fickle friend, Harry. Celebrity is as celebrity does. Remember that.

"His fraudulent ass." Ariel muttered.

[Harry nods, glancing gloomily at the towering stack of envelopes that remain. Dipping his quill, he starts to write, when... a chilly voice fills the room.]

Voice: Come... come to me...

The great hall was absolutely silent.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Sirius gaped.

"You'll see." The Original Trio stated.

Harry: What?

Lockhart: I was saying, six solid months at
the top of the bestseller list! Broke all records!

Harry: No... not you, that... voice.

Lockhart: Voice?

Harry: That... voice. Didn't you hear it?

Lockhart: What are you talking about, Harry? I think we're getting a bit drowsy. Great Scott -- and no wonder -- look at the time! We've been here nearly four hours! Dinner's nearly done! If you hurry you might make pudding. Spooky how the time flies when one's having fun!

Harry: Spooky.

"Who the hell was having fun?" Marlene cringed.

[Harry passes quickly through the lengthening shadows of the empty corridor, when...]

Voice: Blood... I smell blood... [Harry stops cold, looking around for the source of the voice.] Let me rip you... let me kill you...

"The hell is going on?" Barty questioned.

"Seems like Dumbledore let something dangerous roam around the castle!" Walburga scolded.

[Harry steps to the wall, playing his fingers along the stone, then begins walk, slowly at first, then more quickly, as if following something, moving faster and faster, rounding the corner and coming face to face with... Hermione and Ron.]

Hermione: Harry!

Harry: Did you hear it?

Ron: [concerned and confused] Hear what?

Harry: That voice.

Hermione: [getting concerned as well] Voice? What voice?

Harry: I heard it first in Lockhart's office, and then, again, just-- [he hears the voice once more]

Ominous Voice: It's time.

"Time for what?" Peter whined.

Harry: [getting tense] It's moving. I think it's going to kill.

Ron: [as Harry runs past them down the corridor] "Kill"?

Hermione: [she and Ron run after him] Harry, wait! Not so fast!

[Harry stops in the middle of the corridor seeing Avery and Jasper, then looks down to see the floor is wet before walking to the right. Ron and Hermione run to catch up with him; they stop abruptly as they see numerous spiders scurrying away through a crack in the window.]