| HIDDEN IN SECRETS |

chapter twenty-seven

DEMENTORS

•

Verena and Weasley had argued again. Almost every day for the past two years, Potter would listen to his friend's complaints about her and her family. After their encounters last year, he found that Verena was even less fond of him. Potter believed it was their sole mission to annoy each other – even Granger was getting tired of it.

"Don't go and get help because you feel something?" said Weasley. "What kind of thinking is that? Are you sure you're in Ravenclaw?"

"Ron, can you— "

No one seemed to hear him as he went on saying, "You feel something bad happening? Yeah, it's that we won't get to Hogwarts on time."

"Something is out there, Weasley, but if you don't care, go ahead," said Verena. "Die, as if I'll care. Your mother will have one less Weasley to feed."

Weasley went at her saying, "Don't you dare insult my mother!"

"Ron, please— " Granger said as Potter tried restraining Verena.

"Then give me some reasons not to," she remarked.

"You're just scared," Weasley snarled, shaking Granger's hand off of him.

"I'm not scared; I'm being smart," Verena said. "What if Black's on the train? You think you, of all people, can stop him – a man who's killed twelve Muggles? Even Mudblood Granger has a better chance than you."

"Don't call her that!" Ron growled, and he had never wanted to strangle someone so badly – not even Draco Malfoy.

"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.

Professor Lupin had finally awoken and Verena was glad. She was about to say something, but the train shook again. She lost her balance, falling back into the seat.

There was a crackling noise, and a soft light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin had set a small flame, illuminating his tired, grey face, but he looked awake and alert.

"Stay where you are," he said, slowly getting to his feet.

But the door slid open before he could reach it.

A figure stood at the door. He took a step forward, his face still hidden in the shadows. Granger let out a terrified shriek, Weasley whimpered, and everyone took a step back. Then, he fell.

"Ouch!"

"Neville?" Potter questioned, recognizing his voice.

"Harry!" he said as Potter lent him a hand. "Is that you? What's happening? Dean's freaking out — our water suddenly froze completely, and Harry, I— "

"Quiet, everyone!" Professor Lupin ordered, and everyone got quiet.

Then, Verena could make out another shadowy figure outside their door. It came closer, finally standing in the doorway. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. A hand protruded from its cloak, greyish, slimy-looking, and scabbed – almost like a rotting corpse

It drew a long, slow, rattling breath. An intense cold swept over them all. Verena began to shiver and she got goosebumps all over her body. It suddenly hurt to breathe and Verena had held her breath.

She closed her eyes, seeing black. Subconsciously, her eyes were moving left and right, hearing a multitude of voices all around her. Some she could recognize and some she couldn't. There was green light everywhere and then, there was silence. Everything was quiet. And then there was a terrified scream – and not just one, but hundreds, coming from different people.