Extended Family

Chapter 39: A Bit of Mystery

Takes place during Harry's seventh year

"Have you heard the rumors?" Padma asked.

"What rumors," Harry replied, looking up at her.

"Something about a new ghost at Hogwarts, scaring people and haunting about in the middle of the night."

"No, I haven't," Harry said.  "That's weird.  Has any of the school ghosts confirmed this?"

"Not that any of them have seen.  But some students say they suddenly feel intense cold and dread and hear strange noises."

"Hmm, in the same places every time?"

"Not that we know.  It's mostly the younger students and a lot of them are accidentally finding the secret passages and unused ones too.  A few got spooked pretty bad though and came to me today.  I asked them to tell me where and they marked it off for me."

"Mind if I come along?  I'm interested now," Harry said.

Padma smiled.  "I was hoping you'd say that."  She led them from the prefect offices to a more distant part of the castle.

"What were your students doing here?" Harry asked.

"Something amorous I think, which," she looked around with distaste, "I would think there are a lot better places for that elsewhere."

"Yeah, it's spooky now during the daytime."  They walked around a bit, poking behind tapestries.  No paintings hung in this part of the hallway and while it was clean enough, dust and things lined the walls and corners.  "Do you feel anything odd?"

"No, I don't," Padma frowned.

Harry rubbed his chin.  "Maybe we have to come at night."

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that," Padma sighed.  "But you might be right."

"I'm on patrol for the third shift tonight," Harry said.  "I'll come by and take a peek."

"I'll come with you.  I can't just dump this on you," Padma said.  "I'll trade with whoever you were supposed to patrol with tonight."

"Sounds good to me."  Harry looked around some more.  "We're really on the outskirts of the castle right?  What's even on this side?"

"Lots of old classrooms that aren't even openable by students," Padma said.  "Otherwise, it's really annoying to get to.  It doesn't connect two highly traveled places either."

"Well, guess we'll find out later."

-0-

Harry met Padma late that night at the offices.  "Ready?" Harry asked.

"Not really but let's go."  Padma shivered slightly as they walked down the darkened hall.  "I don't know if you know this, but I don't love the dark and spooky things.  Parvati does but she likes to scream and stuff."

"I'm sort of used to the dark," Harry said.  "Oh but here's a cool spell I learned not too long ago."  He made a small circle with his wand pointing straight up and flicked the tip as if drawing a long, curled tail.  "Ignis fatuus."