In the shadow of Hermione Granger.

The last pages

Monday January 18th

Nothing interesting have happened the past week, no clues, nothing, just school, I had three lessons today, and after school I studied for a test tomorrow with Ginny, Snape has been obsessed with tests lately, which is fine, then we get to practise for the O.W.L.S next year. Just now I'm laying in bed thinking about mine and Ginny's adventure when there is a knock on the door, I get up but before I reach the door its swings open and Ginny barges into the room and says: "I think its time we find the last pages"
I haven't been thinking about that so much lately with all of Snapes tests so I say confused: "Why? Have you seen something?"
Ginny: "Yes, Xavier came back from break today, I didn't know he wasn't at school and I just have a feeling that its time to continue"
"Then lets get the book and get a new clue"
Ginny: "Good idea"
I get the book from under my bed and when I open the ghost flies up and says: "Back at school I see, are you ready for the next clue?"
"Yeah we are"
Ghost: "Okay, here it is, the last pages are hidden and guarded by a big animal, I can't tell you a lot but, it might have three heads"
Ginny and I look at each other and say in unison: "Fluffy" and then we run to the third floor.
On the third floor where Fluffy normally is, are nothing else than an empty room with a trapdoor in the floor, "where is Fluffy? He should be here" Ginny asks
"Maybe Hagrid moved him?"
Ginny; "Maybe, but should we go down through the trapdoor?"
"I think we need to"
We go through the trapdoor and end up in something looking like a dungeon, but its empty
"There's nothing down here" I say frustrated
Ginny shushes at me and says: "Shh, listen"
I listen, and I hear someone, or something snoring, and its not the cute snoring that Ginny does, this sounds like a big animal, we follow the sound and in another room is maybe the biggest dog I've ever seen. "I think this is fluffy" I whisper to Ginny
"I think you are right" She whispers back
I remember what Harry told me after they had found Fluffy the first time he said: "Music calms him down and it will keep him asleep"
I swing my wand and calm music starts, and Ginny and I sneak past Fluffy, and behind him is a chest, we go over to the chest and Ginny says: "Its locked"
"Well of course it is"
I take out my wand again and say: "Alohomora" put the lock doesn't open: "Dammit, its stronger than I expected" I say frustrated,
Ginny puts a hand on my shoulder to calm me down and says: "It's okay, we will find a solution, maybe there is a key somewhere?"
We look around hoping to find a key. And then Ginny exclaims: "Look"
She points to Fluffy, and I see it too, a small golden key is hanging on his collar it seems impossible to get it: "How do we get it"
Ginny: "Can't you transform into a small animal and crawl up and get it?"
"Maybe, but won't he notice?"
Ginny: "As long as the music is playing he will stay asleep"
"Okay, I will try then"
Ginny takes my hand: "But be careful"
"I will do my best"
She gives me a quick kiss and my lips feel cold immediately after. I take a deep breath and think of a memory where I was scared.

I was five years old, and Hermione ran off into the forest after a fight with our parents, and I went looking for her, she was nowhere to be seen, when I finally found her, she was standing face to face with a brown bear, she was so scared and so was I.

I close my eyes and focus on the memory turning into a black squirrel, I quickly hop over to Fluffy starting to crawl up, holding on to his fur, with my tiny claws, his fur is thick, making it easy to have a firm grip, I reach his head and I need to dive into his fur to get to the collar, reaching the collar, crawling around trying to find the key. Finally, I get it and I snatch the key and crawl down to Ginny again, a bit faster than I went up. Back on the floor I open the chest and inside is laying the last two pages. As I reach for them the music stops, I hear Fluffy yawning and then growling, I don't need to look at him to know that its time to get out, I quickly grab the pages and with my free hand I take Ginny's and we start running. We end up in a tight corridor, and we follow it until we reach something we have seen before. The potions classroom, in the dungeon. And then we hear Snapes sharp voice: "Trying to sneak into the Slytherins common room I see? Gryffindor's doesn't belong down here, except for class, and you don't have class now do you"
The other voice is shaking as I realise its Sophie: "No professor"
Snape: "Then what are you doing down here"
Sophie: "Nothing Professor"
Snape: "Then get out"
I hear running and then Snapes firm steps right behind Sophie. Ginny and I squeeze against the wall, trying not to be seen. When the coast is clear I breath out relieved and say: "Lets get out of here, before Snape comes back"
Ginny nods and we run up to our common room where we sit down by the fireplace, and take out the book. Places the pages right in the middle and the ghost flies up: "Finally, I'm free"
Ginny: "Hold up, you can't leave, we made an agreement"
Ghost: "What agreement?"
"You promised to help us if we found the pages, and we did, now its your turn"
Ghost: "I don't remember that, I don't even remember you two"
"Liar" Ginny yells. I place a hand on her shoulder trying to calm her down and say: "Please help us. You promised"
Ghost: "Fine, have you figured out who cursed you?"
"Yes its Xavier"
Ghost: "I need a last name"
"Xavier Rothley" Ginny says
Ghost: "Rothley you say, that family is trouble"
Ginny: "I knew it, you could never trust him"
Ghost: "I will take care of Xavier, but to be free for the curse forever, you have to speak with the ones who has been in your dreams and make peace with them"
"But I made peace with Ginny"
Ghost: "You also need to make peace with you sister"
"Okay, but how?"
Ghost: "You said her voice has been plaguing your dreams right?"
"Right"
Ghost: "Then talk with her, if she knows you can come to an agreement"
"Thanks I will"
Ghost: "One more thing"
"What is it"
Ghost: "Leave the book open, then I will return when Xavier is handled"
Then the ghost flies down and disappears.
Ginny looks worried at me and asks: "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I think so, I need to find Hermione"
Ginny: "Do you need me to be there?"
"No, but thanks, I think I need to handle this myself"
Ginny; "Okay, come by my room when you are done"
"I will"
We go to each our room and I find Hermione in our room reading.
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