Summers at The Burrow - Fred Weasley

Chapter Thirty-seven - Hermione's Discovery

some time had passed and with that came the news that Hagrid had been suspected for causing the attacks around the school. apparently they sacked him after i had already left. Harry informed me of that as apparently he had been there the entire time with the others beneath the invisibility cloak. speaking of Harry, i was currently skipping defense against the dark arts to hang out with him and Ron.

Lockhart was unbearable and the twins seemed to enjoy his antics but i was tired of him harassing me with questions of Fred and i's alleged relationship. Cedric had heard of the rumor and had been ignoring me for quite some time now but i wasn't to upset about that. i had seen him hanging out with the Ravenclaw seeker a lot. she was in her third year and so they had more opportunities to hang out since they could go to Hogsmeade together and he looked happier with her anyway.

Harry, Ron and i were walking down the halls to the library to see if Hermione was in there looking up something or finishing up some homework. we hadn't seen her anywhere and she certainly didn't have a lesson right now. as we were walking professor McGonagall came up to us in a hurry but her facial expression changed when she realized i was hanging out with them.

"Miss Black, what have i told you about skipping your lessons?" she reprimanded.

"i have defense against the dark arts right now." i replied.

"oh, well i guess its alright then. has he stopped harassing you and Mr. Weasley?" she questioned with a lighter tone.

"unfortunately no." i said.

she tutted lightly before turning to the two second years that stood beside me. "you two need to come with me now. i suppose you can come too, Chloe." 

"why?" Ron questioned though he didn't receive a reply.

McGonagall took long strides that only i of the three of us could match. i knew almost immediately that we were going to the hospital wing by the path she had chosen to take towards the quad tower. McGonagall and i hurried up the stairs with Harry and Ron racing to catch up behind us. 

we reached the large doors and heard distant voices from beyond the cracked door. McGonagall pushed the door open with barely an effort and it swung out so that all of us could enter without having to push the door open again. many of the curtains around the beds were drawn as more and more students were attacked. i saw a familiar Ravenclaw girl named Penelope Clearwater laying on one of the beds that hadn't been closed around with curtains yet. she was Percy's secret girlfriend but i had no idea she was muggle born. 

there was only one other occupied bed that didn't have curtains drawn around it and when we walked into view we saw a familiar face frozen in shock. Hermione had been attacked and paralyzed by the Basilisk.

Harry and Ron gasped before hurrying to her side and immediately questioning Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall. their questions made no sense to me as i knew exactly what had done this but i didn't dare give that away or i would become a prime suspect. 

"we know its not Hagrid then because he isn't at the school right now and he wouldn't dare attack Hermione." i thought aloud.

"this is getting out of hand." McGonagall said in a shaky voice.

"what did she see it through?" i asked, forgetting that i had to cover the fact that i knew what attacked her.

"she was holding this mirror." Madame Pomfrey said picking up a small round mirror with a delicate frame and handing it to me.

"do you know something, Chloe?" McGonagall questioned.

"Dumbledore confides in me what he thinks would be useful for my mission. i know a great deal, but how to vanquish is not my responsibility." i said.