Harriet Potter 1

And ladders

Between homework, quidditch practice and DA meetings Harriet was exhausted. However, despite her protestations Hermione insisted that they stay up late every night to revise.

Harriet yawned as she struggled to keep her eyes on the History of Magic textbook in front of her.

She was walking down the darkened corridor, she followed the turn to the right. The silver knob shone ahead of her in the dim light. She placed her palm on the knob-

She was abruptly woken by Hermione's sharp voice "Harriet? Are you even listening?"

Ron sniggered. "Blimey, Hermione give it a rest, we're knackered."

To Harriet's immense relief, Hermione offered a disgruntled tsk of her tongue. "Fine, but if you don't start studying properly don't blame me when you fail your OWLs."

She would have to thank Ron in the morning. If he hadn't intervened, Hermione probably would have kept them at it for another hour at least.

Harriet trudged up to the girls dormitory behind Hermione with dragging feet. Putting her books down with a thump, she slipped off her school robes and pulled her chemise on over her head.

Harriet was so tired. She would just lie down for a moment before she put her books away.

Harriet was standing in the dungeon classroom. She was supposed to be in an occlumency lesson but Snape was nowhere to be found. She turned to the door. Even though this was the dungeon door, it wasn't the dungeon door handle. This silver handle was different, yet familiar somehow. She opened the door and slid down the corridor. She slithered along the cool floor of the hallway, seeing with ease in the dark.

Flicking out her tongue to smell the air, she took the turn to the right.

A man sat slumped over on the floor, asleep.

She lunged, striking three times in quick succession

She felt the satisfying crunch of his ribs splintering beneath her fangs.

She could feel his warm blood gushing over her tongue.

"Harriet! Harriet, what's wrong?" Hermione's urgent voice though firm, seemed to quaver.

Harriet was pale, sweaty, and shaking from head toe.

"He's been attacked."

"Harriet you need to tell me what's happened" Hermione insisted firmly.

The words struggled to leave Harriet's dry mouth. "He's - he was attacked by a giant snake. We need to do something now, there's no time we need to get help."

"Listen to me Harriet," Hermione replied "it was just a bad dream. I saw you in bed tossing and screaming for minutes."

"It wasn't a dream " Harriet insisted urgently, her voice coming out louder than intended. "I'm not mad!"

"It's okay Harriet, Lavender has gone to get help."

It wasn't long before McGonnagall's quick steps sounded in the girl's dormitory.

Oh thank Merlin, an order member.

"Potter, what is wrong?" McGonnagall asked briskly.

"It's Mr Weasley, Professor, he's been attacked by a giant snake and he needs help quickly."

McGonnagall's face was pinched with concern "Did you see this while you were asleep?"

"Well yes but It was not a dream. I'm not crazy and I wasn't dreaming -"

"I believe you, Miss Potter." McGonnagall replied simply. "Miss Granger, you had better go wake Mr Weasley, we see going to see the headmaster."

For a horrible moment Harriet thought of Mr Weasley bleeding out in a dark corridor.

"Ronald" she clarified.

Harriet's heart pounded in her ears as McGonnagall led the trio to Dumbledore's office.

Harriet rushed to speak before Dumbledore could greet them.

"It's Mr Weasley, he's been attacked by a giant snake, I saw it. It wasn't a dream."

Harriet watched relieved as Dumbledore sprang into action.

She answered his questions numbly. It felt as though she was frozen and everything was moving around her.

Dumbledore did not meet her eyes as he spoke, his voice calm and soft despite the tense atmosphere. "And from what perspective did you view the attack?"

"I-I was the snake sir. I saw it all from the snake's perspective." Harriet replied hollowly. She could feel Hermione's sharp gaze on her as she spoke, but did not meet her eyes. Ron, fortunately was waiting outside the door for his siblings.

Harriet felt as though she was watching everything from a distance as Dumbledore made a portkey and the other Weasleys crowded in around her, hands on the tea kettle. She hadn't even realised when they had arrived.

And then the world was spinning.