Hermione remains in the hospital wing for several weeks. There is a flurry of rumours about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrives back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thinks that she has been attacked. So many students file past the hospital wing trying to get a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey takes out her curtains again and places them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face.
Harry and Ron go to visit her every evening. When the new term starts, they bring her each day's homework.
"If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," says Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening.
"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," says Hermione briskly. Her spirits are greatly improved by the fact that all the hair has gone from her face and her eyes are turning slowly back to brown. "I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" she adds in a whisper, so that Madam Pomfrey can't hear her.
"Nothing," says Harry gloomily.
"I was so sure it was Malfoy," says Ron, for about the hundredth time.
"What's that?" asks Ron, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow.
"Just a get well card," says Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron is too quick for her. He pulls it out, flicks it open, and reads aloud:
"To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award."
Ron looks up at Hermione, disgusted.
"You sleep with this under your pillow?"
But Hermione is spared answering by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine.
"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron says to Harry as they leave the infirmary and start up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower. Snape has given them so much homework, Harry thinks he is likely to be in the sixth year before he finishes it. Ron is just saying how he wishes he asked Hermione how many rat tails you are supposed to add to a Hair-Raising Potion when an angry outburst from the floor above reaches their ears.
"That's Filch," Harry mutters as they hurry up the stairs and pauses, out of sight, listening hard.
"You don't think someone else's been attacked?" says Ron tensely.
"No," Harry concludes, "I think Filch would sound overjoyed if that happened."
They stand still, their heads incline towards Filch's voice, which sounds quite hysterical.
"- even more work for me! Mopping all night, like I haven't got enough to do! No, this is the final straw, I'm going to Dumbledore -"
His footsteps recede along the out-of-sight corridor and they hear a distant door slam.
They poke their heads around the corner. Filch has clearly been manning his usual lookout post: They are once again on the spot where Mrs. Norris has been attacked. They see at a glance what Filch has been shouting about. A great flood of water stretches over half the corridor, and it looks as though it is still seeping from under the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Now that Filch has stopped shouting, they can hear Myrtle's wails echoing off the bathroom walls.
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The Mysterious Heir
Fanfiction2 Years before Harry Potter is born, Voldemort conceives a son to take his place if he died before he reached immortality. After he is born, Voldemort enchants him to be more powerful than himself. This is the story of Polaris Cygnus Lestrange, The...
