meant to be (2)

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"All students will return to their house common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice: "I need to hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."

She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately.

"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw and one Hufflepuff,." said Lee Jordan, counting on his fingers. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin - why don't they just throw the Slytherins out?" he roared, to nods and scattered applause.

Percy was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for once he didnt seem keen to make his views heard. He was looking pale and stunned.

"Pery's in shock" George told Harry and me quietly. "That Ravenclaw girl - Penelope Clearwater - she's a Prefect. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a Prefect!"

But I was only half listening. I wasn't able to get rid of the picture of Hermione, lying on the hospital bed as though carved out of stone.

"What're we going to do?" whispered Ron quietly in our ears. "D'you think they suspect Hagrid?"

"We've got to go and talk to him" I said. "I can't believe it's him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that's a start."

"But McGonagall said we've got to stay in our tower unless were in class" Ron pointed out.

"I think." said Harry, more quietly still "it's time to get my dad's old Cloak out again."

🤍

The Invisibility Cloak was our only chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid without anyone knowing about it.

The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn't enjoyable. I, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset.

Teachers, Prefects and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity.

Our Invisibility Cloak didn't stop us making any noise, and there was a particularly tense moment when I stubbed my toe only yards from the spot where Snape was standing guard.

Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the moment I swore. It was a relief that we reached the oak front doors and eased them open.

It was a clear, starry night. We hurried towards the lighted windows of Hagrid's house, and pulled off the Cloak only when we were right outside his front door. Seconds after we had knocked, Hagrid flung it open.

We found ourselves face to face, with him aiming a crossbow at us, Fang the boarhound barking loudly behind him.

"Oh" he said, lowering the weapon and staring at us. "What're you doin' here?"

"What's that for?" Harry asked , pointing at the crossbow as we stepped inside.

"Nothin'... nothin" Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin'... doesn' matter... Sit down... I'll make tea..."