Halloween At Hogwarts!

Chapter 22 - Mrs. Weasley's warning!

Mrs. Weasley's Warning!

The corridors seemed  eerily silent, as Harry walked with Mrs. Weasley to the Defense against  the dark arts classroom.  There were no moaning students this time, and  no one else in sight. The corridors were now empty save for a few aurors  scattered around the school, keeping watch, ready to defend those in  danger.  They walked in stony silence as Mrs. Weasley led the way.  The  skies outside were, if possible much darker than they had been earlier,  as big, dark, ominous clouds had covered the moon. They were lead by the  flickering light of the candles on the wall with their dancing flames.   Harry didn't like the foreboding feeling he got from the corridors, and  the shadows still seemed to follow him in his imagination. 

A small breeze tickled  the back of his neck, as Lunar's words came back to him.  She had mentioned that the spirit had been in the halls watching, particularly singling him  out.  And yet he hadn't targeted Harry at all.  'But then why had he been singled out? Why hadn't he attacked him?'  Harry couldn't make sense of it.  He felt the hairs on his neck prickle, as they stood up on end. 

Feeling unnerved, Harry  looked around their surroundings, but couldn't see anything out of the  ordinary.  If the spirit was there, he wasn't showing himself, and Harry  knew he wouldn't show himself now as Saba had said.  He hoped she was also  right when she had said the spirit had left the building.  But he didn't  want to take any chances.  Harry gripped his wand tight in his hands,  keeping it steady in front of him.  He was glad to see Mrs. Weasley was  doing the same, and hadn't let her guard down either.  It was a long  walk from the hospital wing to where they were headed, and Harry hoped  they would get there soon enough.  He didn't want to be roaming the  corridors for too long, and he didn't like the fact that they were  exposed and vulnerable as they made their journey.  They'd both planned  to walk the corridors with their wands out, ready to defend themselves  should they need to.  Once again Harry found himself wishing his friends  were here, the silence was driving him crazy.

"You don't like her do you?" He blurted, startling Mrs. Weasley.  His voice sounded loud in the silent corridors.

"Sorry dear, who do you mean?"  She asked once she'd gotten her bearings and calmed her nerves. 

"I'm talking about Saba."  Harry said. 

"Oh I see, well she  doesn't make it any easy I have to say."  She replied tartly, and then with an  afterthought, "I wouldn't say I don't like her dear, it's more the fact  we don't see eye to eye on things."  She finished. 

"It's just that you seem  rather angry after that encounter with her that's all."  Harry said,  trying to keep up with her long angry, strides. 

"Do I?"  She asked now faltering in her steps, slowing down a little. 

"Err, well you've been a  bit quiet, and you've not said much since we've left the hospital."   Harry said, choosing his words carefully.

Mrs. Weasley sighed and looked ahead without turning to look at Harry and said,

"She seems to have a  habit of grating on people's nerves.  I hear she's been causing trouble  with you and your friends too by the sound of it.  Ron tells me she's  been causing mischief since she's got here."

"You shouldn't listen to  everything Ron says.  Ron isn't the best of judges.  He just doesn't  like her because she's smart and he isn't."  Harry snapped irritably.   "I know Ron's your son and everything Mrs. Weasley, so you're bound to  take his side.  But she's not been all bad.  She's helped us with a few  things too you know.  She knows things."  He said quickly to rectify his  harsh words.  It wasn't her fault if Ron was feeding her rubbish.  He  was only telling his mother one side of things.  Although Harry didn't like what Ron was doing, there wasn't much he could do about it, except  try and soften some of what Ron has told her. He wasn't sure why he  needed to defend Saba either, but he felt he should.