Preventing A Prophecy | Tom Riddle

Chapter VIII: Bloody Secrets

11/11/2016

Rights to some of the characters and plot line go to J. K. Rowling and L. J. Smith. However, most of the characters and plot are mine.

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Katherina's PoV:

"Students would you please settle down!" The whole of Hogwarts had been called into an emergency meeting the next morning, something that caused the whole school to gossip about its reason. "If you quiet down, I can explain why I have brought you all here!"

With that each table quieted immediately.

"Right! Now that I have your undivided attention, I bring you grave news." Quiet whispers started again, my friends and I sharing looks. "Last night, at around 2am, a Hogwarts student was attacked here on school grounds." The whole hall burst into surprise and fear, shouts of all accents littering the hall. "Quiet!" Nobody listened to Dippet.

My older brother rose from his place at the teacher table, making eye contact with our table. I didn't fail to notice the headcount he pulled, sighing when he noticed we were all here. Even the teachers don't know what's going on? Apparently not, but Roberto wanted to find out.

"QUIET!" His deep voice boomed across the hall, creating an immediate silence and dropping a few mouths at its intensity. "YOUR HEADMASTER IS SPEAKING! NOW SHUT UP, SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO WHAT HE HAS TO SAY!" His face was red by the end of it, his eyes scanning the crowd for anyone who dare to speak. Once he was satisfied, he nodded to Dippet before taking his seat.

"Thank you Professor Dracula." Even Dippet sounded slightly shell shocked. "Now as I was saying, a student of Hogwarts was attacked in the early hours of this morning, but not by another wizard. This student has been, we think, petrified by an unknown creature." The hall remained completely tensed. "At this point in time, as it was only one student out way past curfew, it remains no threat to the school. However, that is if you all agree you can no longer travel anywhere on your own, you are definitely not allowed past curfew, prefects included, and it is asked that if anyone has any information surrounding this incident, they let us know immediately." Dippet looked at the young faces in front of him, seeming concerned.

"Who was it?" An unnamed Gryffindor shouted out.

The headmaster tilted his head. "The student was 7th year Abigail Winter, a muggleborn Hufflepuff."

"Where did it happen, headmaster?" My brother spoke up from his place behind Dippet.

"Ah yes, thank you for reminding me Professor. All students are to stay away from the back wing on the first floor, specifically near the bathrooms. Miss Winter was found in one of the cubicles."

Alarm bells.

"Is she going to die?" A small first year from Ravenclaw looked ready to burst into tears.

"No, we believe we can find a way to rehabilitate Miss Winter but it will be a fair few months before this can happen." This time Professor Dumbledore spoke.

"Yes, there's no need to worry for her health but we need to figure out what caused this and want no harm to fall to any other students." Dippet nodded. "Now if you're all finished, you can leave for your lessons, but remember never to travel anywhere alone."

The hall rose silently as one, everyone finding someone in their first class to head that way. Scarlett came up to my side, grabbing my arm to pull me.

"I just need to speak to the headmaster first." I pulled away from her to chase after Dippet.

He rounded the corner towards his office just as I began shouting. "Headmaster Dippet!"