Chloe Cullen 2: A Twilight and Harry Potter Crossover

Chapter 9: Attack

Hermione has to stay in the Hospital Wing for several weeks. At first, people think she's petrified when everyone returns from school. Everyone tries to go by the hospital wing to catch a glimpse of her until Madam Pomfrey puts a sheet around her bed. Oddly enough, homework makes her feel better and once she looses the hair on her face, that makes her even happier. When the next term starts, the whispers about me and people avoiding me restarts. This makes me hang out with Fred - and by connection George and Lee - whenever possible. People aren't so keen to whisper with me nearby when George threatens to make boils grow from their face. This actually makes the term go by a little quicker.

I wake up to something very odd on Valentine's day. Fred and I walk into the Great Hall to find it covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Heart-shaped confetti is falling from the pale blue ceiling. We walk over to the Gryffindor table where Ron, Harry, and Hermione are. When we sit down, Ron points to the teacher's table. Lockhart is wearing lurid pink robes, waving for silence. The teachers do not look happy. "Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouts. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all - and it doesn't end here!" I never understood why people make such a big deal out of Valentine's day. I made this perfectly clear to Fred, and he seemed relieved.

Lockhart claps his hands and through the doors march a dozen surly-looking dwarfs with wings and carrying harps. "My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beams Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments better than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!" Professor Flitwick buries his face in his hands and Snape looks like anyone who asks him for a love potion will be killed on site.

All day, the dwarfs deliver valentines to students, interrupting classes and being a major inconvenience, and they don't seem to care. On our way to charms, one of the dwarfs catches up with us. 'Oy, you! 'Arry Potter!" shouts a grim-looking dwarf. I can see Harry's face turn the color of lobster and I can't help but laugh. That is, until it kicks me in the shins so I'll move. I'm just about to whip my wand out when Fred - who is nearby - forces me away and drags me to charms.

The next month goes by. Harry found a magic diary that was able to transport him to when the Chamber was last opened. Apparently, a guy named Tom Marvolo Riddle got Hagrid expelled. I would like to say I think he was wrongly expelled, but I can see him befriending a deadly creature like that. He bought a three-headed dog, won a dragon, and has God knows what else. Again and again, we make Harry retell what he saw. "Riddle might have got the wrong person," says Hermione. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people..." "How many monsters d'you think this place can hold?" Ron asks dully. "We always knew Hagrid had been expelled," says Harry miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have got his award."

"Riddle does sound like Percy - who asked him to squeal on Hagrid, anyway?" Ron asks. "But the monster had killed someone, Ron," says Hermione. "And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts," says Harry. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here..." "You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn't you Harry," "He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent," says Harry quickly. There's a long silence only broken when Hermione says, "Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?" "That'd be a cheerful visit," says Ron. "'Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?" We decide not to ask unless there's another attack.

Much to my parents dismay, I can't go home during Easter Break. That is because I have to pick classes for next school year. No one is taking this as seriously as Hermione. "It could affect our whole future," she tells as as she goes over the new subjects. "I just want to give up Potions," says Harry. "We can't," says Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts." "But that's very important," says Hermione, shocked. "Not the way Lockhart teaches it," I say. I end up signing up for the same classes as Ron and Harry, at least wanting friends in my classes.

The next day is Quidditch. "Perfect Quidditch conditions!" says Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading our plates with eggs. I have no trouble eating, but Harry does. I have to force him to eat. I figure out the reason behind this is because his diary was stolen. I don't think he should report it because that would be too much explaining. I then leave the Great Hall holding hands with Fred and walking in between him and George with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in front of us to go to the common room to get our Quidditch things when I hear it. "Kill this time... let me rip... tear..." I freeze in my tracks with wide eyes. My heart starts beating faster. It's going to kill this time. Fred and George stop to, both looking at me. "The voice!" says Harry. "I just heard it again - didn't you?" "I did," I tell Harry. Then, a thought occurs to me when Fred says he can't hear it.

What is the only voice that Harry and I can hear that no one else can hear? A snake! I remember reading about a snake that will kill people if they make direct eye contact. I was just glossing across a book though, so I never caught the name of the snake. I clap my hand to my forehead. At the same time as Hermione. "Oh my God, I'm such an idiot! Come on Hermione" I say. I break away from Fred and run up the stairs with Hermione. Over my shoulder I yell "Tell Wood I'm sorry! I'll make it up to him later!" Hermione and I sprint as fast as we can to the library. I know exactly where the book is to. "I can't believe neither of us saw this before" Hermione says, following me. "I know. We're morons" I say. I go straight to the section and only have to look for a minute before finding the book.

"I knew it! Listen to this:

Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it."

We're all but dancing with glee that we finally know what is attacking the students when I hear a voice that makes a chill go up my spine. "Kill... rip... tear... KILL" "Hermione..." I say in a shaky voice three octaves above my normal voice. "Yeah?" she asks. "I heard the voice again. Louder. Much louder" I say. "Where is it? We have to get out of here?" Hermione asks. "I think I know. It has to be travelling through the pipes. That's the only explanation for why no one as seen it" I say. "RIP... TEAR... KILL!!!" the voice says. "It sounds closer! Quick! If anything happens to us, Ron and Harry need to finish this. Make sure there is no one else in here with us and give me a quill! If there is anyone, explain what's going on quickly!" I say. She hands me a quill and ink. In the corner of the paper, I quickly write:

Pipes

Hermione comes back with the curly haired Ravenclaw girl, who looks both skeptical and nervous at the same time. "I explained everything" Hermione says. "Great. I have a mirror. If you see anything, close your eyes" I say. Quickly, I rip the paper from the book, curl it up tight in my hand and take out a mirror my mom got me a couple Christmases ago. I lean against a corner and angle the mirror so we are all looking into it. "Do not take your eyes away from the mirror" I whisper to them. The coast is clear for the next aisle of books, so we run to that. Two more to go until we are out of the library. I angle it again, and the coast is clear. "Almost out" I say, heart racing faster than it ever has before. The moment I angle it again, I see a fourth pair of eyes, and I'm drawn to them. Then everything goes black.