Percy Jackson and the Heir of Slytherin [Book 2]

40) Diary

Time went by mostly normal after that. No one knew about what had happened other than the demigods and Hermione. We were all warned the next morning, however.

Dumbledore walked up to his podium and spoke, "As you all know, something has been attacking the students. Petrifying them. From recent developments we've learned that it can also kill you. If you are ever cornered by the monster, avoid looking in its eyes. Help will come."

Dumbledore nodded and walked back to his seat.

Harry and Ron looked very concerned.

"It can kill you?" Harry exclaimed, looking worried.

"Oh, definitely," I said, biting into my toast.

Ron narrowed his eyes at me, "How do you know that?"

"It killed me."

"What?"

"It killed me. I looked in its eyes. I died. Luckily, I managed to come back. Don't attempt it, the pain of it isn't worth it," I said, standing and walking away. I didn't feel like talking about much else.

Things went mostly the same as term started. Students almost always walked in groups. You never saw anyone alone, not even a Prefect. I didn't walk alone. I always had someone with me.

We visited Hermione after class, bringing her homework. She did it happily. Maybe that was because she didn't look so much like a cat.

"If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," Ron said, tipping books onto the table beside her bed.

"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," Hermione said. "I don't suppose you've got any new leads?"

"Nothing," Harry said. Then he paused, "Well... Percy—"

"She already knows. She was there when they took me to the hospital wing," I said, and Hermione nodded.

After a pause, Ron spoke up, "I was so sure it was Malfoy." Then, under his breath, "He's one bloody good actor." Harry thankfully didn't hear.

"What's that?" Harry asked, pointing to something gold beneath Hermione's pillow.

"Just a Get Well Card," Hermione said, trying to hide the card out of sight.

Ron managed to get the letter and read 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 times winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award."

"You sleep with this under your pillow?" I demanded, staring at the letter disgustedly.

Hermione didn't have to answer because she had to take her evening medicine. We would have to discuss this later.

"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron said as we walked towards Gryffindor tower. The two were talking about the load of potions homework, when I heard it again. Something I couldn't immediately place. It had been buzzing in the back of my head for awhile, and every once in awhile it would get a little louder. This time was the loudest. It wasn't big, and if I'd been talking I might not have noticed it, but here it was.

Then I remembered. The music. I'd heard it in the underworld, and then it had been trying to pull at me. Instead, I seemed to hear it without the pull. I almost froze, but instead took time to listen to the tune. It was nameless. Not anything I recognized.

An angered shout tore me out of my thoughts.

"That's Filch," Harry muttered, and we followed him up the stairs, staying out of sight as best we could.