Out of sight

Victor Dibble

"Where are they?" hissed Rose from underneath the invisibility cloak.

"They should be somewhere........"

"Where?" said Rose.

"They're kept on a nail somewhere," said Albus.

"There is no nail!" exclaimed Rose.

"There is, I'm sure! I've seen it," said Albus "it was next to one of those you know filing cupboard things."

Rose looked at the filing cupboard; there was a nail there but it was empty. Someone had already been there.

"They're gone!" said Rose.

Albus looked at the isolated nail hammered in to the crumbling white plaster wall in astonishment. It stood still in the wall while Rose and Albus marvelled at its emptiness. Their lamp flickered in the eerie darkness when they both decided to leave. They pushed open the caretaker's battered wooden door and headed for the Gryffindor common room They were dismayed to hear footsteps coming their way.

"Be silent and stand still," Rose whispered in Albus' ear.

"Someone has took the keys," Albus heard Drame say.

"I know," said a woman's voice "I think that I heard something just then - LOOK! They've been in there again, see, the door's open!"

"But why would they do that?" said Drame "Surely you are not suggesting that they came to put the keys back!?"

"Some people are stupid Viktor," said the woman.

"I sächlich......."

"See! I bet that I'm right!" she exclaimed walking through the door.

Albus and Rose took their chance to flee. When they arrived at the Gryffindor common room, they discussed what had happened.

"I know whose that woman's voice was. Well I think," panted Albus as they sat down on the deep red sofas. They relaxed and sank in to their seat when Rose spoke.

"Who was it?"

"Cho," said Albus "Cho Chang."

"Cho?" repeated Rose "do you even know who Cho is?"

"Well I've met her."

"What would she be doing at Hogwarts if she isn't a Professor?"

"Who is she?" asked Albus.

"Oh. Hasn't your mum and dad told you? She used to go to Hogwarts and back in fifth year they had this organisation called the-"

"DA?"

"Yes. How d'you know?"

"Doesn't matter," said Albus "go on."

"And it stood for Dumbledore's Army," said Rose "a lot of people joined it even though it wasn't allowed. Cho was one of them. It was held in the Room of Requirement."

"The Room of Requirement?" exclaimed Albus, leaning forwards eagerly.

"Yes, why?"

"What is it?"

"It's a room inside Hogwarts and when you, say, want to play Quidditch indoors well a room will automatically appear, big enough to play Quidditch in. No one who doesn't want to play Quidditch will be able to get in," explained Rose.

"Huh? So Wally-"

"Wait a minute - who's Wally?"

"He's a House-Elf," said Albus.

"But who? Is he yours?" asked Rose.

"No, I don't think so," said Albus.

"Who is he then?" asked Rose.

"Just some elf who was on the end of my bed not long ago," said Albus.

"Really? What did he do?"

"He sat on the end of my bed and I asked him where Scorpious was and he said that he didn't know but he had an idea and his idea was that he might have gone to the Room of Requirement. Then he said that he shouldn't have said that and he went crazy," Albus told Rose

"D'you think Scorpious is hiding something from us?" asked Rose anxiously.

"Seems like it," said Albus "but what?"

"I thought that you'd know more than me!" exclaimed Rose, holding her hands up.

"Well I'd better go to bed," said Albus "it's one o'clock and if Scorpious sees me out of bed then he might get a bit suspicious."

"Me too," yawned Rose standing up.

They both walked in opposite direction to their different dormitories. Albus could hear the heavy snoring of the Gryffindor boys as he tiptoed over to his bed. He pulled back his silk covers with the Hogwarts emblem on and climbed into bed. They had not got the keys after all; they had took 2 steps forwards and 1 step back. As he lay in his bed looking at all the others who were fast asleep, he realised that this wasn't true. In fact, Victor Dibble was staring right at him, watching his every move.

When Albus caught his eye, Victor blushed a deep crimson which could be visible even in the dark. They stared at each other in silence while the heavy rain pounded against the windows. The glowing crystal clear full moon shone through the scarlet curtains and on to the door. Albus could hear the owls flapping for shelter from the torrential rain and the blustering wind. Even though the doors were firmly shut, Albus could somehow feel a bitter cold draught at his cheek. He snuggled down to get warm and go to sleep but this seemed impossible, especially with Victor staring at him. I was like Victor had a permanent eye on him and he wouldn't take that eye off until he fell asleep. What did he want? Albus felt restless and cross. He wanted to go up to Victor and Stun him or something. If he didn't get to sleep now, goodness knows what would happen in Potions.

Eventually Victor spoke.

"Where were you?" he whispered.

"No where," said Albus.

"Yes you were," said Victor "I watched you leave and I waited until you came back."

"Well I think Victor, that you were seeing illusions, either go to Madam Pomfrey or go to sleep," advised Albus slyly.

"No! No!"

"Shhhh! Keep your voice down," hissed Albus.

"No! It's true and you know it!" insisted Victor.

"Oh aright, I'll tell you," sighed Albus.

Victor gave a happy grunt.

"You know the Christmas exams? Well I was secretly putting a bit of revision for them in the library," lied Albus deceitfully.

"Is that all?" exclaimed said Victor happily "I've been worried that you and Scorpious were up to something!"

"Gullible fool," Albus muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Look, I need to get some sleep so er.............. shush," said Albus pretending to yawn.

"No problem."

Albus closed his eyes and finally drifted off to sleep.