In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter XXXI: It Wasn't Hagrid

LUCY:

I was just about to go to bed when blinding pain shot through my body.

"Ow!" I yelped, cradling my hand.

"Lu?" Cedric asked, rushing into my room. "What is it, are you okay?"

I sucked in a breath between my teeth. "It's the ring, I-" I glanced down and saw that Hermione's half was glowing such a bright pink it hurt my eyes. I tried to pry it off, but it was seared to my skin. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow."

"Should I go get Mum?"

I shook my head. "No, it... it should stop in a minute."

"Did the magic go faulty?"

"I don't... don't think so. I just don't know why this would be happening right now." A horrible thought occurred to me. "Oh no."

Still clutching my hand, I sank onto my bed. It was the night they planned on using the polyjuice potion. Something must have gone wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.

"What is it, Lu?" Cedric asked, sitting beside me on the bed.

I took a shaky breath. "I think I know what might have gone wrong, but I don't know why-" I hissed as the pain intensified. "-why something would have gone wrong." My vision swam with tears; the burning was getting nearly unbearable, and my half began to glow increasingly purple. "Their plan was so good... so solid... and if Hermione... I can only imagine..."

Black spots danced in front of my eyes.

"Lucy, take the ring off."

"I can't, it's burned on," I choked out.

He reached forward and tried to pry it off, but it really was stuck to my skin. "It doesn't feel hot to me," he remarked. "Lucy, what's wrong?"

"It only changes temperature for the wearers," I explained, my hand beginning to shake. "I designed it that way so it wouldn't burn a hole through anything if something were to happen, but I didn't think it would hurt this much if... ow!"

The heat surged again.

"I'm going to get Mum and Dad," he said, starting to rise from the bed, but I caught his elbow with my other hand.

"No, Cedric, please, I can't take this off, they'd make me take it off!"

"Lu, it's hurting you," he said softly. "It's okay to take it off if it's hurting you. I'm sure they could help."

"No, Hermione needs me. Please, Ced, stay."

He paused for a moment, but he must have seen the earnestness in my eyes, because he lowered himself back onto my bed. "Okay. How can I help?"

I bit my lip. "I don't know." I stared at the ring. Her half was still brilliant pink, but it seemed to be dimming as purple swirled with the pink. "I don't know if that's a good or bad thing."

"What do pink and purple mean?"

"I wish I could tell you, but it's a secret," I said, managing a smile. "Only Hermione and I know. And not even we know some of the colors for sure."

"Can you tell me if the purple is good or bad?"

"I think it's bad." I swallowed hard. "I don't know what could have happened. It was a good plan, but it was honestly a bit of a long shot-"

"What plan? Lucy, what's going on?"

I sighed. "If I tell you, will you promise not to tell anyone else?"

He nodded. "Of course."

I sighed again. "Well... Hermione's been brewing polyjuice potion in an out of order bathroom so we could find out if Draco Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin. I think tonight was the night they were all going to sneak into the common room and fish for information."