Discovery

08.

"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."

Hermione and Ron dumped handfuls of sweets onto my lap, and then Harry's. They had just returned from Hogsmeade, which was a relief to me.

"Thanks," said Harry. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?" So Ron and Hermione told us all about the wizarding town. Dervish and Bangs, Zonko's Joke Shop, The Three Broomsticks, and more. It all sounded wonderful, and I felt a pang of jealousy as they told us all about their trip.

"What did you do?" said Hermione anxiously. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," said Harry. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in..."

Harry told us all about a goblet that Snape had brought Lupin. It had been smoking, and Harry was convinced Snape may be poisoning Lupin. Ron's mouth fell open.

"Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"

"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes." Hermione remarked. We all hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd. The three of them still seemed to be discussing Snape.

"But if he— you know—" Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around— "if he was trying to— to poison Lupin— he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry."

"Yeah, maybe," said Harry as we reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall.

The feast was amazing, as usual. The food was delicious and I made sure to get second helpings of practically everything.

After the feast, I headed back to the common room with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I wanted to tell them about what I had discovered in Lupin's classroom, but I didn't get the chance. When we reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, it was crowded with students.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.

"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password— excuse me, I'm Head Boy—"

And then everyone was silent. Strangely silent.

Percy suddenly called out, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived. I shrugged my shoulders at her.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore made his way toward the portrait. I tried to peer through the crowd, curious as to what everyone had been looking at.

"Oh, my—" Hermione whispered. I stood on my tiptoes and was in utter shock at what I saw.

The Fat Lady was gone from her portrait, and it had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas laid on the floor.  It looked as if someone had attacked it.

"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice. I recognized it as Peeves, the Poltergeist. Peeves was a ghost at Hogwarts, who constantly caused trouble. I did my best to avoid him.