Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: The characters of this fiction are borrowed and used as a tribute to the wonderful world created by J.K. Rowling. They're not mine, never were and never will be. No money is being made on this either.

Author's Notes:

Warning: There's Horror in this chapter, so prepare yourself good if you are an easily frightened person. You were warned…

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The grass was very damp since most of the snow had thawed away. It was a warmer period of February; the night was not as chilly as it used to be during this time of the year. It wouldn't be long until there would be another drop of temperature, and then the ground would be almost as hard as stone as the moisture in it would turn to ice.
The dark figure was unconcerned about that event. The four seasons of a year was indifferent to the undead.
The dark being stood below one of the walls - gazing upwards at one of the towers. Tonight another would die so that the creature of the night could be renewed.
In a different time the figure would have felt remorse for the girl's fate, especially since this one was one the creature had come to like...
But remorse was not the way of the masters of the night… and as it was: the girl had in one way or another brought it upon herself. Tonight was the night of her punishment. She would die.
The tower that was his goal was far up, reaching for the darkened sky - impossible to reach on the outside for a normal person…
But the dark figure was not a normal person…

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It was Thursday, just a few days after the Valentines-ball… and there was still talks about the new relationships that had been formed that day, there were bets on which ones that would last and which ones that were expected to fail…
The golden couple of Hogwarts for the moment was Ginny and Neville: it was a match no one had seen coming as the two of them seemed unlikely - but the two of them had been seen meeting after their respective classes, sharing kisses and walked hand in hand whenever they found the opportunity, and it could be seen by anyone that they really enjoyed each others company. Ron still hadn't said anything about this development, although it looked like he was looking for an opportunity to tell Neville that if he treated his sister badly, Ron would do unspeakable things to him.

Harry was oblivious to it… he was happy for Ginny and Neville, but he still dwelled on his two main concerns that had plagued him ever since the ball: How could he expose Krum as the Vampire and how could he get Hermione to speak to him again?
Ever since Hermione had slapped Krum in the face Harry had hoped that she would soften up a bit to him again now that she knew what a creep Victor Krum really was - but she hadn't.
Instead she distanced herself away from every man in Hogwarts, like if she was convinced that every man was a pig who only pined after girls to get them to hit the sack with them - and with that kind of attitude, there was no chance whatsoever that Harry could talk to her to ask her to forgive him. He was so deep in those thoughts that he didn't hear Ron speaking to him…

'HELLO!! HARRY!!' Ron yelled finally.
'What?'
'Are you even listening to a word I'm saying?' Ron asked clearly annoyed.
'You said that Mr. Sly is crazy, and that he enjoys torturing the students just as much as Filch would like to do…'
'Damn right.' Ron said, now looking satisfied. 'I'm sure it won't be long until he tells us to run ten laps around the lake - and to be sure that we run, he will probably let a couple of wild dogs chase after us…'
Harry stopped listening with a smile. Ron ranted about this every time they were walking away from a lesson of Physical Exercise with Mr. Sly, the redhead was convinced that the teacher was obsessed to worn them out and make them collapse with total exhaustion since he always drove them almost beyond their limits. Everyone was always dead tired after this lesson that they threatened to collapse on the floor and sleep for two days. At least that was what Ron claimed that he felt like.

'See it from the bright side Ron.' Harry finally said as they neared the Gryffindor Tower… 'It has done you a lot of good. Your belly is after all not so big anymore and you're no longer on such a hard diet. They let you eat everything the rest of us eats now, right?'
'Yeah, but not as much as I would like to eat…' Ron said morosely. Harry only smiled and gave the password to the portrait of The Fat Lady. As they got in they noted a large group of giggling girls in front of the fireplace.
'Warning.' Ron mumbled under his breath. 'Nothing good ever comes out from a bunch of giggling girls.'
Harry felt his stomach involuntarily clench. He hoped this was not another one of the unofficial 'Harry Potter fan clubs' that always seemed to come together.
'Then it's settled.' Came a voice from the middle of the group. 'Ten o'clock tonight in our Fifth-year dormitory, I'll get some drinks and cookies from the kitchen while you try to get some snacks from Honeydukes.' There were several nods and then the group dispersed, revealing Ginerva Weasley sitting in the chair that had been surrounded by the girls.

'Drinks? Snacks?' Ron repeated has he approached his sister. 'What are you up to?'
'Oh, nothing special.' Ginny shrugged. 'We're just having a Pyjamas-party tonight. Now don't think about trying to get some free snacks from us, my dear brother. Girls only are invited.'
'Well, it's not like I can get up there anyway…' Ron scowled. 'So why are you having one?'
'Wouldn't you like to know?' Ginny teased. 'Girl talk. That's all I'm telling you.'
''Girl talk?' I don't like the sound of that…'
'That's because you are a clueless boy, my brother. But don't worry, I'm not about to gossip anything about you if that's what you're worried about…'
'So, is every girl going to be there?' Harry asked.
'Just about.' Ginny said with another shrug. 'Don't know about the first-years… Why do you ask?'
'Just curious.' Harry said shortly and began pulling Ron away from there. 'C'mon Ron, there's something I'd like to talk to you about…'

The boys' Sixth-year dormitory was empty again as Harry and Ron got in there. Harry closed the door and locked it.
'Ron. You being a Prefect you must know… Wasn't it Thursday nights the Sixth-year Slytherins had Astronomy-lessons?'
Ron thought about it for a moment before he answered. 'Yeah, I suppose they do if I remember correctly. Why?'
'Have you noticed how slack the boys down there gets as soon as no girls is around?'
'Never thought about it.' Ron said bewildered. 'But what are you getting at?'
'No girls will be around down there tonight because of their Pyjamas-party, the boys will become sloppy and probably just play games and not care about anything around them… This will be the perfect opportunity…'
'For what?' Ron asked still bewildered.
'We're sneaking out tonight!' Harry proclaimed.
'We are? Where are we going?'
'Slytherin house!'

'Slytherin house??' Ron exclaimed. 'I don't understand… Why? Why are we going back there?'
'Because Victor Krum is a guest in Slytherin house and he always hangs around Malfoy and his sixth-year goons… I suspect that he will go out with them tonight when they got Astronomy, giving us the opportunity to go in there and look for evidence among his things to prove that he is a Vampire!'
Ron stood with his mouth agape for a moment as he realized that Harry was completely serious about this.
'We'll… we'll never get away with it unnoticed, you know…?' Ron finally said. 'Even if we can get in there under the Invisibility cloak… don't forget the rest of the Slytherins will still be there… and Krum might notice that somebody has been through his stuff… and what if they come back while we're still there? Harry, it's to risky!!'

'We will not go without the Marauders Map, Ron. I know there are certain risks involved… but I can't stand by and wait for Krum to kill another student. I have to take my chance to find the evidence I need to expose him tonight - I might never get the chance again!'
Harry put a hand on Ron's shoulder. 'You don't have to come if you don't want to, Ron. But I'm going, no matter what happens…'
'We could be expelled if we're discovered you know…?'
'I'd rather be expelled than let Krum kill us off one by one…' Harry said with determination.
Ron sighed. 'Ten thirty tonight?'

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Meanwhile downstairs in the Gryffindor common room, Ginny laid her eyes on somebody who dragged herself through the portrait-hole into the house…
'There you are, Hermione!' the redheaded girl said. 'Listen, we're having a Pyjamas-party tonight in my dormitory. Everyone has been pestering me about my new relationship with Neville and I'm spilling everything tonight, we'll probably hear a lot about any of the latest gossips as well. You're coming, aren't you?'
'Oh… no. I'm sorry Ginny, but I don't think I can make it. I don't feel so good.' Hermione said with a weak voice as she looked at her friend.
'You don't look so good.' Ginny said, now being concerned. Hermione was pale, she had bags under her eyes, her Gryffindor scarf was tied around her neck even though she was inside and she walked with a slumped poseur. 'What happened to you?' Ginny asked her.
'I don't know. Yesterday I was fine, but I had this… horrible dream last night - and when I woke up this morning I felt terrible…'
'But that didn't stop you from attending your classes I see…' Ginny scolded, glancing at the books in hermione's arms.

'Of course not!' Hermione looked scandalized. 'Nothing as silly as a slight sickness will stop me from…'
'It doesn't look like a 'silly sickness' to where I'm standing!' Ginny interrupted. 'Please tell me you went to Madam Pomfrey between some of the classes at least?'
'Ginny, it's just the flu or something… I don't want to bother her about that. It is February after all, it's cold and draft outside.'
'Yes, that's why you should look up Madam Pomfrey so that you won't catch pneumonia!'
'You really are beginning to sound much like your mother.'
'I don't have much of a choice, do I? You 'kids' never wants to listen to reason…'
'All right, all right!' Hermione surrendered. 'I will just do my homework and then I'll retire… but if I'm not better tomorrow I promise to look up Madam Pomfrey the first thing I do when I get up.'
'I had preferred that you go there right now…' Ginny sighed. 'But I suppose that's the best I can get out of you.' She shook her head slowly in a mild agitation as she thought that the older girl was a bit too stubborn sometimes.
'Hey, Gin. You'll tell me the good parts tomorrow?'
'Count on it.' She answered with a smile.

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As Harry had guessed, the male Gryffindor students grew slack now that there were no girls around. Almost the entire female part of the house were up in the fifth-year girl dormitory having their Pyjamas-party, those who weren't - and that was mostly the first and second years - had already gone to bed. The boys now past their own time with playing games and discussed their theories on what topics girls mostly talked about. (Probably make-up's and celebrities most of them guessed at.)
Thanks to that, no one asked Harry or Ron why the two were exiting the tower at 22:30; they probably didn't even notice them. That suited both Harry and Ron fine, the lesser people who knew or cared about their little excursion, the better.
Once outside, (and giving some sort of excuse to The Fat Lady) Harry covered them both with his invisibility cloak. They were both growing a bit too tall now so they had to walk in a crouched manner. But with the help of the Marauders map, they managed to avoid any one of the staff that happened to be walking in the dark corridors.

Both Harry and Ron had been in Slytherin house briefly before. In their second year they had disguised themselves as Crabbe and Goyle with the help of Polyjuice, and had fooled Draco Malfoy himself to lead them to the Slytherin Common room… so they knew the way. Soon they had arrived at the bare, damp stonewall that concealed the door to Slytherin house. Harry consulted his watch. 22:43. Thanks to the fact that Ron was a Prefect; he knew that the sixth-year Slytherins had a lesson of Astronomy Thursday-nights at 23.00. Soon they would come out the door to go there, and that was when Harry and Ron had planned to sneak through.
They had waited in silence for five minutes, and Harry had checked that the Invisibility cloak covered them properly for the fifth time. And then suddenly the stone door slid open. Millicent Bulstrode came out first, followed by Blaise Zabini. Draco Malfoy were not far behind, they could hear him whine from inside the Common room.
'Lessons in the middle of the night! It's a scandal! My father always tried to convince the fools in the government when he was school governor that Astronomy lessons should be optional, we need our sleep after all!'
'Hear who's talking...' Said Theodore Nott whom followed Malfoy close behind as they came out through the door. 'You who never go to bed before Two o'clock.'
'Shut up!' snapped Malfoy.

As Harry had hoped, Victor Krum also emerged from the door, following the Slytherins like an unenthusiastic shadow with his hands in his pockets, looking sour as usual. Thanks to the Invisibility cloak, Harry and Ron had not been seen.
'Now!' Harry hissed in Ron's ear as the last member of the sixth-year Slytherin came out, and then they slipped through the door as it was closing. They were now once again inside the Slytherin Common room. They had forgotten how dull it looked compared to their own house, since this was simply an underground room lit up by round green lamps, some hanging in chains from the low ceiling, some propped into the mouths' of snake statues protruding from the walls.
'Where do you think their dormitories are?' Ron whispered in Harry's ear. They had to whisper, as some other Slytherins were still present in the room.
'I can't tell.' Harry whispered back. He didn't dare to consult the map as he needed space to unfold it, and he did not want to risk the hem of his Invisibility cloak to slip up and reveal their feet.

So they waited and watched.
'There!' Ron said quietly, nodding towards the far end of the room where a second-year boy opened a door that was hidden from view from the intruders were standing and disappeared through it.
'Let's go.' Harry whispered. 'We move alongside the wall… but slowly. We mustn't make any sounds.'
'Lead the way.' Said Ron and the two of them slowly and patiently began to creep on their tiptoes past all the people. It was hard work - the delicate fabric of the cloak threatened to get stuck in the rough brick wall, it almost slipped off them several times - but the Slytherins were so engrossed in their own business that they noticed nothing.
It was a relief for both of them when they finally reached the door, and Harry pushed it gently open. It didn't make a sound. Harry gave a silent credit to the house-elves who made sure that the hinges were well oiled. Unlike in the Gryffindor tower, the stairs didn't go upwards, they went down. Although out of sight now, they did not remove the cloak - someone might suddenly come up the stairs and that would blow everything if they were to be seen.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Harry was once again glad that he'd manage to talk the Sorting Hat out of placing him in Slytherin. This level was even duller than the Common Room upstairs. There were nine doorways in the short corridor; four on each side and one in the far end that they saw led to a bathroom. One of the four on one side housed the stairs they just came from; the remaining seven had compact metallic doors in the stone-frames. Harry couldn't help but to think they looked like prison-doors. There were signs on the doors, each labelled to the year that was for the moment sleeping in there. The second door to their right was labelled 'Sixth-years' - making sure no one was around, Harry quietly opened the door, they both quickly slipped in, and then they closed it again and locked it.
'Whew!' they both said and removed the Invisibility cloak.
'I can't believe we made it this far!' Ron said, but not without some kind of pride. 'Eerrgh, will you look at this place. How can Malfoy and his goons sleep in here? Sure, the interior does resemble ours, but don't they get tired of all this…green?' In Gryffindor tower they had deep-red velvet curtains around their four-poster beds. Here those were acid green. 'And the shape of this room; it's rectangular, not round as ours… and there's no windows. No wonder then that it smells like some baboons has been in here, probably comes from Crabbe and Goyle. I wonder how the elves will do to get rid of the stench?'

Harry wasn't listening. He was busy looking at the trunks at the end of each of the beds, looking for clues that told the identity of the owner.
'I wonder which bed is Malfoy's?' Ron rambled on. 'I should have thought of bringing some thistles…'
'I believe it's this one…' said Harry absent-mindedly as he closed the trunk he had investigated and moved to the next one. 'All right, Krum, which one is yours?' he mumbled. Ron remained at Malfoy's bed, thinking evil thoughts.
'What makes you so sure that Krum's bed really is placed in here?' Ron asked.
'Because Krum knew Malfoy from our fourth year.' Harry answered. 'It's more logical to place him here than place him together with the first years…'
'Perhaps.' Ron shrugged and went back to dwelling about Malfoy's bed.
'Logical?' Harry stopped to think. 'Krum's out of school, therefore he shouldn't have too much stuff to handle while he's here… therefore his trunk should be… the smallest one!' And indeed, at the end of a bed in the corner there was a small trunk not as big as the others. Harry instantly knelt in front of it.

'It's locked!' he cursed as he felt that the lid would not budge. He brought up his wand: 'Alohomora.' But to his dismay, the trunk was still locked. 'Must be an advanced type of locking spell…'
'And we don't have Hermione with us to unlock it for us.' Ron said. Harry thought a fleeting moment about using Sirius's penknife, but then he remembered: it was melted and useless after he tried to unlock that door in the Department of Mysteries.
'Obviously I can't open this in a magical way…' Harry mumbled. 'Then perhaps I should try the Muggle-way. Ron. See if you can find me a paper-clip or something.'
Ron looked around and spotted some papers sprawled on another bed. Luck was with them, there was a paperclip holding them together. 'Hopefully Goyle won't miss this.' Ron said as he spotted the name on the papers. 'Here. What are you going to do with it?'
'Pick the lock.' Harry answered as he straightened the clip out and put one end inside the keyhole.
'I think Fred and George had had a bad influence on you.' Ron said amused, remembering how his twin-brothers had used a bobby pin to pick the locks at the Dursley's before their second year to get to Harry's trunk in the cupboard. 'How long will this take you?'
'I don't know. I never done this before.'

'Never? Er…Harry? We don't have all night you know?'
'Keep on eye on the map. Make sure the Slytherins stays on the Astronomy tower. Hopefully I should get this open before then.'
Ron said nothing more. He only sat down with the map, one eye kept on the Astronomy tower on the map, one on his watch. He didn't say it out loud, but he was beginning to get nervous again. And than he made a disturbing notice…
'Harry. Krum's not with them in the Astronomy tower!'
'He isn't? Where is he? On his way back?'
'No. The corridors leading back here are unoccupied…'
'Where is he then?'
'Nowhere around the Slytherins… he must've slipped away somewhere…'
'Find him!'
'But… where should I look?'
'On anything thing that moves on the map of course!' Harry said a little annoyed while he kept working with the lock.
'All right, all right.' Ron said a little testily and unfolded the rest of the map. The first movement that caught his eye were Madam Pince in the library, nothing unusual about that he thought. But the nametag moved to another name that made Ron confused. What's Hermione still doing in the library this late? he wondered silently.

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'Ms. Granger!' called Madam Pince loudly, shaking the sleeping girl. 'What are you still doing here this late? It's after curfew!'
'Wh…wha…?' Hermione pulled herself up from the open book she had slumped over. 'Oh… Madam Pince. What… time is it?'
'Over Eleven o'clock in the evening. It's after curfew, why are you still here? You being a Prefect should know about the rules…'
'I… I'm sorry. I must've… dozed off. I didn't mean to… It's just that I don't feel too well…'
'I'd say not.' Said Madam Pince, now taking on a more gentle tone. 'You don't look well; I suppose that's why you fell asleep in here. Have you been to Poppy about it?'
'Too late now.' Hermione said weakly. 'I promised to go tomorrow…'
'That you should. You don't look well, and that's why I will not report you this time. Now, come on. I'll help you back to Gryffindor tower…'
'Thank you…' Hermione said and allowed her to be led back to her house. On their way there, Hermione felt like she was slipping in and out of consciousness, but she didn't tell Madam Pince that. She didn't want to be fussed over.

The Common Room was empty when she crawled through the doorway, so no one had even noticed that she had returned late. That was good; no one could hold it against her. She remembered that she would be alone in her dormitory as well; Lavender and Parvati had gone to Ginny's Pyjamas party…
Hermione felt quite dizzy when she finally entered her dorm after almost crawling up the stairs. On top of that, there was a like a strange buzzing somewhere in the back of her mind. What was wrong with her? She felt so unusually tired and light-headed that she feared that she would faint on the spot. She should have taken Ginny's advice and gone to Madam Pomfrey after she'd finished her lessons of the day.
Even undressing and slipping on her nightdress was hard. While she usually went to brush her teeth right before she went to bed, she knew that she had no energy of it what so ever. It was like even a forbidden thought to exit the dorm again to go to the bathroom. She leaned on her bedside table - unlike the boys, girls had tables with mirrors - picking up a hair band to tie back her hair into a ponytail… she started to collect her hair behind her neck and… What's that?

She saw in the mirror that there was something on her throat. This morning when she had got up her eye-sight had been all blurry so she hadn't noticed anything then… she had thought it had been after her trouble sleeping since she had had that horrid nightmare - and because she had felt chilly during the morning, she had tied her scarf around her neck, wearing it all day and concealing this… what was it anyway?
She inspected her throat more closely in the mirror… there were two bluish marks on her throat - they looked like… puncture marks!
Realization hit her like a brick wall.
Oh god! No…
She slumped down on her bed, aghast, and shaking all over. She knew what those marks were, what had happened… and she knew what it all meant. She knew she was doomed!
This can't be happening…

What could she do? Go out? Get someone to help her? But the buzzing in her mind told her that it was a futile thought, banishing the idea. Once she had entered her room she was trapped, unable to leave. And she was alone - no one was left in here, and would probably not come back for a few hours still…
She couldn't go out of her dorm; the buzzing in her mind prevented that. She was all alone in her dorm; she couldn't get anyone to get help for her. And it wouldn't help anyway, because this was a problem no one would believe in. She was…
'Meow.'
Hermione whipped her head around to the source of the sound. Crookshanks! The cat hadn't even been in the dorm last night; he had been out strolling around so he hadn't noticed anything back then. But he was here now…
A thought to send Crookshanks with some kind of message pleading for help didn't even cross Hermione's mind. She knew that she would probably die tonight no matter what she tried to do… so the only thing that concerned her now was the cat's safety!

'Crookshanks. You… you can't be here tonight.'
The cat only looked at her. He actually looked concerned.
'You have to go… I don't want you to die too…' Hermione forced herself up from her bed and collected the cat in her arms. Crookshanks meowed in protest as she walked him to the door.
'There's nothing you can do Crookshanks. I'm doomed. But I won't let anything happen to you…'
She opened the door to put the squirming cat out. The buzzing in her mind did not object to that - she wasn't trying to leave, her only intent was to get the cat out of there. Crookshanks hissed in protest as she showed him out. He wanted to stay…
'Please don't argue with me you silly cat. I love you and I want you to be safe… Go to Ginny, she will take care of you…'

Crookshanks meowed loudly and tried to get back inside…
'Goodbye my sweet… take care of yourself…' And then she closed the door. The buzzing suddenly increased in her head, sending a jolt of pain through her skull. Hermione stumbled back to her bed, clutching her head in her hands… she dropped in it like sack of flour. She had no strength to get up again…
As she lay there trembling and sobbing, feeling her consciousness slipping away from her, her thought were with her family and friends… she regretted that she had no chance to say goodbye to them…
'No matter what you do to me, you soul-less monster…' she whispered into the darkness, tears streaming down her face. '…don't expect me to yield without a fight. As long as my thoughts are still my own, I will resist you… As long as I still breath, I will not bow to you…'

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The girl was strong - the Dark Being would not deny that. She fought against the mind-control with everything that was still left of her own free-will, that the Dark creature actually had to relinquish some of the control It had over the other students to fuel into her…
Although the Creature of the Night was powerful, even Its powers were limited - and controlling the whole school with subliminal interferences was a difficult task - but not impossible for a being like It.
Unfortunately for the girl: most of the students were now asleep, so It could drop control on the young ones to be re-established when the work was done… the girl was becoming weaker.

The Dark Being longed to drink her blood again - tomorrow It would know what it did to the Creature, and that knowledge would seal the girl's final fate…

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Crookshanks was not a happy cat right now - he was more like a panicked cat…
Had he been human, he would curse himself for not being by his Masters side last night. The senses of his half Kneazle-side had told him that there had been an intruder in the dorm where he lived - and more seriously, something was dreadfully wrong with his human. He had decided to stay by her side this time in case the intruder came back - but his human had thrown him out! And what worse was: The intruder - the inhuman - was close by. Crookshanks could sense it.
It was usually not in his nature, but Crookshanks had to get help. He loved his human dearly, and would not abandon her.
What was it his human had said? Go to Ginny. Crookshanks would do just that - the redhead girl was okay, unlike her stupid brother whom Crookshanks was not so fond of. Ginny's dorm was next door, he had to go there and get her attention - get her to help his master. The cat stopped by there, and screamed loudly.

Well? Didn't she hear him? He could sense by the smell that she was in there - actually it smelled like everyone was in there! Wasn't anyone hearing him? Then Crookshanks realized that he couldn't hear them either. The cat understood: there was a silencing charm in that room. No one could hear anything inside/outside from either side of that door! It was even locked!
Crookshanks got really angry and scared now. His human was in danger and none of the other girls were around to help her.
But what about the boys? Harry!
Crookshanks rushed down the stairs the fastest he could to get to the boys dormitories. Harry would help her. Sure, that boy really deserved to feel his claws in his skin - Crookshanks knew his human loved the boy, but the clueless fool would not return her feelings. Crookshanks had even distanced himself from Harry after his master's heart had been broken, but that was not important now.

Rushing up the other stair, Crookshanks reached the dorm Harry slept in. Luck was with him, the door stood slightly ajar. He slipped inside and immediately went to Harry's bed. He jumped up on it and… The bed was empty!!
Of all the stupid occasions Harry would not be in his bed, this just had to be one of the nights!! Not even the stupid redhead Ron was present!
Panic had now overwhelmed the cat. Somebody - anybody would have to help his human! The other beds were occupied. He jumped up the closest one - meowed and hissed as loudly as he could, even scratched the sheets.
'Wha…? What's going on?' The boy asked groggily. 'What's the matter with you?'
Crookshanks hissed again.
'Stop making those noises Neville, go to sleep!' another boy said grumpily.
'It's not me, Seamus. It's Hermione's cat.'
'Well, shut it up! I'm tired and want to sleep.'
Stupid clueless boys! Can't you understand that this is an emergency? Crookshanks jumped on the other boy's bed and hissed loudly.

'AAAHH!!' cried the boy named Seamus. 'Cat's bloody bonkers!!'
'He never usually acts like this.'
'Well, get him off me!'
'What's the matter with you guys?' asked the third boy. 'Why aren't you sleeping?
'It's Hermione's cat, Dean.' Said the boy named Neville. 'He's acting strange.'
'Strange? It's mad!' cried Seamus.
'Wake Harry and let him deal with it.' Suggested the boy named Dean.
'Harry's not here.' Said Neville.
Darn you idiot boys, come with me!! Crookshanks jumped down from the bed and went to the door where he stopped and looked back to them.
'Hey, get him to walk out, then close the door!' said Seamus.
'I wonder if he wants something?' said Neville.
'I know what I want, I want to sleep!' said Seamus angrily.

Yes, I want something. I want your help!! Crookshanks jumped up once more on Seamus' bed and hissed again.
'That does it!!' Seamus grabbed something from his bedside table. 'This will deal with it! Stupefy!'
Crookshanks didn't have time to react, and then he knew nothing more.

***

'Seamus, are you nuts?' said Neville shocked.
'No. The cat's gone bonkers, he wouldn't let us sleep.' Seamus levitated the limp form of Crookshanks over to the foot-end of Harry's bed. 'There. I don't know what Harry's up to, but he can deal with that wretch when he gets back.' Satisfied, Seamus crawled back under his sheets.
'I don't think you should have done that.' Said Dean.
'Why not?' Seamus asked irritably.
'That's Hermione's cat.'
'So?'
'Hermione, the top student of the school who knows just about everything…' said Neville. 'You just stupefied her cat!'
'And your point is?' Seamus asked angrily.
'I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when she finds out.' Stated Dean as he too crawled back under his sheets.
Seamus didn't go back to sleep for a long time.

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With a satisfying 'click', the trunk became unlocked.
'Got it!' said Harry in triumph.
'Finally.' Said Ron, glancing up from the Marauders map. The Slytherins still had their lesson, and Ron had stopped watch Hermione's name once Madam Pince took her out of the library and brought her to Gryffindor Tower. Krum were nowhere to be seen on the map.
At first Krum's trunk didn't seem to contain anything out of the ordinary, just some clothes and books. On the bottom on the other hand, there were stuff that didn't seem like his style. Some were more worthless stuff, others looked quite expensive for him to own. He didn't know what Krum as a Bulgarian Quidditch seeker made for money, but this was not common for Quidditch players to walk around with.
'Where did he pick up this stuff?' Ron asked curiously.
'I don't think its his to begin with!' Harry said with venom in his voice.
'Why do you think that?'
'Look at this.' Harry held up a long object.

Ron actually giggled. 'Is he nuts? Krum walked out without his wand?'
'Its not his! I recognise this wand, Ron. It's Cho's!'
'Er… I… I didn't know it was missing?'
'Neither did I. And here's Daniel Cody's Swimming badge! And look at this… It's Lucas Pamir's Prefect Badge!'
'But…? Hagrid left it to McGonagall?' Ron exclaimed. 'And Colin Creevey is Fifth-year Prefect now…? Wait, silly me. Everyone get to keep the badges after Graduation, so the teachers always give new Prefects brand new ones. But that means that Krum stole this one too!'
'That he must have.' Harry said.
'But why? What is all this stuff?' Ron asked bewildered.
'They're personal items… from the ones Krum has killed! They're trophies!'
'What a monster!!' Ron choked.

Harry looked through the clothes and the insides of the trunk. He looked inside a pocket under the lid of the trunk. 'Aha!' Harry said in another triumph.
'What is it?' Ron asked.
'A book-almanac for the last year, and even the one for this year! Remember the almanacs Krum always sat scribbling in when he sat in our classes?'
'I didn't notice…' Ron said sheepishly.
Harry didn't answer that; he opened the book of the year before and read the notes Krum had written. His face turned white. 'Merlin's beard…' he whispered.
What's in it?' Ron asked.
'Names.' Harry answered. His throat felt quite thick. 'Names of potential victims! He's been watching us all, documenting our activities and schedules… Daniel Cody's name is picked around the time of the first Hogsmeade weekend last year…' Harry skimmed the pages forward. 'And here in the middle of November: Lucas Pamir had been picked…'
'But then I was right!' Ron said. 'Krum were spying on us!'
'Even Cho's name is in here before Christmas…' Harry continued. 'Strangely enough I can't find Justin Finch-Fletchley's name after Christmas…'

Harry pocketed the almanac and was about to open the one for this year…
'Are you going to bring that?' Ron asked.
'This is the evidence we need - that Krum is responsible for the deaths' of our classmates…'
'Krum will notice it's missing…' Ron warned.
'Hopefully we can act before he can escape the grounds.' was all Harry said as he opened the next book. 'I thought so! He brought all the potential victim's names over to this…' Harry's voice suddenly got stuck in his throat. 'Goodness gracious! Ron! He has even picked Ginny for a potential…'
'WHAT??' Ron yelled. 'You mean that lousy scum wants to drink my sister's blood??'
Harry nodded, and that made up Ron's mind.
'All right Harry, let's take the risk and bring those books. I will not let him harm my sister… So why don't we get out of here now?'
'This is strange…' said Harry as he looked through the pages. 'February the Fourteenth, Valentine's day has been torn out…'

'Maybe he didn't want to be reminded of the day Hermione slapped him in the face. Harry, pack his stuff back in there and let's go. The Slytherins is about to end their lesson soon.'
'Okay.' Harry said and pocketed the other almanac. He even pocketed the stolen Prefect Badge before he put the clothes and books back in the trunk. When he was finished he locked it.
'I'm done, let's go.' Harry said, wondering silently why Ron was smoothing out Malfoy's blankets with an amused expression.
'So am I.' Said Ron with a grin. Consulting the map one final time to see that no one was on his way down the stairs, Harry folded together the map and covered them both with the Invisibility cloak, and then they left the dorm.
There were now lesser people left in the Slytherin Common Room, so they worked their way back to the main entrance with a little more ease.
It wasn't long before the Sixth year Slytherins came in, all looking tired - and once again Harry and Ron slipped through the doorway once the final student had walked through. Krum was not among them.

They had to avoid both Peeves and Mrs. Norris on their way back, but they were soon standing in front of the Fat Lady.
'Where in the world have you two been this long?' The Fat Lady asked them.
'Just taking care of some business.' Harry explained. 'Rock salt.'
'Don't 'Rock salt' me, you two should be indoors at this time of night!'
'Right, so we should get indoors, shouldn't we? Rock salt.' Harry said calmly. The Fat Lady grumbled about 'Youths these days' and opened the portrait. Finally they were inside and safe again.
'I can't believe we pulled this off!' said Ron feeling proud of himself, and then he burst out in giggles.
'All right Ron, what did you do with Malfoy's bed?'
'Oh nothing really. (Giggle) I only - (Giggle) - found some - (Giggle) - thumbtacks on one the tables.'
'Ron!' Harry's mouth dropped, but soon crept up into a smile. 'You didn't…?'
'I sure did!' Ron burst out into full laughter. 'What I wouldn't give to see Malfoy's face when he goes to bed!!' Now both Harry and Ron dropped onto the cough laughing hard. After a while of laughing Ron finally calmed down. 'C'mon Harry. Nap time.'

'Put I got to write a letter and tell Remus of our findings!' Harry protested.
'Going to try and push your luck by going to the Owlery in the middle of the night?'
Harry had to admit that Ron had a point. 'All right. But first thing in the morning…'
'I'm not going to stop you.' And they both went up to their dorm. It was quiet in there; no one seemed to be awake to question them both where they had been. Ron dropped in his bed without changing and fell asleep instantly. Harry sat down in his own bed and began to remove his shoes, he thought of sleeping with his clothes on as well, to save time in the morning. Something then caught his eye in his bed.
Crookshanks? What was the cat doing in his bed? Maybe he feels lonely Harry decided. Hermione must've gone to Ginny's Pyjamas party as well. Harry actually hoped that the cat would remain there, and then he could pass him over to Hermione as a peace offering. Yes, that sounded like a good idea. It wasn't long after until he also was asleep.

***

Harry awoke a little later than he had intended. He wanted to be up early to write the letter to Lupin before anyone else got up, but he awoke as his dorm-mates were exiting the bedroom for breakfast.
'Ron. Wake up.' Called Harry as he rose from his bed.
'Just a few minutes more, mum.' Ron mumbled.
'C'mon Crookshanks, let's get down to the Common Room.' The cat didn't react. 'Crookshanks?' Harry picked the cat up. It was totally limp in his hands. 'Ron, wake up now!' Harry shook his friend violently.
'What? I'm awake, I'm awake.' Ron said groggily.
'Ron, something's wrong with Crookshanks!'
'What, Crookshanks? What's that darn cat doing here?'
'I don't know, but that's not the issue here! He doesn't move, something's wrong with him!'
'Oh. You think its something serious?'
'We better get him down to Hermione. Let's go.' Ron got up from bed and Followed Harry down to the Common Room. They came down in time to see Ginny and Neville having a morning greeting in front of some giggling girls.

'What did you tell them last night?' Neville asked Ginny nervously.
'Only stuff that won't hurt to know, trust me.' Ginny smiled. Ron was about to say something but Harry beat him to it.
'Ginny. Has Hermione come down yet?'
'I haven't seen her.' Ginny said. 'Why?'
'Something's wrong with Crookshanks.'
'What?' Ginny gasped as she spotted the limp cat in Harry's arms. She turned around. 'Lavender! Has Hermione left your dorm?'
'No, I think she's still up there.' Lavender answered with a yawn. 'The curtains were still closed around her bed.'
'It's nothing serious.' Neville cut in. 'He's just stunned.'
'Stunned?' Harry repeated. 'How can he be stunned?'
'It was Seamus. He stupefied him.'
Harry, Ron and Ginny turned to the spot were Seamus stood. Seamus had at least the decency to look shameful.

'He was acting crazy…' Seamus tried sheepishly to explain.
'You stupefied Hermione's cat?' Ginny asked sternly.
'Congratulations, buddy!' said Ron. 'When Hermione hears about this, you're going to be in deep shit!' Seamus looked terrified.
Harry brought up his wand. 'Enervate.' He said, holding the wand over the cat. 'OUCH!!' Harry cried. Crookshanks had immediately attacked with his claws, squirmed out of Harry's grip with a shrilly hiss and disappeared like a blur up the stairs to the girls dormitories.
'Cat's bloody bonkers.' Ron commented.
'That's what I been trying to say!' said Seamus.
'Something's upset him, can't you see that?' Ginny scolded.
'About what?' Ron asked.
'Well, I just have to go up there to find out, don't I?' Ginny said matter-of-factly.
'I'll see you later then?' Neville asked her.
'You will.' Ginny promised and kissed him on his cheek.

'Ginny. About…' Ron started.
'Later Ron.' Ginny said as she headed back to the stairs. Ron grumbled and turned to Neville instead, but he had quickly escaped to go to breakfast.
'Let's go and eat Harry.'
'Not now, I have to write this letter to Remus.' Harry said as he sat down with a parchment.
'But I'm hungry…'
'This is more important than food!' Harry with an edge in his voice. Ron sighed and sat down to wait for Harry to finish.

Dear Remus.

I have made some major progress. Last nig

'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!'
Harry was interrupted by the horror-filled scream that came from upstairs the Girls dormitories. To his own dread it reminded him of when he and Cho had found Daniel Cody's maimed body in the lake.
'Ginny?' Ron called in his own fear. The girl came rushing down shortly. Horror was written all over her body.
'H-H-H-Harry… R-Ron… C-come Quick! I-its Hermione! I-I-I think she's…she's…'
Ginny couldn't finish but her message was quite clear. Both Harry and Ron rushed past her up the stairs fearing the worst. It wouldn't be until much later any of them would even remember that the wards preventing boys from entering the girls' area did not react this time - as if it sensed that this was an emergency.
The sight that met them would forever be stuck in their minds. Crookshanks sat whimpering in the middle of the bed beside the motionless form of Hermione Granger. She lay sprawled on her back by the foot-end of her bed, two streams of now dried blood had poured down on the bed from two tiny holes in her throat.

'Merlin preserve us!!' Ron gasped in anguish.
Harry rushed to Hermione's side, checking for her pulse. He found none.
'Go get help!' he croaked. Neither Ron nor Ginny could move. Ron stood petrified while Ginny stood shaking in the doorway, tears streaming down her face.
'GINNY!! GO GET MADAM POMFREY OR PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL!! GET SNAPE EVEN, BUT GO GET HELP!!' Harry screamed. That shook Ginny out of her stupor and she rushed off.
'She's… she's dead, isn't she?' Ron asked in fright.
Harry couldn't answer. His own anguish prevented him to. He slowly stroked her cold chin, feeling tears filling up in his eyes. He then saw the small piece of paper left beside her head. He took it, unfolded it and gasped. It was the missing page from Krum's almanac. Originally it had said:

Valentine's Ball. Date with Hermione.

But that had been crossed over. Instead another text dominated the page, a text written in blood:

Death to all Mudbloods!

********************************************************************************************************************

The Dark Being stood outside Hogwarts grounds, watching the sun go up.
Usually the sun is a bother to the Creatures of the night, but for once it felt none of it.
The fresh blood of the girl flowed through Its systems, filling It with a sensation long forgotten - a sensation banned from the likes of the Creatures of the Night.

Alive - The Dark Being felt: Alive!

Author's Notes: How was that for Horror, or was I exaggerating? Now don't jump the conclusions everybody, this story is not over yet.

'Til next time…