Revelation II-Lycantor

REVELATION II-LYCANTOR

CHAPTER EIGHT-THE SECOND DISAPPEARANCE

Neville and I headed to Transfiguration Class.

I wondered if I should tell Professor McGonagall that Harry's changed further. After all, she was the head of our house.

We learned how to transfigure a box into a kitten. Harry wasn't sitting next to me. He was sitting in the back far away. Neville was sitting beside me.

After class, Neville and I headed up to Professor McGonagall's desk.

"Professor? Harry's changed further," I said quietly hugging my textbook against my chest.

"What do you mean, Miss Granger?" she asked alert now.

"He's turned against me and is more aggressive. He doesn't want anything more to do with me," I said fighting back the tears.

Professor McGonagall looked grave for a moment then sympathetic.

"I know how hard this must be for you. Believe me I do. We won't give up until we help him," Professor McGonagall said.

"Professor Dumbledore said that the chance of the Medroxy Lupus Arimus potion working was slim. What do we do?" I asked.

"We've got to take that chance as there is also a slim chance that it will work," she said.

"That makes sense," I said as a bit of hope began surfacing. "Maybe we don't have to give up hope all together."

"You should never give up on friends," she said then gave us a wink before leaving.

Neville and I followed behind.

I started feeling a little bit better now and I felt bad for snapping at Harry like that yesterday.

I found him in the common room staring at the fire that afternoon.

"Harry? I'm so sorry I snapped at you yesterday," I apologized.

Harry looked up.

"So now you're sorry?" he asked coldly.

"Yes! I didn't mean it! I was just so upset about everything!" I said as tears started to form in my eyes.

"Sorry. You're crawling back to me and that is pathetic," Harry responded.

He got up and walked past me.

"Harry please," I said putting a hand on his shoulder.

He arched his head around and bit down on my hand.

I screamed as I felt warm blood flowing. I yanked my hand away and cradled it against me. I stared at him.

He wiped the blood from his chin with the sleeve of his robe.

"See you around,"

With that, he left the common room.

Ginny entered the common room.

"Hermione! Oh my God! What happened?" she cried rushing to my side.

"Harry bit me," I cringed cradling the hand against me tighter.

"Let's get you to Madam Pomfrey," Ginny said.

As Ginny and I were walking to the hospital wing, I turned to her.

"The funeral is coming up isn't it?" I asked quietly.

She fell silent for a moment then spoke.

"Next week. I'm going home for a few days then coming back," Ginny replied.

"I..." I began but Ginny cut me off.

"Listen, I know you won't be able to make it because you've got a lot on your plate now with Harry. Don't worry about it. I understand," she said giving me a gentle hug.

We continued to the hospital wing.

"Again?" Madam Pomfrey said. "What on earth are you kids doing?"

But she didn't say any more and put a salve on the bite wound before bandaging it with a white bandage. It went around my hand and left my thumb and fingers free.

Ginny and I left.

Annabelle caught up with us in the common room but Harry had not returned.

"What happened?" she asked gesturing to my hand.

"Harry bit me," I replied plopping down on the couch.

Annabelle's face drained of all color.

"Yes, yes I know what will happen now," I muttered. "But I'm wearing the medallion."

With that, I pulled out the medallion and put it around my head and it fell against my chest. I tucked it into the robe.

"Will Hermione change now?" Ginny asked weakly.

"Not as long as she's wearing that medallion. She will be safe," Annabelle replied.

"So what do we do about Harry?" I asked ignoring what Annabelle said. I didn't want to worry over what will happen to me right now. I needed to focus on Harry.

"Well, I could go to the Cheviot Hills and get the plant for you," Annabelle said thoughtfully. "But that would require permission from Dumbledore."

"I'm sure he'd give it to you," Ginny said.

"Yes, but the thing is, when I'm gone, will you be able to handle everything here with Harry?" Annabelle asked.

"If I have to," I replied firmly.

"Okay. I won't go yet. I've got to find that 'rogue' creature remember?" Annabelle said smiling.

We nodded.

Neville arrived soon and sat down beside Annabelle.

"Are you really Professor Solaris' daughter?" he asked.

Annabelle nodded. "But I'm not a werewolf. I'm here to stop them,"

"Good," Neville said looking relieved and happy.

"I dread the next crescent moon," I sighed.

Ginny checked her calendar again.

"There's a crescent moon on Friday. Three days from now,"

"Great," I muttered.

After that, Annabelle met up with the teachers and pretended to be searching for the 'rogue' creature in the corridor. Only Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall and Snape knew the truth. I guess he figured we would have a better chance of helping Harry with Annabelle there.

Ginny, Neville and I went to our classes. Harry avoided us at all costs. I had to admit at first it stung, now, I was secretly glad. I tried to make up with him but obviously he wanted nothing to do with it. So that was perfectly fine now.

I had to help Neville with his potion because he added the ingredients wrongly. To my surprise, Professor Snape didn't yell at Neville or me.

Which, I found refreshing but at the same time unnerving. Usually he yells at me for helping Neville. But maybe he knew about Harry and didn't want to pressure us.

After Potions, we headed to History of Magic. Professor Binns was talking to us about the Harix Revolts of the 1200's. Harix's were large creatures. They were a cross between horses and Rhinoceros's

They were kept as pets in largely populated areas and one day they just went crazy and stampeded the whole village and other villages nearby.

Harry came late to History of Magic and told Binns that he had been sick in the bathroom.

Professor Binns didn't mind and just nodded.

But secretly, we knew that Harry was taking his time and felt at leisure. If anyone started with him, it would be the last thing they ever did.

It was like he was the king and we were his servants.

I shivered at that thought. Imagine having a werewolf for a leader. He would corrupt others.

Suddenly, I snapped to alertness.

Maybe that's why he was talking with Malfoy! Maybe he wanted to get someone else on his side!

I nudged Ginny.

She looked at me.

"What?" she asked.

"I think I know why Harry was sitting with the Slytherins,"

"Why?"

"He was trying to get followers,"

Ginny looked at me confused.

"Followers?"

"Lycantor werewolves corrupt and manipulate people. I bet he was trying to get Malfoy and Goyle on his side!" I said.

"But why? Do you think he's trying to start a war or something?" Ginny asked.

I looked at her.

"It might be,"

Ginny exhaled. "If that happens, we will be greatly out-numbered!"

I nodded. "I know...but right now we really don't know his plot. Even though we know him better than anyone, we really don't know how his mind works now with the wolf influence,"

Ginny nodded gravely.

After History of Magic, we headed back to the common room before Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration.

"I just realized that Professor Dumbledore has said absolutely nothing about the new teacher!" Ginny cried.

Neville looked up at us.

"You're right,"

"Why would he keep it a secret?"

"Unless it's a surprise?" I mused.

We didn't know.

Just then, Annabelle entered the common room.

"Oh good. You guys are here," she said and sat down next to Neville.

"Professor Dumbledore has just asked me to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Annabelle said. "He didn't want to say anything without giving away my true reason for being here incase Harry would read his mind. Plus, he thinks that once Harry knows that I know about werewolves, he might be a little nervous to show any signs."

"Ah...but you're only what? 16? 19?" I asked.

Annabelle smiled.

"I'm flattered but actually, I'm 24 years old,"

Ginny, Neville and I's jaws dropped. She looked no older than 18 years old.

"Cool," Ginny grinned.

Annabelle grinned back.

So we went to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Most of the students were just as confused as we had been. But Annabelle told them that Dumbledore had asked her to teach, since it was her field of Dark Creatures and Dark Arts.

Ginny, Neville and I knew otherwise and sat in class feeling a bit relieved knowing that if Harry showed any signs, that she would know what to do. Of course, the other students had no idea.

Harry once again showed up late for DADA class with the excuse that he had tripped down the stairs. Naturally, there were no bruises or cuts on him. Annabelle eyed him warily, but said nothing. To my surprise, Harry didn't even seem to recognize her.

He was sitting with the Slytherins again.

It was starting to unnerve me now.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

What are you up to with the Slytherins?

I turned my attention back to what Annabelle was saying.

"Did you ever do werewolves?" Annabelle asked.

"Yes, but we really didn't cover them thoroughly," Lavender replied.

"Okay. As most of you know, there are two kinds...Verit and Malox. But did you also know there is a third kind?" Annabelle continued.

From the surprise on each face, that suggested 'no'.

"The third kind is more aggressive and most difficult to stop. It is called Lycantor," Annabelle said.

"Is that what Professor Solaris was?" Harry asked suddenly.

To my relief, Annabelle didn't even flinch.

"Yes," Annabelle said without any hesitation or emotion.

Annabelle seemed to go into a trance. Probably not thinking of anything so he wouldn't read her mind.

Harry didn't say anything more.

Annabelle continued to describe the Lycantor's physical appearance and temperament. Harry seemed genuinely nonplussed about the whole thing and seemed downright cheery.

After that, we headed back to the common room to get some sleep.

I pulled Neville aside.

"Do me a favor...keep an eye on Harry. Make sure he doesn't do anything more. If he does, go right to Dumbledore. Do not hesitate and stall by telling me okay? And be careful," I replied.

Neville nodded and headed to the boys' dorm.

Ginny turned to me.

"Wasn't that odd how Harry seemed to be carefree about what Annabelle was saying? It was like he didn't even care,"

"I know. That's what's so weird," I shivered.

Just then Harry appeared and smiled at me.

"You were wondering what I was doing with the Slytherins," he replied.

It took me a minute to realize what he was saying, and then I snapped out of it.

Harry leaned forward as I leaned back away from him.

"Let's just say, humans might be on the endangered species list," he smirked and headed to the boys' dorm.

After he was gone, I turned to Ginny.

"I did not like the sound of that," I replied.

"Neither did I," Ginny said looking scared and upset. "There was a reason why he said that."

I really began to have a bad feeling.

Ginny and I headed to bed.

The next morning at breakfast, I noticed that Malfoy has his arm bandaged as well as Goyle and naturally, Harry was sitting with them talking.

I nudged Ginny.

"What happened to them?" she asked.

"I don't know," I replied.

After a few moments when the food appeared, I noticed that Neville wasn't around.

"Where's Neville?" I asked alarmed.

"I don't know," Ginny replied as her expression changed to concern and a bit of fear.

"You don't suppose..." Ginny's voice trailed off.

Panic began settling in now.

Professor Dumbledore stood up and addressed us again. Silence rolled across the Great Hall like a tidal wave.

My heart began pounding and I began breathing heavily. Professor Dumbledore had a grave expression on his face...something had happened again.

"Something's happened again," I replied to Ginny not taking my eyes off Professor Dumbledore.

"I have some distressing news," Professor Dumbledore began.

Ginny and I exchanged looks of terror and fear.

"There has been another murder," Dumbledore continued.

Murmurs went around and whispers.

"Who and what house?" Dean asked.

"Neville Longbottom of Gryffindor. He was found on the grounds half eaten,"

(End Chapter Music-"My little box" from the movie soundtrack "Ghost Ship")