Revelation II-Lycantor

REVELATION II-LYCANTOR

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN-EXPOSED LEADER

HERMIONE.

I sat with Harry in the common room. I couldn't help but feel nervous.

I looked out the window. A full moon hung in a midnight blue sky and stars twinkled merrily.

I saw Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall and Annabelle paused outside the Forbidden Forest.

"Hey," I said suddenly. "They've stopped outside the forest."

Harry and I got up and went over to the window.

We peered out. We could see the teachers and Annabelle clearly and then twenty pairs of jaundice eyes that glowed like coins in the moonlight coming from the darkness of the forest.

"Oh my God!" I gasped.

"I don't believe it," Harry whispered. "Could those be the students?"

"I think so," I said, my voice shaking with fear. "I have an awful feeling that this war will be devastating to us humans. If those soldiers, plus the Meizule attack it might be hard to fight them."

"But how many teachers are in Hogwarts?" Harry asked reasonably. "I'm sure they'll be outnumbered."

"I hope so," I said swallowing.

Professor Dumbledore raised his wand and sent a jet of red into the Forest. The pairs of eyes scattered before vanishing.

They began heading back toward the castle.

Harry and I sat down on the couch and waited.

Annabelle and the Professors arrived in Gryffindors common room.

"Those were definitely the soldier Lycantors," Professor Dumbledore said gravely. "But I am afraid that the war will begin soon."

"How soon?" I asked nervously.

"Possibly within the next few days or so. They looked like they were well grouped and organized,"

"Organized? How can wolves be organized?" Harry asked tilting his head.

I sighed.

"Harry, listen. The normal wolf society is very tight. The alpha female and male are the leaders of the entire pack. Most packs can consist of twelve to fourteen members. The rest of the pack are the subordinates. The beta's are below the alphas. They have ways of bringing their prey down. They will either herd the prey away from the rest of its pack, or they will use strategy to bring it down. They are smart, agile and cunning predators. Given the natures of Lycantor werewolves, with their backgrounds I'd say we're looking at the ultimate hunting and killing machine,"

Harry looked at me startled.

"I read it in a Muggle book," I murmured.

"She's right though," Annabelle chimed in. "These wolves will be the most ultimate killing and hunting machines. They will be ruthless and vile. Plus, we must be on guard the entire time."

"Miss Solaris is right," Professor Dumbledore said. "We must be on guard the entire time. We are safe for now as these creatures are in the forest. I will go around to each house common room and tell the students that they are not to leave the castle and go venturing off onto the grounds for any reason. If necessary, they will be allowed to use the Terforcaz spell. That will only be used if absolutely necessary."

Harry and I nodded.

"Have you found Ginny?" I asked swallowing. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer or I already knew where she was already. I didn't want to believe it either.

"Not yet," Professor Dumbledore said sighing.

"I have a feeling I know where she is," Annabelle said quietly. "Since she's a soldier, she would most likely be with other soldiers...which means she's outside on the grounds with the others,"

In my heart I knew Annabelle was right and I had a feeling all along that that is where Ginny was.

"Either way, keep an eye out," Professor Dumbledore said. "Professor Snape is beginning to brew the Medroxy Lupus Arimus potion as we speak."

Again we nodded.

"Try and get some sleep," Professor Dumbledore continued. "I'm sure it's hard knowing your friend is out there and one of those things, but we will be able to help her. I'm sorry to say that the person who is the Meizule will have to be killed."

I glanced at Annabelle. I saw her momentarily go pale. She saw me looking at her and gave me a smile.

I smiled back, but there was that nagging feeling again in the pit of my stomach.

Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape left the common room.

"He's right. We must try and get some sleep," Annabelle said softly. "I'll sleep out here in the common room. You two go to your dorms. I'll also keep an eye out and ear out for anything weird."

I nodded. Harry gave me a hug and kiss before heading to the boys' dorm. I headed to the girls'.

The rest of the girls' were fast asleep in their beds all except Lavender.

Lavender was sitting in bed with her head down slightly, her hair covering her face.

"Lavender?" I asked worriedly as I stepped toward her.

Her head slowly raised and I gasped.

Her eyes were a jaundice color and she smiled evilly at me.

"Hermione?" Lavender's voice said with concern.

I blinked.

Lavender's eyes were their normal brown color and she had a look of pure concern on her face.

"Y-Your eyes were jaundice! I saw them!" I cried pointing at her.

"What? No, Hermione," Lavender said shaking her head. "You sort of went into a trance or something."

"R-really?" I asked starting to feel foolish.

Lavender nodded. "You're exhausted too. You really haven't slept well for the past few nights. You toss and turn in your bed. I hear you,"

"I do?" I asked sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Yes. Don't wear yourself out with what's going on. Try and relax and go to sleep," Lavender continued.

Now that she said that, it made sense. I really haven't been sleeping well. Every night I dream of the werewolves and them attacking everyone.

I sighed.

"Should I go and get Madam Pomfrey to give you a Dreamless Sleep potion?" Lavender asked.

"Actually, yeah that sounds great," I said gratefully.

"Be right back,"

She disappeared from the dorm and I heard her leave the common room.

I looked at everyone else sleeping. They were all peaceful and quiet.

A few moments later, Lavender came back with the potion. I drank some and then crawled back into bed. Lavender also crawled into bed and within minutes she was out cold.

My eyes began getting heavy as I felt my body relaxing for the first time completely.

I turned on my right side and within minutes I too was out cold.

The next morning, I felt the warm sunshine on my face. I yawned and stretched and opened my eyes. Everyone was starting to stir as well. Lavender however, was not in bed.

"Where's Lavender?" I asked a second year named Liz Manson.

"I dunno," Liz said shrugging. "My guess is she woke up early and headed down to breakfast."

"Yeah. That's it," I said though a bit uncertain.

I could swear I saw her eyes go jaundice and that look of pure evil on her face. I know I didn't imagine it.

Getting dressed and pulling on a clean uniform vest, skirt, shirt and tie, then topping it off with my robe, I quickly ran a brush through my hair and left the girls' dorm. Annabelle and Harry were talking in the common room.

Harry looked up at me and grinned.

"Hey. You look well rested," he replied.

"Yeah. I had Lavender get me a Dreamless sleep potion. Apparently, I've been tossing and turning a lot and not sleeping well. Last night was great. I actually got to sleep okay,"

"Why were you not sleeping well?" Annabelle asked curiously.

"Nightmares of the werewolves," I said firmly.

Annabelle had this accusing look on her face.

"I'm not the Meizule. That's over with." I continued.

"No, I know. I'm sorry. This whole thing has me jumpy too. Please forgive me," Annabelle apologized.

I sighed. "I'm sorry too,"

"We still have no idea who this Meizule is," Harry commented.

I remembered Lavender.

"Hey," I said. "Last night I saw Lavender's eyes go jaundice and she was smiling at me evilly."

"Are you sure?" Annabelle asked.

"Positive," I said. "Then she told me that nothing happened that I went into some sort of trance."

"Hmm," Annabelle mused.

"And what's even weirder is that this morning when I woke up she wasn't in the dorm or bed."

Annabelle's eyes lit up.

"Another missing student?"

"We don't know that for sure," Harry said reasonably. "She could've woken up early and headed down to breakfast."

Annabelle nodded. "That is a possibility. We will know for sure if we don't see her all day and into tomorrow,"

With that, the three of us headed down to the Great Hall.

The students were eagerly talking amongst themselves.

I felt fear gripping my chest as I realized that several more students from Ravenclaw had bandages on them in different places. That would make the total now fifty.

"Oh my God," I breathed. "There's more!"

Annabelle and Harry followed my gaze.

"If they disappear, that would make now like 80% of the Ravenclaws werewolves!" Harry gasped.

"Even a little more," Annabelle said even quieter.

The Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and the rest of the Slytherins all eyed the Ravenclaws warily. I actually saw some of the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins sitting with each other.

The Ravenclaws didn't seem to care or notice...but the teachers sure did.

Professor Dumbledore arose from his seat. He cleared his throat. I could tell he looked nervous now and a little scared. Something I have never seen in him before.

Harry, Annabelle and I exchanged scared looks.

"Tuck in!" Professor Dumbledore cried. "And may I remind you that no one is allowed out of their common rooms or this castle for any reason."

The food appeared. Something just registered in my head.

"Hey, wait a minute," Harry said suddenly. "Didn't you say Lavender left the common room to get the potion for you?"

He realized it too.

Annabelle's head snapped up from her pancakes.

"Yes, she did," I replied.

"If the curfew is in effect, how on earth did she manage to get the potion? Madam Pomfrey would've most certainly told Professor Dumbledore that a student was out of bounds," Annabelle said.

She's right! What is going on here? I thought.

That nagging and nervous feeling returned.

"I think we should pay Madam Pomfrey a visit," I said slowly. "I'm getting a really bad feeling about this."

We quickly ate our breakfast and hurried out of the Great Hall to the hospital wing. We had Charms class first, then History of Magic. But right now I had the need to see Madam Pomfrey.

When we entered the hospital wing, it looked like a bomb had gone off in it. I grabbed Harry's arm in surprise.

The cots were torn and the stuffing scattered all over the room. Sheets were shredded into ragged strips. The medicine cabinet was knocked over and glass tubes were smashed.

"What on earth happened here?" Annabelle breathed in shock.

"It looks like a twister came through here," Harry replied staring at the scene.

"Madam Pomfrey?" I called.

There was no answer.

"Madam Pomfrey? Where are you?" Annabelle called next.

Still nothing.

"Madam Pomfrey? Are you okay? What happened here?" Harry called next.

Still no reply.

"Okay...I'm getting scared now," Annabelle replied her voice filled with fear.

"You and me both," I replied.

"I'm nervous as well. Something doesn't feel right here," Harry said stepping over the medicine cabinet. His shoes crunched over broken glass.

"I know. It doesn't," I replied too as we began cautiously walking further into the hospital wing.

We slowly scanned the entire wing. We couldn't find Madam Pomfrey.

"Where could she be?" I mused. "She could not have just disappeared into thin air."

"That's impossible," Annabelle replied. "Maybe she is still asleep?"

"I dunno," I replied. "I'm still getting that creepy and uneasy feeling."

We kept searching.

"Maybe we should turn the cots back over?" Harry suggested.

"No," I said. "After we find Madam Pomfrey we're going to have to get Professor Dumbledore. He'll want to see what happened in here. Everything must be untouched."

"Right," Annabelle said nodding.

I sighed and backed into the wall. I leaned my back against it.

"I don't understand this...where could she be?" I mused.

Suddenly, I felt something dripping onto my shoulder.

I slowly turned my head. A red liquid. I shakily raised my hand to my left shoulder and touched the liquid. It was sticky and metallic smelling. My breathing began to speed up.

"Guys?" I called out in a shaky voice.

Harry and Annabelle rushed over.

"Are you hurt?" Annabelle demanded automatically.

"N-No," I stammered. "This isn't my blood."

Harry and Annabelle looked at each other then at me before the three of us slowly raised our eyes to the wall.

A thick stream of blood smeared the wall right where I was standing. We raise our eyes even more. Madam Pomfrey was pinned on the wall like someone hung her on a coat rack on one of the nails where a portrait had hung. Her neck had been torn and she had been mauled. But there wasn't much left of her.

"So, you found her," a voice said from the doorway.

Our heads snapped toward the entrance.

Lavender stood there with her eyes jaundice and she was smirking.

"I'm the Meizule," she smirked even more.