Ambrogia

AMBROGIA

CHAPTER SEVEN-RETURN!

We stood shocked and frozen. Professor Snape sighed.

"I will have to tell the headmaster. There will have to be a curfew established. Megan will probably stay inside the castle,"

"The potion didn't work," I said sadly.

"I might have to add another ingredient. It's stronger but if I use too much it could kill Megan," Professor Snape replied.

We were silent.

"It's time you three went to sleep," Madam Pomfrey said as she ushered us out of the hospital wing.

We reluctantly trudged up to Gryffindor tower with Professor Snape as an escort.

"Poor Megan. I do hope we can help her," Ron said sadly.

"We certainly will do everything," Professor Snape replied.

We entered the Gryffindor Tower and Professor Snape left us and headed down to his office.

I went to bed and Ron and Harry headed off to their dorms. I climbed into bed and just lay there, staring at the ceiling.

Megan's story of how her parents died kept floating across my mind. Both she had Harry had a lot in common. Harry's parents were killed deliberately but Megan's was killed in an accident. Still, both had lost their parents and their relatives hated having them around. Megan's because of what she was and the Dursley's because of what Harry was. I was glad at least Snape cared about Megan. She really was a sweet person. I couldn't understand why people gave her a hard time about her looks or weight. That wasn't right. She was a good person on the inside and that's what should count. Of course, things today are different. That's not always the case. Kids can be so cruel. Eventually, I closed my eyes and dozed off.

Suddenly around midnight, I felt an ice cold breeze flutter across my face. I woke up and sat up in bed. The bed coverings were billowing in a breeze coming from the window to the girls' dorm.

I tossed off my covers and opened the coverings. I padded silently over to the window. The rest of the girls were all sleeping. Someone was snoring. I snorted to myself and reached to close the window. Just then, I heard something scurry in a corner of the room. I froze, trying not to move. I could hear toenails clicking on the floor. I saw a dark shape in the corner, then move next to Lavender's bed. I stood, breathing rapidly. I realized my wand was on the nightstand.

Deciding to move carefully, I slinked over to my bed again and reached onto the nightstand. I felt my wand and picked it up.

"Lumos!" I whispered.

A light appeared on the tip of my wand, illuminating the wand.

No one seemed to notice the light. I scanned the entire dorm.

At that moment, I heard low growling.

I moved the wand around, casting light over everyone. Then, something began walking toward me in the darkness. I stood completely still. Slowly, the bright bluish light came across the object...but it wasn't an object. It was a wolf. Megan.

My body began shaking violently. The cool jaundice colored eyes was locked on me as it slinked toward me stealthily, the ears pricked forward.

I couldn't move. It was like I was paralyzed.

It was large. About the size of a Great Dane and Doberman Pincher put together. It might've weighed about 200 pounds or so. The white fur seemed to glow in the light of my wand and reflected off the eyes like golden coins.

The fur on the back of its neck was standing up though and so were the hackles.

I could hear it letting out low warning growls. It was right in front of me now. All four paws were large and I could see just how sharp the claws were.

My hand holding the wand began shaking as well.

The next thing I knew, it just sat in its haunches and looked up at me. I didn't dare breathe.

"M-Megan?" I stammered in a squeaky voice.

I heard someone stirring...and then a scream.

"ARRRGHHHH! A WOLF!"

At that moment, the wolf's ears pinned back and it rolled up the top lip of its snout exposing the white canines and incisors.

It arched its head around and snarled at the person who screamed. Parvati.

Lavender woke up next.

"HERMIONE LOOK OUT!"

Then Lavender grabbed me and held me back. The wolf's head snapped around and its eyes were locked on me. It began snarling.

"No! Stop! It's okay!" I cried struggling to break free of Lavender's grip.

The wolf began walking toward us with its canines and incisors exposed. I heard loud angry growls coming from it.

"Stop! She thinks your hurting me! Let me go!" I cried.

"She? How do you know? Did you look at the plumbing?" Lavender asked as she kept pulling me back.

"Trust me! LET ME GO!" I cried as I finally broke free of Lavender's grip but I lost my balance and ended up hitting my head on the edge of one of the beds. I landed on my side with one arm stretched out and the other draped over my side. I was drifting in and out of consciousness as they all began running hysterically from the dorm.

I just moaned and turned slightly. The wolf was walking toward me. It wasn't growling anymore. I began sinking into the blackness as I suddenly felt weight on my legs. This was it...it was going to kill me.

HARRY.

We heard a commotion out in the common room. Ron and I quickly threw off our covers and ran out into the common room. The girls were hysterical and talking about a wolf being in their dorm. I didn't see Hermione, which caused me to start panicking. I spied Lavender.

"Lavender? Where is Hermione?" I demanded.

"She is still inside with the wolf!" Lavender sobbed.

I ran into the girls' dorm and froze. Ron was beside me.

Hermione was lying unconscious with the wolf standing over her legs and it was watching us.

Ron let out a low squeak. "How are we going to get 'Mione away from it?"

"It's Megan remember?" I whispered to him. "Although she may not remember us when she's a wolf, but we've got to try."

"What if she bites us? Then we'll be like her," Ron said still in the squeaky tone.

"Fine. You go get Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. I'll try and get 'Mione away from the wolf," I said firmly.

Ron turned and fled from the girls' dorm. I slowly began walking toward the wolf.

"Easy Megan. I just want to help Hermione. I'm not going to hurt her," I said in a soothing tone.

To my surprise, the wolf stepped over Hermione and stood by, watching me intently as if one move I made would tell it that I was lying.

I reached Hermione and gently shook her.

"Wha-?" she asked groggily as her eyes opened.

"Are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

"Yes. I hit my head. The wolf," she said suddenly becoming alert.

I helped her up as she clung onto me and looked at the wolf. The wolf just stood there watching us and made no attempt to come near us.

Just then Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore appeared.

"Oh dear. The potion didn't work Severus?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"No," Professor Snape said.

For a moment, it sounded like his voice was cracking. "I have an idea to add another ingredient. But I must be careful. Too much will kill Megan,"

"What is the ingredient?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"Ocis," Professor Snape replied.

"Ahh yes," Professor Dumbledore said wisely. "I think 1 pinch should be sufficient."

Professor Snape nodded and then turned his eyes onto the wolf.

"Are you two alright?" Professor Dumbledore asked turning to us.

We nodded.

"The sun shall be setting shortly," Professor Snape replied.

Sure enough, about a half an hour later, the sun's light began peeking through the clouds. The wolf let out a whimper and fell to its side. I quickly rushed over and grabbed a blanket and draped it over the wolf.

Little by little, the wolf vanished and Megan's human appearance came through. Finally she was back to normal, but naked. Embarrassed, she tightly wrapped the blanket around her.

"Did I hurt anyone?" Megan asked immediately looking from me to Hermione.

We shook our head.

"No. You actually...guarded Hermione," I said slowly.

Megan looked relieved.

"Miss Granger. Help Megan get dressed. Then we will talk in my office all of you," Professor Dumbledore said gently.

Professor Snape put a hand on Megan's shoulder before he followed the headmaster out. I left as well.

HERMIONE.

I helped Megan into a spare Gryffindor uniform. She adjusted the skirt and tie before turning to me.

"Hermione, if I ever hurt anyone, please kill me," she replied.

I was taken aback and totally stunned.

"No...don't worry about it. Professor Snape will have that potion ready and you'll be okay," I said.

"I know...but if the potion doesn't work this time, whose to say it will work again?" she asked.

"Have faith in Professor Snape...erm, your uncle. I could see he cares about you. I don't mean this as a cruel thing...but it kind of surprises me. He never seemed to care about any student other than the Slytherins. He always gives the Gryffindors a hard time. You know him better. Can you help me understand?" I asked.

Megan smiled as she sat down on the bed. I sat down beside her.

"I know. I've heard stories from my parents about how gruff and abrupt he was here at Hogwarts. He was sometimes a little abrupt with them. I've never really told anyone this," Megan said exhaling slowly. "He told me when I was 9. I know this sounds a little bizarre to you, but he helped rescue a little boy that was kidnapped by this wizard nutter that was following You-Know-Who at the time. The wizard went nuts after You-Know-Who gained power and thought that he was just as equal to Him. He kidnapped the boy and was going to torture him, but Professor Dumbledore and Uncle Severus, with the help of Auror's, found the boy in time. Something changed in Uncle Severus. I think he suddenly found a side to him that no one ever knew. He does a good job hiding it, but deep down he really does care. Like I know how he cares about you three."

I nodded remembering how he helped Harry during our second year when Professor Quirrell tried to harm Harry during a Quidditch game and how he always seems to be able to help us especially before we knew about Sirius in our third year.

"He is human after all," Megan.

I nodded.

We got up and headed out of the common room to head to Dumbledore's office.

Once in the office, Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk. Harry, Ron and Professor Snape were also in his office.

"Sit," Professor Dumbledore said kindly as he waved his wand and comfortable poufs appeared. We all sat down.

"Megan, what I'm about to say has nothing to do with you," Professor Dumbledore said gently. "So I expect you to be confused."

His blue eyes twinkled behind his half moon spectacles.

"Ron. Harry and Hermione," Professor Dumbledore continued. "I have news that Miss Peterson isn't dead."

"WHAT?" we cried in unison.

Even Professor Snape seemed stunned.

"The Ministry of Magic sent me an owl before Miss Peters came. I'm afraid she was a Wanted Quewyv. She killed at least 12 people in another school. She goes around to different magical schools and kills people. The night she came I sent a letter back to the Ministry telling them that she had come here. They told me not to do anything that would set off Miss Peters' suspicions that they would deal with it. Unfortunately, by the time they were ready to do something, it was too late,"

"So you let nine students die?" Harry demanded.

Professor Dumbledore looked pained and guilty. "Had I done something, Miss Peters would've figured out that I knew and possibly done something far more worse to everyone else killing more innocent students,"

I understood where Dumbledore was coming from.

"Harry. He had no choice. Danielle could've hurt us all. Then what? There would've been more deaths to deal with," I said gently.

Harry just grumbled something and fell silent.

"Today the Ministry just sent me another owl. They're getting reports of strange behavior of students in the Rokmo Magical School in Wales. It matches what happened here. Also, Muggles have noticed strange things. Apparently, the Ministry thinks Miss Peters will head back here to again. They also found out that she was hired by You-Know-Who to kill Harry," Professor Dumbledore said gravely.

We all gasped.

"He's getting clever, isn't he?" Ron growled.

"He's acting like a Muggle Hitman," I replied.

"Why would a powerful wizard like him act like that?" Harry mused. "He must be getting desperate."

He finished his own question.

"Anyway, no one is allowed to enter or leave Hogwarts. That means no Hogsmeade trips or trips to Hagrid without an adult escort," Professor Dumbledore said.

We all nodded.

"I don't want a word of this to get around. You four are to keep this a secret," Professor Dumbledore said firmly.

We all nodded once again.

"Alright. You four head off to classes,"

Professor Snape followed us out of Dumbledore's office and down to the Great Hall where everyone was eating breakfast.

"If you're having trouble with the potion today, let me know. I'll help you after class," Professor Snape whispered to Megan, then straightened up as a few third years passed us.

"Get to your table," he barked to us.

Pretending to be affronted and muttering, we trudged to the Gryffindor table.

Megan sat down with us next to Ron. Harry and I were sitting next to each other across from Ron and Megan.

"Who is Miss Peters?" Megan asked confused as she helped herself to some pancakes.

Harry and I looked at each other. Ron turned to Megan and launched into the whole story.

When he was done, Megan looked sick and pale.

"Oh my God. Those poor students," she said weakly.

She started to look frail and Ron put his arm around her.

"Don't worry. This time Dumbledore won't let anything happen to us. He really had no choice before," I said soothingly.

Megan nodded but still looked pale.

"I've got an idea to cheer us all up," I said brightly. "How about a Gryffindor Pride party?"

Ron beamed. "Bloody brilliant Hermione!"

"It's just for the Gryffindors though," I said. "So spread the word around the house."

Ron nodded and leaned away from Megan whispering to Ginny, his youngest sister. She grinned and turned to Dean. Dean turned to Seamus and it kept going until the whole Gryffindor table knew it. I had no idea that things would get worse...much worse.