Eservanix

"Eservanix."

Chapter Three- Patterns

"Bloody hell...that sounds exactly like what's going on here," Ron breathed.

"Yes," Hermione said, quietly. "It does. What does this all mean though?"

I slammed the book shut, scattering dust.

"Whatever it means, we're going to have to figure it out fast and learn how to stop it."

"Absolutely," Harry agreed, nodding.

We left the library.

Back in the classroom, in Charms the following day, Professor Flitwick realized none of the students were up to learning the Boiling Charm, and settled just to let us sleep or talk.

"This is really creepy," Hermione muttered. "You know, the whole situation."

"It is. I wonder what happened to the guy that had the vision in 1908?" Harry mused.

"I dunno," I said, shaking my head.

I crossed my arms on the top of the desk and rested my chin on them. My hair gently was falling over my right shoulder.

"It depends on two things...how old he was then, and when he was born."

"That's right. The book didn't say anything about his age or anything," Hermione said, thoughtfully.

"It's going to be fun trying to find out what happened to him," Ron said, sighing.

"If we can," Harry muttered.

Just then, Colin Creevy came over to us.

"Hiya Harry!" he said eagerly.

"Hi Colin," Harry said in an exasperated and quiet tone.

Colin's eyes moved onto me.

"Hey. Your father's Casey Maxwell, right?"

I nodded, not lifting my head.

"He's great. I admire him," Colin beamed.

"Thank you, Colin," I said, smiling.

"How about a picture? Can you sign it? I'd love to have an autograph of my favorite Quidditch players daughter!" Colin asked, eagerly.

This has never happened to me before. No one has really given it any thought that I was the daughter of a famous Quidditch player. Not that I cared, of course. Frankly, I'd rather be hidden and not in the spotlight. But Colin seemed to be so eager and excited, that I had a hard time saying 'No'.

He took the picture. The flash went off, creating red and colored dots before my eyes. I swatted at the air in front of my eyes, trying to make them go away.

Colin handed me the picture. I signed it.

He went back to his seat, beaming.

"You had to see him in the second year. He thought Harry was a god," Ron grinned.

They proceeded to tell me what happened.

I grinned.

"He seems cute...but annoying," I said, still grinning and chuckling.

Ron and Harry just shook their heads.

After Charms, we went to Potions. Everyone knew that Professor Snape would rather eat poisonous Mexe's, then let us sleep and talk in his class. Mexe's were small little cherry sized fruits that were a dark blue color. One Mexe could kill a wizard or witch in a matter of 4 minutes. It attacked the nervous system. When used properly, a Mexe could cure paralysis mixed with Quellens, Wolfsbane and Lynx Rots. Quellens were like Radishes, but green in color. Lynx Rots were roots of the plant, Satron, which was also highly poisonous.

We entered Professor Snape's class about 3 minutes late because I had stopped Ron, Harry and Hermione to talk once again about the mysterious dark figure we kept seeing.

"Potter, Weasley, Granger and Miss Maxwell...you're late," said Professor Snape coldly, eyeing us.

"I'm sorry, Professor, I...." I started to say, but was interrupted by Crabbe and Goyle.

"She was too busy giving out autographed pictures to Colin," Crabbe said, smirking.

He got up and snatched the photo from Colin and walked up to Professor Snape, who took it from him.

I stood, completely stunned.

"No, I..." I started to say again but Professor Snape raised his eyes to mine.

"Is this true?" Professor Snape asked quietly.

"I-I only did that for Colin. That was all. It was my fault we were late. I stopped them for a minute to talk to them. Don't punish them. Punish me," I said, quietly, gesturing to Ron, Harry and Hermione.

Professor Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I thought you would be different from Potter, whose head is large already, Granger, who is a know-it-all, and Mr. Weasley, who likes to open his mouth at inappropriate times. But I see that I was wrong. You are just like Potter, Miss Maxwell, just because your father is a famous Quidditch payer. You will be spending time with Mr. Filch, cleaning the third floor corridors as someone delightedly set off Dung Bombs."

Ron, Harry and Hermione were glaring at Professor Snape.

"She is not like that!" Harry shouted angrily at Professor Snape. "Neither am I! She is a terrific person!"

Professor Snape's eyes moved onto Harry.

"Mr. Potter. You are out of line!" he said, coldly.

"You enjoy being cruel to people! That's why none of the students like you!" Harry growled angrily, his emerald eyes glittering behind his glasses.

He'd gone way too far. Even Ron and Hermione goggled at him.

"Harry, shut up!" Ron hissed in Harry's ear.

Suddenly, another flash of light went off before my eyes. I grabbed Harry's arm. The light seemed to surround me. I saw Crabbe and Goyle in a kitchen, eating something. Then I saw them fall face down on the table. They didn't move.

The flash vanished. I dropped to my knees.

"Holly?" Hermione asked, also dropping to her knees beside me.

Ron did too on my other side.

"It happened again," I whispered.

"Who did you see?" Ron asked, leaning close.

"Crabbe and Goyle," I said.

"How dare you talk to me like that, Mr. Potter," Professor Snape spat. "50 points from Gryffindor, and you will be joining Miss Maxwell for detention. Remain after class."

He spun on his heels, his black robes billowing out behind him. Ron and Hermione helped me to my feet.

"That was really smart, Harry. You know how bad he is!" Hermione hissed.

"I don't care. He had no right to say anything about us or Holly," Harry snapped.

"He's barking mad," Ron said, shaking his head.

"Who? Snape or Harry?" I asked, as we went to our seats.

"Harry. Snape is never going to change. He enjoys giving students who aren't in his house a hard time. Why get him mad?" Ron asked, as we sat down.

"Because I'm tired of him treating us like that! Hermione, he called you a know-it-all twice. Doesn't that bother you to know a teacher thinks of you like that?" Harry asked, turning to her.

Hermione bit her bottom lip.

"It does. But I don't want to get him mad. I don't want to talk back to teachers. You guys know me better than that."

"You talked to Professor Trelawney," Ron said.

"That's different, Ron. Professor Trelawney teached a subject that is controversial. Some believe it, some don't. I happen to be the one who doesn't believe it. You heard what McGonagall said in our third year? Professor Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year and not one has dropped? Besides, we've got Umbridge to deal with now," Hermione said. "Professor Snape teaches a subject that is actually used."

"Listen. Let's just forget about it okay? I don't mind serving detention," I said, softly.

"You're just as mad! You didn't do anything!" Harry hissed.

"I know. But let's not make it any worse," I said, taking out my notes and quill from my bag.

"Shall I take another 40 points from Gryffindor for talking during class?" Professor Snape called in our direction.

"No," Harry hissed under his breath as we fell silent and worked on our potion.

I passed a note to Ron and Hermione with the details of the vision. They didn't understand it. When class was over, Ron and Hermione left, promising to meet up with us in the common room. Harry and I stayed behind. Professor Snape gave us lines to do.

"I want "I must not let my large head interfere with my school work" fifty times. I will be back to check on you," he said, coldly.

He left the classroom.

"What a git," Harry growled as we got to work on our lines.

"I know," I said. "But perhaps its best to stand clear of him and just do our work."

"That's what we do. But he manages to find something wrong with everything we do," Harry said.

I just shook my head.

Harry leaned close.

"What happened with the vision?" he asked.

"Oh. Crabbe and Goyle were down in the kitchen eating when they suddenly fell face down on the table," I replied, as I crossed on arm on top of the table and rested my chin on it as I continued to write.

"Do you think these visions are like warnings?"

"Maybe," I said.

We fell silent. The only sound was the scratching of quills on parchment.

I felt Harry leaning against me.

I kept my eyes on the parchment, feeling my heart pounding in my chest.

"Why do you think this is happening?" asked Harry quietly.

"I honestly don't know," I admitted, not taking my eyes off the parchment.

My hair had gently started to fall over my shoulder, and it hung down, the ends touching the parchment. I was aware of how close Harry was to me. I've never had a boy this close to me before, or even talk to me in the gentle manner Harry was. Mostly the boys stayed clear of me and made fun of me. But I was grateful that Harry and Ron weren't like that. They were my first true friends. I didn't understand why I didn't become friends with them sooner. I felt really happy now knowing them.

"How's your family?" Harry asked, still not moving away from me.

"Good. My mum's name is Jennifer. I don't have siblings or anything," I replied, feeling my cheeks color.

"Do you wish you had?" asked Harry.

"I guess," I replied. "But actually, my mum isn't my real mum."

Harry fell silent.

"I'm sorry. What happened?"

"She was an Auror. She was killed by You-Know-Who when I was young," I said.

"I'm sorry," Harry said again, and I felt his hand on my arm.

"Thanks," I said, chancing to look up at him.

Our faces were inches apart. My heart really fluttered now.

"You've got a piece of feather in your hair from the quill," Harry said, as he gently plucked it from my hair. His hand ended up lightly brushing against my cheek.

I lowered my eyes to my parchment.

Suddenly, an idea came to me.

"Hey. I just realized something," I said, as I stopped writing, not caring that I had 43 more lines to go and pushed it away.

"What?" asked Harry, also stopping.

"Have you noticed that the people dying were toward the front of the train?" I asked, eagerly.

Harry's eyes widened.

"Blimey," he breathed. "Draco, Crabbe and Goyle always sat in the first compartment. I didn't know where Chris sat."

"Crabbe and Goyle are still alive," I said.

I hoped that they remained alive too, and this whole thing was some kind of nightmare.

Just then, Professor Snape entered the classroom.

"You two may go. There's been two more deaths," he said.

"Who, sir?" I asked.

"Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle."

"How'd they die?" Harry asked, swallowing.

"Choking."

Harry and I looked at each other.

Back in the common room, Ron, Hermione, Harry and I sat in a corner talking.

"My God. This is getting really terrifying," Hermione said, hugging herself.

"It is," Ron agreed.

"There seems to be a pattern though," I said. "Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Chris sat toward the front of the train...remember?"

Hermione frowned.

"Yeah. That's right. So what is going on? People who sat toward the front is in danger?"

I leaned forward.

"I think whatever this 'thing' is doing, it's killing people who were supposed to die on the train in order."

Ron, Harry and Hermione stared at me.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked, quietly and slowly.

I nodded.

"I can't explain it, but I just have this feeling that that is what's going on."

"So who's next?" Harry asked.

"Whoever was in the compartment after Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Chris."

We headed to the library again. Classes had been suspended for the day. While searching the books, I came across an old blue print.

"Hey. Guys. Check this out," I said, as I carefully picked it up and went over to one of the tables.

I laid it out across the table.

"Bloody hell! It's a blue print of the Hogwarts Express!" Ron cried as we all sat down and looked over it.

Each section of the train was detailed and labeled, including the engine. The compartments were also drawn and labeled.

"Wow. I've never seen this before," Hermione said, scanning the entire blueprint.

"Okay. Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco usually sit here," said Harry, pointing to the very first compartment. "Chris either must've been in there with them, or here."

He pointed to the compartment behind the first one.

Suddenly, Hermione went white.

"Where were we sitting?"

Harry pointed to the very last compartment.

"Don't worry, Hermione. I won't anything happen to you or Ron, or Harry," I said, softly.

Hermione smiled weakly, but I still could see she was terrified. Ron gave her a hug.

I gently squeezed her hand. Harry also squeezed her hand, trying to keep her calm.

"We've got about 300 students total. How are we going to know who was behind that compartment?" Ron groaned.

"We're going to have to go to Dumbledore I think," Harry said. "Maybe he can help us and maybe tell us what's going on."

We put the blueprint away and left the library, heading to Professor Dumbledore's office.

We stopped outside the Gargoyle that sat in front of the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

"Cockroach Cluster?" asked Harry tentatively.

It didn't move.

"That was the password last year," he said.

"Let me have a go," Ron said. "Sherbert Lemons?"

"That was for the third year I think," Hermione said.

"Magic?" I asked.

The Gargoyle sprung to life, leaping to the side, exposing the winding staircase with a winged eagle.

"Wow. A common word to use for a password," Ron said.

"Not really. Most would think he'd use all these complex words. Sometimes the simplest word is it," Hermione replied.

We climbed the staircase and walked into his office.

He was sitting behind his desk.

"Ah. Miss Granger, Maxwell and Mr. Weasley and Potter. How can I help you?" asked Professor Dumbledore kindly. "Please, come in."

We entered his office.

"Sit," he said, conjuring up two more chairs beside the ones already in front of his desk. We all sat.

"What can I do for you?" he asked, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. He was dressed in royal blue robes. His long hair and beard hung over the robes.

Hermione began telling him what had happened, starting from the very beginning. When she was done, Professor Dumbledore was silent.

"Hmm. I've heard about this before," he said quietly. "The case in 1908? Remember? Well, it turned out that that death was going after the survivors."

We looked at each other.

"Does that mean...." Ron's voice trailed off.

"I'm afraid so," said Dumbledore quietly. "Those people on that train should have died. By not, it disrupted everything. Death was going after them to rectify it. I'm afraid that the same case is happening here. By Holly and Harry stopping the train, it cause Death's 'plan' to become changed. Now, it's going after the students who should have died."

"You mean we're supposed to die?" Hermione asked, as tears formed in her hazel eyes.

Professor Dumbledore shook his head.

"Not necessarily. Only those that were supposed to. Holly. Do you remember all the cars, like what position they were in, in your first vision?"

I closed my eyes, trying to remember.

"Our car was on its side. I was okay, Harry was and so was Hermione," I said, swallowing.

"And Mr. Weasley?" Professor Dumbledore said gently.

I slowly opened my eyes, as tears formed.

"Ron was thrown out the window."

Ron went white.

"There's no way to stop this?" he asked, in a small voice.

"I'm afraid not. Death is something magic cannot stop. It can bring it on, but not stop," Dumbledore said, quietly.

We left his office feeling helpless.