Eservanix

Chapter Five: Drop

"Bloody hell," Ron said, gulping.

He got even paler.

"What?" Harry demanded. "What exactly did you see?"

"I saw the last car where we were sitting. I saw it slide off the track and land on its side, sliding several inches. From the force, I saw Ron fly out the window. I don't understand why I saw it clearer now," I replied, shaking.

"Nothing's going to happen to you, Ron!" Harry said, forcefully.

Ron didn't answer this time.

Hermione let out a gasp. Ron hugged her.

"Harry's right. Nothing's going to happen to me," Ron said.

Something in his voice stated that he didn't entirely believe what he was saying.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

"Wait a minute...Harry. You and I were in the engine! We were at the very front!" I said, as realization hit me.

It hit him too.

"That's right! Why hasn't anything happened to us yet?" he asked.

"Please don't wish it!" Hermione cried.

Harry gave her a reassuring hug.

"I don't know," he mused.

"Something's weird. I really don't understand it," I said, sadly.

"Wait. The engine didn't derail...did it?" Ron asked, suddenly.

Harry and I looked at each other.

"No. Just the cars behind it. Why?" I asked.

"Then maybe the people who were in the cars behind the engine were supposed to die, you know, whichever car derailed," Ron said.

That was an idea. It did seem to be taking the students so far in the cars that had derailed.

"It's possible," I said, slowly. "But why just those?"

There was a silence, which I guessed meant that neither of them understood it any more clearly than I had.

We all went to bed after that, although I doubted I could sleep. I knew Hermione was also lying awake next to me.

The next morning, Professor Dumbledore told us about Cho's death before breakfast. The Ravenclaw table was subdued and sobbing. I sat with Harry, Ron and Hermione just picking at my eggs. I really wasn't hungry for some reason.

"You aren't hungry?" asked Hermione.

"No," I replied, placing my fork down on the plate.

Harry and Ron looked at me worriedly.

"Don't worry. I'm not sick. Just not very hungry," I said, smiling.

They nodded, but Harry still kept shooting me glances. Just then, the owls arrived.

"Owl Post!" Ron cried eagerly, as his owl, Pig, landed on his toast with a letter tied to his leg.

Harry's owl, Hedwig, landed gracefully onto the table. Sam flew in after Hedwig.

Sam nipped my ear affectionately. He had a piece of parchment tied to his leg. I took it off and read it.

"I just received the Daily Prophet," Harry replied, folding the newspaper up and tucking it under his plate.

"Mum sent me a letter asking me if you'd like to spend Christmas with us instead of here at Hogwarts," Ron said, eagerly handing Harry his letter.

"Sure!" Harry said happily.

He and Ron got into excited chatter until Ron and Harry cried "Ouch!". Hermione must've kicked them hard under the table.

"What was that for?" Ron demanded irritably, rubbing his shin.

Hermione nodded toward me. I must've had a strange expression on my face.

The letter began shaking in my hands.

"Holly? What's the letter say?" Hermione asked, tentatively.

I went to speak, but nothing came out.

"Holly?" Ron demanded leaning forward.

I finally found my voice.

"It's a letter from my d-dad," I stammered, my eyes glued to the parchment as if hoping it would disappear.

They waited patiently for me to continue.

"My mum...she was killed...someone hit her with a car,"

HERMIONE.

We all sat, completely stunned.

Holly was shaking badly. Worse than when she had seen Chris jab the shears into his eye. Her hands were gripping the parchment so tightly that her knuckles were white.

I gasped.

"My-my dad is sending Dumbledore a letter asking him if it would be all right to come here to see me," she stammered. "Just for a visit. But what if something happens to him too? I can't handle losing him too!"

Ron cleared his throat.

"With Dumbledore present, nothing will," Ron said, forcing calm in his voice.

"Ron's right," Harry said, automatically. "Dumbledore won't let anything happen to your dad."

I nodded, putting a hand on her shoulder. She still seemed worried.

In Transfigurations, Professor McGonagall pulled her aside.

"Your father just Apparated in Professor Dumbledore's office by special permission. If you'd like, Miss Granger, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley may join you. I understand how you must feel," said Professor McGonagall. She looked like she would cry herself. Her expression was solemn and grief stricken.

"Thank you, Professor," Holly said, mechanically.

She gestured for Ron, Harry and me to get up and escort Holly to Professor Dumbledore's office.

Once again, we walked to Professor Dumbledore's office and ascended the winding staircase. We stepped into his office. There were shelves filled with books, magical items like Sneakoscopes, small crystal balls and other magical items. I had no idea what they were. On one of the shelves in one of the cabinets was a clay bowl filled with silvery stuff.

When we entered the office, a man with dark, almost black hair and blue eyes stood. He was wearing dark blue robes. He also had a slight belly, but to me, I thought he was cute.

He had no injuries that I could see. Back in the fourth year, Ludo Bagman had a chunk of his nose missing much like Mad-Eye Moody, which was probably from being hit with a Bludger.

"Holly," the man said, as he rushed forward and threw his arms around her.

"Dad," Holly said, as she began crying softly into his robe.

Ron, Harry and I just waited patiently.

After a few moments, Holly released the man and turned to us.

"Ron, Harry and Hermione? This is my dad," said Holly. "Dad? This is Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger."

She was still crying quietly, though.

"Hello," Ron said, politely.

"Hi," I said, brightly and forced myself not to blush.

"Hiya," said Harry.

"Harry Potter," Mr. Winters said, grinning. "I've heard so much about you from Holly."

Harry looked puzzled, as we'd just met Holly on the train a few days ago. But thankfully, Mr. Winters didn't pursue the topic.

"I sent Professor Dumbledore a letter asking if it would be all right if I visited you. He replied quickly. Sent an Express owl," Mr. Winters said, turning to Holly.

"I just received it this morning!" Holly said, brandishing the letter in front of her father.

"I sent that to you also. It didn't take long for the reply from Professor Dumbledore to get into my hands. He actually suggested that I come and see you for a while," said Mr. Winters, studying Holly's face.

"Mum's really dead...isn't she?" Holly sobbed. "I knew it."

Holly explained what Professor Trelawney had predicted. Mr. Winters just held Holly while she sobbed. I felt so bad for her.

After a couple of minutes, Holly managed to calm down, but not entirely. She told her father what had been going on here at Hogwarts.

Holly launched into the whole story. I guess she was dying to fill her father in as well. When she finished, Mr. Winters was looking thoughtful.

"Hmm. I've read a report about this. Not the case in 1908, but another one where a girl and her friend survived one of the worst cases of a car crash. She figured out how to cheat," Mr. Winters said.

"Cheat?" I asked, tilting my head.

Mr. Winters' blue eyes turned onto me. I felt my heart pounding in my chest.

"Cheat death," he replied.

"Ah yes," said Professor Dumbledore said, as he got up from behind his desk and stood next to Holly and her father. Ron, Harry and I stepped closer.

"Listen. Right now, it's important that you rest. Stop worrying about what's going to happen next. You just lost your mum. Take a rest. Sleep," said Professor Dumbledore gently as he put a hand on Holly's shoulder. He was looking at her paternally.

"Professor Dumbledore's right," said Mr. Winters nodding.

There were still tears glistening in his blue eyes.

Holly tried to argue, but shut her mouth and nodded, defeated.

"Miss Granger? Why don't you take Holly back to the hospital wing? Madam Pomfrey can give her a Dreamless Sleep potion," said Professor Dumbledore kindly.

I nodded and walked over to Holly and wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

"I see she has good friends," Mr. Winters replied, smiling at Ron, Harry and me.

I smiled back.

"Oh yes. These three are wonderful," said Professor Dumbledore smiling and winking at us.

Before I led Holly to the wing, Mr. Winters hugged his daughter once again, tightly.

"I love you, Hol," said Mr. Winters.

"I love you too, Dad," she sobbed back.

Her father released her and then the four of us led her out of Dumbledore's office and down to the hospital wing.

HOLLY.

Sleep sounded wonderful at this point. Professor Dumbledore was absolutely right. I needed to worry about what was happening now...at this moment.

Hermione began helping me to the hospital wing.

En route, another flash went off before my eyes. I stopped walking and grabbed her arm. Ron and Harry were next to me, but I wasn't aware of it at the moment. I saw a girl with brown hair standing by a window, then, the next minute, she was falling out of it. I heard her screaming all the way down.

When the flash vanished, I dug the heels of my hands into my temples and bent over slightly.

"She had another premonition," Ron said, studying me.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"A girl with brown hair fell out of a window," I replied, straightening up.

Hermione went pale.

"B-brown hair?" she stammered nervously.

"Relax...I don't think it was you," I said, shutting my eyes briefly, then re-opening them. "The hair was straight."

Hermione relaxed.

"Who has brown hair that we know of?" Ron asked as we continued to walk to the common room.

"Let's see...about...almost everyone?" Harry said, sighing.

"Did you see details?" Hermione asked.

I shut my eyes again, trying to remember.

The premonition began coming back slowly, but not clear. I caught sight of a scarlet and gold crest on the robe. Then, it completely vanished.

"Someone in Gryffindor," I said, firmly. "I just saw the crest."

Hermione went pale again.

"We're going to have to find out who it is," said Harry.

Madam Pomfrey gave me the Dreamless Sleep potion that night. I slept peacefully for the whole night. The next morning, we went to Divination next. Hermione went to Arithmancy. Ron, Harry and I climbed to the tower. The classroom was always hot with a fire going. Poufs were set up in front of tables. We sank into a pouf at one of the tables at the back. There was always a smell of perfume, which made us all sleepy sometimes. Professor Trelawney appeared. She was wearing dark blue robes, along with her many necklaces and bracelets around her neck and wrists. Her over-sized glasses were the same also.

"M' dears, I have some grave news...one of you will leave us forever," she said, in her misty voice. "Sometime today."

Lavender and Parvati leaned forward as they gasped. The class was silent and foreboding.

"Here it comes. I wonder how I'm going to die this time? Asphyxiation?" Harry muttered.

Ron sniggered. I jabbed him and Harry in the ribs and glared at them reprovingly.

Professor Trelawney's eyes moved onto Parvati.

At once, I understood, as Professor Trelawney said nothing else. It was Parvati.

"It's Parvati!" I hissed to Ron and Harry.

"Sure?" Harry asked, leaning close.

I nodded.

We began the lesson. I kept a close eye on Parvati.

In the middle of the lesson, she got up and went over to the window. I grabbed Harry's arm tightly. He and Ron also turned their eyes onto Parvati.

We watched.

Sure enough the dark figure appeared and hovered outside the window in front of Parvati. I jumped to my feet and lunged for Parvati. Something appeared to tug her out the window. I managed to grab a hold of her feet before she fell completely out. I was now leaning on my stomach on top of the windowpane. Parvati was screaming as her hair dangled sixty feet above the grounds. I began sliding myself and almost felt myself falling out with her until I felt Harry's arms around my waist pulling me back. Then, Ron's arms went around Harry, almost like a human chain. Professor Trelawney stood completely stunned. The rest of the students rushed over to try and help also. Parvati was screaming.

"Don't let me go, Holly!" she cried, arching her head to look up at me.

The dark shape went right through Parvati. She gasped for a moment and went completely limp.

"Parvati?" I asked, wincing as I tried to help pull her up.

Parvati then began sobbing

"Help! Pull me up!" she sobbed.

We began frantically trying to pull her up, but my grip on her ankles was starting to slip. I desperately tried to hang on. It was starting to get extremely hard. I began slipping forward myself. The dark shape once again went right through her, like a ghost. My grip was loosened completely. She screamed as she fell. I ended up falling out myself, but I managed to grip onto the ledge. Harry was leaning out, grabbing my wrists.

"I'm not going to let you go," he said, as I felt him pulling me up with all his strength.

After three minutes of dangling, slowly, I began being pulled back through the window. Once I was back inside the classroom, I just threw my arms around Harry's neck and hugged him, not wanting to let go. I burst into tears again. Another innocent student was dead.

Someone ran and got Dumbledore. I was still clinging to Harry.

"Ok, Holly. I think you can let Harry breathe freely," said Dumbledore kindly as I felt him gently trying to pry my arms off of Harry.

It was a battle, but Dumbledore finally managed to pry my arms off of Harry. No matter how many times I've seen a premonition and someone dying, it still turns my stomach and makes me shake and sick. No one should ever get used to seeing people dying. No one.

I had no idea the worst was yet to come.