Revelation

REVELATION

CHAPTER THREE-THE NEW STUDENT

Everyone woke up. I heard a voice say, "FINITE INCANTATUM!" and the fire was put out. Luckily, my feet had missed the flames by inches.

"Hermione! Are you alright?" Lavender asked worriedly. "What on earth happened?"

"I d-don't know! There was a girl standing at the foot of my bed and she had a Muggle lighter!" I cried.

"There's no one here now, Hermione," Lavender said worriedly. "What did she look like?"

"She had brown hair and blue eyes with Ravenclaw robes," I replied.

"It's impossible for a Ravenclaw to get in here. They don't know the password," said Amy nervously.

"I think you'd best get Professor Dumbledore," Lavender said.

Amy nodded and ran from the room.

Lavender led me to the Gryffindor common room to sit and wait for Professor Dumbledore. He arrived shortly with Professor McGonagall.

"Now, explain to me what happened?" Professor Dumbledore asked calmly.

"Well, I was sleeping and around midnight I felt the room become very cold to the point that my breath was coming out in puffs of steam. I looked at the foot of my bed and there was a girl dressed in Ravenclaw robes! It looked like she had been burned or something and then she pulled out a lighter and lowered it to the bed sheets," I said.

"Did you see the flames?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Lavender nodded.

"I don't think Miss Granger did that to herself. She doesn't carry a Muggle lighter," Professor Dumbledore said. "Do you?"

I shook my head. "No,"

"I shall investigate this further. For now, Professor McGonagall I would like you to keep an eye on Miss Granger as the tabby. It would be less conspicuous," Professor Dumbledore said. "Miss Brown, please do not breathe a word of this to anyone until we find out what happened."

Professor McGonagall changed into the silver tabby cat and followed me back into the girls' dorm. She curled up on the edge of my bed and watched me until I fell asleep.

The next morning I awoke to find Professor McGonagall in her human form at the end of the bed.

"Please let me know if anything unusual happens okay?"

I nodded as she left.

I got dressed and headed downstairs to the Great Hall where Harry and Ron were already deep in conversation.

They looked up as I entered.

"Hey! How are you feeling today?" Harry asked brightly as I took a seat next to him.

"Okay," I said quietly.

"Something happened...didn't it?" Harry asked shrewdly narrowing his eyes.

I sighed but I couldn't tell him in front of Ron because Ron thinks I've flipped my wig.

"I'll tell you later," I whispered to him.

He nodded and Ron was looking from me to him with curiosity but then perked up.

"Hey! Isn't the new student coming?" he asked brightly.

"Yeah. I think so," I replied.

"Can't wait to see him. I wonder if he likes Quidditch?" Ron mused.

"I don't know anyone that doesn't like Quidditch...well, that isn't a girl," Harry replied grinning.

I looked at him scandalized. "So what are Katie and Angelina? Boys in disguise?" I demanded.

He looked flustered. "What I mean is that..."

His voice trailed off as I cut him off.

"You're sexist," I snapped.

"If I was that, I wouldn't approve of Katie and Angelina on the team and I know they are great players," Harry replied. "And I do approve of them. You know I'm not like that!"

"Just them? What about other girls? Do you think they couldn't do the job?"

Harry looked as though he stuck his foot in it which, he did.

"Hermione please. You've known me for like what? Six years now? Have I ever made sexist comments before?" Harry said sighing.

"No,"

"Well?"

"But the way you said..."

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it the way it came out. Girls can do Quidditch just as well as boys and in any thing," Harry replied smiling.

I began feeling my anger ebbing away and I smiled back at him.

Ron shook his head.

"It was an honest mistake," I snapped at Ron.

Ron held his hands up in a defensive position. "Hey. Relax. I know,"

I began helping myself to some oatmeal and eggs.

Just then Professor Dumbledore arose from his seat and everyone quieted down.

"Today we will be expecting the new student from Dralmon Magical Academy. I hope you will all be hospitable and show him kindness," Professor Dumbledore explained. Just then Filch entered the Hall and hurried over to the Head table.

He and Dumbledore were whispering then Filch headed back out.

"Our guest has arrived," Professor Dumbledore said brightly.

The double doors that led from the front vestibule into the Great Hall opened and all heads turned around to get a look at the new student.

Whispers began floating around. The boy was about our age with short dark blond hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in a uniform which consisted of a pair of emerald green slacks, a white shirt which, was under a red V-necked vest, a solid green tie and a black robe over that with a red, white and green crest.

"Well, his looks certainly aren't anything to consider," I heard Lavender whisper to Ginny. "And he seems weird."

"That's cruel," Ginny said to her looking annoyed.

But I secretly had to admit to myself that Lavender was right on the 'seems weird' part. There was something odd about him. He was slightly pale and he kept nervously looking around as though waiting for someone to pounce on him.

Plus, the way he carried himself...like he wanted to disappear and he was slightly hunched over.

"This is Alex Rivers," Professor Dumbledore introduced. "Alex? You may take a seat and any table."

I saw a large trunk waiting by the door next to Filch.

Alex nervously took a seat at the Ravenclaw table.

"Ravenclaw, Filch," Professor Dumbledore said kindly.

Filch began muttering something but began carrying the trunk up the stairs to the Ravenclaw tower.

"I bet he enjoyed that," Ron muttered.

Harry snorted.

"He probably even uses the litter box with Mrs. Norris,"

"Gross!" Ron laughed.

The bell rang, ending breakfast. We headed to our next class which was Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid.

I was a little apprehensive when we met Hagrid in front of a large paddock.

Hagrid still looked guilty.

"I'm so sorry, 'Ermione. I feel so terrible," Hagrid said quietly.

"Hagrid...it's okay. I understand," I said soothingly.

Hagrid looked slightly better.

"What are we learning about today? Rynells?" Malfoy asked rolling his eyes.

Rynells were dangerous creatures. A cross between a cow and a bear.

"No," Hagrid said looking upset. "We're learning about Cryslers."

"Cryslers? Isn't that a Muggle car manufacturer?" Ron asked tilting his head.

"No you dolt. 'Chrysler' is a Muggle car manufacturer. Cryslers are a cross between a horse and a sheep," I replied.

"They're harmless," Hagrid continued.

Two Crysler's walked toward us. They were white in color. They had a horses' face with two horns like a male sheep just above each eye that turned back. Their mane and tails were thick and long. Their hooves were that of a sheep as well. Their eyes were a light brown. Their ears pricked forward when they saw us. One came over and stuck its head over the top railing of the paddock.

It eagerly nudged my shoulder. I smiled and reached up to stroke the forehead. It closed its eyes blissfully.

"He likes yeh, 'Ermione!" Hagrid beamed.

The rest of the class stepped forward and began petting the Cryslers. I looked up and saw the new student coming across the grounds. I nudged Harry.

"I thought he was staying with the Ravenclaws?" Ron mused also looking up and seeing him.

"Me too," I said slowly.

Again, that bad feeling returned as Alex approached.

"And who might yeh be?" Hagrid asked gently.

"Alex. I'm new here," he replied quietly.

"Ah. Step forward. They won' hurt yeh," Hagrid said beaming.

Just as Alex went to step forward, the Crysler that I was petting suddenly laid back its ears and the whites of the eyes were showing.

The other Crysler began getting agitated also.

"LOOK OUT!" I heard Ron cry.

The Cryslers charged the paddock. Harry grabbed me and threw me to the ground, covering my body with his and he kept his arm over my head as hooves galloped over us, nearly missing our heads, arms and legs.

The Crysler's were loose on the grounds and galloped away, heading for the Forbidden forest.

After a few moments, Harry let me up.

"Are you okay?" he demanded anxiously helping me up.

"Yeah. Thanks," I said smiling.

This was the second time he's saved me. I started to feel closer to him than I have before and a strange feeling settled in my stomach. It flipped whenever he looked at me.

"Odd...summat must've spooked 'em," Hagrid said scratching his head.

"Is she okay?" Alex asked Harry.

"Yeah," I replied.

"I'm so sorry. For some reason animals don't seem to like me very much," Alex apologized looking solemn.

"I can't imagine why," we heard Malfoy snicker.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Ron snapped at him.

Alex came over and stood with us.

The bell rang, ending Care of Magical Creatures and we began walking back to the castle. The Slytherins were walking a head of us and Alex was walking with us.

"We thought you were staying with the Ravenclaws?" Ron asked Alex.

"I was. For some reason they didn't feel comfortable with me and tossed me out," he said sighing.

"That's weird," Harry mused. "So you have no place to sleep now?"

Alex shook his head miserably.

"Stay with us. There's plenty of room," Ron suggested.

"Really?"

Harry and Ron nodded.

"Great!" Alex beamed.

We entered Transfiguration class and took our seats. Alex took a seat behind me. I was sitting in between Ron and Harry. Today we were learning how to transfigure a kitten into a puppy.

During the class, the room suddenly became ice cold. My breath came out in puffs of steam. I gripped the desk and slowly turned my head to look toward the window. To my surprise, Neville stood. His throat had been torn and the collar of his robes was stained with blood. But Neville was sitting in front of us perfectly fine. I shivered and then the coldness vanished.

"Hermione? Are you okay? What did you see?" Harry whispered leaning close.

I pried my hands off the desk. There were imprints left behind.

I whispered to him what I saw.

"Neville's okay though," Harry said reassuringly.

"I know...but I saw what I saw," I said.

Harry put a hand over mine and gave it a gentle squeeze before returning to his kitten.

That night, after dinner, we all headed to our common rooms. Alex had to go and retrieve his trunk from Ravenclaw tower. Harry, Ron and I were sitting in the common room.

"Poor guy seems like he's treated crappy," Ron said.

"I know," Harry said. "He seems nice."

I didn't want to voice my feelings about Alex in front of Ron because he'd tell me I was paranoid and delusional.

"Hermione? What do you think?" Ron asked turning to me.

"Oh yeah. He seems nice," I said forcing a smile.

Ron seemed satisfied with that and then when Alex returned, we all headed to bed.

Around midnight, I was woken up, as well as the others in the girls' dorm by a loud crash coming from the boys' dorms.

"What's going on?" Lavender mused.

"I'll go see," I offered as I tossed off my covers and padded out of the girls' dorms into the common room.

The common room was empty. As I proceeded to the boys' dorms, I heard a snarling and got a whiff of something foul. It smelled like blood and decay. Wincing, I pressed the top of my wrist against my nostrils and stood at the bottom of the staircase.

I heard a yell then a 'thud'. I watched curiously.

There was complete silence after that.

"H-hello?" I asked nervously as I began slowly ascending the staircase.

There was no answer. I reached the fourth or fifth step when that horrible smell invaded my nostrils again.

"Ugh...what is that?" I mused aloud.

"Hermione?" a voice asked from behind me.

I jumped a mile from being startled. My heart was pounding in my chest as I turned around.

It was Lavender.

"Did you find out what that noise was?" she asked in a small voice.

"No. Do you smell that?" I asked.

Lavender nodded. "Gross...smells like a dog rolled in the dirt or something,"

She too winced and pressed the top of her wrist against her nostrils.

"I heard a yell and then a 'thud," I relayed to her.

"Why aren't the boys coming out of the dorm?" Lavender mused.

"I don't know either," I admitted.

Just then, we heard another noise. Lavender and I froze in place. The next thing I knew, something heavy was thrown at me, causing me to fall backwards off the stairs and land on my back. The object landed on top of me. I felt a warm liquid staining my robe. I slowly raised my hand and saw blood on it.

I pushed the object off of me. Lavender screamed bloodcurdlingly. I jumped to my feet and my breath began sawing in and out. Harry, Ron and everyone from the boys' dorm and the girls' came running out.

It was Neville. His throat had been torn out.