Revelation

REVELATION

CHAPTER FOUR-THE FIRE

I stood, and began screaming. Harry rushed forward and threw his arms around me but I couldn't wrap my arms around him. I was still frozen and terrified.

I just allowed him to hug me.

"Go get Professor Dumbledore! NOW!" Harry yelled as he tried to keep me from looking at Neville.

Ron nodded and tore from the common room. Alex appeared next from the boys' dorm looking pale and sick himself. He slumped against the wall.

About five minutes later, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape appeared.

"Good heavens," Professor McGonagall said, raising a hand to her mouth when she saw Neville.

"Take Miss Granger into the hall," Professor Dumbledore said gently. "Professor Snape, please give Miss Granger an Anewit Potion to ease her nerves."

Harry practically had to drag me out of the common room, followed by Professor Snape.

We waited in the hall until Professor Snape came back a few minutes later with a small tube of pink liquid. He handed it to Harry.

"Here," he replied.

Harry took it and gently poured it into my mouth. I swallowed and then finally began breathing normally.

"Might I suggest taking her up to Madam Pomfrey? She is more than likely going to need a Dreamless Sleep potion," Professor Snape said smoothly.

Harry didn't answer him, but began helping me up to Madam Pomfrey's.

Sure enough, Madam Pomfrey gave me the Dreamless Sleep potion and I drifted off peacefully into a deep sleep.

The next morning, I awoke to find Harry still sitting by my bed in a chair.

He smiled.

"Morning," he said gently.

"Morning," I said as I groggily sat up and rubbed the back of my neck. "What happened to Neville?"

Tears began forming in my eyes.

Harry sighed.

"Don't know,"

"Harry, remember I saw Neville with his throat torn?" I asked in shaky voice.

Harry nodded.

"Well it really happened didn't it?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah," Harry replied just as quietly.

"You didn't hear anything weird?" I asked him.

Harry frowned.

"No, but I could smell something horrible though," he said thoughtfully. "Like decay and dirt,"

"That's what I smelled too before Neville..." my voice trailed off as the image of Neville's body flew at me on the staircase.

"Listen. Don't worry," Harry said leaning forward so that our faces were inches apart. My stomach flipped again.

"They'll find out what happened," he added reassuringly.

I smiled again and so did Harry. He put a hand on my arm. Just then, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall entered the hospital wing. Harry kept his hand on my arm.

"How are you feeling, Miss Granger?" Professor Dumbledore asked gently.

"Okay. But what happened to Neville?" I asked looking from Dumbledore to McGonagall.

"We still don't know. We know he was attacked by something, but what, we have no idea yet. No one in the dorm heard or saw anything, but they all claimed to have smelled something horrible," Professor McGonagall said sadly.

"Are you alright now?" Professor Dumbledore asked me.

I nodded, but I felt sick every time I saw Neville.

"Do you feel up to going to class?" Professor McGonagall asked.

I nodded. It might be good to get back to a routine to try and keep my mind off what I had seen.

"Okay," Professor McGonagall said.

Harry gently helped me to my feet. Professor Dumbledore put a hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze as I passed him.

"Don't worry. We'll find out what happened," he said kindly.

I nodded again, feeling a bit better.

We then headed back to Gryffindor tower.

Everyone was talking. Neville's body was gone and there had been a patch of blood on the floor of the common room which was also gone.

"What on earth happened?"

"No one saw anything?"

"...or heard anything?"

As soon as we entered the common room, Lavender rushed over and gave me a hug.

"Are you okay now?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah, thanks," I said.

"Isn't it weird that no one saw or heard anything but they could smell something horrible?" Amy said nervously.

She looked as bad as I felt.

"I know, but Dumbledore is sure he will figure out what happened," Harry said calmly.

They all nodded subdued.

"Alex, did you hear or see anything?" I asked suddenly.

Alex looking up from talking to Ginny. "Nope. I don't really remember much,"

I nodded.

Then, I saw the girl with the Ravenclaw robes that looked like she had been burnt in a fire.

I grabbed Harry's arm.

"I see that girl again with the Ravenclaw robes!" I whispered.

She was standing behind Ginny and Alex.

Harry followed my gaze. "There's no one there though,"

"I see her plain as day!" I cried.

The Gryffindors all looked at Ginny.

"We can see her too, Hermione," Lavender said slowly.

"No! There's a girl standing behind Ginny with Ravenclaw robes! She looks like she had been burnt!" I cried.

All heads turned to look behind Ginny.

"No one there, Hermione," Ginny replied looking worried and scared.

"She needs help I think," Ron said gravely. "I think she's snapped."

"I have not snapped!" I yelled at him.

"Hermione, there really is no one there though," Harry said quietly.

"You said you believed me!" I rounded on him.

"I do. I do believe you are seeing 'ghosts',"

"Then why are you talking like you think I'm crazy?" I shouted.

"Because how come no one else can see them? Huh?" Harry shouted back. "Why is it only you who see them?"

HARRY.

I felt bad, but I was curious as to why only Hermione could see these 'ghosts'. I wanted to help her most definitely. I didn't understand why Ron turned his back on her in way. He should've believed her. She never lied and why would she start now? It didn't make any sense.

Hermione's eyes filled with tears.

"I don't know! Okay? I just want to stop seeing them! I don't know why I'm the only one but I'M NOT CRAZY!" Hermione yelled as she turned around and stormed out of the common room.

Suddenly, Ginny's face filled with realization.

"Wait a moment..." she began. Everyone watched her.

"I read in a Muggle book once that people with near death experiences could sometimes see images,"

"You mean like ghosts?" Ron asked scornfully.

Ginny nodded, but glared at Ron. "I read a few cases where people that have died and come back could see spirits afterwards. Those cases were documented,"

I turned and ran from the common room.

Hermione was walking briskly down the corridor. She angrily wiped the tears from her eyes as I caught up with her.

"Hermione..." I began.

"Leave me alone, traitor," she snapped.

"I'm sorry...okay? Ginny just told us that she read in a book that people with near death experiences could see spirits afterwards. She said there were a few documented cases," I said as I struggled to keep up with her.

She stopped walking and whirled around to face me.

Her cheeks were shiny from tears and her eyes were red and bloodshot.

"I expected you to believe me because you can see the Threstrals and I can't and I believed you! I didn't question your sanity. I know that that is different from me, but I thought you of all people would be on my side! I know Ron doesn't believe me," Hermione said angrily.

I felt guilty. "I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

Hermione studied me for a moment.

"Fine," she grumbled.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To Professor Dumbledore. Maybe he can explain to me what is going on," Hermione replied.

"I'm coming," I said.

We headed to Professor Dumbledore's office.

HERMIONE.

We entered Professor Dumbledore's office. There were delicate silver instruments on spindle legged tables. The portraits of former witches and wizards were talking to one another in their frames. Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk in a high backed chair that was covered in red velvet. He had been reading a book, but looked up when we entered the office. His half moon spectacles had slid half way down his nose. His blue eyes twinkled behind them.

"Miss Granger...Harry. What can I do for you?" he asked gently closing the book gently.

With a wave of his wand, two comfortable looking chairs appeared in front of his desk.

We sat down. The portraits became silent and watched us curiously.

"I think I'm going mad," I said as I felt tears forming in my eyes. " I keep seeing these ghosts but no one else can see them."

"You are not mad, Miss Granger. It is common after a near death experience that you might have some unusual gift," Professor Dumbledore said kindly. "I have read documented cases like this before."

"That's what Ginny said but people still think I'm mad," I replied.

"Because they don't understand. They act like that when there are things they do not understand. I know Harry does," Professor Dumbledore said looking at Harry.

He nodded.

"At least you've got one person that believes you. Focus on that. I gather Mr. Weasley doesn't believe you?"

I nodded miserably.

"He probably has a hard time believing that there are things in the 'after life'," Professor Dumbledore said. "Is there a particular ghost you keep seeing? Other than the ones here at Hogwarts?"

I nodded. "I keep seeing a girl with Ravenclaw robes. She looks like she had been burned in a fire. She has brown hair and blue eyes,"

Professor Dumbledore was silent.

"I think I can explain that one," he said. "You see, about 11 years ago, there was a tragic fire in the Great Hall. It started near the Ravenclaw table. One girl had gotten her skirt caught on the chair and couldn't free herself. Everyone else managed to get out. She had been burned alive. The thing is, we don't know who started the fire."

I raised a hand to my mouth.

"She tried to set fire to me while I was still in bed,"

"Is that what happened before?" Dumbledore asked alert.

I nodded.

I saw the girl again beside Dumbledore.

"She's here now," I whispered.

The girl came over to me. I sat, clutching the arm rests. Professor Dumbledore and Harry watched me intently.

The room got extremely cold. My breath was coming out in puffs of steam. The girl leaned close.

"Tell Professor Dumbledore that I had accidentally set fire because I was showing my best friend the lighter and I dropped it," the girl said in a whispery voice.

"She said that she accidentally set fire because she was showing her best friend the lighter and she dropped it," I relayed to Professor Dumbledore.

I was still shivering and breathing rapidly.

"Why'd she set fire to your bed with you still in it?" Harry asked angrily.

"I didn't mean it. I was just trying to get your attention," the girl said.

"She didn't mean it. She was just trying to get my attention," I said.

"What a way," Harry snorted.

"Thank you!" the girl said and then vanished.

The ice coldness stopped and the room returned to the normal temperature.

"She's gone," I replied.

"Maybe the reason she stayed behind was to tell me what happened?" Professor Dumbledore mused. "Maybe she needed you because you were the only one who can see and help her."

I looked at Harry.

"I also saw this boy with part of his skull missing," I replied to Dumbledore.

"Hmm...that one I don't know. Maybe he will come to you in time for help? It's possible that that is why you were given the gift...to help," Dumbledore said.

I nodded.

"Don't worry about what the others think...okay?" Professor Dumbledore said gently.

I nodded again.

"Thanks. Good-bye Professor," I said gratefully.

He winked as Harry and I stood up and left his office.

We began walking down the corridor back to the common room. We had classes in 10 minutes. Harry and I walked side by side, our shoulders occasionally bumping.

I glanced at him.

He saved my life twice without thought to his own safety. I also began wondering why my stomach flipped each time he looked directly into my eyes. Could I be falling in love with him? Is that what's happening? I mean, we've been best friends for nearly six years now. Next year will be our last and after that, who knows what's going to happen. We'll be going our separate ways possibly. Could my feelings be changing toward him?

I shook my head.

"You okay?" Harry asked immediately noticing that I had shaken my head.

"Yeah," I said smiling.

"Good." Harry replied grinning back.

Just then, a blast of ice cold air passed through me. I gasped and grabbed Harry's arm.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Something's here," I replied slowly.

"One of the ghosts?" Harry whispered. "Is it one of Hogwarts'?"

"No...this one is...evil," I replied.

Just then, I heard a cackle behind us. I slowly turned around and so did Harry.

There stood the boy with part of his head missing. He had his wand aimed at us.