The Cruel Plan

The next morning Ginny Weasley sat in the Great Hall. Although, Ginny was extremely beautiful she wasn't vain. She had flame red hair that fell around her perfectly pale face. She had a few freckles, but mostlyaround her nose, and hazel colored eyes. She knew she was pretty, but she didn't know that most guys looked at her when she entered the room. Anyways, this morning she was sitting with Hermione Granger, who hadbecome a best friend of hers. They had alot in common. And at the moment were involved in a conversation while they waited for Ron and Harry to come down to breakfast.

"I wonder whats taking them so long." Hermione said for what must have been the hundredth time.

"Me too. I bet they just overslept. We were up for a long time last night," Ginny said with a yawn.

"Any ways, Hagrid is supposed to introduce us to flying horses. I can't wait. I grew up riding horses."

"Really?"Ginny said didn't bother to hide the envy in her voice. Sheknew how to ride, but she didn't get to very often.

"Yeah, I used to have this horse named..."But Hermione never got tofinish her sentence because all of a sudden screams had erupted from theEntrance Hall.

"Help! Someone get one of the professors!" is what one voice screamed.

As they hastily got up and ran out to the Entrance Hall, Hermione andGinny shot scared glances at each other . It didn't take long to findout what everyone was screaming about. About seven students were lying onthe ground unconscious. Harry and Ron among them. Malfoy also was amongthe unconscious though Hermione and Ginny hadn't noticed this becausethey were preoccupied with Harry and Ron. When they heard urgent footsteps, Ginny looked up to discover Professor Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey, and quite a few other professors quickly walking over towards the unconsious bodies. Seven of them conjured stretchers. Ginny and Hermione as well as a few other students tried to follow as they took the students to the Hospital Wing, but they were told to stay.

Professor Dumbledore looked back when the unconscious students had disappeared from sight, and said, "Anyone who knows anything about what happened should tell me now."

A few students started to speak, but it was like trying to understand a foreign language that you didn't know. Dumbledore but up both his hands and simply said," One at a time if you please."

"Professor, I was there when it all happened. I can tell you my version."

"Please do, Mr. Finch-Fletchley." Dumbledore replied as he turned around to look Justin Finch-Fletchly in the face.

"I'm not sure what started it exactly, Professor. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Draco Malfoy were among the unconscious, but it wasn't another duel between them that somehow went haywire. Some of the Slytherin's upset the Ravenclaws again. Really bad this time. I don't know which student or students cast the spells, but all of a sudden there was black streaked silver spells bouncing of the walls. Alot of people managed to duck them, but those seven,"He said nodding his head in the direction of the Hospital Wing, "didn't. I'm only sorry I don't know who the culprit is, Professor, otherwise I'd tell you right now."

"Thank you, Mr. Finch-Fletchley, I'm sure that'll be enough for now, unless anyone else knows anything?"

A lot of people looked at the floor, obviously Justin had told the story correctly and there was nothing else to add to it or they didn't want to be snitches.

"Well, I'll take it that no one else has anything to say." Professor Dumbledore said as he made to turn away and head up the the Hospital Wing to check on the students.

"Professor..."some muttered cautiously.

"Yes, Miss Fawcett?"Again, Dumbledore turned to face the speaker.

"I'm not sure who the student was, but if I'm right he or she was in Ravenclaw...." she trailed off, looking a bit ashamed at haveing ratted out another student.

"Thank you, Miss Fawcett."

"Your welcome, sir." She muttered looking at the floor.

"Professor," Ginny started cautiously, "Would it be ok if me and Hermione went to see Ron and Harry?"

"Yes, but before everyone starts flooding in there, I would like to ask that you only go if you were a close friend or relative to the person or persons you are visiting so that it is not to terribly crowded. Oh, yes and please know that there is no promise that Madam Pomfrey will let you in."And with that Professor Dumbledore left, walking towards the Hospital Wing at a steady pace.

It was a moment before anyone moved again, and when they did a great majority of them headed back to the Great Hall or their common room.

About eight or ten headed towards the Hospital Wing, all walking at a slow sort of pace.

"I wonder what happened,"Hermione said as she stared at the ground.

"It couldn't have been too terrible if they were still breathing,"Ginny said, but she said it as if she was doubtful.

"Yeah..."Hermione replied.

When they all reached the Hospital Wing, Ginny tentatively opened the door and peeped in. Madam Pomfrey was on the other side of the Wing.

"Um...Madam Pomfrey, would it...er...be ok if we visited them?"

At first Ginny and the others almost thought that she was going to say no, but with a sigh she said, "Alright."

Ginny and Hermione walked over to Ron and Harry's beds. They looked as if they were merely sleeping but would wake up any minute."Madam Pomfrey,"Hermione began,"could I ask you some questions?"

"Sure," she replied as she walked over to Hermione and Ginny. "What do you want to know?"

"What kind of spell was it that hit all these students?"

"I'm not sure," Madam Pomfrey said as she rubbed her forehead,"but it was a sleeping charm. Really strong one from the looks of it. Had to have been an older student. I've tried Waking Charms, and potions. No effect. I guess we'll just have to wait for it to wear off."

"Wow, that sounds like its serious. One of the students said that it was a black and silver spell. We haven't studied sleeping charms. Must have been a seventh year, who's already had charms or is familiar with sleeping charms."

"Black and silver you say? Best check with Professor Flitwick, he'd know, or at least a spell thats similar anyways."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey."

"Your welcome, Hermione."

As Madam Pomfrey walked away, Hermione whispered to Ginny, "Come on to the library. You can always find what you need there, if you know where to look."

Ginny trotted behind Hermione as they walked, or rather ran, to the library. Ginny was glad it was a Saturday otherwise she would have refused. When they got to the library, Hermione walked quickly towards the section with all the books on charms. She walked up and down the aisle until she found a book that looked like it would be of help. Sleeping:A Simple Charm by Angelica Greenbell.

"If there's a book that'll tell us what kind of spell it was I'll bet my life on this book."

"Ok."

Ginny followed Hermione over to a table and watched as Hermione looked at the table of contents. When she began flipping the pages Ginny anxiously watched until she stopped on page 202, which Ginny noticed the chapter title was Powerful Sleep Charms. Hermione ran her finger down the pages and wound up on page 205 when she found a spell that sounded like the one that had been used on their fellow students. It read :

The Krefead Spell

The Krefead sleeping spell is among one of the most powerful sleeping spells. There are few
counterspells that are known to work, and it takes a powerful witch or wizard to perform the
spell.A victim of the spell can be asleep for any amount of time. Some have been known to sleep
for days. When this spell is emitted from the wand it appears to be a black-silvery light if
performed properly....

"This has to be it," Hermione said.

"Yeah," Ginny replied as she pulled a quill and piece of parchment from her robes. She handed these over to Hermione, who began to scribble down some things about the spell.

"I just hope that Harry and Ron don't sleep for days."

"Yeah, me too." Ginny replied, "Do you want to go check on them again?"

"Sure."

They talked all the way to the Hospital Wing. When the got there they walked over to where Harry and Ron were but were surprised to see the beds empty. "Madam Pomfrey," Hermione began," what happened to Harry and Ron?"

Madam Pomfrey appeared out of her office and said,"They woke up shortly after you two left. Their talking to Dumbledore at the moment. Now if you'll excuse me I have some work to do."Madam Pomfrey clearly wasn't pleased that they were out of the Hospital Wing so soon.

Hermione was already outside the door and Ginny was about to follow when she heard a moan.