Eshu's Daughter

Ch. 10 - Petrified

Sundays were for sleeping. That was Kit's view on it anyway. Unfortunately her dorm mates didn't always agree. Kit growled as the dormitory door slammed back against the wall, sending a shiver through her bed curtains. Someone was going to die very shortly if that racket kept up.

Kit cracked an eye and glared through the closed curtains, trying to level whomever it was. The curtains were ripped back and Jynx's face appeared over her, white and anxious. Ah, Jynx realized death was imminent. Good. Maybe she'd apologize and keep it down so Kit could go back to sleep.

"Get up," Jynx barked at her and promptly withdrew.

Kit stared blankly at the spot Jynx had been standing seconds ago. She listened as Jynx moved to Annemette's bed and proceeded with her charming morning greeting. Oh yeah, Jynx was definitely going down now. Kit might have enjoyed sleeping in, but Annemette took her morning sabbatical very seriously. Waking her up was like poking Puck with a sharp stick and expecting him to smile.

Annemette's voice shot through the air, sizzling like a lightning bolt. "It's eight o'clock on a bloody Sunday! Let go of my bed curtains! I need my beauty sleep and I don't appreciate you interrupting it just because you're having another little crisis. For Merlin's sake, get Kit to fix whatever you've blown up."

Hey. Why me? Kit frowned into her pillow. Didn't she deserve a little beauty sleep? She had a lot more catching up to do than Annemette, anyway. Every morning, Annemette rolled out of bed looking perfect, while Kit always looked like something a cat had hacked up. And eight? That was practically sacrilegious. Nobody put so much as pinkie toe out of bed before nine, except Jynx.

"It's important," Jynx said in a high voice. "Just get out of bed all of you."

"You didn't really blow something up again did you?" Ellie's voice sounded muffled as though she was trapped in the bed curtains.

"This has got nothing to do with me. Something's happened. Something big."

With a defeated sigh, Kit slid her feet over the edge of the bed and rubbed her eyes blearily. The castle had better be on fire.

"Time to get up already?" Merrilee called. Her round face was peering through the bed curtains and she looked disgustingly cheerful.

In a few minutes they were standing clustered around Jynx, all looking rumpled, with lines from their pillows pressed into their cheeks. Except Annemette, of course. Kit traced her pale hair with narrowed eyes. She had to be using some sort of charm. Nobody looked that good in the morning. Jynx fidgeted and clutched a book tightly to her chest. Now that they were all up she didn't seem to know what to do and Kit had to resist the urge to wallop her with the book.

"Maybe we should - yes, yes I think we'd better. Why don't we sit down? This could take a while," Jynx said, motioning to the nearest bed. With glances ranging from merely curious to downright hostile the girls piled onto Merrilee's bed and watched Jynx expectantly. She had chosen to stand in front of them and rocked on her feet, clutching the book tighter.

"There - um - was an attack last night. On Mrs. Norris. She's been petrified and somebody's written a message all over the wall in the second floor corridor."

"That's not an emergency," Annemette said. "She probably just tattled on the wrong person to Filch. We're better off without that foul animal prowling the halls." Kit glared at her; maybe she'd wallop Annemette instead. That poor cat.

Merrilee stared intently at Jynx. "Petrified?"

Jynx nodded. "Dumbledore couldn't fix her either." Calliope drew in a quick breath and slid closer to Merrilee.

"What did the message say?" Ellie asked hesitantly.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware," Jynx recited in a hushed voice. Her eyes were wide and fearful.

"What a load of rubbish," Annemette snorted. "That doesn't even make any sense. What heir? And what bloody chamber? I can't believe you woke me up for this." Kit's eyebrows shot up, that was Annemette's second 'bloody' in less than ten minutes. Mornings definitely didn't agree with her.

"It looked like it was written in blood," Jynx snapped. Annemette's mouth drew taunt and Ellie gasped.

"Just a prank, I'm sure," Merrilee said. Her cheerfulness seemed to be fraying at the edges, but she kept a smile plastered on her face all the same.

"I got the last copy of Hogwarts, A History out of the library," Jynx said, brandishing the book at them.

"Good for you," Annemette snarled. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"Because," Jynx said with a glower, "It tells all about the Chamber of Secrets and the Monster of Slytherin."

"There's a monster?" Ellie squeaked.

"Would you all please shut up," Kit snapped, finally losing her temper. "Jynx, if you don't stop babbling and tell us straight out what's going on, I'll lock you in a closet with Graham."

Jynx gave an offended sniff and climbed up on the bed with the other girls. She let the book fall open to a page she'd marked with a quill. "I've been trying to tell you-" she began heatedly.

"Jynx," Kit ground out.

"Fine." She took a deep breath. "Last night, someone attacked that cat and painted a message in blood on the walls. And now everyone is saying that Harry Potter is the heir of Slytherin and that he's opened the Chamber," Jynx said.

"But Harry-" Merrilee began. Kit cut her off with a glare and nodded at Jynx to continue.

"Well he and his friends were found standing right in front of the message. So it looks pretty bad. Personally, I'm not sure he did it. But someone must have, because how else did Mrs. Norris get Petrified?"

"You were telling us about the Chamber," Kit said with another glare.

"Yeah, it's all here," Jynx pointed enthusiastically at the book. "When the four founders created Hogwarts, Slytherin built a secret chamber that the others didn't know anything about. And he hid a monster inside it - a monster that only he could control. Something really awful I'll bet. Anyway, you know there was this big argument between Gryffindor and Slytherin and Slytherin eventually left the school. But before he went he sealed the Chamber so that one day his heir could open it and release the monster inside. The monster is supposed to get rid of all the-" her voice faltered as she looked up at Kit.

"Get rid of what?" Kit demanded.

Merrilee's eyes widened with sudden comprehension and she also turned to stare at Kit. Jynx still hadn't continued and Kit was on the point of snatching the book away from her when Annemette's voice broke the silence.

"Muggle-borns. It was supposed to get rid of all the Muggle-borns, wasn't it?"

Jynx's eyes fell to the book, and she snapped it closed. "Yes."

Kit's hand trembled as she pushed back her hair. "Let me get this straight. You're saying that there is now a monster roaming the halls, just waiting to chuck us out of school?"

Jynx rubbed a hand over the book's warn cover. "Not exactly," she muttered.

"Then what exactly is it supposed to do?" Kit demanded.

"Kill us," Ellie said in a weak voice, leaning against Kit as though all of her bones had turned to Jell-o. "It's supposed to kill us. That's what monsters do."

***

By the following Saturday Ellie had finally stopped tiptoeing through the hallways. True, she still wouldn't go down the second floor corridor, which meant taking a longer route up to Charms on the third floor, but overall Kit thought she was doing much better.

The mood in the castle was tense and heavy. By now even those who hadn't found a copy of Hogwarts, A History had heard about the Chamber of Secrets. The new favorite pastime was speculating on what sort of monster might be stalking the castle and who might have set it loose. Well the last wasn't open to much speculation really; almost everyone agreed the culprit was Harry Potter. Kit and Ellie made sure to steer clear of him and his friends. Even if he wasn't Slytherin's heir, Kit had the feeling he was the sort that attracted trouble and she had quite enough of her own.

If she'd thought the taunts from Orva and her lot were bad before, it was nothing to the whispered comments she heard in the halls now. She'd been gritting her teeth so much it was a wonder she had any left. "Crawl home, filthy Mudblood," those faceless, sniveling cowards whispered, always when they were in big groups, and always when Kit would have trouble telling who'd said it.

Ellie would stiffen and her eyes fill with tears when she heard the taunts. Kit, on the other hand, had taken to carrying her wand at all times, ready to hurl hexes if she could figure out the speaker. She'd already sent two people to the infirmary with fungus sprouting from their faces. And as she'd become as adept at hiding her wand as she was at throwing curses, none of the teachers had caught her so far. It also helped that she was a Hufflepuff. Who could imagine a meek, hardworking Huff tossing out curses like flowers in a parade?

Kit glowered over her egg cup at the other students in Great Hall. She fingered her wand and tried to decide what new spell she'd try today if someone provoked her. There was a lovely Flaming Hair Curse she'd been considering. Ellie sighed beside her, poking at her toast and scattering crumbs all over the table. Toby pecked at them, greedily snatching the crumbs and eyeing her plate with interest.

"Morning Ellie, what's with the sour face? You doubting Gryffindor's ability to completely gut Slytherin today?" Spencer asked with a grin, sliding into the empty spot beside her. "They're buggered as far as I'm concerned, it'd probably be less embarrassing for those stupid Slytherins if they just didn't show up. Save themselves from being pounded mercilessly into the ground."

Ellie eyed him narrowly. "This isn't your table."

"Friendly," said another boy with a thick Irish accent, dropping down beside Spencer. He had black hair and more freckles than seemed possible. It looked as if someone had tossed cinnamon all over his face.

"She's certainly that," Spencer said with a laugh and he helped himself to the remains of Ellie's toast. "This is Brennan," he said, waving the toast and sending more crumbs hurtling onto the table.

"What do you want?" Ellie demanded.

"To see my darling sister of course," Spencer said with a straight face.

Ellie snorted. "You can see me from your table, and don't pinch my breakfast." She snatched the toast back from him and passed it to Toby. The owl looked as if Christmas had come early, grabbing the toast and taking flight before Ellie could change her mind. Spencer shrugged. He leaned across Ellie to steal Kit's toast with a grin while Ellie spluttered.

"I'm here," Spencer said, as though offering Ellie a treat, "to make sure you'll be cheering for Gryffindor in today's match." Ellie blinked.

"You know, the Quidditch match?" Spencer said. "Against Slytherin. You were going to attend, weren't you?"

"Well I have homework-" Ellie began, but he never let her finish.

"It's the first game of the season, you can't miss it. I've been watching the practices and it's just incredible El, much more fun than football or cricket. You have to go."

"What's Quidditch?" Kit interjected, hoping to head off an argument. Spencer leaned forward, his whole face lighting up. Brennan grinned and the two boys launched into an explanation of the sport that involved so much hand waving and so many enthusiastic nods that Kit began to get dizzy.

Ellie smacked Spencer on top of his head to get his attention, and he stopped mid-word, with one hand flapping energetically in imitation of the Snitch. "We're not going, Spence, we've got homework. And it's just a game anyway, you know I've never really liked sports."

Spencer rubbed his head and glared at her. "You came to all my cricket matches," he accused.

"Because mum made me," Ellie retorted.

Spencer's chin set in a stubborn look so similar to his sister's that Kit had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Brennan caught her eye and the two of them shared a smile.

"You can do homework tomorrow," Spencer insisted.

"I can do it today."

"I'd like to see the match," Kit said. Ellie's eyes swung to her with a wounded look. Kit raised a shoulder and gave Ellie a small smile. "It'd be nice to think about something besides school and the stupid Monster of Slytherin. Come on, Ellie, it might be fun."

"It's bound to be," Brennan said with nod, "our team's the strongest it's been in years if Oliver's to be believed. You haven't lived till you've seen Quidditch."

"See Ellie, how can you pass that up?" Spencer beamed.

"Easily," Ellie said with a snarl.

Spencer apparently decided to give up arguing with his sister and leant forward to look at Kit. "We'll meet you both in the hall at eleven, then. You can sit with us."

Before Ellie could object, Spencer sprang to his feet and Brennan was close behind. The two boys disappeared back to their tables so quickly it was like watching two whirlwinds pass by.

At eleven Kit was waiting in the front hall with Ellie beside her.

"This is so stupid, we could be working on our Potions paper," Ellie grumbled. She glared as a group of students hurried out the front doors, laughing and talking. "And it's going to rain. I am not sitting outside in the rain."

Spencer and Brennan, along with a crowd of other Gryffindor first-years, burst into the hall like a gaggle of excited magpies. They descended on Ellie and Kit and swept them out to the Quidditch stands. Kit found herself seated next to Ginny Weasley, who was looking pale and sickly as usual.

Ginny rarely talked, and lately she'd begun to resemble a frightened rabbit, starting at the smallest sounds and glancing around with wary eyes. What did she have to be so terrified of? The Weasleys were purebloods.

Kit smiled reassuringly. "Hi," she offered, leaning close so Ginny could hear her over the noise of so many students talking at once.

Before Ginny could answer, a snarl erupted from Puck's carrying pouch. Kit looked down at the pouch in surprise. Ginny edged away from her and the snarling stopped. Weird. Trying again, Kit scooted closer and shouted over the crowd. "We have Potions together-" She was cut off again by Puck's growls.

This time Kit backed away, and as soon as she had some space between the two of them, Puck fell silent. Ginny's eyes were fearful as they met Kit's briefly, and then the other girl got to her feet and scurried to sit next to one of her brothers a few rows below.

Ellie leaned over and shouted in Kit's ear, "What'd you say to her?"

"Nothing," Kit shouted back, "Puck started in before I got a chance."

Ellie's face settled into a scowl. "I told you he's got an attitude problem, the way he's always growling at people."

"Just Lockhart," Kit defended.

"Then what was that?" Ellie asked with pointed look.

"No clue," Kit said, staring again at the back of Ginny's head and trying to find an explanation. She gave up when the match started.

Her eyes shot back and forth across the pitch trying to figure out what was going on. Ellie must have figured it out a lot faster, because ten minutes into the game she was on her feet and screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Knock him off his broom! Send those snakes back to the locker room bawling!" Ellie bellowed. Kit stared at in shock. Spencer caught her eye and smirked. While Ellie was dancing on her seat and screeching a particularly violent suggestion to the Gryffindor beaters, Spencer leaned around her to shout at Kit, "You should see her at cricket matches."

***

Kit peeked an eye open. Light filtered through her bed curtains in apathetic wisps, struggling for a moment and then becoming lost in the comfortable darkness. She snuggled deeper into her covers and smothered a pillow against her chest. Beyond the curtains she could hear Merrilee's usual snores and the occasional rustle as one of the other girls shifted in her bed. Relief rippled through Kit. No frantic wake up calls this morning.

All week it had been like this. That cold moment of expectation each morning, wondering if today there would be another attack, another catastrophe. And each morning the welcome relief of hearing nothing more than her alarm or Annemette grumbling as she dragged herself out of bed.

Puck snuffled against Kit's cheek and she giggled, pushing him away.

"All right! I'm awake," she groused, "I'm awake." Puck eyed her doubtfully and nosed her cheek when she didn't move. "Keep it up and it's nothing but toast at breakfast mister, I mean it."

Puck nosed her again as though deliberately taunting her.

"Fine, not even toast. Maybe I'll buy you hedgehog pellets or something, no more yummy fruit and chicken tidbits." Kit pursed her lips, looking mournful. "No more scrumptious little nuts, no more treacle."

Puck growled. Treacle was his favorite treat, even if it did stick his mouth together and get all over his whiskers. It always took Kit three Cleaning Charms to make him presentable afterwards. She laughed, tapping his nose.

"Not so ready to wake me up now are we?"

With a last taunting smile, she rolled out of bed and made a blind grab for the robes she'd thrown over her trunk. Her t-shirt and jeans were lying just underneath. It only took a few minutes to get ready, and then she was tiptoeing out of the dorm with Puck tucked into his pouch at her side.

Kit beamed as she slid into her spot at the Hufflepuff table. She was the first one down, and that in itself was a first. Jynx, her nose buried in a book across from Kit, didn't count. She was always up early, so that was no accomplishment. Shoving aside a platter of toast, Kit made a spot for Puck by her plate and then pulled him out of his pouch.

"Morning," Kit said, deftly slicing an apple into tiny pieces.

Jynx's head jerked up and she blinked at Kit a moment before glancing around at the unoccupied seats. "Morning. Where are the others?"

"Still sleeping, it is Sunday," Kit said. She snagged a piece of apple for herself and popped it in her mouth while Puck glowered.

Jynx glanced at the bright sunshine sliding across the Great Hall ceiling and snorted. Without comment she returned to her book, occasionally nibbling on a piece of toast. Kit wondered idly what sort of hex Madam Pince would think up for someone befouling her books with breadcrumbs.

By the time Puck had finished gobbling his apple and Kit had polished off a large plate of eggs, the Great Hall was beginning to fill with students. The Hufflepuff girls marched into the room with dragging steps and puffy eyes.

"Bloody Snape," Ellie muttered as she fought a yawn and slid in next to Kit. "I still haven't finished that paper and I was up half the night." She threw a glare over her shoulder at the Gryffindor table, where Spencer had yet to make an appearance. "If we hadn't gone to that stupid game, I'd be done by now."

"You didn't seem to think it was stupid when you were screaming for the Slytherins to get pounded yesterday," Kit said with a smirk.

Ellie drew herself up and turned her glare on Kit. "I only went to that match for you-" she began huffily but Kit cut her off.

"Come on! You hugged Spencer when Harry Potter caught that snitch. Willingly."

"I did not!"

"Yep," Kit said with a particularly sweet smile. "And Colin got a picture of it. I can't wait till he gets that one developed. Just imagine it. You strangling Spencer in a bear hug and laughing yourself silly, while he tries to get away so he can breathe."

Ellie looked horrified. "You're lying. I did not hug my brother."

"Uh-huh. And like I said, it's all on film."

Before Ellie could do more than splutter, Spencer turned up and shoved his sister over so he could sit down between the two of them. Kit slid back to give him more room, which was a good thing, because Ellie was shoving right back and Spencer was in real danger of landing in Kit's lap.

"Knock it off," Spencer growled in a hoarse voice.

"You have your own table," Ellie said. "And it's the exact same food over there."

"Just shut it and listen. We're meeting after lunch, all the first-year Muggle-borns. I need you to let the other Hufflepuffs know."

"And why would I want to attend any meeting that involves you?" Ellie said with a sniff.

Spencer turned on Ellie so quickly that Kit was left staring at the back of his head in shock.

"Because," he said, the words low and harsh, "Colin Creevey is lying in the hospital wing Petrified. And I don't feel like explaining to mum how you ended up as a statue because you were too bloody thick to listen." He turned so that Kit was once more a part of the conversation. "We already know the damned creature is after Muggle-borns, and I'm not planning on waiting around for it to get me. Evan agrees. So we're organizing, and if you use your bonce for thinking instead of rabbiting," he paused to glare at his sister, "you'll be in the library after lunch with the rest of us."

Ellie's face had gone white, and she was clutching the table as though it was the only thing keeping her upright. "C-Colin-"

"I don't have time to go into it," Spencer cut in. "Just tell the other Huffs, OK?"

Ellie nodded faintly and Kit muttered an agreement as well. Spencer's grim expression softened and he patted Ellie awkwardly on the back. "It'll be all right, El. We're all in this together, and that thing's not getting one more of us. Not one."

Spencer shoved to his feet and looked down at the two of them, "Remember, after lunch in the library and don't walk there alone." Without waiting for a response, he disappeared back out the Great Hall's doors.

Kit had the sudden mad image of Spencer charging through the castle, slashing at shadows with a sword. How did he think a bunch of first-years were going to hold out against a monster? This wasn't some damned fairy tale where the valiant prince rides in and saves the day. This 'valiant prince' was probably dragon fodder, and seemed intent on taking his pals with him. Especially since he'd just stormed out of the hall by himself, ignoring his own advice to not traverse the halls alone. Idiot.

"He's crazy," Kit whispered.

Ellie snapped to life and suddenly got to her feet, yanking Kit up right along with her. "He isn't! And he's the only plan we've got so until we hear what's going on, we go with that."

Ellie pulled Kit down the table toward a small cluster of boys. Kit could feel the other first-year girls staring after them and thought she heard Annemette giggle. How much of their conversation had been overheard? Certainly not the part about Colin, or no one would be giggling.

Ellie stopped in front of two boys that Kit remembered only vaguely from their orientation. It took them several minutes to convince the boys, Padrig and Hugh, that they were not joking or being foolish. Padrig, dark haired and with eyebrows like furry caterpillars, was the more stubborn of the two. He insisted there was no monster and that the writing on the second floor was just a prank by some older student. Hugh didn't disagree with him. Actually Hugh didn't do much of anything; he seemed to fade right into the table with his brown hair and brown skin, so slight and small he seemed much younger than eleven. Finally, it was the mention of Colin lying Petrified in the hospital wing that made the boys reluctantly agree to the meeting.

"So we'll all go together after lunch," Ellie said, sounding like a drill sergeant. Kit pictured her frog marching the two boys into the library later if they gave her any trouble. A smile struggled and tugged at her lips, slightly shaky to be certain, but still a smile.

Kit wasn't sure what exactly happened between breakfast and lunch. It was all a blur in her mind - perhaps they never had left the Great Hall. It seemed as if one moment she was walking away from Padrig and Hugh and the next she was staring down at plate of some nondescript meat smothered in lumpy gravy. She poked at the lumps without interest, too anxious to eat and knowing it was still too early for their meeting.

The conversations around her were muted and more sporadic than usual. She supposed the news about Colin had finally reached the other students. Of course most of them don't have anything to worry about, she thought bitterly, stabbing her meat and twisting until it was reduced to a mangled heap. They aren't Muggle-born, they aren't marked.

Ellie nudged her and Kit gave up torturing her lunch. She shoved the plate away and only remembered to put Puck back in his pouch when he made a fretful noise and pushed at her hand. Had he been out all day? She threw a quick glance around the table but nothing was in splinters so she must have had him with her for at least part of the time.

"I'll go get Padrig and Hugh," Ellie said, motioning Kit away from the table. "We'll meet you at the door."

A moment later, the four of them were edging silently up the stairs. There was no need to talk, and Kit doubted if she was even capable at this point. Poor Colin. The reality of it was finally beginning to set in, and she kept picturing his happy face as he'd snapped pictures at the Quidditch match. Was it only yesterday?

Spencer was waiting for them at a large table in the very back of the library. Beside him sat a boy Kit didn't recall seeing before, though she supposed he must be in one of her classes. Quite frankly, she was shocked she hadn't noticed him, he so closely resembled a squat troll. His body was square and broad with thick hairy arms and fat knuckles like bolts. His short dark hair stood up oddly and his face was round with tiny dark eyes that seemed impossibly small.

Spencer nodded at them and motioned to the boy beside him. "This is Evan Izmirlian."

Evan gave a grim smile and looked appraisingly at the four of them. His eyes settled on Kit. "I remember you from Potions," he rasped. "You're the one set all those animals loose in the castle. Did something funny at Halloween too, didn't you?"

Kit flushed and tried to decide how to respond. Evan saved her the trouble by turning his eyes back to the others. "Can't recall any of your names though."

Ellie made quick introductions and the four of them found seats.

"How many people are coming?" Ellie asked.

Before Spencer or Evan could agree on an answer, more students came filing down the rows of books and headed for their table. Kit turned to watch them. Devon was leading the way, his hair in its usual mess and a bit of something staining the right side of his robes. Kit glanced down, but Merlin was nowhere to be seen. Behind Devon, two girls followed, one moving purposefully and frowning at Devon's back as though she longed to shove him out of the way. Kit liked her already. The other girl moved with tiny, hesitant steps, edging her foot out as though to confirm that the ground was solid underneath. Her eyes darted around the room.

Devon paused when he caught sight of Kit, and she watched his lip curl with detached interest. He made a great show of walking the long way around the table so he could sit as far from her as possible. The timid girl hovered at the head of the table, seeming unsure where to sit. Devon motioned her towards him, but she pretended not to see and finally settled near Kit. Devon scowled.

Spencer nodded at the other girl, who was still frowning, "Glad you could make it, Edith."

"We'd have been here sooner but someone thought lunch was more important," Edith growled, aiming a glare at Devon and dropping into the chair beside Spencer.

"It's not like this is a class," Devon spat, glaring back. "It doesn't matter if we're a few minutes late."

Edith leaned forward and pressed her palms to the tabletop. "Something has to be done. Taking care of this is more important than your feed."

Spencer cut in quickly. "Edith this is my sister, Ellie. The others are Kit, Padrig and Hugh - they're all from Hufflepuff. Edith Chadwick, from Gryffindor."

"Devon Ulfred Horton the Third," Devon inserted, puffing out his chest. Kit rolled her eyes and nudged Ellie.

"M-M-Mariam Wr-r-egman," stuttered the girl near Kit. "D-Devon and I a-are in R-Ravenclaw."

Spencer smiled kindly at Mariam, but his expression turned serious as he looked around at the rest of them. "That's all that's coming," he said.

"What about Serena?" Kit asked.

"Refused."

"Let's get to it," Evan said, thumping the table with a fist. "You all know that Colin Creevey has been attacked-"

"Just how do you know that?" Devon demanded.

"McGonagall told us this morning," Evan said, without any sign of annoyance. "He's in our dorm, so we were bound to notice he's missing, weren't we?"

Spencer's mouth tightened. "Anyway, Evan and I got to talking and we agree that something needs doing. We're not going to sit around and let the monster pick us off one by one."

Mariam gave a tiny whimper of fright and her eyes darted around the room again, measuring every corner for monsters. Devon, on the other hand, looked unconvinced. Or maybe just stupid, Kit couldn't decide.

"There's no proof the monster is after us," he insisted. Definitely stupid.

"I thought Ravenclaws were supposed to be smart," Edith said with a glare. "Or can't you read? Hogwarts, A History clearly says the monster was to attack Muggle-borns, because we're 'unfit to practice magic.'"

"The word Muggle-born never entered into it, actually," Devon said. "It just said 'those who were unfit to practice magic' which could mean a lot of things."

"Yeah, like what?" Edith challenged.

"Enough," Spencer said. "Colin was attacked. Which means any of us could be attacked, whether you believe the monster is after Muggle-borns or not. Evan and I didn't arrange this as a debate. We're here to decide what to do about it."

"We should hunt down that monster and end its miserable life," Edith said, as though proposing a study group.

"As it hasn't sent us a map to its lair, that might be kind of hard," Devon said with a false smile.

"I'm not about to go hunting the halls for monsters," Padrig insisted.

"The halls are already being hunted," Evan said in his gravely voice, "by the monster. We're not asking you to kill the thing, just to watch each other's backs." Devon opened his mouth to interrupt, but Evan sent him a deadly look and Devon actually backed down. "The halls aren't safe. We need to stick together, move in groups till the professors catch the beast. That's all were here for today."

"It's not enough," Edith snapped.

"We're first-years, not bleeding heroes," Spencer said. Kit wondered for a moment if he'd read her thoughts earlier. "There's no chance we'll catch the monster, but we can protect each other from it and the other students. If we stick together, we'll make it through this with no one else becoming a garden ornament."

"I still say-" Edith began.

"It's not an option," Evan growled. "Now are you in or out Eedy?"

Edith flushed at the nickname and shot Evan a look that promised retribution. "Edith," she said. "And fine, if you want to settle for some namby-pamby-"

"Good," Spencer said, raising his voice to drown out Edith's insults. "Who else is in?"

"All we have to do is agree to walk with each other in the halls?" Ellie asked.

Spencer nodded, "And never walk alone. We've all got enough classes together and free blocks that it shouldn't be hard."

"I'm in," Kit offered. Ellie nodded as well and there were murmurs of assent around the group.

Kit's eyes lingered on Devon as the group broke up, she decided if it ever came down to just her and Devon or taking a gamble on the monster, she'd go with the monster. Even if it was intent on killing her, the monster had to be better company.