Eshu's Daughter

Ch. 12 – Duel Diligence

Kit had never really paid much attention to Serena. But, in the week after the attack Kit began watching her very closely. Serena never spoke, never raised her hand in class, never hurried or stumbled or laughed or cried. She was like an animate statue and should have faded completely into the background of any room. Except that the strange stillness that seemed to hover around Serena, the unnatural silence that clung to her wasn't easily ignored. It was like watching a train wreck, and many times Kit saw students' eyes drawn against their will to Serena before they turned quickly away.

Serena was an outcast by choice. If you talked to her, she ignored you. If you smiled at her, she scowled. And if you tried to hex her, as one of the Slytherin girl's had while Kit was passing the two on her way to Charms, well, that girl had been turned into a troll and current rumor held that Madam Pomfrey was still searching for a counter-curse. Kit was fairly certain she was the only one that had seen Serena curse the girl and Kit wasn't about to go tattling. She'd hexed a fair number of students in the halls herself over the past months.

Serena seemed to exist in a vacuum, utterly and completely alone. And that was a problem for Kit. Because she owed Serena and a simple "Thank you" wasn't going to cut it. Every night Kit relived the attack in her nightmares. Every night she imagined some new horrible thing the boys might have done if they'd succeeded in getting her out of the hallway.

Serena had rescued her, and Kit was determined to repay the debt. What Serena really needed more than anything else, Kit decided, was a friend. With that thought firmly in mind Kit dragged Ellie to the library after dinner on Sunday in search of her quarry.

"But we have all week to work on our Charms paper," Ellie complained, trailing Kit through the halls. "Let's go find Verity and do something fun."

"When I'm done in the library," Kit insisted.

Ellie sighed. "Since when do you care this much about school work?"

"Since when did you stop?"

"We've been studying all morning, Kit, in case you hadn't noticed. Give it a rest!"

"We'll just poke our heads in the library, I'll grab the book I need and then we're gone, okay?" Kit stomped up the stairs with a bit more force than necessary. She'd decided not tell Ellie about trying to befriend Serena, in case, as she half-expected, the venture proved a miserable failure. Besides, this was something she needed to do on her own.

"Fine," Ellie moaned in a tragic voice.

Kit had to laugh; you'd think she was leading Ellie to the dungeons for a quick nap on the rack the way she carried on. Finally, they reached the library and Kit managed to deposit Ellie at a study table with Jynx and Annemette. Annemette of course suddenly decided to leave, but Jynx seemed glad of the company.

Kit began her search at the back of the library, moving down the aisles and checking each of the study tables. She located Serena behind a wall of books she'd apparently constructed to give herself some privacy. Glancing around, Kit had to wonder why she'd bothered. There wasn't another student in sight, and a look at the book titles in this section told her there wasn't likely to be either. The Care and Breeding of Flobber Worms. 1001 Uses for Flobber Slime. Kit felt drowsy just reading the titles.

Time to storm the barricade. Kit eyed the pile of books and tried to decide on a plan of attack. No brilliant idea came to her, no way of cracking the ice princess and not getting hexed. Well better get it over with then. Kit came up behind Serena quietly and dropped into the seat next to her.

Serena's head shot up from the book she'd been engrossed in and she narrowed her eyes on Kit. They sat looking at one another for an uncomfortable moment before Serena stiffly looked down at her book again. Okay, guess I'll start, Kit thought.

"I wanted to thank you, for helping me the other night."

"You're welcome," Serena said flatly. Her eyes never left the page.

Kit struggled for something else to say, finally settling on "What are you reading?"

Serena's head came up and she slowly turned to face Kit. With no emotion, no hint of expression she said, "You've said thank you. I've responded. You can go back to your friends now, I'm sure they're waiting."

"I wanted to talk with you." Kit shrugged.

"I don't talk." Serena returned to her book, the conversation clearly over in her mind.

"Would it kill you to speak to someone occasionally?" Kit snapped.

"If this is an indication of the type of conversation I can expect, then yes, I think it might."

"You're still breathing," Kit muttered.

"A miracle, I'm sure."

"I thought we could be friends," Kit forced herself to say, as much to remind herself why she was here as to inform Serena.

"I don't have friends. I don't like people. I don't like talking and I don't like being annoyed, which is what you are doing right now." Serena could have at least sounded annoyed, but instead it was like listening to a computer talk, Kit thought irritably.

"Well I think you need a friend and I'm not giving up until you agree."

"Is stubbornness a Hufflepuff trait?" Serena asked.

"I don't know, but it's an Ellsington trait," Kit informed her.

Serena stood up abruptly and gathered her books. She looked at Kit over the top of the pile. "I'll consider myself warned then. You should know tolerance is not a Vizzini trait."

Before Kit could respond, Serena had swept away down one of the aisles. "Well that went well," Kit said to no one in particular. Great, now she was talking to herself. With a sigh Kit got to her feet and returned to Ellie and Jynx. Ellie's eyes were glazed as she nodded her head distractedly at something Jynx was saying.

"–and if you combine a fire repelling charm with a bluebell flame charm in just the right way you can make the fire hop. At least I think you can, I'm going to try it out tomorrow."

Kit decided to keep well out of Jynx's way for the next few days lest she get hit with a stray fireball. Ellie leapt up when she noticed Kit.

"Sorry Jynx, Kit and I really need to – um – pick out our robes for tomorrow."

Jynx looked at her oddly. "All our robes look alike."

"Well,"said brightly, "it'll be easy then. See you later." Ellie walked quickly to the library doors and shoved Kit through. It was only then that she looked down and noticed Kit's hands were empty. "Where's your book?"

"Couldn't find it," Kit said with a shrug.

***

Kit was lying in wait Monday night when Serena entered the library. She pounced, falling into step beside her and thanking heaven that Ellie was too caught up in studying for their History of Magic quiz the next day to notice Kit's absence.

Serena only spared her a glance and then peeled off left, heading for the back of the library again. Kit followed right behind. When they reached the last table Serena slammed her books down and turned to face Kit.

"Is there a reason you're bothering me again?"

"Stubbornness," Kit said with a grin.

Serena sighed. "I'll tell you again, I don't want or need a friend."

"Too bad, cause you've got one." Kit plopped down in the seat beside Serena's books. She tipped her chair back and looked up at Serena. "So what are you studying tonight?"

"If you don't quit bothering me I'll curse you." Serena threatened.

"No you won't," Kit let the chair fall back to the ground. "I've watched you, you only curse people that deserve it."

"And what makes you think you don't deserve it?" Serena said fervently.

"I still don't think you'll curse me, but I'll take my chances. So what do you think of Lockhart's class? I think it's a waste of time, but my friend Ellie's in love with the jerk. She thinks he's wonderful."

Serena's calm cracked and Kit could swear she heard Serena's teeth grinding together. "I just want to be left alone. Why is that so hard for you to understand?"

"You're always alone," Kit said. "Try having some company for a change, you might decide you like it."

"If you like company so much, maybe I should have let those boys have you," Serena snarled. It was interesting the way a little emotion brought color to her cheeks and almost made her look human. "If I'd known you were going to be this much trouble I would have."

"You don't mean that," Kit frowned at her. "And that's a really horrible thing to say! I was scared to death. Do you know what it's like to feel that helpless, to be so completely at someone else's mercy and know there is nothing you can do?"

Serena's eyes flickered and Kit had a feeling that maybe she did know. "Nevertheless, you continue to pester me and I don't like it. Surely a better thank you would be to leave me alone."

"Come on, admit it, it wouldn't be bad to have a friend. Someone you can talk with, tell if you've had a bad day, or share a laugh with occasionally."

"I don't laugh," Serena said, back to her emotionless mask. She sat down and flipped open one of her books.

"No I don't suppose you do," Kit said sadly. "But you should. It doesn't hurt, I promise."

Serena grunted.

"Look, I'm not going away. I'll keep pestering you till you agree to be friends. Every day if I have to."

Serena rested her forehead against her book with a weary sigh and slowly shook her head. Kit was pretty sure she muttered "Bloody pain in the arse" just before looking up again.

"Fine. We're friends. Now go away."

Kit shook her head and laughed. "Nice try, but it doesn't work that way. But seeing as you've agreed," Kit inclined her head graciously. "I'll leave you be for now. But this friendship thing, I'm serious you know. So I'll be expecting the occasional conversation and even a smile now and then."

"Goody," Serena muttered, burying her face in her book.

"See you later then," Kit said cheerful

Ellie was asleep on top of her History book when Kit got back to their table. Kit jabbed Ellie with her wand until she opened an eye and glared.

"What would you think about letting Serena into the Jelly Bean Society?" Kit asked.

Ellie sat up and blinked at her, smothering a yawn. "Serena Vizzini, that Ravenclaw who never talks to anyone?"

"Yeah, her. She saved me from those boys last Monday night, remember?"

Ellie looked puzzled. "You didn't tell me it was Serena that saved you, I'd remember that."

Kit shrugged. "Well it was her. So anyway, what do you think about letting her in?"

"I don't know Kit, Serena doesn't seem like the friendly type, you know? You could get frostbite from standing too close to her."

"Ellie, aren't you the one always going on about loyalty and being fair? I owe Serena and I think it'd be a good idea if we asked her to join."

Ellie nodded unwillingly. "Fine. But Kit, she'll never want to."

"Leave that to me," Kit said with a smile. "Now we just have to get Verity to agree."

***

"No." Verity actually stamped her foot when she said it. "No way."

"But why not?" Kit asked, exasperated.

"One, she's a Ravenclaw. I hate how snotty they all are. Two, she's horrible in general. And three, she'd never agree anyway."

"Verity! Be reasonable." Ellie scowled.

"I am reasonable. I don't like Serena Vizzini and I don't want her to be a part of the Jelly Bean Society. If she's in then I'm out."

Kit glowered at Verity. "What have you got against Serena?"

"She's a swotty little know-it-all and she creeps me out," Verity said with a nod.

"Of course, she's swotty, she's a Ravenclaw," Ellie sighed. "What has that to do with anything? We won't take new members because they're smart?"

"You just don't want her in because she's beating you in every subject," Kit accused.

Verity's face went bright red and she look ready to hit Kit. "Not Potions, and you can be a real git sometimes, you know that Kit?"

"Yeah well you can be a pain in the–"

"Stop it," Ellie snapped. "Stop it right now. Discussion over. Serena is out. The two of you obviously aren't going to agree and all three of us have to before someone new can join."

Kit slammed her schoolbag back against the wall. "Fine."

There was an awkward silence while the three of them tried to look anywhere but at each other.

"So," Ellie began in a falsely cheerful voice, "are you both going home next week for the holiday?"

The bell rang for their next class and Kit and Verity exchanged grudging nods before the three of them headed for their respective classes. By lunchtime the argument had been forgotten.

***

While Verity refused to hear even the mention of Serena's name, Ellie was sympathetic and promised to befriend the her as well. She reconsidered after their Herbology class on Tuesday.

"She jinxed my whispering fern, I'm sure of it!" Ellie accused as they slogged through the snow on their way back to the castle.

"You don't know that for sure." Kit said, clutching her scarf tighter and wishing for thicker gloves. It was damn cold.

"My fern was crying! Whispering ferns don't cry. At least I don't think they do. And it was right after I offered to lend her some hair ribbons. Which she could certainly use, if anyone needs color it's Serena."

"I don't think she agrees with you," Kit said with a laugh.

"She's awful, Kit. How can you want to be friends with her?"

"I owe her, and besides everyone deserves at least one friend. I think I'm all Serena is likely to get."

Ellie snorted. "Some people do better alone. I wouldn't be surprised if she's friends with the gargoyles, they've got so much in common."

"She's not that bad Ellie, you just have to give her a chance."

"No thanks. I don't need that kind of friend, but you go right ahead. I'll be here to take you to the hospital wing when she hexes you."

In their next Herbology lesson on Thursday afternoon, Ellie made sure Kit was the one standing next to Serena and not herself. With a stiff nod for Serena, Ellie grabbed her whispering fern and edged it as far away from her as possible. Kit tried very hard not to laugh.

"How are you?" Kit asked Serena with a smile.

Serena sighed. Most of the time she tried to ignore Kit, but occasionally she broke down and answered. "Wonderful. I can't feel my nose because of the cold and I get to listen to you prattle at me all class."

"Well you could leave your scarf on, Luna has," Kit gestured across the room to where a girl stood by herself, apparently talking with one of the hanging plants.

Luna Lovegood was decked out in no less than three bulky scarves. Kit could only just make out her eyes through a small crack in the topmost blue one. Below it a green scarf coiled like an overweight python about her neck and a rainbow scarf trailed haphazardly from one shoulder.

Serena grimaced and accidentally knocked over her fern. "I don't know how she got in Ravenclaw. The hat must have been drunk."

"She does okay in classes doesn't she?" Kit said, turning back to watch as Luna unwound one of her scarves and looped it over a large potted plant, tucking the ends in firmly.

Serena chose not to comment, so Kit shrugged and went back to packing compost around her fern. Leaning down, Kit let one of the soft fronds skim her cheek before blowing gently across the plant. A murmur, soft and low like the crooning of a dove seemed to float up from it.

Ellie smiled and blew across her plant as well so there was a tiny chorus of whispers. When Serena looked over at her, though, Ellie's smile faded and she snatched her plant up cradling it protectively. Serena smiled and Kit just shook her head.

"Would you like to share a compartment with us on the train Monday?" Kit asked.

Both Serena and Ellie froze, Ellie with a reproachful look and Serena with her hand hanging in mid-air over the plants. With visible effort Serena relaxed and let her hand fall to her side, by the time she looked at Kit her face was carefully blank again.

"I'll be staying at Hogwarts for the holidays."

Kit frowned at her. "But don't you want to see your family?"

Each word dripped with ice when Serena finally answered. "I prefer to study. Christmas is a worthless holiday, just an excuse to overeat and trade useless presents that most people don't want anyway."

"Scrooge," Ellie muttered under her breath. Kit choked.

Serena's lips tipped up in a smile, "I take that as a compliment, Thomas"

Ellie flushed and buried her face in her fern while Kit shifted uncomfortably. There didn't seem to be anything to say after that.

Later, when Kit and Ellie entered the castle again after once more fighting through the snow Verity was waiting for them.

"You'll never believe it!" Verity said eagerly, "They're starting a dueling club. The first meeting's tonight."

Kit glanced over Verity's shoulder to see a large crowd clustered around the notice board. The students in back bobbed on their heels or leaped up like excited rabbits trying to get a look at the board.

"Who's teaching it?" Ellie asked.

"No idea, but I bet we'll learn all sorts of lovely curses. If I can get Vanessa into a duel it'd be the perfect excuse to zap her for sealing my books shut last night."

"Why don't just zap h

"Right, and then have all the other girls retaliate? No thanks. This way it's legit."

Kit shrugged. Personally, she was in favor of hexing the lot of them, but she could see how that might be a bad idea. Verity did have to spend the rest of the year in the same room with them each night and she couldn't watch her back all the time.

"I'd like to go," Ellie said. "If we're lucky maybe Professor Lockhart will be teaching us."

Verity snorted. "No, if we're lucky that git will accidentally vanish himself one of these days."

***

By eight o'clock that night the entire school had crowded into the Great Hall for the meeting. Kit shoved her way through the press of bodies, searching for Verity. Ellie followed close on her heels, muttering as she was jostled. Finally, close to a giant golden platform that had been set up on one side of the hall, Kit saw Verity's round, anxious face. Verity caught sight of them and surged up on tiptoe waving her hand madly. Kit waved back and elbowed her way closer.

"Didn't anyone decide not to come?" Kit panted as she reached Verity.

"Doesn't look like it," Verity said with a smile, "Dueling is a popular sport and really useful besides. Or maybe everyone's just hoping to fling a few curses."

Ellie eyed the platform apprehensively. "You don't think we have to get up there in front of the whole school do you?"

Before Kit or Verity could answer someone yelled across the hall "Oy, Kit!"

Swinging around Kit saw Jynx, Calliope and Merrilee heading toward them. She smiled and waved them over. Just beyond Merrilee, Kit caught a glimpse of Serena and tried to wave her over as well. Serena abruptly melted back into the crowd and Kit was left frowning at a bunch of fourth-year Gryffindors.

"Where's Annemette?" Ellie asked when the three girls reached them.

Merrilee shrugged. "She said dueling was for boys and decided to stay in the dorm."

Calliope nodded.

"Anyone find out who's teaching us?" Jynx asked, glancing around the room.

"Not ye– damn, not him," Kit groaned as Lockhart appeared on the other side of the Platform with his usual fatuous smile in place.

"Ellie, if you clap I'll belt you," Verity threatened.

"Wait, it gets better," Kit said with a pained look, "Snape's with him."

"There is nothing wrong with Professor Snape," Verity said with a glower.

"There's nothing right with him either," Jynx slipped in.

"Do you think it's worth hanging around?" Kit asked over Ellie's protests.

"Well it's sure to be more entertaining than studying," Jynx offered.

Kit nodded and watched with interest as Snape and Lockhart got into position for a demonstration. Snape's back was to her but they had an excellent view of Lockhart. Ellie at least was happy.

Lockhart bowed ostentatiously and Snape's head tipped down just the barest inch. Then the two brought their wands up and began counting. On three Snape said an incantation and sent a jet of red light at Lockhart which blasted him off his feet. Verity started laughing and Snape looked down at her approvingly. Ellie attempted to climb onto the platform in her efforts to see if Lockhart was all right and Kit had to grab the back of her robes to hold her back.

"Is he okay?" Jynx and Merrilee asked at the same moment.

Lockhart stumbled to his feet and almost all of the girls in the room sighed in relief. Verity looked disappointed and Kit was able to finally let go of Ellie's robes. Too bad, Kit thought, if he'd been knocked out maybe Friday's defense class would have been cancelled. Ah well, more time to catch up on my sleep. Verity had the right idea about that particular class.

"Enough demonsI'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs." Lockhart was saying. Kit perked up; that sounded more interesting. "Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me…"

Snape stepped down from the platform and began pairing up students. Verity was eyeing the crowd and Kit was fairly certain she was searching for Vanessa. Before she could find her, however, Snape had reached them. He smirked as he looked at Kit, "Miss Ellsington you will partner Miss Lovell. Miss Tilton, ahhh you may thank me later, you will partner Miss Vizzini."

Kit turned quickly to see Serena moving toward them with the fluid grace of a ghost. She nodded and faced Verity with apparent unconcern. Verity's eyes gleamed and Kit wasn't sure which of them she should be afraid for. Maybe both.

Facing Jynx, Kit decided she'd better start thinking about herself. She could recall all too clearly the last time she'd been on the business end of Jynx's wand. She'd be lucky if it was only her clothing that got blasted today.

"Face your partners!" Lockhart had strutted back onto the stage, "And bow!"

Jynx and Kit bent at the waist and as they rose shared uneasy smiles.

"Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent – only to disarm them – we don't want any accidents," Lockhart said with a little laugh.

What's the damn disarming spell! Kit tried frantically to remember it, they'd only heard the stupid thing once, Expeli-something or other.

"One … two … three .."

Jynx's wand whipped up before Kit could react, "Expediarieto." A blaze of white light shot from Jynx's wand and caught Kit in the chest like a battering ram. Kit flew backwards, slamming into the platform. She couldn't breathe. Through the haze of pain, Kit watched Jynx drop her wand and run forward. Jynx grabbed her arm and tried to hold Kit up as she slid toward the ground.

"What was that?" Kit gasped.

Jynx just shook her head. Tiny black dots were dancing at the edge of Kit's vision, they swarmed in suddenly and Kit fell to her knees. Jynx cried out and Kit thought she heard Ellie call her name just before Kit pitched forward and the world went completely black.

"Kit, you open your eyes right now!" a shrill voice demanded in her ear.

Kit groaned and raised a hand to rub at her forehead. Her head was pounding like a bass drum and her chest felt like it was on fire. Hands were shaking her and she clumsily tried to shove them away.

"Ellie get off," Kit muttered, squinting open an eye. Faces peered down at her, Jynx's wide eyes, Ellie's scowling face covered in –

Kit sneezed, sending the drum into an impassioned crescendo at the base of her skull. "Why," Kit forced out, "are you covered in dust?"

Ellie drew back and patted at her hair self-consciously. A cloud of grey rose around her like a halo. "It was that stupid Slytherin girl. She conjured a bucket of ashes and dumped it over my head. When Snape undid all our spells the bucket disappeared but the bloody ashes didn't."

"Uh – and why am I on the floor?"

"That's my fault," Jynx said apologetically. "I – um – got my spells mixed up. I'm not sure what I hit you with but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a Disarming Spell."

"I do still have my wand." Kit lifted her arm and squinted at her wand causing Jynx to draw back as if afraid of being hexed.

"Kit, could you tell Puck to shut it? He's been going steady a while now," Ellie said.

It was only then that Kit realized the slight buzzing she'd been trying to ignore was actually a long, low snarl coming from the pouch at her side.

"Hush," Kit said gently, placing a hand on the pouch. "I'm fine." Puck fell silent and Ellie eased back

"Can you get up?" Jynx asked.

Kit shoved up onto her elbows. "Yeah, I think so."

Both Jynx and Ellie reached down to lend her a hand and in only a moment Kit was back on her feet. She felt bruised and sore, but otherwise okay. Looking around Kit saw that the crowd of students had broken into little groups, muttering and whispering excitedly.

"What'd I miss?"

Jynx's mouth drew taunt and Ellie glanced anxiously at the doors leading to the Entrance Hall.

"Harry Potter's a Parselmouth," Jynx said after a moment.

"What?"

"He can talk to snakes," Ellie explained.

"How do you know that?"

"After you passed out," Ellie said, "Jynx and I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't open your eyes. Lockhart didn't even notice anyone was hurt. He said maybe we should all learn how to block hostile spells. I tried to get Snape's attention but he pretended not to see us, the bloody git," Ellie swore savagely. "He was too busy arranging for some rat-faced boy to go up against Harry Potter to bother with a couple of Hufflepuffs."

"This is going somewhere, right?" Kit cut in.

Ellie frowned at her. "I'm getting there. Rat-boy conjured a stonking great snake and instead of being scared like any normal person would, Harry Potter decides to have a little chat with it. It was awful, he was hissing and making these horrible noises. He set the snake on Justin Finch-Fletchley and it was about to attack him when Snape did this spell and it disappeared."

"I thought the snake turned away from Justin when Potter spoke to it," Jynx said.

"Don't be dotty," Ellie insisted. "He was telling it to bite Justin, anyone could see that."

"Is that why everyone's whispering," Kit asked.

"Yeah," Ellie nodded. "That and Potter scarpered pretty quick after the whole thing. I recon he knows he gave himself away."

"You've lost me again." Kit frowned.

"Verity says Salazar Slytherin was the last known Parselmouth so Harry Potter's sure to be Slytherin's Heir," Ellie said.

Kit couldn't get too worked up about that; people had been saying Harry Potter was Slytherin's heir for a while. She glanced around again, "Where's Verity?"

"She had to go to the hospital wing. Serena gave her a bloody nose," Ellie said with a grimace.

"How'd she do that?"

"Punched her," Jynx volunteered. "Verity said something to her and Serena just looked at her and then – smack."

Kit shuddered. "What'd Verity do?"

"Nothing," Jynx said, "she couldn't because Serena had already stormed away. Good thing she left too, because Verity was already mad about her robes. Serena hitting made her furious."

"Her robes?"

"Stupid really," Ellie said, "I would have thought Serena knew much worse spells than that. But all she did to Verity during their duel was to turn her robes bright yellow and black, all stripey. She looked like a bumblebee."

Kit just stared at Ellie for a moment. Why would Serena – and then it hit her. There were few things Serena could have done that were as cruel as mocking Verity about her house and her friends in a roomful of Slytherins. Kit was fairly certain most of Verity's housemates would know just what those robe colors were about and they'd probably use it as another excuse to torment Verity about hanging around with a couple of Hufflepuffs. No, Serena had been frighteningly cunning in her choice of spells, even if Ellie didn't realize it. Kit decided not to enlighten her.

"Come on," Kit said with a strained sigh. "Let's get out of here. I've had enough gossip and dueling for one night."

Kit was laughing as she descended the hidden staircase to the common room after their Defense class the next day. "Are you serious? Spencer magicked Devon into a dress? And Devon didn't kill him?"

"That's what Spencer says, but he could be lying," Ellie admitted reluctantly.

The smiles slipped from their lips as they reached the common room. Hannah Abbot sat crying on one of the poufy couches and Ernie Macmillan stood beside her awkwardly patting her back and scowling angrily. All around the room other students whispered and glanced fearfully at one another. Kit's stomach clenched.

"What happened?" Ellie held her schoolbag to her chest like a shield.

"Justin's been attacked," Ernie growled. "And the teachers aren't going to do anything about it." He clenched his fists tightly. "We caught him, caught Harry Potter standing right over Justin's body. But does McGonagall care? Of course not– she couldn't possibly expel one of her precious Gryffindors. No, Potter gets to keep turning people into masonry cause he's bloody famous." Hannah moaned and rocked forward, crying harder.

Ellie's breath hitched, "Is he–" She didn't seem able to finish.

"Petrified," Ernie said. His shoulders slumped and he drooped onto the couch beside Hannah, shaking his head. "He's petrified." Ernie looked up at them, "I told him to hide in the dorm, why couldn't he have just waited for us here? If he'd have just waited–"

Ellie was shaking and Kit put an arm around her, drawing her toward the stairs to their dorm. "Come on," she whispered with a small squeeze.

When they reached the first year dorm Kit pushed Ellie onto her bed before curling up beside her. They sat in silence for a moment, until the tears that had been clawing at Kit's eyes snuck past and she and Ellie were clinging to each other, crying. The Monster of Slytherin had struck again. And this time it'd taken one of their own; smiling, affable Justin, always ready to help with a bit of homework or point you in the right direction if you got lost. Kit felt as if someone had shoved her off a cliff.