The Corridors

I sighed, waiting outside the gargoyle statue for Harry to reappear. It was only moments before he did. "Are you alright? Harry, what did he say?" I burst out immediately.

I shook my head. "He told me to leave. He said that his master wants to have fun hunting me down."

"Leave?" I asked, dumbfounded. "Just.... leave? We can't leave, how are we supposed to leave?? There are so many people at risk here," I sighed. "Harry, are you serious?"

I watched the conversation along with all the other members of DA and Amber. He'd told him to leave? I glared at the floor. This is all just fun and games to them. They have no other purpose for their lives.

I watched Harry and Hermoine's conversation, we can't just leave, I thought. Hermoine's right, there are so many lives at risk. I sighed, quietly, and looked down at my hands.

I was walking across the corridor on my way to the library. My dad had written a new article Aquavirius Maggots and I wanted to check what I could find in books about them, since Hagrid insisted that he had never heard of such creatures.

In my bag made of dragon skin I had a pen, ink and a long piece of parchment to copy my findings and sent them in a letter to dad. Hogwart's library was one of the biggest and best informed libraries in the wizard world, so if there was anything more accurate than what I found in the Quibbler about it would be there.

My copy of the latest issue of the Quibbler slipped from my hand and I reached on the floor to get it.

A well polished black shoe stopped in front of me and I didn't have to follow all the way to the head to know that this arrogant foot tapping belonged to Drago Malfoy. I picked up my magazine and straightened my shoulders, looking straight into Drago's face although I was noticeably shorter than him.

"Well, well, if this isn't Crazy Looney."

I lifted my eyebrows, with my typical, slightly surprised look and flashed at him a wry smile. "Hello yourself death-eater."

And with that I turned around, spotting Hermione, Harry and Cho in the crowd and walked towards them.

"Hi, Harry, Hermione," I greeted them. "Like my new earrings?" I asked. I had made them out of thesral hair and butterbeer cork. My dad said that they looked lovely on me. "Hi, Cho," I greeted Cho too, who seemed to be staring Malfoy who was probably still staring at me, annoyed that I didn't bother with his oh-so-important presence any longer than a few seconds.

I turned my attention from Draco to Luna. "Hello Luna." I forced a smile. Her bubbly presence made me think she was unaware of all the problems circling around us. I turned my eyes to the side letting my smile subside artlessly.

"I'm not going to leave. I just may hide somewhere. I'm not sure it would be wise to stay where everyone else is. What do all of you think?" I asked. I turned to look at Luna when she walked over, "Yeah. I do.."

I yawned, all of a sudden feeling all drowsy. Those darn Wrackspurts* must have gotten in my ears. It's not the first time they got in and made my brain fuzzy. I blinked several times and looked back at Harry.

"Thanks, Harry. You're so nice. So anyone interested in researching Maggots with me in the library? The more we are the sooner we'll find the information." I smiled at them. Then I turned to Hermione, who seemed sort of restless. She was bouncing on her heels and had a worried expression on her face. "And I hate to say it, but your library expertize will get me the information I need in no time."

"For the last time, Luna, there are no such things as Maggots*, or Narggles* or however you've called anything else of those non-existent creatures!" Hermione objected, unable to keep her calm.

"Hmmm," I murmured, combing my hair with my fingers. "You know, if there's some reason that you can't even accept a compliment, just say so." I frowned and looked back at Harry, who seemed not surprised from Hermione's explosion. "Did you know that Snape is the new Headmaster?! How can this be?"

I sighed and took a deep breath, looking around at the crowd. Everybody seemed to be oblivious to our chat about the school's tragic news, but everyone seemed weird this year. Stiffer. More stressed. Absolutely not a good way to begin the school year. Such negativity will gather Umgubular Slashkilters* at the school! And I know they can slip through the stone walls in the castle!

((*All these are creatures that Luna and her father - unlike the rest of the wiz world - believe to exist. Get used to them cause they'll keep showing up *smiles*))

I nodded at Luna. "Yeah. We know. And he's already made it known where he stands. Did you expect one of the other professors with the Ministry infiltrated?" I looked around and saw that everyone was beginning to come out of the Great Hall and into the corridors. "Come on, we should find somewhere else to talk about this." I looked at Hermione, "The Room of Requirement?"

I watched as the corridors were starting to get crowded by everyone that was packed into the Great Hall, I watied for Hermoine's answer to Harry's question. I looked around, playing with my fingers.

I nodded. "Good idea," I told him. "Wait, has anyone seen Ron?"

"No. I saw him as we started walking up to the castle, but I haven't seen him since."

"I haven't seen him since then either," I added. I looked around through the crowd now to see if I couldn't spot his orange hair anywhere.

"Lets just go. If we see him on the way, great. If not, I'll go find him tonight." I said before I began pushing through the crowd.

I followed quickly through the crowd whispering hasty apologies to the people we were cutting through. I glanced up every now and then still searching for Ron ( ).

I nodded, also pushing through the crowd on the way to the Room of Requirement, keeping my eyes open for Ron.

I heard footsteps behind me a little while after I left the Room of Requirement, and quickened my pace. I feared it may be Snape or one of the Slytherins or who else knows what. When I rounded a corner, I took a hesitant glance behind me only to discover it was Luna. I sighed in relief. Walking alone out here had always made me skittish... especially at a time like this. I smiled at Luna and apologized. "I thought you were someone else," I said in explanation. "It doesn't feel very safe around here anymore," I noted with a touch of dark humor.

I smiled. "Yeah, I know how that feels. I'm glad I reached you, I don't like going around the castle on my own anymore. It's not fun. And I really hope I won't come anyone or anything tonight."

I followed Cho through the corridors until we reached the staircase that lead to the Ravenclaw tower.

The echo of shoes tapping on the stone floor made me stop on my tracks and hold Cho by the wrist so she'd hide in the opening in the wall behind a banner with me. My heart was beating like crazy and I really wished we wouldn't get caught. And even more I wished that this wasn't a deatheater.

I smiled. "Yeah, I know how that feels. I'm glad I reached you, I don't like going around the castle on my own anymore. It's not fun. And I really hope I won't come anyone or anything tonight."

I followed Cho through the corridors until we reached the staircase that lead to the Ravenclaw tower.

The echo of shoes tapping on the stone floor made me stop on my tracks and hold Cho by the wrist so she'd hide in the opening in the wall behind a banner with me. My heart was beating like crazy and I really wished we wouldn't get caught. And even more I wished that this wasn't a deatheater.

I gasped when Luna caught my wrist and pulled me behind a banner. I hadn't heard anything so I'd been caught off guard and unsure of what she was doing. "Did you see something?" I whispered into the darkness since most of the light had been cut off from us by the thick banner.

"There's someone coming," I said under my breath and pushed my back closer to the wall behind us, trying to make sure whoever was coming couldn't see our footsteps.

I heard a meow and knew Miss Norris was close. If she smelled us we were in big trouble! I held my breath and closed my eyes fearing for the worst, but soon everything grew silent again.

I sighed. "That was close."

I saw Cho half smiling.

I peeked from behind the banner and after making sure the coast was clear mouthed "Lumos" and a small light showed on the tip of my wand. I shook my hair causing my braid to spin around. "Ughhh, I think Wrackspurts got in my ears again. I'm feeling my head fuzzy." I took Cho's hand and pulled her towards the commons. "Come on, let's hurry! Before anyone else shows up!"

I nodded quickly, and let Luna lead me through the halls till we reached the door to our common room door. I glanced around with paranoia while we waited for our question.

Cho and I stood in front of the door and looked at the eagle like handle. As usual as soon as the handle saw us, it came to life to ask its usual riddle.

"Alive without breath, as cold as death, never thirsty, ever drinking, clad in mail, never clinking, drowns on dry land, thinks an island is a mountain, thinks a fountain, is a puff of air. What is it?"

I smiled, knowing the answer and waited, in case Cho wanted to answer.