"What happened to Ginny?" Chris asked as she saw Ginny leaving.
"No idea," Harry said and sat beside Chris's bed.
"Why didn't you meet Hagrid? I heard you have a good relationship with him." Chris asked.
"Yes. He is a good friend. It's just I am not in the mood."
"It's Lockhart. Isn't it?"
"Yeah. Did you hear? He specially asked for me. I can clean the trophy room any day over spending time with him."
"I think Professor McGonagall allowed this because she knew it's going to be difficult for you. You know, it's a punishment after all."
"Yeah a real one," Harry said gloomily.
"Just do what he asked you to. That's it. You will be fine."
"I hope."
"Hey, the cakes I brought...?"
"I think they are lying on the Quidditch field right now." Both of them laughed.
They talked some more before Harry left for lunch. As promised Luna came after lunch with some interesting books. They talked about magical places and animals.
At last, at dinner time Madam Pomfrey released Chris. As she was walking towards the dormitory she saw the familiar Slytherin boy.
"Hey" she called and stopped in front him.
"What do you want?" He stopped walking.
"Well. I just wanted to say thanks for saving me." Chris answered with a smile.
"I don't know what are you talking about?" He tried to leave.
"But I saw you," Chris said blocking his path. "I saw you in the Quidditch field. You were..."
"Fine. You have eyes like a hawk, I guess." He looked at her. "Don't mention it. I meant it. Not to a single soul."
"Got it." Chris nodded. "Wait! I also wanted to ask why did you help me?"
"If I knew that you would be so annoying then I wouldn't have saved you."
"Listen, don't think just because you helped me I will not talk back," Chris said with an annoyed look. "Can't you just stop being so mysterious? At least tell me who are you?"
"I like to be anonymous, but if in return of my name you can stop bothering me then fine. Jason." He said and walked away.
"Just one more question," Chris said following him. "You are the first-year too, like me, then how do you know that spell? I mean, what I have to do if I want to learn that kind of spells?"
"Go to the Library and stop following me." He said without stopping or turning to her.
Chris stopped and he disappeared around the corner. 'Rude.' Chris went back to her way towards the Gryffindor tower. The Gryffindor common room was empty like her room. Everyone was at the Great Hall for dinner. She was not in the mood of eating so she changed into her sleepwear and fell on her bed. Her arm was still painful. Madam Pomfrey said that it will take at least one night to neutralize the pain completely.
After a few hours of sleep, Chris started having a weird dream. The vision was not clear but she heard the voices very clearly.
Two men were arguing about something and a lady was trying to calm them down. But the argument was getting intense. She didn't understand the reason for that argument but at last both men took out their wands and pointed at each other.
Chris woke up and started breathing heavily. She looked around and saw it was early morning. Ginny and the other two girls were asleep on their bed. She couldn't sleep anymore. She got up, took a shower then left the room with Leon on her shoulder. She was walking around the castle when she found a path which led to the black lake. She went towards the lake and sat on the grass. Leon started flying near her.
Watching the lake somehow felt peaceful. Her nerves calmed down. Then she blamed the fight with the Slytherins for that kind of dream. She thought about her previous school life and her current school life. Her father, her new friends.
Everything is normal, she repeated this few times in her head. Then as her spirit lifted a bit she went back to the castle. As she was crossing the common room a senior boy called her.
"Hello. I am Oliver Wood. Gryffindor Quidditch team captain. You are Chris right?"
"Yeah."
"How are you? How is your arm?"
"Now it's fine actually," Chris said.
"Good. Well, you should know, that Flint, the Slytherin team captain got detention for one week." He was clearly suppressing a huge smile. "And they can't practice for two weeks, even Professor Snape agreed. I never thought. He never takes side with Gryffindors."
"Well, that's surprising I guess. Then you have an extra two weeks for your practice." Chris suggested.
"Yeah, we are going to need it. After that brooms." "Wood I wanted to ask, does the entire match depends on the brooms? Nothing else? Actually, I never watched a match before."
"No. Of course not. A match needs a perfect strategy, skills, timing, many things."
"So why everyone is so hung up on those brooms? I never watched Harry playing but I heard that he is a talented seeker. So let's be positive. If you all lose your spirit now then it will be a lost match. "
"You are right. Thanks, Chris. I will surely remind them of the good things in our group."
Wood left and Chris went upstairs. Ginny was in the room. Other two girls were also there.
"We heard you were at Hospital wing yesterday? Is it true that you were in a fight with the Slytherins?" The girl asked curiously, as she saw Chris.
"Yeah. That's right." Chris simply answered as she sat down on her bed.
"Did they break your arm or something?" The other girl asked.
"No. Worse. Now it's fine. Thanks for asking." Chris said.
"Oh. Well, let's introduce ourselves. We don't even know each other's name. I am Danielle Jones." The second girl said.
"Yes and I am Lauren. Lauren Vilin." The first girl said.
"Christina Norton." She said and opened a book. She was trying to avoid any further conversation. Both the girls understood that and left the room. As soon as they left Chris turned towards Ginny.
"Did you told them?" Chris asked.
"No. Words travel fast in Hogwarts. Maybe Fred and George did." Ginny replied flatly.
"Oh. Forget that. What's up with you?" Chris said.
"Nothing. I'm just trying to read." Ginny said as she opened a book.
"Great. I was thinking about visiting the library today. We can go together." Chris said smiling. She wanted to ask about yesterday but was waiting for the right time.
"No. I can't. I am not in the mood." Ginny said without looking at her.
"Ginny are you ok? I mean..."
"A small headache Chris. I will be fine. I want to be alone."
"Ok. Take care."
Chris understood Ginny needs alone time so she didn't say anything. No matter what, Chris never wanted to push Ginny for anything.
Chris left the room. She went to the Great Hall alone and didn't find Luna or Colin. Even Harry or Hermione wasn't there. Chris ate breakfast as soon as possible. Then she went to the library.
The library was huge. There were countless books. She started looking into the spellbooks section. She found many useful spells and noted them down but soon she realized that learning them wasn't going to be easy. She started to look at a different section when she heard some whispers coming from the other side. The voices were very familiar. She peeked around and saw Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"What? You heard some kind of voices but Professor Lockhart didn't?" Hermione whispered furiously.
"Yes," Harry whispered back.
"Really?" Chris said and the three of them jumped up from their sits.
"Chris?" Hermione said.
"Yeah. What happened?" She came closer to them.
"What are you doing here? Is Ginny with you? She didn't hear us, did she?" Ron asked looking around.
"No. She is not here. I am alone." Chris replied.
Hermione shifted and Chris sat beside her.
"I asked them to not be loud. But..."
"Umm... Hermione, I came here after hearing your voice." Chris said interrupting Hermione.
Ron and Harry chuckled. Hermione looked like she was caught off-guard.
"So Harry what happened?" Chris asked Harry.
"I was with Lockhart in his office, last night, when suddenly I heard a voice. It was very creepy. It was saying something like it will kill me, tear me and...." "Stop. Please stop Harry." Hermione said and it was clear she didn't need the details.
"I am still saying mate maybe it was just an illusion. I mean after what happened to you last year. I think it's normal." Ron explained.
"Maybe." Harry said hesitantly.