The sense of tension lingered in and out in the air. A few teachers seemed to be stressed and quick tempered. The reason for this being, was because of a student mysteriously disappearing without a trace. The one who disappeared was Rose Black.
They finally discovered that she had disappeared when she hadn't been appearing to classes or meals for a few days. After those few days, many were becoming worried. No note, no clue about anything that might've helped explain her disappearance.
Malfoy seemed to be in a colder mood, snapping at those he calls friends, when they interrupt dare to interrupt his string of thought. Our favorite trio, sat in the corner of the common room, discussing the past few events.
"The diary…" Hermione drifted off, pondering and toying with the leather book. "I think the diary has something or everything to do with her disappearance." Her voice was in a worried tone, wondering if they kept the diary if the same thing would happen to them.
"Yeah. It's really queer that she disappeared right after she lost the diary," Ron said as he grabbed the book away from Hermione to examine it himself for a third time.
"Either that, or the diary has nothing to do with her disappearance," Harry stated plainly, trying to look on either sides of the conflict.
"What do you mean by that?" snapped Hermione.
"Well, what I said. Maybe the diary has nothing to do with her disappearance," he repeated yet again.
She frowned at him, obviously disagreeing with him. The conversation changed rather quickly to a different subject.
"Are you sure that the diary 'shook' when you asked it who it was?" she asked not quite believing what he had said before.
Harry nodded, ignoring the tinge of sour on her face.
"Do you think it'll shake again if we right in it?" Ron asked ignoring the silent bickering between his two friends.
"Dunno," replied Harry rather dryly.
"Here let me try," said Hermione all of a sudden, snatching the book from Ron's hands.
She quickly rummaged through her bag and retrieved a quill and ink. After furiously dipping the quill into the ink, she opened the book to a page. Harry and Ron moved behind her to read over her shoulder. She quickly scribbled down:
Who are you? What do you want? And what did you do to Rose?
Harry's jaw dropped when he saw what she had wrote down.
"Hermione! Why did you do that?" he asked.
"If we're going to get a straight answer from this diary, we're going to have to be direct." Her voice sounded unusually stiff and ruffled.
Amazingly, she was right:
I won't tell you, nothing and what happened to Rose?
The expressions on their faces changed from shock to disbelief in a matter of moments.
Oh you know what happened to Rose all right! And it's your entire fault!
Hermione had just finished scribbling down a rather accusing reply.
Tell me what happened?
Rose disappeared from Hogwarts a few days ago. Now the teachers are starting to think that it has something to do with kidnapping.
They watched as the last of the words melted into the rough parchment.
I had nothing to do with it. Goodbye!
The last words disappeared from the page.
"Well that was informative," Harry said dryly.
"There isn't any thing more we can do," said Hermione as a matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, unless we want the book to grow teeth and start chasing us around the room," joked Ron, trying desperately to cheer Harry up.
"I guess you're right."
Harry got up and took the diary with him. His two friends sat there watching him as he walked up the stairs of the common room. There was nothing more they could do for him or Rose.
~~~~~
Such a pity it must be, to have your godfather's daughter disappeared to some unknown place without a single trace. Well, I'll give you a chance to get her back. Go to the northern edge of the lake and follow the "demons in your view". Only then will you be led to where she is. Don't worry, she still alive.
I know all, and see all, and don't allow me to see you talking to Dumbledore or one of the teachers about this, if you do… Well let's just say the consequence will be most regrettable. You shall be accompanied by a visitor or how shall I say it, enemy, with the same goal as you.
You should follow the demons tonight at precisely midnight, or you'll never get a second chance, ever again. Don't let her down!
The letter was written on a slightly yellowed parchment in blood red ink. Harry's hand trembled slightly as he finished reading the letter. Hermione and Ron looked over his shoulder and they were thoroughly astonished.
"What should we do?" asked Hermione quietly over the breakfast table.
"I don't know, but I don't like it," replied Ron softly, looking around to see if they had caught the attention of anyone.
"I think we should do what the note says," Harry said uncertainly, his face blank from emotion.
"What do you mean?" Hermione said. "For all we know this could be some prank written by Malfoy just to get us into trouble!"
"No, no, I don't think so," he said gravely.
"Why?" asked Hermione nervously.
"I have a feeling that this is isn't a trick. Also, Malfoy isn't looking too happy at the moment either," Harry said without glancing up from the note clutched in his hand.
Hermione and Ron looked up to the Slytherin table. Malfoy was looking pale; he too was reading a small-yellowed parchment.
They looked back to Harry again.
"Just because he received the same thing doesn't mean that it's true!" complained Hermione.
"But it says, 'You shall be accompanied by a visitor or how shall I say it, enemy, with the same goal as you!' Don't you see! Malfoy is our 'enemy' but he has the same goal as us, to get Rose back!" whispered Harry quickly to his two friends.
"You actually believe that Malfoy would do such a thing like that?" asked Hermione disbelieving every word.
"No, but for her maybe," stated Harry, finally looking up.
Ron frowned at him, but it was no use to try to persuade him, his mind was set and he was stubborn.
"Fine, but we're going with you," Hermione quickly added, breaking up the beginning of the fight.
"Thanks," Harry said absentmindedly, his mind preoccupied.
"Yeah, we're behind you on this one," Ron said.
The conversation didn't go any further. The rest of breakfast was rather quiet. The rest of the day seemed to pass by in a flash. Soon midnight was upon our favorite trio and enemy.
