Capítulo 262: Perfect Prefect

"So that's it — it looks like I have to complete the founders' unfinished task of stopping Malgino," said Chris looking out the window. "I got to find a way to finish him. That's what Dumbledore thinks."

The room was absolutely quiet. Hermione was standing over Fred and George's old boxes. Ginny and Ron were sitting on the bed and Harry was standing near the doorway leaning on the wall.

"Chris, are you okay?"

Chris startled looked around. The voice wasn't anyone's in the room, it was Luna's.

"I know you are not scared but are you worried?" said Luna's voice again and Chris realized she was talking through their talisman.

"Luna!" Chris said in her mind. "Did you hear everything?"

"Yes," replied Luna. "I always wear my talisman and you wanted me to hear, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did," said Chris with a sigh. "And yes I am worried, Luna. I —"

There was a loud bang in the room and Hermione vanished behind a puff of black smoke.

"Hermione!" shouted Chris, Ginny, Harry and Ron.

Hermione emerged, coughing, out of the smoke, clutching a telescope and sporting a brilliantly purple black eye.

"I squeezed it and it — it punched me!" she gasped.

Hermione was holding up what looked like a small telescope and a tiny fist on a long spring was protruding from the end of it.

"Don't worry," said Ron, who was plainly trying not to laugh, "Mum'll fix that, she's good at healing minor injuries —"

"Oh well, never mind that now!" said Hermione hastily and looked back at Chris.

"Listen, after what happened at the Department of Mysteries —" Chris took a deep breath. "They were all throwing killing curses at you all and I killed three people, so I think you know it's not safe — I'm not safe. This is —"

"Nothing is safe till Riddle and Malgino are alive," said Ginny fiercely. "Save it, Chris. We are not leaving you."

"Yes," breathed Hermione. "How could you think that we will abandon you and Harry after this? I am just wondering what Dumbledore'll teach you, Harry? Really advanced defensive magic, probably . . . powerful countercurses . . . anti-jinxes . . ."

"You will be alright, Chris," said Luna in Chris' mind. "We will be alright."

A warmth spread through Chris; a tight obstruction in her chest seemed to be dissolving. She knew that Ginny, Luna, Ron and Hermione were more shocked than they were letting on, but the mere fact that they were still with her, speaking bracing words of comfort, not shrinking from her as though she were contaminated or dangerous, was worth more than she could ever tell them. Chris looked up at Harry and saw the same relief in his features. Harry gave a small smile and Chris smiled back.

At that moment, Mrs Weasley called them down for dinner and they went downstairs. Hermione quickly explained about her eye as Chris and Harry greeted Bill and Mr Weasley. After trying a lot Mrs Weasley concluded that only Fred and George knew how Hermione's eye will be back to normal so she has to wait. As they all sat for dinner, Bill, Mr Weasley, Sirius and Aurelia broke into more missing news.

"Did you hear about Florean Fortescue, Sirius?" asked Bill, who was being plied with wine by Fleur. "The man who ran —"

"— the ice-cream place in Diagon Alley?" Harry interrupted. "He used to give me free ice creams. What's happened to him?"

"Dragged off, by the look of his place."

"Why?" asked Chris, thinking what could an ice cream seller do wrong.

Mrs Weasley pointedly glared at Bill.

"Who knows? He must've upset them somehow. He was a good man, Florean."

"Talking of Diagon Alley," said Mr Weasley, "looks like Ollivander's gone too."

"The wandmaker?" said Ginny, looking startled.

"That's the one. Shop's empty. No sign of a struggle. No one knows whether he left voluntarily or was kidnapped."

"But wands — what'll people do for wands?" asked Hermione.

"They'll make do with other makers," said Mr Weasley. "But Ollivander was the best, and if the other side have got him it's not so good for us."

After dinner, Harry slid up to Chris and whispered, "Do you have any idea why they took Ollivander?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," whispered Chris. "I think it's because of the wand thing you did at the graveyard."

"The same wand core thing?" Harry whispered back. "I was thinking the same. Do you think he will find a way to stop it?"

Chris sensed fear in Harry's voice and looked him in the eye.

"Maybe, but you will be prepared by then. You are having extra classes with Dumbledore, remember?"

After a moment Harry nodded.

Next morning, their Hogwarts letters arrived. Chris opened her letter and scanned the new books list, then looked up at the others and found Harry and Ginny still staring at their letters.

"What's up?" asked Chris.

"They made me the Gryffindor Quidditch captain!"

"I am a Prefect!"

Harry and Ginny both screamed at the same time.

"Wow! Congratulations!" said Chris happily.

Mrs Weasley and Hermione shrieked.

"Oh, Ginny! My dear, a Prefect! I knew my little Ginny is special! Oh Ginny, dear!"

Mrs Weasley was kissing Ginny all over the face and Ginny was grinning widely. Hermione and Ron turned to Harry.

"Quidditch captain gives you equal status with prefects, Harry!" cried Hermione heartily. "You can use our special bathroom now and everything!"

"Wow, I remember when Charlie wore one of these," said Ron, examining the badge with glee. "Harry, this is so cool, you're my Captain — if you let me back on the team, I suppose, ha ha. . . ."

"Another Prefect in our house and Harry, the new Quidditch Captain!" Mrs Weasley said breathlessly. "We need to celebrate. I will talk to Arthur. We have to go to Diagon Alley. What do you want, Ginny dear? You already have a broom. A nice new set of robes perhaps or a cauldron or —?"

"Owl!" said Ginny at once, smiling at her mother.

"Of course, dear," Mrs Weasley again kissed Ginny fondly. "We will go this Saturday."

As Mrs Weasley skipped away, Hermione and Ron congratulated Ginny. Ginny thanked them then grinned at Chris and Chris grinned back. Then the smile faded from Ginny's face.

"But I really thought it would be you," said Ginny facing Chris. "After how much you did — you are so much good at everything —"

"Gin, it's fine," said Chris smiling. "You deserve it as much as I do, and to tell you the truth I already have a lot on my plate, additional Prefect duties weren't going to help with that."

"Yeah, I guess," said Ginny still looking guilty. "Maybe Dumbledore didn't make you the Prefect because of the same reason."

Chris nodded but she had a precise feeling of that darkness inside her. The darkness wanted to come out as anger but Chris took a few deep breaths and calmed herself down. She will control it no matter what.

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To be continued. . .