What happened with Davies did leave an impact and thankfully I didn't receive any Valentine afterwards. Though problems were in fact created for the teachers who had to assure students that I was not a werewolf since the school started receiving letters from parents demanding their children's safety. 

I do hate all this werewolf discrimination, really. Moony had had a tough time at school with that and now I understood fully what he might have felt. Though unlike him, I had just joked while he had to deal with his lycanthropy for the whole of his life. 

Anyhow, the upcoming Quidditch match had us all hooked up. We were against Hufflepuff this time and Oliver was still not letting us off easy, "guys, don't you see? We simply have to win the Cup this year. Not winning last time was a tragedy enough and this time I want you all to put every single ounce of effort in Quidditch. And no you can not underestimate Hufflepuffs. A game is a game and we'll only win if we are competent enough." 

Such speeches were Oliver's dominant personality trait which we had gotten used to by now. Everything was ready for the match. We had changed into our Quidditch gear and both the teams were about to march out to the pitch. The stands were full and Lee Jordan had taken his position at the commentary dais. 

The match would start any moment now. All of us were waiting for the signal but even though it was time, the bell didn't ring. All of us turned to face the dais in order to see what was wrong and saw Lee and McGonagall over there. 

Lee was protesting something which we couldn't hear of course but he appeared thoroughly distressed. I do hope there isn't any bad news. Nearly four months have passed since the last petrification and we were certainly not expecting it to happen now. But well, who knows? 

Professor McGonagall's voice boomed through the Quidditch stands, "students proceed to your dormitories immediately. The Quidditch match has been cancelled." 

What? Cancelled? Wood dropped his broom out of shock, "I heard that the match is cancelled... That's not what she said, right?" 

McGonagall continued, "due to certain circumstances which the school is going through, this year's Quidditch season has been postponed. I hope you will cooperate with us. Now proceed to your respective common rooms." 

This time, an evident frown was visible on Oliver's face as he kicked the pole beside him then grabbed his foot because it hurt obviously, "ow! Damn you, pole! Damn you, Quidditch! Cancelled? Freaking cancelled!" 

He turned around still cursing under his breath but was taken aback to see McGonagall behind him so he shut his mouth up quite immediately. 

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. We can't host the season in these current state of affairs." 

He protested, "but you can't cancel Quidditch!" 

She shook her head, "it is not cancelled. The matches have been postponed until the mystery behind the attacks is solved, only then will we reorganize the Quidditch Season. It's all in accordance with the safety measures taken for students." 

He was still quite crestfallen. 

The twins spoke up, "but Professor, what happened?" Her face turned blank and she ignored the question asked. 

Instead she addressed Harry, "Potter come with me. I hope you know the answer to this. The rest of you must go back to the common room." 

We watched as she led Harry away. I do hope they don't suspect Harry for all those attacks.

Throughout the way to the common room Oliver kept mumbling and swearing and bumping into things. He was devastated. Absolutely and completely drowning in despair. When we reached the Fat Lady she swung open at the first mention of the password blowing her nose on a large hankie, "Hogwarts, dear Hogwarts, poor little children, evil happenings indeed." 

***

Everyone in the common room was dreadfully silent. Fred and George went to Lee to ask him what had happened while I watched as our Captain stormed off to his dorm and slammed the door shut loudly. Me, Katie and Angelina went to our dorm to get out of the Quidditch gear and wear our everyday school robes. 

"Wonder what happened," Angelina sighed as she dropped down on her bed. 

"No idea. McGonagall was real worried," Katie remarked. 

"She should be as well," I placed my broom carefully beside my bed then kicked off the shoes, "students are being attacked. Muggle-borns. And you know things such as these could result in Hogwarts closing down. I wouldn't want that to happen. No one would." 

Both the girls agreed with the hypothesis that probably one more student had been petrified. 

When we were all fixed up and ready to go, I spoke, "let's go check what's it all about. Somebody would have leaked out possible useful information by now." 

And of course I was right. When we came back to the common room, even Fred and George had serious faces (and trust me that hardly happens). 

"What happened?" I went to them immediately, "who got attacked?" 

They gestured towards Harry and Ron who had glum expressions on their faces. It was then I noticed that Hermione wasn't with them. Does that mean...? 

"It's Hermione," George told me in a low voice, "and Percy's Clearwater girlfriend. They were both found near the Library, petrified." 

Hermione. Penelope. This is getting rather out of hand. "Why can't all these attacks stop?" I asked but even I knew it was such a stupid question. 

"For starters no one knows who's responsible for these attacks," Fred spoke, "luckily no one has died. Yet. But if something isn't done in time, it won't be long before a death happens." 

Now that's dangerous. 

"Percy was almost at the brink of committing suicide," George added but I could see that it was a halfhearted joke. 

"Can we go see Hermione?" I really wanted to see her. 

"Not a chance," the twins replied, "all those who are petrified are put under highly strict protection just so the Monster can't strike at them again. So no visitors." 

I nodded and went back to my dorm mates who were looking at me expectantly to know what had commenced. I told them all about Hermione and Penelope. They were shocked as well. 

Katie was more alarmed than Angelina though as she kept telling me that we should all walk together in groups now and such stuff because well she and Angelina had known that I was a Muggle-born since I had told them myself on our first night together. 

All the pureblood thingy was just known to me and the twins only. So they were basically worried for me thinking that I could be next. I hope not.

***

That night I couldn't sleep. Exactly what I expected by the way. The whole day had flown off in uncomfortable silence because there were rumors of Dumbledore likely to get suspended and Hogwarts to be closed. I heartily wish that none of these rumors are correct though. 

I had just turned over to switch off my lamp (since the other two were noticeably slumbering away), when there was a loud Crack at the foot of my bed. I was startled and kept the light on. Taking out my wand I pointed it to the place from where the Crack had come from, "I know you're there so better come out before I blow you to smithereens." 

Some threat. But I guess all this tense atmosphere has really begun to affect me a lot. A short thing poked its head up from behind the bedpost, "don't blow anything please, Mistress. It's Dobby the House Elf. Dobby means no harm. Dobby don't want Miss to wake them up." 

House Elf? Dobby? Fine, I do know about house elves since a certain hazel eyed Potter was so infatuated with battling for the rights of house elves, gnomes, goblins, dwarves, werewolves and other such oppressed minorities. 

"Show me your hands and come out very slowly," hell, it looks like I'm forcing a criminal to get out when its just a house elf over there. But still, safety precautions must be taken. The elf's thin hands were empty and he walked up to me very slowly. Just like I had instructed. 

He had large bluish eyes and protruding ears and was wearing a ragged filthy piece of clothing. He made a low bow, so low that his nose touched the ground. Then straightened and looked at me innocently with his large eyes. 

Finally deciding that Dobby was absolutely harmless I dropped the wand. "So Dobby, who are you and why are you here?" 

He looked right and left to make sure that the others were asleep then spoke in a hushed voice, "Dobby is a house elf, Mistress, Dobby has come to tell you something very important." 

Okay... "Why are you calling me Mistress?" I asked. 

"Dobby always called you Mistress. Or Miss. Dobby isn't allowed to say names, Miss."

"I think Miss is better," I tried to smile in order to make the poor elf feel that it had done nothing to offend me. Elves are weird creatures. They are so obedient that they would kill themselves even as a punishment for not doing a task their Master had assigned in the desired way. 

Though the word always in his sentence was weirder. Always? Seriously, I don't think so. It's probably the first time I'm seeing a house elf let alone... 

"Master will punish Dobby for this, for coming to you. But Dobby had to come. Dobby has to save Harry Potter and Dobby has to tell Miss the truth." How does Harry Potter come in all of this?

"What truth are you talking about?"

"Bad times at Hogwarts, Miss. Bad times, indeed. There is a... A plot to harm Harry Potter. I warned Harry Potter many times, many many times but he pays no heed. Harry Potter should not have come back to Hogwarts. Master wants..." But he put his hands over his mouth suddenly in order to stop himself from speaking. 

Then all of a sudden he began to wail, "bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" He started banging his head on my bedside table knocking the lamp off. 

"Hush, Dobby, quiet!" I tried to make him stop, "Dobby, you'll wake them up. Hush." 

Ah well, no use. Somehow the elf stopped banging his head but it did wake Angelina up. Thankfully the lamp had gone off or else she would have probably screamed. 

"Kat, you okay?" Angelina asked in a sleepy voice. 

"Yeah. I'm okay. It was just the lamp. Fell off. You go back to sleep." 

A few seconds later, her peaceful breathing could be heard. I let out a sigh of relief. "Dobby is sorry, Miss. Dobby didn't want Miss to get in trouble," the elf spoke. 

It suddenly rang an alarm in my head and I immediately answered in order to prevent him from punishing himself again, "no, it's okay, really. I'm not in any trouble due to you. Promise me that you won't start punishing yourself now." 

He nodded, "as Miss pleases." 

But of course there were some questions which I had to ask, "is your Master involved in that plot to harm Harry Potter?" 

He forced his mouth shut again and his eyes grew wide from shock, "Dobby can't speak ill of his Masters." Ah, that explains it.

"And who do you work for exactly?"

"A pureblood family, Miss. But Dobby can tell you no more."

"And is that pureblood family in any way related to me?" I did have a suspicion about it though. The house elf called Harry by his name but refused to say mine. And to think that he called me Miss and bowed just like elves do before their Masters, now that had me thinking in an opposite route. 

"Miss was once part of that family," Dobby answered. 

Ah, I see. So Dobby works for the family which Snape had been talking about. Guess this was the truth which the elf wanted to tell me. "Miss is a pureblood too. Miss just doesn't know. Dobby wants Miss to know the truth but Master will iron my hands for this." 

I spoke, "if no one will tell your Master anything then how in the world will he know that you had been here to visit me?"

"Master will know. Master finds out."

Poor elf. "You said that I was once a part of that family too, right?" Something had lit up in my mind like a sudden idea, "so that makes me one of your Masters as well." 

He nodded, "yes Miss. Dobby will do what Miss pleases." 

Good. 

"So Dobby I order you to tell me that truth which you had come to tell me. Without punishing yourself. You're not doing anything wrong, trust me." 

Dobby sat cross legged in the floor, "as Miss says. Dobby is not doing anything wrong." 

Yeah, that's it. "Come on Dobby, don't be scared. Your Master will never find out. I promise." 

He was still slightly trembling but spoke nevertheless, "my Master and Mistress married in 1976. Mistress then had a child, a daughter two years after. That daughter was you, Miss. Blonde hair, green eyes. Mistress was very fond of you but Master... Master feared for some reason. Dobby heard Master telling Mistress that you were not right for them. For their family. Someone had made a prophecy regarding you and the family which I work for. Master feared the prophecy would come true so he wanted Miss to be away from them. My Mistress, my dear Mistress cried and begged. Dobby was so grieved. And Miss had always been such a good child." He grew silent. 

"What happened then, Dobby?" I was curious to find out more. 

"Master didn't like Miss. Didn't like Miss at all. Two years after, little Master was born." I had a brother? So that sort of memory which I had seen back when I created my first Patronus... It was all real? "Mistress believed Master would change his ways then," he resumed, "my Mistress hoped. And then Master did start speaking to you, Miss. Master stopped being cruel to Miss. Mistress was happy. But then they all went on a vacation. Dobby don't knows what happened there, Miss, but when Master and Mistress came back you was not with them. Master never told anyone what happened. Little Master didn't speak at all. And my Mistress, my Mistress locked herself in her room for days grieving over Miss's disappearance. And as time passed, Master began to behave as if Miss never existed, no one in the house was allowed to talk of Miss. But Dobby knows that Mistress still has Miss's pictures hidden somewhere and she looks at them when she is sad." 

Okay... But the question is what actually happened on the vacation? "But where did I go then if I wasn't with my family when they returned?" The only things I remembered about my life were the Russian family I lived with and the years in the asylum. 

"Dobby doesn't know, Miss. But Dobby thinks that Master..." And there goes Dobby shutting his mouth up again. 

"Fine, don't tell me. But no punishment," I reminded him. All that story was a lot confusing. Then I asked the first thing that popped in my head, "alright Dobby, that family which you work for, is it descended from Salazar Slytherin?" 

Dobby shook his head, "no, Master and Mistress's families have been in Slytherin for centuries but not descended. Dobby knows what Miss is thinking but Miss shouldn't fear. Miss is not the Heir. Neither is Harry Potter." 

Ah that's a relief. "But if the Heir isn't me or Harry, then who exactly..." Dobby interrupted me, "Dobby can't say so, Miss. But it is a plot. A giant plot. And Dobby can tell you no more." Alright then. "Dobby has to go, Miss," the elf stood up, "when Dobby gets home Dobby will have to iron his hands. Goodbye Miss." 

I was about to tell him not to do anything of that sort but he clicked his fingers and vanished. There was only one word to describe my feelings at all that house elf had told me: confused. Thoroughly baffled. 

A lot of questions had risen up in my head but I knew it was impossible to find answers to them. And since sleep was now clouding my senses I decided to think it all over in the morning and closed my eyes in order to sleep for the few hours that were still left until morning. And sure enough, I fell asleep soon as my head hit the pillow.

***