Chapter 31 The Castle was eery at night and especially that night. The moon was full and not a single cloud was out. It was hard to tell who was where. They kept bumbing into each other and making noise. They stopped, ducked into a classroom. No sooner haad they closed the door that Peeves bounced by. "That was close" Ron said. "Yeah. This isn't working. We'll wake the whole castle up if we aren't careful." Alexa said. "Sorry. At night I tend to walk toward the left." Ron said. "But not purposely." "We know you aren't doing it on purpose but its annoying to have the cloak pulled off me." "We're wasting time." Alexa said quietly. Hermione sighed. "Ron, you come with me." They covered themselves with the cloaks and set off again. It seemed to take ages to get to Dumbledore's office. "Cockroach Cluster? Dang, it's changed. Um....Chocolate Frog?" The gargoyle sprang aside and they ran up the moving staircase. "Lucky guess Alexa" Harry mumbled. "I know. I always have been lucky when it comes to passwords." "I'll say." They reached the door but before they opened it, Alexa put out her arm so it was visible for the world to see. She sat down quietly and closed her eyes, as if she were meditating. Harry started to grab her arm to pull her up but she stood up, and Harry covered her with the cloak. "Ok. He's making a polyjuice potion and Dumbledore is still by him."Alexa sounded exhausted but determined. "Is he- and how-" "Yes and it's a special gift- I'll explain later." she whispered. Harry opened the door and they crept through. They walked forward slowly and carefully. Alexa stopped, pulled her wand out and mumbled "Telecatherite" at the same time Naclle dropped a bottle. Alexa looked at Harry and he felt more pressure in his head and heard Alexa's voice. "Let's go." he heard her say, she wasn't talking, she was thinking it and he understood her. They crept around the desk and Alexa gasped as Naclle dropped another bottle. Dumbledore was lying dead on the floor and Naclle bent over him and picked a hair. There was a sudden beeping noise and all four of them checked their watches to see if they were going off but before they were sure it wasn't one of them, an image of Lucius Malfoy's face appeared in the air. "Ah...L-Lucius." Naclle said. Harry got the idea that Naclle was afraid of him. "Have you kidnapped Riddle or Potter yet?" "Uh...Well-er...not really, no." "Get them then! Your posing as Dumbledore, correct?" "Well yes, but-" "Good. Call them to 'your' office and give them a piece fo parchment that is a portkey. The portkey shall take them here and I'll kill them." "They are smart kids! I think they have figured me out!" "You would. The Daily Prophet has figured something is wrong. Of course they would have! Do it tomorrow." "Do...what?" "GIVE THEM THE PORTKEY!" "Oh...yes, of course." Lucius's face disappeared. "Stupid kids. They're gonna cost me my neck." "Well, maybe it would do the world some good." Alexa said after uncovering herself. Naclle gaped at her, recovered from his shock and said, "Alexa. What- what are you doing here?" He seemed more scared of Alexa than of Lucius Malfoy- if that was possible. "Oh, I was just wandering about...It's really a wonderful night Stephan." Naclle gulped. "H-How much did you hear?" "Enough." Alexa said, grinning almost evilly. Harry smiled. How Alexa said things; it could be quite intimidating. "You know, Naclle, sometimes you amaze me." "W- What do you mean?" Naclle said, cowering against the wall. "I never would have thought that you would teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. Potions was your highest class and even that was horrible. You don't have the brains to teach- to even help with a scheme like this. I'll give you credit though. You knew Harry and I had figured it out." "What about your other two friends? Weasley and the mudblood Granger?" he said with a little courage. Alexa narrowed her eyes and took a menacing step forward, her eyes glinting dangerously. "What did you call her?" "A- a mudblood." he said, his courage failng. Alexa pulled her wand out and started to curse Naclle but he stopped her. He also had his wand drawn and ready. "You try to curse me and I'll kill the mudblood." "You couldn't kill a fly with a curse, let alone a human being-the best student in our class I might add." "We-we'll see about that." "Naclle. Honestly. How do you expect to do that? I'm here, blocking you from the door and your cowering against the wall-"Alexa smirked. "How do you expect to get out?" "I-I'll Apparate out." "You can't Apparate inside Hogwarts." "I'll become an Animagus." "How? That takes years and you have to be good at Transfiguration and you are horrible in that." "I'll make myself invisible." "And I'll follow. You don't get it Naclle. You're as good as dead." "No I'm not. I'll prove it to you. In Hogsmeade. We'll duel. Now." "All right." Alexa clapped her hands and ropes bound aroun Naclle's arms, legs and wrists. "Mobilorcus." she said and she walked out of Dumbledore's office with Naclle drifting strangely behind her.