SS8

## Summary

Everyone is still processing the attack on Padma Patil. Daphne Greengrass accuses Rigel of being the one behind the attacks. 'Obviously'. Draco, Pansy and Adrian Pucey defends her. Greengrass is told off by Alesana when she says Snape's word isn't reliable when it comes to his favourite student, Rigel. But what's said has been said. Greengrass's words causes suspicion and someone even says "What about Lee Jordan?" when Draco defends her. Draco, Pansy and Rigel visit the kitchens to escape the common room.

The trio finds Blaise in the library and Rigel asks him some doubts on runes (which is actually for Flint's assignment). Blaise explains that Chinese runic system and Celtic runes can't be used together and when Blaise realizes Rigel isn't clear on some of the basics, he offers to lend her some of his books. Ginny, once again, sneaks up behind Rigel, covers her eyes and asks "guess who?". Ginny informs Rigel that George is out of the Hospital Wing and looking for them to apologize for the game of the previous day. Blaise comments on Ginny's dark circles and unwashed hair.

Next week, when Rigel goes to her lab to brew for Krait, she notices that the door was open. When she enters her lab, she is attacked and the attacker blinds her temporarily with *Obscuro*. The attacker demands Rigel to open her bag and when she refuses to, they slap her and threatens to snap her wand. When Rigel tries to bluff by saying the holly wand is Draco's, the attacker reveals that all Malfoys carry wands of Hawthorn until they inherit their family wand of Elm. The attacker tries to *Crucio* her but the unicorn wand they're using doesn't suit them. When they try to use Rigel's wand, she overpowers them and gets her sight back but they escape before Rigel discovers their identity. Rigel immediately goes to Snape and tells him what happened. Snape escorts Rigel to the Hospital Wing and after she is given a Calming Draught, takes her back to the common room.

The day before winter holidays begin, Rigel visits the Gryffindor Common Room to return the book the twins had lent her. There she meets Parvati Patil who is clearly upset and agitated by her sister's petrification. Rigel engages herself in a conversation with Ginny and then Wood until the twins come. The Weasley brothers comment on Ginny's exhaustion to which she says that she has been studying extra.

While returning to her common room, Rigel hears whispers coming from the walls. On the wall between the door to the Great Hall, she finds Mrs. Norris and and her six kittens strung up on nails. Above this, a message is written in blood. It says that for every month Dumbledore remains the Headmaster, a blood traitor will be petrified and if Dumbledore isn't removed from his position by the end of the year, a student will be killed. Rigel quickly asks the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw to get Dumbledore. Dumbledore, and soon after Snape, sees the message. Rigel tells them that she heard the monster speaking in Parseltongue. Snape implies that the person behind this might be Riddle. On the way back to the common room, Rigel admits to Snape that her family doesn't know about her gift.

The next day, on the way to the carriages, Rigel and her discusses about how that year's invitation to the New Year's Eve Gala included not just their parents but them as well. Rigel meets Draco and Pansy's parents and introduces them to Sirius. They make small talk and Narcissa tries to convince Sirius to come to the gala with Rigel. They say their goodbyes and go home.

Archie comes home and asks to switch clothes with her immediately. He reveals that Lily is having a baby girl. They go downstairs to the kitchen and James, Lily and Sirius are astonished to see that Harry and Archie look identical. Sirius decides to go to the gala.

## Characters (by order of appearance)

* Pansy Parkinson
* Daphne Greengrass
* Adrian Pucey
* Draco Malfoy
* Rigel Black
* Blaise Zabini
* Alesana Selwyn
* Ginny Weasley
* Severus Snape
* Madam Pince
* Parvati Patil
* Oliver Wood
* Fred Weasley
* George Weasley
* Mrs. Norris and her kittens
* Albus Dumbledore
* Theodore Nott
* Millicent Bulstrode
* Marcus Flint
* Sirius Black
* Lucius Malfoy
* Narcissa Malfoy
* Rose Parkinson
* Cassius Parkinson
* Archie Black
* Lily Potter
* James Potter
* Remus Lupin

## Settings

### Hogwarts

* Slytherin Common Room
* The Kitchens
* Library
* Rigel's Lab
* Gryffindor Common Room
* Great Hall

### Outside Hogwarts

* Kings Cross Station
* The Potter family house

## Potions mentioned

* Blood Replenishing Potion
* Calming Draught

## Foreshadowing

"Blaise!" Pansy pinned the dark boy with a glare, "You're not supposed to say such things about a lady's toilette."
"So you noticed, too?" Blaise said, seemingly unconcerned with Pansy's disapproval, "It's a bit early for her to be that stressed over winter exams. First year isn't all that difficult, and I gather she is not unskilled enough to warrant any real anxiety over academics. What could be the source of her disheveled appearance, then?"

(More foreshadowing quotes are there in this chapter.)