Harper Jones and the missing sorting hat...book 2

I look at Tori. She seems shocked and we both stand up. "Should we look?" Tori looks at me and smiles slightly. "Something bad always seems to happen when we go searching." I laugh. "Yea that's true." We run out of the hospital wing. We are abruptly stopped. I almost run into them. "Hey sorry about your loss..." I look up. "Ashly?" "That's me." She laughs slightly. Tori grabs my arm. "Let's go. We don't have time for this." Tori starts pulling me away. "Wait." we stop and turn around. "What." Tori says as less of a question and more of a threat. Ashly backs up a bit then clears her throat. "In a hurry?" "Very." I just stand there listening. "Listen." Tori rolls her eyes. Obviously bothered. Ashly pulls out a coin. "That's for what exactly?" I ask starting to be done with standing here. She flips the coin and catching it she says. "I flip this. Heads you stay here with me. Tails..you can leave." She shrugs smirking. "That's rubbish. We can leave if we want." Tori tries to pull me away but Ashly appears in front of us. Apparition? What is going on here? "Going somewhere?" She asks us with a face innocent smile. "You're mental." I start back up slowly. She gives me a smirk. "So shall we?" I gulp and she flips the coin. I watch as our fate is decided. It lands on her hand and "Heads!" My heart sinks. "Pity really guess it's just my lucky day. She gives my shoulder a squeeze and I can see Tori give her a dirty look out of the corner of my eye. Ashly shoots one back then looks at me and smiles. "So what should we do?" She squeals. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun! Don't you think?" I dip away from the hand she has placed on my shoulder. "You're...you're..." "I'm...I'm what?" She asks mockingly. "You're not a first-year are you?" She turns around. "Hmm figured me out huh?" I step back shocked. "How old are you?" "Hm I don't know." she turns back around. She looks sad. "Well, what's your name?" her eyes start to get glossy. "I...I don't know." "She's mental," Tori whispers in my ear. I nod slightly. "Why are you here?" Ashly looks back at me. "I don't know..." She whispers. There's a sound and we all look over. Its nothing. We all look back at each other. I'm the first to talk. "Well do you remember anything?" She justs stares at me for a moment with her bright yellow eyes. Hn yellow I've never seen that. "There was a man." how cliche. "I think I've been here for a long time..." I nod. "Ok well maybe instead of being enemies let's be friends?" She gives me a hopeful look and I smile in return. "O-ok." She nods slowly. "Well, we need to go," Tori tells us and it hits me how empty and quiet the school is.

* * *

"So is there a plan here?" We've been running around the school for a while now looking for any signs of life. "Not that I know of," Tori responds and I stop running panting. "You know...I can dance for hours but not be able to run for more than two minutes." I tell them. They both laugh through pants. Ashly screams and we both lookup. She's laying on the floor shaking. "Are you ok?!" I sit beside her pulling her up. "Filch...cat...hat..." "What does that mean?" Ashly goes limp in my arms. What is happening? "She fainted." I look up to the unfamiliar voice. There's a man in a mask. I back up slowly still holding Ashly in my arms. "Who are you?" Tori speaks now. The man walks closer...He slowly pulls out his wand. What is with this dude? He's so creepy. "Give me her." I shake my head. "Definitely not." He shakes his head at me slowly obviously disappointed like I was just going to hand her over. "Don't make this hard." I set Ashly against the wall and stand up. Staring him in the face. Pulling my wand out I shout. "Expelliarmus." "Protego!" He blocks the spell and says something else. "Ascendio!" I go flying into the air and I'm dropped back onto the ground. A groan escapes my mouth as I rub my head. The mysterious man gives me no time to think and he shouting another spell at me. "Crucio!" Hearing the curse I immediately roll out of the way. "Harp!" I look over and the man has Tori held by the neck. His arm wrapped around her neck. "Tori!" I stand up and start to run over. "Crucio!" I counter with "Protego." This isn't very fair. I think to myself. Considering the fact I'm a first year. He continues to shoot the crucioatis curse at me. I hear a short scream and I come to realize that Tori has bitten him and now she's running over to me. I hold my hand up and she high fives it, but nows not the time for celebration. While he's busy focusing on his hand I yell "Petrificus Totalus!" He looks up at me for a split second then falls to the ground. Relieved I run over to Ashly and pick her up. "She quite light," I tell Tori slightly lifting Ashly.

We come up to a Phonix statue. "What's this?" "Dumbledores..office," I tell her out of breath from carrying Ashly. "How do you even know where it is?" She asks surprised. "I've done my fair share of sneaking around the school." I shrug. "Well, how do we get it?" "Ah yes, that is the problem." She facepalms herself. "You. don't. Know. how. To get. In?" "Nope." "Ugh," Tori says annoyed. "Well, I assume there's some sort of password." I nod. "Sounds good to me." Tori starts saying random words such as books, parchment, and other things. "Lemon drops." I pipe in. She gives me a weird look. "What?" She just rolls her eyes in response. To our surprise, the statue starts to move. "Ha!" I stick my tongue out at her. She laughs. We step onto the staircase that has appeared and we walk. I almost trip still carrying Ashly. "I take it back...not light." I pant. "Yea" tori laughs shaking her head. We appear in a hallway with a door. "In we go I guess?" Tori nods in response. I turn the nob and open the door.

We step through the door and no ones there. Oh my god what the heck! Tori walks in and looks around they room. "Hey look a phoenix." I drop the book I was holding and walk over. "Hmm it's rather pretty." "I don't know it kinda looks like it's dying." She shrugs and slightly smiles. "Well it's no help really so..." I shrug walking back over to where I sat Ashly. "When do you think she's gonna wake up?" "Beats me" Ashley says still messing with the bird. "Well I don't know but the odds aren't in our favor if we wait." "What are you-" but before she can finish I slap Ashley across the face as hard as I can. She walks with a start. "What the heck happens?!" "She hit you." Tori points a finger at me. "I had no choice." Ashley rubs her face. "Dang that hurt." "Sorry." She doesn't answer but looks around the room. "Where are we? Kind of looks familiar..." "Dumbledores office" I tell her looking around the office. A loud screeching noise happens and we all look over. The bird has gone up in flames. "Merlins beard!" Tori exclaims. There is now just a pile of ashes on where the bird used to be. "Well that was weird." I say out loud. Ashley nods. Tori shakes her head. "This is like a bad dream." "Your telling me." I rub my temples shaking my head. The door behind opens behind us. We all turn around to see Dumbledore. "Professor?" "Oh hello children." My jaw drops. Tori speaks for me. "Where did you guys go?" He's looking around the room in a hurry. "Now is not the time for such stories. We must go." "Where?" I jump in. He looks me straight in the eyes. "Ministry of magic." "What?" Ashley does the taking now. "Yes now lets go." He tells us and walks over to the fire place. "Now take some of this." He hands us each floo powder. "Now the ministry of magic." He throws down the powder like substance and with that he's gone. "Who's next?" Ashley ask. "I'll go." I step forward. Tori gives me a look of worry but I just smile. "Ministry of magic!" I throw down the powder. My head spins and I land in a new fire place. I clutch my head. "Bloody hell." I look up to see Dumbledore. I step out of the fire place. "What now?" Before answers Tori is there. She walks over to my coughing. "Bleh what the heck." We wait a few seconds then Ashley comes through. She topples out of the fire place dang that was a lot. "So you've arrived." We all turn around to the familiar voice. Eyes widened and my heart racing the voice speaks again. "Pick your jaw up Jones." "Kayleigh?" She just nods at me. Kayleigh looks over and Ithica walks over. "W-what are you both doing here?" Tori pipes in. Before anything else is said another person comes out. "Oh there you are took you long enough." Kayleigh says annoyed. Filch is standing there. "Well then" Kayleigh opens her arms. "Let's begin." She steps towards me. "Now come on why the long face aren't you glad to see me?" She gives me a fake pout. "I-I thought you were dead." "Oh yes, that!" She puts her finger on her chin in a thinking stance then looks at me. "That was a lie." Tori steps into my view. I see her glance towards Dumbledore who is standing there calmly. "Now." Kayleigh walks towards Ithica. "Be a dear and fetch the...thing." I tilt my head. "What's the thing?" Kayleigh turns to face me. "Oh you'll see don't you worry." A few minutes pass and Ithica is back holding a hat. Wait- "Look familiar?" "That's the sorting hat?" You can tell I'm surprised but Kayleigh doesn't let me keep this up for long. "Mrs. Norris." His tone is sweet like honey. My gaze shifts to him. "What?" He ignores me and walks past me. I turn around to see where he's heading. Right towards Ashly...I'm suddenly running to stand in front of her. "Stay back!" "Why should I?" He scoffs. "Just stay away you snake!" "She's mine" he gestured at Ashley. "You're mental!" Ashley is just standing there in what seems to be shock. "Tell them!" Filch tells Ashley. I look at Ashley. She says nothing. "TELL THEM!" He shouts. She flinches and steps back. "I-I don't know you..." she answers finally. "What happened in there?" "I don't know what you mean?" "You were a spy! Planted there to give us information. You were my cat!" "A cat?" Tori pipes in confused. Filch ignores her. "Do you not remember anything?" He grabs her pulling her towards him before anyone can do anything. He pulls her with him back over to where Kayleigh and Ithica are standing. Kayleigh brings our attention back to her. "Now." She claps smiling. "Why are you doing this? Why do you have the hat? What is going on?" She's not pleased by my interruption and her smiles curves to a frown. "Chaos." "What?" "Chaos. Pure chaos that's what I want that's all I've ever wanted. To watch the world burn. Burn right in front of me." "Who hurt you?" She stops with the frown and her gaze softens. "Isolation. You'd be surprised what 3 years in Azkaban can do to you. For something you didn't even do!" She throws her hands in the hair clearly frustrated. "What happened?" "I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. So I ended up in Azkaban." "So you've taken to chaos?" I try to keep my tone soft. "What has the world ever done for me. So you know what I'm going to watch it burn." She steps towards Ithica. "Do it." Then walks away before anything can be done to stop her. "Do what?" Ithica does not answer but starts shouting spells. The killing curse at that. "Stop!" She does not but continues until she can hit one of us. Everyone running for cover. I see Ashley trying to get away from Filch but I can't get to her. Ashley and I have found a safe spot behind a huge statue as Ithica and Dumbledor battle. I feel Tori's presence move. Looking over I I grab her shoulder lightly. "Tor where are u going?" I whisper yell. She smiles then points to where Kayleigh had gone. My mouth opens then closes. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" I whisper. She laughs quietly. "Come with me but you're not stopping me." She continues to creep around the state. I shake my head and follow her. We make it out from behind the statue and somehow make it past Filch. Ashley's eyes meet mine and I smile sadly trying to say "I'm sorry." She answers my look with a small smile. Tori pulls me into where Kayleigh was. I see her and she turns around. "Ah I've been waiting for you two...well mostly you." She tosses her hand lazily at me. "And why is that?" I tilt my head with a slightly annoyed face. Completely ignoring the fact that I have no idea how much power she has or what she could do to Tori...or me. Kayleigh held the sorting hat up. "To thank you." She smiled. "Oh?" "Yep. You were quite helpful this year." My mouth opened slightly not wanting to be jumbled with her chaotic ways. "Yes well, you kept everyone off my trail. You also gave me valuable information." She continued to give me examples for a minute until id had enough and stopped her. "Stop I get it I was your little pawn." "And quite a good one." She gestured smiling like I had forgotten that part. "Well, here you can have this back." She tossed the sorting hat to me and I barely caught it. "What just like that? after all the work? you didn't have another plan or anything?" "Nope." I stood up straight and just looked at her glaring. "What is it, Jones?" I started walking towards her. "You mean to tell me you did all of this." I gestured around the room to nothing in particular. "For nothing." I jabbed an accusing finger at her. "Yep." She smiled. "You are mental." She just nodded in response. Yelling was heard and we all turned around. It was the ministry. They had come to help us. I was about to run out to help when I remember what was standing behind me. I breathed in calmly gathering all my strength. Turning around I punched Kayleigh in the face. Not knowing what I was about to do she had no way of blocking and soon fell to the ground passed out. Tori let out a surprised laugh. I turned around breathing heavily. "Dang I knew you were strong but I didn't know you were that strong." she gestured at the lump on the floor that was Kayleigh. "Me either." I breathed in heavily. "Here I'm going to go get someone to..." She gestured lightly at Kayleigh. "Take care of her." I nodded smiling. She came back a few seconds later with a lady I did not recognize. The girl started to handcuff Kayleigh. Not saying a word to us before walking out of the hallway. "I guess we should go..." I nodded in response to Tori. I didn't move and Tori noticed this and turned around. "Whats up Harp?" I looked at her and smiling. "Just...Thanks.." Tori tilted her head confused. "For what?" I smiled trying to find the words. "Thanks for putting up with me." She smiled and giggled quietly. "Of course." Then turned around to walk out. I followed her with a small blush covering my cheeks.

A few hours later we were back to the school and Dumbledore had called me down to his office. I knocked on the door and a quiet clear voice told me to come in. I did as I was told and walked in. Dumbledor was sitting at his desk. He smiled at me and gestured for me to sit. I did so and was the first to break the silence. "Professor?" He looked up at me. "Yes?" "Um, where did all the teachers?" he took a moment to reply then said. "Moved to a safe location." "You just kinda left us there?" He smiled at me. "Well, I knew this was something you would have to face on your own." I nodded. "I suppose." I thought for a second. "Oh! Wheres Ashley?" His smile faded. "Ah." He clicked his tongue. "St. Mungos." "What? Why?" Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. "So she can get help she's been through a lot..." I nod in understanding. "How about Kayleigh and Ithica?" "Azkaban." He said calmly. "Along with Filch." He added nodding slowly. "Is there anything else?" I shook my head. "Nope. Thanks, professor." He nodded smiling. I stood up and walked to the door. "Night sir." "Goodnight Harper." I walked out.

When I got back to my dormitory I laid in bed. "Goodnight Tori...I love you." I smiled softly thinking she was asleep. "Love you too." She said sleepily and yawned. Blushing I slowly drifted to sleep.

I woke to someone shaking me lightly. "Harper wake up it 1 in the afternoon." I opened my eyes to see...my mom? "Mom? What are you doing here." She rolled her eyes. "I live here you know." She opened the curtains. I hide my eyes under the blankets. "Yea but I should be at Hogwarts?" She looked at me confused. "No dear Hogwarts isn't real and you live here." "What?" I think for a second. "It was all a dream...? I say in realization. "Guess so. Now get up and come eat." I nodded and she left. I got up and my eyes wandered to my bookcase where is saw my collection of hard-back Harry Potter books. I clutch my head. "Wow..." I whisper to myself.