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familyfriends were worried about the monster within the Chamber of Secret, but they were also very worried about Saffron. She had started to isolate herself from those closest to her ever so slightly, unknowingly doing so. She wasn't talking or eating as much as she used to, and it seemed as though seeing Olly and Emilia in such a state had sucked all the energy out of her. She didn't feel like herself anymore.

Every single day after the petrification happened, Saffron went to the hospital wing, and every single time she was told by Amanda or Madam Pomfrey that there was no chance in a change or fluctuation in their progress until the mandrakes were ready. But that wasn't what mattered to her, not really. What was most important to her was just seeing them.

Saffron was very aware that Olly and Emilia were lucky to be alive. They were in a near-death situation and somehow survived. The monster could have killed them, but didn't. It left the two of them as a reminder of what it could be and that terrified Saffron for when it decided to finally kill.

If it had decided to kill the pair of them, she would have been the last to talk to them. She would have been the final person to look at them. Their last interaction would have been with her. That fact weighed heavily on her mind. It was chilling, to say the least. Visiting them every day was something she felt like she had to do, and she wasn't the only person to feel that way.

Luna Lovegood also seemed to have every intention of visiting them every day too. It wasn't necessarily the same time that Saffron visited or for the same amount of time, but she was there too. That was a source of comfort for Saffron and vice versa. Both girls used each other to process what had happened the night of the Duelling Club in order to heal and move on from it.

On top of visiting them, Luna had taken it upon herself to change the flours in the vase on their bedside tables and had made a card with the brightest and flashiest colours Saffron had ever seen, making it stand out amongst all the other cards left by well-wishers.

Saffron felt like she and Luna had formed an eternal bond over such a near-tragic event. If she had to choose someone to form such a bond with, Luna would not have been someone even on her radar seeing as they had known little to nothing about each other. But now, seeing as she had such a bond, she was glad that it was with Luna. They balanced each other out quite well, Saffron thought.

But in spite of the severity of the past few days, the school term carried on as normal and Saffron just had to get on with it. She only had a few school days left until the holidays and then she could allow herself to reassess and narrow her focus onto the Chamber of Secrets.

"Are you feeling alright?" Hermione asked Saffron, early one morning a few days after the attack. She looked at Saffron concernedly before turning around and starting to change into her school robes.

"I feel great," replied Saffron sleepily, but quietly enough in order to not wake up the sleeping Lavender and Parvati. "Just great,"

"Um, Saffron, Parvati told me about what Lisa Turpin and Terry Boot said about you and Luna," Hermione said stiffly, adjusting her school skirt awkwardly. She turned and faced Saffron with a frown.

"That it's our fault that Olly got petrified?" Saffron asked her rhetorically, rolling her eyes. "I don't need you to remind me, Hermione, I was there,"

The evening previous, Saffron and Luna were both in the hospital wing when Lisa and Terry arrived. Everything was okay initially, Saffron had spoken to them both about it and explained in detail what had happened during the Duelling Club. But when she had spoken to them, Padma had been there. Padma seemed to have the ability to tone down the behaviours and actions of Terry and Lisa. Since she wasn't there yesterday evening, the other two Ravenclaws let loose on Saffron and Luna.

They told them how Olly hadn't even wanted to go to the Duelling Club with them and only did so because he felt bad for them both. They spoke about how if he hadn't of gone with them, he'd be still around properly. Saffron knew that one of those statements was true but also knew there was a chance that the first one could be true too. He could have been being a pity friend for both Saffron and Luna. As much as Saffron hoped that that wasn't the truth, she couldn't be certain. Hence, the words that Lisa and Terry used against her cut her to the core. It hurt and made her feel more guilty than she already did.

"I know you were there," said Hermione patiently. "And I know I wasn't, but I'm not sure that you know that what they said to you wasn't true. Padma said so, she said they're just taking their anger out on you,"

"They should," remarked Saffron sadly. "Because they're right, I should have gone with them, maybe if I did they would have been quicker. Maybe they wouldn't have stopped by the bathroom. Maybe it wouldn't have happened,"

"You're using the word 'maybe' a lot," Hermione pointed out to her. "That just shows that you can't be sure, maybe it would have got you too," She paused for a moment. "It could have been so much worse if this monster has the capabilities to choose to petrify people, who knows what else it could do? All I feel sure about is that it can do much much worse,"

"Did you know his mum wants to take him out of school?" Saffron changed the subject slightly to what else she had discovered yesterday. First from Lisa and Terry during their rant, then had it confirmed by Amanda when she left the hospital wing that evening.

Hermione bit her lip. "I didn't . . . I know I've said . . . a couple of times I've said that being expelled or leaving the school, in this case, is worse than dying, but it's really not. He's alive Saffron, and so is Colin, and Emilia, but that doesn't mean that anyone else isn't in danger. That's why we need to stop this," She paused for a breath. "Want to go check on the potion with me?"

Saffron considered that for a moment. But only a moment. "Let's do it,"