-PART FOUR-

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A woman stood on the steps of the hall, hand held forward as she slowly glided in. She was dripping with silver water that ran in rivulets down her face and bare arms. Kathy could tell, though, that she was a young ghost. The woman didn't know where she was going, nor quite what she was doing. Gliding slowly, the ghost reached the stairs and turned,  face concerned as she looked out of the open door.

Katherine looked back at Laurence and saw Stone was trembling and hiding behind the boy and Laurence was frozen, standing stock still with a look of horror on his face. Kathy looked at the older student with curiosity, not in the least bit scared.

"Are you ok, Laurence?" She asked, wondering why the boy was so terrified. Ghosts were usually a common sight in wizarding schools.

The boy's eyes didn't leave the ghost. "She's-" He gulped. "That ghost - it's Professor Derren...can't you see, Kim?"

Kathy runed and suddenly saw the resemblance to that of a Professor, but of course did not recognise the woman. "What - what happened to her?" 

"I don't know, Kim." Laurence voice was thin and trembling. "Just - close the door. We have to move."

Kathy looked at the door and then outside into the grounds. What she saw filled her with fear as green lights flashed in the forest and there was only silence. Then a figure. The figure of a man, coming out of the forest. With passion, she slammed the door shut and took out her wand. "Alohomora." The door locked shut and Katherine heard the bolts sliding as she turned. Laurence watched her with some sort of mixture of awe and insanity as retired to register what was going on. With meaningfulness, Katherine attended to the other two doors leading off the entrance hall, the finally, the for to the main hall where the party was going on.

"But - Kim!" Laurence protested, snapping back into gear. "You can't!"

"I have to, Laurence." Her voice was to solemn for a thirteen-year-old, and Laurence again looked bewildered, as did Stone, who had appeared from behind the older boy. "Otherwise they could be hurt." But in truth, Kathy didn't know what was going to happen to them.

Laurence was opening his mouth to speak again, thin face pale, when Stone suddenly spoke in the tiny, eleven-year old voice that she wasn't used to after meeting the dashing young man before. "Kim...Laurence..." The round little boy was pointing to the ghost on the stairs, who was walking upwards, murmuring. Kathy turned to Laurence quickly, who was gaping again.

"Laurence, who did you say that was?"

He looked at her, confused. "But - you know, Kim. It's Professor Derren." He looked up at the ghost and suddenly a tear trickled from his eye and Katherine realised he was terrified out of his wits. "It's Professor Derren...it's Professor Derren...IT'S PROFESSOR DERREN! SHE'S DEAD, SHE'S.....oh my lord, she's dead, she's dead..." The boy's voice rose and fell as he went into hysterics. Kathy didn't know where to look as Stone remained stock still and terrified and Laurence sank to the floor. The ghosts murmurs rose as well and Kathy listened to them with bewilderment. 

"Must go to the room...must...go to the...find it...must find it."

Kathy looked back at Laurence and at the same time he turned his eyes up to her as the door began to thump. "It's time." His eerie tones sent shivers down her spine but Kathy approached him in confusion.

"Time for what? Laurence, who is out there?"

"Him." He looked at her weakly. "Father Christmas."