|
|
No Accident?
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 05-14-11 10:08
Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore bore Rosamond Boggs to the Hospital Wing using the Mobilicorpus spell. The journey didn't take long, though it felt like ages to McGonagall. She hadn't known Rosamond well. Rosamond, like Ethan, hadn't attended Hogwarts. She had been homeschooled as a part of Voldemort's top secret Project 25.
As the two professors walked alongside the covered stretcher, figures in the portraits appeared from wherever they had been and moved from frame to frame en route to the Hospital Wing.
When McGonagall and Dumbledore arrived, they found Ethan reclining on one of the metal-framed beds with Lilly in his arms. Poppy had obviously given him a light sedative because he seemed relaxed but aware. His head snapped up at the sight of the stretcher but he didn't move from his bed.
Poppy guided the stretcher to a curtained-off partition in the Hospital Wing and told Dumbledore, "I've already contacted St. Mungo's. They will collect the body––" she said the last two words in an undertone, "soon."
"Thank you, Poppy," Dumbledore said. He turned to Ethan and gently placed his hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss."
Ethan answered in a strained voice. "Thank you, Albus."
"I will come back and check on you shortly."
Ethan nodded and turned back to his baby, while Albus and Minerva left the Hospital Wing. They walked in utter silence upstairs to the tower where Dumbledore kept his office. They ran into Snape in front of the stone gargoyle at the base of the revolving staircase.
"I heard the news," Snape said. "A tragic accident."
"Perhaps," Dumbledore replied.
McGonagall and Snape looked shocked by Dumbledore's assessment.
"What do you mean?" Minerva asked.
Dumbledore didn't answer their question. "Severus, I am going to question Mr. Ellison. I would like you to listen in and tell me whether or not you think he is telling the truth."
"Albus, I didn't bring any veritaserum."
"I don't wish to subject a child to a powerful truth serum, especially when I am not certain he did anything at all. I only ask that you listen to what he says... or better put, what he doesn't say."
Severus understood then. "Very well, Albus."
The three professors climbed the staircase after Albus gave the password and then entered the office. Professor Jones and Penn were sitting side by side in chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk.
Illyria looked relieved to see the new arrivals and stood up.
"Thank you, Illyria," Dumbledore said. "Would you be so kind as to fill in for either Professor Snape or Professor McGonagall this afternoon? Perhaps you can find someone else to fill in for the other?"
Illyria nodded. "Of course."
She gave Penn one last glance and then exited Dumbledore's office.
Dumbledore, meanwhile, walked around to his desk and took his time getting settled. He poured himself a cup of tea, and then filled three more cups. He offered Penn biscuits, but the boy declined with one palm raised up in the universal gesture for stop.
Professor McGonagall accepted her teacup and stood to one side of the office. Snape didn't accept his and stood on the other side, his dark gaze fixed firmly on Penn.
"Mr. Ellison," Dumbledore started, once he'd taken his seat, "is there anything––anything at all––you would like to tell me?"
Penn shook his head and said, "No, Professor."
Dumbledore smiled at him kindly and his eyes twinkled as they often did when he spoke to somebody in a pleasant manner. "Are you sure? If there is something on your mind, I implore you to tell me. I find that getting something off one's chest is the best way to find relief from stress and worry."
Again, Penn shook his head. "I don't feel stressed or worried, Professor."
"It's natural to feel something after witnessing someone's death. Surely you would like to talk about it with somebody."
Penn shrugged. "I died once."
McGonagall almost dropped her teacup.
"It is my understanding that you were seriously ill and that you had a miraculous recovery," Dumbledore calmly answered. He had spoken with Penn's family at Parent's Weekend and had learned how he'd been a patient at St. Mungo's for a good while before recovering from his illness. That had been just before he'd received his Hogwarts letter last summer.
"You are a brave lad to have endured so much at a young age."
Penn shrugged. "I guess so."
Dumbledore flicked his eyes to Snape. Snape wore an inscrutable expression on his face and gave the slightest shake of his head.
"Londy."
The house elf materialized out of thin air.
"Yes, Professor?"
"Please see Mr. Ellison to his dormitory room and see that he gets something to eat for lunch."
"Mr. Ellison. Do you have any classes this afternoon?"
"No, Professor."
"Then I will ask you to remain in your room until further instruction. Will you do that for me?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Very well. I will visit with you a bit later."
Penn got up and allowed Londy the house-elf to lead him from the room.
After he left, Dumbledore turned to Snape.
"Well?"
"His mind was closed."
Dumbledore sat back in his chair. "How very interesting."
McGonagall couldn't take it any longer. "Albus, do you think the boy had anything to do with Rosamond's death?"
He didn't answer at first. "It is not impossible."
"Albus, there is something you should know," Snape said. He filled the headmaster in about what Ethan had told him last night with respect to the sneakoscope.
"And yet, that is still not concrete proof that Rosamond's death wasn't an accident."
"Why would it be anything but?" McGonagall asked.
Albus looked at her. "Based on the position and the condition of her body, I believe she didn't tumble down the stairs. She wasn't pushed either."
"What then?" Minerva asked, bewildered.
"I believe she was struck by the Killing Curse."
The portraits in the room were all wide awake, taking in every word. It was so quiet, one could hear a pin drop.
Snape broke the silence. "If it's true, and if the boy is behind it, what possible reason could he have to harm someone close to Somerset?"
"I don't know, Severus." Dumbledore looked at a loss. "Take the time to question the portraits in the castle. I want to know if any noticed anything suspicious or saw anything at all. Talk to the ghosts, too."
Snape nodded and departed the office when it became clear that his presence wasn't required anymore.
"What shall I do, Albus?"
"Make yourself available to counsel any students from any house who might like to talk to you about what they saw today."
Minerva nodded. "Yes, of course. I should have thought of that necessity before."
Dumbledore smiled at her kindly. "You have a lot on your mind, as do we all."
Minerva set down her teacup on the edge of his desk. She'd only sipped it, so it was mostly full.
She left for the Great Hall to make an announcement about anyone seeking counseling and then made herself available in her office for the rest of the afternoon.
Covering Potions (Theodosia)
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 05-14-11 15:10
After the group discussion about who would cover Ethan's classes that afternoon, Theodosia is one of the ones who goes to the Great Hall. Not all students were there but a great many were. Of those there who missed the immediate aftermath of the incident that beset Rosamond Boggs, the majority soon hear of what happened. The professors who came to the Great Hall walk around, offering comfort and reassurance. Theodosia had not had breakfast and only a short time before had been looking forward to sitting down to lunch and, as some of her British friends would say, tucking in. Now, food is the last thing on her mind.
Zuberi had seemed stoic, not at all the usual for him. She'd still gone to him and given him a quick, wordless hug. Marjani was in tears so Theodosia had stood for a moment with arms around both Marjani and Jill Prewitt before taking a slight step back and asking, "Do either of you have a quill, ink, and a piece of parchment I might use?"
Giving her eyes a backhanded swipe Marjana had nodded and turned to get her bookbag. Jill and she looked on without trying to read what she was doing while Theodosia wrote a short note to Viktor Krum. She's known Ethan and Viktor long enough now to know that the two are long time friends.
Viktor,
Tragedy here. Rosamond Boggs has died. Ethan is going to need support.
Theodosia
The whys and hows could be saved for a face to face with Viktor. She knows he'll want to do what he can to help Ethan, and Lilly, be it helping care for Lilly, telling family or other friends, or just whatever will need to be done.
The brief missive done, Theodosia had folded it and quickly jotted Viktor's name on it. Turning to Marjani and Jill she'd held it out. "You two would be doing me a huge favor if you could get this owled off straight away to Viktor Krum."
Eager for something useful to do, they'd both readily agreed, Marjani taking the letter and the two bustling out of the Great Hall. Shortly after that Illyria had come in and gestured for those professors there to gather.
"We're needed to cover Minerva's and Severus's afternoon classes. I'm taking one. Who wants the other and is anyone taking Ethan's yet?"
"AJ's got Ethan's. I can take Transfiguration or Charms," Theodosia had promptly replied.
"Do you have a preference? They each have a single class at one."
"I don't. Do you?"
"No, not at all."
"I'm fine taking Potions."
Illyria had nodded. "Transfiguration for me then."
Theodosia hadn't remained much longer after that. She wanted to get to the dungeons and see if Snape's lesson plan was in his classroom or if she'd need to get into his office. If his office, then it would have been locked and Severus Snape is not the sort to just have a regular lock, magical or otherwise, on his office. She would need time to either figure it out for herself or get someone. That someone had turned out to be Majandra, who was most helpful and who genuinely seems fond of Severus. Theodosia doesn't dislike the man but she also doesn't care for him overly much simply because he is not one for normal social pleasantries. She's only had that same sour demeanor most everyone sees to go by.
Theodosia sat and carefully read over the lesson plan for the afternoon class, one of Snape's two fifth year sections, this one being the one composed of Gryffindors and Slytherins. Theodosia isn't sure why she had said she'd take Potions but after seeing in writing what class she was covering she thinks that subconsciously she wanted to be take it because it's the one Marjani and Zuberi are in.
Most everything was ready for the class but Theodosia still ran through a checklist of ingredients to make sure she knew where each was and did a careful read through of the potion making instructions. When class time arrived she felt she was prepared.
A goodly number of the students entering the classroom already knew what had happened so it's a largely sombre group. Some don't register surprise at seeing her there instead of Professor Snape but many do. For the benefit those who have not yet heard exactly what happened and to explain her presence as substitute for them all she'd waited until all were there, having checked off names in Snape's roll book.
"For those who don't yet know, there was a tragedy here in the castle involving a member of Professor Somerset's family. Professor Snape is helping Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall so could not be here this afternoon. I know carrying on is difficult and we are all in shock but do your best with the potion Professor Snape wants you to complete today. Questions?"
A great many hands went up so she'd said, "About today's potion assignment?"
Most of the hands dropped. Theosodia answered the questions about the work then pointing out the recipe instructions along with page number it could be found in the textbook, she'd set them to work. Only then did Theodosia answer some of the other questions, most of which were asking how Lilly was and wondering if anything else was known about what exactly happened. Theodosia didn't have to fib to say that no, details were still sketchy. A few did ask tougher questions though, clearly indicating that it's not lost on a number of them that something is extremely off about what happened to Rosamond Boggs and that the baby was (supposedly) found in an alcove.
With the potion being one that required a number of steps and ingredients, though not one that needed a long brewing time, the fifth years soon fell quiet, concentrating on their work, knowing that Snape's not being there would not be an acceptable excuse for screwing up the assignment. When the end of class period neared, Thalia Brown raised her hand.
"Yes, Thalia?"
"Professor Snape always has us bottle a sample of our potions and clearly label them."
"Thank you, Thalia. I thought as much but it's helpful of you to let me know. Five points to Slytherin."
Shortly after that Theodosia is collecting the potions and making sure everyone has cleaned up their workspaces and cauldrons as they should. "Don't forget to write down the questions Professor Snape has for you. Due Monday."
"Will he be here then?" Alexa Wenlocks asked.
"I don't know but if not, someone will be and you will still need to have the assignment to turn in."
Theodosia stood at the door to bid them each goodbye, surprised somewhat but then again not really, when several, including the young men, want hugs. She walked with an arm around her brother's shoulders to the stairs. At the top, she stands and watches as Marjani makes for the door to go out to the greenhouses for Herbology and then at Zuberi who hesistates at the bottom of the large main staircase before he runs up them as if chased by something, going to History of Magic. Normally, she would chide him for going up the stairs that fast but today she can't really blame him for not wanting to linger on that particular staircase.
Late Night Visitor
Author: Harry Potter
Date: 05-14-11 20:47
Harry throws the dice then grimaces when the three comes up. To his right Ginny makes a gleeful chirp and across from him Pinky looks decidedly pleased. Three is the only Harry could not benefit from this round and in fact it means either landing on a space that will set him back twelve spaces, putting him behind Pinky and into last place, or if he goes the alternate route, he will owe Ginny 500 galleons, leaving him with little of the game's money. As it's easier to catch up on the route than it is to earn money in the game, Harry opts for going back twelve spaces. This earns him a glare from Ginny followed by her smirking, "That's fine. I'll end up with it eventually."
Harry nudges her bare foot with his. "Just because your brothers always let you win playing games... "
"Let me? Ha! They wish," Ginny retorts, reaching for the dice.
Pinky looks from one to the other and shrugs. "It matters not for I am just stringing Harry and Ginny along. Wait and see. Pinky wants another soda. Should I bring Ginny and Harry drinks too?"
"Another butterbeer for me, please," Ginny requests as she moves her game pieces the required five spaces then draws a card as indicated by the space on which she lands.
"I've still got half of this one," Harry says, picking up his butterbeer bottle.
"Collect 150 galleons from the player on the left," she reads holding out her hand to Harry.
"It does not!" he protests.
"Does too."
Ginny hands the card to Harry who finds, much to his chagrin, that he does indeed have to pay her 150 galleons. He counts out the fake coins and passes them to her. Pinky, grin on his face, sets Ginny's fresh bottle of butterbeer on the table then after taking a big drink of his soda, reaches for the dice.
The House Elf has just thrown when there's a knock on the front door. Harry's brow crinkles, "Who is that at this hour?"
With the increased security on the house and grounds since that last attack, he doesn't think it's anything to worry about but given the lateness of the house and the fact that before the explosion on his front porch he would have sworn the security then was excellent, Harry draws his wand about the same time Ginny is doing the same. She moves to flank the other side of the door as another knock comes. Harry calls out, "Who is it?"
"Harry, it's Albus Dumbledore."
Harry had eased a bit of curtain back to look out even as he was asking who's there. Both seeing and hearing Dumbledore is something of a shock. Albus Dumbledore has visited a few times but he usually let Harry know beforehand. The time of night makes it even more puzzling. Upon opening the door, Harry gestures for the man to come in. "This is a nice surprise, Professor Dumbledore. Come in. Sit down."
"Hello, Harry. Ah, Ginny, so nice to see you. Pinky, you are looking well. I have not disturbed anything have I?"
Ginny looks towards the table, head shaking. "We were just playing a game."
"Do forgive my dropping by like this and at such a late hour but I am in need of your assistance, Harry."
By that time they've moved around to the chairs and couches the form a sitting group around the merrily crackling fire. Harry perches on the edge of one of the chairs. "Is everything all right, sir? What do you need?"
"I fear that tragedy has struck. Ethan Somerset's, what is it unmarried partners are often called these days?"
"Significant other?" Ginny ventures.
"Yes, that's it. Ethan Somerset's significant other has been killed at Hogwarts."
"Rosamond Boggs?" Ginny and Harry say at the same time.
"Yes, Rosamond. Did you know her?"
"A little, because of Ethan," Harry says.
"I know her sister because of Quidditch and have met her a few times with Ethan, though I don't really know either of them all that well," is Ginny's answer. "What happened?"
"That is the looming question. She was found at the bottom of the main staircase but her neck nor her back were broken."
"Head trauma," Harry asks.
"That also does not appear to be the case. Adding to the mystery, their still relatively newborn infant was allegedly found on the first floor, in an alcove near the top of that flight of stairs." Professor Dumbledore pauses before saying, "I trust each of you but I still must ask that none of you speak of the details with anyone else. The generalities are fine as that is what everyone talking about the incident will be discussing."
"Of course," Harry says.
"Yes, certainly," Ginny replies at the same time.
Pinky also is nodding. "Pinky will do whatever Professor Dumbledore requires."
Without further preamble Albus tells them, "It is my opinion that an Avada Kedavra curse killed Miss Boggs."
"What? Why?"
"I wish I knew, Ginny, as that would make bringing the culprit to justice a far easier task. There is a boy, a first year student, whom Ethan has had a few questions over. It is this boy who allegedly found Lilly Somerset in the alcove at the top of the stairs. Severus Snape was present when I was questioning the child about what he might have seen. Afterwords, Severus informed me the boy's mind was block to him."
"Wow." Harry hadn't meant to say anything. That just slipped out. As someone who has a very good idea of what it takes to block Severus Snape, hearing that an eleven or twelve year old did it is astounding.
"Indeed," Professor Dumbledore concurs. "This leads me to the help you might be able to offer, Harry. You are still in the possession of the Maurader's Map, are you not?"
"Yes, professor. I really lucked out with all the Euphemia Smythe-Jones mess. A number of items made it through unscathed and are back in my possession."
"Might I borrow the map then? I was thinking too that your father's invisibility cloak might be useful."
Harry's already on his feet. "Yes, sir, of course." He quickly retrieves both items and hands them over. "Do you need anything else, Professor Dumbledore."
"Not at the moment but if I do need any of you, I will most certainly call on your. Now, I should be going. Again, forgive me for intruding at this hour. I would have liked to have come sooner but as you can imagine, it's been a very busy day."
"It wouldn't matter if it were three in the morning. Call on me at any time."
"Thank you, Harry. Ginny. Pinky."
"Good night," they both say.
Albus waits until he's through the door to disapparate. Ginny, Pinky, and Harry stand there looking at each other for a few seconds longer before returning to the table. The resume the game but without the energy of before. Instead of playfully ribbing each other as they'd been doing, they quietly discuss the oddity of a young boy who is skilled enough in Occlumency to withstand the Legilimency of an expert like Severus Snape.