A/N: I've always been curious as to how other people in the Harry Potter books perceive Harry and his friends. This is how I imagine the teachers at Hogwarts to have reacted to news about their students hiding from the law. Enjoy!
"So it's true, then?" asked Pomona Sprout anxiously as she shoved that morning's copy of The Daily Prophet under Minerva McGonagall's nose. "Potter and his friends are up to something?"
Minerva looked up sharply from the papers she had been grading and did a quick scan of the staff lounge, which was mercifully empty except for Pomona Sprout, Filius Flitwick, and herself. The fact that they were alone and not within earshot of the Carrows, who had taken over as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies Professors (and whom everyone knew to be hardcore Death Eaters) made her abandon her uncorrected papers and focus on what Pomona had obviously been wanting to discuss since breakfast.
Minerva took the paper from her colleague and brushed off biscuit crumbs from the front page. A tiny jolt went through her as she caught sight of an enlarged old photo of her students, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger who were both dressed in their Hogwarts robes, plastered under a bold heading: "Undesirable No. 1 & Companion Spotted at Quibbler Headquarter." Beneath the photo, the caption read, "Hermione Granger, 18, is the Mudblood now known to be travelling with Harry Potter." The rest of the article took up less space than the photo itself:
Upon receipt of a tip off regarding the whereabouts of Harry Potter, a.k.a. Undesirable No. 1, from Quibbler Editor-in-chief Xenophelius Lovegood, Ministry officials were quick to arrive at the scene. According to Mr. Lovegood's message which was received at around four in the afternoon yesterday (30th of December), Potter visited him at his house, which also doubles as The Quibbler Headquarter, in Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon. Cygnus Selwyn and Thomas Travers, the Ministry respondents to the scene, both arriving within minutes of receiving the tip off, reported seeing Potter blast off the floor of the second landing before Disapparating with Hermione Granger, his Mudblood classmate from Hogwarts who is among those who failed to report to the summons made by the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. They narrowly escaped from the hands of the law using hexes and curses, leaving Mr. Lovegood in an obliviated state in the second landing. Although the purpose of their excursion and their current whereabouts are unknown, it is certain that the two are armed and dangerous. The general public is, once more, warned to be careful and are therefore highly encouraged to report further sightings of either Potter or Granger to the proper authorities.
Upon reaching the end of the article, Minerva put a shaky hand over her eyes and said, "He's alright then! And so is Miss Granger." The past few months have left her wondering about the fate of her missing students. Most of the Order of the Phoenix were under the impression that Harry Potter was working on a top secret mission under Dumbledore's orders. But no definitive proof was available...until now. As vague as the news was regarding their current activities, Minerva now held the belief that Potter and his friends hadn't merely been in hiding for the past few months...they were plotting something as well.
"If Miss Granger is indeed with Mr. Potter," started Pomona as she looked at the two other professors grimly, "then without a doubt, so is Mr. Weasley," she finished with conviction.
"We've all suspected that to be the case anyway," said Minerva dismissively, "seeing how those three are joined by the hip."
"Yes, yes, that Spattergroit alibi of Mr. Weasley was certainly suspicious if you ask me...given its timing," agreed Pomona. "They really are on a mission on Dumbledore's orders, aren't they?" The last part of her speech came out in a whisper.
"But they're children, just barely of age!" cried Minerva. "What does Potter expect to accomplish without any help whatsoever?" Her frustration was building up into a throbbing headache. Despite having no children of her own, she developed a maternal-like attachment to the students in her House; and despite vowing never to have favorites, she always kept a more careful eye when it came to Harry, Ron, and Hermione - mostly because of all the Gryffindors she ever had to handle, those three always seemed to be landing themselves in some form of mortal danger. Minerva sometimes had the sneaking suspicion that they might actually be doing it for fun.
Pomona, who had been stirring her tea rather slowly, looked to the others, her eyes twinkling.
"You know, I've been thinking about that too...Given their age, the Ministry probably wouldn't believe them capable of much," she mused, "which would be their biggest mistake. Come to think of it, their 'extra-curricular activities' have been the stuff of school legend since they started at Hogwarts."
"Indeed!" squeaked Filius eagerly. "I've always thought they are quite a talented group of friends."
Minerva was forcefully reminded of how in their first year at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were able to surpass each of their professors' magical enchantments and secure the Philosopher's Stone - with very minimal help.
The other teachers were apparently remembering the same thing because when she chanced a glance at the two of them, Filius was shaking his head and muttering about flying keys while Pomona was flicking her wand, producing dancing flames from thin air - the very same charm that could repel Devil's Snare.
"Potter's lucky to have found two capable companions," conceded Minerva. "But it would do them a world of good to exercise more caution in the future."
The door creaked slowly as another staff member entered. Fearing it to be any of the Carrows, Minerva swiftly swiped The Daily Prophet from the staff table and hid it underneath the mound of parchment that sat before her.
Luckily, the new arrival was only Septima Vector, the Arithmancy Professor whom Minerva also held in high esteem.
Catching the guilty looks on their faces, Septima merely smiled (rather cheekily, thought Minerva) at them and said, "You've all been discussing this morning's headline, haven't you?...Don't worry, the whole school's been buzzing all day - secretly, of course."
"Apparently my star pupil, Miss Granger, has landed herself in hot water," she began seriously as she took the empty seat beside Minerva. "Not that I'm surprised; her friendship with the Potter boy is no secret..." Septima's voice trailed softly away.
"I'd hate to think what the Ministry will do to a Muggleborn who snubbed the Muggle-Born Registration Commision and who has now been proven to be helping the most wanted wizard in the country."
Silence greeted the end of her speech. The four of them, who knew Hermione Granger quite well, having taught her for years, could not help but look at each other, their faces etched with worry.
Filius was the first to speak. "For their sake, I fervently hope that they remember every charm I taught in class - Protective Enchantments would serve them well. You know, Protego Totalum, Salvio Hexia, Cave Inimicum - those sort of things. A Cheering Charm could be useful from time to time, too. One can never tell when a seemingly useless charm would soon come in handy."
"They'd do well to remember their Herbology as well," said Pomona, sounding like she had a bad cold. When she looked up from her tea, her eyes were swimming in tears. "Should they find themselves unable to procure food, they can always rely on the ubiquitousness of edible fungi. Those should get them by. However, the strictest attention must be paid to their identification; one mistake could prove fatal since some poisonous mushrooms have minor physical difference from the edible ones."
Septima patted her comfortingly on the back as she said, "I doubt they'll have much use for my subject, though, seeing as only Miss Granger took it. Unless they find themselves wanting to calculate their chances of success - which is not advisable, might I add."
Filius chuckled; even Pomona gave a small smile.
Minerva watched her fellow teachers and felt a strange rush of affection. It was not unusual for them to fret about the immediate futures of their students. But to worry about their impending deaths was completely different. It warmed Minerva's heart knowing that her colleagues - friends, actually - cared as much as she did. The thought made her less lonely.
"I wouldn't worry too much about Miss Granger," began Minerva, her voice sounding much stronger than she felt."She is one of the the most sensible students I've had the fortune to teach. It helps that Potter and Weasley have frequently come to her defense; I know Weasley's earned enough detentions himself for lashing out at her bullies...As for Potter and Weasley, I'm sure Miss Granger will keep them out of further trouble. They'll ignore every school rule there is, but they will always have an ear out for her. She's always been the one to make them see sense."
It was true. The three have always looked out for each other. Like magnets to metal, those three were drawn to each other from the moment they met. Barely two months after meeting each other, they've managed to knock out a twelve-foot troll together. Miss Granger may have lied through her teeth that night, but Minerva had always suspected why: each of them was lonely, desperately craving a sense of belonging...which they eventually found in each other.
"They've been lucky thus far, haven't they?" implored Filius, the plea in his voice evident.
"Even the best of us run out of luck," said Pomona wisely. "I fear to think what will happen to them should they fail."
The thought of any of them of dying on their secret mission was too unbearable, but not far-fetched. People were dying as they spoke. Minerva thought of how - despite their protests - they were deigned too young and inexperienced to be inducted into the Order. And yet, here they were doing something which everyone suspected was much bigger than they let on. What was Dumbledore thinking, resting the hope of this war upon the shoulders of three students?
"Well, there's not much we can do but hope," Minerva said finally. "Their best hope lies in the strength of their friendship. May they continue to keep each other safe..."
The three others murmured in agreement. But before any of them could say anything more, the bell rang, signaling the end of discussion and the start of their respective classes.
Sharing one final look of grim understanding, the teachers left the staff room one by one and went their separate ways.
A/N: How was it? Don't forget to leave a review! Thanks!