Chapter Two: Accused and Abused

Markus woke up the following morning and there was nobody in sight in the boy's dormitories. 'I must of slept in' he sleepily muttered to himself.

He quickly got dressed into his robes and walked down the glossy marble staircase that led to the Ravenclaw common room.

Beautifully glossed chocolate brown wood paneling covered the bottom half of every wall. Dark rich and fluffy carpet, warm blue puffy couches, circular wooden tables surrounded by sturdy cushioned chairs, beautiful portraits and vintage ornaments completed the Ravenclaw common room. The room was a long rectangular shape with a large fireplace centered along the long wall opposite the dormitory staircases. The flames in the fireplace were vivid shades of blue and above the mantelpiece was a huge silver monument of a Raven.

Markus ran through the room in a hurry. He did not want to be late for breakfast, and most importantly, his classes.

'Good morning' he said, yawning, as he seated himself next to Cherier in the great hall, who was half-way through eating a piece of buttered toast.

'Ah, it's about time you woke up' she said, also sounding tired, 'look at this'. She pointed to the front page of The Daily Prophet, which lay above her plate. A moving picture of Dumbledore was printed largely upon the paper, looking quite sorrowful, with a huge title 'Albus Dumbledore Accused for Possible Wizard Murder'. Markus gasped and immediately looked around the hall, in sight for Dumbledore, which not to Markus's surprise wasn't present. He turned around and promptly began to read the article.

On 30th of August two Wizards disappeared. Said to be murdered, Serba Teahorn and Topher Bloodgood, headmasters of the East District Wizarding University were declared dead at 11:04 pm on this night. The powerful and brave Wizards have been running the East District for eleven years and had been envied by Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He has had several trials in the Ministry of Magic since the incident and will be judged on his final hearing on October 31st, Halloween, unless the victims are found.

The bodies of Teahorn and Bloodgood disappeared the night of the incident for unknown reasons. Witnesses say that they simply vanished into thin air. The Ministry is undergoing thorough searches for the two wizard's whereabouts, but until then the case remains a mystery

Markus stopped reading right then and there. 'Dumbledore isn't a murderer! How could they do this to him?' he was appalled, he had always admired Dumbledore and looked up to him as an ancestor.

'They just think he is jealous of Teahorn and Bloodgood because they nearly measure up to him in power and wisdom, and the Ministry has always wanted one of them to take over Dumbledore's job as headmaster at Hogwarts' Cherier calmly stated.

'But he wouldn't do such a thing. He knows better! Dumbledore wouldn't kill someone just because they're powerful!' Markus realised he was talking quite loud when he saw several students in the hall looking strangely at him.

He quieted his voice, 'I think the ministry is up to something. They most likely want Dumbledore to lose his job, or even worse - lose his life'.

Cherier sighed heavily, her eyebrows crossed.

Markus reached over to a plate and took a piece of toast from it. 'My father works for the East District, I'm sure he'd know what really happened.'

Cherier could tell that Markus was quite worried. 'Look, they don't even know if the two headmasters are even dead. If you read more of the article, it'll make sense.'

Markus ignored her 'We have Charms first up today.'

'I know' Cherier said, looking quite pale, placing her half-eaten toast, which was now stone cold, back onto the plate.

Hundreds of owls suddenly appeared, gliding through the windows of the great hall. It was mail time.

A handsome black owl flew down in front of Markus with a letter in it's beak.

'Hello Midnight' he smiled at the owl.

Midnight, a Sooty Dusk Barn owl, was Markus's 13th birthday present from his parents. It was a rare breed, which is why he treasured him.

'What have you got for me today, boy?' Midnight gave a low hoot as Markus took the letter from his beak. He gazed at Markus for a second and took flight; zooming out of the exact window he had entered. Markus glared at the parchment in his hand, which read To Markus Starr, The Great Hall, Hogwarts. He opened the letter, and realised it was from his mother as soon as he saw the handwriting.

Markus,

Please do not fret, but your father has been injured. I suppose you have heard about the incident that happened last week. He was attacked from behind while working last night and is unable to explain what exactly happened. He was hit to the ground with a spell, which knocked him out.

Another worker was attacked too. Nobody knows exactly why they were attacked, but not to worry, your father is fine. St. Mungos is taking good care of him.

As for Dumbledore, I have no idea what will happen to him. I don't believe he was involved with any of it. Cornelius Fudge jumps to conclusions too easily.

Take care, Markus. And enjoy school.

Love from Mum.

Markus passed the letter to Cherier, who had no mail, speechless. He couldn't believe that out of all people working at the East District University, his dad had been touched by the killer. He couldn't believe how close he could have been to death.

Cherier gasped a few times while reading the letter, and was in shock when she had finished.

'That's terrible' she said, 'Perhaps You-Know-Who may be involved'.

The school bell rang. They got up off their seats and made their way to their first lesson of the year: Charms.

Markus wasn't feeling excited like he usually did before going to his favourite lesson, he was still in shock about his father. He wanted to speak the thousands of thoughts running through his mind, but, as usual, he kept them right where they were.

It was a quiet walk to Charms, both Markus and Cherier didn't speak a word.

'Hi!' Denver jumped in front of them just as they reached Professor Flitwick's classroom. This broke their quiet time and made Cherier jump.

'All prepared for the first lesson I'm hoping?' Denver seemed awfully cheery. Markus grunted in response as they all seated themselves.

The classroom was filled with yawns.

'Good morning class' Professor Flitwick, the tiny goblin-like professor, had popped up from behind his desk, standing on a pile of books, which barely made him look any taller. His squeaky voice slightly echoed through the room.

'Good morning Professor Flitwick' the class moaned.

'Now, I will start the lesson off by speaking to you about OWLs'.

Markus's eyes widened. He had forgotten about OWLs. He looked sideways at Cherier, who had the same expression as Markus.

His heart started racing. Markus quite enjoyed exams and was always making sure he studied more than enough throughout the whole year for them, as for Cherier, she wished they didn't exist.

'You must understand the importance of your OWLs!' Flitwick went on for what seemed like a lifetime.

'Right. Well with that said, Let's begin the first lesson of the term, shall we?' He squeaked 'Today we will be learning the Catenum charm. This charm is used to permanently stick two objects together.'

'What?' Samuel Taxon, who was sitting at the back of the classroom, interrupted 'Well how do you separate them? What if someone stuck your eyelids shut?'

'Well if you would have let me finish Samuel. I was about to say  permanently, unless you use the counter-charm, Facio, which we will learn once you have all mastered and have been tested on the Catenum charm.'

Taxon looked rather disgruntled and leant back on his chair.

'Now' Flitwick stepped down from the pile of books onto the floor and started handing out two pieces of parchment to everyone; one small piece and one large 'let's begin with a practical. All of you will attempt to stick the small piece of parchment onto the large piece firmly and flatly.'

Once he had finished handing out the pieces with a levitating charm, he pointed his tiny stubby finger at Taxon with a smile. 'Why don't you try first, Samuel? Go on; please do give us an example. All you need to do is focus on the two objects, and flick your wand towards them and say Catenum'

Taxon eyed Professor Flitwick and sat up, lazily slid his wand out of his robe pocket, and said 'Catenum!'

The two parchments made a faint squealing noise and tightly rolled up, looking almost like a cigarette, and rolled off the table. Taxon looked up at Professor Flitwick with raised eyebrows.

'Oh dear boy, all you need is a little enthusiasm. Bad luck, try again now Samuel.'

'But I need some more parchment, sir'.

'Right, there's a pile upon my desk, Samuel.'

Taxon sat up off his chair.

'OK, now everyone give it a try.'

The classroom echoed with voices of 'Catenum'. Markus pulled out his bright white, golden rimmed wand and pointed it towards the parchment, and just as he spoke the word, Taxon had snatched his pieces of parchment.

'Catenum!' Markus's wand shot towards the desk and stuck firmly onto it. He yanked it, but it wouldn't budge. 'Yeah, very smart Taxon!' Markus looked up at him with his face screwed up.

Taxon laughed insanely 'Aww, poor Marky Warky Starr's wand is stuck. That's too bad' he continued to laugh.

Professor Flitwick hurried over in an instant when he realised there was fussing around Markus's desk. He cared for Markus a lot.

'What is all this abo Oh dear me. Facio!' Flitwick waved his wand at Markus's, which was sticking up in the air, and it loosened and fell on the desk. 'The spare parchment is on my desk, Samuel. Now if you please, could you hand Markus's back to him and let him get on with the lesson'.

Taxon threw the papers at Markus's desk and stormed off back to his chair, parchmentless.

The bell rang at the end of the lesson and Markus pocketed his wand, after several successful attempts of the Catenum charm. Cherier managed to complete it once, but continuously failed afterwards.

'Hey, Starr.'

Markus turned around just as they were leaving the classroom doors. 'What do you want, Taxon?' he wasn't in the mood for Taxon's usual ridiculing.

'Your'

'Don't even think about it Samuel' a high, feminine voice echoed through the corridor, cutting off what he was about to say to Markus.

The one and only 'prefect' Valen Glass had interrupted, standing in between the two. Markus was disappointed for her interruption, but immediately excited at the sight of her pretty face.

She turned towards Taxon 'Leave him alone Samuel; you've done enough meddling with him for today. And you' she said, now facing Markus ' you will not lay a finger on him.'

'Oh, Starry needs a girl to stand up for him!' Taxon smarted.

'Shut up. Keep this up, Samuel' she said, gesturing her wand at the two boys, 'and you'll end up dead like your precious little mother'.

Taxon's face turned a violent crimson and he took a step towards Valen, but she swiftly turned her head, blonde hair flicking Taxon in the eyes, and walked off.

All three of them, Markus, Taxon and Cherier, all stood outside the doorway of the Charms classroom, completely gob smacked. They couldn't believe what she'd said.

Taxon boomed off down the opposite hallway as Valen had, looking rather irate.

Cherier gulped, 'Now that was awkward.'

'The… Catenum… Charm…' Markus muttered to himself as he wrote the words on his parchment. He was sitting in the Ravenclaw common room just after the last lesson of the day had finished, which was Professor Trelawney's boring class of Divination.

He already had tons of homework set in the first day of school. Professor Flitwick had told the class to write notes about the Catenum charm and its uses, which was his least important piece of homework, but in Markus's world: Charms came first.

'A bit harsh, isn't she?' Cherier heaved a stack of textbooks and parchment onto the table and seated herself on a cushioned chair next to Markus.

'Harsh, yeah. And mental'

'Mental indeed. Hey do you have the Psychometry sheet from Trelawney? I can't find mine.'

'Sure, here' Markus fumbled through his own stack of books and parchment rolls and handed Cherier the worksheet.

'Thanks.'

After a long silence of scratching quills and chattering students, Markus broke the silence. 'What do you suppose happened to Taxon's mum? Err, not that I err... care… or anything.'

Cherier was on her last Psychometry question, number twenty-eight to be precise. 'Apparently she was murdered by You-Know-Who some time last year. That's when he went real quiet, you know, and he stopped showing up to Quidditch matches or many classes.'

'Oh… Yeah. That's terrible. Even for Taxon.' He turned his parchment over and suddenly felt a small amount of sorrow for his worst enemy, and wondered; could of Voldemort, formerly known as Tom Riddle, the pre-Slytherin student who turned dark, murdered Sherba Teahorn and Topher Bloodgood?

Markus couldn't help but think. He felt something bad brewing amongst all of this. I shouldn't care, I need to focus on my school work, he'd keep telling himself, but nothing could override his slight worry.