Chapter 6

What happened when they were away

Harry

Harry wondered around the dungeons, occasionally muttering the password onto the walls. After a while, either by luck or bad luck, a wall opened and Arthur walked straight into Harry.

"OW!" they simultaneously shouted.

"Sorry!" Arthur said, "Harry? What are you doing here?"

"I didn't get my form signed," Harry said.

"Oh, I just didn't want to go," Arthur said, "I've got things to do… say, why don't we just go to the library? I've got work."

"Sure, I'll just do some of my work too," Harry said, and the two headed over to the library, and on the way, they bumped into Lupin.

"What are you doing?" Lupin asked, "Where is Ron, Hermione, Lukas and Vlad?"

"Hogsmede," Harry said.

"Ah," Lupin said, and looked at the Gryffindor and Slytherin, "Why don't you come with me? I've just taken delivery of Grindylows for our next lesson."

"A what?" Harry asked.

"It's water demon," Arthur explained.

"Very good, Arthur," Lupin said, "For a Slytherin, you're very enthusiastic in my classes… and other classes Slytherins mostly hate."

"I consider academics to be very important," Arthur said, as they arrived at Lupin's office.

In the corner, there was a very large tank of water. Inside it was a sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.

"We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle," Lupin said, "Cup of tea? I was just thinking of making one."

"All right," Harry and Arthur said awkwardly.

Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and it was instantly blasting off steam.

"Sit down," Lupin said, "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid—but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"

Harry looked at him, surprised.

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked the professor

"Professor McGonagall told me," Lupin told him, "You're not worried, are you?"

"No," said Harry.

"You shouldn't be… divination is hardly accurate…" Arthur said, "Minus the proper prophecies stored in the Department of Mystries.

"How do you know about them, Arthur?" Lupin asked Arthur suspiciously.

"I read it," Arthur said, nervousness in his voice. Lupin dismissed it, before asking Harry: "Anything worrying you, Harry?"

"No- yes," Harry corrected himself, "You know when we fought the boggart?"

"Yes," Lupin said.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" Harry asked, "You let Vlad and Arthur fight it even though it was clear that it was… something disturbing."

"I thought that was obvious, Harry," Lupin said, surprised, and that surprised Harry.

"Why?" he asked.

"Well," Lupin started, "I assumed that if the boggart faced you, it would take the form of Voldemort."

Harry was surprised as he said Voldemort's name. And Arthur didn't seemed bothered at all as he sipped his tea like a perfect English gentleman.

"Clearly I was wrong," Lupin continued, "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined the people would panic."

"I didn't think of Voldemort," Harry said, "I- I remembered those dementors."

"I see…" Lupin said thoughtfully, "Well, well… I'm impressed. That suggests that you what you fear most is- fear. Very wise, Harry. And you've been thinking that I thought you weren't capable of fighting the boggart?"

"Yes…" Harry said.

"…And on the topic of boggarts, Arthur, no need to answer it if you don't want to, but who was that you saw?" Lupin asked.

"Ah, that was family member," Arthur said, emphasizing 'was.'

"Oh, sorry, Arthur," Lupin quickly said.

"Professor, sir, I was just thinking, you know the dementors-" Harry was cut off by the door knocking.

"Come in," called Lupin.

The door opened, and the grim man of Snape entered. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of the two students, and narrowed his eyes.

"Ah, Severus," Lupin smiled, "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"

Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Arthur, Harry, and Lupin.

"I was just showing these two my grindylow," Lupin pointed at the tank.

"Fascinating," Snape said, without looking at it, "You should drink that directly, Lupin."

"Yes, yes, I will," Lupin said.

"I made an entire cauldronfull," Snape continued. "If you need more."

"I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

"Not at all," Snape said, and left the room without another word.

Harry and Arthur eyes the goblet with curiosity in their eyes. Lupin smiled.

"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said, "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex," He picked up the goblet and sniffed it, "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.

"Why—?" Harry began. Lupin looked at him and answered the unfinished question.

"I've been feeling a bit off-color," he explained, "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."

Professor Lupin took another sip and Harry wanted to take that goblet away from him. Arthur seemed to be studying the substance, as if trying to figure out what it was.

"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," he blurted out.

"Really?" Lupin asked, not sounding interested.

"Some people reckon—" Harry hesitated, "Some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

Lupin drank all of the potion in the goblet and pulled a face.

"Disgusting," he said, "Well, Harry, I'd better get back to work. I'll see you at the feast later."

"Right," Harry said, and left the room, while Arthur stayed behind to ask the professor something.

Harry received a bundle of sweets from his friends, and told them about the Goblet.

"He drank it? Is he mad?!" Ron exclaimed.

"We'd better go, the feast will be starting in five minutes," Hermione said, checking her watch.

"…I don't think it was poison," Vlad said, "If he was trying to assassinate Lupin, he wouldn't've done it when Harry was there."

"I agree with Vlad," Hermione said, "Snape won't be stupid enough to leave witness."

"Yeah, maybe," Harry said, and they made their way to the feast.

"Where's Arthur?" Ron asked nobody in particular, looking around the hall, "He's not here."

"He's just doing work, or just plainly…" Vlad then opened his eyes in realization before he stood up, and ran up to Lukas in the Ravenclaw table, "Lukas, we have to go find Arthur," then he told him something in his language, before the two ran off in a hurry.

"Wonder what it is…" Ron said, stuffing his mouth with more Halloween treats.

They went up to the common room entrance, only to find it jammed with students,

"Why isn't anyone going in?" Ron wondered out loud.

"Let me through, please," Percy Weasley said, pushing through the crowd, "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password- excuse me, I'm Head Boy…" then his voice changed into a sharp tone, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

"What's going on?" Ginny asked as she arrived. Soon, Dumbledore himself was there, going towards the portrait. The Golden Trio followed the path he was making between the students to get a closer look.

"Oh, my…" Hermione said, grabbing Harry's arm. The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which was now just some ripped canvas.

"Mr Filch," Dumbledore spoke, "Round up every ghost in the castle… tell them to search every portrait for the Fat Lady."

"There'll be no need for the ghosts, professor," Filch said, and pointed at one of the portraits, "The Fat Lady is there."

People gasped as they saw the Fat Lady and ran up the stairs to where she was.

"Who did this to you?" Dumbledore asked the lady.

"Eyes like the devil! He's got," she exclaimed, crying, "And I am not giving his name… it's him headmaster, the one they all talk about! He's here, somewhere in the castle. Sirius Black!" then she hid behind the rhino again. All students began to mutter and whisper at that.

"The rest of you! The Great Hall!" Dumbledore commanded.