Winter, 1990
With a sigh of relief, Will slid into his seat. "Thank goodness that's over," he muttered.
Albus said lightly, "Students misbehaving?"
Will sighed. "Yes. Either that, or sleeping. Or complaining."
"First day back from Christmas break is always hard," Filius commented.
"Impossible," Pomona agreed. "How were your students?"
Will groaned, and didn't reply.
"I think I can guess," she said sympathetically. "What about you, Minerva?"
Minerva smiled. It was not a pleasant smile, nor did it bode well for the students. "I gave four students detentions, and took off a large number of house points. Severus will not be pleased with me."
"Speak of the devil," Will commented, nodding at Snape, who was moving quickly toward them.
Minerva frowned. "What's gotten him in a bad mood now?"
Will looked more closely at Snape's face and thought, She's right, he looks angry about something- when he was interrupted by the subject of his thoughts.
"Have you seen this, Albus?" he demanded, thrusting something that looked like a newspaper at the headmaster.
BOOM.
"What the-" Will began, but an enchanted firework that almost took his head off told him exactly what had just happened.
Snape spat, "If I find who did this- this is not the time!" His wand flashed out, and a handful of fireworks vanished.
Minerva's wand joined him, and she snapped, "Shut the doors! If they get out into the school, it'll take forever to find them all!"
"Why don't you shut them?" Snape demanded as he ducked one that was spitting pink sparks in every direction.
"I can't get a clear shot!"
"I think Septima's got it covered," Will said, looking warily for the next one to come their way. Times like this, I really wish I had a wand.
"Somebody's going to get hurt," Pomona said with alarm as she felled three of them.
"If they aren't already," Severus agreed grimly.
The chaos was beginning to subside. For the first time, Will noticed that Albus was still reading the newspaper- The Quibbler, he noted.
Why isn't he helping? Will wondered.
"Will, why aren't you-" Pomona began, echoing Will's thoughts, before the last three fireworks shot at the teachers simultaneously, fortunately diverting her attention. Together, Minerva and Septima Vanished them.
"WEASLEY AND WEASLEY!" Snape thundered.
Two red-haired boys looked up with alarm from a niche near to the High Table, where they were bent over a suspicious-looking crate.
Snape stalked over to them, Minerva barely a step behind.
Pomona said, "I think we'd better check to see if the students are okay. What if one of the fireworks hit someone?"
Filius nodded, and the two of them hurried over to the House tables. Will was getting up to follow them when Albus spoke.
"This changes everything."
He was looking at the magazine, and the expression on his face made Will nervous.
"What does it say?"
"Nathan Collins. He's coming here."
Nathan Collins. Will sucked in a breath involuntarily, fighting to control himself and think rationally-
And then the second thing Albus said registered.
"Here?" At least three people said it at the same time as he did.
"Here." Albus looked grave. "He claims there is a weapon, hidden in the school that he needs to restore the Wizarding World to its former glory."
"A weapon? In a school?"
"Former glory?" Aurora Sinistra asked. "What exactly does that mean?"
"Nothing good," Septima said grimly. "Especially not if it requires a weapon to be done."
"Probably wiping out all half-bloods and Muggle-borns," Snape spat, looking furious, as he returned to his former seat.
"That's the usual thing done," Septima agreed, face tight.
"It's not necessarily, though," Aurora argued. "Albus? What do you think?"
"Unfortunately, I believe Severus and Septima are correct."
"But-"
"Collins was placed in the long-term care ward of St. Mungo's after attempting to kill several Muggle-borns he worked with," Albus said quietly. "He claimed to be 'removing the stain from society.'"
Will could hear his heart pounding. His fists, he noted disinterestedly, were clenched tightly, his nails digging into his palms.
"And he's coming here?" Aurora whispered.
"Yes," Severus said curtly. "Or so he claims. Only Xenophilius Lovegood would be foolish enough to interview a homicidal maniac who also happens to be insane."
"What?" Minerva, just then returning from yelling at the Weasley twins, demanded sharply.
Albus silently passed her the newspaper.
"What weapon does he mean?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, Severus," Albus replied.
Septima asked, "Albus, what should we do?"
"We will tighten security. I ask all of you to meet me by the front gates tonight at ten, so that we can reinforce the wards. Kindly come prepared with spells that would help to prevent him from entering the school. I will also speak with the Minister about getting an Auror or two to guard the gates." He stood. "Now, I believe classes will be beginning shortly."
They all knew a dismissal when they heard one.
"Will, if I could have a word?"
Will waited silently as the other teachers left. Minerva shot him a glance that was both wary and speculative. Any other time, it would have unnerved him.
Distantly, it occurred to him, I messed up again. How many of the teachers noticed I didn't help Vanish the firecrackers?
He was treading a very thin line, Will knew. It was only a matter of time...
He couldn't, at that moment in time, bring himself to care.
"Will." Albus's voice cut through his reverie, and he glanced up into eyes that held much too much understanding. "I understand how you're feeling."
Do you? he almost said, but he stopped himself with the last dregs of his control. Anger and hate for the man who dared to impersonate Merriman. Who had tried to kill people, who claimed that Merlin would have wanted a pure-blood world, that Merriman would have wanted it-
Hurt. Old hurt, the kind that Will didn't think would ever really go away. Hurt because Merriman was gone, just like all the Old Ones, and Will was left alone, for forever-
"I don't want to talk about it." The words tried to stick in his throat, but Will forced the words out, and walked away.
He didn't want to talk about it: not now, and not ever.