The trio arrived back at Hogwarts in time for dinner, their clothes soaked with snow and their minds spinning with the mysterious drop off at Doxies and Dragons. It was announced by Dumbldore, once the students had filed in, that Professor Umbridge had been proven guilty of Sherlock's accusations and subsequently released. It was a bit of a minor shock for most of the student population, but as no one really knew much about Umbridge, no one seemed to mind. The only downside was that Snape would continue teaching Defence Against The Dark Arts, a subject which he seemed to take even more seriously than Potions. Seamus Finnegan had been docked ninety percent of his grade last week because he's spelled Kappa with a 'c'.
Harry was distracted from his thoughts, however, by the sight of Malfoy walking through the doors of the great hall. Ron only snapped him out of his trance by flicking a glob of mashed potatoes at him and rolling his eyes.
"Harry." Harry looked up suddenly.
"Oh. Sorry, Ron. I was just thinking about… uh… Phillip Anderson." Across the table, Hermione put down her book and looked at them closely.
"I have a theory. About Phillip Anderson." The boys waited for her to continue. "I think he was smuggling the second potions thief." Harry gasped. "No, listen. Here's how I think of it. The potions thief Imperiuses Phillip Anderson to drive him out to this obscure pet store near Hogwarts. He waits there while he solidifies his plans and then he breaks in and steals the ingredients. I don't know what he wants to do with them yet."
"That could be true, Hermione. In that case, the thief doesn't go to or teach at Hogwarts. Maybe they were a student in the past. Could they have followed Sherlock here?" Harry asked. Hermione shook her head.
"I don't know… it seems possible. A thief hears about a famous detective at Hogwarts, smuggles himself in and steals ingredients… but then what?"
"Maybe he's just doing it to prove he can outsmart Sherlock." Ron offered. Hermione looked skeptical.
"I don't think so, Ron. If it was just to outsmart Mr. Holmes, the thief wouldn't be taking specific things. No, the thief means to steal those potions ingredients."
"Or maybe," Harry said quietly, "He's getting revenge." Hermione looked shocked. "Imagine that the thief is a criminal that Sherlock put in jail. He wants to get back at the detective but he isn't sure how. Then he hears about Sherlock out here and comes to find him, smuggling himself in. He steals potion ingredients until he can brew something that can hurt the detective. Maybe even kill him."
"I think you're right, Harry." Hermione answered solemnly. "We should tell Dumbledore about this. If you're correct, a criminal is hiding in Hogwarts."
"But we don't have any proof!"
"Tell Dumbledore about Phillip Anderson. Tell him about your suspicions. While you do that, Ron and I will go to the library and go through old Hogwarts records." Ron looked mystified.
"Why?"
"Because, Ron, the thief has to know that Hogwarts exists to break into it. Most likely they were a past student. We need to see if anyone is related to Sherlock in some way, or if I can find any criminals I know from the muggle news. We'll see if we can track down the thief that way."
"D'you think this criminal thief has something to do with John's laptop? Maybe they're the one keeping it open so that he can use it?"
"No." Hermione replied. "To reprogram the laptop in order for it to be compatible with magic is really difficult. Besides, you'd have to be constantly keeping it open. A thief wouldn't have the time, or any real reason to do it." Ron shrugged.
"I guess." Hermione leapt up from the table with her beaded bag slung over her shoulder, clapping her hands and rubbing them together.
"Right! Ron, we are going to the library! Harry, you're going to Dumbledore. Just tell him our theory and see what he says." Hermione grabbed Ron's hand and grinned. "Imagine! We get to look at the Hogwarts records! How exciting!" She raced off to the doors of the great hall, speaking rapidly about how she'd always dreamed of looking at the Hogwarts records in the library and how exciting this would be, Ron dragging behind her but smiling along.
Harry was left alone at the table, picking at his mashed potatoes and roast beef. Malfoy had already left the great hall, along with most of the other students and teachers. Dumbledore was still at the head table. It seemed as good a time as any to approach him, seeing as he had just eaten and was likely to be in a good mood. However, he had just lost his Defence Against the Dark Arts professor rather suddenly, so maybe not. Oh, well. The safety of the school was more important than whatever mood Dumbledore was in at the moment. Harry would just have to tell him anyway. He approached the teachers' table cautiously, which was empty save for the headmaster. Harry cleared his throat.
"Sir?" Dumbledore glanced up, the twinkle in his blue eyes ever-present.
"Yes, Harry? Do you have something that you wish to tell me?" Harry nodded.
"Yes, sir. Er, Ron and Hermione found something… suspicious… today in Hogsmeade." Dumbledore's eyes darkened ever so slightly. "Something to do with a man named Phillip Anderson. Do you know him?" The headmaster shook his head gravely.
"I cannot say that I do. Harry, would you care to continue this conversation in my office? Perhaps it would spread rumours or panic, should the students happen to hear." He nodded to a group of second year Ravenclaws who quickly looked back at their food and blushed. Harry agreed, and followed Dumbledore down several large corridors and up a sweeping marble staircase. They reached the imposing stone statue of the gargoyle, to whom the headmaster whispered "Jelly slugs", and rode the slowly spinning staircase up to the heavy oaken door. Every time Harry entered Dumbledore's office, he could not cease to be amazed at its contents. The portraits of past headmasters whispered in a hushed murmur as Harry walked in, muffled by the whirring of a hundred tiny gadgets on brass shelves. Books were stacked in neat piles that nearly reached the glass ceiling. Fawkes the phoenix flapped his fiery wings and croaked a greeting. The smell of paper and sherbet reached Harry's nose. Dumbledore gestured to a chair. "Please, Harry, sit down. Would you care for a liquorice snap?"
Remembering Dumbledore's often peculiar taste in sweets, Harry politely declined. The Headmaster shrugged and smiled, taking one for himself. It promptly bit him on the finger and scurried away. Harry winced.
"Are you alright, Headmaster?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he waved Harry's concern off.
"When you become as old as I am, Harry, you will understand that liquorice snaps are far from the most dangerous things in life. Anyhow, please. Elaborate on what Miss Granger and Mr Weasley saw today." Harry recounted the events at Hogsmeade that day, Doxies and Dragons being closed for dealing with an illegitimate supplier, the Imperiused Phillip Anderson, and the trio's theory about the thief. Dumbledore paused for a moment and chewed on a more docile yellow sweet. Finally, he spoke. "These are dangerous times, Harry. Very dangerous. In all likelihood, you are… correct in your assumptions. The thief at Hogwarts could be a major criminal, and he could very well have a plot to injure Sherlock Holmes. However, in times like these, when so much is at stake, I find it most helpful to ignore my theories." Harry couldn't believe his ears.
"Ignore our theory? If it's correct? But sir! If a criminal is on the loose in Hogwarts, we have to find them!" Dumbledore held up a hand.
"Yes, Harry, we must. And that is why Professor Holmes is here. This could very well be how the thief got in, and why. However, a motive and a plan is useless information when all we are doing is looking for the thief. And that is all that we are doing. This additional information will only scare the younger students."
"Sir, I really-"
"Harry, please. You are a smart boy, no doubt. This information may help us locate the thief, but as of yet, that is all we need to do. What would you have wished me to do with this information?"
Harry shook his head angrily. "I dunno, maybe you could tell the other students? So that they know they might be up against a criminal who escaped and smuggled themselves in, trying to kill someone, rather than another student playing a prank?"
Dumbledore sighed. "I'm sorry, Harry, but right now, I believe that the most important thing is not to panic. If the students discover this information, they might become terrified. For now, we must let them believe that they themselves are not in danger. They cannot help the detective find the thief, and therefore, they don't need to know." Harry stood angrily.
"Fine." He strode to the door. Dumbledore's voice stopped him.
"Harry, you must learn to be confident in the abilities of others. Sherlock Holmes will be the one to find this thief if anyone is. Perhaps this is a criminal who has smuggled themselves in to exact their revenge, but until we need the students to know, it must remain a secret." Harry pushed open the door, seething, and marched down the rotating staircase. He couldn't believe it. Was Dumbledore just going to keep the students in the dark? What if the hidden criminal killed someone? How bad was this going to get before the Headmaster realized that the students were in danger and needed to take precautions?