Chapter 25: Busted
Rosetta skidded to a stop near the old marble bust of Paracelsus, her heart beating frantically. So many times she had passed the statue without giving it more than a second glance. Now, however, she couldn't take her eyes off it. Could it really hold the key to Parseltongue?
The bust of Paracelsus was carved in the traditional ancient Graeco-Roman style, showing just the head and shoulders of the old scholar and leading down to a narrow, ringed footstand. The marble was soft cream in colour and exquisitely detailed. From the soft curls of his beard to the folds of his robes, the intricacy of the craftmanship was exceptional. The bust itself was standing on a tall marble plinth of the same hue, decorated all around in swirling S shapes and many interlinking symbols. At first glance these decorations looked to be just complex ornamentations, but on looking more closely, Rosetta saw the carvings looked very familiar indeed. They were in fact tiny snakes, each side of a group of symbols she knew to be from the Alphabet of the Magi.
A thrill of excitement ran down her spine as Rosetta traced the cool marble shapes with her fingers. This had to be significant. But she needed the Archidoxis magica to translate the engravings, which was safely stored in her her quarters. She was tempted to dash upstairs straight away and grab the book, but she willed herself to pause for a second to think logically about the situation. Dinner was currently in full swing in the Great Hall, after which was curfew and then her nightly patrol with Severus. She didn't think she'd have enough time to translate the bust before the students finished dinner. Rosetta also realised that she hadn't spoken properly to the Potions Master since she ran off to try to speak to Dumbledore the previous night, and she was acutely aware that her behaviour had looked odd and potentially suspicious. It would look even worse if she failed to show up for dinner, given that she had been absent at lunch too. Severus was a shrewd and clever man, and he would be sure to start asking questions unless she played it a bit cooler. Now was not the time to blow it by hurrying; she had waited this long for answers and she would have to wait a while longer, even though her curiousity was burning. With a sigh and one last longing look at the bust, she turned around and hurried towards the Great Hall for some much-needed sustenance.
Dinner was delicious; herby chicken with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans, and a helping of steaming treacle tart for dessert. Rosetta wanted to devour it in great gulps as she was so ravenous, but forced herself to eat normally so as not to draw attention to herself. The mood in the Great Hall was still subdued, and Rosetta couldn't stop her eyes flicking occassionally to Dumbledore's empty chair, wondering if he had received her message and deciphered it's code.
After dinner, the Heads of Houses and Prefects lead the students safely back to their dormitories as usual, and Rosetta strolled down to wait outside the old oak castle doors for Severus. It was their turn to patrol around the front perimeter of the castle. Rosetta was grateful for a mild evening. The gentle breeze which rustled the leaves on the trees gave an impression of calmness; a feeling that Rosetta certainly didn't share herself. She willed herself to be still and not to pace back and forth with impatient nerves, but her mind was racing and all she could think about was the bust and what the engravings could mean.
She was staring off into the middle distance completely lost in her thoughts when suddenly a beautiful tawny owl came swooping silently towards her, taking her quite by surprise by landing ungraciously at her feet and hooting somewhat urgently, shaking it's leg at her. Rosetta peeled off a neatly-rolled, narrow strip of parchment which had been tied to the bird, and she hastily unrolled it and began to read.
Dearest Rosetta,
Many thanks for the letter, it was
enormously kind of you to
entertain me in such a fashion.
Tell everyone I miss them too, and
not to let standards slip – I expect all
OWL results to be tip-top!
Will you let me know the results of the
House Cup? It appears to be a close
one this year, and I can't help feeling
Gryffindor might yet be pipped by
Slytherin.
Hope you're well. It's important that
everyone stays positive at this time.
As ever, I remain at your disposal, so
do keep in touch.
Fondest regards,
Albus
Rosetta stared at the letter, her mouth open in shock. It appeared that she was once more going to have to abandon her patrol duties, and she had a feeling Severus would be extremely cross and highly mistrustful about being "stood up" for a second time in a row. But what choice did she have? The situation was beyond her control now, and she needed to get to Hogsmeade to speak to Dumbledore, even if that meant damaging the fragile friendship she had started to build with Severus.
Weighing up her options and with very little time to lose, Rosetta tucked the letter into a pocket, pulled out her wand and conjured a fresh piece of parchment and a quill and ink, and scrawled in hurried writing:
I'm sorry I can't make it tonight. I will explain when I can, but please trust me.
R
It was brief, but she hoped it conveyed the sincerity and respect that she truly felt. Rosetta swiftly fixed the note to the heavy oak doors with magic and then vanished the quill and ink. With one last glance at the note, she turned and sprinted out through the gates, weaving her way out of the Hogwarts grounds far enough to be able to Apparate to the Hog's Head.