Chapter 51 – The Answer

"Zarek and his sister are playing a muggle game you may know about," said Gregory to Connor, Joanna and Guinevere when they made their way to the Great Hall to spend the morning studying.

It was Sunday morning, a few hours after breakfast and Connor and his friends had decided to do their Charms assignments together. Connor was rather happy about it because while he was good at Transfiguration, he did struggle at Charms.

They walked in the Great Hall and found Zarek and his sister at table towards the middle of the Hall. Both of them were concentrating on a small mound of pieces with images on it.

"A puzzle!" exclaimed Guinevere. "How did you guys get it?" she asked, sitting next to Zarek and beginning to look at the pieces.

Joanna sat across from her and began studying the pieces too.

"Mum sent it," answered Zarek's sister. "You should have seen the owl flew in. It was huge."

"What's that?" asked Lena, joining them with Theo.

"A puzzle," answered Gregory.
"What does it do?" asked Lena.

"It's an image cut in little pieces which you have to put back together," answered Joanna with a small smile.

"It doesn't move or anything like that?" asked Lena.

"No, it's totally inanimate," answered Joanna. "You just have to use your sense of observation to try and piece it together."

Lena frowned, looking at the puzzle in concentration.

"That reminds me..." she said slowly. "Guinevere! That's it! The dreams!"

"What about them?" asked Guinevere, looking up at her friend.

"They're like a puzzle! Bits and pieces of a puzzle!"

Guinevere stood up and looked at Lena in wonder.

"That's it!" she said, standing up. "If we can just figure out the sequence..."

Lena nodded vigorously.

"Connor, when can we go to the Chambers?" asked Guinevere, excited.

"Eh..." hesitated Connor.

While he wanted to accommodate Guinevere and Lena, he did not want to leave Zarek behind.

"Go mate," said Zarek. "I'll be a while here."

Connor nodded and left, followed by Guinevere, Lena and Joanna.

cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm

Connor was running late for Charms. The night before, he had forgotten his assignment in the Keeper's Chambers after he had spent the night there while Lena and Guinevere still tried to piece together his dreams. There were so many, they were yet to find connections between any of them.

Connor was coming back from the tower, running between the two wings when he was suddenly hit squared in the back by a paralysing curse. He felt face first in the snow, unable to move. In the next instant, he was hit in the head and darkness claimed him.

cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm

"I told you to rein your people in!" bellowed the old man to the two kneeling figures in front of him.

While the man addressed those two, all in attendance, except the strange woman behind him who always seems to be in his shadow, were quite afraid when he got that angry. It didn't happen often but his rages were legendary. As for the two men in front of him, they were looking fixedly at the floor, not daring to look up.

"I told you this child is protected by some of the most powerful wizards of Britain," he continued. "I told you going after him or any of his friends would only bring unwanted attention towards us. But have you listen to me? No! First the girl and now this! Who's minions have done it?"

One of the men looked to the others who kept on staring at the ground without answering or moving. The old man noticed and walked behind the second man. He took a stake and without hesitation, stabbed the man in the back, driving it through his heart. A moment later, the man began to turn to ashes then was gone.

"Now," said the old man, visibly calmer. "You are going to go and fix this mess," he said to the remaining man. "Do not disappoint me."

"Yes sir!"

cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm

"We thought this situation had been taken care of! And now, we're called here because he was attacked, again!"

"Molly, calm down. Let the Headmistress speaks."

"Calm down, Arthur? How can I be calmed? Connor was attacked again! And he's in the Hospital Wing."

"It is disconcerting to us, too, believe me," said the Headmistress, visibly upset. "We did not expect something like this to happen. We thought all sources of danger to any of our students were eliminated."
"But Minerva, it happened in broad daylight. How come nobody saw anything?"

"We think they used Peruvian Powder," she answered. "And most students and teachers were already in their classroom. Apparently, Connor was running late."

"Does it mean he may not have been the target? That he only was at the wrong place at the wrong time?" asked Mr Weasley.

"Perhaps," answered the Headmistress. "But we don't know for certain, not until we find who did this."

cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm

"Connor, Connor?"

Connor slowly opened his eyes. He was hurting everywhere and honestly felt like the Hogwarts Express had rolled over him.

"Connor?"

Connor looked in the direction of the voice and saw Joanna sitting next to him.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Not good," he answered. "What happened?" he asked, even if he had an idea from overhearing the adults' conversation earlier.

"You were attacked," answered Joanna, offering him a straw.

Connor took a sip of a bitter tasting liquid and winced.

"It's a potion to help re-mend your bones," explained Joanna. "You were in rather bad shape when you were found, they told me."

Connor wondered what 'bad shape' meant but he thought he had a good idea. He had pain in both of his arms and hands, one of his legs and his chest. He figured he must have broken bones in all of those places.

"The Headmistress is furious," continued Joanna. "And the teachers are very nervous. Hogwarts is a dangerous place because of the learning of magic, but it should not be a place where students attack other students."

"They think they were students?" he asked.

"Yes," answered Joanna slowly. "The new wards on the school do not allow anyone in unless invited by the Headmistress, and all the teachers were accounted for. Therefore, that leaves the students."

Connor was beyond the point of asking 'why me?' He was now resigned to the fact he was an easy target for all sorts of people's hatred. He was a muggle born, he was a powerful Seer, and he was gay. He was so far out of the norm, it made the traditional wizards nervous and made him their perfect target.

"Mrs Weasley is furious," continued Joanna. "I think if it was her choice, she would take you out of school."

"But it's not her choice," stated Connor.

He was of age.

Mrs Weasley, despite her good intentions, could not keep him out of school if he wanted to stay. And honestly, he wanted to stay. Hogwarts was his home and the place he had begun to have a real life, and friends.

"No, it's not," agreed Joanna with a grin. "I think she knows you wouldn't want to leave, despite all this," she added, waving at his bandaged body.

Connor nodded.

"I don't know how you do it, Connor," said Joanna, becoming serious. "I don't know how you can handle all that is happening to you."

"What would be the alternative?" asked Connor.

"I don't know," she admitted sadly.

"Joanna, when you think of it, it is not that bad," he said gently. "If I wasn't here, don't you think the visions wouldn't have killed me by now? Or whoever is after me? Granted I could do away with the attacks but when it comes down to it, the alternative is a lot worse."

"But I hate to see you like this. I hate what those students are doing to you."
"Don't worry about me, Joanna. I'll be fine. I always am."

cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm

But four weeks later, during an Hogsmeade Saturday, Connor was targeted again in the early afternoon, when he was on his way to the Keeper's Chambers. Milady and Milord hissing warned him something was wrong just in time for him to dock behind the greenhouse corner. In the next instant, it became dark. Thinking quickly, Connor changed into a cat and followed Milord's call out of the Peruvian Powder's cloud. He and the cats hid under a box when they heard footsteps and waited to see who was there.

"Where is he?" asked a voice Connor recognized very well.

The darkness cleared and he saw the Head Girl, Slytherin Naomi Simmons, with two other sixth year students standing in the courtyard.

"Find him!" she ordered.

The two sixth years split up and began to look everywhere.

"Could he have Apparated?" asked one of the two, looking at the footprints in the snow. "He ran to the corner of the greenhouse but there are not footprints to indicate he left."

"No, you idiot," hissed Naomi. "No-one can Apparate on school grounds."

They searched a while longer than Naomi called off the search.

"Let's go before someone realises we are no longer in Hogsmeade," she said.

As soon as they were gone, Connor and the half-kneazles walked out of their hiding places and ran to the Headmistress's office. He transformed back into his own form only when he was standing in front of the statue, in order to give it the password. A moment later, he followed his cats up the stairs and knocked on the Headmistress's door, effectively interrupting an animated conversation.

"Enter!" called the Headmistress shortly, as if she was annoyed by the interruption.

Connor opened the door and walked in hesitantly. Since the Headmistress was alone, he figured the conversation had been with the portraits who now looked fast asleep except for Dumbledore's and Snape's.

"Mr McKeithan, what can I do for you?" she asked.

"I know who's after me," he said.

The portraits' eyes opened and they looked at him in avid interest, as if they had taken a bet and wanted to see who would be the winner.

"Well?" prompted the Headmistress.

"Naomi Simmons and two sixth years I don't know by name."

"The Head Girl?" asked the Headmistress, surprised.

"The other two must be Marcus Saunders and Leonard Johnston," offered one of the portraits. "After all, they are the ones we usually see with Miss Simmons."

But the Headmistress did not seem to be listening to the portrait. She was sitting behind her desk, looking like someone who had received a blow to the stomach.

"What happened?" she asked in a whisper.

Connor told her what had just happened.

"Albus, where have I gone so wrong?" she finally said, in the long silence that followed. "How could I judge character so poorly? And how am I going to be able to look at the Board of Governors in the face when I tell them not only the Head Boy was expelled but the Head Girl also went bad. After all, they were my appointees."

"We all make mistakes, Minerva," said the portrait. "I, for one, did not make Harry a Prefect and, in a sense, I took away his friends by making them so. And I let him witness my death... and I left him with barely any explanations."

"But he turned out alright," said the Headmistress.
"Yes, he did," acknowledged Dumbledore. "But at what price? Your students, Minerva, will be alright, too."

"But not all of them," she said. "Dillon MacKnight's parents were devastated when his wand was broken. After all, he came from such a good family, and he was such a brilliant student, no-one would have thought he could have gone so wrong. And now Naomi… and these two others."

Connor had always wondered what had happened to Dillon and now, he was finding out. For having learned, in history, what it meant to have our wand broken, he shivered at the thought. Dillon would never again be able to own or use a wand again, he would never be able to do magic again, except for what little magic he could do without a wand, if any. In a sense, Connor wondered if it did not make Dillon more dangerous since he had nothing else to loose.

"Well, Mr McKeithan," suddenly said the Headmistress. "I thank you for the information. I will take it from here. Please, close the door on your way out."

Connor was a little surprised by the sudden dismissal but understood the Headmistress to be upset. Without adding a word, he left, closing the door behind him.

cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm

"How could they have been so stupid?" asked Guinevere. "Did they really think they would have got away with this?"

Connor shrugged. It was the next morning and he had just told his friends who had tried to attack him and they were outraged.

"So now we find ourselves with no Head Boy and no Head Girl," said Lucas.

"And less Prefects also," added Zarek, shaking his head.

"How many?" asked Allison.

"Three sixth year and one fifth year," answered Joanna.

"But how in the world did they think they would get away with it?" asked Guinevere again.

"I don't think expelling them may have been the best way to deal with it," said Lena slowly, measuring her every words carefully.

"What do you mean?" asked Lucas surprised, almost outraged.

Connor had to admit, he had thought almost exactly the same thing as Lena. While he could not put his impressions into words, he wondered what Lena had in mind.

"And what would you do with them?" asked Gregory. "Have them here with us?"

"Maybe," she said slowly. "Just think about it: when you were out of school, didn't you have a lot of time in your hands?" she asked Gregory and Lucas.

"Yeah," answered Lucas. "I was bored to death!"

"And what do you think they will do with all that time they now have?" she asked.

They all remained silent for a moment, pondering her words.

"But what else could have been done with them?" asked Zarek.

"That, I don't know," answered Lena. "But now, they have way too much time to plot something that won't be good for any of us, especially you, Connor."

Connor shrugged again. He had been the target of a lot of people throughout the years and it was not likely to change. He was almost to a point where he didn't care how many people were after him anymore. But at least, with Dillon and his lot, he knew how they looked like and how to stay as far away as he could if he ever saw them again. Enemies he knew were definitely a lot easier to avoid than enemies he didn't know anything about.

Thinking of avoiding enemies made Connor wish he was eleven years old again. Back then, he didn't have to worry about the world chasing him and he missed that carefree time. Sometimes, he found it hard to only be seventeen as he often felt like a teenager with a lot of grown up issues.

"Could they have remained at school?" asked Alison to non-one in particular.

"Maybe," answered Lena uncertainly. "But maybe not until we know for sure if they didn't have any help."

"That is far from certain," said Gregory, wincing. "I know they were good at Defence but they may have taught themselves like Professor Potter did with the Dumbledore's Army."

"Yes but we just don't know and could the Headmistress have taken the chance?" asked Lena.

Again, the group remained silent for a few moments.

"Well they are expelled now," finally said Guinevere. "Maybe we should think about something else... like Connor's dreams perhaps?"

"Oh, yes!" said Joanna, jumping in.

Connor had to admit, he was happy they moved on to another subject.

cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm

For the last few days, Guinevere and Lena had been particularly quiet and abnormally nervous. Connor even surprised Guinevere looking over her shoulder more than once, as if she feared she was in danger. Connor had meant to ask his friends what was going on but he hadn't had the occasion.

It was now the second Friday of March and like every Friday, Connor and his friends made their way to the Room of Requirements for their weekly Coterie meeting. After spending four weeks learning Animagus with Professor McGonagall, only Connor, Noëlla, Zarek and Theo had succeeded in transforming into animals. Of the others, only Gregory and Lucas were still trying the spell as far as Connor knew. In the weeks following the Animagus training, the Coterie had gone back to their regular defence and strategy lesson.

When they entered the Room of Requirements, Harry was waiting for them. The room looked again like the Gryffindor Common Room and Harry invited them to sit. As he sat, Connor noticed Lena and Guinevere looked relieved.

"Professor," said Lena. "We discovered something."
"What?" he asked them.

"We think we found out what's going on," said Guinevere hesitantly. "We think we figured out what Connor's dreams mean."

Connor looked up, suddenly interested. While he dreamt his dreams, he had long ago stopped trying to figure out what the most complicated ones meant, especially since he had a number of very clear ones which needed more immediate attention.

Harry too, seemed very interested in what Lena and Guinevere had to say.

"We think the men who are after Connor are part of a group run by a vampire," said Lena.

"Lena, why don't we begin by the top?" suggested Guinevere.

"The top?" asked Gregory.

Connor realised all of his friends were looking at the girls with avid interest.

"Somewhere in the world, there is this old man, probably a vampire, who is very afraid someone would know what he is up to," said Guinevere. "This old man, from what we understood, is forcing a witch to build a powerful shield over him so people like Connor cannot discover what he is up to. In fact, he is so paranoid he has sent legions of his minions to hunt for wizards and witches with the Eye all over the world, regardless of their power."

"Wait!" suddenly interrupted Lucas dumfounded. "What?! That can't be true! You two sound like a novel."

Lena and Guinevere stared him down and Lucas seemed to make himself smaller on his chair.

"Like we were saying," continued Lena, turning towards Harry. "This man also has children... Well, not children per say but more other people he turned into vampires. From what we understood, one of them is the one playing havoc in Britain."

"How does he do it?" asked Gregory, fascinated.

"He controls people," answered Guinevere.

"But how?" pushed Theo.

"We don't know but whatever he does, it seems really effective."

Connor looked up at Harry. He remembered, not too long ago, Genna Hudon Tyler had told them about vampires. She had said their bites had been terribly pleasurable and very hard to resist.

"We think we have found out what most of those people did and who most of them are," said Lena.

"Who are they?" asked Joanna.

"What have they done?" asked Gregory at the same time.

Guinevere smiled at her friends. It was the first time in days Connor actually saw her smile.

"We know only some of their names," she said. "But we have the faces of the others here," she added, showing a little vial.

"What have they done?" asked Harry, taking the vial.

"All of it!" said Lena. "Everything that has to do with Connor, the attempt on the Minister's life, the killings of Seers, even the students who got expelled."

"But why?" asked Gregory. "And why now? Vampires have been around for eons."

"We don't really know," answered Lena. "And we don't understand it either. The only thing we know is they are far reaching."

"And you saw all that in my dreams?" asked Connor fascinated.

"Once we figured out in which order they came, we got a really good picture."

"How far reaching?" asked Lucas.

"Very," answered Guinevere. "All the way to the top Ministry ranks."

Harry was the one to break the silence that followed.

"That's a very dangerous thing to have someone infiltrated the Ministry," he said slowly, "especially when we don't know why.

"I would really like to see what's in this vial," he added, stretching his hand.

Guinevere gave him the vial.

"Professor, what we found out really scared us," said Guinevere. "The wizarding world seems to still have an enemy but we don't precisely know who and we don't know why."

Connor had to admit, the thought was effectively scary.

cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm

By mid-April, Connor was so busy with homework and studies that he barely had time for anything else. In talking with Professor Slughorn at the end of March, he had been strongly encouraged by the man to sit for his NEWTs in potions. While Connor was attending the class and enjoying it immensely, he had never thought of taking the exam but Professor Slughorn's encouragements had decided him. So in addition to study for his Charms, Transfiguration and History NEWTs exams, he was now trying to learn lists of potion ingredients and he found the task daunting.

Connor wondered how other students did it. Some of them had more than five NEWTs to study for and Connor had to admit, he was impressed. He just felt lucky he had already taken his Defence NEWT exam and didn't have to study for that one too.

Sitting in the study of the Keeper's Chambers, where he had taken to go when he wanted to study quietly, Connor reflected on how far he had gone. In first and second year, he had been an okay student who could really hold his own with the best of them. In fact, the hat had even considered Ravenclaw for him. But in later years, crippled by his Visions, he had fallen more and more behind. While he had never told anyone, he had, more than once, completed his class notes with the discussions he had had with his friends during their study sessions. He was just happy his friends, if they had noticed, had never said anything and didn't seem to mind. They saved him from looking like a complete idiot which he was definitely not.

With a sigh, Connor took his potion book again and squeezed his eyes to try to see the little characters on the page which had been dancing in front of his eyes for the last few minutes.

Merlin, was he tired!

As usual, his night had been plagued by a dream that didn't make sense to him. In it, Professor Dennings had been taken away by some men who looked vaguely familiar to Connor. He didn't quite know what the Professor had done but he knew the reason given was only a cover for something much more sinister. Connor knew he should maybe talk of this later dream with Lena and Guinevere but it was Tuesday afternoon and while Connor didn't have class, they both did.

Connor had been studying for about fifteen minutes when Profina suddenly flew into the study.

"Connor, come quick," she said urgently. "Something is about to happen and you may want to see this."

Connor put down his book and stood up.

"Change into a cat," directed Profina. "You may not want to be seen."

Connor did as she directed and, like every time he changed into a cat, Milord and Milady appeared by his side. Accompanied by his two friends, he followed the ghost out of the tower and into the Classroom wing. They went to a part of the Wing Connor rarely visit and he recognized Professor Denning's classroom ahead of him. The last time he had been this way was when the pixies had been found dead.

"Behind the statue," hissed Profina.

Connor and the cats did as they were directed and waited patiently. Connor felt the urge to lick his paws and gave in, beginning to wash his coat. Milord's low growl of warning in frequency Connor knew no humans could have heard made him look up. Down the corridor, Professor McGonagall was coming, escorting two men Connor had seen in his dreams. The more he looked at the men, the more he was convinced he had seen them before. The two men wore black robes and looked forbidding. They walked to Professor Dennings classroom and entered. Connor, staying as quiet as only a cat could, followed them, accompanied by his half-kneazles. They entered the classroom and found spots to hide themselves. Connor could not fail to notice the stench of dried pixie blood in the room. While he doubted a human could smell it, cats definitely could and it made the hair on his back rise.

As Connor turned back his attention to the trio who was going up the stairs to the Professor's office, Connor saw one of the men glanced over the classroom and felt a deep sense of danger. Involuntarily, Connor took a step back to make sure he wouldn't be seen. Milady and Milord must have sense it too since they emitted low growls of warning. The Headmistress knocking on the door to the Professor's office brought the man's attention back to the task at hand, consequently silencing Connor's half-kneazles.

Professor Dennings opened the door and, when he looked at the two men escorting the Headmistress, Connor could have sworn he blanched.

"Headmistress," he greeted. "How may I be of service to you?"

While the Professor's words were sweet, Connor detected an edge of danger to his voice, as if he was a cornered man.

"Mr Troy Dennings?" asked one of the men with the Headmistress. "We ask that you come with us. The Ministry wants to question you concerning an affair of dark artefacts smuggling."

The Professor turned to the Headmistress, as if waiting for an order from her.

Connor then recognized the accusation for what it really was: a lie. These men wanted the Professor away from Hogwarts but for an entirely different reason which had nothing to do with artefacts.

"I must protest again," said the Headmistress, turning towards the two men. "Professor Dennings has been with us for years now and nothing in his behaviour would let us believe he's been involved in smuggling activities. I have already called the Minister. Shouldn't we wait for him to reply before you proceed?" she asked.

"I'm afraid not, Headmistress. I'm afraid every minute counts."

"Professor," began the Headmistress, turning to Professor Dennings, "I will get to the bottom of this. If you would please follow these two gentlemen, I'm sure, as soon as I can reach the Minister, you will be back with us in no time."

The Professor hesitated a moment before inclining his head. He stepped out of his office to follow the two men.

"Your wand, sir," said one of the two.

"Is that really necessary?" asked the Headmistress.

"It's procedure, Headmistress," answered the man.

"I do not like this," said the Headmistress. "Kingsley will hear about this."

But the two men just waited, apparently un-phased by the Headmistress' comment. Professor Dennings took his wand from his breast pocket and gave it to the man who had asked for it. Connor thought he looked rather defeated, as if he knew something bad would happen to him.

Once the man had put away the wand, they walked away, taking the Professor with them. Once Connor was certain they were gone, he reverted to his human form.

"Profina," he called.

The ghost appeared next to him.

"What was this all about?" he asked, leaving the classroom followed by his cats and the floating ghost.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," she answered. "Only the ghosts think the Professor may have something to do with the students who were expulsed."

"If that's the case, can it be the reason why these two men came to get him? Wait, who were these two men anyway? They looked familiar."

"They said they were Ministry Investigators," answered Profina.

"You don't believe them?"

"I think they are Unspeakables," she said.

"Why?"

"Their demeanours and the way they have to never give an answer to questions," she explained. "That was how Unspeakables were in my days. And it would also explain why the Headmistress felt such a strong sense of untrust towards them."

"But why, then, would the Unspeakables want the Professor?" asked Connor with a frown.

"Nothing good, I'm sure."

Connor believed her and somehow doubted they would ever see the Professor again.

cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm

"Mr McKeithan, may I have a word?"

Connor looked up, surprised to find someone in the painting floor of the Seer Tower the next Friday afternoon.

"Headmistress!" he said. "How did you know I would be here?"

"Isn't it where you come when you want to study?" she said with a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Connor nodded, and walked towards the painting which would take him to the Keeper's Chambers, knowing the Headmistress would follow. He stopped in front of a painting of the mountains and offered his arm to the Headmistress. Once he felt the pressure of her hand, he walked through the wall.

"Lumos," he said, his wand in his hand.

At his feet, the half-kneazles were waiting for them.

"It seems your cats were very anxious for us to arrive," said the Headmistress.

Both cats ran towards the Chambers and Connor and the Headmistress followed them. A few minutes later, they were sitting in Connor's study, sipping tea which had been left by the House-elves prior to their arrival. Connor drank his tea quietly, waiting for the Headmistress to begin.

"Professor Dennings will not be back," she said sadly. "Once I reached Kingsley and found out no-one from the Law Enforcement Department had been sent to fetch him, it was too late: he was already gone and we can't find him."

By her statement, it was obvious she knew Connor had witnessed the scene a few days prior, especially since the official reason given to the other students was a death in Professor Dennings' family.

"He's with the Unspeakable," said Connor.

The Professor looked up at him, her cup stopped mid-way between the saucer and her mouth.

"The Unspeakables? But why?" asked the Headmistress.

Connor only shrugged: he really didn't know.

"Connor, did you see something in your dreams?" she asked.

"An impression I've got," he answered. "The Unspeakables, they did not get him for questioning about thievery. He had something to do with Dillon and the others."

The Headmistress only nodded. For the first time, Connor realised how much older she looked, as if she was holding all the worries of the world on her shoulders.

"Headmistress, it may sound heartless but I wouldn't worry about him if I were you," said Connor gently.

He did not go as far as saying the Professor deserved what he had coming but he believed it nevertheless.

The Professor looked up at him with a strange expression on her face. Connor wondered if she was offended or surprised by what he had said. Then her expression became thoughtful.

"I do not envy you, Mr McKeithan," she said, surprising Connor who frowned. "And sometimes I envy you very much."

Connor was becoming intrigued. He wondered what the Headmistress was getting at.

"Sometimes, I envy the way you can detach yourself from what is happening around you but at the same time. I do not envy the things you see and made you think that way," she explained. "As for me, I will unfortunately care, even if he only deserves to be in Azkaban," she added sadly.

Connor had suspected she would say something like that. Her caring was probably what made her such a good Headmistress to begin with. Connor seriously doubted the school would be in such a great shape if the Headmistress hadn't cared as much.

"But you telling me he may have been involved with the suspended students may help a little," she added with a sad smile.

"About them, Professor, what will happen to them?"

"That Mr McKeithan, I don't know," she answered. "Some of them had their wand broken and no longer have a bright future within our society."

"Dillon?" asked Connor.

"Yes, Mr MacKnight had his wand broken," she confirmed. "As for the others, I'm afraid their actions will follow them for the rest of their life. Our community is relatively small and people do remember the ones who are expelled from Hogwarts since it is so rare. Even if they still have their wand, their path will be a difficult one."

"Won't it turn against us?" asked Connor. "I mean aren't we pushing them towards worse things than what they were into while they were here? If the only place they can be accepted is Knockturn Alley, aren't we preventing them from redeeming themselves?"

The Headmistress looked at him for a few long moments, and then nodded in respect towards him.

"I see your point, Mr McKeithan, and that would necessitate some more thinking on my part," she added, standing up.

"It's not just my idea," said Connor, standing up also. "Lena is the one who really gave it a lot of thoughts."

The Headmistress gave him one of her rare smile.

"Yes, Miss MacNair would be thinking along those lines," said the Headmistress. "She is a very practical young witch.

"Mr McKeithan, have you thought of what you will do after you graduate?" she asked, walking down the stairs.

"Not really'" he answered.

In truth, he hadn't given it too much thought because he found the subject rather depressing. Due to his condition, he simply didn't know where he could fit. The only thing he knew for sure was that he wanted to be with Bradley.

"Well, if you ever figure out, let me know," said the Headmistress, opening the door. "I would be interested in knowing."

"I will," said Connor.

With a final smile, he closed the door behind the Headmistress.

cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm