Disclaimer: I own nothing, but my thoughts of AU and OC, the rest all belong to J K Rowling.

Chapter 19

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
30th January 1960,

Thankfully the Minister of Magic, Ignautis Tuft, his secretary, Rayn Crickerly, young mister Reverend Shacklebolt, and his partner, Mister Readersthorne didn't stay around for long. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore didn't have much faith in Tuft, but one young mister Rayn Crickerly was someone he had taught.

Crickerly was sorted into the Slytherin house and over the time he proved himself to be quite smart and cunning. The boy had simply turned things to his favor. A half-blood, yet he survived in the dungeons of Hogwarts among the purebloods who fiercely held on to their ways of life. His ancestors were in the Business of Politics as Filius pointed out when the young man was first appointed to the post. Unsurprisingly, Albus would not be surprised if Rayn had minion spies in his school still.

Amidst debates and throwbacks, his floo connection came alive and few of the choicest Governors of the Board rather demanded to be present in the grand discussion. The moment Abraxas Malfoy stepped in, the Hogwarts professors knew who had ratted out. It was common knowledge that one young Miss Dorothy Lestrange harboured an uncanny affectation for the present Lord of Malfoy Manor. Currently, Miss Lestrange was one of the 7th years preparing to sit for her NEWTs. Nothing like telling an old flame how to grow into a bonfire that can at least burn down a portion of the present Headmaster's growing popularity.

Yet, wands miraculously remained in their concealed holsters. Even though the room full of grown men constantly came to loggerheads, lacked their gritting words with underlying threats, and challenged each other's intellect. The handful of witches watched them with wands close by. In the middle of all that Minerva McGonagall, was starting to have a biting headache, something she didn't have in many years. That constant hum was having its cruel effect. 'Was it some kind of magic yet to be unearthed? It was now pulsating at a rhythm?' she thought.

As if reading her mind, the hum stopped. The men in the room were so engrossed in their bickering and repartee that it took a couple of moments for them to grasp the cause of sudden quietness. The Aurors in meantime returned with the caretaker, Apolloyn Pringle and Professor Horace at their toes. Beaming with confidence, Minister Tuft turned to young Shacklebolt and airily asked, "Seems like our esteemed Auror has fixed the glitch that shook this honorable castle to its knees, Ya? "

Shacklebolt, tall and dark, wore his no-nonsense attitude, in front of enemies and friends alike. Bowing to both Albus Dumbledore and to Minister Tuft, in a heavy accent, the young Auror replied, "It all went quiet, all by its own." Then, waving his hand at the others who too had been with him, he added, "We had nothing to do with it. I failed to ascertain the source and I have tried my best, much like Professor Flitwick had, before me."

All of them grew quiet after hearing the news. Having nothing else to do, the visitors were leaving all too soon. Flitwick murmured close to Minerva," When the vultures find no carcass to feast on, they look like them, I presume."

Madam Sprout leaned back in her chair and heaved a sigh commenting offhandedly, "Vultures, ah! Flitwick well said! Tuft too has a nose like one!"

Minerva, happy with the change in the atmosphere, snorted unlikely. Still massaging her temples with her fingers, she mumbled, "Reverend Shacklebolt did a good thing by bringing his son back to England after his wife's tragic death at Uagadou. The boy is just a year old and he has a newborn sister I heard. Their Granny has come along. There are times, I do feel sad for that family. Herald Macduff, our DADA professor speaks highly about the Auror. He is quite an icon among my Gryffindors as well."

Albus Dumbledore sat brooding behind his long desk. His eyes, distant and thoughtful. He studied his colleagues for a while. Scanning the portrait, he found Headmaster Armando Dippet's frame was empty. His predecessor was a wizard belonging to the old school of thoughts. Yet when transferring the charge of Headmastership of the School, the man had shared quite a number of valuable remarks with his successor.

Dumbledore, stroke his greying beard and thought, 'Headmaster Dippet was right about one thing. Someday, I would find myself in strange waters with this young band of professors. Perhaps, today can be counted as one. They don't know much about the castle. Neither can I boast about knowing everything about this sentient castle anymore! These vibrations...Merlin! I can only see till a point. Beyond that, the castle starts walling up itself. Much like a shy maiden. It is nothing like the troubled times when the chamber of secrets was opened. I don't feel the presence of foul magic. It is so pure that at times it makes me quite emotional.'

Watching Minerva massage her temple, he narrowed his eyes and thought again,'Can she sense something as well?' turning his eyes at Flitwick, he noticed the half goblin staring at him instead.

Shrugging off, the Headmaster took a deep breath and addressed to his personal elf, "Tuny, get us some refreshments, a little chocolate for each one of us, it will do us good."

A moment later a rather large service of tea, croissants, tarts, shortbreads and chocolate brownies had appeared. Since many of the professors could not manage a proper meal at dinner, almost all of them merrily dug into the appetizing food.

Once the empty plates and teacups vanished away, Dumbledore spoke again," While there is no immediate threat, we need to be vigilant. I have considered talking to some of the older wizards of my time to find out more. I hope you might as well consider looking up your contacts and even the Hogwarts library can be used intensely enough for figuring out this rather curious event."

"Taking all things into consideration, can we suppose it is the doing of some disgruntled spirit or a new poltergeist, surely Peeves can throw…" the Potions master Horace Slughorn was cut short by a disagreeing Madam Sprout.

"No, that is not the case. When earlier, Minerva and I had just left you at your office and were making our way back to where Albus and Filius were working, we encountered Peeves."

The transformation Professor seconded the opinion and joined in, "Or rather we encountered a cupboard rocking on its feet."

The quip was not missed and all of them started laughing at the expense of the out of hand resident Poltergeist.

"It took us quite an effort to open it, and soon, broomsticks were flying at us at lightning speed. Minerva just had the nerve to transform them into down feathers when we were about to get hit."

"Consider it as nothing Pomona, we were already on our toes. We found Peeves crouched at one dark corner inside the cupboard shivering in fright."

"Most peculiar, I must add, he was just going on and on, saying- "Awake, Awake, merlin is… awake!"

"Merlin!" The other three professors spoke at once and then everybody was talking together.

"Peeves has lost it."

"When did he actually have an ounce of it."

"I think we better leave that aside, for further reference. It was quite an odd day. We all are quite exhausted running up and down the castle and tackling with our esteemed visitors. Why don't we retire for the night and start afresh again?" Dumbledore spoke solemnly, the tiredness finally getting the best of him.

"I am sure the students would want to know something. "Professor Slughorn enquired.

"It is for the best, we tell them, we don't have a definite answer, but, as it stands, there is nothing to fear. Hogwarts stands protected as it has been for centuries together. I will change the rules just a bit so that the children don't start acting all to brave and carefree suddenly."

Getting up, Madam Sprout managed to control a yawn and said, "Good night Albus, Minerva, Filius, and Horace. I better head back, and see to it that my badgers are truly where they should be."

Horace just got up and bobbed his head at the four other occupants of the room left for his dungeon quarters.

"Albus, Goodnight." Minerva and Flitwick together left the office, closing the door behind them.

"You were rather quiet Filius, something on your mind?" Minerva asked the half-goblin master of charms, standing beside her. But the man remained quiet, still lost in his own thoughts.

"There are things in this world that we know of but do not acknowledge, things that are hidden in plain sight but we refuse to see and things that can bring us glory only when we leave aside our ego and embrace the truth," the half-goblin murmured under his breath when they were halfway down the Gargoyle staircase.

Had Minerva not been standing on the spiraling steps, exactly a step below, which brought her close to the charms professor face, she would have missed hearing most of it.

"Filius, what was it about?"

As if recovering from his thought induced trance, Filius looked up at the witch and blinked and then shrugged it all off with a wave of his hand. "Oh! Think nothing of it! Let us better hurry and check on the students, it will be a unique night if we don't find even one of them out of their bed. At least you cubs are daring enough." Giving her a teasing wink, the half-goblin walked away towards the Ravenclaw Tower, leaving a rather confused Deputy Headmistress standing alone at the feet of the Gargoyle statue.

Professor Flitwick was born around 1958. But I am making him much older, for the sake of my story. Names that you don't recognize from the Harry Potter world do not belong to it. I am taking full responsibility for my brainchildren. This chapter is one of those first pivotal head turners. I hope I did well enough to keep you all wanting, for more.