Poppy went to Filius just to see ejem if he has seen Hagrid in Hogsmeade.
Poppy smiled towards Filius. Who was talking with everybody in the Ravenclaw table to know what just happened with Maggie.
Poppy blushed. Come on tell him that you had been in the nursery.
"H-Hello..."
"Oh! Poppy!" He blinked and noticed her. "Are you ok?"
"Yes... I... come here, I have more information." She told him making a gesture.
"Information?" he blinked.
"Come with me!" She urged him and he stood up to go with her. "I went to the infirmary"
"Did you see her? How she was?" Filius asked, worried, going with her.
"Bad. Petrified." Poppy was taught all her life that the best way to give bad health news is in the clearest and most simple way.
"Petrified! That's what everybody says! As Tim!" Filius covered his face with his hands.
"Yes... Dumbledore was there... and Dippet."
"Oh! And you heard them? What did they say?... Wait a moment; you were in the infirmary, are you okay? It didn't attack you, did it?" the levels of concern raised as foam.
"Dumbledore says that... No! No, I am perfectly fine; I mean... we were there because we wanted to investigate." Poppy smiled.
"What did you discover then?" He smiled too in relief.
"They don't know what is going on... Dumbledore said it is not an accident." She frowned again.
"Oh... that's awful!" he looked horrified.
"They don't want to cause panic but... well, now he is expecting us to bring Hagrid with him and... come on, come with us."
"But what if it attacks..." Filius didn't end the sentence.
"Attacks...?" She looked him sideways.
"Ehm... it doesn't matter, I'm going with you." He decided suddenly, thinking the attacker going against her.
"No no, tell me... what were you going to say? Minerva, because she is muggle born?"
"It only attacks the muggleborn? Don't tell me it's that crap again." Filius squeezed eyes.
"What were you going to say!"
"Nothing, someone else... It has some protection? Something we could do?" He lied. Poppy frowned a bit.
"Well... I don't know, really. Is Maggy a muggleborn?"
"Yes..." Filius explained, with an unusual serious look.
"But... wasn't that over when the war ended?"
"Apparently not... or maybe it's just a coincidence."
"I hope not, Minerva could be like the first attacked" Poppy shrugged.
"But she is a half blood. And she has that protective spell from Dumbledore."
"But everyone hates her." She answered, worried.
"Nah, she's a drama, I talked to the Gryffindor and just her classmates are a little upset." Filius rolled eyes smiling a little.
"Oh, really?" Poppy smiled. "Well, I'm glad... are you... do you have muggle blood?"
"I like that you make me that question but... Do you see me?" Filius laughed.
"You could have muggle blood! Or..."
"Goblins blood is enough unusual halfs blood for me."
"Oh... so you're in danger!" Poppy yelled, worried.
"Why?"
"Clearly your bloody is not pure."
"Also clearly it is not muggle."
"Maybe the problem is not only with muggles" she smiled. "Maybe is with cute goblinborns"
"What?" He blinked... did she say...?
"Have you seen this... Habrid?" She changed the topic, blushing.
"Ehm... y-yes... I mean... Yes. I... who?" Filius was still a little stuck in the cute part.
"A boy that is huge?" Poppy said not very sure.
"Ah, yes, yes! He is my friend, he has the half that I don't." he joked again as usually.
"The half you... oh!"
He laughed again.
"You are friends with everyone!"
"Yeah, I like to have friends!" He nodded, looking there if he can see him.
"How do you do it?"
"Well... I don't know, I suppose that I got used to the kids laughing at me because my height and my strange short arms and legs when I was a child and crying a lot and being alone... when I arrived here I decided that I'm going to say... Yes, so what? And it surprisingly worked, so, I started to talk with everyone without matter if they are strange or not physically. It's really alarming the big amount of people that feels alone and bad, and just wanted someone who talks to them."
"Oh... oh! Crying alone!" She looked at him with sorry eyes. "That's super sad!"
"Nah, nah, it isn't. It is an overcoming story with a happy ending!" He smiled.
"I have seen everyone talking to you... and they all laugh happily around you. I envy you a bit."
"Don't do it, the same will happen to you when you arrive to fourth grade." You are like Dumbledore, completely unfocused.
"Of course not! I'm not that kind of girl."
"Of course yes, because that will be my last year and you will meet a lot of people."
"Oh... your last year! Why will I meet a lot of people?"
"Because you are in the clubs and you are my friend, do you want me to introduce you someone?"
"I-Introduce me? L-Like... a boy?"
"No! Like people!" He laughed, a little nervous "to become friends with."
"Oh...oh!" She blushed.
"I mean, you have this secret boyfriend, don't you?" He asked again when they finally arrived.
"I don't have a secret boyfriend!"
He laughed.
"I wouldn't mind having one" she shrugged.
"I think you are trying to distract us to not ask you." He smirked.
"Oh come on! You should tell me... who do YOU like."
"Me?" He blushed little and looked to Minerva and Hagrid "Hey!"
"Yes, you!"
"Oh! Hello, you two!" Hagrid smiled.
"How are you? Do you heard what happened?" Asked Filius ignoring Poppy on purpose.
"Oh, you are here, well, come on then." Hurried Minerva. Hurried them Minerva who didn't want to spend one more second apart from Dumbledore.
Ugh! Isn't that!
Pomona the narrator. She was eager to return to his side.
Minerva who was the only who was working to accelerate this story... pick better your enemies, Pomona.
Oh... damn.
Ja!
Dumbledore was having one of his maniac I-will-gather-information moments, having summoned professor Kettleburn here too and opening books and making notes with him when the kids arrived.
Minerva was the one who knocked the door because... Ugh with her.
"Come innnnnn" Mad eye was also there!
So, she opened and let them enter first, remaining the last. Halloween Party in Deputy's Office. One of these Dumbledore moments... a student was attacked? Come on, let's have a party in my office.
"Oh, Hagrid!" Albus saw him first and smiled a bit. "We need your help!"
"My help, Sir?" Hagrid seem worried. "How could I help, Professor?"
Alastor Moody frowned a little because guess who was completely obsessed with Tom Riddle And didn't understand why is not him who was here being interrogated with Veritaserum.
Albus is not going to accuse him directly! Although I suspect Mad Eye moody is here to provide information about his whereabouts.
Alastor thought that Albus suspect of Hagrid too and thought he is losing time.
He doesn't suspect of Hagrid! He is worried about him!
Tell that to Mr. Paranoia.
Albus looked at Mr. Paranoia. Because he also pretty much knew it was Tom Riddle, the problem was HOW.
"Don't look at me, you know what I think" said Alastor.
"It is not the best idea to do a direct accusation. You will not get a confession... and you know how much Armando defends him."
"But it's ridiculous!" He complained and then looked around, all the party "We will talk about this later."
"I'm running out of patience too, Alastor... but for now... We have to be sure of how."
"All of us are here to solve this" complained Minerva because she didn't like the secrets. Specially when Dumbledore was included and she wasn't.
Omg, Minerva, what we said about the jealousy, you hold it for ONE phrase. You are still his favourite.
"I'm not going to tell you what I'm thinking, you could interpose in a very serious investigation." Alastor exposed to her.
"What? Don't be ridiculous, we are here to help!" Minerva complained.
"But you may change your mind just because he is handsome or because some other idiotic thing." Alastor rolled eyes.
"What? No! Nobody is handsome!" Complained Minerva... again. You seem even worst.
Alastor rolled eyes again and don't answered, just glared at Dumbledore with a control this (your) crazy woman look.
"You all help me very much and I appreciate that you are here" mediated Albus.
Everybody glared at him (Everybody I mean Alastor and Minerva) But them both shut up.
Albus Dumbledore making people happy all the time.
"Those Scottish glares... will freeze me one of these days."
Minerva smiled a little even with the frowned forehead and Alastor sighed. Albus smiled at Minerva and looked at Alastor.
"You are not going to do the investigation in books, Minerva is the expert on that."
She swollen her chest and Alastor looked at her not very convinced because she was a first grade.
"Well, she doesn't need to know our suspicious."
"She will know what she has to know... and I hope she gives us all the possible information. Girls... can you help us search what monster can do this? No matter how impossible it seems for it to roam the school."
Minerva frowned because she wanted to know.
"Don't you want to help me?" Asked Dumbledore.
"Yes, but why search a beast with professor Kettleburn when you have a responsible." Minerva exposed.
"If we have the monster, we can get to the responsible." Said Dumbledore.
Alastor will be able to say "I told you so" for the next 40 years.
"If we stop the responsible, we don't need to know the beast!" She exclaimed and Alastor nodded, agree. The look now is like listen to this (your) woman, fool. She is the voice of the reason.
"We don't know who is the responsible." Albus sighed.
"Well, if you don't need anything else..." Minerva crossed her arms in a quiet invitation to everybody to go, because she was planning stay and interrogate him.
But, to be honest, I think that nobody catches the innuendo.
Albus smiled to her. Minerva glared everyone but him.
"Minerva, can you wait a minute?" He asked and turned to Alastor, standing up.
She smirked, Alastor stood up too.
"Come with me..." He asked Moody, going out.
He followed him and there they went to discuss about Riddle.
Meanwhile, Minerva tried that all the others go, but Filius said that he want to talk with Dumbledore too.
Kettleburn asked Hagrid to go with him to discuss that Hagrid was explaining to him. Good, you manage to let one go.
Two!
Two.
But anyways she wanted to kill everybody. What happen with the bloody men in this castle? Maybe she could talk with the attacker and give him some names.
Alastor Moody, Filius Flictwick, Rosalyn whatever of his course, Tommy Whateverelse of Slytherin and we have serious doubts about Albus Dumbledore.
Doubts about him?! Really?! Relax. You are with him. Nothing happens when he's there...
Yes, we don't know if he deserves or not be attacked.
Dumbledore? Why?!
Because he is... well, he. And he is frustrating.
Oh, do you want to try to attack him? See how he says "try."
Not try!
Do you want to petrify him! Omg!
Ok, we are noticing. He not only wants to be attacked, he wants to be the first!
Noooo!
But you can try it.
He wants!
Minerva (and the world) will die scared.
I mean, if Dumbledore is attacked. Everyone will be scared.
Everyone is already scared! Don't give to you much importance, Mr. Pyjamas.
Nowhere says that Voldy managed to actually attack him.
Well, anyways... When he ended to talk with Moddy, Minerva and Filius are still in his office.
He returned with half a smile because... he likes Moody. Although the situation was grave
He is a kid too, Albus! *said Gellert*
Shut up! Not THAT WAY!
So... they looked at him.
"Oh... what have you read?"
"Nothing, we are waiting for you" said Filius.
And Minerva glared at him because he didn't say why was he waiting, she couldn't ask Dumbledore if he was here.
"Oh... Filius. What do you want to talk about."
"Can I say it to you... in private?" He asked.
"Is it a secret?" Albus smiled a bit, nodded anyway and made a gesture.
"Well... in some way... " Filius said and stood up.
Albus looked at Minerva and winked. And she smiled a little.
"Filius... what do you want to tell me? What worries you?"
"The attacks" he said, when they were outside of the Office "maybe it's something dumb but..." he didn't look him.
"No, no... Come on, tell me. I'm interested in every possible theory" he looked at him, interested.
"No, no, it's not a theory... it's a request"
"Oh... I see. Tell me, Filius, I can help you."
"Well... I was thinking... you were worried about Minerva, weren't you? Because the people may think that she is a muggleborn and they could attack her, that's why you put that protective spell on her."
"Oh... Yes, that was the night of the first attack."
"Well... I was thinking that... Poppy spend a lot of time with her and... I know that she is a pureblood, but maybe if someone try to attack Minerva, Poppy could be there with her and... she doesn't have the protective spell"
"I... I am not sure if my spell is useful for the attacks, but I see your point. To be honest..." he drew out Minerva's wand again. Because it seems that they will never have the correct wand again... "I would do this to every single student at school if I could."
"I just say... I would be relived if you do with her too."
Dumbledore smiled, and did the spell on him.
"Oh! No, come on, I won't be able to duel again!" He complained a little
"So... you're worried about her... huh?"
"Oh, well..." he blushed a little and laughed. "I mean... well I just though... she is my friend, well, they are."
"Oh, Merlin. Poppy Pomfrey. And what about her... She is pretty much like Minerva. Actually... I need to ask you something."
"W-What?"
"About them... both. They are not as capable of doing friends than you."
"Oh... really?"
"Yes. I think they both need friends" He looked at Filius in the eye.
"Well, that's not a problem."
"I'm glad to hear that... they both need friends."
"Everybody need friends... Please, don't tell her that I asked for the spell..."
"And don't ask them that I asked you to be friend with them" Dumbledore laughed.
"Anyways I'm not his friend because you say it" Filius smiled.
"I'm honestly glad. Just keep an eye on them."
"Is true... that you are giving Minerva particular lessons?"
"She has potential. Do you want private lessons too?" He smiled.
"I think she will be disappointed if I say yes." He smiled.
"Oh... what exactly are you implying, Filius? Don't get yourself too excited with a theory!" Dumbledore laughed.
"I just say... I'm his friend, so I would not be mean with her." He shrugged.
"But it is not mean to have private lessons... "
"It's mean disappoint her."
"But Why would it disappoint her?" Albuuuuuuus
"I... just think. I don't know, it's an impression" he shrugged again.
"You are teasing me!"
"What? No, I'm talking seriously! I mean... that's what they say."
"What do they say?"
"That... that you two are very close."
"We are" he nodded, smiling.
Filius smiled too, because Minerva would like to know it and entered to the office again.
"I feel happy around her" he added entering behind him.
He would like to ask him if he liked her, but it seemed too much. He felt as Poppy was really young, he didn't want to imagine what Dumbledore though.
"That's a good thing, sir."
"I know" Dumbledore smiled, merrily.
"What is a good thing?" Asked Minerva when they were in, trying to fit in the conversation. You will have to learn early how to share his attention, little lady. She is so cute.
"To have all of you here."
"Yes, but maybe we should go to the great hall with the rest" said Filius.
"And what are you waiting for?" Asked Minerva who still wanted to interrogate Dumbledore.
"But weren't we supposed to investigate in the books?" Asked Poppy. Filius glanced at her.
"I would prefer to investigate in the library, though... But I guess that we'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"We'll do it tomorrow" nodded Minerva.
"Yes, today we all need to go to the Great Hall."
"There is chaos and your classmates will probably be worried about you all. And I have to do a few things. Filius, could you please help me excepting them both to the Great Hall, I'll be there in a few minutes."
"I want to talk with you" Minerva frowned.
"Oh, in private?" he seemed amused... even smiled a bit.
"Well... yes."
"Well... Filius, can you go with Poppy, then?"
"Of course" he nodded and smiled to Poppy... but stay without move.
"Thank you. Minerva?" He smiled and offered his arm and there she went to take it.
Poppy looked at them and then looked Filius, sideways, blushing a bit. Filius blinked because Dumbledore didn't do the spell to Poppy yet.
Poppy walked to the door, and Dumbledore stood there, with Minerva, waiting for them to leave in front of them.
"S-sir...?" Said Filius before going.
Dumbledore winked to him and made a gesture so they two left the room first. And that's what they do.
Albus raised... Minerva's wand and casted a spell upon Filius when he went first, then another on Poppy.
Minerva blinked with that.
Poppy looked at him, puzzled. Not sure of what just have happened.
"What did you do?"
"Come on, into the Great Hall" he instructed Filius and Poppy not answering Minerva. Filius waited to Poppy to close the door
Poppy looked at Minerva and then Dumbledore and went behind Filius. He closed the door smiling because Dumbledore did it.
"Are you alright?" Asked Dumbledore to Minerva.
"Yes" she nodded.
"What do you want to talk about with me in private?"
"About what do you suspect?"
"Oh, that... Alastor has a suspect but we have to dig in to ensure we are blaming the right people."
"Who?"
"Alastor Moody" He smiled mischievously.
"No! Who is the suspect you and Moody have?" She complained.
"I understood you the first time, my dear. I want you to help me with something."
"And I want you to tell me!"
"There is one boy of sixth grade that I do not trust."
"Who?"
"He is innocent until proven guilty."
"Why don't you trust him?" Minerva clenched eyes.
"A mix of things... I was expecting that school may set him straight but..."
"Aha?"
"I just have a feeling... and Alastor agrees with me. But the world is not black and white"
"But who is he?" she repested.
"Why do you want to know?" He looked her from above his glasses.
"To be aware of him."
"Are you sure? How do you know you are not going to be curious of him instead?"
"Because I'm discreet" she smirked.
"Are you? You almost killed Alastor with that glare, sweetheart."
"He was being very unreasonable."
"Alastor is not unreasonable. He is just impatient..."
"Well, maybe I will petrify him and the attacker as a gorgon if I strive enough... but If I were you, I would be very afraid."
"A gorgon... the monster could be one" Dumbledore laughed.
"What? Does she exists?" Minerva raise eyebrows.
"They are supposed to be extinct."
"But... Does someone could be disguised as a normal human and be... a gorgon?"
"I don't know yet. Can you think of other creature besides gorgons...?"
Minerva frowned, thinking on it.
"Maybe in a middle age Bestiary... we have one in the Library in my home, I liked to look it."
"I have gathered all the books I could find on Professor Kettleburn's office. I still need to find the time to search. Also... have you read the History of Hogwarts?"
"I'm reading it."
"What does it... say on Slytherin?"
"A sixth grade Slytherin..." Minerva looked at him suspiciously.
"Focus on what I'm asking you!"
"That all about the ambition, the green and the snakes" All that crap about, would say abult!Minerva. Albus laughed.
"What would you think if I transferred to Slytherin house?"
"What? Me? Why?" So scandalized.
"As an exercise..."
"I would think that I'm too much for you, and you can't tame me and you prefer endorse the problem to someone else, for example Professor Slughorn, because you don't get along with him."
Oh, the laughs.
"I do get along with Horace!"
"Not so much... at least not so well as you do with professor Merrythought and professor Kettleburn."
It was hard to discuss that with someone who paid sooo much attention to everything he did.
Oh, yes.
"I do like Horace anyway!" he insisted.
"Then, be responsible with your students."
"I'm not transferring with anyone; my question was related to Slytherin itself, not me!"
"I understood you the first time, my dear" she quoted him, smiling.
He looked at her sideways. She smiled him a little, because again... one of that times that she wasn't so much respectful. Albus laughed softly.
"You got me again."
"Ha!" she exclaimed, so proud. He laughed.
"Filius asked me..." He changed the topic.
"Yes?"
"To protect Poppy... he was worried about her."
"Oh... why? She is a pureblood."
"He was worried that... being with you, if I had given you protection and not her, she could be attacked."
"Why is everybody so worried about me? I'm a halfblood!"
"Because you are... a muggle raised."
"Yes, but that doesn't matter... does it?"
"Not necessarily, no. But people consider you muggleborn anyway, and I still cannot see a definite connection with the attack's and muggleborns"
"Are Tim and Maggie muggleborns?"
"Yes..."
"So... A nazi pureblood Slytherin from the sixth grade..."
"Minerva, don't get ahead of yourself."
"I know, I know, a suspect...anyways, I just know Tom Riddle from Slytherin sixth grade, and couldn't be him."
Albus eyebrows went up to the sky.
"What? How do you know him? Why do you think he cannot be the one?"
"Because he is a half-blood like me. It impressed me because at first I thought that all the Slytherin were purebloods."
"How do you know that?"
"What? I don't know. Someone told me, I suppose. The girls know EVERYTHING about him and talk about all day long, they all are crazy."
Albus sighed, worried about that. No one would ever believe that it was him.
"But I don't like him!"
"Why?"
"Because I'm not a crazy girl, I don't like boys... but anyways... he helped me once, but he looked at me with contempt."
"He helped you?"
"Yes... he explained me how to use the owls."
"Oh... Tom? He is quite nice when he wants. Don't get too close to him."
"You suspect of him!"
"I don't trust him."
"And... are you spying him? I mean... you and Moody."
"I am not necessarily saying that!"
"Then?"
"Just be careful with him."
"Mmm... I just say..."
"He is not good and not trustworthy" that was a weird declaration.
"Hmmm" she frowned.
"I really still hope I'm mistaken."
"I'm just thinking that this is not the correct way to collect information"
"Why?" He looked at her, interested. As always.
"Well... you want to know what one of the most popular boys of the school was doing. You have literally a huge army of crazy girls who investigate and naturally know even the colour of his underwear... and you are asking to... another boy. Who is not even in his house."
"Alastor has information... or at least he has gathered a bit but it is difficult. Do you think girls could give me more information?"
"Do you want to know his alibi for today's attack. Give me the dinner and I will tell you with the most accurate and creepy details. I hope he wasn't in the WC."
"What? Really?"
"Let's see." She smiled and pointed the door.
"Good, come and search me after the dinner, then. I don't know if we are going to spend the night here."
"Where do you plan to go?"
"After dinner? To the place where the attack occurred."
"OK, I will meet you there."
"At the table."
"What?"
"Come for me at the table."
"Oh, OK" she nodded.
"Thank you for everything" he smiled, and caressed her cheek, and she smiled even more.
Can you two stop being like lovers? Thank you.
They aren't being like lovers! Adult!Minerva says that they would be kissing here if they would being like lovers! (But without the "like")
Well, anyways, she took his arm to go to the great hall.
That night the jokes and games of Halloween were cancelled and Dippet did a speech in the dinner asking everybody for being sensible, act with common sense and think first in being safe.
He reminded everybody that all the teachers and Hogwarts staff were investigating about the attack, and they didn't need another students being attacked. If someone wanted to help, it was better if he or she assured themselves to be safe as Dumbledore always told Minerva.
He begged to everybody to go to the places always in groups accompanied by teachers or in pairs at least, and if someone had to go somewhere alone, he or she had to be sure that someone else knew where h or she is going and how long he or she is going to spend there. This way we could know if something happens immediately.
He cancelled the next excursions to Hogsmeade, gave again the recommendations about avoiding the forbidden forest and about not going out of the common rooms after the allowed time, and announced that nobody could stay in the school for Christmas, because they were going to do some intense research.
And Minerva did some questions as always, she interrogated her Gryffindor mates, the ones she could remember talking about Tom Riddle. She wasn't very sure of which ones were the ones. If only Dumbledore have told her before she would have paid more attention...
What a silly man, giving to Moody such an important and delicate mission when she was here. Anyways, when Moody heard her questions automatically paid attention and got into the conversation.
At first the girls weren't so much talkative but Moody told them that Minerva was in love of Tom Riddle and they should have a little mercy with her, because it was obvious that Riddle wouldn't give her any chance in a million years.
They weren't very happy with that, and someone even mentioned Dumbledore, but Minerva ignored them without understanding what was the point with him here, but frightened that they would discover the spying plan, Minerva didn't have alternative, and had to confirm the Moody version with a very strange attitude.
At the end, constants Moody's comments of "don't be ashamed, McGonagall" and the bit of blush that she got, made the trick, so they believed them and told them the little they knew.
Minerva couldn't believe that someone could be so shameless and idiotic! Because the girls would see her as a rival now!
That was exactly what they were discussing while they went to teachers' table.