Chapter Seven
In which Harry and Ron worry quite a bit
Harry and Ron sat in the common room waiting for Hermione and Ginny until almost midnight, by which time they were rather concerned. Almost everyone else had gone to bed, and still there was no sign of either of the girls. Ron had wanted to go to their head of house after ten o'clock, but Harry thought that was a bit imprudent.
"He's killed them both." muttered Ron at half past ten.
"He's looking for somewhere to hide the bodies." Eleven o'clock.
"He's burying them out by the forest." Half past eleven.
"He's standing back and admiring his work." Midnight.
"Fine," sighed Harry, "we should probably alert Professor McGonagall then."
"About time." said Ron shortly.
To Harry's credit he did not suspect the potion master of murder, but he had once served a marathon four hour detention with another professor and would have been extremely grateful to anyone who might have rescued him.
As they rapped on Professor McGonagall's door, Harry tried to think of a way to phrase the situation so as not to annoy her or sound childish.
"Potter. Weasley. Have you any idea of the time?" she questioned as she answered the door in a long tartan housecoat.
"We're sorry, professor, but Ginny and Hermione haven't come back from their detentions with Snape yet. We were worried." said Harry.
"What time were their detentions?" she questioned.
"Seven o'clock, professor." answered Ron, looking at her expectantly.
"I will look into it, but in the meantime I suggest that you two both go to bed." she told them with a stern look.
"You'll make sure they're all right?" questioned Ron, who perhaps had a slightly larger stake in the matter than Harry. Ginny was his little sister after all.
"Of course, Mister Weasley. Now return to your dormitory." she said before closing the door and going to throw some robes on.
As they returned to the common room, Ron asked, "Why don't we just find them on the Marauder's Map, put on the invisibility cloak, and go fetch them ourselves?"
Harry sighed. They had been caught out after hours twice that year already, but for stupid reasons: getting food from the kitchens and visiting Dobby the house elf. If they were caught again, it would be serious.
"No harm in checking the map." said Harry, waffling as he thought of the girls all alone in the dungeon with Snape for such a long time.
"That's the spirit!" said Ron as they dashed up the stairs and into the seventh year dorm.
Pulling the map from the chest at the end of his bed, Harry tapped it with his wand and said, "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."
"Okay. Where are they?" asked Ron in a whisper.
"I don't see them. Or Snape." said Harry, peering at the map.
"Are you sure?" asked Ron.
"Look yourself! They aren't on Hogwarts grounds." said Harry.
"Where are they then?"
"I don't know."
"Harry, what are we going to do?" asked Ron .
"Should we go to the dungeons and investigate or should we tell the headmaster? Either way, we're in for trouble."
"Dungeons, Harry."
"Right."
Hidden beneath the invisibility cloak and carrying the Marauder's Map, Harry and Ron made their way quietly to the dungeons and the potions' classroom where Ginny and Hermione were supposed to have served their detention that evening. The halls were only naturally empty after midnight on a school night. Even Mister Filch and his cat were in bed. They stole quietly through the halls until they reached their destination.
Inside the classroom, they could hear voices talking. Harry glanced at the map. It was Dumbledore and McGonagall.
"Albus, this isn't funny! Two students and a professor are missing!" said McGonagall.
"Have the kitchens been checked, Minerva? It is a serious question." said Dumbledore.
"I sent one of the house elves, and I don't think he will find Severus there."
"I don't know ... Remus Lupin hasn't been seen since a quarter of eight himself. Perhaps they are all there together."
"I find that even more unlikely."
"One likes to be optimistic from time to time. Very well, Minerva, alert the faculty and form search parties."
"You think they are somewhere within the castle grounds?"
"Severus would never leave the grounds without alerting me."
"What if they didn't go willingly?"
"Be sensible, Minerva! We would all be dead already if someone could just waltz into the castle and waltz out again unchallenged with two professors and two students."
"You're certain?"
"Quite."
"I should assemble the search parties then. Excuse me, Albus."
Ron and Harry edged close to the wall as Professor McGonagall swept out of the classroom. Her face looked more pinched than usual. She was worried about her students, past and present, not to mention her colleague Professor Snape. Of course, she would never have admitted to that last bit, not even to Albus, but she was concerned about Severus too.
They waited until she was gone to step into the classroom, knowing the Dumbledore would be far less displeased to see them out after curfew.
"You are certainly getting good mileage out of your father's cloak, Harry." said Dumbledore, looking pointedly over his half-moon glasses.
Removing the cloak, Harry said, "Thank you, professor. Can we help with the search?"
"You know it isn't polite to eavesdrop."
"Can we, professor? Ginny is ..."
"Your sister. I understand, Ron, but the last thing we need is more students out of bed on a night like this."
"Isn't there anything we can do to help?" asked Harry.
"Perhaps the two of you could go to your common room and wait there to see if Miss Granger and Miss Weasley return on their own accord."
"But, headmaster!" Ron objected.
"Mister Weasley, rest assured that every staff member will be gotten out of bed to look for your sister, Miss Granger, and your professors. Everything possible will be done to find them." said Dumbledore with a note of finality.
Harry and Ron nodded with a certain resignation. Something about the headmaster could always make them feel like fourth years again. Harry tossed the cloak over them both, and they trudged from the dungeon. They had no idea where to begin looking for the four missing students and professors themselves or they might not have returned to the Tower.
"If only we had some kind of clue." sighed Ron as they collapsed in front of the fire in the common room.
"Don't worry, Ron. Dumbledore is doing everything he can." said Harry.
"But what if it isn't enough?"
"Ron, if you have any ideas, tell me and I'll go along with them."
Ron sighed heavily and said, "I only wish I had an idea. The map says that they're not on the grounds, so it seems that we're at an impasse."
The castle and grounds were searched thoroughly until dawn touched the horizon that morning and the professors were forced to call off the search and prepare to teach their classes, leaving Dumbledore, Mister Filch, Mrs. Norris, and Professor McGonagall, who had canceled her classes in deference to her duties as the head of Gryffindor house, which included her responsibility to find her missing students.
But as the morning began, they were no closer to locating Hermione and Ginny or Remus and Severus.
Albus and Minerva strode through the dungeons, watching young Slytherins pass by with concern replacing their normally contemptuous facial expressions. It could not be easily said that they did not care for their head of house. Many of them saw a strong defender and a role model in Severus Snape. And it bothered and frightened them that something could happen to him.
"Where could they have possibly gone?" questioned Minerva quietly as they walked.
"This castle is a mysterious place. There are rooms and corridors that disappear and reappear at will. Have I ever told you about the ..."
"Yes, Albus, you have." interrupted Minerva. "But if they stumbled into one of these rooms, why haven't they stumbled out again? And why was Remus with them, if they are indeed all lost together?"
"Who's to say, Minerva? We must remember that Severus and Remus are both very capable, and Ginny and Hermione are not helpless either. It may be up to them to sort this out."
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A/N: I imagine only a few people were/are interested in what everone else is doing while the unlikely quartet is trapped in the prison realm, but it is somewhat important, and I wouldn't want anyone to think that everyone else was oblivious to the disappearances.
Slytherin Girl: Thank you for reviewing!
Amidalasky Snape: I'm glad you're enjoying it! Thanks for the review!
Michelle: Thank you!
Witchy-grrl: I don't explain things very well, but can't you imagine a wizarding kid and a muggle kid arguing about this sort of thing and the wizarding kid saying, 'that's not a real magical creature at all!' or something like that. Maybe I'm just weird. Thank you for the review!
Aqua Child: Thank you! I'll try to update at reasonable intervals.
Harriet Weasley: I am glad that you like the story! Thanks for reviewing!
JoeBob1379: Right now I am concentrating on getting them all out alive (I hope that doesn't give too much away!). And, yes, I very fortunately do know why the castle is weird. Although, I am glad you asked, because most of the time I don't have those answers. Keeps me in my place. I can't answer the question about how long it will take. But the romantic pairings should begin soon. But then, what is soon? Oh, the things I ponder ... Thank you for reviewing!
In which Harry and Ron worry quite a bit
Harry and Ron sat in the common room waiting for Hermione and Ginny until almost midnight, by which time they were rather concerned. Almost everyone else had gone to bed, and still there was no sign of either of the girls. Ron had wanted to go to their head of house after ten o'clock, but Harry thought that was a bit imprudent.
"He's killed them both." muttered Ron at half past ten.
"He's looking for somewhere to hide the bodies." Eleven o'clock.
"He's burying them out by the forest." Half past eleven.
"He's standing back and admiring his work." Midnight.
"Fine," sighed Harry, "we should probably alert Professor McGonagall then."
"About time." said Ron shortly.
To Harry's credit he did not suspect the potion master of murder, but he had once served a marathon four hour detention with another professor and would have been extremely grateful to anyone who might have rescued him.
As they rapped on Professor McGonagall's door, Harry tried to think of a way to phrase the situation so as not to annoy her or sound childish.
"Potter. Weasley. Have you any idea of the time?" she questioned as she answered the door in a long tartan housecoat.
"We're sorry, professor, but Ginny and Hermione haven't come back from their detentions with Snape yet. We were worried." said Harry.
"What time were their detentions?" she questioned.
"Seven o'clock, professor." answered Ron, looking at her expectantly.
"I will look into it, but in the meantime I suggest that you two both go to bed." she told them with a stern look.
"You'll make sure they're all right?" questioned Ron, who perhaps had a slightly larger stake in the matter than Harry. Ginny was his little sister after all.
"Of course, Mister Weasley. Now return to your dormitory." she said before closing the door and going to throw some robes on.
As they returned to the common room, Ron asked, "Why don't we just find them on the Marauder's Map, put on the invisibility cloak, and go fetch them ourselves?"
Harry sighed. They had been caught out after hours twice that year already, but for stupid reasons: getting food from the kitchens and visiting Dobby the house elf. If they were caught again, it would be serious.
"No harm in checking the map." said Harry, waffling as he thought of the girls all alone in the dungeon with Snape for such a long time.
"That's the spirit!" said Ron as they dashed up the stairs and into the seventh year dorm.
Pulling the map from the chest at the end of his bed, Harry tapped it with his wand and said, "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."
"Okay. Where are they?" asked Ron in a whisper.
"I don't see them. Or Snape." said Harry, peering at the map.
"Are you sure?" asked Ron.
"Look yourself! They aren't on Hogwarts grounds." said Harry.
"Where are they then?"
"I don't know."
"Harry, what are we going to do?" asked Ron .
"Should we go to the dungeons and investigate or should we tell the headmaster? Either way, we're in for trouble."
"Dungeons, Harry."
"Right."
Hidden beneath the invisibility cloak and carrying the Marauder's Map, Harry and Ron made their way quietly to the dungeons and the potions' classroom where Ginny and Hermione were supposed to have served their detention that evening. The halls were only naturally empty after midnight on a school night. Even Mister Filch and his cat were in bed. They stole quietly through the halls until they reached their destination.
Inside the classroom, they could hear voices talking. Harry glanced at the map. It was Dumbledore and McGonagall.
"Albus, this isn't funny! Two students and a professor are missing!" said McGonagall.
"Have the kitchens been checked, Minerva? It is a serious question." said Dumbledore.
"I sent one of the house elves, and I don't think he will find Severus there."
"I don't know ... Remus Lupin hasn't been seen since a quarter of eight himself. Perhaps they are all there together."
"I find that even more unlikely."
"One likes to be optimistic from time to time. Very well, Minerva, alert the faculty and form search parties."
"You think they are somewhere within the castle grounds?"
"Severus would never leave the grounds without alerting me."
"What if they didn't go willingly?"
"Be sensible, Minerva! We would all be dead already if someone could just waltz into the castle and waltz out again unchallenged with two professors and two students."
"You're certain?"
"Quite."
"I should assemble the search parties then. Excuse me, Albus."
Ron and Harry edged close to the wall as Professor McGonagall swept out of the classroom. Her face looked more pinched than usual. She was worried about her students, past and present, not to mention her colleague Professor Snape. Of course, she would never have admitted to that last bit, not even to Albus, but she was concerned about Severus too.
They waited until she was gone to step into the classroom, knowing the Dumbledore would be far less displeased to see them out after curfew.
"You are certainly getting good mileage out of your father's cloak, Harry." said Dumbledore, looking pointedly over his half-moon glasses.
Removing the cloak, Harry said, "Thank you, professor. Can we help with the search?"
"You know it isn't polite to eavesdrop."
"Can we, professor? Ginny is ..."
"Your sister. I understand, Ron, but the last thing we need is more students out of bed on a night like this."
"Isn't there anything we can do to help?" asked Harry.
"Perhaps the two of you could go to your common room and wait there to see if Miss Granger and Miss Weasley return on their own accord."
"But, headmaster!" Ron objected.
"Mister Weasley, rest assured that every staff member will be gotten out of bed to look for your sister, Miss Granger, and your professors. Everything possible will be done to find them." said Dumbledore with a note of finality.
Harry and Ron nodded with a certain resignation. Something about the headmaster could always make them feel like fourth years again. Harry tossed the cloak over them both, and they trudged from the dungeon. They had no idea where to begin looking for the four missing students and professors themselves or they might not have returned to the Tower.
"If only we had some kind of clue." sighed Ron as they collapsed in front of the fire in the common room.
"Don't worry, Ron. Dumbledore is doing everything he can." said Harry.
"But what if it isn't enough?"
"Ron, if you have any ideas, tell me and I'll go along with them."
Ron sighed heavily and said, "I only wish I had an idea. The map says that they're not on the grounds, so it seems that we're at an impasse."
The castle and grounds were searched thoroughly until dawn touched the horizon that morning and the professors were forced to call off the search and prepare to teach their classes, leaving Dumbledore, Mister Filch, Mrs. Norris, and Professor McGonagall, who had canceled her classes in deference to her duties as the head of Gryffindor house, which included her responsibility to find her missing students.
But as the morning began, they were no closer to locating Hermione and Ginny or Remus and Severus.
Albus and Minerva strode through the dungeons, watching young Slytherins pass by with concern replacing their normally contemptuous facial expressions. It could not be easily said that they did not care for their head of house. Many of them saw a strong defender and a role model in Severus Snape. And it bothered and frightened them that something could happen to him.
"Where could they have possibly gone?" questioned Minerva quietly as they walked.
"This castle is a mysterious place. There are rooms and corridors that disappear and reappear at will. Have I ever told you about the ..."
"Yes, Albus, you have." interrupted Minerva. "But if they stumbled into one of these rooms, why haven't they stumbled out again? And why was Remus with them, if they are indeed all lost together?"
"Who's to say, Minerva? We must remember that Severus and Remus are both very capable, and Ginny and Hermione are not helpless either. It may be up to them to sort this out."
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A/N: I imagine only a few people were/are interested in what everone else is doing while the unlikely quartet is trapped in the prison realm, but it is somewhat important, and I wouldn't want anyone to think that everyone else was oblivious to the disappearances.
Slytherin Girl: Thank you for reviewing!
Amidalasky Snape: I'm glad you're enjoying it! Thanks for the review!
Michelle: Thank you!
Witchy-grrl: I don't explain things very well, but can't you imagine a wizarding kid and a muggle kid arguing about this sort of thing and the wizarding kid saying, 'that's not a real magical creature at all!' or something like that. Maybe I'm just weird. Thank you for the review!
Aqua Child: Thank you! I'll try to update at reasonable intervals.
Harriet Weasley: I am glad that you like the story! Thanks for reviewing!
JoeBob1379: Right now I am concentrating on getting them all out alive (I hope that doesn't give too much away!). And, yes, I very fortunately do know why the castle is weird. Although, I am glad you asked, because most of the time I don't have those answers. Keeps me in my place. I can't answer the question about how long it will take. But the romantic pairings should begin soon. But then, what is soon? Oh, the things I ponder ... Thank you for reviewing!