Chapter 22
"Debate in Dumbledore's Office"
There was a long moment of uncomfortable and dramatic silence.
"What do you mean by missing exactly?" Rory questioned.
"Missing, as in no longer on the grounds, not within the wizarding world as far as we know," Dumbledore explained in a calm voice.
"How can you be so- so Calm about this?!" Tabitha exclaimed.
"I assure you, we're doing everything in our power to locate them, but these things take time." Dumbledore said placidly.
"We haven't GOT time; they could be dead for all we know!" Rory cried standing up.
"Miss McCullech, your anger is not going to make things go any faster, please relax, be seated." Dumbledore requested. Rory opened her mouth to argue, practically twitching in anger, but gave up sitting with a sigh, drumming her fingers on the chair arms.
"What exactly is being done.?" Tabitha requested.
"The Ministry was notified once the students turned up missing, and since we've had search parties out whenever possible. We have also notified to surrounding Ministries about the news, just in case they turn up elsewhere." Dumbledore stated.
* * * Meanwhile, an apparition had occurred just outside the Hogwarts's grounds. The figure was seething, clutching a broom in their right hand, a dark purple cloak blowing about in the high winds around the mountains that marked the outside of Hogwarts territory. They mounted their broom and kicked off the ground, heading up into the mountains.
The figure arrived later, landing just in front of the Hagrid's Hut. They stormed over to the door, pounding on the door.
"A'right, a'right, I'm comin'." Hagrid bellowed. He opened the door, and his dark bushy beard was roughly yanked, pulled down to meet the eyes of the figure before him. She had very mean looking green eyes behind glasses and there was no warm friendly smile to her lips.
"Bring me to Dumbledore." She demanded.
"Wha' business have ya' got wit' Dumbledore, Ma'am." Hagrid inquired.
"Headmaster business." She said simply.
"A'right, umm. could ya' loosen yer grip on the beard, Ma'am?" Hagrid asked politely.
The woman released her hold on the half-giant's beard and stepped aside as he exited the Hut, starting to stride up towards the Hogwarts castle. * * * "Now.what to do with you." Dumbledore mumbled.
"What do you mean do with us? We're staying right here." Tabitha stated.
"Now girls, let's be rational about this, there's really nothing you can do. And honestly, sitting in my office all day won't do any good." Dumbledore said simply with a smile.
"We can't just leave," Rory explained, "We didn't exactly get permission to come here in the first place."
"Well you can get your permission now then." Dumbledore said.
Before they could even question what the heck he was talking about, they heard the familiar sound of stomping footsteps and a woman's yelling coming towards the office. There was the sound of demanding knocking and Dumbledore pleasantly said "Come in" At the sound of the door basically being kicked in, the girls sunk low in the high backed chairs, hoping for a bit of shelter.
"Lyndia! So good to see you!" Dumbledore said standing up from his desk and crossing the room.
"I've got no time for pleasantries Albus, I know they're here." Headmistress Howe snapped.
"Oh whoever are you talking about, Fawkes? He's here, he'd love to be pet and give a greeting." Dumbledore said happily gesturing towards Fawkes the phoenix who had looked over with slight interest at the commotion.
"I don't want to pet the phoenix! I am strictly here on business!" Howe said sharply striding over to the desk, slamming her hands on it, seemingly not noticing the two girls sitting in the chairs behind her, wishing that they could just apparate away. She whipped around, glaring at the two. Tabitha and Rory let out a yelp.
"H-Headmistress! So good to see you!" Tabitha said, trying to imitate Dumbledore's pleasantness.
"We missed you!" Rory said with a nervous grin.
"I'm sure you did. that is why you two broke so many rules in just one night. Not to mention the others!" Howe exclaimed.
Hagrid still stood uncomfortably in the doorway; he leaned down a bit, trying to whisper to Dumbledore. "Should I..uh. leave sir?"
Dumbledore nodded "Yes." He turned to Howe, "So Lyndia. how are things over in America? We have not seen each other for quite some time."
Howe narrowed her eyes, "Oh things are just PERFECT! I have another set of gray hairs to add to my growing collection because of you two!" The girls cringed and drew even further into the chairs. "Sad to say I can list every event that caused these gray hairs to appear!" Howe lifted a tuft of silvery gray hair out of frustration and let it fall back into place. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she started again, "How I cannot wait until you two graduate, but it may not be for some time considering the lovely record you two have built up!"
"Lyndia," Dumbledore said, coming between the girls and putting a hand on each of their shoulders, "You cannot tell me that, had you been in their position, you wouldn't have done the same."
Howe only stood, boiling for a long moment, while both girls watched, wide-eyed. Finally, she relaxed her fists and let them fall to her sides. "I cannot deny it," she said, "But it doesn't make the decision any less reckless, Albus."
"I never said that," Dumbledore agreed, "However, seeing as the girls had such good intentions, perhaps their records could remain unscathed.?"
"Unscathed by this event, maybe," Howe said, "But now we have the dilemma of what to do next." She folded her arms and leaned against Dumbledore's desk, "I'm open to suggestions."
There was a long moment of uncomfortable and dramatic silence.
"What do you mean by missing exactly?" Rory questioned.
"Missing, as in no longer on the grounds, not within the wizarding world as far as we know," Dumbledore explained in a calm voice.
"How can you be so- so Calm about this?!" Tabitha exclaimed.
"I assure you, we're doing everything in our power to locate them, but these things take time." Dumbledore said placidly.
"We haven't GOT time; they could be dead for all we know!" Rory cried standing up.
"Miss McCullech, your anger is not going to make things go any faster, please relax, be seated." Dumbledore requested. Rory opened her mouth to argue, practically twitching in anger, but gave up sitting with a sigh, drumming her fingers on the chair arms.
"What exactly is being done.?" Tabitha requested.
"The Ministry was notified once the students turned up missing, and since we've had search parties out whenever possible. We have also notified to surrounding Ministries about the news, just in case they turn up elsewhere." Dumbledore stated.
* * * Meanwhile, an apparition had occurred just outside the Hogwarts's grounds. The figure was seething, clutching a broom in their right hand, a dark purple cloak blowing about in the high winds around the mountains that marked the outside of Hogwarts territory. They mounted their broom and kicked off the ground, heading up into the mountains.
The figure arrived later, landing just in front of the Hagrid's Hut. They stormed over to the door, pounding on the door.
"A'right, a'right, I'm comin'." Hagrid bellowed. He opened the door, and his dark bushy beard was roughly yanked, pulled down to meet the eyes of the figure before him. She had very mean looking green eyes behind glasses and there was no warm friendly smile to her lips.
"Bring me to Dumbledore." She demanded.
"Wha' business have ya' got wit' Dumbledore, Ma'am." Hagrid inquired.
"Headmaster business." She said simply.
"A'right, umm. could ya' loosen yer grip on the beard, Ma'am?" Hagrid asked politely.
The woman released her hold on the half-giant's beard and stepped aside as he exited the Hut, starting to stride up towards the Hogwarts castle. * * * "Now.what to do with you." Dumbledore mumbled.
"What do you mean do with us? We're staying right here." Tabitha stated.
"Now girls, let's be rational about this, there's really nothing you can do. And honestly, sitting in my office all day won't do any good." Dumbledore said simply with a smile.
"We can't just leave," Rory explained, "We didn't exactly get permission to come here in the first place."
"Well you can get your permission now then." Dumbledore said.
Before they could even question what the heck he was talking about, they heard the familiar sound of stomping footsteps and a woman's yelling coming towards the office. There was the sound of demanding knocking and Dumbledore pleasantly said "Come in" At the sound of the door basically being kicked in, the girls sunk low in the high backed chairs, hoping for a bit of shelter.
"Lyndia! So good to see you!" Dumbledore said standing up from his desk and crossing the room.
"I've got no time for pleasantries Albus, I know they're here." Headmistress Howe snapped.
"Oh whoever are you talking about, Fawkes? He's here, he'd love to be pet and give a greeting." Dumbledore said happily gesturing towards Fawkes the phoenix who had looked over with slight interest at the commotion.
"I don't want to pet the phoenix! I am strictly here on business!" Howe said sharply striding over to the desk, slamming her hands on it, seemingly not noticing the two girls sitting in the chairs behind her, wishing that they could just apparate away. She whipped around, glaring at the two. Tabitha and Rory let out a yelp.
"H-Headmistress! So good to see you!" Tabitha said, trying to imitate Dumbledore's pleasantness.
"We missed you!" Rory said with a nervous grin.
"I'm sure you did. that is why you two broke so many rules in just one night. Not to mention the others!" Howe exclaimed.
Hagrid still stood uncomfortably in the doorway; he leaned down a bit, trying to whisper to Dumbledore. "Should I..uh. leave sir?"
Dumbledore nodded "Yes." He turned to Howe, "So Lyndia. how are things over in America? We have not seen each other for quite some time."
Howe narrowed her eyes, "Oh things are just PERFECT! I have another set of gray hairs to add to my growing collection because of you two!" The girls cringed and drew even further into the chairs. "Sad to say I can list every event that caused these gray hairs to appear!" Howe lifted a tuft of silvery gray hair out of frustration and let it fall back into place. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she started again, "How I cannot wait until you two graduate, but it may not be for some time considering the lovely record you two have built up!"
"Lyndia," Dumbledore said, coming between the girls and putting a hand on each of their shoulders, "You cannot tell me that, had you been in their position, you wouldn't have done the same."
Howe only stood, boiling for a long moment, while both girls watched, wide-eyed. Finally, she relaxed her fists and let them fall to her sides. "I cannot deny it," she said, "But it doesn't make the decision any less reckless, Albus."
"I never said that," Dumbledore agreed, "However, seeing as the girls had such good intentions, perhaps their records could remain unscathed.?"
"Unscathed by this event, maybe," Howe said, "But now we have the dilemma of what to do next." She folded her arms and leaned against Dumbledore's desk, "I'm open to suggestions."