Chapter Twelve
The Aftershock
Harry, Ron, and Hermione dismally went back to the common room. They were in no mood for the party they had entered, so all three went up to the boys' dormitory to talk.
"So, now what do we do?" asked Ron choking up.
"Clean up!" said Hermione amazed.
She was for good reason. The room was a huge mess. All of Harry's possessions were strewn around.
"Is everything here?" asked Ron.
"Let's check," Harry said.
They looked everywhere. Under beds, in wardrobes until, finally, the whole room had been checked.
"Well, is that everything?" asked Hermione?
"I think so," said Ron.
"Oh no," said Harry.
"What!" said Ron and Hermione together.
"My invisibility cloak and Firebolt are gone."
"No!" said Ron.
"We should report this," Hermione proposed.
"Yeah, let's go to McGonagall now," said Ron.
"Okay," said Harry. Then, "NO! She doesn't know about the cloak!"
"Then we'll only tell her about the Firebolt," Hermione said.
"Ok."
So through the cold and dimly lit corridors the three friends went. They had no idea where teachers slept, so they went to the Transfiguration classroom. When they got there, they didn't see anything, so they decided to go to the teacher's lounge, but when they reached it, Hermione knocked on the door. Professor Lupin answered
"What are you doing out of bed?" he asked.
"We need to speak to Professor McGonagall." Harry said. "It's an emergency."
"Okay, I'll get her," he said.
About a minute later he returned with McGonagall and stayed to listen.
"What seems to be the trouble," she said in a sympathetic tone.
"Professor," Harry started, "someone was in our dormitory. They threw all my stuff around and took my Firebolt and invi…
"And what?"
"And, nothing else," he finished. He was about to tell her about his invisibility cloak but, luckily, stopped himself.
"I see," she said. "Well, let's report this to the Headmaster."
"Please, Professor, let me take them, I have to go that way myself," volunteered Lupin.
"Very well then," she said and went back inside the lounge.
As they headed towards Dumbledore's office, Lupin said.
"What else did they take?"
"Nothing," Harry said. "Nothing else."
"Yes, there was something else. You've never been so nervous talking before as you were back there."
"Well, uh… there was something else," he said.
"What?"
"My dad's invisibility cloak."
"Is that it?" Lupin asked.
"Yes," said Harry, "but please don't tell anyone. I don't want to get caught."
"Oh, I won't," Lupin replied. "Well, we're here."
"Uh... don't we need a password?" Hermione asked.
"Not now," said Lupin.
As soon as he said this, the door to Dumbledore's office opened and a tall man with a long white beard emerged.
"What's the problem Remus?" he asked.
"I'll let Harry explain, I must be off. Good night all," and he left
"Well, come in," Dumbledore said as he beckoned the three in.
"Now, what's wrong Harry?"
"Well," Harry started, "After we left your office, we went up to the dormitory."
"And.
"And when we got there, all of my things were thrown about, and my Firebolt and invisibility cloak were gone."
"I see. Well, this is very serious. I'll alert the staff to be on the look out for anything out of the ordinary."
"But sir," Harry interrupted, "what if someone stole the cloak and broom to fly without being seen?" he asked.
"I have my suspicions." Dumbledore acknowledged.
"Sir," Harry said again, "What am I going to do if my broom isn't found before the next Quidditch match?"
"You will have to find a replacement."
"Oh, I see."
"Now that this is cleared up, you may return to your common room," Dumbledore told them.
And they left.