Professor McGonagall was giving a lecture on the mechanics of
Transmogrification spells to the Gryffindor fifth-years when she was
unexpectedly interrupted by the appearance of Arabella Figg at the door.
Professor Figg's face was calm, but her eyes were wild with something
almost like-fear? Harry began to feel apprehensive. Arabella Figg was
never scared of anything. She was a calm and ever-constant presence,
always in control of herself.
"Professor McGonagall," said Professor Figg, and now there was no mistaking the panic that made her voice waver. Ron and Harry looked at each other in alarm. "Minerva, I must speak with you. Please. Now."
Minerva McGonagall was mystified, but she knew her friend well enough not to argue. "Yes, Bella, of course. Excuse me, I will be right back," she said curtly to the students. "Don't any of you say a word. Review what we've looked at today." And she hurried out into the hall, pulling Arabella Figg out with her.
The students immediately began to buzz anxiously. Harry did not join in the speculation. He was sitting closest to the door. Defying proper etiquette regarding eavesdropping, he strained to hear the teachers' conversation out in the hall.
"Minnie, you remember the message Black sent me yesterday?"
"Yes-oh. Oh no. Please tell me it didn't happen."
"Fletch was at the Ministry today, Minerva. He heard it straight from Cornelius Fudge and he came here directly, to tell Dumbledore. Then he came to see me."
"Fudge-did he go do an inspection like Dumbledore said he should?"
"Yes, just this morning, that's when he found out! The Dementors tried to bar his way in, that's when he knew they were hiding something."
Harry felt his insides turn to ice because he suddenly understood what they were talking about. He glanced at Ron and Hermione, but they hadn't heard anything of the teachers' dialogue. They were whispering worriedly with Seamus Finnigan. He turned back to the conversation outside the door.
"How many?" Professor McGonagall was asking faintly.
"Nine prisoners."
"Nine? But-oh God, Dumbledore told me about those ten missing Muggles. I suppose Voldemort switched the prisoners for Muggles to satisfy the Dementors?"
"It's a tried and true method now apparently, like Bartemius Crouch's escape a few years back. But here's the worst thing: by our calculations, it must have happened in mid-August. A month ago, a whole month for God's sake, and Fudge never realized anything was wrong, he had to hear it from one of our agents. Minerva, and no one even suspected a thing until now! Think of the time we've wasted!"
"This is unbelievable," McGonagall whispered, sounding dazed. "But you're amazingly calm, Bella."
"I think I am fantastically calm, considering the circumstances. Especially since Fletch told me that the two of them have-have gotten out."
McGonagall sucked in air sharply. "They didn't."
"They did. The Lestranges are free, Minerva."
Harry's heart stopped.
"Both?"
"And Rookwood, and Dolohov too. Travers was already dead, apparently, but Voldemort threw in an extra Muggle on top of the rest. The Dementors are practically his allies now."
"Dumbledore knew this would happen! He warned the Ministry not to trust those soul-sucking beasts," McGonagall said, "and now. Oh, why didn't Fudge listen? Now these Death Eaters are back on the streets and-but Bella! You don't think they'd come here?"
"They will. The Lestranges will certainly want to see me again. Finish me off, you know." Professor Figg's voice was scared and angry.
"Don't talk like that! What should I do now? Ought we to say something to the students?"
"Tell them. Albus said we have to tell them so they have time to brace themselves for the impending cataclysm."
"All right, but will you go to the hospital wing and tell Poppy Pomfrey? She'll give you something to help your nerves."
"I'm calm, Minnie."
"No, that's just it, you're too calm. It's unnatural. Bella, please. Go to the infirmary and let Poppy take care of you."
"Yes, Minerva."
When Professor McGonagall reentered the room, the class fell silent, hoping that they would be told what had so upset the unflinching Professor Figg.
Professor McGonagall took a deep breath. "Several prisoners have escaped from Azkaban Fortress."
There was a stunned silence. They had not even the breath to gasp.
"The breach may have occurred over a month ago. From all reports, it seems that Lord Voldemort persuaded the Dementors to trade some of his incarcerated Death Eaters for innocent witches and wizards that he had abducted from all over Europe."
"Who got out?" Hermione asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm not exactly certain of all the names, but I was informed that Antonin Dolohov, Augustus Rookwood, and Derrick and Maldora Lestrange have all escaped."
"NO!" screeched Neville Longbottom suddenly. The whole class turned to look at him. His face was grey and terrified. His eyes were wide with panic and he gripped the edge of his desk with whitened knuckles. "Not them!"
"Neville, please," said Hermione, rushing to pacify him while the rest of the class looked on, shocked. But Neville was hysterical with terror.
"NOOOOOO!" he screamed. Tears poured down his face. He was trembling uncontrollably. "DAAAAD!"
Professor McGonagall acted very quickly. She pulled out her wand and touched it to Neville's forehead, and he slumped in his chair, unconscious.
Hermione jumped up. "Why did you do that?" she snapped at Professor McGonagall. Harry and Ron looked at each other, startled. Hermione never spoke angrily to any teacher, let alone their Head of House.
But Professor McGonagall was not put out by Hermione's vehemence. "Miss Granger and Mr. Potter, would you please conduct Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing?" she said very calmly.
Harry rose slowly and used his wand to revive Neville. "Come on, Hermione." While Neville was still only half-conscious, Harry and Hermione picked him up and took him out of the room, supporting him between them.
When Neville had wakened further, he began to cry.
"I'm sorry for making a scene," he whispered.
"We understand," Hermione said soothingly. "You were upset to hear what happened. We all are."
"It's not that-well, not only that," Neville said, sniffling. "It was hearing who escaped. Lestranges-they were some of the ones who-who-"
"Who did things to your parents?" Harry supplied softly.
Neville nodded miserably. "They tortured my parents."
"What?" Hermione gasped, appalled. Harry realized that this was the first time that Hermione was hearing of Neville's parents.
"My dad was an Auror," Neville said. "The Death Eaters came one night when I was very little and tortured him and my mother for information about You- Know-Who. The Death Eaters used the Cruciatus Curse on them and they-they went insane." Harry knew how painful it was for Neville to talk about it.
"Is that why you live with your grandmother?" Hermione asked gently.
Neville nodded again. "My parents are at St. Mungo's. They don't-they don't recognize me when I go to visit them."
"How awful," Hermione said kindly. "You're very brave, Neville."
Neville was glum. "I had a fit just hearing their names. I'm a coward."
"No!" Harry said, so forcefully that he surprised even himself. "Neville, you're not a coward. You're one of the most courageous people we know! Didn't you win us the House Cup in first year for your bravery?"
They had arrived at the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey sat with Arabella Figg, whose face was buried in her hands.
Neville sniffled and smiled a little. "Yeah, I guess I did. But what if I saw them in person? I think I would die of fright. No," he said suddenly, with an intensity that astonished Harry, "no, I would kill them. I would kill them for what they did. And I'd kill their families! They'll see what it's like!" He dissolved into tears once more.
Harry, Hermione and Madam Pomfrey stared at Neville in shock. Professor Figg lifted her head and looked at Neville with sorrowful eyes. Her face was ashen.
"Come along, Mr. Longbottom," Madam Pomfrey said gently, pulling him into the room. "Trauma? I'll get you some chocolate, my dear boy, sit here on the bed, there's a good lad."
Neville suddenly began shrieking again. "Please I NEED you Mum they can't be out THEY'LL COME AFTER ME!"
Madam Pomfrey grabbed him by the shoulders and held him tight. "Calm down! You two can go back to class now," she said to Harry and Hermione. "Thank you for bringing him."
Harry tried to speak but found that his throat was closed. Hermione, too, was without words, and simply nodded at Madam Pomfrey.
They went out, walking slowly. Neville's screams and whimperings still reached them at the end of the hall.
"Professor McGonagall," said Professor Figg, and now there was no mistaking the panic that made her voice waver. Ron and Harry looked at each other in alarm. "Minerva, I must speak with you. Please. Now."
Minerva McGonagall was mystified, but she knew her friend well enough not to argue. "Yes, Bella, of course. Excuse me, I will be right back," she said curtly to the students. "Don't any of you say a word. Review what we've looked at today." And she hurried out into the hall, pulling Arabella Figg out with her.
The students immediately began to buzz anxiously. Harry did not join in the speculation. He was sitting closest to the door. Defying proper etiquette regarding eavesdropping, he strained to hear the teachers' conversation out in the hall.
"Minnie, you remember the message Black sent me yesterday?"
"Yes-oh. Oh no. Please tell me it didn't happen."
"Fletch was at the Ministry today, Minerva. He heard it straight from Cornelius Fudge and he came here directly, to tell Dumbledore. Then he came to see me."
"Fudge-did he go do an inspection like Dumbledore said he should?"
"Yes, just this morning, that's when he found out! The Dementors tried to bar his way in, that's when he knew they were hiding something."
Harry felt his insides turn to ice because he suddenly understood what they were talking about. He glanced at Ron and Hermione, but they hadn't heard anything of the teachers' dialogue. They were whispering worriedly with Seamus Finnigan. He turned back to the conversation outside the door.
"How many?" Professor McGonagall was asking faintly.
"Nine prisoners."
"Nine? But-oh God, Dumbledore told me about those ten missing Muggles. I suppose Voldemort switched the prisoners for Muggles to satisfy the Dementors?"
"It's a tried and true method now apparently, like Bartemius Crouch's escape a few years back. But here's the worst thing: by our calculations, it must have happened in mid-August. A month ago, a whole month for God's sake, and Fudge never realized anything was wrong, he had to hear it from one of our agents. Minerva, and no one even suspected a thing until now! Think of the time we've wasted!"
"This is unbelievable," McGonagall whispered, sounding dazed. "But you're amazingly calm, Bella."
"I think I am fantastically calm, considering the circumstances. Especially since Fletch told me that the two of them have-have gotten out."
McGonagall sucked in air sharply. "They didn't."
"They did. The Lestranges are free, Minerva."
Harry's heart stopped.
"Both?"
"And Rookwood, and Dolohov too. Travers was already dead, apparently, but Voldemort threw in an extra Muggle on top of the rest. The Dementors are practically his allies now."
"Dumbledore knew this would happen! He warned the Ministry not to trust those soul-sucking beasts," McGonagall said, "and now. Oh, why didn't Fudge listen? Now these Death Eaters are back on the streets and-but Bella! You don't think they'd come here?"
"They will. The Lestranges will certainly want to see me again. Finish me off, you know." Professor Figg's voice was scared and angry.
"Don't talk like that! What should I do now? Ought we to say something to the students?"
"Tell them. Albus said we have to tell them so they have time to brace themselves for the impending cataclysm."
"All right, but will you go to the hospital wing and tell Poppy Pomfrey? She'll give you something to help your nerves."
"I'm calm, Minnie."
"No, that's just it, you're too calm. It's unnatural. Bella, please. Go to the infirmary and let Poppy take care of you."
"Yes, Minerva."
When Professor McGonagall reentered the room, the class fell silent, hoping that they would be told what had so upset the unflinching Professor Figg.
Professor McGonagall took a deep breath. "Several prisoners have escaped from Azkaban Fortress."
There was a stunned silence. They had not even the breath to gasp.
"The breach may have occurred over a month ago. From all reports, it seems that Lord Voldemort persuaded the Dementors to trade some of his incarcerated Death Eaters for innocent witches and wizards that he had abducted from all over Europe."
"Who got out?" Hermione asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm not exactly certain of all the names, but I was informed that Antonin Dolohov, Augustus Rookwood, and Derrick and Maldora Lestrange have all escaped."
"NO!" screeched Neville Longbottom suddenly. The whole class turned to look at him. His face was grey and terrified. His eyes were wide with panic and he gripped the edge of his desk with whitened knuckles. "Not them!"
"Neville, please," said Hermione, rushing to pacify him while the rest of the class looked on, shocked. But Neville was hysterical with terror.
"NOOOOOO!" he screamed. Tears poured down his face. He was trembling uncontrollably. "DAAAAD!"
Professor McGonagall acted very quickly. She pulled out her wand and touched it to Neville's forehead, and he slumped in his chair, unconscious.
Hermione jumped up. "Why did you do that?" she snapped at Professor McGonagall. Harry and Ron looked at each other, startled. Hermione never spoke angrily to any teacher, let alone their Head of House.
But Professor McGonagall was not put out by Hermione's vehemence. "Miss Granger and Mr. Potter, would you please conduct Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing?" she said very calmly.
Harry rose slowly and used his wand to revive Neville. "Come on, Hermione." While Neville was still only half-conscious, Harry and Hermione picked him up and took him out of the room, supporting him between them.
When Neville had wakened further, he began to cry.
"I'm sorry for making a scene," he whispered.
"We understand," Hermione said soothingly. "You were upset to hear what happened. We all are."
"It's not that-well, not only that," Neville said, sniffling. "It was hearing who escaped. Lestranges-they were some of the ones who-who-"
"Who did things to your parents?" Harry supplied softly.
Neville nodded miserably. "They tortured my parents."
"What?" Hermione gasped, appalled. Harry realized that this was the first time that Hermione was hearing of Neville's parents.
"My dad was an Auror," Neville said. "The Death Eaters came one night when I was very little and tortured him and my mother for information about You- Know-Who. The Death Eaters used the Cruciatus Curse on them and they-they went insane." Harry knew how painful it was for Neville to talk about it.
"Is that why you live with your grandmother?" Hermione asked gently.
Neville nodded again. "My parents are at St. Mungo's. They don't-they don't recognize me when I go to visit them."
"How awful," Hermione said kindly. "You're very brave, Neville."
Neville was glum. "I had a fit just hearing their names. I'm a coward."
"No!" Harry said, so forcefully that he surprised even himself. "Neville, you're not a coward. You're one of the most courageous people we know! Didn't you win us the House Cup in first year for your bravery?"
They had arrived at the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey sat with Arabella Figg, whose face was buried in her hands.
Neville sniffled and smiled a little. "Yeah, I guess I did. But what if I saw them in person? I think I would die of fright. No," he said suddenly, with an intensity that astonished Harry, "no, I would kill them. I would kill them for what they did. And I'd kill their families! They'll see what it's like!" He dissolved into tears once more.
Harry, Hermione and Madam Pomfrey stared at Neville in shock. Professor Figg lifted her head and looked at Neville with sorrowful eyes. Her face was ashen.
"Come along, Mr. Longbottom," Madam Pomfrey said gently, pulling him into the room. "Trauma? I'll get you some chocolate, my dear boy, sit here on the bed, there's a good lad."
Neville suddenly began shrieking again. "Please I NEED you Mum they can't be out THEY'LL COME AFTER ME!"
Madam Pomfrey grabbed him by the shoulders and held him tight. "Calm down! You two can go back to class now," she said to Harry and Hermione. "Thank you for bringing him."
Harry tried to speak but found that his throat was closed. Hermione, too, was without words, and simply nodded at Madam Pomfrey.
They went out, walking slowly. Neville's screams and whimperings still reached them at the end of the hall.
