* * * * * * * * * * * *
The trip back to Hogwarts took the better part of the next two days, since no portkey had been set up to return them there. They couldn't very well do it the muggle way, especially not with an unconscious Kit with them. Therefore, they were forced to attempt to do it by floo powder. This was a particular shock to Adam, who, being a muggle, was very reluctant to step into a fire, no matter how much they reassured him. After a series of wizard fireplaces, the ended up in the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. Luckily it was late at night, and no one noticed them while they made their way up the stairs. It was early Sunday morning when Ginny finally fell asleep curled up on a bed. Snape had owled Dumbledore as soon as they arrived, left money for a room, and fell asleep on the couch in the room. Adam fell asleep in a chair next to Kit, and Draco curled up in another.
Ginny was awakened next by Draco's voice, "Ginny," he said, softly, "wake up. Dumbledore's here, and he wants to talk to us."
Ginny groggily sat up, blinking furiously. Oh, how she wanted to go back to sleep right now. Instead, she sat up and focused her attention on Dumbledore, who was standing in front of all of them, carrying a bag of some sort. Draco sat down beside her, and she noticed that Adam and Snape were sitting on Kit's bed.
Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Now, first off," he turned to Ginny, "Miss Weasley, you have done a wonderful job caring for Miss, er, Katherine, I thank you."
Ginny had never heard Professor Dumbledore falter in speech before, and also had never heard him call a student by just their first name. Why didn't they want her to know Kit's last name? Dumbledore continued, "Now, I have brought robes with me for both Mr. Carson and Miss Katherine. Here is what is to be done. First, Miss Katherine will stay bed until she is fit to join the rest of the school. She will then be introduced as a Sixth year Gryffindor, and, you, Miss Weasley, will be her guide. I will send letters to all of your teachers that you are to help her with her studies. Hopefully, she will need not do any practical tests, though, mind you, she could probably hold her own fairly well. You, Mr. Carson," Dumbledore said, turning to him, "will be automatically introduced as a Seventh year Slytherin, where Mr. Malfoy will be your guide. You will, I daresay, be very lost as to what to do in a magical school, but I trust Mr. Malfoy will help you as best he can." Dumbledore handed Adam a Slytherin uniform out of his bag.
"When we get to the school, it will be necessary to hide Miss Katherine until she is feeling better. Therefore, I have brought something that will help us get her into the school," Dumbledore continued, and pulled out another cloak, a silvery one, which Ginny immediately recognized as an invisibility cloak. Then, Dumbledore's expression turned very grave, "Now, all of you must understand this, no one, aside from the six of us will know about Mr. Carson and Miss Katherine's past. Madam Pomfrey will simply be told that she is a witch in need of help who seeked the protection of Hogwarts."
"Professor, how will we get back to the school without being noticed," Ginny asked, "because regardless of what you have told Ron, I know he'll be looking for me. I mean, I can't simply be seen strolling up to the grounds, especially without medical supplies for Madam Pomfrey, can I?"
Dumbledore smiled, "Miss Weasley, you and Mr. Malfoy will be portkey'd back to my office where you will then make your way to the Room of Requirement, which is the safest place to hide Miss Katherine. Then, Mr. Malfoy you will show Mr. Carson around the school, while you Miss Weasley attempt to help Madam Pomfrey heal Miss Katherine."
"Wait, sir, where is this Room of Requirement? I don't know what you're talking about," Draco said.
"I know where it is, Draco. I can get us there," Ginny said, glancing to see how he was taking this. He had regained a lot of color to his face, but he still looked scared to death.
"Ok, then, that's settled. Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, have a nice journey," Professor Dumbledore said, handing them a simple muggle pen. Soon enough, Ginny felt the familiar tug of the hook pulling from behind her navel, and found herself standing in Professor Dumbledore's office.
The trip back to Hogwarts took the better part of the next two days, since no portkey had been set up to return them there. They couldn't very well do it the muggle way, especially not with an unconscious Kit with them. Therefore, they were forced to attempt to do it by floo powder. This was a particular shock to Adam, who, being a muggle, was very reluctant to step into a fire, no matter how much they reassured him. After a series of wizard fireplaces, the ended up in the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. Luckily it was late at night, and no one noticed them while they made their way up the stairs. It was early Sunday morning when Ginny finally fell asleep curled up on a bed. Snape had owled Dumbledore as soon as they arrived, left money for a room, and fell asleep on the couch in the room. Adam fell asleep in a chair next to Kit, and Draco curled up in another.
Ginny was awakened next by Draco's voice, "Ginny," he said, softly, "wake up. Dumbledore's here, and he wants to talk to us."
Ginny groggily sat up, blinking furiously. Oh, how she wanted to go back to sleep right now. Instead, she sat up and focused her attention on Dumbledore, who was standing in front of all of them, carrying a bag of some sort. Draco sat down beside her, and she noticed that Adam and Snape were sitting on Kit's bed.
Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Now, first off," he turned to Ginny, "Miss Weasley, you have done a wonderful job caring for Miss, er, Katherine, I thank you."
Ginny had never heard Professor Dumbledore falter in speech before, and also had never heard him call a student by just their first name. Why didn't they want her to know Kit's last name? Dumbledore continued, "Now, I have brought robes with me for both Mr. Carson and Miss Katherine. Here is what is to be done. First, Miss Katherine will stay bed until she is fit to join the rest of the school. She will then be introduced as a Sixth year Gryffindor, and, you, Miss Weasley, will be her guide. I will send letters to all of your teachers that you are to help her with her studies. Hopefully, she will need not do any practical tests, though, mind you, she could probably hold her own fairly well. You, Mr. Carson," Dumbledore said, turning to him, "will be automatically introduced as a Seventh year Slytherin, where Mr. Malfoy will be your guide. You will, I daresay, be very lost as to what to do in a magical school, but I trust Mr. Malfoy will help you as best he can." Dumbledore handed Adam a Slytherin uniform out of his bag.
"When we get to the school, it will be necessary to hide Miss Katherine until she is feeling better. Therefore, I have brought something that will help us get her into the school," Dumbledore continued, and pulled out another cloak, a silvery one, which Ginny immediately recognized as an invisibility cloak. Then, Dumbledore's expression turned very grave, "Now, all of you must understand this, no one, aside from the six of us will know about Mr. Carson and Miss Katherine's past. Madam Pomfrey will simply be told that she is a witch in need of help who seeked the protection of Hogwarts."
"Professor, how will we get back to the school without being noticed," Ginny asked, "because regardless of what you have told Ron, I know he'll be looking for me. I mean, I can't simply be seen strolling up to the grounds, especially without medical supplies for Madam Pomfrey, can I?"
Dumbledore smiled, "Miss Weasley, you and Mr. Malfoy will be portkey'd back to my office where you will then make your way to the Room of Requirement, which is the safest place to hide Miss Katherine. Then, Mr. Malfoy you will show Mr. Carson around the school, while you Miss Weasley attempt to help Madam Pomfrey heal Miss Katherine."
"Wait, sir, where is this Room of Requirement? I don't know what you're talking about," Draco said.
"I know where it is, Draco. I can get us there," Ginny said, glancing to see how he was taking this. He had regained a lot of color to his face, but he still looked scared to death.
"Ok, then, that's settled. Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, have a nice journey," Professor Dumbledore said, handing them a simple muggle pen. Soon enough, Ginny felt the familiar tug of the hook pulling from behind her navel, and found herself standing in Professor Dumbledore's office.
