Spontaneous Magic
This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy. Love the movies showing again on TV for the holidays.
08 Second Year is Messy and Cut Short 1992-1993Frank sat on the Hogwarts Express with his usual group of friends as they sped north from London on 1 September 1992. It was the beginning of their second year at Hogwarts and everyone expected interesting classes this year and fun encounters with friends in all the houses. And they dreaded unfortunate encounters with the bigots who remained in their midst.
Already this afternoon, Draco Malfoy appeared at the door of the compartment wherein Frank, Neville, and Hermione spoke of their summer, families, and books for the new year.
"Ah…mudbloods and squibs gather in every increasing numbers," Draco snarled without effect. Hermione looked away as Frank and Neville lifted the Slytherin boy and dropped him back into hallway before frowning.
"Shall I write to my great grandfather tonight, Malfoy? Your father would hear from him soon," Frank said just before the door closed and locked magically. Humiliated Draco stomped away, muttering about the retribution his father would bring to Hogwarts this year.
With a new charm that allowed her to listen to the boy from a distance, Hermione mentioned the boy's comment to Frank and Neville who nodded and agreed to pay attention as the days passed. Shortly after the unfortunate visit by Malfoy, a pair of firsties wandered by and stopped outside their door. Frank opened the door and the blonde girl introduced herself as Luna Lovegood and her new friend, Colin Creevey. In the hour that followed, the two firsties became friends with the trio who learned that Luna was a pureblood and Colin was a muggleborn.
"What house will you ask for?" Hermione asked Luna.
The blond grinned and replied, "The Hat will scream when it's placed on my head but only certain people will be able to hear the bloodcurdling cry. Pay attention to who cringes when the Hat shouts out my house."
Neville and Frank glanced at each other while Colin grinned and added, "Luna seems like lots of fun. We were in another compartment, but one boy and his sister called Luna names so we left and found you guys. We don't like bullies."
"Who was calling her names?" asked Neville.
Colin explained, "A guy named Ron Weasley and his sister Ginerva."
"Is Weasel running his mouth already?" asked Frank with some resignation in his voice. "We're not at Hogwarts yet."
Luna explained, "The Weasleys are my neighbours and until a couple years ago, Ginny was my friend. But then when Albus Dumbledore declared Harry Potter to be dead, some in the family changed. Ginny's comments turned mean toward muggles, half-bloods, and muggleborns. I don't think they are all prejudiced against the others but Ronald, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley certainly are."
"We're glad you're here with us," Neville said. "And it's just about time for Dobby to serve tea."
Frank grinned as Luna and Colin grew excited as a Dobby-tea suddenly appeared in the compartment on small tables. There was tea and milk, biscuits, fruit, small cakes, and other pastries. Hermione made each person promise to brush their teeth or use the mouth freshening charm after eating but she also ate her share of the tea.
"Do the twins and Buttercup enjoy tea at home now?" asked Neville who had met the entire Scott family over the summer.
"Andrew, Oliver and Blossom love to make a mess of their tea that Mum has the elves serve in the nursery. If we have any visitors, my Mum and I bring the tea tray into the lounge rather than the elves making it magically appear."
"When we're visiting with the Scotts, my mum still goes spare over stuff just appearing and disappearing," Hermione admitted. "And if the plate of cakes levitates across the room from Frank to his Dad, my Dad gets all excited about getting an elf for our house."
"A muggle house can't support the magic for an elf," Luna replied.
Hermione nodded and added, "Once I am fifteen, I can get an elf and place wards around the house to support an elf. That's what my dad wants for Christmas and his birthday that year."
Colin asked, "What's a house elf?"
A large number of visitors began to drop into the compartment to sample the biscuits and cakes served mysteriously around Frank Scott during his trips on the Hogwarts Express. Several kids ran down the hall to avoid someone walking toward the compartment and they all heard a loud voice saying, "Come on Ginny. The mudbloods will give us tea and smile as they bow before us today."
"Remove please," Frank commanded the air and everything related to the tea vanished from the compartment.
Luna scowled and muttered, "Couldn't Weasel wait one minute for me to finish that macaroon?"
Suddenly Ron Weasley threw back the door of the compartment and stepped inside followed quickly by a red-headed girl who looked at the students seated there with disinterest. In a snobby tone, he demanded, "Where's the food, Scott? I know you got biscuits and cakes! Everybody on the train's been here to eat but me and my sister."
"Mr. Weasley, will you introduce us to your sister?" asked Neville.
Frowning, Ron turned to his sister and mumbled, "Ginny, that's Neville Longbottom. He's pureblood but almost a squib. The other two are Scott and Granger, both mudbloods though Scott claims to be a royal pureblood of some sort."
"A what?" asked the girl, looking Frank over closely for a moment. The boy in question simply raised his eyebrows and pressed his lips together to keep from commenting.
"He don't look like much," she replied. "Remember Mum told us not to mix with the mudbloods."
Yeah, but this one has lots of biscuits," Ron explained as he pointed his wand at Frank. "Now hand over some food or I'll jinx you."
No," Frank replied. "Last year I gave you sandwiches and biscuits because you said you were hungry. This year you barge in and demand some, so you'll not get any."
His face turning bright red, Ron Weasley fired off a spell directed at Frank and the sister also cast a spell. Dobby's magic intervened as a silver serving tray appeared in the path of the jinxes and reflected them back at the two purebloods. Ron was thrown out of the compartment by the spell he'd attempted to throw at Frank Scott while Ginerva began spitting up giant slugs with each breath. She managed to run out of the compartment, step over her brother and race off to find her older brother, Percy who was a prefect again.
Hermione sighed as Frank called Dobby to clean up the slugs and Colin got to meet a house elf. Neville pulled out a history book and said, "I think I'll read some and put myself to sleep."
"Wouldn't plan on peace and quiet, Neville. Percy Weasley will show up before long," Frank replied. "Hope he'll move Weasel out of the hallway."
It was about ten minutes before Percy appeared at the compartment door and like Ron, he was red-faced with anger. The prefect demanded, "Who jinxed my little sister? She's not even sorted yet and one of you jinxed her!"
Hermione explained, "Your sister jinxed herself. She fired some spell at Mr. Scott but it reflected off a shiny surface and hit her in the face. Just like your brother's spell was reflected back on him."
"Not likely!" Percy exclaimed. "Scott, let me see your wand!"
"Why?" asked the boy, not willing to hand over his wand to the prefect.
"I will cast a spell that allows me to see all the spells you've cast on the Express!"
Hermione said, "It'll be alright Frank. Percy's a reliable prefect and won't let his siblings get away with anything against the rules.
Scowling now to be reminded of his responsibilities, Percy held out his hand.
"You'll see now mudblood. Purebloods are above the rules," the sister said as her brother examined Scott's wand.
"Ginny, there's nothing here."
"But…" she sputtered but fell silent when he raised his hand.
"What shiny surface reflected the spell?"
The silver serving tray appeared with a pop and the prefect examined it carefully for almost 30 seconds before he turned on his sister and said, "Go back to the compartment where I parked you and Ron. Stay there until we get to Hogwarts and don't listen to Ron again. He'll just get you in more trouble. If we were at Hogwarts, I'd give you detention and I'd write home to Mum about it!"
Percy revived Ron, grabbed him by the ear and led him after their sister in the hallway of the train.
Luna said, "Oh poo. They aren't going to be any fun this year, are they?"
++***++ SCENE BREAK
In the sorting that evening, Colin joined Hufflepuff and he sat with Harry and Neville as the sorting continued. When it was Luna's turn, Frank remembered Luna's warning and he saw several students in Ravenclaw flinch just after the hat dropped onto the young witch's head. He also noticed that Professor McGonagall frowned and rubbed her head as though it suddenly hurt. His eyes moved about the room and he saw the headmaster rubbing his head with both hands to relieve a terrible sudden headache. Then the hat sent Luna into Ravenclaw with Hermione. The last firstie to be sorted was Ginerva Weasley and the hat immediately shouted out "Gryffindor."
Frank enjoyed his classes in his second year and spending time with friends. The study group from the previous year continued and more of the Magical Britain children participated in the literature class and the history studies. Despite the reservations of the headmaster to expose magical children to muggle things, tutors were approved for Saturday and Sunday. These muggleborn teachers brought lessons for writing, math and science that the 'muggleborn students' took in addition to their regular studies. Albus Dumbledore refused to discuss the tutors or the political moves in the Wizengamot that forced him to accept the tutors. Left with only a faint relic of his past influence on the governing body, he had to accept their 'dictates' or see his budgets slashed.
Minister Fudge told the wizard, "If these tutorials makes the muddy ones happy, let them have the extra classes. They'll still leave after their Owls and we'll be done with them until their children need to come to Hogwarts."
It was the morning after Halloween when Frank and his friends learned that something 'odd' had occurred the previous night. The pet cat of the castle's caretaker, a very unpleasant man named Argus Filch, had been petrified. Filch was often the man who supervised detentions where the young witches and wizards were required to scrub floors or toilets using muggle methods.
Ten days later, Filch was found dead outside the girl's loo on the third floor, water streaming down the hallway from a broken pipe inside the loo. There were signs of a struggle and the man's right arm was torn off and left further up the hall. Being that the man was a squib and universally disliked by staff and students, no one mourned his death but the muggleborn were disturbed that none of the magical students or the staff were more upset by the violence in the man's death. When Frank noticed that no one from the Aurors came to investigate the death, he inquired with the prefects about the death and was simply told to not ask questions.
That night, he wrote a detailed letter to Dad and Mum with all the information and carried it to the owl tower and attached it to Hedwig's leg. But rather than fly out of the tower, Hedwig simply flew back up to a perch and fell asleep. Frank's letter fell off and vanished before hitting the ground at the boy's feet.
The second letter Frank wrote included the information about Hedwig not being able to leave the castle with his letter as well as the death of the caretaker. However, when he called Dobby and asked him to take the letter to his dad, the elf cried and said, "Dobby cannot Mr. Franks. There be wards that won't let no letter go outside Hoggieswaddles for now."
Thinking carefully all that day, Frank waited until just before supper. He went into his trunk and found a small cardboard box and placed the letter inside. Then he clumsily wrapped the box in decorated paper and taped a bow to the top. When finished, he called Dobby to his side in the bathroom away from any prying eyes. Once the elf appeared, Frank asked, "Dobby, will you take this birthday present to my dad, please?"
"Certainly, Mr. Frank," the house elf replied before he popped away with the wrapped gift.
Schooling his features to remain calm and unemotionally, Frank joined the other Puffs as they made their way to the Great Hall for supper. The meal was still a little quiet following the death of the caretaker but the Gryffindors grew boisterous once again before the end of the meal.
Professor Sprout and the Hufflepuff prefects encouraged everyone to remain in large groups for some safety. Frank noticed that Hermione and Luna returned to the Ravenclaw tower immediately following the meal without a detour to the library.
The next morning, just after the contingent of Hufflepuff boys and girls arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast, several students ran inside – Gryffindors by the colour of the stripes on their robes – and shouted that Gilderoy Lockhart, the DADA professor who proved to be some razzle-dazzle charlatan after only two months of classes, had been found petrified in his private chamber.
"He was fixing his hair before heading for bed by the looks of it. Whatever petrified him, must have caught his glance in the mirror where he was working on his hair," Professor Flitwick told some students who quickly reported the news to as many others as they could find.
Luna spoke to Hermione and the Puffs in Frank's group, saying, "No one goes out after dinner tonight. As soon as we eat, we go back to our dormitories and stay there."
"Why Luna?" Hermione insisted on knowing.
The blond witch replied, "I can't 'see' anything, but I can 'feel' that something bad will happen tonight."
It seemed by lunch that half of the students had forgotten that Professor Lockhart had been petrified. While everyone ate their meal, the noise level declined somewhat until the door of the Great Hall opened unexpectedly and visitors marched into the chamber. Frank quickly identified Amelia Bones, Director of the DMLE and Susan's aunt, surrounded by a dozen Aurors. The Minister for Magic followed Director Bones into the room with his entourage of Aurors and Undersecretaries.
"Welcome! Welcome!" called Dumbledore enthusiastically though his body language indicated he felt the complete opposite about visitors.
"Dumbledore, what is this report on a dead caretaker?"
"Filch was a squib, Cornelius. His inevitable death came much earlier than a magical person would have died. It is nothing to concern the Ministry for Magic," replied Dumbledore wondering how the news finally got out of 'his' castle.
Director Bones replied, "But the man died a violent death within the walls of the castle, Dumbledore. That makes it our business."
"Violence? Why would you say…"
"His arm was ripped from the body. Is that violent enough for you?"
The bruhaha that bubbled up between the wizard and witches at the staff table and the visitors kept the attention of the students for some time. Finally, McGonagall ordered the students to proceed to their afternoon class while Headmaster Dumbledore continued arguing with Minister Fudge and Director Bones. A team of Aurors were dispatched to check on the petrified DADA professor just as the children left the Great Hall.
One Auror was heard telling another, "This is a right mess. What's loose in the castle that can kill someone and petrify someone else?"
Another said, "My son and daughter will go home this afternoon after I send a Patronus message to my wife."
There was a flurry of parents arriving and withdrawing their children from the school that afternoon. Frank worried about his parents appearing and taking him home while his friends had to remain behind – Hermione and Colin had no way to contact their parents in an urgent situation, while Luna and Neville had to wait on a father or grandmother to appear. Apparently, Dumbledore had enough of the departures at 4:00 P.M. because he closed the castle to everyone trying to enter. Hagrid was sent to the gate to lock it while parents tried to get inside.
"Dumbledore says that it'll be fine, you'll see," the half giant kept telling the distraught family members that included Augusta Longbottom, Mr. John Scott, his daughter Daisy and her fiancé, Mr. Granger and Mr. Creevey. (The Scotts had implemented an effective phone and floo tree with the guardian/parents of their son's friends except for Mr. Lovegood). Unable to access the castle, some parents immediately returned home to floo call the ministry and key officials. Minister Fudge shut down his floo at 5:00 P.M. to avoid further calls from angry parents and Director Bones arrived outside the gates at 6:25. When she discovered she could not enter Hogwarts, she immediately sent her Patronus (an angry hippopotamus) to sit on Albus Dumbledore. At 7:00 P.M. the parents dispersed but planned to return by AM the next morning to grab their kids at breakfast and take them home.
At supper, Dumbledore urged the students to not panic which only encouraged them to do so. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were deserted before pudding was served, even after the headmaster announced that the house elves would not serve pudding in the dormitories. The older Gryffindors saw the tense atmosphere in the castle as the perfect time to play pranks and a few of the Slytherins saw it as an opportunity to rebel against the strict guidelines of Professor Tonks.
Late in the evening, Frank felt torn between wanting to explore the hallways and to remain safe in the dormitory. Colin was tucked into his bed while Justin, Neville and the other boys and girls in Hufflepuff were safe behind the heavy and magically sealed door. He knew Luna and Hermione would remain safe inside the Ravenclaw tower. Making his way into the bathroom, Frank called Dobby and asked him what was happening in the castle.
"There's be some Slytherin students out chasing some Gryffindor students up the stairs," Dobby reported. "Headmaster Dumbles-doorknob fussing with Mean Kitty, Duelling Champ, Potions Lady and Green Thumb about wards, closing school and protecting students."
"But no one is trying to get those students to return to their dormitory…" Frank said. "We got to do something Dobby."
The little house elf glared at Frank and said, "Grow-ups-es wizards and witches must help them. Not young wizard twelve years! My Mr. Frank will put his magical butt in bed and stay there because Dobby say so. And Dobby takes magical cloak and wand from Mr. Frank right now."
The elf snapped his fingers and Frank found himself under the covers of his bed and the curtains around it were sealed. His wand and the magical cloak were missing. Angry, Frank yelled, "Dobby! Come here!"
The elf popped into the bed and stared at Frank for a moment before he said, "Befores you speaks, my Mr. Frank, know that Dobby spoke Mr. John and Mrs. Gwen just now. Mrs. Gwen tells Dobby to say you to stay in bed or she will beat on your behind. Mr. John says you stay in bed or you never get to fly on broom again before you be fifteen years old."
Frank paused, not wanting to disappoint his parents, but the elf wasn't through with threats and added, "If Mr. Frank tries any shenanigans tonight, Dobby will tell Miss Daisy next. Dobby knows that Miss Daisy has new howler spell…"
Defeated by the notion of dealing with Daisy's arguments too, Frank said, "But Dobby, we have to help those kids."
"House elves going to put those kids in their dormitororisies. Now Mr. Frank stays in bed or else!" the house elf commanded before he popped away.
About an hour later, a mug of hot chocolate appeared in the air for Frank to drink. The young wizard took the mug and drank the perfectly warm chocolate slowly as he lay there, mumbling about interfering house elves.
'Mum and Dad will yell for sure when I see them again,' he decided. 'And Daisy will be loudest. And I would do the same to protect Oliver, Andy and Butter.'
With a little smile on his face, Frank Scott feel asleep knowing his family loved him.
++***++ OUCH! CHANGE SCENE!
The next morning, the Puffs moved from their dormitory to the Great Hall as a group and found the Ravenclaws coming down the stairs just as they approached the door. Inside the chamber, they didn't find any Gryffindors or Slytherins at their tables.
"I guess they're coming later," Neville said and Frank caught Hermione's eye and noticed the Luna had been crying. He left the group of Puffs to move close to the Claws and hug Luna.
She threw her arms around Frank's neck and whispered, "There are dead students in the castle infirmary. Dumbledore is trying to hide them but even McGonagall is yelling at him."
Frank hurried into the nearby boy's loo, called Dobby. When the elf appeared, Frank said, "Go to London and tell Dad some students are dead."
"He already knows my Mr. Frank," Dobby reported. "Dobby tells Mr. John last night and Mrs. Gwen sent messages to Susan Bones' aunt lady. They come through Hoggiesmart gates at 8:00 A.M."
Professor Sprout was the only staff member who appeared in the great hall in the early morning and she called for breakfast to be served for the two houses present. At 8:05 AM, the doors of the hall were thrown open as Aurors and parents poured into the chamber. The Grangers and Creeveys were present in acceptable robes to pass as magical persons. They embraced their children tightly and the Scotts held onto Frank and Neville.
John whispered to Neville, "Your grandmother is at the ministry this morning raising Merlin's hellfire on the minister about the deaths of students at Hogwarts. She sent a letter to authorize us to take you home with us."
Mr. Scott also spoke to Justin about leaving with the Scott parents. Gwen told the boy, "Your parents will collect you at our house this afternoon."
Mr. Lovegood came into the Great Hall about that time and held Luna for a long minute before he sought out the Grangers and the Scotts to express his gratitude for their children making certain that his daughter was welcomed and then protected at Hogwarts.
Professor Sprout took up a position at the door of the Great Hall as parents began walking out with their children. She ordered house elves to collect the child's trunk while she recorded the name of parent and child as they left the castle. There were shouts in the entry hall as several Aurors retreated from the stairs as Albus Dumbledore roared in anger.
"No one will be arresting me! I have done nothing wrong!"
Parents and students cast shields to offer some protection but then the strangest thing happened. Dumbledore was surrounded by a bright blue bubble of light and though he fired several strong spells that bounced around inside the bubble and cut his face, robes and arms, nothing would release the headmaster from his confinement. After another moment, the bubble turned solid and bounced away.
When Director Bones came down the stairs, holding a broken arm carefully against her breast, she demanded to know the location of Dumbledore. One of the Aurors pointed at the blue ball that lay underneath the first staircase.
Frank and his friends watched as more Aurors ran into Hogwarts, their wands drawn. Following these wizards and witches came medical staff from the ministry with healers from Saint Mungo's who immediately began triage and field treatments for the Aurors. Several healers followed an Auror up the stairs to the location of an earlier battle between Dumbledore and everyone else.
The haemorrhaging of students in the company of their parents resumed and while Gwen, the Grangers and Creeveys wanted to leave immediately John delayed hopeful of getting information from an Auror. Frank and Neville were in favour of leaving with the rush of other students but John left them to speak to the Aurors.
While Gwen herded everyone toward the castle doors, Arthur and Molly Weasley ran inside. Mrs. Weasley loudly demanded that someone take her to her children, and that the healers stop treatments for mudbloods and only care for purebloods. Arthur ignored his wife's loud bellows and followed an Auror's directions to go to the second-floor girl's loo where a battle had occurred.
Molly had begun to climb the stairs as well when another set of parents appeared and Frank knew instantly that these were Draco Malfoy's parents. They were dressed immaculately in the finest silks and the wizard had the same white-blond hair as Draco.
"My dear, it smells of mudbloods here," the wizard announced loudly. "That's a smell you never forget."
Aurors and Professor Sprout pointed their wands at Lucius Malfoy and while his wife sneered at the wands, the wizard ignored them to continue commenting on the number of mudbloods in the crowd. The Grangers pushed Hermione behind them and Frank found his mum standing in front of him and Neville.
Lucius focused his attention on the Creevey parents and son, his wand in his hand as he approached them, "It is against the law for mudbloods to be here. No one will complain… no one with power will complain if I thin the herd today."
Frank, Neville and John moved to stand before the Creeveys while Gwen began casting protective shields before her family and friends. However, before Malfoy could continue, a wail of heart wrenching pain was heard from the top of the stairs. Mrs. Weasley appeared and saw Lucius Malfoy in the entry hall of Hogwarts Castle. Pulling her wand she howled, "You did this you dark wizard! You killed my daughter with some cursed book! Your son is bragging that you are the Dark Lord's most trusted lieutenant and you sent the book to kill all the mudbloods at Hogwarts. But it killed my Ginny too!"
From her place above the entry hall, Mrs. Weasley began casting vicious duelling spells along with many kitchen spells that left Mr. Malfoy without any hair or teeth while he tried to shield and counterattack. Behind Mrs. Weasley came her son, Ron, who participated in a running battle with Draco Malfoy. The boys shouted, slapped and punched each other.
An Auror petrified the two boys as Mr. Malfoy's spell threw Mrs. Weasley against a wall. She fell to the floor and lay still.
Grinning through bleeding, toothless lips, Malfoy announced, "Blood-traitors and mudbloods! We must exterminate them all!"
"Lucius Malfoy, you're under arrest!" shouted Director Bones.
"On what charge?" the wizard asked, now directing his sneer at the director of the DMLE.
The minister hurried into the room and immediately attempted to override the director of the DMLE. "Mr. Malfoy is an honest wizard and he would never…"
"Cornelius, this is not a matter for your pocketbook to decide!" Bones declared. Frank frowned as he noticed Mr. Malfoy sneer and turn to leave the Great Hall.
'That man is evil and he'll kill more of us whenever he gets the chance,' the boy decided angrily and felt his magic react spontaneously.
Malfoy stopped walking forward as he reached up to pull his cravat loose as if he were suddenly too warm. Simultaneously with smoke appearing above his robes, a large blue bubble formed around Lucious Malfoy as he pulled out his wand to cast cooling charms. As the blue bubble turned opaque, there were flames inside and the object rolled out the door as though the wizard inside tried to outrun the fire that burned his fingers and skin.
Arthur Weasley finally reappeared, the body of his daughter in his arms. Behind him followed the twins and they levitated the body of Percy behind them. Healers immediately approached the wizard and his children to verify that two were dead and two were only scratched without serious injury. Ron left his mother who was being treated by a healer and came to his father's side.
Ron shouted, "It was a giant snake that killed everybody! Percy transfigured a flock of roosters from a bunch of books and they all crowed and killed it. But he was dead after it looked at him and Ginny and the others."
"Who is dead?" asked Susan Bones from beside her aunt.
Ron named four more Gryffindor students but Frank didn't know them. The Ron added, "And a bunch of snakes are dead too. Must have been a dozen of them."
With that John Scott moved to get his party out of the castle. Once the muggles and magical persons were beyond the gates, Mr. Lovegood took Luna home via apparition. The Grangers left courtesy of a portkey made by Gwen Scott. The Creeveys vanished likewise with a portkey made by John Scott. Then John held onto Neville and Justin as they apparated away. With tears in her eyes, Gwen wrapped her arms around Frank and apparated home.
Shortly after they arrived at the Scott home in Crawley, Dobby appeared with trunks for all three boys. Then Oliver and Andy thundered into the room and demanded Frank's attention. With help from his two classmates, Frank was able to placate his now four-year-old brothers. Then one of the house elves appeared with Buttercup in her arms and handed the wiggling two-year-old over as she called out, 'Rank! Rank!'
Without any direction from John or Gwen, the three boys didn't discuss any of the morning's events in front of the younger children.
++***++ BREAK AWAY
The Daily Prophet was full of headlines, photos and tearful stories for a week. It was determined by the Department of Mysteries that Hogwarts herself created the blue bubbles that confined a defiant Dumbledore for three days and the ashes of Lucius Malfoy for two days. When the second bubble that confined Lucius Malfoy faded away, the guards reported that the only thing inside was a pile of ashes. Reporters and Unspeakables examined the ashes and when there was nothing remarkable about them, they prepared to discover the same when the first bubble vanished.
However, Albus Dumbledore was still very much alive when the bubble vanished but the wizard appeared in his underclothes without his robes, rings, portkeys and most importantly, without any wands. The Aurors onsite quickly subdued the old wizard and locked his wrists in magical suppression shackles that were tied to another pair at his feet. The headmaster was whisked away to a holding cell in the Ministry for Magic.
The stories that emerged in the newspaper included the students roaming widely about the castle the night of the massacre while the headmaster and professors argued about what steps were necessary to take, the meeting of the fighting Gryffindors and Slytherins on the second floor and the attack by a basilisk(!) that emerged from the girl's loo. The Slytherins were closest to the bathroom door and that explained why so many more of them died than the Gryffindors. Percy Weasley was heralded as a hero for killing the creature and saving the few students who survived. In all, Slytherin lost ten students seventh through second year with Draco Malfoy being the only survivor of the crowd of students from the dungeons. Gryffindor had six dead including Ginerva Weasley.
The next morning, when the professors found the dead students and basilisk, a fight erupted between Dumbledore and McGonagall against Professors Tonks, Flitwick, Aurora Sinistra, Bathsheba Babbling and Charity Burbage. Flitwick, the only survivor besides Dumbledore, revealed that Dumbledore intended on hiding the dead and announcing that a new variety of Wizard's Flu had hit the students at Hogwarts. The professors objected and in the ensuing battle, everyone died except for the Charms Professor and the headmaster.
"Dumbledore is too evil to die," Flitwick explained. "Just like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Albus will come back from the dead time and time again. You watch…"
Needless to say, Hogwarts closed. There were contentious meetings of the Wizengamot where Minister Fudge demanded the school close permanently which prompted several influential families to threaten to end his term as minister. In the background of this contest, grieving families demanded that others cease 'playing politics' with the death of their children. Augusta Longbottom managed to get a bill passed giving all families the option to seek tutors for their children for the remainder of the 1992-1993 school year.
Robert Scott and Axeblade immediately moved to secure an obscure but well-warded Potter property to act as a temporary day school for his son and Frank's friends. Muggleborn tutors for magical classes and muggle classes were matched with a few employees from Gringotts to provide magical instruction. Before Yule, the students began appearing in the receiving room at Robin's Nest Day School between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM. They had staggered schedules and after attending classes that included physical education, labs, and some after school sports, the students returned to their homes because the school closed each day at 7:00 PM. A few more house elves were located to supplement the services of muggleborns to clean, cook meals, and maintain the school.
*&^ SCENE BREAK (*&^
In the days before the trial of Albus Dumbledore, the Unspeakables published an article in the Daily Prophet stating that the castle herself had taken the steps of encasing first Dumbledore and then Malfoy inside the blue bubbles. They refused to speculate on the ashes or the missing wand in the headmaster's case, however they did speculate on the castle's reaction if Dumbledore were foolish enough to attempt to ever enter the castle's grounds or halls again.
Dumbledore was tried before the Wizengamot for murder of his professors but there were enough members who were prejudiced against part-goblin Flitwick to not take his word as truth, even when the Charms Professor testified under veritaserum. Flitwick submitted a letter of resignation that was printed in the Daily Prophet the morning after Dumbledore's acquittal on murder charges.
The ministry had not charged Headmaster Dumbledore with any other crimes because they expected to convict the old man on murder charges. Professor Flitwick became a tutor at Robin's Nest Day School along with several of his favourite muggleborns and half-blood graduates. Daisy Scott became an assistant teaching history and rode roughshod over Roger and his friends about their pathetic grades in history.
A strange man, a pureblood who was extremely knowledgeable but poorly dressed became their transfiguration professor at the first of the year. Before the month passed, someone (Dumbledore) leaked the story to the Daily Prophet that Robin's Nest Day School had employed Remus Lupin, a werewolf, as Professor of Transfiguration.
Mourning the senseless deaths of two of her children, Mrs. Weasley sent howlers to Lupin, Flitwick and John Scott about endangering innocent children. The howlers bounced back on Mrs. Weasley and caused structural damage to The Burrow, the ramshackle house where the Weasley family lived. Fred and George had hoped to attend the Day School for the spring term if not both the winter and spring terms before Howler Day. When their mom's howlers returned and exploded in the kitchen, the twins dived from their bedroom window to escape the shaking of The Burrow. Ron and Molly were both left deaf for a three days by their up-close experience with the magical letters.
Augusta Longbottom came to the school and 'met' Mr. Lupin to quiz him about his capabilities and the 'illness' that had been inflicted upon him when he was child. She published her opinion in the Quibbler and threatened the publisher of the Daily Prophet if he dared to alter a single letter or word in her 'Letter to the Editor'. In the letter, Lady Longbottom called Dumbledore a poor loser, a wizard past his prime and ready for retirement, an agitator attempting to regain some influence, and an old fool. She clearly stated the safeguards in place to ensure Professor Moody was removed from the school for the three days a month he was 'indisposed'.
The students at Robin's Nest Day School enjoyed their classes and extracurricular activities. Even the purebloods who came for the spring term, including Susan Bones, Hannah Abbot, Daphne Greengrass, and the Patil twins had only good things to say about the school. Fred and George were invited to attend and with their father's permission, they used a portkey to travel every morning from their home to the school. The portkey in the form of a chain also returned them home in the late afternoons.
Mrs. Weasley quizzed the twins extensively about the school, the werewolf, the classes, the 'muggles' and the other students. They grew uncomfortable when she insisted on knowing 'where' the school was located and the teenagers explained there were no local towns or county named.
"Let me try the portkey," she commanded holding out her hand.
"Mum, Professor Flitwick said that the portkey will only work when Fred and I have hold of it," George explained.
"Then you two come with me," she said as she held out the chain. Fred and George frowned and grabbed hold before Fred said, "To school, please."
When nothing happened, Ron laughed. "You broke it! You broke it already!"
"Worthless magical stuff," Molly swore as she threw the chain down and returned to the kitchen. Fred grabbed the chain and hurried from the room to hide it from their mother.
Arthur arrived home via floo travel and joined his family at the dinner table. He questioned the twins about their first day at Robin's Nest and was pleased to hear the boys give detailed answers to his general questions. Then Ron said, "Yeah, but they broke the portkey after they got home."
Molly scowled at her youngest, thought of Ginny and cried for ten minutes while Arthur heard the story about Molly's attempt to 'visit' the school. When Ron asked to go to his room, Arthur sent the boy from the table with a plate of biscuits. Fred and George noticed their father motion for them to remain at the table as they waited for Molly to finish crying.
Finally wiping her face with her apron, Molly was about to clear the table when Arthur asked, "How often has Dumbledore contacted you in the last thirty days?"
Molly was startled by the question and replied without thinking, "Almost every day. Then yesterday, he came to tea and we talked about that school. He was worried about the boys attending because no one knows anything about it."
"Was I not clear when I told you that the Weasley family would not speak with Albus Dumbledore for any reason?" Arthur shouted. "He is responsible for the death of our daughter!"
Molly broke into tears again but when her husband did not offer her comfort, she quickly dried off her face again before beginning to shout herself, "Dumbledore is a great man! It was the Slytherins who killed Ginny!"
Suspicious now, Arthur stunned his wife and with the help of Fred and George, used the floo to take her to Saint Mungo's where the healers confirmed she was under the influence of a loyalty potion keyed to Albus Dumbledore.
When the potion was flushed from her system, Molly was confused about how she felt and Arthur took her home. Once she was in bed and asleep, he searched through the kitchen and found the loyalty potion in the bottle of cream used for everyone's tea in the morning. Again, he used the floo and this time he went to the DMLE offices at the ministry where he filed a complaint against Albus Dumbledore for poisoning his wife and attempting to poison his family.
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Frank loved school with great teachers and his friends around every day. He knew that Mum and Dad were involved with a great many meetings that winter and spring about 'next year' but he knew they would take care of everything and make certain everyone was safe. The Daily Prophet was full of articles about Hogwarts, the carcass of the Basilisk, Dumbledore being arrested again for poisoning the Weasley family. Fred and George were in a picture with their mum, dad and Ron on the cover of the Daily Prophet. Hermione made a couple comments about Ron's pet rat being in his pocket and climbing up to sit on his shoulder in the photo.
A very different part of Robin's Nest Day School was that the students went home and had dinner with their family every night. The students and the parents were glad to have that daily contact with each other but it did cut down on study time in the library.
Pomana Sprout survived the Dumbledore Massacre at Hogwarts because she went to check on the students rather than confront the headmaster about his intentions to cover up the deaths. She remained at the castle after it closed to work in her greenhouses and supervise the house elves. In February, she approached the governors about changing how the school ran and the possible reopening of the school in September. The worst of the governors – all old men from traditional families that refused to allow any changes in Magical Britain – resigned. Cornelius Fudge refused to discuss any government funds for the school until the governors had a plan in place.
Working with Augusta Longbottom, Amelia Bones, Lady Marchmane, and Amos Diggory, Professor Sprout assembled a reconstituted the Board of Governors that included John Scott. This new Board of Governors adapted the rules and operational plans for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry using the incredible wealth that was earned by the sale of the basilisk carcass by the goblins.
The Governors held extensive interviews with the children attending Robin's Nest Day School and adopted many of the changes used at the school. There would no longer be houses in the school but students would be grouped by their age and every student would have the chance to go home via the floo network, a portkey or apparition every weekend after their last class on Friday and returning on Sunday afternoon just before supper.
All the professors from Robin's Nest Day School (even the werewolf) were offered the same position on the faculty at Hogwarts for the fall of 1993. Robin's Nest continued classes until the last day of June and the students left their temporary school with good memories of the six months spent there.
In the first week of July, the Daily Prophet published a series of articles about the reopening of Hogwarts, the extensive changes made to the school in the last six months, and the new faculty including Headmistress Pomana Sprout, Deputy Headmaster Filius Flitwick, and new professors for all classes. The new dormitory arrangements were detailed in another article and included information on the different couples who would be dormitory guardians for each year.
The final change announced in the Daily Prophet was that the Hogwarts Express would be used only for the first trip from London to Hogwarts on 1 September. At the winter, spring and end of year, students would return home via floo, portkey or apparition.
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While the changes at Hogwarts remained a major story the whole of the summer – Cornelius Fudge was caught unprepared and unaware of the changes because he refused to commit money to the school – a new story broke that pushed Hogwarts onto the inside pages.
Headlines reported for ten days in a row that the mass murderer Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban and was headed for Hogwarts. The guards from the prison all reported that the week before he escaped, the insane criminal kept shouting "He'll be at Hogwarts! I'll kill him!"
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