Chapter 41: Dust to Dust

"You know, Granger wasn't lying about those Librarians from Central," Daphne said. She and Dean were helping me return all of our books on the Cerberus. Dean shifted the books in his arms to hold the door open for us. "They're like Aurors for books. Doesn't matter what the book is. A librarian once hunted down my great uncle during his vacation backpacking through South America for a cook book he signed out when he was 26 to impress his late wife on a date. The man buried her with it because she told him that date was the one where she realized she was in love with him."

We got in line behind two kids and a tall lady in a snazzy black and white suit. Dean hummed at Daphne's story to show he was listening. "She fell in love with him because he could cook?"

"My great uncle can't cook. He's exceptionally bad at domestic spells in general. After his wife died, he refused to hire housekeepers and his downtown flat turned to rubbish." We moved ahead in line one step. "But get this, Central sends the librarian out to her plot and exhumes his wife-"

"What does exhume mean?" I asked.

Dean leaned in. "It means they dug her up."

I gasped. Just when I thought these Wiccans couldn't stoop any further, they disturb the dead! For a cook book! "That's evil!"

"Evil?" the adult in front of us turned around and looked down her nose at us. He hair was in a perfectly pulled blonde- of course blonde!- blonde bun. It looked tight enough to pull her ears back. She had thin red lips and dark eye make-up. Her gray eyes looked bright like super clean nickels but something looked slightly off about her. I couldn't tell what it was. Her suit and blazer were as black as her eyelids without a spec of lint. Her white ruffled blouse was stark and looked like something straight out of one of Daphne's magazines. She was now at the counter and Madame Pince looked mortified. Like she was embarrassed. "That was a swift judgement." She then kneeled down until she was almost eye level with us. "Pray tell, Mary, what exactly did you find so evil in that story?"

I was.. taken? What's that phrase? "How did you know my name?"

"Of course, I know your name." She gestured toward the books we had. "Mary McGowen-Smith, Dean Thomas, Daphne Greengrass. You've borrowed books. How could I not?" She stood, meaning to dismiss us but I wanted to answer her question. Most of all I didn't like the way she looked at me and my friends.

"They dug up that poor man's wife. The dead deserve rest." Leanne… "They deserve peace."

"And she had it." The sharp triangle shoulder pads of her suits went up with her shrug. "Those librarians made sure they put her right back into the ground where she belonged. And they put the book back in its library. You see, when you take something, it must always be returned to its proper place. Everything has its place. That is the order of things." She waved a hand and Madame Pince quickly handed over the book we all used to sign out books. "All of your actions, no matter how insignificant, have consequences. You'll do well to remember that little Hufflepuff." Almost as if predicting what she would ask for next, Madame Pince immediately produced a small cup of tea. The tall woman in the suit walked away from the counter, deeper into the library.

Madame Pince mumbled some complaints under her breath. It sounded like she was being audited? She snatched away our books- I hate when people snatch!- and placed them behind her desk before shooing us away. We scuttled out of the library like a group of baby deer, not eager to get chastised any further. Why were the adults here so weird? Always trying to give their wise words- I don't care what her and her suit think. Ain't a reason on God's green Earth that will justify digging up a man's dead wife to get your cupcake recipes back. I mean it's the type of thing you say you'd do if the food is really good. But you don't go and actually do it!

Dean shoved his hands deep into his pockets looking like…sheepish? That doesn't sound like a word. Sheepy. Looking sheepy. "Well, she was a lot."

Daphne snorted. "Like what if I had actually liked that aunt? Tosser." She and Dean burst into laughter. I tried to join but I couldn't. There weren't any pieces of Leanne's body left to bury and that thought made me just as sad as the thought that they couldn't even remember who Leanne was.

"Students! Hello!" We all froze mid step on our way down the hall. I knew who it was before I even turned around. "Just the children I was hoping to run into." Professor Q was so pale and dainty, but his eyes were deep set and scary. He click-clacked in his loafers toward us and all the hairs on my body raised like running through a thunderstorm holding a car antenna.

"Professor Quirrell?" Dean smiled, taking a step in his direction ahead of us. The man that had been staring directly at me now stopped short and drew his attention to him instead. "We didn't see you there." Funny coming from Dean. He was so little himself.

"Yes.." It looked like Professor Squir-Quirell- Professor Quirraaaalllll was thinking the same thing. "I have had a few after class extra study sessions available but I haven't seen any of you."

"Because we don't need it," Daphne shrugged.

Professor looked at me again. With his tiny shaky eyeballs. "I think that cannot really be said for all of you. Mary may benefit quite a lot from them."

I shook my head faster than the protest could come out. "I'm not failing!"

"You're not exactly excelling either." The tall man shifted his book from one hand to the other. It was a book of musical lullabies for babies. "I know the culture in Hufflepuff may be a bit carefree but Defense against the Dark Arts is a class that should be taken more seriously. Especially given your choice in extracurricular activities."

He took a step forward around Dean. I instinctively took a step back. Every hair on my body raised again. "Daphne has been tutoring me. She's really good-"

"Well, why not all three of you join? Everyone could use a refresher! What do you say children?"

I couldn't think of an excuse. There was something about him being this close that made me squint like there was dust in my eyes. The air felt dirty. It smelled like bonfire. Dean jumped in. "We already have too many after class activities. And Mary is already helping Professor Snape from time to time." All I could do was nod along.

Professor smiled thin and wide. "I see." His eyes matched his smile. "A lot of reading too recently. Some interesting choices."

"You too," Daphne snorted. "Expecting a little one soon?"

He didn't like that. The book title was tucked a little further behind the sleeve of his robe. "A nephew on the way." Daphne just made that 'Ooh' sound she makes sometimes when she's being sarcastic. I know that sound now.

Dean clapped his hands together to break the tension before grabbing my hand and pulling me along. "Well congratulations Professor! We are running a little late so if that was all, we need to get going."

We turned to go but the tall thin man's bony hand shot out and grabbed my shoulder. I felt the cold wash of a vision shake me and take me beyond where I stood. In this new place there were grunts and then screams of pain. Harry Potter, held in the air, grabbed viciously at the professor's face. It seemed to sizzle, then crack, and finally burn away. Like a red and brown match that was struck, the man's face crumbled and then the rest of him. He withered away to dust under the touch of the powerful wizard Harry Potter until all that was left were his clothes. When I returned, Dean had forcefully removed the man's now slack hand from my shoulder. My bracelet glowed, informing everyone in the hall that I had just had a vision. Professor Q looked back and forth between me and the bauble.

"What did you see? You must tell me!" I could hear the desperation in his voice. I was still finding the ground under my feet after what just happened. Immediately coming back from a vision was like walking on air an inch from the floor. I needed to be tied back to where I was, or I would float away. Like an astronaut!

"I think I just saw you die Professor." I said with confidence, finally looking him in the eye and holding his gaze. "And it looked like you suffered."

His voice was a hoarse whisper as he bowed to meet my eyes. "Tell me!" A little bit of spittle came out. It was really gross.

Instead of telling him how I saw Harry Potter send him to eternal damnation, I looked up at his turban. I thought I saw it move. "You know, you could have just worn a hoodie or somethin' to hide that. I really thought you were Hindu."

Professor Quirrell jerked away from me the way my Mama stood upright when Papa pinched her on the backside. Just then I caught the eye of another lady dressed very similar to the mean librarian visiting Madame Pomphrey. She was dressed almost identical to the librarian inside. Black suit lined in gold. Her blouse was opened a few buttons like a harlot. We could all see her boobs. She seemed to look around before giving me a small bow. I was confused. I bowed back and turned to leave with Dean and Daphne.