CHAPTER 10 - THE 6TH FLOOR


The next day Hagrid let them into the gates again shortly after breakfast.
"Yer not up to anythin' dangerous are yer?" Hagrid asked cautiously
"No, we are just using the library for research." Hermione said convincingly
"Oh, righ'." Hagrid said
Harry could tell he looked a lot more relieved, but hated lying to him all the same
"How are the Augreys?" Ron asked
"Good, bu' very shy. Don' really like girls to much, which is a change from ther unicorns. I was surprised by this as the Augurey and Unicorns spend a lo' o' time together." Hagrid said sounding slightly confused, but still very proud of himself
"Thanks Hagrid," Harry said as they reached the front door, "We'll come down to your cabin when we are finished."
"Yer better." Hagrid agreed. He waved and then turned and walked back to his cabin
Ron pushed the door open and let Hermione and Harry in first. Ron followed on in and shut the door as quietly as he could behind him. Harry looked up and saw the Grey Lady waiting patiently at the foot of the stairs leading up to the west tower
"Good morning to you." She said sadly
"Good morning." The 3 replied quietly
"You are after my fair sisters flute are you not?"
"Yes we are. We just want to look at it, and see if anyone else has managed to see it." Harry explained
"If you would follow me please." the Grey Lady said with a sigh
Harry, Ron and Hermione followed in silence. After not saying a word for 3 floors Harry had to break the silence
"Umm ma'am would you like us to call you the Grey Lady, Finola or ma'am?"
The Grey Lady stopped and turned around suddenly and Ron nearly walked through her
"I would prefer it if you called me ma'am or Finola, but when you see me in the corridors during term you are to call me the Grey Lady. Not many people know of my secret. Only select Ravenclaw's know themselves." She continued walking
"Although I haven't seen you, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger at school this term. Is there a reason?" she asked in her same sad voice
"We chose to study at home this year. Our parents did not want us returning." Hermione said confidently
"My apologies to Harry Potter, but aren't his parents deceased?"
"They are, but I see Ron's family as my own and they decided it would be safer if I studied at home." Harry replied
"Ron Weasley, if your parents requested that you study at home, then if I may ask, why is your younger sister still at school?"
"She is the defiant one in the family. She takes after the twins and does what she wants." Ron answered, Harry could see Ron was getting nervous
The Grey Lady had stopped walking again and this time Ron did walk through her.
"I would appreciate it if you never walked through me again Ron Weasley." She said sadly
Ron apologised and Harry looked around and noticed that they were on the 6th floor.
"Excuse me Harry Potter, what are you holding?" the Grey Lady asked
"Oh, its my dads old invisibility cloak." Harry replied. He had forgotten that he was holding it. The Grey Lady looked vaguely interested, but then turned her attention towards the painting.

It was a large painting, the top of the frame touched the ceiling and the bottom of the frame touched the floor. It was as wide as the 4 people standing in front of it. Harry was looking into a painting of what looked to be an old man with dark brown, waist length, brown hair which was tied up in a pony tail. He was wearing robes of rich magnificent red and black buckle shoes. In the corner at his feet was a red, black and gold stripped jesters hat. He was standing next to a door with 3 gold handles.
"To get to the flute you have to turn the bottom handle, then the top handle, the bottom handle then the middle handle. After you have turned the handles in succession you need to place the jesters hat on his head and tickle his stomach. He will then remove his hat, place it at his feet and open the door for you, which you will then walk through. It will snap shut behind you. To get out all you need to do is walk up to the behind of the man and, and, and, oh you have to pinch his behind. My sister did have a crude sense of humour." the Grey Lady told them sounding slightly embarrassed.
"Thank you Finola ma'am. Do not worry about the humour, I know someone whose humour is even cruder." Harry replied. He put his hand out to turn the handle, but all it hit was paint. He turned to the Grey Lady in surprise and asked
"How come it didn't work?"
"I see my sister has thought this through. It seems to me that you can only open the door if you are a student or teacher here. Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, please try and turn the handle."
Hermione and Ron tried to turn the handle, but failed to open the door. Like Harry there hands just hit paint.
"I guess Ginny will have something to do now." Ron said bleakly
Harry made a mental note of where they were and to check it on the Marauders map when he got home.
"Thank you very much for your help Finola ma'am. When we go in, would you like to come with us?" Harry asked
The Grey Lady thought for a while and did not look as sad as what she did when she greeted them this morning
"That would be very nice thank you."
"We will let Hagrid know when we are coming to the school next and he can tell you to meet us up here."
"I will see you then Harry Potter. Good day to you all." she said in her same sad tone. The Grey Lady put her head down and glided off.

Harry heard the sound of someone walking and threw his cloak over himself, Ron and Hermione and they stepped back and tried to become one with the wall. McGonagall and Scrimgeour rounded the corner
"Potter and his friends still haven't started term yet, do you know where they are, or when they will bother to attend there final year?" Scrimgeour asked
"Minister, I have already told you. I have no idea where they are or what they are doing or why they are not at school. I have sent them all a letter, but the owls refuse to leave my office. If that is all you wish to talk to me about then good day to you." McGonagall replied curtly. They had stopped directly opposite the portrait.
"Good day Minerva." Scrimgeour said
McGonagall nodded her head curtly and continued walking down the corridor and down the stairs. Scrimgeour however turned and looked at the painting. To Harry's shock he reached out and tried to open the door. Scrimgeour turned the top handle and the man winked at him and shook his finger. Scrimgeour then turned the bottom handle, which stayed pointing down. He then turned the middle handle and the man poked his tongue out. Scrimgeour was going to try again but Filch came around the corner.
"Good day ter you Minister."
"Hello Filch, I'm in a hurry, so I had better move on." Scrimgeour turned and followed the same path McGonagall exited on.

Harry, Ron and Hermione had a quick lunch with Hagrid making small talk. They promised Hagrid they would catch up with him after Christmas and hurried out the gates and apperated back to Harry and Ron's room in Grimmauld Place so they would not be interrupted by anyone.
"What was Scrimgeour doing!" Hermione cried
"He was turning the handles. But why?" Ron asked out loud
"I have no idea. Argh, I wish this all made sense." Harry expressed
The 3 of them thought out loud for several moments but nothing came to mind. Harry's brain felt heavy and told Ron and Hermione he was going to have a nap and to wake him before dinner.