What Can You Do?
Disclaimer: Please review and I only own the OC.
Again, thank you to Darkangelfirekitsune for being my beta and putting up with me ^-^
If there are any A/N in this chapter they will be marked with a * and the meaning behind it will be at the bottom of the chapter.
***There are going to be straight, gay, and lesbian pairings in this story***
***Don't like. Don't read***
Chapter 16
Running towards the Forbidden Forest, he saw the dead that triggered the alarms standing at its edge. Looking at it, it appeared to be young. Taking in a deep breath, Draco hoped it was not one of the students. Walking towards the mortuus est*, with his wand out, he heard Hermione come up from behind and cast petrificus totalus*, freezing it.
Taking in its appearances they saw that he was wearing a pair of blue jeans, with a black shirt. He was barefooted with cuts and scrapes along his feet. Looking at his face, Draco let out a sad sigh. Hearing footsteps from behind, Draco and Hermione turned to see Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, and Remus Lupin running towards them.
"How many are there?" Minerva asked, coming to a stop.
"Only one," Hermione said looking at the others.
"How did it get on the grounds?" Minerva asked looking around.
"There have to be others. Spread out and find them."
"There might only be one," Draco said with a frown on his face. Everyone looked at him.
"His name is…was Matthew Johnson. He is…was a third year Ravenclaw. His friends told Filius and I that he was missing. They said he went for a walk this morning and had not returned yet."
"That means there has to be another one on the grounds. Spilt-up and search for it," Minerva said, sadness and anger lacing her voice. Turning, Remus and Hermione went off in different directions. Draco locked eyes with Severus before turning and joining in the search for the other mortuus est. Staying behind, Severus looked at the frozen child, before turning to the Headmistress.
"You know what I told you," he said.
"I know, and I hope that it's not the truth; for if it is then we are in a harsher fight then what we first believed," she said with only sadness in her tone. Turning towards the frozen mortuus est, Severus raised his wand and cast percaput*, a piercing wound appearing in the middle of his forehead. Removing petrificus totalus, he let the body fall to the ground, lifeless.
"We'll talk later about this, but for now I need to inform the others about what has transpired. Have a house-elf take him to Poppy and just humor me and search. Just as a precaution. I want to know that there are no more on the grounds," Minerva continued to say while turning and walking back towards the castle, leaving Severus with the body.
Walking up to it, he did a quick glance, searching for any type of wound that would point towards the dead. A bite mark or scratches, but all that was there was mud and dirt. He could not see anything that would indicate that another mortuus est was the cause of his turning. There was no way to know for sure until Poppy checks him over.
"Winky," he said while taking in his surroundings. A small female house-elf appeared, with her huge brown eyes. She looked at Severus and said, "Yes Master Snape sir. What can Winky do for sir?" bowing halfway through speaking.
"Take him to Madame Pomfrey. She will be waiting for you," he said before turning and walking away, his robes billowing. He just had a feeling that this search was going to be pointless.
~~~Later that day~~~
Walking to the infirmary Remus was not sure what to think. They did not find another mortuus est, so how did Mister Johnson turn into one? Reaching the doors, he was about to push them open when he heard Minerva asked, "Are you sure Poppy?" her voice nothing but worry and fear.
"Yes. There are cuts and bruises along his body that signify that the poor boy fell. Sometime during the fall, he broke his neck. That was how he died. They're no bite marks or scratches from a mortuus est."
"You need to cast cave mori*, to let us know when someone's life is in danger," Severus said. Taking in a deep breath Minerva turned to look at Poppy and Severus while shaking her head in disbelief.
"That would mean that someone would have to go outside the wards. With Hogwarts on lockdown, that's impossible and even if there was a way, they would be unable to get back in. On top of that, depending on if they could leave it could take them days to finish the spell. So, what else can we do?" Minerva asked looking at them.
"I told you before the wards went up, that I speculated that a bite or scratched was not the only way it was transferred. This young gentleman just proves it. We have to do something, or everyone's life is in danger?" Severus said looking Minerva in her eyes. Looking back into his, she took in a couple of deep breaths before looking at the young child lying dead on one of the hospital beds. He died under her watch. Sorrow etched on her face, showing her age, for once.
"We need to inform the adults about this new development. That anyone that dies will become as a mortuus est, and that we are taking any volunteers that will willingly go out to cast the new wards," Minerva said now determined.
"You're going to send someone to their death," Poppy said in anger.
"What else would you have me do?" Minerva said looking Poppy in the eyes. The two women stared at each other for a couple of seconds before Poppy looked away in defeat.
"This ward needs to go up, and this is the only way. No one planned for the end of the world and whoever we send out could live. It all depends on them. Who knows, their odds might be better out there than in here. We just have to hope that this is not their end or ours. That we can and will make it through this. Hopefully, once things calm down the wards will drop on their own and we can help people. But right now, this moment, we need to focus on what needs to be down and that is this spell going up. Right now, life is a waiting game, and the prize is the next day." Deciding that he had heard enough, Remus looked up at the ceiling in thought before pushing the doors to the infirmary open.
"I may know of a way that someone could get in and out of Hogwarts, but there is no guaranteed that it would work," he said walking over to the small group.
"So glad you could join us," Severus said in a snappy tone.
"Severus!" Minerva said.
"It's fine. I'm used to it by now," Remus said giving Severus a kind smile before looking at Minerva.
"There are a couple of secret passages that James, Sirius and I found while we were students here. I have not checked all of them out but there has to be one still standing even after the battle. My guess would be the one on the third floor. It is the hump-backed witch. The passage leads to the cell of Honeydukes'. I don't know if the wards reach under the school to let someone leave and come back, but it's an option. It also brings up another, if it does let us come and go then does that mean that a mortuus est could find its way in?" Remus continued giving the other three something to think about.
"Why didn't you bring this up earlier?" Minerva asked in a state of confusion.
"Teddy asked me about some of the stories I used to tell him when he was a child. About all of the trouble that we got into here at Hogwarts. It reminded me about the secret passages, and I was on my way to tell you about them when the alarm when off. Draco, Hermine and I, along with some other adults just got down searching the grounds and did not find another one. I was coming to inform you about this, and the passages and it looks like I got here right on time," Remus finished.
"We could make this work in our favor, even if the mortuus est can come in. This way more than one can casted the wards," Minerva said a thoughtful look on her face.
"We need to talk to the others, but this passageway might just be what we are looking for. We can set up new wards, and also get more people to safety. Remus. Severus. Go inform the rest of the staff and adults that after supper we are having a meeting," Minerva said sending the two off. With and smile from one and a grunt from another, they both turned and left.
"Is this a good idea? Sending people outside the wards? Letting people in?" Poppy asked in worry.
"We have to. I hate this saying and I wish I could punch the man that said it all of the time, but it is for the greater good. We need to know the state of the world around us, but also give aid to those who could not make it here before the wards went up. We will have strict rules and procedures in place to protect the ones coming in and the ones that already live here. We will talk about it more tonight."
"As long as you're sure," Poppy said before walking towards her office. Taking in a deep breath, Minerva walked over to Matthew and looked at his now peaceful face.
"I am. I have to be," she said softly before turning and exiting the room.
~~~~~~~~Slytherin~~~~~~~~
A/N-Also if anyone has any questions about the story please ask.
1. Mortuus Est- Dead (Latin) (Made up)
Pronunciation: Mar-too-s Ess
What the occupants of Hogwarts call the dead.
2. Petrificus Totalus- to become stone (Latin)
Type: Full Body-Bind Curse
Pronunciation: pe-TRI-fi-cus to-TAH-lus
Description: Used to temporarily bind the victim's body in a position much like that of a soldier at attention; the victim will usually fall to the ground.
3. Wingardium Leviosa- wing, high, light (English, Latin)
Type: Charm
Pronunciation: win-GAR-dee-um lev-ee-OH-sa
Description: Makes objects fly, or levitate
4. Percaput- pierced (Corsican) (Made up)
Type: Piercing charm
Pronunciation: per-cap-et
Description: A 16 gage hole appears where the spell hits, piercing the body.
5. Cave Mori- beware of dying (Latin) (Made up)
Type: Charm
Pronunciation: KAH-way Moo-ree
Description: It is a charm that when cast will let the caster, and whoever is tuned in, know when someone in the area is dying or has a fatal wound.
~~~~~~~~Ravenclaw~~~~~~~~
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