Headmaster Diggery jumped as a loud bang happened at the door. /How rude.../ he thought as the banging persisted.
"Come in."
The person wasted no time and the door was flung open. His secretary on the their side just shrugged, as she looked at him through the door from her desk.
"Call the police!" An obviously distraught Nymphadora Tonks ordered, causing Diggory to be slightly taken aback.
"Calm down, please. Now what could be the problem?" He motioned for the chair in front of the desk.
Tonks ignored it and slammed her hands on the desk. "We don't have the time!" she yelled. "One of your students is being abused by his family, and maybe others. We need to call the police."
Headmaster Diggory just sat shell-shocked for a moment, staring at the moment. "Do you have any proof?"
"Scars, all over his body. It looks like he's been cut or whipped! There's bruises, too. It's Harry Prewett."
"Is he prone to fighting?" Surely his parents wouldn't... Or at least that was what he prayed, as he went to look through his files. Harry Prewett...
"No. He doesn't generally have anything to do with any of the other students. Now please call the police!" Tonks finally took the chair, exhausted, after she saw Diggory reaching for the phone.
She waited a few minutes, not really listening to the conversation.
"Ok, thank you." Finally he hung up. "They're sending a officer to investigate the Prewetts and another here to talk to us and the boys. Now, you are sure?"
"Yes!"
"In that case..." He reached to the intercome and called Mackenzie to the infirmary, and than stood. "After you." Headmaster Diggory held the door open for her.
The walk was quiet until Diggory broke the silence. "I hate to think that anyone could abuse a child," the man said sadly.
"I agree." Tonks just didn't see how. What type of satisfaction could come from something like this?! Yet, it happens...
"I lost a son, not to long ago, Cedric. He was thirteen and was hit by a drunk driver. My wive and I still haven't gotten over it." He shook his head sadly. "People should hold more value for their kids."
They were silent once again, both feeling heavy hearts.
Mackenzie had already arrived at the nurse's, by the time they got there, the boy looking more than slightly upset.
"...can't touch me!" He was yelling at the matron, backing away.
"I'm sorry, but this has to be done." But Pomfrey could see that he would be no easier than Harry. It pained her to see either boy like this... Currently, Harry was in her office, as she had decided that the boy didn't need to witness Mackenzie's examination, if he had been abused like she was almost certain Harry had been.
"Madam?" Diggory interrupted her, alerting the nurse to their presence.
"I'm glad you're here, Headmaster Diggory. Has Professor Tonks told you of my suspicions?"
"Yes, I'm sorry to say. I've alerted the police; an officer should be here shortly."
"Good." The dower faced nurse nodded. "I was about to examine Mackenie here, however, I may need some help. He bit me the last time I touched him!" Pomfrey held out her hand to show the headmaster the red teeth-marks on her arm.
"My word! Are you alright?" Diggory was visibly startled. "Maybe we should wait for the officer, before continuing."
"It doesn't hurt too much. But, maybe you're right. Perhaps it would be best to wait." She glanced at Mackenzie, who was glaring at them, eyes wild, while backed into a corner. Pomfrey was glad Harry wasn't in the room. She hated it when she ran across abused children. Unfortunately, by the time the child came to her notice, the abuse would have been going on for some time.
After a few moments of waiting, and Mackenzie had been coaxed into a hair, sure enough an officer did arrive, after being directed where to go by the secretary.
The talking went on for about and hour, while the situation was explained, and Harry had been brought back out, when suddenly a call came over his walkie-talky.
The Prewetts were no where to be found.
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Neither Mildred or John Prewett were seen again, the house and the boys had been abandoned. The police had also looked into the disappearance of Robert Prewett; nothing was found, so they considered that maybe a family member really had taken him away.
Harry and Mackenzie where returned to orphanages, Harry to his original one, Mackenzie to another.
It was a week later that Tonks did overhear a conversation that told all. Professor Catherine Martin was gossiping, as usual, with another teacher; discussing her actually.
"...that tramp Nymphadora called the police on Mildred and John Prewett. She actually acused them of child abuse! No one who would adopt all those children only to abuse them! Mildred can't even have children of her own."
"Yes!" The other woman agreed.
"Not only that, she had been complaining to me only moments before about the boy, the youngest... Harry. Apparently, the boy had decided to tell his lies to someone else, and she actually believed him! I couldn't belive the boy's audacity and had to call his parents. Mildred was horrified, of course. I also told them, that twit actually sent him to the nurses office. He's never going to learn anything if he's always excused from class, after all!"
"You bitch!" Tonk exclaimed, causing both women to jump.
"Oh, it's you." Catherine sniffed with disdain. The other women looked uncertain for a moment, before making an excuse to get away from the enraged Tonks.
"You bitch!" Tonks repeated. "Do you have any idea what you're done!? They've gotten away because of you."
"Well, it's not as if they were guilty, dear."
Tonks paused for a moment. "Those boys were obviously traumatized and hurt. Harry, and most likely Mackenzie, as well, were scarred neck to toe. How do you explain that."
"The boys were prone to fighting with each other, but they were only boyish squabbles. The Prewetts, explained it all to me. Really dear, you should think about these things." She explained, as if talking to a nine year old.
"You... bitch!" There was nothing else Tonks could think of to say, as she stormed away.
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