Chapter Five: Dumbledore's Senses.

Shiny, brass objects reflected light from all directions, irritating Markus's eyes as he walked through Professor Dumbledore's office. He had awoken drowsily in the Hospital Wing after a day's recovering, where Madam Pomfrey eagerly informed him that Dumbledore wanted to speak with him.

He approached the desk near the back of the large room where Dumbledore sat, awaiting his arrival.

'Good evening, Mr. Starr. Good to see looking well.'

'Good evening sir.' Markus replied briskly, worried like mad. He was afraid that Dumbledore was about to expel him for what happened the previous evening.

Markus reached the professor and he began to speak.

'Markus, it is not for you to discover the secrets that rest beyond the Forbidden passage.' He paused for a few seconds, and continued 'But I can explain the sudden flood. It was a trap that I set for trespassers. That corridor is highly forbidden, Markus.'

Markus looked at Dumbledore, wide-eyed. 'Sir, I had no intent –'

'I understand dear boy' Dumbledore refused to argue, 'but what's done is done. Professor McGonagall and I have decided that each of you will be spending two week's detention every break time, and on Saturday mornings, each with a different teacher. Professor Rooset has kindly offered to take you. She will inform you where she wants the detention to be held.'

'Yes sir' Markus said, lowering his head.

'For the time being, Mr. Starr, I warn you, Miss. Wyndall and Mr. Summerberry, not to go lurking in the Forbidden Passage again. Is that clear?' the professor said, quite contentedly. It seemed as though he was barely angry at all, in fact, he seemed almost happy.

'Yes sir. I'm terribly sorry. It won't happen again.'

Dumbledore's mouth curled into a smile and Markus turned around to exit the room.

Rain was hitting the windows vigorously as Markus made his way back to the Ravenclaw common room, regret was flooding his skull. He was, in fact, feeling rather happy that he would be spending detention with the ever so cheerful Professor Rooset.

Markus felt tough for the rebellious incident he had pursued yesterday, it was as if the normal Markus had fled from his body and left an insurgent energy lingering inside of him. But he was still not satisfied; the door had opened by itself, the bird was nowhere in sight, and he did not find out what was beyond the orifice, besides pipes and bewitched plumbing. He now felt even more curious than Cherier. Whatever was behind it must be extremely important to Hogwarts if Dumbledore wanted to drown any intruders.

Perhaps he is expecting someone to break in? Markus thought, but he retired thinking about it, as he knew he would not find an answer anytime soon.

'Delicere Fructus' he said as he reached the portrait of the stern-looking Goblin.

'Correct' it said in a squeaky, hoarse voice, and swung open to let him into the common room.

'Markus!' Cherier appeared out of nowhere when he had barely even taken two steps into the room. 'How are you feeling?'

'Fine', he smiled at her. He felt relieved to see her. 'And you?'

'I'm good. I didn't need to stay in the hospital wing. Denver and I were about to come and visit you.'

'Yeah? And how is Denver?'

'He's fine. Madam Pomfrey let him out this morning. Said you'd been fast asleep ever since you got there.'

'It was lucky we didn't drown.'

'I'm so glad you're OK.' She said, blushing, and approached Markus slowly and swung her arms around him in a tight hug, 'I'm sorry for dragging you into this! It's all my fault!'

'Cherier, it's alright! It's not your fault at all.' Markus patted her on the back, still gripped in her embrace. It had completely slipped his mind that she had made him follow her into the Forbidden Passage in the first place, but he didn't care. He felt courageous and relieved, like he had grown up just a little more.

Cherier let go of him and said, 'Denver is pretty upset. He thinks you're mad at him.'

'He shouldn't have anything to worry about. Neither should you.'

'But… Markus, I thought you'd be absolutely fumed that you have detention – you do have detention, right?'

'Yes, with Professor Rooset. But everything's fine Cherier, I'm not angry. As a matter of fact, I quite like the idea that I got into trouble for once.'

Cherier grinned and said, 'I have Flitwick for detention, Denver has Trelawney. Should we go to dinner now?'

Markus hesitated for a bit, he wanted to stay in the common room while resting studying, and replied, 'Sure. I'm starving.'

One week had passed and the Quidditch try-outs for Ravenclaw were being held the next day.

'I can't. I have detention with Professor Rooset.' Markus explained to the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, Toban Fitt, who was in his seventh year at Hogwarts.

'Are you serious? Since when do you get detention? Anyway – You've got to come to the try-outs; I need to see how well you work with the new players.' Toban nagged him. He was, clearly, over-obsessed with Quidditch and couldn't bear the though that his best chaser would be missing the try-outs.

'I know, I know. I wish I could make it, but I can't. I'm sorry. The weather looks nasty anyway.' Markus looked out the rain-spattered window of the corridor as they were on their way to the great hall for lunch, and parted from Toban. 'I'll see you later, Fitt.'

'Yeah, see you Markus.' Toban sighed while Markus sat down next to Denver, who wasn't accompanied by Cherier, and continued walking up the Ravenclaw table towards his clan of friends.

'What's up with him?' said Denver. The bond between Markus and Denver seemed to have strengthened since the incident occurred in the Forbidden Passage; they had spent much more time together than usual.

'He is just in a foul mood because I can't make it to the try-outs tomorrow.'

'Just forget about him, –'

'Markus!' sounded a female voice just behind him, cutting off Denver. They both turned around to see a bright, cheery brunette Ravenclaw by the name of Felicia Synnister, one of Valen Glass's friends, staring gleefully at Markus.

'This is for you.' She handed Markus a small piece of folded parchment, giggled and walked away swiftly.

Markus shoved the parchment into his robe pocket ignorantly and continued talking to Denver.

'This whole detention business is getting in the way of everything.'

Denver went silent for a moment as he was eating; he closed the Daily Prophet in front of him and said to Markus, 'Do you think that bird was an Animagus?' This question seemed to come out of nowhere, and Markus choked on a bit of his Pumpkin Pasty. 'What if it's a Death Eater in disguise?'

'Let's not get into that, Denver…' Markus evidently tried to avoid the subject. His mind was clear of the incident ever since he started detention with Rooset. Denver remained silent, and Markus left his seat before he could speak anymore about the bird. 'I'm going to Rooset now. Thought I'd get a bit of an early start.'

'OK' Denver replied, befuddled as to why Markus would want to get to detention any earlier.

He arrived at Professor Rooset's office five minutes earlier than he was meant to. He stood outside the door, thinking about what task she would set him today. She had already set him things such as write lines, mopped the hospital wing floor, sorted through a box of dead Flobberworms for Healing Potion ingredients and stacked the bookshelves in her classroom in alphabetical order.

'Good afternoon Markus.' Professor Rooset appeared behind him, poking her head out of the door, 'Do come inside, my friend. It's awful chilly out in these corridors.'

The room was, as always, flooded with dull purple and blue colour schemes, furnished with rich antiques with enormous golden curtains covering the large windows. She flicked her wand and each curtain swiftly opened, slightly illuminating the room from the grey skies outside.

'Just take a seat next to me on my desk, Markus. Today I'll have you help me roll up Arp Tree leaves for today's lesson of Healing.' Easy stuff it is.' She confirmed with a large grin on her face.

'What are the leaves used for, Professor?' Markus said as he was pulling up an expensive looking mahogany seat from her desk.

'Ah, that you will find out later today Mr. Starr. Now, all you have to do is take a single leaf from the box beside you, make sure it isn't dried out or bug-eaten, and roll it up as tight as you can from side to side and pass it to me. Oh, and don't forget to snap the stem off each one beforehand.'

'Sure' he said, reaching into the box of leaves. He began rolling them up as quickly as he could as soon he smelled the stench the leaves were emitting.

'Yes, yes. Just like that, good, yes.'

Each time he handed a rolled-up leaf to her, she'd tap it with the tip of her wand, and it'd tighten up completely to a stick, and place it into a canister.

'I've noticed a couple more people have left the Healing class, Professor?' Markus said, trying to converse with her. The silence of the room was haunting.

'Yes' she said sadly, 'only fourteen people left now.'

Markus didn't know what to say back to her, instead he cleared his throat.

'Is it me, Markus? Am I doing something wrong? Are my teachings useless?' she questioned him.

'No, no! Of course not. I enjoy your class a lot' he said in all sincerity, 'But, why do you ask me, Professor?'

She beamed at Markus quite avidly, her eyes widened through her spectacles, 'Because you are my best student of all years, and you are honest, dear boy.'

Markus was taken aback by this and his cheeks were reddening, it was only a few weeks into the term, yet it seemed as if she had been teaching him for years. 'Just like you're father, you are' she added.

'My father? You know my dad?'

'Yes, indeed I do. It was only a week or so that we had known each other, I must say. I was the one who treated him a few years back in St. Mungo's when he had Scrofungulus.'

'Ah.'

'Very kind man, he is. The name's Howard, am I correct?'

'Yeah' said Markus, wanting to change subject as he broke the stem off of a leaf with a snap.

'He was back in St. Mungo's again, I hear.'

'Yeah.' he repeated.

'The poor man has had it rough…'

Markus thought it was strange that she knew so much about his father, but ignored it and continued rolling the leaves.

Detention today seemed to Markus to pass by rather slowly, but he didn't mind. He liked spending time with Professor Rooset, and enjoyed socialising with her. The same old Cherier, Denver, Parry and Darby got quite repetitive and boring every break-time and Markus wasn't particularly looking forward to going back to that after his one remaining week of detention ends.

'Well that should be enough now, it is lesson time soon. You might as well stay here considering you're with me for Healing, Markus.'

'I need my books, Professor. Sorry, it completely slipped my mind before I left.'

'Well, off you go then. Do hurry back. Lesson starts in about five minutes!' she motioned politely towards the door and Markus left the room.

Once he had left the Healing corridor, he made his way up a few staircases towards the Ravenclaw tower, stopping at the top of the second staircase, for Samuel Taxon and his group of friends stood in his path.

'Move, Taxon' Markus said, avoiding eye contact with him or any of his friends.

Taxon gasped sarcastically and said, 'That's not a very polite way of asking, is it Starr?'

Markus could tell he was trying to act big and bold in front of his friends. 'Get out my way, you jerk.' he said as he attempted to barge through the group, shoving Taxon aside. But Taxon retaliated and seized his arm in a tight grip.

'How dare you touch me!' he spat, and pushed Markus down the stairs with great force. He tumbled down painfully, groaning on his way and hit the bottom with a thud. His head hit the bottom stair.

Taxon and his friends laughed manically.

'That's what you get for being rude to me, Starr!'

They hurried down the staircase, and one of them kicked Markus in his arm as he lay there on his back. He stood up, rubbing his head, and swore loudly to Taxon.

Taxon made a rude hand gesture behind his back towards him as he continued coolly walking away. Markus pulled his wand out and pointed it towards him, but it was too late; he had disappeared behind a corner across the end of the corridor.

What had Markus done to deserve this?

Soon enough, the bell had rang, and several students now began to fill the corridors on their way to their classes. Just about every one of them who passed Markus had informed him that there was blood trickling down his forehead, but he didn't worry about it, as he was soon to be back in the hands of a professional healer; Professor Rooset.

'They live in dark places' said Denver, who was in the common room that night doing Care Of Magical Creatures homework with Markus and Cherier, 'like… caves and forests and stuff.'

'And inside hollow trees' Markus added.

Cherier nodded her head in somewhat approval and began jotting down sentences for her Glumbumble essay, muttering each word she wrote under her breath in concentration.

'Err, Markus.' Giggled a voice from behind him.

He turned around, and there stood Felicia Synnisterr, 'Yeah?'

'Err… Umm... Valen wants to know whether you have an answer for her note yet' she giggled a little more.

'Err' Markus was lost for words, he had completely forgotten about the parchment she had handed him at lunch earlier that day, 'err, just tell her I said yes.' He panicked, distinctly blushing. He, of course, hadn't read the note yet.

'OK!' Felicia ran off immediately while squealing excitedly and Markus instantly pulled the scrunched up note out of his pocket. He unfolded it and his heart leapt a mile.

He re-read the note once more, to confirm whether he was day-dreaming or not, but no, this was definitely real. It read:

Dear Markus,

I really, really like you.

Will you go out with me?

Valen.

He quickly scrunched up the note and returned it to the depths of his warm, dark robe pocket, and mumbled shakily, 'Oh my.'

'What's all this note business abou–?' nosed Cherier.

But Markus said '– Nothing' before she could even end her sentence. His heart was pounding; he had just agreed to go out with the most attractive girl in all of Hogwarts.

Denver and Cherier were both staring at him, waiting for him to explain himself. He was now shaking.

'Markus, are you OK?'

'I'm fine. I'm err… going to bed now.' He said so fast that he was amazed he even spoke English, and scooped all of his books, parchment and quills into his bag, 'See you tomorrow.'

'What's with him?' said Denver as he watched Markus clumsily run up the marble staircase into the boy's dormitories.

'Don't know.' Cherier had already returned to her homework.

'I'll go with him. Goodnight Cherier.'

'What a git!' Denver said, as he was tucking himself into bed. It was only now that Markus had decided to tell him about the staircase episode with Taxon. 'You're alright though, mate?'

'Yeah, I'm fine now. Rooset healed me within seconds.' Markus was already comfortably snuggled up in his bed, which was on the left of Denver's. It was still raining heavily outside, and it was dead cold in the boy's dormitory.

'No, I'm talking about the note thing. Has it got something to do with Taxon?' Denver was concerned for Markus.

'No' said Markus, but Denver sat up, waiting for him to speak more, which he did. 'Denver… I-I am now g-going out with Valen Glass.' Markus had trouble forcing the words out of his mouth.

'Are you… ARE YOU SERIOUS?' Denver roared with laughter.

'Shh! Keep your voice down!' There were a few boys already in bed and Markus didn't want anyone else to hear.

'I can't believe it!'

'What is so funny?'

'Oh, it's not funny' Denver said, raising his head as he was re-shaping his pillow, 'It's just… shocking.'

'Why? Because she's popular and I'm… not?'

'In all honesty, yes.'

'Well I don't find it that shocking.' Markus lied and rested his head, looking away from Denver, 'Goodnight.'

'Goodnight.'

All of a sudden there was a huge crashing sound, and the dormitory shook. Everyone sat upright in their beds.

'WHAT WAS THAT!?' yelled a boy who had awoken from a deep sleep on the other side of the room.

BANG.

It happened again, only this time Markus's eyes were open to see that there was a bright flash of lightning outside as it happened.

Everyone departed from their beds and ran out of the dormitory into the common room where the rest of the Ravenclaw students were huddled, looking out the large window.

'Lightning has hit the castle!' Cherier shouted across the room to Denver and Markus who were dressed in their pajamas, 'We saw it! It looked as though it hit the same place twice'

BANG.

It happened again and everyone screamed, more so the girls.

'Markus looked over at Valen Glass, who looked as though she was on the verge of tears, but trying to smile, he weakly smiled back and grabbed Denver's arm. They ran to Cherier and took her outside of the common room. The commotion was getting rowdier as students were scrambling around awkwardly and frantically.

'Lightning never strikes in the same place more than once!' Markus said, as the two followed him running down the corridor, 'Something definitely isn't right here.'

They made their way to the Great Hall as quick as they could, once they reached the bottom floor, they noticed many Gryffindors in their pyjamas running to the great hall, some were even crying. Professor McGonagall was trailing them frenetically, 'It's OK, everything is going to be fine! Dumbledore will fix everything as soon as – Dear Merlin!' she said, a hand fluttering to her chest. The lightning had struck again. Whether in the same place as the first, they didn't know, but they were all anxious to get into the hall, where they'd, hopefully, find Dumbledore.

Professor McGonagall was standing behind the crowd of students in front of the entrance doors to the Great Hall, she flicked her wand from a distance and the doors opened.

Everyone swarmed into the hall like a pack of Jeeherzies, and Dumbledore appeared behind Markus and the others, 'Everyone inside, as quick as you can.' He said to them, and then raised his voice so that everyone could hear, 'Filius, Severus, Pomona! Gather all students and hurry to the Great Hall immediately!'

The heads of houses were bound to be somewhere within the crowd that was growing larger by the second.

Dumbledore ran to the front of the hall and stood up, 'Sonorus! Everybody listen' the charm had raised his voice significantly, 'Hogwarts has been attacked from what I believe to be dark forces, everyone must remain in the hall until I dismiss you, I repeat; everyone must remain in the Great Hall! You will all be spending the night in here.'