Thanks to everyone who took the time to review! I love hearing from you!
I'm glad everyone liked the last chapter, I was a bit nervous that it would disappoint...this chapter is just a lot of light-hearted fun :D hope you like it!
Chapter Twelve
Harry felt like he'd been waiting out on that stairwell for hours, and his butt really hurt. He'd finally settled down on the floor his back to the door and was trying not to fall asleep, which was easier said than done at this point. It had been forever! Just how long could a conversation with a dog last? Honestly!
The door Harry was leaning against moved suddenly and Harry fell backwards before he could catch himself. Immediately, Wolfsbane was excitedly sniffing and licking at his face.
"Wolfsbane!" Harry exclaimed gleefully, and he quickly sat up to pet his dog.
"Harry," Dumbledore said softly, and Harry's smile immediately disappeared at the tone and he looked helplessly between the headmaster and Professor Lupin. Wolfsbane didn't seem to notice and continued to bounce around Harry happily. "I fear that Wolfsbane will have to leave you."
"Why?" Harry demanded, sounding like this physically wounded him. Wolfsbane nudged his chin and made a soft, encouraging noise.
"It appears Professor Lupin was right in the fact that Wolfsbane was hiding something," Dumbledore explained, but he continued before Harry could try to defend his dog, "However, he was wrong about the secret being something malicious. Wolfsbane is indeed a fine animal; you were quite right about his character."
Harry's eyes were wide with confusion and hurt and he asked, voice cracking, "Then…why does he have to go?"
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily and he replied, "I'm sure Wolfsbane will be happy to tell you himself in a couple of days."
Harry's face went slack in confusion and he stared at Dumbledore in disbelief.
Dumbledore clapped his hands together, businesslike, and continued, "As for poor Scabbers-"
"Poor, poor Scabbers," Remus interjected looking sorrowful, but it didn't reach his eyes which were crinkled in an almost-smile.
"Poor Scabbers is going to die," Dumbledore sighed and Harry looked horrified, all color leaving his face.
"But Ron!" Harry began, flabbergasted, "He'll blame me!"
"I fear no one can be blamed for Scabbers' misfortune," Dumbledore assured him.
"It's quite true," Professor Lupin agreed, sorrowfully, "rats are dirty creatures prone to sniffing around the most disgusting of places and associating with the worst scum...no one can be held responsible for the disease he's picked up. It's simply the nature of the rat."
"Not only that," Dumbledore continued, "but we are afraid that Scabbers' ailment is contagious and can be passed on to humans. It's possible that you and your roommates have caught his disease-you'll have to be treated immediately, and we will have to remove Scabbers from the school as soon as possible."
"But how will I tell Ron!" Harry wailed, looking sick at the thought of having to confront his best friend. "He loved Scabbers and his parents probably won't be able get him another pet!"
"I'm sure that something can be arranged for Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said mysteriously, eyes twinkling as he looked down at Wolfsbane who barked once in agreement.
"Now why don't you run along to lunch," Dumbledore told Harry brightly, "And after take all of your roommates up to the hospital wing for treatment. Wolfsbane, would you please say goodbye to Harry?"
Wolfsbane eagerly pounced Harry and began licking and sniffing around his face, while Harry struggled and giggled helplessly. After a few moments, he was flushed and unable to maintain his frown, Wolfsbane looked as satisfied as a dog possibly could.
"Now Harry," Dumbledore said brightly, "Professor Lupin and I have a bit of business to attend to, Scabbers must be sent off to the proper authorities, and we must introduce Wolfsbane to a few associates of mine..."
Then, Dumbledore helped Harry up off the floor and began talking about pineapples and something else nonsensical until Harry realized he was no longer in Dumbledore's office and Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.
"Bonkers!" Harry breathed out, in utter confusion, "Completely bonkers!"
Hermione gasped in shock and Ron looked a little green around the edges.
"He says that all of us: me, Ron, Neville, Dean and Seamus have to go get some medicine after lunch," Harry finished.
"I'm up in your room a lot," Hermione said, fearfully, "maybe I should go too!"
"What about us?" Fred or possible George asked, and the other one added, "We lived with Scabbers!"
"And Ginny!" Ron squeaked, turning pale.
"All fantastic points!" Dumbledore exclaimed, appearing suddenly, and looking positively joyous. "In fact, all of Gryffindor house should receive treatment! It's only safe."
Dumbledore's voice became loud once more, "Following lunch, all of Gryffindor should return to Gryffindor Tower to receive emergency treatment for a disease which has been spread by one of the students' pet rat."
"Good job, Ron," The twins taunted together and Ron flushed as Gryffindor table turned to stare at him.
"In addition, all classes following lunch will be cancelled," Dumbledore paused while everyone cheered wildly, "as will tomorrow's classes!"
Several students leapt to their feet, applauding vivaciously, and the noise level of the Great Hall increased ten-fold at the good news.
Dumbledore cheerfully made his way up to the high table and moments later Professor Lupin walked in, he paused to smile questioningly at Harry.
Harry decided he may as well smile back, and it looked like it made the professor's day.
About thirty minutes after the first people received their treatment they began laughing and joking around quite loudly and soon the entire house was as well. Everyone was bouncing off the walls and Fred and George managed to somehow remember the lyrics to the school song and were belting it out as loud as they possibly could.
Ron was laughing as he cried over the impending death of Scabbers while his audience laughed along with him.
Some students had decided to play exploding snap, but merely ended up throwing them at each other and shrieking with laughter when they exploded on impact.
Off in the corner Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore were talking.
"Cheering Potions?" McGonagall demanded, "Really?"
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily and he replied, "It's the only cure for the mysterious ailment which plagued young Mr. Weasley's rat."
"Honestly, Albus, it will take them hours to calm down," McGonagall complained.
"Then enjoy your afternoon off, Minerva," Dumbledore replied, "I'm sure I'll have great fun looking after them."
"And perhaps sometime this evening you'll explain to me how we went from a lock-down due to Sirius Black being in the school to administering Cheering Potions as if we were dealers."
"It's a most delightful story," Dumbledore assured her, "and I'll be most happy to share."
"Hmm," McGonagall murmured thoughtfully, scanning the room, "wherever has Mr. Potter's delightful dog gone?"
"Remus told me you examined him," Dumbledore commented, nonchalantly.
"The man was paranoid," McGonagall sighed, rolling her eyes, "I just cast a few spells here and there to make it look like I did."
Dumbledore chuckled knowingly and repeated, "A most delightful story, I shall thoroughly enjoy seeing your reaction, Minerva."
"Well, I'm off, all this noise is beginning to give me a headache," McGonagall sighed.
"Whenever did you grow old, my dear?" Dumbledore asked looking scandalized.
"A few hundred years after you did," McGonagall teased, and then she left the common room full of wild Gryffindors.
"Sir," Fred or George genially greeted Dumbledore, leaving the group of students they'd gotten to join in with singing the school song, "can we interest you in a sweet?"
"Oh, certainly boys!" Dumbledore said brightly, and the twins gave him something resembling a custard cream. They then quickly made their escape and Dumbledore happily ate it and then suddenly sprouted bright yellow feathers, which made him chuckle merrily.
The next morning, all the Gryffindors stumbled in, late, for breakfast looking extremely subdued and tired.
Dumbledore's beard and hair were now bright yellow feathers which paired with the yellow robe he'd chosen to wear made quite the statement. Harry was quite sure that it was the yellow robe that he'd bought while shopping with Harry over the summer.
"Need to work on that," one of the twins commented tiredly to the other, noticing the feathers which Dumbledore was still sporting from the afternoon before.
"Maybe later," the other one replied.