Harry stared at the food on his plate listlessly. In their excitement over recounting Hogsmeade, Ron and Hermione hadn't noticed his preoccupation. Ron piled some colorful candies in front of Harry, explaining the different kinds, sampling a few "to demonstrate" as he spoke. Harry smiled at Ron's thoughtfulness and attempt to include him. Hermione excitedly recounted the different kinds of quills that she saw at Scrivenshafts and the owls at the post office. "I always wondered how owl post worked and we got to see how the mail was sorted!" She rambled in her usual way about delivery systems and owl priorities.
Ron piled food onto his plate as he described butterbeer and blushed redder than his hair when Hermione mentioned the barkeep, Madam Rosmerta. Harry listened half-heartedly to his friends. Part of him, the normal thirteen-year-old part, felt some resentment over the fact that he did not get to go with his friends to enjoy the day at a magical village. However, another part of Harry felt a measure of wistfulness and peace at having been able to remember his mother. No one had ever talked about his mother as she was in life. Harry loved all of the little details that he learned and he desperately wanted to try rocky road ice cream. Dudley hated nuts in his ice cream so Harry's experience, when he was allowed to have ice cream, was limited to Dudley's selections.
Harry snuck a glance up at the staff table. Surprisingly and to his great relief, Snape was nowhere to be found. Harry frowned as he thought about all that he relayed to Snape and grimaced, as he was sure that the nasty potions professor would bring it up in some capacity during their next potions lesson. He was also unsure how to act around the snarky bat now that he knew that Snape had been friends with his mother. Harry knew that Lady DuLac had been tried to provide some context for Snape's behaviors, but the information that he received only served to make him more confused. He did not understand why Snape was so nasty towards him. Harry shook his head. His thoughts had gone down this track before and there was no use in thinking about it. At the end of the day, Snape was still an unfair git.
He noticed, as he continued to look at the table, that Lady DuLac was sitting next to Lupin and was seemingly engaging him in conversation. Lupin looked slightly ill, but Harry knew that he was often ill. He suddenly remembered the potion that Snape had given Lupin. A thought crossed his mind: what if Snape was poisoning Lupin! After all, Snape had always wanted the defense post.
At that precise moment, Hermione noticed Harry's inattention and asked him about his day. Harry briefly considered confiding in his friends about his mother but refrained again. He didn't know why he was being so secretive about his past. He simply was not ready to share the depth of feeling that he had experienced. It felt too private. Instead, he related his suspicions about Snape. Hermione looked thoughtful. Ron looked outraged. "Of course he's poisoning Professor Lupin!" He stated vehemently. "Remember the boggart and Neville's grandmother's clothes. I'm sure that the slimy git wants to get back at Lupin for that! Do you reckon that's why he looks so ill?"
"Honestly, Ronald," began Hermione. "I doubt that Professor Snape would poison another professor in front of a student! He saw you sitting there, right Harry?" Despite her words, she looked slightly unsure.
"Yeah," explained Harry, suddenly doubtful about his own allegations. Ron's explanation had sounded ludicrous. "Lady DuLac was there, too, but she got there after Snape had given Lupin the potion," he added.
"Well then, I'm sure she would have noticed the potion," stated Hermione primly as if it settled the matter. "There is no way that the head of security would have let something like that slide."
"Unless she's part of the plan!" Ron exclaimed, his cheeks red. He appeared irritated by Hermione's earlier dismissal. "She's a Slytherin! She and Snape are thick as thieves. I reckon Dumbledore's being strong-armed into letting her run the place! As if Dumbledore couldn't stop Sirius Black on his own!"
Harry shuddered at the thought. Apparently, Sirius Black was crazy enough to plan to attack Harry at Hogwarts even under Dumbledore's watch. His determination scared Harry and not for the first time, Harry wondered if he could ever truly be safe. It seemed that a new threat lurked every year, despite the presence of one of the greatest wizards of all time.
He was also incensed by Ron's statements about Lady DuLac. "Don't." He said softly. Ron and Hermione looked at him with puzzled expressions. "She was my mum's…" He paused. He wasn't sure if he wanted to disclose his familial tie, not yet anyways. "Er…she knew my mum and she's decent, alright? She told Snape to act like an adult when he started going off on Lupin for saying that I should be allowed to go into Hogsmeade."
Ron looked impressed. "She told Snape to act like an adult?!" He whistled softly. "How did he take that?"
"He stormed out of the room," Harry stated. He did not want to explain what happened after.
Hermione seemed to sense that Harry was hiding something. She looked at him as if he was some kind of rune diagram that she was attempting to decipher. "What was she doing there, in the first place?" She asked after a moment.
"She was looking for Snape…er…something about patrols, I think. Then, she wanted to ask Lupin some questions." Harry explained, relieved that Hermione had chosen this line of questioning.
Hermione seemed to accept this as an answer. "I wonder why she was asking Professor Lupin questions. Maybe he knows about some of the dark arts that Black is using to disguise himself. I've read about some of the confounding charms that you can place on people. I bet that's why people have been spotting him all over the country!" She looked excited about the potential for further research.
Suddenly, several students gasped in surprise. The Great Hall was suddenly filled with murmurs. Neville turned to the group, who had been preoccupied by their conversation. "Lady DuLac just disappeared! She apparated!"
Ron scoffed. "Everyone knows you can't do that inside the castle!"
"Well, she just did!" Neville exclaimed.
"But there are all sorts of enchantments to prevent apparating in the castle," stated Hermione. "I read about it Hogwarts A History."
The Great Hall suddenly went silent when Lady DuLac reappeared. Harry watched as she approached Dumbledore, her mouth set in a thin grim line. She whispered quickly to the Headmaster, who looked shocked by whatever she related. After stealing a glance at Harry as if to confirm his presence in the hall, the Lady disappeared once more.
Dumbledore drew the professors into a huddle as the students began to speculate about what had occurred. Harry noticed Sprout put her hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp while McGonagall looked grim. Flitwick and few others went to entrance points of the hall.
Dumbledore stood up and addressed the hall. "It appears," He waited for the whispers of students to cease.
McGonagall tapped on her goblet, the sound reverberated through the hall, causing the students stop speaking immediately.
"It appears that Sirius Black has been sighted within the castle. He attempted to enter the Gryffindor Tower. We are currently searching the premises for his whereabouts to ensure your safety. Prefects, please account for the students in your house and report to Mr. Weasley and Miss Clearwater." Dumbledore announced calmly. Percy stood up and puffed his chest importantly at this set of instructions. Dumbledore continued, "You will all remain in the hall until the castle has been searched and cleared." He then exited through the doors next to the staff table.
As soon as he left, the hall erupted in noise. The food was cleared off the tables but the students barely noticed as the Halloween decorations popped out of existence. They wildly speculated on how Black had entered the castle. Seamus was convinced that Black had flown into the castle, aided by some members of Falmouth Falcons. Harry overheard a group of Hufflepuffs who believed that Black was impersonating a student at the school. It was actually one of the more reasonable conjectures.
Professors stopped in from time to time to check on the students. Hermione was currently fretting over the fact that she had left some of her schoolbooks in the girls' dormitory. Ron scoffed at this as he mentioned that Hermione's schoolbag was always overflowing. "Why do you need to carry them around with you all the time 'Mione? You can't possibly be attending all of those classes in one day!"
Presently, Dumbledore reappeared. He looked at the hall of students, which grew quiet at his reentry. Harry noticed that the headmaster looked rather weary. Dumbledore put his wand to his throat and stated, "Suffice to say, we are still conducting our search of the castle.. It seems that you have the rare opportunity to spend the night under the stars." He waved his wand and hundreds of purple sleeping bags appeared.
Lady DuLac appeared nearly at the same time as the sleeping bags. She stood next to Dumbledore, pushing one of the bags aside with her foot, a disgusted look crossed her face for a moment before she schooled her expression. Harry was almost relieved to see her. He wondered if it meant that Sirius Black had been caught. He saw her shake her head subtly at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore began to speak. "The prefects will stand guard at the entrances and I am leaving…"
"If I may Headmaster," Lady DuLac interrupted. Dumbledore appeared puzzled for a moment by the interruption but seemed to regain his equanimity and nodded at Lady DuLac. She turned to address the crowd. "Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout will stand guard at the entrances. You will report anything vaguely suspicious to them. This includes suspicious behaviors, new pets, any unexplainable occurrences." She looked apologetically at Professor McGonagall, who stood at the entryway, her expression stony. The Lady continued, "I'm afraid that nothing is above notice at this time. Thank you, Headmaster." With a sharp nod in Dumbledore's direction, she apparated out of sight.
McGonagall ordered the students into their sleeping bags. Harry, Ron, and Hermione grabbed three and brought them into the corner closest to the entrance, their curiosities piqued. They observed as several students approached the beleaguered deputy headmistress. A Ravenclaw first year stated that her recent marks on her potions essay were below acceptable and that she was sure that Sirius Black had switched her work. Pansy Parkinson reported nastily that Daphne Greengrass appeared to be "hanging around Draco too much" and that it was "highly suspicious." Harry grew amused as McGonagall turned away student after student. After the lights were turned out and McGonagall had sharply rebuked one of the last remaining students for bringing an "utterly irrelevant report," she turned to Professor Sprout, who had comforted some of the more distraught students.
Harry caught her distinct burr as she spoke with Sprout. "I don't understand what she is about, ordering us as if she owns the place."
"It's much better than the dementors doing the sweep." Sprout answered softly.
"Well, of course no one wants that," McGonagall answered exasperatedly. "It's just that I feel my time would be better spent searching the castle with Albus and the rest."
"I know you would, dear." Harry pretended to sleep as he noticed Sprout patting McGonagall's arm. The dim light from the corridor outlined their silhouettes. "But you have to admit, this is better than having the prefects guard the hall. Imagine if Sirius Black came across one of them. I believe you pose much more of an obstacle for him, should he try anything. I, for one, feel better being able to comfort the poor dears. Imagine the fright some of them must be feeling."
McGonagall sniffed. "Well, I suppose that part is well thought out," she conceded.
Sprout sighed. "I can't believe what happened to the poor Fat Lady. To be attacked like that. Why, the canvas was in strips! What a dedicated portrait. I hope that Albus finds a nice new frame for her."
Harry heard a faint rustle next to him. He knew that Hermione was also listening to the conversation.
"To be so violent, though," Sprout added. "I knew that he was always a bit of a troublemaker at Hogwarts, but still, I didn't know he had it in him."
"I'm sure Azkaban didn't help. They say that he had gone quite mad when they caught up with him." McGonagall answered gravely.
"Still, to betray his best friend like that. I didn't ever imagine it were possible! Thick as thieves, they were-him and James," Sprout said softly.
Harry had to stifle a gasp. Hermione, unfortunately, did not. McGonagall cleared her throat and announced that everyone should be asleep. The whispers around them quieted momentarily. "Perhaps, Pomona, we should speak of other things when there aren't prying ears?" She said in a low voice. Sprout made a noise of agreement and began describing the new plants that she had acquired over the summer.
Harry's mind was spinning. The day had been full of revelations. Sprout had mentioned that Black had been friends with James. Was it possible that Black had been friends with his father? Hermione appeared to have come to the same conclusion. Unfortunately, he couldn't speak to her without the possibility of McGonagall over hearing their whispering. Being this close to the entrance had its drawbacks. Harry felt an all-too familiar headache beginning and he drifted off into a fitful sleep.