Red Coven's Dorm

42 minutes after the dragons' attack on Luna Nova, Scotland Yard arrived at campus to perform an investigation on the matter. As the attack had a foreign politician and several US Military personnel getting caught in it, MI-6 and the British Army joined the investigation not too long later, with the whole campus being put under security lockdown.

The fact that the academy's Philosopher's Stone was stolen quickly became noteworthy to the investigators.

After getting asked a few questions by Scotland Yard officers and thoroughly interrogated by MI-6 agents, all Luna Nova students were sent back to their dorms and told that it is best they don't go anywhere for the time being. The investigators would then do the same with the visiting students and faculty of Appleton.

"This is so boring..." Akko complained while lying on her bunk bed.

"Maybe you should find a book to read, like Lotte is doing right now..." Sucy suggested without turning her attention away from the potion vials that she is cleaning.

Lotte, however, isn't reading a book like Sucy said she was. Instead, she is discussing about the whole situation with the dragon attack and the stolen Philosopher's Stone with Mary-Ann and writing their findings down on a notebook, with Wispy serving as a source of light.

"It can't be a coincidence that the Philosopher's Stone gets stolen immediately after the dragons attacked!" Mary-Ann pointed out. "The attack has to be a distraction! This is all planned out!"

"You're right!" Lotte agreed. "But then, who could be calling the shots?"

"I also noticed something unusual about those dragons!" Mary-Ann continued. "Namely..."

...

Headmistress's Office

"...These dragons are actually robots."

Professor Nelson announced as she dropped the mangled remains of one of the dragons onto the floor, presenting its clearly metallic skeleton and mechanical components under the evidently synthetic skin.

"A... robot?" Professor Badcock parroted the word with confusion. "Like one of those so-called brand new Muggle technologies?"

"They're not 'brand new'." General Eileen Bradley, who decided to assist the Luna Nova faculty and the authorities in investigating the dragon attacks and the theft of the Philosopher's Stone (as well as helping the academy she once studied in), corrected the professor. "The US Military fielded the MT-333 Dragon-bots all around the world, including in the UK, during the Cold War. The entire fleet got mothballed once NATO came about and they were practically forgotten by everyone..."

"And yet whoever stole our Philosopher's Stone were using so many of them." Professor Finneran said.

"Well, the ones from an hour ago can't possibly have come from the US Military." Nelson pointed out. "For all we know, they could've been sent by anyone. But our most likely suspect right now is whoever sent us that message in the Dragon Alphabet..."

"Which Miss Cavendish is still in the process of analyzing..." Professor Lukic directed everyone's attention to Diana who, having changed out of her ball gown into her school-issued robes, is trying to read the message in question.

Emphasis on 'trying', as the ace student is still struggling to even understand a single alphabet, let alone the whole message.

"Yet like us, Miss Cavendish is unable to read the message..." Headmistress Holbrooke said. "Maybe we should ask for assistance from Doctor Cavendish-"

"NO!" Diana suddenly cried out furiously upon hearing her mother's name. "Do not bring that... woman... near me."

Everyone else in the room save for General Bradley gasped in shock at Diana's reaction.

"Very well, then, Miss Cavendish..." Headmistress Holbrooke conceded. "If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears..."

Diana shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't, professor..."

Unbeknownst to everyone in the Headmistress's Office and the two MI-6 agents standing guard outside of it, the Green Coven whom had snuck out of their dorm were listening in from further down the hallway via Constanze's directional microphone.

"Dragon Alphabet, huh?" Amanda mused. "Don't think there's anyone who can read it..."

Constanze let out a grunt in response.

"You know someone who can?!"

...

Red Coven's Dorm

Lotte and Mary-Ann's theorizing about the dragon attack continued without signs of slowing down.

"But, why would they want to steal the Philosopher's Stone?" Lotte brought up another point.

"Who knows?" Mary-Ann said. "There could be any reason the perpetrator of the attack stole the Stone."

It was then that Akko has had enough, as she shot up from her bunk bed. "Who cares why it was stolen! The only way to save the day is to find it and put it back!"

"I appreciate that you cared about taking the Philosopher's Stone back from whoever stole it." The Shiny Rod suddenly broke its silence and spoke. "But do you know where to even start looking for it?"

Akko opened her mouth to respond, but was unable to offer a response.

"It does have a point, though..." Sucy agreed with the Rod while still focused on cleaning her vials.

Akko, unable to come up with any response to it, put her hands to her head as she groaned in frustration. "Well, someone has to do something about it, and the teachers aren't doing it right now!" She then rambled.

The Japanese girl's rambling was interrupted by a series of knocks on the door of her Coven's dorm.

"Yo, Reds!" Amanda's voice came from outside after the knocks. "Can I have a sec with you guys?"

Akko went straight to opening the door without hesitation. "Amanda, Constanze, Jasminka! What are you three doing here?" She greeted the Green Coven before letting them in.

"We're about to talk to you about saving the day." Amanda started off as she sat down on Akko's bunk bed. "But since you're already talking about it, I figure I might as well give you an answer to it..."

Constanze interrupted Amanda with a grunt.

"Or rather, point you to the answer you already have." The redheaded American corrected herself before she pointed a finger at Mary-Ann.

"Me?" Mary-Ann asked in confusion as she pointed at herself.

Constanze let out another grunt as she nodded.

"That's what she said." Amanda confirmed... then cringed at what she just said. "Annabel Creme, was it? Anyway, Conz said she found your name amongst Luna Nova's best performing students while nosing around in the Archives. Apparently, you're the only one who aced your Magic Linguistics essay that year..."

That statement left Akko, Lotte, and Mary-Ann confused.

Constanze let out another grunt, seemingly to remind Amanda of missing details in her statement just now.

"Apparently you did an essay on Dragon Alphabet that year?" Amanda added.

"Yes, I did." Mary-Ann confirmed for the Green Coven. "But why does that matter right now?"

"Dragon Alphabet?" Akko is suddenly reminded of something when she heard that term. "Didn't Professors Finneran and Badcock talk about it just last Monday?"

Lotte's and Mary-Ann's eyes widened.

"Yeah, I was just getting to it..." Amanda, somehow knowing what the Finnish girl and author were thinking, told them. "We, uh, overheard the professors and General Bradley discussing about a message written in Dragon Alphabet. It sounded kinda like the professors believed the sender is blackmailing them, so I was wondering-"

Mary-Ann suddenly rushed up to Amanda's face, spooking her enough to cause her to reel back.

"Where is that message?!"

...

Headmistress's Office

After dismissing Diana just so they could go get Bernadette Cavendish without triggering Diana's mommy issues, the professors and General Bradley returned to the Headmistress's Office with the WHO doctor in tow.

"I know my daughter was unable to help you so you came to me for help, Headmistress..." Bernadette said as she stepped into the office after the professors and General Bradley.

"Oh, Bernadette, please call me Miranda. You're not a student anymore." Headmistress Holbrooke told the WHO doctor.

"Right..." Bernadette continued. "Anyway, while I can help you with translating this message you got, I must remind you that I am first and foremost a healer, not a linguist..."

Everyone stopped when they noticed something unusual has happened while they were away.

"Wait a second." Nelson pointed out for everyone. "That wasn't there 10 minutes ago."

Indeed, there is now a stick-it note on the Dragon Alphabet parchment.

"Go see the FIG ASAP! - Annabel Creme" was written on the stick-it note.

"Annabel Creme?" Professor Badcock wondered. "Now why would she be here, looking into this message? This better not be a prank..."

"The note mentioned the FIG too." Professor Lukic pointed out. "What does that mean?"

Holbrooke stayed silent, as she went to fetch her coat from the coat hanger at the back of the office. Then she turned back toward everyone else to address them...

"Ladies, please go inform the men and women patrolling our campus that we have a lead now. Oh, and do ask them if they have what it takes to track down a dragon and his treasure hoard..."

We're finally getting close to the endgame now.

Yep, a Chekhov's Gun is fired in this chapter. But do you remember from which past chapter was it first mentioned? It's easy to miss, but becomes obvious in hindsight once you do find it.

A dragon and his treasure hoard? Now I wonder which dragon is Holbrooke talking about? And how will the Reds, Greens, and Mary-Ann save the day? Read on to find out!

No Ursula here, even though she should be with the rest of the faculty in analyzing the Dragon Alphabet message. Nothing suspicious here, though. I really just forgot about her until I'm already writing this sentence.

"Just remember: a believing heart is your magic..."

Afterword ends here.