AN: Well, I suppose I have some explaining to do, huh? Okay, here goes. Shortly after the last update I became very ill, though I tried to continue keeping up with both work and my classes. I thought that I was getting better, but my stress levels skyrocketed and eventually gave me a stress fever of around 103.5- complete with both auditory and visual hallucinations. I was taken to the ER where several tests were performed on me to make sure that something more serious wasn't going on (thank heavens there wasn't) but these tests knocked me on my ass for several days after. And then we learned that I hadn't healed properly, and that I had to return to the ER where yet another procedure was done, and it was awful. I was in a wheelchair, heavily medicated, the whole shebang.
All of this happened at the end of my college semester- during finals. Which meant that I was unable to finish all of my classes, and would have to continue them spring semester. I spent my winter break recovering from the whole ordeal (though I still have some nerve damage) and just relaxing with my family.
January came and I hopped into the new semester, complete with a job, sorority responsibilities, and thanks to my unfinished courses from the fall I was essentially taking 7 courses. The classes took a few weeks to finish up, but by February I had managed it. The time up until now has been settling into my new 5 courses and basically playing catch up on everything that I had missed- but finally I am doing alright again.
I am SO SORRY about how long this update has taken me, and I hope like hell that nothing ever keeps me for so long again. I want to thank all of you for your patience, and for sticking with this story- crazy to think that many of you have been reading for a whole year, eh? I love you all so much, and again, I'm so sorry.
And now, without further ado, I present to you the chapter
Disclaimer: If Harry Potter belonged to me it would have taken a lot longer to write.
October 31st
Minerva:
"Minerva, might I ask just where in Circe's name all of the Professor's and supposed chaperones were earlier this evening?!" Poppy's face was white with rage at she glared at each Professor in turn. "In case it has escaped all of your attentions, there was an attack this evening!"
So many questions had been asked from the moment Minerva had ordered everyone to leave the Masque up until now, and she had answers for absolutely none of them. Thankfully it was at that moment that Severus and Albus finally returned to their portraits and took all of the attention off of her.
"I'm afraid that would be my doing, Poppy," Albus stated quietly. "I do believe that it is time a few things be discussed, namely that what happened tonight was completely necessary."
Blood rushed in Minerva's ears, drowning out the startled gasps that sounded throughout the room. She had to fight to keep her voice even as she spoke.
"Surely you do not mean to tell me that you called us all here knowing what would happen if we came. That you were intentionally putting my students in danger." Again.
The very idea was preposterous! Such a thing could ever happen, well, no more than it had in the past, and to think that even as a portrait Albus would still be as meddlesome in the school's affairs was simply-
"Yes, that would be exactly what I am saying. And such matters bring us to the topic at hand."
It felt as though the air had been knocked out of her lungs.
"Surely," Albus continued on, despite the fact that the entire staff was now gaping at him in horror. "You all have noticed that things are not at all as they seem, this year. That something is going on, yet again, with our students in the center of it?"
Silence. Complete silence. Words had been robbed from their mouths, rage replaced with utter shock. This simply could not be happening, not to them. Not again.
"You have all been gathered here tonight because it has been decided that the time has come that intervention must no longer be allowed. The entirety of your involvement with the students will now be reduced to thus: teaching them, advising them on future careers, patching them up after battle and that will be all. You are not to intervene in their fights. You are not to do more than enforce standard rules. In fact, the less time you spend around them, the better. I understand that this may seem strange, but you all must understand that things are in motion that have not been awoken in thousands of years, and that the events of this year may end up being far more important than those of years' past."
It took a moment for her senses to come back to her, but when they did the incredulous statement left her lips as soon as it appeared in her mind.
"You've lost your bloody mind!"
The rest of her staff was nodding in agreement, and Pomona in particular was heaving slightly, as though it was taking all of her effort not to throttle Albus' portrait.
"You cannot honestly expect to sit there and expect me to take orders from a portrait! Orders that would put the students in danger! If we don't monitor them and step in where we can why- why many of them might try to kill each other off! And succeed!"
Her mind was racing, thinking back to the attack on Dean Thomas and how close he was to death when he had been brought in. How many more events such as that one would occur if they were to do as they were asked? It would not do. She would not stand for it.
"The students must be allowed to operate unhindered! This is non-negotiable. There are things in motion that you do not understand and-"
She'd had enough.
"OF COURSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND! That is always the case with you, isn't it?! How many lives could have been saved in the War had you shared your knowledge, Dumbledore? Just why is it do you think that you can withhold knowledge at the expense of others? That you can hold it above our heads and expect us to run about following your orders without question? Well, not anymore! "
"Minerva, hold your tongue-"
"NO, Severus, I will NOT hold my tongue, not any longer! " She paused to take a breath and noted that many of those around her were staring at her in shock. Albus had been a man she trusted above all others, and never had she called him into question. But here he was, ordering her to stand back and do nothing? "Now see here, the job of the portraits of this castle is to serve the current Headmaster or Headmistress, and I will not take orders from you! Especially not when the welfare of my students is called into question! You are not the one in control here, Albus."
Poppy was beaming at her proudly, and several of the others were nodding along with her argument, when the temperature of the room seemed to drop several degrees. The portraits on the wall were glaring at her intensely, obviously on Albus' side, but he was the only one Minerva had eyes for. He was smiling down at her, his blue eyes twinkling in pity.
"You're right, Minerva. I am not the one in charge here," he said softly. "Unfortunately, neither are you."
And with that, his gaze turned upwards, and when Minerva followed it she discovered just why exactly the room had gone so cold.
For right above them, clogging the ceiling and lining the walls, going up as far as the eyes could see, were hundreds of the Hogwarts Ghosts, each staring at her with eyes as cold and steely as a blade. Minerva shuffled her feet and gaped in shock, was he implying…?
Sir Nicolas de Mimsy Porpington was the one to float down and meet her stare for stare, his mood more somber than any she'd ever caught him in.
"I regret that it has come to this, Minerva, but Hogwarts has been in this state for far too long, and it is past time that things are put to rights. The opportunity presented itself; ancient things have been awoken, and charge of this school has been given to The Ghosts. You will either follow the terms laid out before you, or we will be forced to remove you from the school."
She felt helpless; she hadn't the power to expel all of the ghosts from the castle- it took more than enough to simply get rid of one! But this… it couldn't be true! It wasn't right! Desperate, she looked to her colleagues, but there she found nothing but resigned faces and helpless stares to match her own. Minerva could feel tears clogging her throat- she hadn't felt so broken since she was a young woman in love. Beaten, her shoulders slumped and her eyes fell to the floor.
In a flash the ghosts were gone, and moments after the portraits were emptied as well. Probably off to discuss multiple more ways to try and harm those she had sworn to protect. Silently, she nodded at her grey-faced staff and watched as they exited as well- leaving her alone to her thoughts.
Or so she had presumed.
A book flew off of it shelf and landed with a loud thud on the desk in front of her. Minerva startled with a yelp and looked up to see the somber faces of Fred Weasley and… Peeves. What in Godric's name was going on?
"'Ello there Professorhead," Peeves said as he bowed- and not an ounce of mockery was to be found in the motion. She could feel her eyebrows furrow in a questions that she didn't dare to ask out loud.
Before she managed to get the courage to do so, Peeves was at his mischief again, changing the colors of the House Banners flying on the wall. Ravenclaw badge now sat on a golden field while Hufflepuffs badge floated among a sea of blue. Gryffindor's and Slytherin's banners were swapped as well- exactly the way the House tables had been in the Great Hall. Once Peeves had finished his handiwork he vanished, leaving Minerva alone with the ghost of the youngest Weasley.
"What is the meaning of this?" She asked, her voice defeated and no more than a whisper. Seeing his form still pained her- more proof of her failure to protect those she cared about.
A sad little smile crossed his features. "I've never been much for taking orders, myself. So I'll tell it to you just like I told it to Hermione- I'm just in the nature of leaving clues around, for when the time comes. Happy Reading."
With that, he vanished, leaving Minerva staring at mis-matched banners and Hogwarts, A History sitting on her desk.
AN: Much like the chapter with Seamus, this was vital information that didn't fit anywhere else. I could have tacked it on to the next chapter and hoped for the best, but there is a lot hiding under the surface of all the information I'm giving you in this one, so I felt like it needed to be its own separate entity. Now, as I have class tomorrow I am not promising that the next chapter will be up by tonight, but I AM promising that it will be up by Friday at the latest.
But who knows. You might get lucky.
I hope you all don't hate me!