Stone corridors were filled with noise belonging to hundred hurring children. Pairs of little humans walked through the old castle, the sound easily revibrting through the countless corridors. For a moment, the school revived, like the deadly silence of the night had never existed in the first place.
However, a certain room, deep in the castle, was protected from the noise, heavy spells keeping it out. Old and new spells joined, a protective barrier around the small room. Illuminated by the light from the open windows, sun shining for the first time in months, a fire burned violently in the fireplace, still, it failed to melt the cold between its occupants.
Sitting around a long table, the teacher of Hogwarts waited in complete silence for the headmaster, the days of friendly chatter and banter long gone. Heaviness ruled the room with an iron hand, not even the Hufflepuff head of house spotting her warm smile, dark lines showing exactly how much sleep they were getting.
However, three of its occupants kept sending each other suspicious glances, which were strangely enough completely missed by the rest, proving exactly how tired they were. Sitting wearily at his usual place, using the elbow as a means to righted himself, Snape glared at nothing in particular. The heavy dark circles around his eyes were the norm by then, so no one asked him anything.
Having stayed up all night, either correcting the dreadful homework which deserved to be banned, or wondering about Potter, Severus Snape was not in a good mood. The only saving grace was that he only had one class that day, with his seventh year students, which were more than capable of taking care of themselves should he fall asleep. Nevertheless, he knew that the day would not be easy by any means, a certain trouble maker was back after all. And, as always, he would be the one taking care of it.
"I apologize for making you wait." Headmaster stated as he arrived in a swirl of green flames, the heavy wrinkles more pronounced than ever. Compared to five years ago, his movements were slower, age taking its toll on him as the times grew complicated. "Minerva, you called for an emergency meeting. Did something happen yesterday?"
"Indeed. While certainly an emergency, it's not something that couldn't wait until today." Nodding to her college, Minerva McGonagall stated with ease, probable the only one who had slept with ease that night. "However, I am not the right person to explain it."
Wide eyes turned to Snape, as the transfiguration professor turned her attention towards her college, and the young potion master stood up, ignoring the sleepiness and weariness.
"Minerva is right. As you all know, I was responsible for yesterday's night shift." Which he obviously had complained about, only to be completely ignored by Dumbledore. "It was in the middle of my shift when I suddenly heard someone calling for help, near the Astronomy tower. Thinking it was a student, I followed the voice right away, but what I found surprised even me."
Stopping for a moment to create suspense, only because he could damn it, Snape resisted the urge to sigh. Judging by the way McGonagall rolled her eyes, it was obvious his intention had been read.
"Instead of a lost student, I found a pair of unknown youngsters, covered in blood. The woman was calling for help, while her companion, a young man, was unconscious. Judging the situation to be critical, I immediately requested Poppy and Minerva's help. The girl was using her magic to heal her companion, but the wound was too much, and she nearly drained herself completely trying to attempt it."
Giving Poppy a look, the older woman nodded, giving her version of the story.
"I was preparing to go to bed when Severus' Patronus appeared, stating it was an emergency. On my way there, I met Minerva, and we both hurried towards the tower. What we found was a young man dying from a terrible wound in his chest, and a girl that was pumping her magic into him, despite the fact she was practically unconscious. Obviously, I immediately went to treat the young man, with Minerva's help, while Severus took care of the girl."
"Peculiar situation indeed." Dumbledore remarked, frowning heavily. "Do you know how they breached the security? I have not felt any change in the wards."
Scowling heavily, Snape nodded.
"That is one of the issues, headmaster, the wards did not react to their presence." Ignoring the startled looks of his fellow professors, he continued. "There are no signs of either entering the school, either by land or sky. No blood in the corridors that would indicate they moved, nor residue of spells. For all we know, the pair just... appeared."
"That is impossible, Severus." Sprout stated, clenching her fists nervously. "The wards exist since the ancient times, and were reinforced just recently. If there exists a way to bypass them without a warning... should You-Know-Who learn of it..."
"While their appearance is worrying, it's impossible for anyone wishing harm to our students to go through the wards so easily. Perhaps the school didn't consider them a threat, and therefore allowed the passage." As always, the headmaster was the voice of reason, even if it made Snape scowl further. "There is more to the pair that just this, I expect."
"You are right." Taking a deep breath to relax somehow, despite the severity of the news, McGonagall readied herself for the reaction of others. "While we were transporting the pair, while the young man is someone we don´t know... we have recognized the girl."
Startled, the teachers whole face changed, worry and anxiety taking over. Over the last months, many students disappeared, kidnapped by the Death Eaters.
"A student of ours?"
"Indeed. She was a student, long time ago..." Looking her eyes with Dumbledore, McGonagall finally allowed herself to say it. "The child was Reina Potter."
Silence took over the room, not even breathing heard as the surprise and astonishment settled in. After all those years, the teachers had lost any and every hope of ever finding the missing student, despite the many attempts both during school and holidays. The searching parties, the research done, was more to quiet their hurting heart, as hope was all but lost. To think that after all those years…
"You are lying." Sprout suddenly said, her eyes watering with undisguised tears. "We have searched, we have put our souls… do not play with me, Minerva, or else…"
"I am not lying." The woman promptly interrupted, eyes burning with happiness for the first time in years. "The child we found is Reina, there is no doubt about it. She had the scar and her magical signature is the same as those we have on record. There is no doubt whom she is."
"Then, after all this time…" The small professor mumbled, clenching his fists as he fought against the desire to shed some tears. That would surely have to wait for a more private time. "Our student is finally back?"
Digesting the news, the room stood in silence only for seconds, before the noise exploded. Movement, laughter and tears predominated, as the small group celebrated a miracle. Sprout closed her eyes with a smile, allowing the droplets of water to freely fall down, as she thanked everything and everyone she knew. Even in his spot, with his eyes closed, Severus couldn´t help but smile slightly, for it had been long since the last time his colleges showed such a spirited reaction to anything.
Calling for silence, though it was impossible to completely calm down the professors, Headmaster pined everyone with a kind look. It was obvious that he was happy, certainly reviled, as a certain tightness in his shoulders seemed to have disappeared.
"Those are fantastic news. Perhaps that is why Hogwarts allowed entry, having recognized Miss Potter as one of her own." A plausible explanation, but still, Snape knew there had to be something more to it than only that. "Nevertheless, we cannot celebrate yet. You have said they were injured?"
"Yes, headmaster. While their condition is stable for now, Reina has used most of her magical power, currently resting because of its depletion." Poppy took over, being the most knowable about the currently heath situation. "She had almost no injuries, just some small cuts that required practically no attention. Her companion, on other hand, was badly injured, and only survived because of the magic Miss Potter pumped into his body until she collapsed."
"And do you know who her companion is?" Ignoring rest that palled spectacularly, Dumbledore asked, not missing a beat.
"At the moment, I am afraid not. Neither of them are awake to answer questions, but I suspect it is someone she deeply cares about. She refused to let go of him even when completely out of it, certainly he is someone important." Snape had not informed either of his companions of what had happened during the night, and he certainly would not to it then.
Nodding to himself, Dumbledore grew silent. Not that Snape blamed him, no one knew exactly what to say anyway. Probably the stranger was someone who took care of her wherever she had disappeared. The problem, however, was what they were going to do about it. While Potter had friends in the magical community, Wesley and Granger constantly asked for updates, the stranger didn´t. It wasn´t implausible that he would want to return. The question was: would Potter wish to remain? Nevertheless, judging by the excited chatter around him, Snape suspected only Dumbledore and him had noticed the peculiar situation.
"Now, what shall be done about it? Certainly it is an excellent event that Miss Potter reappeared." Giving his faculty a long look, Dumbledore sighed, eyes hardening. "For the moment, you are prohibited from saying a single word about this, understood? Aside from us, no one can know about it."
"What? But, shouldn´t we notify the Ministry?" The muggle studies professor asked immediately, flushing as attention turned towards her. "I mean; everyone deserves to know…"
"Indeed, however, we need to think about what is best for Miss Potter. Should Voldemort find out about it" And obviously, almost everyone flinched at the name "he would spare no effort to eliminate her. At least until she recovers, this must be kept a secret."
Going quiet, the young woman nodded, through obviously not excited about it. Still, the headmaster was right, Dark Lord would immediately take action. Wasn´t it a great thing that all connection had been cut off with Hogwarts until the end of the strange weather? After all, this way it was impossible for Snape to notify the Dark Lord.
Narrowing his eyes at the sudden though, Snape decided to reflect on it later, as it was decided Potter and her companion would be moved to the private rooms until further notice. Having taken care of that issue, and having nothing else to report, the meeting had been declared as finished, only Dumbledore, Minerva and him remaining in the room.
"Now, Severus, have you noticed anything else about Miss Potter? Perhaps an idea of how they arrived, or the identity of her companion?" Obviously, Headmaster thought there was more to the story. It was oddly good to shatter such impression.
"I am afraid not, Headmaster. Everything happened as I have told earlier." For a moment, they locked eyes, before the old man turned around with a nod. "I have never seen the young man, nor even someone even remotely similar. However, from what I have noticed, he doesn´t seem to have much magic. Not sure if it is because of his heath condition or if he is truly muggle."
"I see. If he isn´t of magical origin, it would explain why Miss Potter haven´t contacted us, lacking the magical means to do it. Perhaps she had been in a muggle country somewhere?"
"A valid guess, Minerva, but until they are conscious, we can´t assume anything." The old man was looking at his colleges, blue eyes swirling enigmatically. "For now, all we can do is wait."
Declaimer: I don´t own One Piece nor Harry Potter
A/N: I may be torturing you guys right now... just maybe.