Chapter Two: The Unwanted Visitor
A scream sounded.
Minerva got up hastily, slid on her slippers, and picked up her wand, concealing herself with her robe as she glided to the door. The corridor was empty when she finally reached it, and she could hear no commotion. She walked about the castle for roughly five minutes, and, upon not finding anything, resigned to go to Dumbledore and see if it had awoken him as well. More than likely it had before it had even been uttered, with his mind. She reached his office, gave the password to the gargoyle, and went up. As she deduced, Albus was waiting for her.
"Minerva, lovely to see you this time of the night."
"Albus, it's four in the morning; there isn't a lovely thing about it. I presume you heard the screeching as well?"
"I did not, but by lucky chance I happened to have awoken with a craving for a Pepper Imp, and was just about to have one when you came up," he twinkled. "I would ask if would care for one yourself, but you would decline, as you feel there are more pressing matters."
"Well of course I feel there are more urgent matters, something must be done, Albus."
"Ah, yes, well… You have searched the castle?"
"Yes of course."
"And you have found no one in dire need of medical attention? No one awake, ourselves excluded, naturally?"
"Well, I –" Minerva flustered. "No, no one."
"Well then it seems my dear, perhaps there is another reason for this - screeching as you put it."
"Albus, if you are inferring that I –"
Dumbledore waved his hand reassuringly. "No, no my dear Minerva, you misunderstand me. I simply meant that it is possible that this sound, while not a creation from your own mind, may have not been physical. As it is in the middle of the night, or very early in the morning, I do not hold it against you in the slightest, but I think you forget that we live in a magical world, and there are other kinds of magic besides wand-waving and spells."
"You think it was magical in nature?"
"Well from the way you put it, I really don't see how it could be anything else."
"What should I do?"
Dumbledore shook his head slightly. "Nothing. Return to your chambers, and see if it comes to you again, and decide from there whether you wish to pursue its origin, or ignore it. However, I feel I must advise you here, Minerva that should you choose to ignore it, it may not go away, and should you choose to investigate it, you may not like where it leads you."
"Right; so I should just go back to my private quarters then?"
"Yes, I think that would be wise."
With that, Minerva thanked her colleague, and retreated swiftly from the office. When she arrived near her own, she felt something tugging at her inside, urging her not to enter right away. She contemplated what Dumbledore had said to her. Cats, while wickedly intellectual and graceful, also had the weakness of curiosity. Minerva could not deny, to Dumbledore or herself, that this was a trait she shared with them, and part of the reason she assumed the identity of one so often. She had a feeling this was why he cautioned her, but no matter. She regarded it, and decided she would indulge in her flaw for the night, and just remember to keep in mind that she wouldn't like where her curiosity would take her. This way, she could not be disappointed. She searched the corridors, but again found them empty. She withdrew to her quarters once more, and got hurriedly back into bed.
Before Minerva even became comfortable under the covers, there was a knock on her door. Once again, she got up, threw on her slippers and robe, and grabbed her wand before rushing to the door. Gasping and bawling, Sybill stood on the other side. "Sybill, it's awfully late, what are you doing here?"
"Couldn't sleep… my Eye… nowhere else to go… they burn… so many… death, everywhere… destruction…" she muttered in-between sobs.
Minerva sighed exasperatedly. "Sybill, you're being a bit over-dramatic, don't you think?" The woman sobbed even louder. "Really, Sybill, dear, do try and calm down." It was fruitless; her colleague continued to emit loud cries.
"Come inside before you wake up the entire castle." She led her to the private quarters of her office, and onto a small, stiff two-seater. Sybill sprawled herself across the entire thing, wailing. Minerva made to get her something to drink, but the woman grabbed onto the hem of her robe. "Please… do not leave me alone… the darkness – it is burning!" Minerva found herself sighing again, and settled down in the stiff-backed emerald chair that was her favorite, positioned sideways in front of the two-seater. She conjured an ice pack out of thin air, and thrust it, slightly harshly, slightly gently, onto Sybill's head. "For the, uh, burning darkness," she said as politely as she could manage. Sybill reached out and grabbed her hand. Poor woman, the Umbridge ordeal was making her even less sane than she used to be. Minerva awoke in the morning still in her chair, Sybill's hand desperately clinging to her own. She pulled away a bit brusquely and headed to change for breakfast.
Once in the Great Hall, Dumbledore inquired after her night.
"Sybill came to my door less than fifteen minutes after I left your office," she responded a bit curtly.
"Ah, yes, I thought she might have. She is not doing well, I fear."
"You – you knew she would come to see me last night?"
"Well, now, is that really a surprise Minerva? You have been the only member of the staff to show her any kind of comfort or support in the last few days, other than myself of course."
"What – what about Filius and –"
"I think you will find, my dear Minerva, that if you question them, they have not gone to visit poor Professor Trelawney since the event. You have been her only friend."
"I – I have?"
"Yes, and I believe that is why you heard her last night."
"That – that was Sybill I heard last night? But I searched the castle –"
"Ah, yes, well there is where things get even clearer. You see, if Professor Trelawney did not know it was you running about the castle, do you think she would have approached you?"
Minerva did not have to answer the question. One could always hide if one felt a need to.