Chapter 3: Mr Böse Disappears
At the castle, to which they had been driven to by the self-pulling carriages, much to Dasha's delight, the Sorting Ceremony started, which was much more interesting to see from the House Tables. This year, however, the Sorting Hat sang a different song with a much darker feeling. It had warned them to be strong and stand together in times of desperate need. "You know, the Sorting Hat always sings that song when something dark is going to happen at Hogwarts," commented someone, who was sitting next to Jai. She turned to face them and nearly screamed. It was Nearly Headless Nick. "Nick, you scared me!" she said, breathing deeply. The ghost smiled sheepishly. "I apologise," he said, floating serenely away. After the Sorting had been completed, McGonagall had once again reminded the first-years to not enter the Forbidden Forest. Then she said something interesting. "Now, let me introduce to you Mr Böse. He will be inspecting Hogwarts to make sure that our curriculum is up to date. Any student will treat Mr Böse like a Professor. He is a Ministry official," said McGonagall sternly, staring hard at certain students. Theo grinned and traded looks with Patrick. "Would you like to say something, Mr Böse?" invited McGongall, returning to her seat at the staff table. Patrick watched as a tall, gaut man with the palest hair possible, wearing thick, murky glasses so that you couldn't see his eye colour. The Ministry official was wearing a shabby dark green, checkered suit and his hair was slicked over to the side. He was smiling but not the kind smile a child-loving person smiles, but something artificial and perhaps cruel-looking. Patrick shuddered. "Dear, dear children! How happy it makes me to see your lovely smiling faces shine up at me," he began. Theo looked around. Most of the faces he saw weren't shining. "I shall be- as your lovely Headmistress has said- inspecting your classes to see if your curriculum is up to date, but there is no need to fear me. I do not know exactly how long I will be staying at the moment but it will be determined soon. Thank you," he finished, sitting down once more. The teachers all clapped politely and only a couple dozen students joined them.
After the feast, the four friends met up in the hallway. "What did you think of him?" asked Theo. Jai smirked. "Pathetic. Dear children…," she said in a falsely high voice, causing them all to laugh. Dasha frowned. "All jokes aside, I really think that there's something strange about him though," she said worriedly. Theo shrugged. "Don't worry about him. He'll be gone soon anyway," he said. The four friends parted their ways and headed off to their dormitories. Dasha drew the silk curtains around her bed shut before going to sleep.
In her dream, she was grown up and wearing a long, blue dress that was made in the Medieval style and a delicate bronze crown on her head, studded with sapphires. Her hair was long and black, flowing down her back. The dream Dasha was running, running towards a door that was made from a sleek wood, naturally black. In the dream, she was trying to open the door but it would not open. For some reason, Dasha needed to get in that room- before the thing that was chasing her got her. she turned around and saw a running figure emerge. Before she could see what it was, Dasha woke up, sweating and shivering in the cold morning air.
That morning, Jai had entered the great Hall to find already Dasha sitting at the table, not eating but reading. Jai sat down next to her. "You look really tired Dasha," she remarked with concern, piling her plate up with sausages and eggs. Dasha sighed closing the book. "I had a nightmare last night...," she proceeded to recount what she had dreamt, not touching her breakfast. "It's just a nightmare Dasha, it's not like that's actually going to happen,"she said, calming Dasha down to the extent that she began to eat her breakfast. "Yeah, you're right Jai. Hopefully, it won't happen," she said as Theo and Patrick joined them. "What won't happen?" asked Patrick, sitting down opposite Dasha. She told them what she had dreamed. Theo shrugged. "just a nightmare," he said casually. Jai nodded. "That's what I told her. I wonder who our new Transfiguration teacher is. McGongall didn't say, which is strange. Here she comes, handing out schedules. I'll ask her," she said, getting up and approaching McGonagall. "Good morning Professor. I was wondering; who is our new Transfiguration for this year?""she asked politely. "This year, your new Transfiguration teacher is Professor Caviador for Catalan He should be here later on today. Oh and Miss Gatward, please take these schedules for you and your friends," McGonagall replied, handing her the schedules. Jai noddd and returned to the table. "Well, what did she say?" asked Theo eagerly as Jai handed them all a schedule. "Professor Caviador from Catalan, I think," replied Jai, reading her schedule. Dasha grinned. "Yes we've Duelling Classes tomorrow! I've always wanted to learn how to duel!" exclaimed Dasha. Theo pretended to grimace. "No second-year stands a chance against you! At least, I wouldn't risk my luck," he joked, making Dasha blush.
They had Potions first and this session, they would be making a Hair-Raising Potion. The classroom was filled with many cries of "Professor Slughorn, how many rat-tails do we have to put in?" or "Is it meant to be orange, Professor?" but by the end of the session, everyone was silent as Slughorn examined their potions. "Good, good, good, nice try Brown. Excellent as usual, Miss Bran, good!" he said, examining the final cauldrons. "This week's homework is to successfully brew a Swelling Solution. Now clean up," instructed Slughorn, much to the groans and moans of the class.
Herbology that year was much more interesting. Professor Longbottom took them to the more dangerous greenhouses, where they learnt how to plant and pot Chinese Chomping Cabbages. A few people had trouble getting the cabbages off their hands but Professor Longbottom helped them.
The four friends left the Greenhouses sweaty and dirty. "I wonder what else the Chomping Cabbage eats?" asked Jai, frustrated that she had to run around the Herbology table with a cabbage hanging off her hand. "Your gloves," joked Dasha, giggling. Theo smirked. "Malfoy's pants too no doubt," he remarked after the had passed Armstrong.
Malfoy had been bending over to tie up his shoelaces when the Chinese Cabbage spotted his rear end. It had opened its huge mouth and, leaping through the air, had bitten into his pants. Screaming, Malfoy had run around the table five times before Professor Longbottom caught him and left for the hospital wing with him. Instantly, the entire greenhouse had erupted with laughter. Thankfully, by the time the Professor had returned, everyone was silently working.
"I wonder where Böse is?" asked Patrick as they made their way to Defence Against the Dark Arts. "Right there," answered Theo, entering the classroom. The Ministry official sitting in a corner, with a quill and notepad hovering in the air next to him. "Come in, come in! Today we will be learning the Wand-Lighting Charm. The Wand-Lighting Charm is simple, but requires concentration. Take care not to accidentally set your wand alight as damage of this kind can be permanent. If in any doubt about your abilities you would do better to buy yourself a magic lantern. One moment please," said Professor Podmore, flicking her wand at the curtains. They instantly swung shut and the room was plunged into instant darkness. The students remained silent, waiting for the Professor to speak again. Suddenly, a white light, pulsing slightly, but shining strong, appeared in the thick darkness. "This, is what you should achieve by the end of my class. and remember, the counter-curse is Nox. Try it now," she said, turning off a lamp that stood at her desk.
Slowly, one by one, white lights appeared around the room until everyone could see each other clearly. Professor Podmore beamed as she opened the curtains. "Good. And now for the counter-curse," she instructed. All the lights went out with the nearly perfectly harmonized chorus of "Nox!". Once more, the room was in darkness, which was instantly filled with light. Dasha shielded her eyes from the sunlight. "And now, off to dinner, with you!" she said, turning to clean the whiteboard. The four friends left the classroom last, hoping to hear what Bose had to say about the curriculum so far but Professor Podmore comprehended what they were trying to do and closed the door. Theo snorted as they made their way to dinner. "Why can't we hear, I mean, she has nothing to hide," he complained as they entered the Great Hall. Jai grinned. "She probably did it just to spite us." Patrick nodded, intent on his reading a book on Herbology. Dasha watched silently as Professor Podmore entered the Great Hall, beaming. "She looks pleased," she commented to them as the Professor took her place at the Staff Table. Jai smiled. "Well, she's probably safe then," she concluded, finishing her mashed potatoes and piling up more. Dasha was about to reply when suddenly, the doors burst open and in came running a small boy with brown hair and green eyes. "Mr Bose, he's gone missing. I found his jacket!" cried the boy, running up to the Staff Table. A murmur rumbled through the Hall at these words. McGongall, along with several other members of the staff stood up in alarm. "Quiet!" shouted McGongall, so as to be heard above the talking voices. Dasha frowned in question. "Missing? But, how?" Theo shrugged, as the four friends looked at McGongall in concern. "Everybody, calm down. Return to your common rooms until it is safe to leave them. Teachers follow me," she said, leading the teachers from the Hall, and Dasha noticed a new professor, wearing a dark blue turban and mustard yellow robes. "Look. I think that's Professor Caviador," she remarked, pointing him out. Theo smirked. "At any rate, he looks like he's from Catalan," he said, not unkindly. Patrick grinned. "So, are we gonna follow the teachers?" he asked as they got up. Dasha nodded and smiled slyly. "Sure, why not? Let's go!" she cried, sprinting from the Hall, followed by her friends. "What's gotten into her? I've never seen her so excited to break rules," commented Theo as he pulled out the Marauder's Map. "Dasha, stop!" he called, making come to a halt and walk back towards him. "We've got to go this way!" he exclaimed, pointing back and to the right. The entire group turned around and turned right. Following Theo's directions, the four of them found themselves hiding around a corner and watching as the teachers gathered round a clump on the ground. "What is that?" asked Patrick, trying to peer closer. Jai shrugged. "I dunno. Let's see if they pick it up," she whispered eagerly. They watched as Professor Longbottom bent down and picked up the clump, which, as it turned out, was the same shabby, dark green checkered jacket that Mr Böse had worn the night before. "Is there anything else, Neville?" asked McGonagall imperiously, frowning so hard that it looked permanent. Professor Caviador picked up a pair of extremely thick glasses that had been lying underneath the jacket. "Are these his, Headmistress?" he asked, handing them to her. McGonagall sighed sadly. "I'm afraid so. Oh what will happen now! The Ministry's going to be here every day, checking and inspecting. Well, nothing can be done. Agusti, search the north side of the castle, Rolanda, the south if you please, Cuthbert, the west, and Irma, search the east side. Filius, Neville, Delaney and Horace, please go alert your House members of the current situation and what may happen. Also, tell your students that they are to return to their common rooms by 7:00 PM sharp and that leaving the castle at night after 8:30 is forbidden. The rest of you, follow me,"she instructed. The foursome watched as the named teachers hurried off on their tasks. Suddenly, Dasha realised something. "Guys, we need to get to our common rooms before the teachers get there. Hurry! We'll take a shortcut," she whispered, dragging Jai behind her as the other two followed. Turning down a short-cut, the four friends parted and returned to their common rooms. Dasha panted as she rushed upstairs and skidded to a halt outside the common room door. "Which came first the,-" began the eagle but Dasha interrupted it. "Look, I don't have much time and I'll get into serious trouble if Flitwick finds me here. Please let me in," she pleaded quickly. The eagle sighed. "Just this once, I'll make an exception, come in," it said, opening the door for her as she quickly climbed inside. The common room was filled with students and Dasha had no trouble quickly blending into the crowd as the door closed. She sighed in relief as she sat down at one of the tables. Mikael frowned in confusion. "Where did you come from?" he asked her. Dasha shrugged and tried to smile in a relaxed manner. "What are you talking about? I've been sitting here the entire time," she said, standing up hastily as the door opened once more and admitted Professor Flitwick, who looked deeply concerned. He coughed, taking time to think about what he was going to say as they all looked expectantly at him. "You all know that…
Mr Böse, has disappeared. If they do not eventually find him, the school may be closed for an unknown amount of time. Now, the Headmistress has made some new rules that will remain until Böse is found. You are all to return to your common rooms by 7:00 PM sharp. No one is allowed to leave the castle after 8:30 PM. No exceptions. This is for your own safety," warned Professor Longbottom, rolling up his scroll, ignoring the loud groans that surrounded him. Jai snorted and flopped down onto a couch. "And now, off to your dormitories! Come on now!" continued the Professor, ushering them all up the stairs. Jai groaned as she entered her dormitory along with four other girls. "I wonder what happened to Böse?" asked one of them as they all sat down on their beds to talk. Jai shrugged. "I have absolutely no idea," she admitted. "Perhaps it's a vampire that kidnapped him!" joked a girl with frizzy hair called Adrianne. The girl with a blond pixie haircut rolled her eyes. "Yeah right," she said, lying down and staring up at the ceiling. Jai sighed as she changed into her pajamas. "I agree with Charles; it's not very likely."
They all called her Charles even though her real name was Charlotte, because she wouldn't answer if you called her by her real name. She liked to sound and look like a boy.
That night, Dasha slept peacefully enough, only seeing flashes from her nightmare the night before.