I hope this makes sense? I just find it so implausible that 3 students would be able to figure out something the greatest wizarding minds could not (in a few months too while Dumbledore had years!) And also that the students weren't sent home after all of these attacks! The Ministry and the teachers' decisions make a lot more sense when considering Obscurus'. I think? Anyway, would love to know your thoughts! :)
Thank you for all the lovely reviews too :) I'm so glad people are enjoying the story so far
19 December 1992
"I don't think she is here," Minerva said as they entered the bathroom. She looked around the corner and saw nothing apart from rows and rows of disused toilets. It wasn't Minerva's custom to wander through the closed girls' toilet. However, Albus had asked her to accompany him as he had a certain suspicion and so Minerva had obliged.
Briefly glancing back at Albus who was looking curiously around the room, Minerva then looked back at the rows of cubicles. Her forehead creased into a small frown. She didn't know if she was imagining things but something smelled odd - as though somebody was brewing something somewhere.
She moved away from Albus and began to walk down the narrow passage of the toilet cubicles until she came to a stop beside a closed cubicle door. There was definitely a noise coming from there - a bubbling sound. Minerva reached out with her hand to open the door however as she did so the ghost of Myrtle Warren came straight through the wood. Her pale blue hands were on her hips and she looked most displeased at finding people in her bathroom.
"Myrtle!" Minerva said surprised. She took a step back - the bubbling noise and the strange yet familiar smell of a certain potion quite forgotten in her mind.
"I don't often get visitors," Myrtle said, lowering her arms and bringing a translucent hand to her lips so that she could bite her nails. "I thought, given the circumstances, at least one Professor would come to talk to me," she added in an injured tone. "Or am I just as forgettable dead?"
"My sincerest apologies, Miss Warren," said Dumbledore, coming to stand beside Minerva.
"Professor Dumbledore," Myrtle said, her features relaxing slightly as she noticed her previous Transfiguration Professor. "Looking for answers again?"
"I was hoping that you may be able to tell us about what is happening in the castle at the moment, Myrtle."
"Maybe I can," she said evasively, "or maybe not." She smiled strangely and flew upwards, twirling her hair with her index finger. "It was a long time ago now. You are going to have to be more precise, Professor."
"Of course," Dumbledore acknowledged politely, tipping his head slightly. "Perhaps you could tell us what you remember before-"
"I died?" Myrtle interrupted. She smiled again and tilted her head. "Well," she began, thoughtfully, "It was a Tuesday evening and I was hiding in the bathroom from another student. Despite all the Headmaster's reassurances bullying was not something the school seemed to care much about," she added, a slight hardness in her tone as she remembered Armando Dippet. "I was upset, and crying quite profusely, and then suddenly I heard someone come in. He shouldn't have come in, that boy, and I remember being angry about it because he was disturbing a private moment. I wrenched open the door to tell him just that and to leave me be but then-I died. It was all quite unexpected."
She pouted and then suddenly swooped towards the sinks.
"I saw something here - something yellow and orange and ghastly. A terrible creature so I'm told. Right here," she added, pointing again. "Apparently it was an acromantula. That is what Headmaster Dippet told me when I came back."
"I believe Armando might have been given the wrong information," Dumbledore said thoughtfully, going to the sinks and running his fingers along the edges. "Pardon my asking, Myrtle, but did you notice anything else?"
"The boy that I heard wasn't Rubeus," she said firmly, "Rubeus' voice was much deeper, and kinder. I was sorry to hear of all the trouble he went through after my death. He was nice that boy, despite what everyone said."
Minerva nodded faintly and looked back down at the sinks. As she scanned the first three something suddenly caught her attention.
"Albus," she said sharply, walking to a particular sink and narrowing her eyes. Albus joined her and crouched beside her, his eyes narrowing too at the engraving she was pointing out. "A snake...do you suppose it could be..."
"Perhaps," he said quietly.
Minerva held his gaze for a moment before straightening and taking out her wand. Albus moved away and Minerva tapped the snake lightly. A red light immediately surrounded the engraving however it disappeared just as quickly and the snake still did not move.
"There's a powerful charm on this," Minerva said stepping back. "Your suspicions..."
"Maybe correct," he finished quietly, looking thoughtfully at the snake.
Myrtle was hovering beside him, her interest peaked apparently as she had stopped biting her fingernails and was looking with mild curiosity at the sinks.
"Come with me, my dear," he said, taking a step back and bringing Minerva with him. When they were further away from the sinks, he raised his own wand and gave it a sharp flick so that a blue light shot out from the tip. It streaked towards the snake and upon impact made a loud reverberating sound. No sooner had it done so that a strong force was sent back in their direction.
Myrtle shrieked and flew away into a nearby toilet while Minerva and Dumbledore were sent flying backwards towards the bathroom wall.
"Oh!" Minerva said as she collided with the white tiled wall of the bathroom. Her back gave an ominous creak and a sharp pain ran through her head which had banged the wall quite hard. She winced and blinked several times to regain focus.
"I am sorry, my dear," Albus said, reaching out to her and placing a hand on her arm. "That was quite thoughtless of me. Are you all right?"
"Fine," she said, giving her head one last rub before dropping her hand and taking a step closer to the innocent-looking set of sinks. Her eyes glided to the snake sitting lifelessly on a tap. "So this is the entrance," she said quietly.
"It would appear so."
Minerva frowned and brought a tentative hand to the sink and then closer to the snake. As her fingers closed in on the engraving she could feel a strange sort of energy get stronger and stronger the closer she got to the tap - as though something was itching to get through and angry that someone was so close. Yet, it seemed only to activate once a spell came into contact with it.
Her frown deepened and she looked back at Albus. "Someone must have managed to open it," she said, "and if we can't how could a student?"
But it didn't appear as though Dumbledore was listening to her.
"A snake," he whispered thoughtfully, crouching over the engraving again. "I wonder..."
His hand reached out for the snake however before it made contact he stopped, shook his head and then straightened. Whatever he had been about to say or do, clearly he did not think it would be worth sharing with Minerva; however, displeasing that was to her.
"There is nothing we can do about this as of yet, my dear," he stated. "No student will be able to pass unless...We need time to think about what this means."
"We know what it means, Albus," Minerva said, pausing slightly. "A basilisk is inside the school-"
"And has been for 50 years..."
Minerva nodded. "Would it be safe to send the students back this early in the year?" she asked quietly.
They locked eyes and Minerva knew he was aware of what she meant. As distressing and dangerous as their situation was, sending the students home could prove to be just as dangerous if not more. Perhaps not for the older students who by now had gained good control over their magic, however, it was the first years in particular that the ministry, the governors and the teachers were concerned about. Even if the younger students didn't know, adults and particularly teachers were very much aware of the dangers present when a magical child was not sufficiently taught to manage and understand their powers. It was one of the main reasons institutions such as Hogwarts were in existence - to prevent the alternative from happening or rather developing.
"Not the first years," Albus answered quietly, and Minerva closed her eyes briefly.
"We could organise home visits?" she suggested. "Or we could contact the other schools?"
"I have suggested that to the Minister," Albus replied, referring to contacting other magical schools that perhaps would be willing to accept some of the British students while Hogwarts managed the problem of the Chamber. "He was not partial to the idea. It would take a long time to organise, and the cost-"
"Would be nothing in comparison to the lives we would be protecting," Minerva interrupted firmly.
"I will consult Cornelius again," Albus said.
Minerva nodded. "Do. And if it is not possible to temporarily organise students to transfer schools while we sort this," she said, gesturing at the sinks, "then we must find another way to care for the students. We cannot rely on mandrakes forever. At some point..."
"I know, my dear."
They were silent for a moment and Minerva looked back at the sink. "I tried putting up a shield charm," she said.
"So did I."
She looked at Albus who shook his head. Something about the enchantment on the snake meant that no shield charm would stay up for longer than a second. Minerva had thought perhaps her magic was not powerful enough when she had tried to maintain the charm around the sinks, but failed. However, clearly, it was not only her who had struggled.
"Well, no girls use this bathroom because of Myrtle," Minerva said. "Half of the toilets are out of order as well. I don't see why anyone would come here," she added. "And if we cannot open the entrance I doubt a student would be able to."
Albus nodded slowly.
"We can make curfews stricter and prohibit students from walking around the school unaccompanied," she said. "In the meantime-"
"-We can think about how we manage this," Albus finished with a nod. "I quite agree."
They stayed in silence again as they both thought. Suddenly the bell rang marking the end of classes. Minerva and Dumbledore were both pulled back down to earth.
"I have class in five minutes."
"Will come to my office after your last one, Minerva?" he asked her. "To discuss this further."
She nodded. "Of course. I will be there at five."
