SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER - HOGWARTS - 6:24PM
Madam Pomfrey rushed around the infirmary as injured students flowed in. Makeshift beds were hastily added to accommodate the influx of patients, and with the assistance of house-elves, Madam Pomfrey hurriedly attended to the wounded.
Hermione, Harry, and Draco entered together, having left Ginny with Dumbledore and Ron.
The injuries sustained during the attack were evident – bandages adorned arms, and some students leaned on each other for support. Fortunately, not many students had chosen to attend the Hogsmeade trip, opting instead to study. Now, in lieu of studying, they found themselves assisting Madam Pomfrey in treating their fellow students.
"We should check in and make sure everyone's okay," Hermione suggested, her eyes scanning the room for familiar faces.
The group split up, each heading to different sections of the infirmary to find their friends. Hermione approached a bed where Sue and Tracey were sitting, Tracey's arm wrapped in a tight bandage.
"Hermione," Tracey greeted with a weak smile.
"How are you holding up?" Sue asked, concern etched on her face.
"I've had worse," Tracey replied with a wry grin. "Madam Pomfrey is amazing; she fixed me right up. But I heard some students took a harder hit. Thank God the professors showed up when they did!"
Sue agreed, "It was amazing. I'll never doubt Professor Snape again. I didn't know he could duel like that!"
Hermione nodded, her eyes scanning the room for Luna. She found her friend sitting on a bed, her ankle bandaged. Luna looked up and smiled dreamily as Hermione approached.
"I've had a little mishap with a stray spell," Luna explained. "But I'll be back on my feet soon. It's nothing compared to the creatures I've encountered."
Draco and Harry approached the others. Blaise was sat on a bed, his shoulder bandaged, sharing a laugh with Theo, who sported a black eye. Daphne, with a sprained wrist, was sitting nearby, chatting with Neville, who had stayed in Hogwarts.
"Could've been worse," Blaise remarked, trying to ease the tension with humour. "At least we've got battle scars to brag about now."
Theo chuckled. "I think I'll skip the bragging part and just appreciate the fact that I survived."
Neville grinned. "You guys held your own out there. Not bad for a bunch of Slytherins, eh?"
The three smiled at him, proud of themselves.
"I never thought I'd ever be dodging curses in Hogsmeade," Daphne said, shaking his head.
Meanwhile, Seamus and Dean, both with minor injuries, were lively recounting their experiences to Pansy and Hannah Abbot. Pansy had a cut on her forehead, which she tried to ignore as she listened intently to their stories.
Hannah, who had been helping tend to the injured, approached the group. "Seamus, Dean, you both need to take it easy. Madam Pomfrey said no strenuous activities for a while."
Seamus grinned. "Does talking about our heroics count as strenuous?"
Hannah rolled her eyes playfully. "Just don't overexert yourselves."
Madam Pomfrey bustled over; her stern expression softened by genuine concern.
"Alright, enough chatter. These beds are for healing, not for turning into a social club," she scolded with a hint of a smile. She turned to Draco and Harry. "Let me check on all of you. I need to make sure there are no lingering effects or hidden injuries."
The two obediently allowed Madam Pomfrey to examine them, each taking their turn on the beds. She worked efficiently, her experienced hands moving over injuries with practiced ease.
"You should check on Hermione Madam Pomfrey!" suggested Harry. "Rodolphus Lestrange shot a curse at her,"
Madam Pomfrey's expression shifted from gentle concern to a more focused demeaner. "Lestrange, you say? Well, we can't have any curses lingering. Where is she?"
Harry gestured towards where Hermione had been talking with Sue and Tracey. Madam Pomfrey hurried over to the trio, concern etched on her face.
"Hermione, dear, I heard there was an incident with Lestrange. Let me take a look at you," Madam Pomfrey said, her tone a mix of authority and genuine care.
Hermione nodded, allowing herself to be guided to an empty bed. Sue and Tracey exchanged worried glances before retreating to give Madam Pomfrey space.
The group watched as Madam Pomfrey worked on Hermione.
"Lestrange!" Blaise whispered-yelled.
"He shot a curse at Hermione?!" Dean added.
"He did but the weirdest thing happned," Draco began to explain. Then he spotted Ron running up to them "I think we should discuss it later."
Ron arrived, a look of gratfullness on his face.
"Harry, Malfoy. Thank you for saving my sister!"
Draco and Harry were shocked. Ron hadn't spoken to Harry propely since the Welcome ball. Ron hadn't had a civil converstaion with Draco ever.
"Is Ginny okay?" Pasy asked, her eyes downcast.
Ron bit his lip "Give her some time. It was a traumatic experience. Dumbledore's decided to keep her with him. Her being with students right now didn't seem like a good idea,"
He offered a weak smile, a mixture of gratitude and exhaustion etched on his features. "Thanks again."
As Ron began to walk away, Harry couldn't let the moment pass without expressing what had been left unsaid for far too long.
"Ron."
He turned to Harry, who was looking at him with hope in his eyes. The weight of unspoken words lingered in the air.
"Just know I'm always here for you, mate," Harry said sincerely, breaking through the unspoken barriers that had kept them at arm's length.
Ron's smile deepened, a genuine warmth replacing the weariness. He nodded appreciatively and left the Great Hall.
Ron observed his surroundings before entering a classroom.
"Took you long enough," scoffed Ernie.
Ron's eyes flashed red, "I had to play nice. My sister was setting fires in Hogsmeade. I couldn't exactly not make an appearance.
"Stop it! They'll be calling soon!" Susan chided, next to Lavender by the fireplace, "Any luck Lavender?"
Lavender shook her head, frustration evident on her face. "Nothing yet,"
Her frustration was cut short when the fireplace burst to life.
Lucious Malfoy appeared as fiery stone.
"Sinners, how far with your task are you?"
"We're hitting a few hiccups, but nothing we can't handle," Lavender obediently answered.
"We're expecting to have the spell ready by December" Ernie added.
"December? That's too far!" Lucious's eyes narrowed.
"It's hard to get this done when we're singing and dancing in between," Susan pointed out.
"MacNair!" hissed Lucious, "I don't know what he was thinking,"
"Don't worry. We have plenty more surprises for our fellow students," Ron smirked.
Lucious smirked back, "As expected. I hope the Grimoire is helping?"
"It's helping us all too well. We even have a little surprise for your son and his friends on Halloween,"
"Excellent," Lucius Malfoy's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "My son and his new gang of blood traitors and mudblood will soon fall!"
MONDAY 5TH OCTOBER - GREAT HALL - 8AM
The Great Hall was filled with students. Students who had been harmed in the attack but able to walk, with little assistance were also encouraged to attend breakfast. Dumbledore was going to speak to the students.
"What do you think Dumbledore will say?"
"Will they try to shut down Hogwarts again?"
"Owww... my arm!"
The buzz of conversations echoed through the hall, a mix of concern, curiosity, and the occasional groan of pain. The atmosphere was thick with tension as students awaited Dumbledore's address.
The headmaster entered the Great Hall, and a hush fell over the students. His expression was grave, reflecting the seriousness of the recent events.
"Good morning, students," Dumbledore began, his voice carrying through the hall. "I'm sure you are all aware of the unfortunate events that transpired in Hogsmeade last week."
Murmurs of agreement and uneasy shuffling filled the air.
"I want to assure you that the safety of Hogwarts and its students is our top priority. The Ministry of Magic and the Auror Office are working diligently to investigate the incident, and additional security measures have been put in place."
He paused, surveying the faces of the students before continuing. "I understand that this has been a trying time for all of you. Many of you have experienced fear and uncertainty. I want you to know that your well-being is our primary concern."
Dumbledore's gaze swept across the Great Hall, his eyes meeting those of students who had faced the recent attacks, "In light of these events, we have decided to reduce the class schedule for the time being. The safety and recovery of our students are paramount, and we believe that providing some respite will contribute to the healing process."
A mixture of surprise and relief passed through the students with a few shouts of joy ringing out, earning them glares from various professors.
"However," Dumbledore's tone became more serious, "this does not mean we can afford to let our guard down. Vigilance is our greatest asset in these trying times. I implore you all to remain cautious, support one another, and, above all, report any suspicious activities promptly." He stared down at Harry, who found his eyes looking anywhere but at Dumbledore.
As the students absorbed the news, the large doors of the Great Hall creaked open. A procession of Aurors, dressed in their distinctive robes, marched purposefully into the hall. Head Auror, Gawain Robards, a stern-faced wizard with an air of authority, approached the front of the faculty table.
Nymphadora Tonks, with her vibrant bubblegum-pink hair and a mischievous glint in her eyes, winked playfully at Hermione and Harry. Moody, his magical eye whirring and shifting, met their gaze with a stern nod of approval. Kingsley Shacklebolt also nodded in acknowledgment.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, we appreciate your cooperation. We will try and make this investigation as swift and thorough as possible," he declared, his gaze sweeping across the student body.
Dumbledore, with a nod of acknowledgment to the Aurors, stepped back, allowing them to assume control of the situation. The lead Auror spoke once more, addressing the gathered students, "We understand that this is a difficult time for everyone. Our investigation will be thorough, and we appreciate your cooperation. We will be interviewing those who were present during the attack in Hogsmeade. Your honesty and candor will aid us in bringing those responsible to justice."
WEDNESDAY 7TH OCTOBER - BLACK LAKE - 11:54 AM
"Everyone else has had their interrogation! Why haven't we had ours!" yelled Pansy. Outside sitting by the black lake. Harry, Draco, Blaise, Hermione, Theo, Daphne, Tracey, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Pansy, Luna, Hannah, Jason and Sue. Pansy patted the cut on her forehead forcefully.
"Pansy stop it, you're going to reopen it!" Tracy fussed.
"How did you end up with that scar again? Weren't you just helping students" Draco inquired. He was ignored.
"It's stressing me out!" Pansy fumed.
"I never thought you'd be eager to be interrogated," Theo noted airily.
"Can you guys stop saying interrogated, you're making it seem like we did something wrong," Harry snapped.
Hermione, always the voice of reason, spoke up, "It's only a matter of time before they get to us. The Aurors are likely following a strategic order. We have to be patient and let the investigation unfold."
Luna, her dreamy gaze fixed on the lake, added, "Perhaps they are gathering information from others first to build a clearer picture of what happened."
Seamus, restless and agitated, couldn't help but grumble, "I just want this to be over with. It feels like we're in some dark mystery novel, and I didn't sign up for this."
Neville, rubbing the scars on his hands absentmindedly, said, "We just need to be honest when they ask us questions. The truth will come out, and those responsible will be held accountable."
Hermione straightened up. Pansy too. Harry noted this mentally.
Just then, the doors to the castle creaked open, and the group turned to see the Aurors approaching. Head Auror Robards led the way, his expression stern but determined.
"Potter, Granger, Malfoy, Zabini, Nott, Parkinson, Greengrass, Davis, Thomas, Li, Huntingdon, Finnigan, Lovegood, Abbott," he called out. "Follow me,"
A/N
not really proud of this chapter