Chapter 49: To Tell, or not to Tell
"The Floo Network."
"Only fireplace in the castle connected to the network is in Dippet's office, and it's highly guarded."
"A Portkey."
"Unauthorized Portkeys are blocked by Hogwarts' protective enchantments. Only certain persons can make exceptions to activate the castle as a Porkey's destination."
"Brooms?" This suggestion came from James.
"How many times do I have to explain that a wide array of complex and powerful spells shield Hogwarts from entry by air?"
James shrugged. "Maybe it's a really fast broom."
Ariadne rolled her eyes. "Potter, I know this is never going to work on you, but just one flip through Hogwarts, A History would dramatically demystify so many things that must confuse you on a daily basis."
James held up his fingers in a cross configuration as if to protect himself from a hex while Ariadne waved her copy of the thick volume around.
"Why would James need to read a musty old tome when he's learned everything he needs about the castle from sneaking around with Florence Pettiford?" interjected Sirius with a smirk.
With characteristic precision, James tossed the Quaffle he'd been messing around with directly at Sirius's head, which collided with an audible bonk. Though this surely hadn't been the first occurrence of this event, Sirius looked offended.
"I told you, mate, Florence Pettiford is ancient history," hissed James.
"Oh, my apologies," said Sirius, raising his hands. For the benefit of Ariadne and Remus, he added, "Potter is attempting to…refashion his image to appeal to one studious, virtuous, and lovely Lily Evans."
Ariadne snorted audibly. It was James's turn to look offended. "What exactly's that supposed to mean?"
"Lily's so out of your league she might as well be playing Quidditch while you're playing Gobstones," said Ariadne unsympathetically.
"Oy! I thought we were supposed to be mates, Morrigan," said James, looking even more injured.
"Are mates not supposed to be honest with each other?"
"Although I know you're impervious to such charms, Morrigan, Potter has historically been quite successful with the witches, owing to the fact of being star Seeker, Quidditch captain, and Marauder extraordinaire," said Sirius.
"I don't doubt any of that, but those things will impress Lily as little as they do me," said Ariadne with a dismissive gesture.
James looked a bit desperate now. "Ariadne, it's true, she never even gives me as much as look in Charms class. You're a fine, smart, fit witch like Lily. What will impress her?"
A triumphant smile crossed Ariadne's face. She slowly raised Hogwarts, a History in front of James's face.
"Once again, we've been diverted by your womanizing antics," Ariadne complained. "We still haven't figured out how Death Eaters are entering the castle from outside."
Remus finally stirred from his corner of the common room, where he'd been seated quietly. "Maybe, they apparated into Hogsmeade and walked right in. Just like we did."
There was a significant pause. Ariadne and Sirius glanced at each other.
"We have to tell a teacher," Ariadne finally said.
"No," answered Sirius, just as definitively.
"Last I checked, Black, there was no document bestowing you with the authority to make decisions for the group," replied Ariadne coolly, with an ever-so-subtle emphasis on the use of Sirius's last name rather than his first.
"Well, if we're going to pull ranks, Morrigan, I'll remind you that you're the newest addition to this… 'group,' as you call it," Sirius answered back.
"I'll remind you that in fact, I'm the only one among us who has any rank to speak of," said Ariadne, her eyes narrowing.
Sirius laughed softly, in that arrogant way she had always found unbelievably annoying. She realized that he hadn't assumed that air with her as often, recently, now that their balance had shifted more towards friends than enemies. But, apparently, he had not yet forgotten how to get a rise out of her.
"Something amusing, Black?"
Sirius rolled his wand between his fingers languidly (Ariadne was momentarily reminded of the dueling lesson in the potions dungeons, and noted that he had not absorbed the lesson on wand grip.) "You're not honestly, here, at this moment, going to bring up the fact that you're a bloody prefect?"
Ariadne stiffened and crossed her arms. "I know what you think, Black, as you've made your opinion of this role abundantly clear in the past, but it is more than mere title."
Sirius put the tips of his fingers together in an arched shape. "Enlighten me."
Ariadne frowned. She'd get him back for his infuriating insolence. "I have a direct line to all of the Hogwarts professors, and the headmaster himself. I have privileges and the authorization to do things that other students don't…even traversing the castle after hours, if I can demonstrate it's related to prefect duties. And, I've even accessed parts of the castle that you have, and never will, set foot in," she finished, thinking that this most of all would rankle his pride as the creator of the Marauders' map.
"You're referring, of course, to the prefects' bathroom on the fifth floor?" said Sirius.
The beginnings of Ariadne's satisfied smile vanished. "You're claiming you've been there before?"
"Certainly."
"Prove it."
Sirius smirked. "I could describe it to you. Or perhaps, I'll take you there myself."
Once again, Ariadne narrowed her glance at him. "And how does one become acquainted with the hidden bathroom whose password is only distributed to prefects sworn to secrecy?"
Sirius's eyes seemed to retreat, to become more hazy and inscrutable. "Let's just say I was pretty well…acquainted with Molly Higginson when she became prefect last term."
A sensation turned in Ariadne's stomach that she simply had no language for. It was like a knot had twisted itself there and began sinking and dragging her down with it. What in the world was she feeling? It must be…she quickly ascribed it to disgust at Sirius's philandering exploits with women. No doubt he had slept with Molly Higginson to extract the desired information.
Ariadne, usually so quick to retort, was caught off guard by the unexpected assault of emotion within her and struggled to gather her words. Sirius, of course, perceived that something was off.
"No clever rebuke, Morrigan?"
Ariadne pushed down the feelings she was having. "It doesn't matter what bathroom you have or haven't been to, Sirius. The point is, I am a school prefect, and I think we need to tell the professors that outsiders have penetrated the castle, immediately."
James and Remus were following this exchange intently, sensing its significance for their mission.
Sirius sighed, as if he were about to take part in an exercise that he wasn't particularly eager for, but found necessary.
"All right, prefect Morrigan, I just have a few questions."
Ariadne was, rightfully, suspicious. "Go on, then."
"Leaving the castle grounds without permission to travel to London this weekend…was that prefect business?"
"Not precisely," answered Ariadne through gritted teeth.
"What about buying a death's head hawkmoth at Knockturn Alley? A highly restricted class two magical object? Did that fall within your duties?"
"I'm astonished that you actually know what class restricted object in its, but no."
"How about brewing a Polyjuice Potion in the dungeons? That for a class assignment?"
"Make your point, Black."
"Ariadne, you've been engaged in quite a lot of off-rulebook activities that don't have one ounce of bubotuber pus to do with 'prefect duties.' So why should we take your sudden reprisal of the role seriously?"
"Black, I know this is hard for you to comprehend, but I'm not just being a rule-following stick up the arse for the pure fun of it. I'm actually trying to keep Hogwarts safe from Death Eaters who are literally inside our school."
"And how is telling the teachers going to help that case? You're just trying to pass off responsibility for protecting the castle to them."
"You're just worried that if we tell them how we got in and out of Hogwarts, you won't be able to go gallivanting to London whenever you want!"
"Morrigan, I know this is hard for you to comprehend, but I'm capable of taking the protection of the castle seriously, too."
They glared at each other over their impasse. "For Merlin's sake, I can never tell if you lot are going to curse each other or snog," groaned James, stretching himself out over the armchair he was sitting in.
"For once, I'm with James," said Remus, breaking his silence again.
"Remus, surely you see the reason why—"
"Moony, you of all people would understand—"
These appeals to Remus were given simultaneously by Ariadne and Sirius, respectively.
Remus held his hand up to stop them. "Your arguments are the same every time. Obviously, Ariadne isn't just a sycophantic teacher's pet. And clearly, Sirius isn't just concerned with his ability to romp in and out of Hogwarts." He paused. "You both know this. You're not strangers anymore."
"I'll say," snickered James.
"But more importantly," Remus continued, "you're both invested in defeating Death Eaters and keeping Hogwarts safe from their influence. You fundamentally want the same thing. At least you can agree on that."
"Remus, that's correct, but the problem is, we disagree on how that should be accomplished," argued Ariadne.
"Right, but you were so busy insulting each other that you haven't got around to actually explaining and justifying each of your approaches," concluded Remus.
Ariadne and Sirius glanced at each other. Their level-headed, reasonable friend was too right to ignore.
"All right then. I would think it's quite obvious why we should tell the teachers that actual Death Eaters from outside the castle have been entering it and conspiring with students who are would-be followers." She paused. "It's so that the Hogwarts staff can increase security measures and find them."
She nodded toward Sirius. "Well then, Black, give it your best shot. Why shouldn't we tell the teachers everything we know?"
"Because, Ariadne," he began in a soft, yet firm voice, "their half-arsed efforts will directly interfere with our own, much more effective plans." He paused. "Besides, I believe that they already know."