Chapter 15 - Night of Nights

Hagrid wasted no time in bustling Harry into the hut. Fang had already scarpered inside before the ethereal phoenix had even uttered a single syllable. The cowardly hound was whimpering from underneath Hagrid's vast quilt.

" What's going on Hagrid?" Harry protested. " What was that thing?"

"Perfesser Dumbledore's patronus," the big man replied tersely as he checked that all the windows were securely locked.

"What's a patronus?"

" No time fer that now 'arry!" Hagrid near snapped as he slung his massive crossbow against one shoulder and hooked on his quiver of bolts around the other.

"Is it werewolves?" Harry asked desperately but Hagrid didn't reply as he made his way to the door.

"I'm trustin' yer ta keep this door locked 'arry." Hagrid announced as he prepared to depart. "Keep the lights off and don't open the door for anyone 'cept me. D'yer understand?"

"What's going on?" Harry demanded.

"D'yer understand lad?" Hagrid repeated forcefully.

Harry nodded sullenly and the giant left shutting the door with a loud bang.

"I don't 'ear lockin'," came a gruff voice through the door a few moments later. Harry rushed to comply.

Harry spent the next hour, knife clutched tightly in his hand peering out of a sliver of the window the rest covered entirely by the thick curtains.

Smoky Highlands mist was rolling off the Black Lake and reducing visibility. The only source of light was from the near full moon overhead and yet everything seemed calm.

He awoke with a start a few hours later. He had fallen asleep head against the wall with the small sliver still letting in moonlight into the hut. Fang was snoring loudly. Harry could have sworn that he had the distinct crack of apparition.

Crack!

There it was again! His heart hammering, he peeked out from behind the curtains wildly. His hand scrounged around for his knife as he caught sight of two or three figures walking towards the Castle. He had definitely heard apparition.

Fang continued to snore but Harry's entire body had tensed. His mouth was dry but he was ready for it. Whoever came through the Hut door was in for a rude surprise.

Yet no one burst through the doors. The figures in the mist moved briskly towards the castle leaving silence in their wake.

Harry remained awake for another half hour as the adrenalin drained from his body. However no other incident disturbed the night and he drifted off to an uneasy sleep again.

It must have been a few hours later when an owl hooted loudly outside and he awoke with a start. After getting his bearings he quickly peeked out of the window. There emerging out of the castle was a bizarre procession which took him time to discern.

There were at least four...no five people. Only their silhouettes were visible but he came to believe that one was certainly Professor Dumbledore given his height, long hook nose and tall wonky wizard hat. The procession seemed at first to be carrying a table between them. However as the mist parted momentarily he could have sworn that the table was in fact a supine human with a flat board floating above him. Indeed Professor Dumbledore had his wand held aloft and Harry was sure that he was making the man and the board float along.

Harry had his nose pressed against the cold pane of the window as he desperately tried to catch as much of the strange carnival as he could but eventually it disappeared from view.

He must have dozed off again because the next thing he knew he was being gently shrugged awake by Hagrid.

The giant steadfastly refused to answer any questions about what had taken place in the castle the previous night which left Harry in a diabolical mood especially given the crick in his neck. Hagrid was unsympathetic and scolded Harry for trying to be too 'nosy fer yer own good.'

The giant also seemed genuinely perplexed by Harry's tale of the supine man, floating board and Professor Dumbledore. He looked at Harry weirdly and suggested that Harry better get himself to breakfast in the Great Hall as soon as possible in case he was delirious from hunger.

Harry's irritation of the morning was quickly replaced by bemusement when he entered Gryffindor Tower and the smattering of housemates gave him a light applause like he was some returning hero. Just a month ago he had heard them whispering bitter nothings about him. It seemed absence made their hearts grow fonder.

The First Year boys' common room found only Ron Weasley left. The redhead was groggily pulling on some slacks and acknowledged Harry with a smile and a clap on the back as if they were old friends.

"Good to have you back mate!"

"Right..."

Harry decided to venture a question, "Why's everyone so glad to see me?"

Ron rubbed his nose and frowned, "Reckon it's cuz the Slytherins have been better behaved since you let Malfoy and his cronies have it."

Harry's sense of dislocation was enlarged when he entered the Great Hall and spied Neville Longbottom waving at him enthusiastically. Fay Dunbar sat a little away from him and they had clearly conspired to save him a seat between them. Seeing no reason to snub the duo he made his way over.

"Good to have you back Harry," Neville informed him jovially.

Was it really, Harry was tempted to ask.

As he piled food onto his plate, Harry asked his 'friends', " So what happened in the castle last night?"

Neville paused his eating and looked over Harry's shoulder at Fay.

"God not you too," Harry groaned frustratedly. "What's with all the bloody secrets?"

"It's not that," Fay replied in her suprisingly strong voice. "It's just such a strange story. It's difficult to explain."

"More than a secret magical society?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"Well...there was a troll in the castle last night," Fay said.

Harry almost choked on his beans.

"A troll! Pull the other one."

"Well we didn't actually see it of course. Professor Quirell just ran in and said there was one in the dungeons. He was terrified so I don't think he was lying," Neville continued.

"How do you know he wasn't lying?"

"Well he fainted after delivering the warning didn't he," Fay added.

Harry snorted, "Makes sense. Why would the Defence professor need to be brave?"

"Anyways we were all sent to our downs and the professors went to deal with the Troll."

"I can't believe there's real trolls, " Harry said after a while. "Mental."

"And what about the floaty man?"

"What?" Asked Neville looking genuinely perplexed.

"The sleeping man with the flat board who Professor Dumbledore floated out of the castle."

Neville and Fay exchanged puzzled looks and shrugged their shoulders.

Harry tsked in frustration.

"When was this?" Neville asked tentatively.

"I don't know exactly. Really late at night though."

Neville and Fay exchanged looks again.

"I know what I saw," Harry defended himself.

The hubub in the Great Hall ceased when Professor Dumbledore and clinked his goblet with a spoon. Seeing that he had the students' attention, he started speaking in his measured tone albeit with a grim visage and without the usual twinkle in his eyes.

"Last night we all faced an arduous challenge. I wish to begin by commending the Prefects for quickly carrying out my orders and seeing their Houses to safety within their dormitories."

He paused and then seemed to look at the Gryffindor table, "I shall be candid with you. Last night there was not a single mountain troll as Professor Quirrell warned us all but rather two."

Gasps and shocked murmurs rippled through the assembled students, coming to a halt only when Dumbledore held up a hand.

"The efforts of your professors and other staff members working in concert were stupendous and above their respective stations. They risked life and limb for the sake of the students and for our home. For that they have my eternal respect, gratitude and appreciation. Together we managed to subdue both trolls before any serious harm could be done."

He turned to his side and lightly applauded the adults sat next to him. The Great Hall took his cue and began clapping thunderously. Harry noticed that many of the teachers looked pleased and embarrassed at the positive attention from the students. Hagrid looked like he would burst with pride and lightly dabbed at his eyes. Oddly, Snape looked…relieved. Utterly relieved.

As the applause wound down, Dumbledore again looked at the Gryffindor table keeping his eyes affixed on one of the students. The Gryffindors began to look around whispering under their breaths wondering who the old wizard was staring at.

"I must confess, we were perilously close to losing a young student who was put in danger simply due to the callous words of a classmate. Both students know who they are and I shall not do them disservice of revealing their identities. I only brought this incident up to highlight how utterly disappointed I am that any of my young wards should be so careless and heartless with their words. This is not what Hogwarts is or stands for."

Furious whispering again spread around the Hall as the students inevitably tried to pinpoint the victim and the culprit. It wasn't hard to figure out either. Hermione Granger was conspicuously absent from the Gryffindor table and Ron Weasley looked like he wanted to dig a deep hole and bury himself in it.

"Stupid prat," Fay hissed viciously leaning into Neville, not caring that Ron had clearly heard.

Harry wondered at Dumbledore's pointedly staring at Ron while delivering his chastisement. He clearly meant for Ron's culpability to be discovered without being so express in his condemnation. A soft man he was not. Harry had learned that firsthand. Harry didn't much care what happened between Granger and Weasley. Both were incredibly annoying in their own ways.

"Finally, as you may have noticed, one of our teachers is missing this morning," Dumbledore continued without acknowledging Weasley's travail. "Unfortunately Professor Quirrell found himself overwhelmed when faced with a grown mountain troll and came to the conclusion that teaching was perhaps not his calling. Concurring with his assessment that a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher should not faint at the thought of a troll, I accepted his letter of resignation."

There were ragged cheers from the odd students in the Great Hall while the majority seemed stumped at the cavalcade of information.

"This means," Dumbledore said, "that we will have a vacancy for almost three fourths of the school year. I wish to commend Professors Flitwick and Snape who have graciously agreed to share the responsibilities for Defence Against the Dark Arts for the rest of this academic year."

Murmurs again. Harry didn't know whether to groan or cheer. Flitwick was brilliant and Snape was the polar opposite - a complete tosser.

"Oh no… not double Snape" Neville groaned weakly and Fay tried to soothe him by patting his back.

"None of that," Harry snapped before he could help himself. Fay glared at him but Neville only seemed to sink lower.

Dumbledore seemed to be done with his announcements. But just as he was getting ready to take his seat he hesitated, waited and then rose again. This time Harry could have sworn that Dumbledore looked at him.

"I…" Dumbledore began with what suspiciously sounded like a warble, "Last night…Samhain…All Hallow's Eve. A night for remembrance. There were many who sacrificed. But their work was left undone. Last night… a night of nights. The work is finally finished. All can rest now. Let there be peace…let there be a last great adventure…at last.

That is all."

Furious whispering shot across the Hall.

"…finally lost his marbles the old goat."

Harry watched intently as McGonagall grasped Dumbledore's hand and looked at him teary-eyed. Snape had the strongest reaction of all. He covered his face with his hands and Harry could have sworn he saw the bat's shoulders shake.

"What the fu…fuck is going on at this school?" Neville said incredulously.

"Neville! Language," Fay reprimanded him.

Harry's thoughts were on a certain floating man and a flat board. Could the man's misshapen head have in fact been a turbaned head?