10When word of what happened in Gryffindor tower reached students ears. The story exploded. Rumors flew around the student body like anxious pixies. Many started to believe that The Figure, was the ghost of a lost death eater that was stuck on an infinite quest of trying to find its master.
McGonagall frowned as she listened to her students chatting. Last night seemed a mile away like it was some sort of bad dream that she was suffering the after effects from.
Last night when she awoke to the blood-curdling screams of her children echoing down the halls and the emergency wards blaring, she was caught off guard. Never once since Sirius Black broke into Gryffindor tower had the wards been activated.
So when they had awoken her at 2 am, she expected the worst.
She remembered running down the dark hallway to the tower and how the air had suddenly gotten colder as she got closer. It also got darker, every candle had been extinguished in the hall. As she had run up the stone staircase she could hardly see where her feet were landed.
When she had seen the open portrait to the common room, and the dim light shining into the blackened hallway, her legs moved just a bit faster.
She remembers how her stomach twisted but relieved at the sight of the unharmed sixth year sitting on carpeted floor staring up at her with wide, terrified eyes. His shoulders shaking so uncontrollably his arms could barely hold him up.
Two others were standing frozen in the center of the room with similar expressions, the one girl that was at the desk was gripping the back of the chair like it was her lifeline. While the rest of the house had stopped behind the first couch where two other girls held onto each other with the force of a constrictor.
It had taken hours in the hospital wing to get the 6 teens to calm down to a healthy level, how fast their hearts were beating it almost sent them all into shock. Madam Pomfrey, had to treat Mac with a dreamless sleep when he wouldn't stop his anxious mutterings.
When she asked the remaining teens what had happened, the story that spilled out in the form of stutters and shaky words made goose bumps rise on her skin.
It sounded like a dementor but they said it didn't approach them, only Mac and he thankfully had his soul and no negative effects. Along with all the Slytherins who had encountered it. A wayward dementor somehow?
As unlikely as it seemed, at Hogwarts what wasn't possible? A benevolent dementor wouldn't be the weirdest thing to happen within these halls anyhow.
Glancing over as the Slytherins from the high table, she couldn't help but be proud of them. Despite Severus calling them cowardly, she thought they had been so brave. Without the assistance of adults, they had come up with a way to work around the creature and protect themselves. At the beginning of the year when The Figure had first been seen, Snape had been enraged thinking it was a prank being played like everybody else had; but eventually the deputy headmaster had enough of students coming into his office blubbering about someone scarring them in the halls and told his Slytherins to stop being so cowardly and act like real Slytherins.
She felt guilt flopping in her stomach, she had condemned an entire house, a bunch of children, to facing this monster daily.
As a headmistress, she had failed, letting her past prejudice affect her job. She tightly clenched the table cloth in her hand when an evil voice in her mind whispered the name, Harry Potter.
He had been in many similar positions before. Alone, in a terrible situation with no one to support him, no adult for him to turn to and comfort him. They had ignored him when he asked for assistance, just like they did with the Slytherins.
Every time they didn't believe him or ignored him. Every time he asked to be heard he was dismissed, it all eventually lead to his demise.
She told herself that perhaps it was for the best, his whole life had been him pulling the short straw. Now at least he could rest.
Shaking her head she promised herself 'No more Harry Potter's'. She would end this stupid subconscious prejudice and do what she should have done it the first place. Turning to her deputy she said, "Severus, I need your help."
Severus turned his head to look her in the eye. "Oh?"
That nearly her flush, that little bit of disappointment and anger that leaked into his tone made it seem that he had known exactly what she was thinking the whole time. But instead, she straightened her back and composed herself. "I have made a great mistake in ignoring this Figure problem for far too long. It has been proven that this is far more serious than a mere on-going prank."
"Do you know what has been haunting my snakes?" He voice was serious, and his dark-ringed eyes spoke vengeance. It suddenly occurred to her that it was likely that her Deputy has been up late most nights comforting scared children and making dreamless sleep potions for students who's nights were not as restful as they should be. How could she think he abandoned them at all?
"One of my students, Mac, came in physical contact with this being last night, one of the witnesses to this event said it grabbed his hand when he tried to shut the portrait door after it had opened on its own." She told him, and the potions teacher had to stop himself from interrupting. "But it never hurt him they said, he had fallen backward's after the hand had touched him but that was all. It never attempted to enter the common after that nor did it attack."
Severus frowned. "What was it?"
Heaving a heavy sigh she continued. "From how they were describing it, it seems to be a dementor." With very un-dementor like qualities. She added mentally.
The potions master snorted. "Impossible. If there was a dementor loose we would have hundreds of soulless children by now."
"As strange as it is, we must consider it. I watched those children's memories myself, and it does appear to be a wayward dementor."
She watched as Severus tiredly pinched the bridge of his nose. "If it is a dementor, as you predict, what do we do? It's obviously not under anyone's control and I doubt it would leave if you asked it politely, as it seems to have to have made itself perfectly at home in Hogwarts." He sneered at the last part.
Yes, what to do about the odd dementor. It seemed more interested in exploring the castle than taking any soul's though, and it felt odd to force the creature out when it had not intentionally done any harm. She had watched the memories of when the creature had accidently touched Macs hand, it had starred at him afterward's in an almost appraising way. As if it was merely checking if the child was ok before deciding he was fine and leaving. It hadn't actually done much besides open a door and frighten a few children. On the other hand, it might just be a matter of time before something bad actually did happen.
"I'm not sure Severus, perhaps we should explain to the students the situation, it would not do to leave them in the dark."
The teachers sneer seemed to become more vicious at the Headmistresses plan. "Then what, let a dangerous creature roam the halls while telling the students not to worry? You sound like Albus."
"NO!" She snapped. "That is not it at all, I watched the child's memories, while yes this creature is dangerous I do not believe it to be an immediate threat, no, stop I know what you're going to say Severus, but if I thought this creature to be a threat I would personally get rid of it. But the creature didn't appear to be aggressive, just curious. Just watch the memories and see what I mean."
If possible Snape seemed to become even more aggravated and bit out a "fine," before turning back and poking at his breakfast.
After an oddly silent breakfast, Minerva lead Severus to the headmistresses office.
As she set up the pensive, Snape sat in one of the chairs around a small hand carved table.
"Here, we will go in together. The memory is kind of hectic due to the panic but it's clear enough." She said putting the large bowl in front of the professor.
Leaning over they dipped their faces in the swirling liquid and allowed the memory to swallow their conscious.
Appearing in the Gryffindor common room Severus observed the dim red and gold room with disgust, 4 older students and 1 younger one occupied the sharp red couches, talking softly and reading. On the far wall at a gold desk, another student was studying .
Then his companion arrived at his side pointing to the common room door and whispered ominously. "Watch the door."
Interested now, he turned and watched the portrait, ignoring the students, only looking back when the room suddenly got darker. For a minute nothing happened, then in horrified fascination he watched as the painting gradually swung open by a seemingly invisible force. He could see how this would make a student wet themselves.
Severus then turned to the students in the room, and with bit of sadistic curiosity saw the small blonde girls eyes widen as she noticed the door opening. Her stuttering drawing the attention of the rest of the room.
And he stood beside McGonagall when the not so bright one, she says his name was Mac, went to shut the portrait.
Taking the moment Severus surveyed the rest of the students, each of them showing blatant fear on their face, a shout from the not so bright one drew his attention back and saw the black haired boy tumble backward's onto the floor. Immediately he saw the bony hand gripping frame of the door, its limb deathly pale and sick undoing the boys work by pushing the door back open. Everything in the room seemed to grow cold even though it was just a memory, and Severus noticed himself holding his breath.
The creature unbelievably didn't lunge at the teen, just watched him. Tilting its head slightly it seemed to check over the teen, never once making a move to enter the room. It looked content to just stand at the door and observe the reaction it's presence caused.
The screaming didn't even seem to bother the creature, all of its focus was on the boy on the ground a mere foot away from it. Severus thought he saw the things other arm twitch as if it was going to move forward but thought against it. Eventually after another few seconds of starring the hooded creature left and the memory faded.
When he drew out of pensive he looked up to see Minerva staring intensely at him. "Do you see what I mean now?"
"It seems to hold an unusual level of intelligence for a dementor and it appears... Docile."
Her stare didn't relent as she asked, "So Severus, what should we do?"
He returned her stare, locking eyes with her. "I would like to observe this creature, as I stated before as it seems to hold an unusual level of consciousness I have not seen in dementors. But I think it would be wise to alert the staff of what we found and to also inform the students of our guest."
This was probably the best course of action what Severus was saying and she agreed, she knew that she would try to make the most reasonable decision that would benefit both her school and the creature that had taken roost in it but she made mistakes. And having someone like Severus agree with her plans made her feel better.
"I'll hold an emergency staff meeting in an hour." She decided.
Severus just nodded his head and walked out with his black cloak flaring dramatically behind him. She had to stifle a small smile, maybe the potions professor felt a kinship with being, they were both very similar. Cold and terrifying, with a knack for scaring students and billowing cloaks. Maybe they could be friends. That imagine made her smile, Severus and the dementor sitting at a table playing chess.
Wiping the smile off her face she sat down at her desk and pulled out a sheet of parchment. She would write a small letter informing her staff that there would be an emergency meeting in 55 minutes regarding The Figure. Using transfigured mice would get the message around fast enough. Settling down she began to write.
50 minutes later the majority of the staff sat around a large round table in the conference room. All of them eager to hear the news about The Figure. None of the teachers besides Minerva and Severus had ever seen the rumored creature, and none of them had ever actually met it face to face. It seemed to avoid adults.
At the head of the oval table sat the headmistress, next to her on the right sat her deputy headmaster on her left professor Flitwick sat on his specially transfigured chair.
Clearing her throat, McGonagall cut off their excited chatter. "Good morning staff, as I'm sure you are all aware The Figure made a surprise appearance at Gryffindor tower last night giving six students a night in the hospital wing. I would like to inform you that they are all unharmed and will be in class on Monday."
Muttering broke out amongst the staff when Pomfrey raised her voice. "Minerva, I have 9 students in my wing being treated for mild shock, have you caught the culprit to this horrible foolishness?" Head turned expectingly in her direction.
"There was no culprit caught, but Severus and I have determined what The Figure is and why it has had the effects it does on the students."
"Tell us already Minerva, the tension is already high." Fillius broke in. He was obviously just as curious as everyone else.
Clearing her throat again. "A wayward dementor seems to have made itself at home in the halls of our school." Lifting her hand to shush the cries before continuing on. "It does not seem interested in humans but I do not want to leave this unmonitored so I ask of you to keep stay alert but do not provoke it."
"You cannot possibly leave this dark creature floating around, the students are scared to enter their own dorms now!" The new muggle studies teacher, Mr. Cross shouted from the other side of the table. He stared the headmistress down, face beat red and lips pressed.
Severus's mild voice rose to answer. "You cannot blame a being for simply looking the way it does."
"You would say that wouldn't you." Sneered the older man.
Surprisingly Hagrid defended his fellow professor. "Now, now fe'sser Cross, no need to be insulti'n Snape."
The professor looked disgusted. "Now, listen here-"
"Enough!" Minerva's stern shout immediately shushed them and she continued quieter but still kept her firm tone. "It is final, the dementor will be left alone until proven a threat. It doesn't appear to be interested in humans so do not provoke it." Her words left no room for argument.
Flitwick was next to speak. "Minerva, will we be telling the students?" Real worry leaked into his voice, he hoped she would not be like Albus in this way. He did not enjoy keeping secrets from students.
She nodded. "Yes, I will be announcing it during lunch today, I wish not to hide this from the students since they are most likely going to be the ones interacting with it the most." Looking around at her staff she asked. "Anyone else?" When no one spoke she dismissed them all. Soon no one but Severus, who she had asked to stay behind, and Hagrid who shuffled awkwardly in front of her.
"Er, f'esser McGonagall, did you say e't was a dementor that 'as been bother'in the stu'ent's?"
Looking up at the half-giant she responded tenderly, "Yes, Hagrid. Is that a problem?" She was unsure if Hagrid felt differently towards dementors after the battle of Hogwarts than he did before. She hoped it wouldn't be a problem.
Hagrid quickly shook his head. "No, no, no problem pro'fesser, but-"
"Hurry up!" Snape hissed. The bumbling oaf's improper speech was chopping away at his last few nerves.
He looked even more flustered now, pulling at his vest nervously he stumbled through the rest of his sentence. "I-I, eh one of 'em 'ave been hang'in around the hut fer a while, I was gonna call one of ya to come an get rid of et I swear, but th'n it just did not'in. Just minded it's own business, float'n round. After that et j'st stayed."
The dementor was never meant to be hidden from them and when Hagrid had first seen it he nearly had a heart attack. The dark creature had snuck up on him when he was attending to some of his Herompep plants, feisty things needed a lot of attention, and when he had finally noticed the slight chill in the air the thing was only a few feet away poking at another one of his plants. At first, he stumbled back in horror, he had mistaken it as a death eater at first glance. That was until he saw the lipless face and deathly thin limbs poking out of the ragged cloak.
After, he had spent the next while observing it as it explored his garden and ignouring the sudden cold bite the air had. His first instinct was to run and get a professor, dementors were not supposed to be allowed through the wards and how this one got here was surely a bad sign. But as he watched the skinny creature move through his garden with the gentality of a new born fawn, he couldn't help but feel a little sad for it.
It was just the way it moved, its slowly, steady, gentle caresses like it was afraid to break everything it touched with its fragile hands. That made an ache bloom in his large chest. He couldn't chase this poor creature away.
After the first encounter, the dementor kept coming back and Hagrid always enjoyed watching the curious thing poke around whatever he was working on. He didn't even mind the chill that came with it.
When he eventually decided to name it, it was in the middle of the night when he was getting ready to hit the sack. The dementor had floated right through his front door and had begun to examine a stuffed rabbit toy he had for Fang. "Puppy." The dementor tilted it's head at him. "Puppy, do ye mind that name? It seems to fit ya wit all yer sniffin around ya do." The creature had gripped the animal to its chest and moved closer the half-giant.
Trying his luck that day, he had reached out a large hand and frowned as it flinched away but didn't retreat. Eventually, the creature had pushed the top of its head against the palm of his hand. And Hagrid couldn't hold in the soft cooing sound he made as he patted the hooded head, no matter what the creature was, there were things that would always be cute.
He had smiled as he watched the being hold onto the stuffed animal and nuzzle his hand. There, he swore he would let nothing bad ever fall upon this creature.
"I just didn't want anything ter happen to the little guy, pr'fesser, ye understand right?"
Taking a deep breath McGonagall sighed. "It's fine Hagrid, just please just trust me enough to notify me if something like this happens again." Only Hagrid, he was too kind for his own good.
Hagrid sniffled loudly as he nodded. "Of coarse pr'ssfer, im sorry but ya promise notin's gonna happen to Puppy? It's not dangerous, never hurt a fly that one, always curious thou, gets in ta everthi'n. That's how Puppy got its name, always snoopin."
McGonagall just nodded along and patted him sympathetically on his arm. "If it's in my power Hagrid I will not allow 'Puppy' to be hurt."
The half-giant gave her a grateful smile and bounded out the door. Shaking her head she looked over to Severus, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but where he was.
"Severus, thank you for staying."
He gave her an unimpressed stare. "Well?"
"Would you care to take a stroll with me through the hallways tonight."
Snape just gave her a sharp nod, before asking if that all, and when he got an affirmative, left. She followed silently after him, but at a more moderate pace.
Sitting in the great hall, looking out at the sea of students, she could see that the students from last night's incident had been released and were chatted sedately with their friends. No doubt, telling them about their encounter with The Figure.
She waited until halfway through lunch before addressing the hall. Casting a quick charm on herself she spoke. "Students, I would like to address the issue that led to last night's incident." Turning to the Slytherin students she bowed her head. "and also to apologize to the students of Slytherin house for ignoring it so long." The snakes looked baffled at the apology and angry at the same time, and she could understand why. "After investigating what happened last night, we would like to assure you that The Figure is neither the ghost of Voldemort or a lost death eater. It is a dementor that has found itself inside the school, it is so far not a threat to students so do not provoke it and continue your days as per usual. If you have any concerns please so not hesitate to tell a teacher. That is all."
Quickly muttering from the students overtook the great hall and she sat back down.
It was going to be a long day.
A/N,
Hello. Next chapter will be a lot longer.