Chapter 98
Then, he let the wall of fire part for just a second, allowing only one zombie to come through. He let it come close before trapping it in place by making the earth rise up and restrain it.
Ping!
A new skill has been created!
Theatrics, Lv- 1 (30%)
You have a penchant for the grand, a wish to bedazzle and the desire to intimidate. This skill helps you achieve it.
Harry absently waved it away before he tipped a Wiggenwald Potion into Filch's mouth, causing him to wake up. With his wolf cloak hiding his identity and giving his voice the undertone of a growling werewolf, Harry with his bloodlust had quite a terrifying voice at his disposal.
Filch's eyes fluttered open, catching sight of the zombie that was groaning and struggling right in front of him and a massive wall of fire just a few feet away from them.
He whimpered, unable to look away from the zombie's rotting face.
Harry took the chance and started talking from his spot behind him, "Answer my questions, or that zombie eats you for dinner. Why were you collecting all the student owls?"
"I-I c-can't tell you that. That's sch-school business." Filch said, stuttering worse than Quirrell. Apparently, there was some courage left in him.
"WHY!" Harry asked again forcefully, this time releasing the zombie from its earthen bindings. It started to limp closer towards Filch, who struggled against his ropes.
"Make it stop! Make it stop! I'll tell you! Professor Dumbledore! Professor Dumbledore! It was the Headmaster!"
Harry flicked a finger, binding the zombie to place. "What did he tell you to do?"
"He ordered me to catch all the owls carrying letters out of the school and deliver it to whichever teacher's turn it was that day to go through their letters."
"Why"
"To erase anything about the third-floor corridor. He doesn't want any parents worrying or panicking about whatever he's been guarding in the third-floor corridor."
"Why did you deliver it to Quirrell two days in a row? Why not to the Professor whose turn it was?"
"Professor Quirrell agreed to take all the teachers' turns from the start of the year. He says the other teachers had time issues and that he wants to help. That's why I give him the letters. He gets the job done so I don't tell the headmaster about it. That's all I know about the entire thing. I swear now please let me go!"
Harry flicked his hand one more time, freeing the zombie, which started to hobble closer to them slowly.
Filch's breath hitched. "I swear don't know anything else! Just get it away! Get it away! Get it away!"
Harry flicked his hand, burning the zombie to ashes. That sight was too much for the terrified caretaker and he fainted.
Ping!
Quest Success!
Find out how and why Quirrell got hold of your letter and what was Filch doing.
Rewards,
10,000 exp
+5 stat disc
Harry waved the window away and focused. His senses hadn't picked up any lies. He tried to calm himself, trying to comprehend all that the now unconscious man had told him.
So Dumbledore was trying to stop parents from panicking by modifying their kids' mail. And by doing so, he'd unknowingly handed Quirrell a way to intercept and find out about Harry's letter. The entire situation was just too convoluted. Steeling himself, he pointed his wand at Filch's forehead and incanted the spell he'd learned.
"Obliviate"
The next day in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Lucius Malfoy impatiently awaited the arrival of Albus Dumbledore for their meeting.
Just as he was about to give up and leave, the fireplace flared green and the tall bearded wizard stepped out of it. "My sincerest apologies Lucius," he said before pulling back his throne-like chair and taking a seat at the table. "So what is this about?"
"The Stone, Albus," Lucius said, getting directly to the point. "You must move it. The board will lose all credibility if it is found that we've been allowing you to monitor and modify the mail of students. Not even Nicholas Flamel's word will protect any of us from that scandal. And it will only get harder and harder to keep it all a secret from now on. The students that have gone home would surely tell their parents."
"I think you severely overestimate the attention span of youngsters Lucius. You were there when Nicholas stated his wish to use the school to protect the stone. Did he look like he would allow the stone to be moved? Rest assured, secrecy about the stone being here is of utmost importance, both to me and the staff."
"Is that why you practically announced it to the entire school on the first day? Secrecy? Or is it some sort of insidious trick you have?" Lucius spat out.
"I could not let students stumble into the traps set for the protection of the stone. As Headmaster, protection of my children always comes first." Dumbledore replied, his tone a bit severe.
"Then why have you not acted on Severus's concerns Dumbledore? He clearly thinks that this…Quirrell is a threat to the Stone and the students. Merlin knows he's told both of us enough times. He seems pretty sure that the man is after the Stone."
"I assure you, Lucius, that Severus's worries, while appreciated, are unfounded. I'm afraid Severus's desire to teach as the Defence teacher might have colored his assumptions towards the negative. Quirinus has my absolute trust. He has been here as a Professor for over a decade."
"The Muggle Studies Professor," Lucius shot back, his nose upturned.
Dumbledore did not acknowledge his comment. "I understand our personal differences in opinions Lucius, but the board and the school staff must work together to get through this. The attempt at stealing the Stone at Gringotts shows that there is someone or some group powerful enough that wants it. We need to focus on outward threats while keeping our ears open for any word of such a thief. Causing distrust amongst our own people will not benefit anyone."
There was a minute of silence, in which they both sipped their cups of Darjeeling tea. Finally, Lucius broke the silence.
"Doesn't it ever wake you in the middle of the night? The feeling that one day they, whoever they are, will come after the Stone here? And your children?"
"It does indeed."
"What do you do, when you wake up to that?"
Another moment of silence reigned through the office, before Dumbledore replied, "I feel a great swell of pity for the poor soul that comes to my school looking for trouble."
Lucius stared at the old headmaster for a few moments before putting down his cup, picking up his cane and walking out of the office door.
Lisa Turpin was carrying down a large stack of books she had borrowed from the library up to the Ravenclaw common room. She could barely see above the top of the stack, after all, exams were here and if she did badly then she might get expelled!
The thought of telling her mother, who was working hard just so that she could go to Hogwarts just like her father wanted, that she was expelled was extremely hard for the Ravenclaw girl. That line of thought made her walk even faster, for disappointing her mother was something she wanted to avoid at all costs.
SMASH!
With a loud shriek, she toppled right into the ground, her books falling all around her. Looking up to see what she'd slammed into, she saw a handsome blonde man looking at her with a raised eyebrow. She blushed as she recognized him. It was Lucius Malfoy!
"S-sorry Mister Malfoy," she said in a small voice.
"Quite alright. Quite alright Miss . . ."
"T-Turpin. Sir. Lisa Turpin."
"Ah," The man seemed to recognize her name, "Have no worries Miss Turpin. I'm sure your mother would be proud to see you working so hard," he said, bending down to pick up some of her books before handing them to her.
"T-Th-Thank you, sir. Good-day" Lisa stammered out.
"And to you as well," he said with a small nod and walked off briskly.
Lisa shook her head. Lucius Malfoy! Of all the people she could have smacked right into!
'Thank goodness he didn't get angry.' Lisa thought, knowing that the powerful man could easily get her mum into a lot of trouble if he wanted to. Turning around, balancing the stack of books to allow her some sight towards where she was going this time, she started walking towards the tower again.
Nestled between her Charms and Herbology texts, was a thin black diary.
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