54

March Eighteenth, Morning, Hogwarts Castle, Calder's Room.

 Darkness and silence were the two forces that dominated this room at the moment. Darkness enveloped the entire space of this room, preventing an outside observer from seeing anything, to one degree or another. Only vague outlines of objects are the only things he can see here.

 For several hours now they have dominated this room, but their power does not last forever, everything comes to an end. In an instant, as if by some kind of alarm clock, the eyes of the only person who slept on the only bed in this room opened. Having looked around the room, he stood up and with a wave of his hand created a ball of light in order to disperse the darkness. The light instantly took over the room, driving the darkness into different corners, but it did not disappear completely, no. He will regain power, as soon as the light weakens or leaves, everything will return to normal.

 This morning for Calder was no different from the previous ones that had come before him for six months. Get up, shower, exercise, train magic and psionics. Stability is the key to success, that's what people say. This saying perfectly describes this guy. His stability on the path of self-development is what enabled him to achieve what he has at the moment. Only thanks to her and his perseverance, Calder has already achieved a lot, but how much more remains to be done.

 An hour and a half later, Calder was ready. Having gone down to the living room, he did not linger there for long, but headed towards the Great Hall for breakfast.

 Fifteen minutes later he was there. Entering the large hall, the guy, out of habit, examined it with his brown eyes, as well as his magical sense. Nothing unusual, all the same early birds who even got up so early on the weekend. Nodding to some acquaintances in greeting, he headed to the table of his faculty. Along the way, Calder glanced briefly at the Lions table.

 At first glance, everything was the same as before, all the same dissatisfied people who had to get up so early, as well as a pinch of those who had no problem getting up so early. A familiar picture that repeats itself every week, an outside observer would say, but no. At the table of the scarlet faculty, three individuals stood out, who were currently in a depressed state and were not talking to anyone, only to each other. These were three red-haired brothers - the twins and the Sixth. Their appearance was not important - dark bags under their eyes, red eyes, tear marks on their cheeks, wrinkled clothes. It's immediately obvious that something happened to them.

 "It looks like they've already been informed of their older brother's death," Calder concluded, taking his usual seat at his house table. — I wonder what cause of death they were told? Suicide or murder? Somehow I doubt that Dumbledore will believe the first version, even despite the absence of any traces of the use of magic. Although this does not mean that he will directly tell them about the murder, despite the topic that the boy was thinking about, his movements were the same as always - collected, smooth and clear. The face is the same without emotion. There was nothing about him that marked him as a "criminal." "If Dumbledore had not been an ardent supporter of the light and had not so strongly rejected the "dark" schools, he would have at least used the help of a necromancer in order to find out the identity of the killer. But alas, even he would not have been able to find out. Percy couldn't see my face or even my figure. This is not to mention the erasing of memory using psionics, which leaves no traces in the magical background." 

 Having helped himself to a triple portion of food, Calder started breakfast. About halfway through the meal, he felt Neville approaching, which was not typical for him. Today is Saturday, a day off, and he came to the Great Hall so early.

 "Perhaps it has something to do with Percy?" — a guess flashed through Kolder's head in an instant.

 "Morning, Nev," he said, turning slightly in his direction, for appearance's sake. "It's not often you're seen on a weekend morning in the Great Hall." What could have happened out of the ordinary that even you could defeat the bed in an unequal battle? — a barely noticeable grin appeared on the young man's face. Looking at it, Neva immediately wanted to stuff at least a kilogram of lemons in there, or hit it with a brick, that would be even better. But alas, not today.

 - Morning to you too, Kol. "It's nice for you to choke," the boy did not remain in debt. Sitting down at the table, he helped himself to something to eat and began to languidly pick at his food. It was clear from him that he had no plans to get up today at all, his face was too dissatisfied and sleepy. - Honestly? I can't even imagine. It's just that this morning a professor came into the living room and strongly recommended that I attend breakfast. And you know, making her angry costs yourself more. - Having looked up from his food for a second, he waved his hand and pointed to the door that led to the exit from the Great Hall. - Now others will catch up. It seems like the whole faculty will come.

 As if he were a seer, at the same moment a whole procession of students from the house of badgers began to enter the Great Hall. Some of them were angry, some were perplexed, but they all came anyway.

 "Sprout seems to be keeping a tight rein on her house. What happens if you make her angry?"

 Everyone else who was in the large hall looked at this crowd with surprise and disbelief. They could not understand why all the badgers had gathered here. Only a few did not react to this. Some people didn't care, but some knew the panic of the general gathering.

 As soon as the badgers sat down, representatives of other faculties began to follow them into the hall. Snakes, lions and crows were all here.

 "Interesting," Calder said to Neville. "Something must have happened for the whole school to gather here on Saturday." What could it be? Do you have any ideas Neville?

 Neville shrugged his shoulders and replied:

 "I don't know," and noticing something at the teacher's table, he immediately added. "I don't think we'll have to guess." Now we'll find out everything," he nodded behind Koller.

 Turning towards the teachers, the guy's gaze immediately came across the Director, who at that very moment stood up from the table. Taking the glass in his hand, he gently tapped it with a fork. The sound of clear crystal echoed throughout the hall. Clean and bright. All the schoolchildren who had previously communicated with each other drew attention to him.

 "Either direct control of mana, or a wandless spell," the conclusion suggested itself. "Grandfather is strong, you can't say anything."

 "I'd like your attention for a minute," the director began his speech. "I'm sure many of you are currently wondering why you were gathered here on a day off." I'm afraid the news I'm telling you about is not the most pleasant. I would say - she is very sad," after waiting until everyone was imbued with his words, he continued. "It hurts and saddens me to talk about this, but still. Late last night, a student from our school, Percival Weasley, head of the Gryffindor house, died. As soon as he fell silent, the entire hall fell into suffocating silence.

 All the children were perplexed. A wide range of emotions played on their faces. Disbelief, fear, horror, interest, rage, and also sadness. The looks of all the students crossed on the three brothers, who, with tears in their eyes, lowered their heads to the floor. The emotion was a real storm - there was disbelief, fear, rage and a wild thirst for revenge. The last emotion was so strong that it interrupted all the others.

 "It seems either they didn't believe the suicide theory, or they weren't even told about it. There is no need to do anything here, you just need to watch them. If they are normal people, then fine, but if they are like Percy..." Calder's gaze that was directed at the brothers also expressed sympathy and pity. But somewhere in the depths, in the very outskirts of his soul, there was a fire that ignited yesterday, but never went out completely. Perhaps he will never disappear, but will remain with the guy until the end.

 "In connection with this incident, Aurors will be in the castle for the next week to investigate this case," an imposing wave of the hand and the doors that had been closed before opened, thereby letting in twenty people in dark scarlet robes. Their looks and gait expressed pride. They supposedly thereby shouted: "Look how important we are, envy us." "They will be our guests for a week." In connection with the investigation, they will have quite broad powers and the right to ask questions of you. But," here the director's gaze changed dramatically and acquired some predatory notes. Under his gaze, all the Aurors somehow shrank and shrank, trying to appear smaller. Their faces became whiter than chalk. "Here you are, valiant guardians of the law." "Everything has limits, as do their powers." - Looking at them again, the director again became a kind, slightly wonderful grandfather. - Thank you for your attention. Enjoy your meal.

 Having finished his speech, the director went about his business. The rest of the teachers did not linger and left in the same way. The Aurora followed them out.

 As soon as the last adult left the room, the previously "dead" hall came to life overnight. Questions poured in from different directions. There was a hubbub throughout the hall. The children argued, shouted, some even cried. Many of them rushed towards the three brothers, who continued to sit in prostration, in order to find out the details of this matter.

 "Here you go," Neville burst out. - This is necessary, the death of a student on school grounds. This hasn't happened for a long time.

 - Why wasn't it? It was," Calder was surprised. "It's just that current circumstances are slightly different from before." Think about what distinguishes this case from a number of previous ones? And there is no need to say that you haven't read about them. "Everything is in plain sight," he asked the boy.

 — Presence of Authors? - Neville will answer after a few minutes of thought. — Perhaps they weren't there in previous cases?

 "That too," Kol nodded to him. "The main difference is the death of a representative of an "aristocratic" family," he made quotation marks with his fingers, thereby expressing his opinion on this matter. "You see, before this it was mostly Muggle-borns who died, about whom no one cared, but this time they don't."

 — Were there any other cases of death? - Nev asked a question a couple of minutes later. "I don't remember anyone talking about anything like that," he finished, slightly embarrassed.

 - Yes they were. In such cases, they act simply - if it is an accident, then they either talk about transferring to another school, thereby keeping silent about the fact of death, or directly report the death. Just not like now," with his right hand he gestured around all the children who were currently arguing with each other in a raised voice. - Not so publicly and not in front of everyone. This has never happened before.

 "I see," Neville scratched his chin. -Where did you find out about this?

 "There's a book in the library called A History of Hogwarts," he said sarcastically at the end. - You can read it if you want, in case you find something new for yourself.

 "I wish I could throw a brick at you, but it's nowhere nearby," Neville answered somehow lost.

 -Can you try, maybe something will work out? — Taking out his wand, he transfigured the brick on the table. The most common, white brick.

 "An ulcer," Neville answered, looking at the brick, turning his head to the side. However, no, no, but a smile appeared on his face.

 "We managed to cheer him up a little," Calder nodded mentally. – Still, the death of someone has a very strong effect on him. Although his parents did not die, this did not prevent the formation of psychological trauma. To her."

 "As it is," Kol shrugged and scattered the brick.

 Then their breakfast went on as usual, unless, of course, you paid attention to the noise from the outside. The children didn't even think about stopping their discussion. It was just gaining momentum. This topic will circulate around the castle for a long time, perhaps until the end of the school year.

 "We'll have to do without forays into the Room of Rescue this week. I will use "my class" for its intended purpose. You should not violate the established regime, it will look very suspicious. — leaving the Great Hall, Calder thought about his future plans. "It's just advisable that the Aurors don't stay long, because soon there should be an epic with the dragon." I don't care about the dragon itself right now, but training the Trio and Draco in the forest is my current goal. It's worth trying to help the unicorn. Maybe he'll give me some of his blood. Damn it, I don't want to catch anything."

 So he walked towards the hospital wing, thinking about his future plans. Some were criticized and discarded, while others "lay down" on the shelf, waiting in the wings.