Serendipity [Book 2]

The Attack

“I thought the entire point of having soul sucking dementors and useless slobs of Aurors was to keep this sort of thing from happening!” Ariella hissed as she stood with the rest of the staff. Minerva sighed at the younger woman’s anger.

“Cross has a point,” Severus added as he glared at the now ruined portrait of the Fat Lady. Ariella sniffed the air around the tattered painting and frowned.

“He smells different,” she mumbled to herself more than to anyone else. Remus frowned when he heard her.

“What do you mean?” He asked as Ariella turned to him with a frown.

“Something smells different,” she remarked as she came closer to the torn canvas. Severus watched her thin fingers trace the edge of the tattered flap. Brief images flashed across Ariella’s mind as her frown deepened.

“He was desperate. He’s getting more dangerous. I think we should move the students,” Ariella suggested as she turned back to her colleagues.  Severus and Remus frowned as the words left her mouth.

“All of the students?” Minerva questioned as Ariella nodded. Everyone turned to Albus as he nodded his head.

“Move all of the students to the Great Hall. Teachers will take turns being on guard,” Albus ordered as the professors nodded somberly. Severus and Remus eyed Ariella in worry. Even though she was acting calm and collected, her eyes betrayed her. She was worried and fearful for her god-son’s safety, even within the walls of Hogwarts.

“I’m going to take the first watch,” Ariella told them as she found them staring at her in concern. Remus started to object before sighing. He knew it was no use to try and dissuade the blonde.

“I’ll relieve you in a couple of hours, ok Elle?” Remus asked as Ariella nodded. Severus frowned. He wasn’t letting Ariella out of his sights. 

“Severus would you gather your students please?” Albus asked as Severus nodded and turned to walk down to the dungeons.

“I’ll help you Minerva,” Ariella commented just as Severus disappeared from her sight. Minerva nodded as they disappeared into the Gryffindor Tower. The students looked wide-eyed and frightened.

“We’re taking you to the Great Hall to sleep for the night, alright?” Ariella announced as some of the students converged around her. Harry and his friends nodded as they, like the rest of the Gryffindor house, followed the blonde and older woman out of the tower. When they reached the Great Hall, the Slytherins were already getting into the sleeping bags that had been laid out for all of the students. She watched friends separate into various groups so they could sleep near one another.

“Cross,” Ariella turned to Severus as he appeared at her side.

“Severus, you don’t have to stay with me. I’m fine, honestly,” Ariella spoke the words, but she knew they lacked conviction. In honesty, she wanted him near her.

“The dementors nor the aurors have found Black,” he informed the blonde as her breath caught in her throat.

“How is that possible? He had to have passed by someone coming to check out the noise,” Ariella responded. Severus shook his head as Ariella frowned.

“Those dementors and aurors aren’t doing their sodding job well enough to even warrant being stationed here!” She snarled as Severus watched her fume.

“First, they let him escape. Next, they want to be stationed here. And now, they let him get out of the castle! They are proving to be bloody well useless,” she continued before she ran her shaky hand through her unkempt curls. Severus knew tonight would take its toll on her. After all, her murderous ex-fiancee was hell bent on killing her best friend’s son. She sighed as she brought her wand out from the pocket of her robes. Severus quirked an eyebrow as she lifted her wand to the ceiling of the Great Hall. With a simple flick of her wrist, the ceiling lit up with bright flashes of multiple colored lights and the words Happy Halloween hovered above the students. Several students squealed out in surprise when their backs lit up with multiple images of jack-o-lanterns, trolls, and other festive symbols. Severus stared at the softly smiling Ariella.