Potter in Forks

Chapter 13

"Before we begin we are going to cast over all of you a spell to neutralize any suppression or loyalty compulsions."

Three of the Board members wove the spell. It fell gently over the students making them visibly shudder as years of compulsions melted away. The Board exchanged glances. That was disturbing in and of itself. The older students had shook as compulsions leeched from their body.

Madame Bones glowered at her niece's reaction.

"Mr. Longbottom would you tell us of anything out of the ordinary in the 1991-1992 school year, your first year at Hogwarts."

Neville gulped. "Ah...well...at Halloween a troll got into the dungeons."

The members all looked down at the sheaf of parchment as yellow highlight appeared on each of their copies.

"Go on."

"And there were rumors of Professor Quirrell dying mysteriously at the end of the year."

"If anyone has something to add, please speak up."

"I was in the infirmary at the end of the year." Eddie Carmichael muttered. "Potter and Weasley were brought in injured. I heard the Headmaster and Professor Snape talking about a Philosopher's Stone."

"Mr. Carmichael." Flitwick called him down sharply.

"Professor Flitwick, you really don't want to be found to be covering up any of what we have in this report."

Flitwick stared at them a moment then sighed and slumped slightly. "Nicholas Flamel had requested the headmaster hide the Philosopher's Stone in the castle. It was secured behind several traps."

"And what happened to it?"

"We were never told for certain. I do know that Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger and Ms. Potter were involved somehow and the two were injured protecting it from an unknown thief."

More highlights.

"Second year...

"Wait," Draco spoke up nervously with a glance at his father. The barest of nods encouraged him. "Potter, Weasley, Granger and I had detention first year with the groundskeeper, Hagrid. He took us into the Forbidden Forest at night searching for dead or injured unicorns." Draco shuddered remembering that night. He had had nightmares for months. "Potter and I were given Hagrid's cowardly dog and sent to search separately from the others. We stumbled across a dying unicorn something was drinking its blood. When it saw us it...flowed across the ground toward us snarling at Potter and saying that no one could protect her from it. A centaur showed up and drove it away."

Several whole paragraphs was highlighted.

Lucius paled. His son had been in serious danger and he hadn't known it.

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. Now second year?"

"The Chamber was opened." Susan Bones offered up softly. "Students were being petrified by something in the school."

"What?!" Her aunt shouted. "Why didn't you tell me this?"

"I...I don't know...I...it never crossed my mind to." Susan frowned.

So did all the other adults. How heavy were the charms that they had removed if it keep students from reporting something this frightening to parents?

"A lot is just speculation. Potter, Granger and Weasley were involved in most of it." Neville murmured. "Hari has left and Hermione and Ron have turned against her so I'm not sure they'll tell the truth if you ask them."

"We know that Ginny Weasley ended up in the infirmary for a week at the end of school. Rumor was she was taken into the Chamber of Secrets and almost died. Rumor is Potter saved her life."