𝐏𝐘𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀 | Remus Lupin (2)

(𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟏) hermione and penelope

"Professor it's happened again" Athena blurted out. McGonagall's face dropped as she ran forward faster. She too gasped as she saw the two frozen girls.

Athena wondered how she was nearly always the one to manage to find the petrified students. She wished that she wasn't, it gave her a weirdly fearful sensation in her heart.

"We need to get them to the hospital wing" McGonagall sighed, "the match needs to be cancelled, I'm sorry to have to say this but I think this has gone to far to be hopeful anymore... the school may have to close"

Athena nodded sadly at the thought of this, Hogwarts her safe haven gone. In the flurry and panic, there was no time to carefully carry the figures of Hermione and Penelope. McGonagall raised them into the air by magic and she and Athena hurried along behind them.

Once they were placed in the white beds of the hospital wing along with the others unfortunate enough to come into contact with the monster, McGonagall ran to go get Madame Pomfrey.

She came back clutching the arm of the matron, her face pale. Athena had never seen McGonagall so frightened and it put it into perspective how bad the situation had really become. Of course there was nothing that Pomfrey could do, she stared solemnly down at the two girls with a look of greatest sympathy.

Athena's mind travelled to Harry and Ron and she felt sick. The idea of those two finding out, having to break the news to them. They'd both be devastated. Athena herself felt that this attack had hit her harder than any other especially because she had the feeling that Hermione had been on her way to figuring the entire thing out.

McGonagall and Athena strode down to the quidditch pitch together. The sun suddenly didn't seem so comforting, it felt forceful in this time and a presence that wasn't needed. Athena would much prefer if it had been raining. Now it felt like the warmth was taunting them.

Athena could see the teams walking onto the pitch, greeted with tumultuous applause. It would do McGonagall great discontent to cancel the match, she was a huge quidditch fan herself however Athena understood that it was the right decision to make.

Oliver Wood took off for a warm up flight around the goal posts; Madam Hooch released the balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last minute discussion of tactics.

Harry was just mounting his broom when McGonagall and Athena had made it (half marching, half running) onto the pitch. McGonagall conjured herself a large megaphone out of thin air as Athena hurried along behind her.

"This match has been cancelled," Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and shouts.

Oliver Wood, looking devastated, landed and ran toward Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.

"But, Professor!" he shouted. "We've got to play — the cup — Gryffindor — "

Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout through her megaphone: "All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned Harry over to her.

"Potter, I think you'd better come with me..."

Athena saw Ron detach himself from the complaining crowd; he came running up to them as they set off toward the castle.

"Yes, perhaps you'd better come, too, Weasley..."

Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being canceled; others looked worried.

Harry and Ron followed Athena and McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase.

"What's going on" Harry asked Athena however she couldn't say it, she couldn't tell him. His white face was like that of a ghost and she felt her heart racing in panic and fear of how he would react. She simply shook her head, words lost to her as they hurried along the corridor

"This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the infirmary.

"There has been another attack... another double attack."

"Hermione!" Ron groaned as they entered the hospital wing. Athena felt her skin prickle in cold simply by seeing the two girls again. It's as though they weren't even real. Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.

"They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall.

"I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was clutched in Miss Granger's hand"

She was holding up the small, circular mirror. Harry and Ron shook their heads, both staring at Hermione. "We will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower," said Professor McGonagall heavily." I need to address the students in any case".

No one spoke as they made it to Gryffindor tower. Athena caught a glimpse of Harry staring in determination at the floor. She wanted to comfort him however she knew her words would mean nothing. He must be scared, she was.

Athena stopped as they made it to the portrait of Elizabeth guarding Gryffindor tower. She wasn't sure whether to follow them in or not however McGonagall nodded her head towards the portrait hole and Athena followed assuming this is what she had meant.

She tried not to gape in awe of the common room. It had been so long since she'd been inside, countless memories had collected in her youth all stemming from this room. So much had happened, so many emotions came rushing to her at once that she could barely contend with them.

This may not have been Athena's common room but at times it had felt like it. The fireplace crackling with the chairs around it, the large window with the seat attached, the arm chairs and tasseled cushions, the many tables that Sirius and James had stood on at many parties.

She gazed around in remembrance, a familiar feeling of comfort growing inside her. Athena had missed this room more than she could describe. She missed the times where she'd come here after a long day and collapse by the fire. The times of excitement with a bottle of alcohol clutched in her hand. Times of laughter, smiles, sadness and anger.

Most of her Hogwarts experience had happened in this room. Despite being back at the castle for so long, nothing had made her feel the same as when she had walked into this room. The feeling that she'd returned home after a long separation. Nostalgia welled up inside her and for a moment she had completely forgotten everything that was going on.

Looking back to the students sitting around and staring up at the teachers in fear, Athena got the sinking feeling that the room wouldn't provide her with comfort for very much longer.

McGonagall had pulled out a scroll and with a heavy sigh, she started to read out the instructions from it.
"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice, "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."

Athena took one last look at the common room before she turned and followed McGonagall out of the portrait hole. She heard the whisper of voices breaking out from behind them, still thinking of the mirror that Hermione had clutched in her hand.

☽☽☽

A/n
Words - 1842
Published- 7th May 2021

I had two exams today
which could have gone
worse I suppose