Luck of Nines

40

     "I'll see you in class Malfoy." Was all he said before turning his attention back to where the elderly headmaster waited to speak with him.

        For the longest time the room was filled with silence, he had been instructed to sit on the bed, and the headmaster had conjured a chair, then they had not sat; Harry's eyes staring down at his hands, the headmaster's eyes boring into his head.

      The silence drew on and on until finally the headmaster spoke, "Tell me, Harry my boy,  why weren't you in your dorms?"

      He was silent for too long deciding on an answer, "Come now, after all that's happened I won't be punishing you for a little late night wandering; I used to wander these halls after curfew myself back in my youth, if you'd believe it."

     Harry wondered why the rule existed then, if everyone did it.

      No one could answer his question of what time in the morning it was lifted either- of course he hadn't asked any adults, it would only make them aware he wished to wander the halls in the early mornings. Then they would be on the lookout for him when he really didn't care what time it was lifted anyway.

     He had wondered what was the worst they could do with him as taking these 'points' seemed to be the worst punishment possible.  Perhaps it was a question of what happened to the losing house? Or the winning one?  With all the food so readily available and the lack of interest in fresher food he doubted it had anything to do with eating rights. Or perhaps it was this 'detention' that was the worst punishment, he wondered how they would attend classes if they had been  detained and if spending some time detained in Azkaban was really as bad as he initially thought if they reacted this extremely out of control and horrified to someone dying.  They did apparently send students to it for an hour or so for misbehaving and no one seemed too scared to step out of line.

       Figuring he had let enough time pass, and feeling his thoughts in order, he finally spoke.

      "Malfoy and I had been disagreeing," he started, "he challenged me to a fight in the dorms, I left because I didn't want to wake anybody up... he followed me." He wasn't sure if his gaze should be shifting or remain steadily on one spot so he adjusted how he was sitting but kept his eyes cast downward, like this his long hair covered his eyes completely, as messed up and out of its braid as it was.

     "And then what happened?" The headmaster pressed.

      "Well I got fed up and when he suggested a dueling room on the third floor I followed him.  We got there, but neither of us were going to enter once we saw the... well. The... dog?"

       Dumbeldore waited as well but noticing he seemed to be waiting for an answer spoke up, "You were unfortunate enough to come across a Cerberus, a particularly powerful type of guard dog. Once the chain broke it was a miracle that any of you managed to make it out alive."

       "Right... well, I was about to back away and leave when Phineas pushed Malfoy in and then us and Parkinson were just sort of trapped."

       "When did Mr. Beckwith and Ms. Parkinson join you exactly?"

       "They must have followed us out, Malfoy was making a lot of ruckus which is why I tried to leave the dorms. It all happened so fast after that... Phineas was shouting something about the Malfoy's being a coward and how he was going to kill us all, me for witnessing it and being on the wrong side, he cast a green spell; Avada Kedavra-"  he stopped at Dumbeldore's sharp intake of air, "What spell is that?"

      "One you must never repeat, it is one of the three unforgivable spells, and as the name suggests casting it at all, even at something not human, is unforgivable. If you must, simply call it the killing curse."

     Seeing how unforgivable it was treated, he decided not to inquire further on why merely killing something was such a taboo; the dining hall was filled with all types of meat dishes. What made this particular spell so terrible and different? Did it not just kill?   He wanted to know, but it was quite clear any further discussion of the spell was off the table for now, "Oh... I dodged it, but he kept casting it and... I pushed his wand arm away and I... well I shoved him away from us and the- the Cerberus got him. I- I wasn't trying to.. it... he...it happened so fast." That had to be enough guilt for accidentally helping a Cerberus eat his peer, right?

     If he was asked about the cut before the Cerberus got its claws on it he was prepared to claim panic and accidental magic as the likely culprit; he wasn't even sure how it happened.  It was partially the truth, the spell had been much easier than expected, and it had unintentionally been wordlessly done so.

     "I'm not sure why exactly, but Parkinson got into its reach too..." he trailed off not sure how to continue, it was probably better that he didn't seem too eager to speak about it. "I think she was in shock..."

    Dumbeldore placed a hand solidly on his shoulder, and he flinched away, but unlike Pompfrey, the headmaster did not remove his hand. "It's alright my boy, you must have been very shocked after what happened to Phineas, nobody can blame you."

     After a moment Harry decided it was best to give a hesitant nod.

     "What happened then?"

     "I- I stayed against the wall near where Malfoy was, but the Cerberus kept lunging at us and then the chain broke." He really wasn't sure what to say here, he wasn't revealing he was an animagus unless he had to.

     Apparently he had once more fallen silent for too long because he was prompted onwards again, "How did you defend yourself then, when it broke?"

      "I- " He needed something that would be believable now, but also truthful enough on the off chance he had to give his memories; he had heard Knockturn and Horizontal alley shop owners complaining about being pressured into having to give  them. "I... accidental magic I think... I'm not entirely sure what it is..." Flitwick's explanation had been lacking and vague, mainly focusing on the legality, he still had questions.

     Dumbeldore sighed. "Very well, I'm told you wish to return to class?"

     He gave a weak nod.

     "Then run along, but I'm sure no one will hold it against you if you take today off to recover some. But first."  Harry had already been getting up, but he quickly settled back, glancing at the headmaster's beard as he did so. It was uncomfortable keeping his head down all the time but he still wasn't good with expressions. "You seem to be taking this rather well..."

    "I... I ran away from my Aunt and Uncle's house because it wasn't safe for me there..." Harry sighed, absently rubbing his hand against one scar he had gotten on his thigh from a dog lunging at him, "I already know that dogs can be brutal animals..." 

     With that he left before Dumbeldore could pry anymore than he already had.

( an: ...Who's late, I'm not late)