Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Year 6

Chapter 19

"Miss Khanna was known by her friends to be loyal, caring, and supportive-a true Gryffindor at heart. She aspired to become the youngest professor at Hogwarts. I hope you all can honour her name and life by studying hard, striving to be your best in what you do, and being a good friend and classmate.

"One last thing before we roll out the breakfast tables-sixth-year classes are postponed for the rest of the week to allow our students time and space to grieve, process and, because I've been told by the professors that you need it, catch up on homework. Now, I know that some of you guys are hungry..."

As the professors magicked out the tables and food, Dani took one last look at her classmates. Nobody seemed to be talking a lot, or discussing their impromptu 'holiday'. Dani saw Charlie huddled up with his brothers, discussing something, but didn't pay too much attention and left the great hall.
************************************
Corridor 2 in the west towers was just yet another one of Hogwarts hidden corridors. Yet it was where her adventure began.

And here she was again, four years after cracking the first vault.

Everything was still there. The door to the decoy vault, the walls, the stained glass windows. Dani debated casting revelio on the part of the wall Rowan had discovered led to the cursed vault-but decided against it.

Duncan Ashe, one of Alex's friends who helped him find the vaults, was killed in a freak accident which was one of the long list of things that got Alex expelled. Dani briefly considered talking to Duncan in the prefects' bathroom, but dismissed that thought as well-all he'd do was cackle at the incompetence.

"We found Scabbers here last year."

Charlie had pushed open the door and put his head in.

"I, um, ran after you here, Percy and Fred and George told me to... I don't think Rowan ever got to tell you..."

"Rowan WHAT?!" Dani immediately barged at the door, and nearly knocked Charlie down the steps.

"...Why she was in the forest, even though you, Ben and Merula were the only ones who read the note from R... So you thought." Charlie gulped. "When you and Merula decided to start searching the lake, against Dumbledore's orders, Rowan was worried you guys would get attacked, or something. She's been following the two of you around, especially after the Mahoutokoro wizard incident on the day we were supposed to leave for Christmas... She told me I was the only one who knew. I tried to tell her that it was a stupid idea but I don't know what I could've done to convince her..."

Dani turned this over in her head. "...At least I know now. Thank you, Charlie."
************************************
The rest of the week went by uneventfully. Nobody really seemed to talk about Rowan or what happened that night, everyone was knee deep in their homework. ("That's what Rowan would want," said Charlie. "Besides, that's what Dumbledore told us to do," added Levi.) Dani followed suit-if she couldn't find anyone to talk or vent to, then so be it.

Apparently, Ben shared her thoughts-they did talk, but it was always academic-related, never about the forest and what transpired in it. She hadn't talked to Merula since that night-they'd seen each other around campus but just ignored each other.

Friday night. Some of the Gryffindor sixth-years were playing exploding snap while waiting for the others to finish up on Snape's essay on potions of dreamless sleep when McGonagall came in. ("Ah, sh*t, here we go again," Corey said as he played out one last card.)

"Students, I have some good news," announced their head of house. "I know that some of you are sick and tired of being cooped up here-" she eyes Dani "-and so I'm happy to announce that our last sighting of the Mahoutokoro wizard was far away from our island. The dementors have left the school campus and you are now allowed to leave school grounds. Of course, areas that were out of bounds before these incidents will remain out of bounds. Also, that means that tomorrow, third-years and up will be able to go to Hogesmeade as usual..."