The Marriage Decree

Chapter 144: It's His Style to Cause Havoc

In the Forbidden Forest, the large owl coasts at great speed, weaving between the trees and the odd creature until it breaks out into the grounds of Hogwarts. Below the owl is a class of students with their professor. He seems to be more excited than the students at seeing an owl of such size. The owl doesn't linger, flying towards the greenhouses, where students are listening to their young professor explain the importance of the Mandrake. Although not for long, the owl takes great pleasure in soaring past, low enough to be seen through the glass windows of the greenhouses. The class, now disrupted, all pile out onto the grounds to watch the owl begin to encircle the castle of Hogwarts.

The instructions given to the owl by its master had been clear - create as much commotion as possible. To cause any level of commotion, the owl needed to be seen by as many people as possible. So, beginning at the first-floor windows, the great owl flew outside the castle, going up floor by floor. There would be no need for the owl to perform any twirls, dives, or loops as the creature's sheer size was awe-inspiring enough. Finally, the great grey owl reached the top of the Headmistress Tower. Perching silently, it waits for the woman inside to catch sight of the bird, open the window and accept the roll of parchment attached to its foot by its master.

Hermione had been teaching the laws of transfiguration to her first years when she lost their focus on Wednesday morning. As she wrote the notes on the blackboard, a sudden gasp drew her attention back to the students. The class was on the edge of their seats, staring out the window.

"What is so exciting outside of a third-story window that you aren't paying attention in my class?" She rhetorically asks, trying to draw their attention back.

"Did you see the size of it?" Ruby Landers states, taking her professor's question as permission to talk.

"What breed do you think it was?" Harrison Finlay asks.

"No, idea," Lucile mutters.

With her curiosity getting the better of her, Hermione walks over to the windows but finds no creature of interest. "What just happened?"

"There was this massive owl that just soared past the windows," Sophie answers.

"It's got to be a great grey owl," Anders Tarquin announces. His eyes are scanning a page of his care of magical creatures textbook, despite not taking the class.

"Okay, okay, back to me, please," Hermione announces, closing the curtains with a wave of her hand.

"Whoa!" A few students mutter, staring at their professor with the same awe they gave to the owl.

"Now, who can tell me the third law of transfiguration?"

Sophie's hand is instantly in the air, so Hermione chooses her to answer. When her cousin does with as much fluency and understanding as she would find in the textbook, she awards Ravenclaw house three points.

Before Hermione can move on and refocus her class on the blackboard, their headmistress' voice echoes throughout the castle.

"Attention! Students of Hogwarts, for the remainder of the day, you will partake in private study in the library, Great Hall or your common room. The staff of Hogwarts are to meet in the staff room in ten minutes."

Hermione frowns as worry shivers down her back. Something serious is going on, and she is nervous about finding out.

A few students cheer as they pack their bags and vacate the classroom as quickly as possible. However, Sophie and her friends remain seated, watching their professor intently.

"Professor Granger?" Sophie raises her hand.

"Yes, Miss Adair," Hermione calls on her as she packs her work into her satchel.