A Life Changing Story "Harry Potter and Percy Jackson

Part 6

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.
"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy Weasley, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts."
Professor Dumbledore paused "Oh, yes, you'll be needing . . ."
One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave and the floor were covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.
"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.
The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.
"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"
"C'mon," Ron said to Harry, Percy and Hermione; they seized four sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.
"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.
"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.
"Luckily, he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower. . . ."
"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron."Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise, he'd have come bursting in here."
Hermione shuddered.
"But how did he get in the castle," Percy said. "Surely no one can apparate or disapparate inside the castle."
Hermione looked at him "Since when did you read Hogwarts: A History,"
Percy scowled. "Good night."
The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects. But with the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars. It felt as though they were sleeping outdoors in the alight wind.
Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Harry watched him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking. Percy was only a short way away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore'sfootsteps drew nearer.
"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.
"No. All well here?"
"Everything under control, sir."
"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."
"And the Fat Lady, sir?"
"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently, she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr Filch restore her."
More footsteps."Headmaster?" It was Snape. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."
"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room?The Owlery?"
"All searched . . ."
"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."
"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" askedSnape.
"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."Percy opened his eyes a fraction and squinted up to where they stood; Dumbledore's back was to him, but he could see Percy Weasley's face, rapt with attention, and Snape's, which looked angry.
"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before — ah — the start of term?" said Snape
"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning in his voice."It seems — almost impossible — that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed —"
"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore,
"I must godown to the dementors," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."
"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.
"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."
Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching the headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face; then hetoo left. Percy glanced sideways at Ron and Hermione then to Harry. Their eyes open too.
"What was all that about?" Ron mouthed.
The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbott, the third-year from Hufflepuff, told everyone that Black could turn into a flowering shrub.
The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat grey pony. No one was happy with this. The man
spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.
"He's a complete lunatic," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy. "Can't we get anyone else?"
"None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer."
Percy also realised that teachers found excuses to walk along corridors with Harry, and Percy Weasley was tailing him everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog. Even McGonagall had a chat with him.
The weather worsened steadily as the first Quidditch match drew nearer. The Gryffindor team was training harder than ever under the eye of Madam Hooch. Then, at their final training session before Saturday's match, Oliver Wood gave his team some unwelcome news.
"We're not playing Slytherin!" he told them, looking very angry."Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."
"Why?" chorused the rest of the team." Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's called off sick," said Wood, grinding his teeth furiously. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances. . . .
"There's nothing wrong with Malfoy!" said Harry furiously."He's faking it!"
"I know that, but we can't prove it," said Wood bitterly. "And we've been practising all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their style's quite different. They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory —"
Angelina and Alicia started giggling.
"What?" Percy asked.
"He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina.
"Strong and silent," said Alicia, and they started to giggle again.
"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together," said Fred impatiently. "I don't know why you're worried, Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover. Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember?"
"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, his eyes bulging slightly. "Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin is trying to wrong-foot us! We must win!"
"Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking slightly alarmed. "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. Seriously."
The day before the match, the winds reached the howling point andthe rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors andclassrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. The Slytherinteam was looking very smug indeed, and none more so than Malfoy."Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better!" he sighed as thegale outside pounded the windows.
Oliver Wood kept hurrying up to the team between classes and giving them tips. The third time this happened,Wood talked for so long that Harry and Percy suddenly realized he was tenminutes late for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and set off at a runwith Wood shouting after them,
"Sorry we're late, Professor Lupin, we —"
But it wasn't Professor Lupin who looked up at him from theteacher's desk; it was Snape.
"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, Jackson. So I think we'll makeit ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down."
Percy scowled at Snape and took his seat next to Hermione but Harry didn't move at all.
"Where's Professor Lupin?" he said.
"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with atwisted smile. "I believe I told you to sit down?"
But Harry stayed where he was.
"What's wrong with him?"
Snape's black eyes glittered.
"Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though hewished it were. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have toask you to sit down again, it will be fifty."
Harry walked slowly to his seat and sat down.
Snape lookedaround at the class."As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin hasnot left any record of the topics you have covered so far —"
"Please, sir, we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start —"
"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information.I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."
"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've everhad," said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing thanever."You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you — I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps andgrindylows. Today we shall discuss —"
Percy watched him flick through the textbook, to the very backchapter, which he must know they hadn't covered."— werewolves," said Snape.
"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself,"we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start hinkypunks —"
"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And Iam telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again."All of you! Now!"
With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.
"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between thewerewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.
Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione and Percy whose hands had shot straight into the air.
"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione and Percy. His twisted smilewas back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't eventaught you the basic distinction between —"
"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far aswerewolves yet, we're still on —"
"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'dmeet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing ProfessorDumbledore how very behind you all are. . . ."
"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "thewerewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snoutof the werewolf —"
"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, MissGranger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor forbeing an insufferable know-it-all."
Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at thefloor with her eyes full of tears
It was a mark of how much the classloathed Snape that they were all glaring at him because every oneof them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron,who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, saidloudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Whyask if you don't want to be told?"
The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape advanced onRon slowly, and the room held its breath
"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close toRon's. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again,you will be very sorry indeed."No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson.
They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snapeprowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work theyhad been doing with Professor Lupin.
"Very poorly explained . . . That is incorrect, the kappa is morecommonly found in Mongolia. . . . Professor Lupin gave this eightout of ten? I wouldn't have given it three. . . ."When the bell rang, at last, Snape held them back
"You will each write an essay, to be handed into me, on the waysyou recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchmenton the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is timesomebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need toarrange your detention."
Harry, Percy and Hermione left the room with the rest of the class,who waited until they were well out of earshot, then burst into afurious tirade about Snape.
"Snape's never been like this with any of our other DefenseAgainst the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Harrysaid to Hermione. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the boggart?"
"I don't know," said Hermione pensively. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon. . . ."
"He will," said Percy reassuringly.
Ron caught up with them five minutes later, in a towering rage."D'you know what that —" (he called Snape something thatmade Hermione say "Ron!") "— is making me do? I've got toscrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. Without magic!" Hewas breathing deeply, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black havehidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him offfor us!"