Make Me.

Book 2 - Chapter 9

"What's going on here? What's going on?" 

Attracted, no doubt, by Malfoy's obnoxiously loud voice, Argus Filch came shouldering his way though the crowd. He saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror. 

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked. His eyes were popping when they met Ellie's, still stood, frozen, next to the dangling cat. 

"You!" he screeched."You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll -" 

"Argus!" 

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other professors. In seconds he had swept past Harry, Ron, and Hermione and joined Ellie. He detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket. The crowd of students was watching the scene in buzzing silence, all eyes on Dumbledore, the cat, and Ellie. 

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Miss Dracula, Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley." 

Lockhart stepped forward eagerly from the group of professors.

"My office is nearest, Headmaster - just upstairs - please feel free - " 

"Thank you, Gildeory," said Dumbledore. 

The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore. Ellie was following behind them with shaky steps as Professor Snape joined her side. She could feel hundreds of eyes watching her as she walked. Behind them, Professor McGonagall was walking with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. 

As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls. Ellie saw several of the Lockarts in his portraits dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back, hands on his hips. Dumbledore laid Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had sank into chairs just outside the pool of candlelight, watching from afar, and left Ellie stood with the Professors, around the desk. 

The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking at the cat. McGongall was examining the cat just as close, head bent over. Snape was stood by the desk, Ellie still next to him, wearing a peculiar expression. And, Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions. 

"It was definitely a curse that killed her - probably the Transmogrifian Torture - I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her. . ." 

Ellie was too nervous to be annoyed with Lockhart's lies. She wiped her hands on her dress. Her heart was beating rather fast, her body felt cold as ice, and she was pretty sure that after tonight, she would be on the train back to London. 

Lockhart's comments were punctuated by Filch's dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. Ellie felt horribly for the man, she may not like him, but she didn't wish a dead pet upon him. 

Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand, but nothing was happening. She continued to lay there, looking recently stuffed. 

". . . I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadougou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared  the matter up at once . . . " The portraits of Lockhart on the walls were all nodding in agreement as he talked. One of them had forgotten to remove his shower cap.