In Servitude to the Dark || Tom Riddle

𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘿𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨

November 1, 1993 

"Thank you everyone for attending this emergency staff meeting," Dumbledore said as Trelawny walked in, the last of the teachers. "I know you've all had little sleep and the day looks to be long." Then he turned to McGonagall. "To start, please give us a quick summary of what we know so everyone will be on the same page."

Minerva nodded. "At exactly 10:12 last night, the intruder alarms on the Gryffindor tower was triggered. The first sign of trouble was the Fat Lady's portrait had been torn to shreds. I then called for the prefects and together we made our way to inspect the tower, starting with the first years and went up. It was when I inspected the third years' boys' room that I found Ronald Weasley's curtains had also been slashed. Based on Severus' exam, the boys had somnuli nebulus cast on them and a stupefy on Ronald. Upon interviewing him, the only thing Mr. Weasley could remember was seeing a shadowed man holding a knife over his bed. A search of the castle had been aborted upon discovering that Sirius Black escaped by portkey."

"Thank you, Minerva," Dumbledore said. "Now, I must file this incident with the school board and the ministry..." several groans of sympathy were offered. "No doubt they will insist the dementors take a more active presence in the school."

This was met with unanimous objections. Every teacher could see how the dementors were affecting the students and their classes. Students were falling asleep in classes because of their nightmares, Pomfrey's stores of calming draught were depleted, homework, and test quality were slipping...Even some of the more emotional teachers were being affected.

Dumbledore held up a hand for quiet. "I quite agree with all you are saying, and I will of course do my best to hold them off," he said and turned to Flitwick. "How are the 7th years doing on their Patronus charms?"

Flitwick shook his head. "We started learning the charm on the very first day, as a precaution, and only four out ten can produce the Patronus mist. And only two of those four can produce the corporal Patronus. We haven't tried them in front of a real dementor yet, but I can already say with certainty that they won't have the mental fortitude when tested."

"That is disheartening news," Dumbledore admitted. "Please extend the lessons to the sixth years as well..."

"But Albus, if the 7th years are having so much trouble..." Flitwick protested.

"You'll risk magical exhaustion..." Pomfrey objected as well.

"Please, I am well aware of the dangers," Dumbledore said. "But we do not have a choice. Now, I will keep you all updated on the ministry's decision." It was an obvious dismissal, so slowly, the teachers began trickling out, each grumbling about the Dementors or Black.

"Minerva, Severus, Remus, please stay," Dumbledore ordered. "There is another matter which I'd like to address." The four waited until the privacy charms came back up, and Dumbledore turned to Minerva. "Were you able to have a talk with Aster?"

To everyone's surprise, Minerva looked slightly troubled. "I did, Albus," she said hesitantly, before shoring up her Gryffindor courage. "I'm afraid she doesn't think all that much of her father, James."

At this, Severus snorted and was silenced by a look from Dumbledore.

"Please elaborate for us," Remus said, who appeared quite troubled with Minerva's report.

Minerva looked at Remus almost in apology. "In Miss Potter's own words - and I quote - 'So far, all I've learned about him was that he was a quidditch mad, mean-hearted prankster, an attempted murderer, as spoiled as Snape had accused me of being, and a financial washout, who was so involved in a war that he had no interest in taking up his responsibilities as the Potter Heir,' end quote."