To Protect

89

Mcgonagall stood outside her door in her tartan dressing gown with a look of sympathy.

Eleanor remembered that same look from her 7th year.

"Sorry for the disturbance, but I'm afraid something has come up." Mcgonagall said quietly with the hopes of not waking anyone else up.

Eleanor walked faster than Mcgonagall as they raced to Dumbledore's office.

With every step she felt her heart sink with sudden fear of what could have happened.

They reached the stone gargoyle that stood outside Dumbledore's office in guard within a few minutes.

Mcgonagall quickly muttered the password as they both stepped onto the moving staircase that spun in tight circles.

Eleanor didn't bother to knock before she entered Dumbledore's office. She immediately saw Harry drenched in nervous sweats sitting in confused fear with Ron who looked pale as a ghost.

Dumbledore began to talk to his paintings. He directed the paintings to go to certain locations in search for someone.

Someone of the name Arthur Weasley.

Eleanor instantly felt sick.

Dumbledore didn't notice Eleanor until she spoke up, "What's happened to Arthur?"

"We are trying to see for ourselves, Ms Adler." Dumbledore spoke before he gesured for her to sit down next to her nephew, but Eleanor was more worried about Ron.

She put a hand on Weasley's upper arm, comfortably rubbing her thumb on the boys shoulder to calm him down.

"I saw it happen... the snake..." Harry muttered out words, "I saw him bleed."

Eleanor blinked.

"Was this a dream you had?" She had asked with a watery glaze forming in her eyes.

He shook his head, "It was worse than the others, because this time I was him... I was the snake that attacked him."

Severus seemed to have appeared by Eleanor's side out of nowhere. Once she turned her head away he had been standing near listening to the whole thing.

The paintings have begun to arrive back, all of them reporting the news of seeing Mr Weasley being carried away by aid.

Eleanor had a horrified expression of her face and wondered if Molly had known anything at all about this.

Mcgonagall had been sent to get the rest of the Weasley children from the common room while Eleanor continued to comfort Ron and Harry who snuck glares to Severus Snape.

The kids had arrived with their trunks and worried faces.

"Where are you taking them?" Eleanor asked although she figured they would be going back home to Molly.

"To the house of Sirius Black." Dumbledore had spoken, "I sent Phineas to wake and tell him about the situation. I suggest you go along Ms Adler."

Severus hid his frown.

Eleanor looked to everyone who held onto their trunks. Ginny had brought Harry's as well.

With a nod Eleanor replied, "You go, I'll be there shortly."

With that Dumbledore showed them the way of the portkey while Eleanor walked out to pack her trunk with Severus once again following behind her.

"I'm sure he's fine," Severus spoke as he walked aside her. Her hurried walk seemed to be a normal pace for Severus as he kept up with her easily. "They've got healing potions for injuries like that."