Arc 1: Immaterial Bonds
Chapter 2: A Sandy Seabed
It would be minimising the suffocating aura if I were to say I wasn't relieved to be finally stepping off that train. Never in my life had I ever met someone so... so... just overly repulsive! Whatever. Forget it, Cassandra, you have much more pressing matters on your mind. Like finding where on Earth four students have vanished to... and why.
It didn't take long for me to arrive at the castle by moving carriage. Fortunately, I was able to grab one with a couple of other professors so it was a lot less awkward than sharing with a load of students. One of them did catch my eye: a very short brown-haired individual who presented himself as Filius Flitwick. He barely came up to my thighs! Though he seemed very good-natured, albeit a tad mischievous, and gave me hope that perhaps the man I met was a simple outlier.
Before arriving, I took the liberty to have a look at some of the Ministry photos of Hogwarts. It appeared breathtaking. Seeing the real thing in front of me put those photos to shame instantaneously. The castle stood high above me as seas of people, mostly well below my height, paraded towards the entrance. Right, I believe I had a note from Dumbledore in my suitcase... Fortunately, it didn't take too long to find as I had stuffed it in my designated "VERY IMPORTANT DO NOT LEAVE OPEN" pocket.
Plain and simple to the point, the note read in very delicate handwriting:
Miss Juniper,
When you arrive at Hogwarts, please come to my office immediately. You will find the entrance by the gargoyle on the third floor. The password is "Ginger Creams". I look forward to seeing you.
Albus Dumbledore
How nice. I would have thought they'd have chosen a password stronger than common confectionary but it could be he has less to hide than the Minister.
Headstrong, I made my way to the third floor and swiftly found the gargoyle mentioned in the note. However, not before seeing something that was not out of the ordinary but gave me odd chills. A gorgeous Maine Coon cat with bright red eyes sat to my side. Its fur was a dusty yellow and it certainly looked well looked after. Cats and the like were welcome for students to bring. Was this one lost? Dumbledore was waiting for me; I don't have time to search for its owner...
"Who are you?"
A shock went through my system as a forceful voice called right behind me. As if it was trained to do so, the cat went and climbed into the arms of the person. Everything went eerily silent. This was not someone to be messed with. I turned on my heel and was flooded with a sense of bile in my stomach. A pale balding man with long grey hair glared at my presence.
"Tell me. Who are you?" he pressed more aggressively, sliding closer to get more of a look at my face. Don't let him get to you, Cassandra, there must be some explanation for this...
"Filch! What have I said about this needless interrogating of anyone who comes down this hallway?" My saviour. An older lady dressed in dark witch robes and sporting a tight black bun called down the hallway before marching to suppress "Filch".
"Forgive me, McGonagall. I'd never seen her before. Thought she might be an intruder." He cuddled the cat tightly as he spoke. I suppose it's understandable given the circumstances that he would be concerned.
"Are you alright, dear? I assume you're the person from the Ministry Dumbledore asked for. Filch, will you go take her suitcase?"
"That's alright. I'm-"
Without her saying anything, I felt the sudden need to stop speaking. This woman has a real dominating aura. One that demands respect and attention. Unlike the Minister, it felt natural and deserved. Without complaint, I handed him my suitcase. I hope nothing gets stolen...
"I was planning to accompany you regardless. Shall we save the introductions for upstairs?" she spoke and indicated towards the gargoyle.
*****
After ascending the spiral staircase behind the gargoyle, McGonagall opened the grand doors to the Headmaster's office. Paintings covered the walls with moving portraits of previous Hogwarts headmasters. Golden bookcases filled with novels from across the centuries and on an array of topics were pressed against the edges of every wall. Directly in front sat a desk. Behind it was its owner: Albus Dumbledore.
Dumbledore was a force of nature. Despite being a fair bit over a hundred years old, he had no signs of frailty upon him. It would be safe to say that every bone of his body was filled with kindness and determination. Yet, something didn't feel quite whole. His sky blue eyes felt like they had a side of sadness behind them.
"Miss Juniper," he stood and shook my hand, "I am ever grateful for your assistance. I hope your trip here was pleasant."
"Pleasant would be one way to describe it." What an eccentric fellow.
Dumbledore gestured for McGonagall to stand next to him and she neatly obeyed.
"I assume you've met Minerva already as you came in together. If for whatever reason, I am not available, she will be the next best person to see." She secretly smiled at the praise, though she didn't think she needed it to feel proud.
Dumbledore continued to drone on about various other introductions and asked me questions about how I was, how the Ministry was fairing and all sorts of nonsense. If I don't intervene, I don't think I'll ever be told the details I need.
"Forgive me, Dumbledore, but I believe it's time we focus on the matter you requested me here for." That didn't sound too rude, right?
"Yes, of course, you are correct." Separating from McGonagall, Dumbledore went and grabbed a black notebook from one of the drawers of his large desk. With slight grace, he handed it to me. It was leatherbound and slightly tattered. The first few pages had notes about certain names and events inside. This is what I wanted.
"Inside that notebook," and he so helpfully pointed, "is everything we have about the four students who have disappeared. Their names, houses, grades and additional activities. I hope it proves resourceful. You may have to interact with the students to gather more. We have not been able to discover too much,"
Judging the frailty of the notebook, that was an understatement.
"but your father spoke great things of you. You have my full confidence to solve this ghastly issue. And I should mention, you have my permission to go and do as you please. If you need necessary to discover information, you may do it."
"Thank you, Dumbledore... but there is one thing. I don't think the students will trust me if they see me as some worker from the Ministry. Is there anything that can be organised to help me... blend in a little?" If I didn't have a backup reason for being here, there isn't a chance the students would trust me. Filch considering me an outsider at first glance was evidence enough that I stood out like a sore thumb.
Dumbledore and McGonagall shared a look for a moment. It seems they thought of the same idea.
"Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to aid in teaching?" McGonagall spoke. "Some students struggle behind and could do with a more personal approach. You could fully focus on the investigation and get close to the students at the same time."
"An excellent idea, Minerva. What do you think, Miss Juniper?"
Dumbledore sounded immensely confident at the idea. I've never done anything around children before, let alone taught a class. Though, it wouldn't be teaching, so much as tutoring within the class. If the students knew they could rely on me for schoolwork, perhaps they would begin to open up about their experiences. There didn't seem to be any other option.
"That sounds acceptable to me. While it is on my mind, where shall I be staying?"
"Lodgings have already been prepared in anticipation of your arrival. Everything has been provided, including a space for you to display and organise what you find."
"Perfect, thank you, Dumbledore. And one last thing... can you tell me a bit about the man on the train?"
*****
By the time the meeting had finished, it was already getting close to sunset. The interior of the castle was shining a bright orange from the sun's last rays and the flickering torches on the walls. If it were any other location, it would feel uneasy. But here... it felt homely.
Before leaving, Dumbledore quickly explained to me where we would be going next. Following behind McGonagall and Dumbledore, we arrived at the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony. I had heard stories about the Sorting Ceremony. Since practically every wizard went to Hogwarts (besides me), discussions of house alliance were not uncommon at the Ministry. I was never able to participate as there is no Sorting Ceremony for the homeschooling of the Minister's daughter.
The Great Hall was, unsurprisingly, great. Four long wooden tables laid almost end-to-end across the room with banners of the corresponding houses hung above. Gryffindor students sat at the Gryffindor table, Ravenclaws at Ravenclaw's table, and so forth. At the far end of the hall was another long table with chairs facing towards the students. I could see many teachers that I had not met previously at most of the seats. Only three seats were remaining.
The first seat was the grand chair of honour for Dumbledore himself. It was more elegant and kingly than its neighbours. To its left was for the deputy headmaster: AKA McGonagall. This means the one remaining, one more over, was for me.
Oh no.
It seemed that Death had delivered its sentence for me. No, there was nothing wrong with the chair. To the chair next to mine sat a man I had already had the displeasure of meeting. His dark black eyes moulded into his matching black hair. The moment he saw me approach, there was tension in the air. Did Dumbledore plan this? He couldn't have. All I did was ask about...
"Can you tell me a bit about the man on the train?"
"The man? Ah, you mean Severus Snape, do you?"
"I suppose so. Is there something wrong with him? He was incredibly... rude."
"Miss Juniper, you'd do well to not take offence based on the first appearance. Severus has his reasons for his behaviour, as I am sure you do too. If you keep that in mind, perhaps you will come to understand him."
What on Earth could have happened to make him quite so crude?
I tried to keep what Dumbledore said in my mind. Don't judge... just ignore him. He has his reasons and so do you. Plus, everyone is watching your every move. Do not give in to him.
Confidently (although it played out more awkwardly than anything), I took my seat and gazed outward towards the other tables littered with people. In front of Dumbledore's chair stood a small stool with a battered-looking hat on top. With all my might, I refused to look at Snape. Despite not having him in my field of view, anxiety flew through me. It was pathetic.
Before long, Dumbledore rose from his chair. The cacophony of voices diminished without hesitation. Like McGonagall, Dumbledore commanded his hierarchy well. With a small cough to clear his throat, he began to speak coherently and with unquestionable authority.
"Greetings, everyone. I am once again honoured to stand here today and see many new faces looking back at me. We could not be more blessed to be here together. Before we begin the Sorting Ceremony, I have a few announcements to make."
"As per usual, the Forbidden Forest is off-limits to anyone who does not wish to meet their untimely demise. Second, we have a new face joining us this year. Cassandra Juniper, from the Ministry of Magic, has decided to help with teaching. If you have any questions, you may direct them to her."
And with that, he started clapping. McGonagall and several other teachers mimicked in respect and almost every student stumbled to do the same, not knowing if it was the right thing to do. I wanted to place my head in my hands and hide. I was well-known at the Ministry but this sort of attention was unparalleled. Snape provided a mild applaud, seemingly against his will. My heart sunk slightly in my chest. Why did his lack of care sadden me?
"And with that, the Sorting Ceremony may now commence!"
*****
The Sorting Ceremony was now over and the students had finally been sent to their dorms. Following the instructions given to me, I managed to find where my lodgings had been set on one of the higher floors of the castle. It wasn't in the near vicinity of any major classrooms so going anywhere would take some time.
The interior was lavish but not anything to write home about- Father had much more important things than to hear how his daughter was doing at school. The room itself was hexagonal with a double-sized bed pressed against the side opposite the door. Matching bedside tables sat on either side. The room itself was comprised of old stone walls, as is fairly typical for a castle, and a dark red carpet with a square yellow rug under the bed.
To the diagonal sides situated large windows that bore light from outside and showed the school grounds below. The right side of the room contained various wardrobes, drawers and bookcases that stood for my belongings to be stored. Thank goodness, my suitcase had been transported here and everything was inside still.
What most took my interest was on the left side of the room. Truth to Dumbledore's word, there was a large table with drawers containing bottles of ink, spare quills and book after book of paper. Additionally, a large wooden board accompanied the desk with pins of different colours to hang material. It was a serious investigation.
A sudden wave of drowsiness hit me. My life was going to change drastically until I solve this mystery. "Sleep can wait", I thought and pulled out the black leather notebook given to me. Sitting down on the chair by the desk, I read through the important scribbles within.
On these pages is a summary of the four students who went missing last year. While we do not have any concrete evidence linking them together, there is a strong belief that these are related incidents.
"No concrete evidence"? This better not be four students who decided to it would be funny to go play in the Forbidden Forest and lost their way...
Student One:
Name: Jessica Marin
Details: Jessica Marin was a seventh-year Ravenclaw student. Of the four, she was the first to disappear. Interestingly, her friends did not report her missing. It was not until she had not appeared in class for multiple days was it discovered she had disappeared. Her belongings and valuables were untouched. She was reported missing in December.
Jessica was a keen and bright student. She achieved top grades in her OWLs and was predicted the same top grades in her NEWTs. However, she was prone to stress and would study nights on end. Initially, it was presumed she ran away or left the school to go back home. Her parents have stated they have not seen her since she left to go to Hogwarts. Her whereabouts are now unknown.
The classic runaway case. A student gets too caught up in trying to get the best grades and destroys themself from the inside out. They end up doing reckless things and the worst always comes from it. I relate to that somewhat...
Student Two:
Name: Rayer Terrell
Details: Rayer Terrell was a fourth-year Hufflepuff student. He was the second of the four to go missing. Rayer was much beloved by his cohort and was reported missing shortly after his disappearance in February. Similar to Jessica Marin, his belongings and valuables were safely stored in his room.
Rayer was most known for being the beater on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team the year before his disappearance. He had to resign due to a physical injury involving his left arm that left him unable to properly grip his broomstick. Reports say he was devastated but was swiftly comforted by those around him. We have no current theories relating to his disappearance and his whereabouts are unknown.
Fascinating. Marin and Terrell are two very different people and yet there is a trend here. It may be a good idea to start by asking some of Terrell's friends what happened to gain some perspective on his behaviour.
Student Three:
Name: Christina Beckett
Details: Christina Beckett was a first-year Gryffindor student. She was the third to go missing. Christina was quite timid and spent most of her time reading in the library. She developed a close friendship with the librarian, Irma Pince. With no discredit to Madam Pince, it was considered a strange likelihood when understanding her usual personality.
Unfortunately, Christina did not have any known friends. She was not close to her dormmates either. It was only when Christina did not return her books on time did suspicions begin to mount. Her Head of House, Minerva McGonagall, reported her missing when those in Christina's classes claimed they had not seen her for several weeks. Her belongings were untouched.
Due to this oversight, we do not know the precise time she went missing. The estimate is between mid-April to early May.
Beckett and Marin have similarities in that they were reported missing late and were quite bookish. Not enough to make a connection just yet but it was a lead if anything. Madam Pince should be able to tell me more.
Student Four:
Name: Lionel MacKenna
Details: Lionel MacKenna was a fifth-year Ravenclaw student. They are currently the last known disappearance to have occurred the previous academic year. Professors are aware that Lionel suffered from a personal issue that severely affected his grades in March. Unknown to him, it was doubtful that he would achieve the necessary OWLs to advance to NEWT level magic.
During Lionel's recovery, he made many close friends in Ravenclaw who supported him. It is reported that they helped him with his homework and in-class efforts. His disappearance was a sudden shock to those in Ravenclaw. They felt they had lost a key member of their house. He was reported missing in July.
The pages ended there, minus some backlogging of their grades. There wasn't a lot to go on other than a few coincidences. Had there not been so many disappearances, would this have been a concern otherwise? Would these have been treated as runaways?
Countless amounts of those thoughts rummaged through my mind but before I knew it, sleep had taken over me.