The Werewolf and The Monster

Chapter 18 - Trouble

Albus looked at Poppy with a smile. "Cats ay? Always walking away when it suits them best."

"Oh don't let Minerva hear you say that" She giggled and shook her head, Albus walking out and to the Gryffindor common room. His mind deep in thought as he walks in, shocking people around him.

"Harry Potter! Hermione Granger! Ronald Weasley!" His voice was strict and loud, the three hesitantly walking down, their eyes wide like deer in headlights.

"Yes professor?" Ron whispered out.

"Pandora would like to see you in her office. Her password is Corrupted Soul." He glanced at the three students before turning around. "She's pretty angry at you three too." He walked out without saying another word.

Hermione and Harry shared glances before following him out, Ron following after them. "Do either of you know where she lives?" Harry questioned softly. His voice trembling, its common knowledge not to upset a grim-reaper, and all three of them pissed one of the most feared ones off.

"One would assume behind the creepy portrait Ron doesn't like." She said, fiddling with her hands.

"You mean we got to talk to that portrait?!" Ron squeaked out, his eyes growing wide.

"Yes now come on." She sighed and glared at them. All three quickly made their way to the portrait.

"Password." The portrait growled out at them, it's voice was very distinct, but hoarse and gravelly, as if it's throat is caving in on itself.

"O...oh Corrupted soul." Hermione stuttered out, flinching slightly as she spoke. The portrait tutted and clicked open, grumbling about mortals and merlin knows what. The three quickly walked in before upsetting the portrait more.

They walked quietly up the staircase and looked round alittle.

"Here" Harry said, pointing at a door with a plaque on.

"Pandora's Office" Hermione read, approaching the door and grasping hold of the handle, twisting it gently and walking in with Harry and Ron following behind. Ron shakily closing the door behind himself.

The office was dark in colours, Her desk large with a comfy chair behind it large bookshelves towered behind with knickknacks hidden away by glass, A large black panther sat on the table patiently, its tail drumming against the front of the desk rhythmically. Its Red and grey piercing eyes staring at the trio. A glass dome stood in between its paws, a singular black rose hidden away inside.

Harry sighs in relief. "She's not here guys." The Panther suddenly snarls lowly and stood up, jumping off the table and changing back into her original form, Surprising the golden trio.

"I've been waiting for the last 20 minutes for you three." She purrs out, eyeing the three up.

"Oh Pandora! Didn't see you there!" Ron laughed out nervously, but fell deadly silent when she approached.

"Not. the time for jokes Ronald Weasley." She hissed out before turning to Harry. "Harry James Potter. Just what do you think you were doing last night?! You three sneaking out past curfew, following the Professors out then intervening with something that was under control! Risking your life and Dumbledore's life! Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?!" 

Harry looks down in shame as she continues. "Hermione! Your suppose to be smart! I've been told about how smart you are, about how your the brightest witch at school. But what you did last night was not smart at all, it was foolish, dangerous and stupid!"

"I tried to convince them otherwise but they wouldn't listen." the bushy-haired girl squeaked out. Pandora's head snapped at her direction, her hair moving in a way her eyes were visible for a split second, and she was fuming. "You should've stayed behind then. I was so damn scared when I woke up in-case I hurt you three!" She sighed and turned away and paced behind her desk, collapsing in it and putting her head in her hands, her thumb by the temple and her fingers reaching over to her forehead. 

"Guess I ought to tell you what happened." She sighed and with a move of her hand three chairs dragged across the floor and smacked into the backs of their legs, forcing them to sit as the chairs moved to the desk. Pandora lent forward and put her head in her hands with a sigh before looking at all three.

"As you know I am a grim-reaper. A monster of dark origins with an immense power flowing in my blood. And if I don't use it I have to drain it some how. there is only two ways, the first way is the most effective, It's called Burning, I fight something or someone until I collapse. The second way is called draining, It naturally happens in burning, But draining is where I cut and cause self inflicted wounds so my magic will leave in a raw state, but it takes ages to clean up and scars. What you saw was burning. Dumbledore didn't want me fighting the dementors anymore so he suggested he prepare a team of powerful professors for me to fight against." She explained, The three sat there stunned by what they were hearing.

"I'm so sorry we interrupted that Pandora. We thought they were just killing you." Hermione said softly.

"It's okay, just. Don't follow next time, your lucky McGonagall intervened when she did, If she was a second late you'd be hurt. or worse. dead." Her words sent shivers up the three's spine, The severity only just setting in. She waves her hand dismissing them and they quickly leave. 

"Oh my Merlin you two! I told you two we shouldn't be doing that! You absolute idiots!" Hermione whisper-yelled as she walked down the corridor with the pair. 

Pandora stayed in her office with her head in her hands. Clovi appeared next to her. "Master Pandora? Dumbledore would like to see you." Pandora looked at the small house-elf with a sad smile.

"Let him know I'll be there soon, 20 to 30 minutes at most, I just need a minute to myself." She gently pet the house elf's head as she dismissed her and waved her hands, the chairs folding and disappearing and a cup lifting off a shelf, a bottle of liquor unscrewing from a different shelf and pouring into the levitating cup, before the cup lowered to her desk. The bottle returning to it's original position and she taking the cup in her hand, spinning it around.

"Prehistoric was right. Bad habits do die hard." She scoffed with a smile. "That big dumb gullible twat." She then downed the contents and putting it back on her desk.