𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕

The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder as Angelina kept telling me; Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of their next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub. The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat gray pony. Nobody was very happy about this. Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords,which he changed at least twice a day. 

"He's a complete lunatic," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy. "Can't we get anyone else?"  I nodded. 

"He's a complete moron," I added. 

"None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer." I was about to refuse. 

"You could've used Dilys!" I said.

 "Selene, Dilys Derwent was the former headmistress of Hogwarts!" Percy said shrilly.

 "Are you serious? Of course, I know that, but can't you —" I started. 

"Shut up," Angelina said through gritted teeth as she pulled me. 

"I don't care," I whispered. "I really don't care about him."