Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Year 6

Chapter 36

"Mr. Filch, can I-"

"No time, Miss Jackson!" Filch yelped in anger as he threw open the door to his office. "Your friend Miss Tonks 'accidentally dropped a blood pop on Mrs. Norris! Can't you hear her howling in pain?!"

"She's just a cat, can't you just-"

"Mrs. Norris isn't just any cat!" Filch proclaimed as he began opening drawers and emptying their contents onto his large, messy wooden desk. "She helps keep you troublemakers in line!"

"Sounds like you're angry at Hogwarts. Maybe angry enough to want to punish the school?"

"It's you students who need chains. Dumbledore has given me a home and job for many years. Ay, Minerva, do you have-"

"Actually, Argus, we're in a bit of a situation. Follow me."
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"You're here early, Mr. Copper," Hooch remarked as she buckled up her last crate of supplies.

"Actually, I'd like to ask you something, Madam Hooch. Do you think quidditch-or other sports, muggle or wizarding-makes one hungry for power? Because, you know, athletes like winning competitions and stuff."

"An athlete's power comes from within, Mr. Copper, and they shouldn't need to find it elsewhere," Hooch replied. "Besides, the best athletes, wizard or otherwise, always respects and honours their teammates, and even rivals, above all competitive goals. Quidditch team hopefuls can learn more from discussing tryout strategies with their housemates than divebombing the Black Lake-"

"Ben!" Cedric ran onto the training grounds. "Something bad has happened! You need to see this!"
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"Yes, yes, your classmates have made sure I know of their little excursion, Miss Snyde," said an annoyed Snape as he tidied up the mess the sixth-years had made.

"But as I was saying, me and Copper and Jackson had been discussing Rakepick's motives for, you know. Again, you went to school with her. Do you think she was too power-hungry, like many people? Or was she too loyal to the wrong people? Or-"

"While she clearly had her motives, Miss Snyde, there are some actions in this world you can't JUSTIFY, which it sounds like you may be trying to do here. Like harming children. Or murder." Snape turned around and looked Merula in the eye. "Let the dead rest, young lady. There's no need for-"

The door burst open and Barnaby stumbled in. "Professor! There's an emergency! Come quick!"
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"Move over, move over, gawking like fish never helped your poor schoolmates," Snape said as he pushed his way through the wall of students to the statue in front of Pince's desk.

Meanwhile, Ben, Dani and Merula found one another amongst the commotion and went over to the other end of the library to talk. (It was noisy enough anyway.)

"I reckon Filch literally owes Dumbledore," said Dani.

"Maybe Snape warrants another look. He's against murder, but not selling souls. And he doesn't have long to wait until we're all of age..." Merula wondered.

"I don't even think Hooch is the TYPE now that I've gotten to know her better," said Ben. "Although, she did talk about people divebombing the lake. How much do you two want to bet that it's the mole, or another operative of R?"

"Speaking of souls, I'd like to bet my aunt's, because she'd get my head before THAT happens," said Merula.

"In that case, I'll bet my dad's Land Rover, which would also be MY head," Dani added.

"They must be certain that the final vault is in the lake." Ben raised a hand jovially. "Guess who doesn't need a mole to piggyback R?! The Circle of Khanna!"

Merula groaned as she and Dani returned Ben's high five.