Little Dragon

chapter 43

Little Dragon

Authors Note: Hello everyone, I had been hoping to have this update done back at the beginning of January in time for my birthday. As you can see that did not work out. On top of COVID and family matters, my beloved cat has been eaten by an owl. My favorite pet, eaten by one of my favorite animals. Cruel irony. Let's just say that the owl tattoo I want to get has been postponed...

Anywhozles, back on to information on the story! I have to say, I was so happy to see all of your participation with my cliff hanger in the last chapter! So many of you had amazing ideas, I loved to read them all! In fact, despite having everything planned out, I was honestly tempted to use a few of your ideas and scrap my own! Long term, however, I would have had to completely redesign a LOT of the story so I soldiered on and kept to my original plan.

So, here is the new chapter, I hope that you all enjoy and it brings you some happiness in these trying times!

Disclaimer: Do I really need to keep putting this? Can someone tell me if I do or not? ...Anyone? *sigh* Fine. I don't own Harry Potter in any way shape or form, just my own twisted and demented ideas...

Previously on Little Dragon: The sorting hat has been released from his imprisonment inside of an enchanted chest in the Headmasters office, revealing with his release that Dumbledore's meddling is not quite finished. With Hogwarts now not having a Headmaster, and none having been appointed, Lady Hogwarts has come forward to choose the new protector herself...

Chapter 43: The Start of Something New

On Wednesday morning the lockdown which had kept the vast majority of the residents of Hogwarts confined to their Common Rooms finally lifted as the legions of Aurors and Gringotts Goblins left after deciding that Hogwarts was safe enough to release their students once again with a plan to return the day after, as soon as the students were sent home for the summer.

The events that had begun on Sunday night with the attack were still raw within the student community.

Hufflepuff house especially teemed with the undercurrent of rabid protectiveness featured around their youngest members. This protectiveness could especially be seen as the Hufflepuff's filtered into the Great Hall and sat at their table. While to an outside perspective it seemed as though they had sat the same way as any other day the teachers could see otherwise. There was an understated orderliness to their seating, with the first years in the exact center of their table with each year after being split in half and surrounding them in an adjusted echo of Sunday night when they had positioned themselves similarly to defend their common room.

More than one teacher could feel a shiver of newfound appreciation and respect for the Hufflepuff House and their fearless leader. How could they have forgotten that sweet Pomona had indeed been a great asset within both of the wars that she had fought? It was easy to focus on the humdrum of everyday life and become complacent when there did not seem to be a threat any longer. It was also easy to become paranoid and bitter to the world, choosing only to see the threats and not the peace. It seemed, however, that Pomona herself had been able to achieve both, and provide an extra level of protection to the members of her House in such a way that they had been the most capable in this latest debacle.

As the students finally settled down into their seats, each casting questioning and uneasy looks to the empty seat that the Headmaster had sat in just days prior, an air of anticipation and curiosity building as the student population seemed to hold their breath, waiting desperately for news.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall stepped forward from the line that the teachers created together as a united front, in front of the head table.