Hexad

Book two, chapter nine

Harry Potter And The Secrets of Slytherin. Book two! 

Chapter nine of this snakey book-in-a-book, Squibs and Dibs, Blood and Heirs.

I do not own Harry Potter(but I totally should). This is an AU.

P.S.
This chapter isn't gonna make all the sense in the world (I dont think this needs to be said but just because) 

I don't even check these things anymore lmao

---

"What's going on here? What's going on?"

Attracted by, no doubt, Runcorn and Parkinson's screams, Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked.

And his popping eyes fell on Harry, who was still flustered and avoiding Draco's eyes.

"You!" Filch screeched. "Me?! Why me?!" "You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll--"

"Argus!"

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry, Ron, Padma, Lisa, and Hermione and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You five come along too."

Lockhart stepped forward eagerly.

"My office is nearest, Headmaster, just upstairs-- please feel free--"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.

The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; So did Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape.

As they encountered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Harry saw several of the Lockharts in the moving pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore laid Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Harry, Padma, Ron, Hermione, and Lisa exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs awkwardly, watching from afar.

The tip of Dumbledore's crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his fingers prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression; It was as though he was trying hard not to smile. And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.

"It was definitely a curse that killed her, probably the Transmogrifian Torture-- I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her..."

Lockhart's comments were punctuated by Filch's dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. Much as he detested Filch, Harry couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him-- though not very much. He felt much worse for himself and his friends. If Dumbledore believed Filch, he would be expelled for sure, and who knows what Filch would come up with for the rest of them.

Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened: She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.

"... I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadougou," said Lockhart, "A series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once..."