B.Q. Book One: Princess of the Blacks

Chapter 15: Goat and Donkey

Disclaimer: Was Draco Malfoy ever punished for constantly taunting Harry? If not, I don't own the Harry Potter franchise; it belongs to J.K. Rowling, Scholastic Press, Warner Bros., and whoever else she sold the rights to.
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A knock on the door cut Moody off as he was expounding on the benefits of a piercing hex over the disarming charm. He stalked over, flinging it open with a loud "What!"

In the hallway stood a younger student, probably a second year if Jen was reading his size and core correctly. "P-P-Professor Dumbledore wanted me to give this to you." His message delivered, he scurried away, a frightened mouse fleeing a viper. Moody opened the folded piece of parchment and growled lightly.

"Black, go to the Headmaster's office and take this with you." She rose with her bag and exited, snatching the note from his hand as she passed him. Once in the corridor she sighed, more than happy to be away from the paranoid lunatic. Contrary to popular belief, his creed was not 'Constant Vigilance', or at least it wasn't just that. 'Constant Vigilance, and Attack Anyone Who Gets Within Twenty Feet' was more apt.

Her feet led her to the Headmaster's Tower as her fingers read a postscript on the note. "I enjoy custard?" she asked the air. "What is that supposed to mean?" With a shrug she continued on, eventually reaching a stone gargoyle.

"Er, I have an appointment," she tried. Magic flowed around the statue for a moment, then stilled, leaving the structure in place.

"The Headmaster wants to see me." Still no change.

"Please move?" Nothing.

"Dumbledore, Hogwarts, tower, office, stairs, entrance, Mugwump, Chief Warlock."

She ground her teeth together. "Not going to cooperate? How about I melt you into a lump of red-hot slag and toss you into the damn lake for the bloody fucking squid to use as a chew toy!" When the gargoyle remained unmoved, she pulled up the sleeves of her robe and gathered magic in her fist before she heard a chuckle.

"That's not going to work," a man's voice said from her left. Since there was no one there, she could only assume it was a portrait speaking. "If you are really supposed to meet with Dumbledore, he would have provided the password."

"Well, he didn't. All the note said was to come to his office and that he likes custard." The obstacle rumbled at her last word and slid to the side. "The password's custard? Seriously? Senile old man and his stubborn rock heap." She aimed a kick at the statue as she walked by.

The Headmaster's office was at the top of a circular flight of stairs. Rather than knock at the wooden door, she simply opened it and went through; if she was late, it was technically his fault. She stopped in her tracks as soon as she crossed the threshold, the magic pouring from every item in the room practically pushing her backwards. Silver instruments sat on shelves by his desk while three chairs were heavily ensorcelled with various comfort charms. A solid gold perch was in the corner of the room next to several bookcases.

Why would Dumbledore have me come up here and then leave? She focused her perception into a sweep of the room and quickly found a muted signature by the staircase leading out of the office and farther up the tower. "It's generally considered inappropriate for an older man to hide himself while watching a young girl."

"Only if the older man doesn't have the young girl's best interests in mind," he replied, dropping whatever spell he was using to mask his presence. "Not many people can find me when I do not wish to be seen. May I ask how you did so?"

"Of course." She said nothing more and sank into the overstuffed armchair across the desk from the Headmaster.

There was a long pause, then he sighed. "How did you find me?"