The Mysterious Heir

Chapter 7, Book 2, "The writing on the wall"

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

Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Argus Filch comes shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he sees Mrs. Norris and falls back, clutching his face in horror.

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

His popping eyes fall on Harry.

"You!" he screeches. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll -"

"Argus!"

Dumbledore has arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he sweeps past Harry, Ron, and Hermione and detaches Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.

"Come with me, Argus," he says to Filch. "You, too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger."

Lockhart steps forward eagerly.

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

"Thank you, Gilderoy," says Dumbledore.

The silent crowd parts to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurries after Dumbledore; so does Professors McGonagall and Snape.

As they encounter Lockhart's darkened office there is a flurry of movement across the walls; Harry sees several of the Lockharts in the moving pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lights the candles on his desk and stands back. Dumbledore lays Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and begins to examine her. Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchange tense looks and sink into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching.

The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose is barely an inch away from Mrs. Norris's fur. He is looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall is bent almost as close, her eyes narrow. Snape looms behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It's as though he is trying hard not to smile. And Lockhart is 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 are punctuated by Filch's dry, racking sobs. He is slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. As much as he detests Filch, Harry can't help feeling a bit sorry for him, though not nearly as sorry as he feels for himself. If Dumbledore believes Filch, he will be expelled for sure.

Dumbledore is now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happens: She continues to look as though she has been recently stuffed.

"...I remember something very similar happening in Uagadou," says 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...."

The photographs of Lockhart on the walls are all nodding in agreement as he talks. One of them has forgotten to remove his hair net.

At last Dumbledore straightens up.

"She's not dead, Argus," he says softly.