Catalyst

Chapter 18: Aftermath

"Would you like a cup of tea, Remus?" Dumbledore asked. He was seated across from Remus in his office, after the recently hired teacher had asked for a meeting. Fawkes was resting comfortably on his perch, mostly asleep, but still keeping an eye open.

"Yes please," Remus said, taking the proffered cup. "Thank you, Headmaster."

"Please, call me Albus. You're hardly a student anymore," Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, picking up his own cup. "This is a meeting between friends, Remus, not between the Headmaster and his student. Now, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Remus took a long sip of his tea. "What do you know about Thenabar Jaren?"

Dumbledore took a sip of his own cup before responding. "Enough to know that he very much prefers to be called Abathur. I'm quite surprised he hasn't impressed that on you already."

Remus pressed on. "Well yes, but is there anything else? Does he have some sort of odd magical ability or heritage? Does he have a... condition like mine?"

Dumbledore furrowed his brow. "No, not that I'm aware of. Why do you ask?"

Remus swallowed, not sure how to put it. "He... ate a boggart. He turned it into a worm-like thing and then ate it."

Dumbledore had moved to take a sip of his tea, but stopped as soon as he heard Remus's first few words. His arm slowly lowered the cup back onto the saucer. "Remus, I'd like you to tell me exactly what happened."

So Remus recalled the class session for the headmaster, discussing the events leading up to the eventual consumption of the Boggart. He described the Boggart as it appeared to Abathur, a large slug-like creature. He described how Abathur had ranted to the creature, about perfection, and goals. And he finished by telling Dumbledore about the maliciously victorious grin on Jaren's face as he picked up the Boggart and ate it. When he finished, Dumbledore looked pale and shaken.

After a few long seconds, Dumbledore spoke up. "How did the other students react?"

"About as well as could be expected, given the circumstances. None of them panicked, at least. I dismissed the class as soon as I could," Remus replied. "Do you have any idea why Jaren would do this? How he could do this?"

"Unfortunately, I know very little of Mr. Jaren. He was raised in a Muggle orphanage, far from the Wizarding worlds sphere of influence. I have no idea of his heritage, or any exposure to... other factors," Dumbledore said. "Right now, you likely have a greater idea of what inspired this than I do."

"So, what do we do from here?" Remus asked. "We can't just let a potential threat walk around the castle unchecked."

"That is exactly what's going to happen." Dumbledore said. "Mr. Jaren has given no indication of harming the students, quite the opposite even and I'd like to keep it that way. No need to antagonize a complete unknown."

"But-" Remus started to object.

"No, Remus," Dumbledore interrupted. "We need to keep the risks as few as possible. You will continue to monitor him, while I investigate elsewhere. Do you understand?"

Remus looked as if he wished to press the point, but eventually relented. He stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Dumbledore to his own devices. Only then did he release a sigh. Did Hogwarts truly need another danger?

(Transition)

On further reflection, Abathur supposed that deciding to consume a magical creature in the midst of dozens of terran witnesses wasn't the absolute best idea. He probably could have snuck in later, he could have subtly infected it, he could have done literally anything else. Yet he had chosen what was quite possibly the stupidest move Abathur had ever made, an impulsive and Primal action. And it absolutely disgusted him to be similar to the Primal Zerg. Fortunately, no one in the class had seen the true purpose behind his consumption of the boggart.