To change the future

COS-9

 What's going on here? What's going on?" Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Argus 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. "You!"he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll -

"Seriously, why is this asshole allowed around children?" Bruce demands angrily, Toni nodding beside him.

The man had threatened to kill her children, Toni didn't like the school Harry and Jason went to the more she learned about it. First both had almost been murdered multiple times in their first year, and now a school employee was threatening them. Perhaps there was a magical school in America she could send the boys, that is if they even agreed. Looking at Jason curling around the chestnut-haired boy she learned was Theodore Nott, she found it highly unlikely.

 "Argus!" Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry, Ron, and Hermione and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket. "Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You seven come with us." Lockhart stepped forward eagerly

"You taking them really didn't help the rumors going around that year." Fred says.

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

 "Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.

"Kiss ass." Jason coughs into his hand

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 entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Harry saw several of the Lockharts in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching.

The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick was bent almost as close, their eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was deep in thought. 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 .

"There is no such thing as a counter for that curse." Loki sniffs, speaking up for the first time, making several jump, forgetting he was even there.

 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 nearly as sorry as he felt for himself If Dumbledore believed Filch, he would be expelled for sure. 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.

Toni would have felt sympathy for the man if he hadn't just threatened her children in the book.

 ". . . I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadogou," 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 ......