Connected

Chapter 32 'Told Everything'

Chapter 32 ‘Told Everything’

Evanna finally caught her breath in front of the large stone gargoyle in the halls which lead to the Headmaster’s office and said the password ("Acid Pops"), whereupon the gargoyle leapt aside, revealing a slowly ascending circular staircase.

Evanna jumped onto the staircase hesitantly. It took her quite some time to reach the top because she was unconsciously taking steps down the staircase.

Finally, when she was on the top, oaken double door greeted her. She stood in front of the vast doors of Dumbledore’s office and hesitated, exhaled deeply and lightly knocked. The knock was very soft that you could hardly here it but Dumbledore heard it and his voice came;

“Come in.”

Evanna braced herself, took a few deep breaths, closed her eyes and turned the handle. She pushed the door and found herself in Dumbledore’s office where she had come for the first time in her life.

Evanna saw that the large circular room with many windows contained a vast number of portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses, all evidently asleep. There were many spindly tables with intricate silvery devices upon them that whirred and emitted small puffs of smoke and the Sorting Hat resting on a shelf. There was an incredible collection of books, which made up Dumbledore's private library, his Pensieve, and Fawkes the phoenix that Harry told them about.

“Ah! Welcome Evanna,” Dumbledore greeted cheerfully from behind his desk. “I was expecting you. You’re a bit late.”

Evanna took a few steps forward a bit vaguely.

“Come. Sit,” Dumbledore pointed towards a chair placed right in front of his desk.

Evanna looked behind her, the door was still open, she could run for it but hesitantly she finally walked towards the chair and the door closed behind her on its own.

“Professor…” Evanna started. “Go away from Hogwarts!” she abruptly ended.

 “Why is that?” Dumbledore asked unsurprised by the sudden order he got.

“Be… because your life is in danger here, Professor! Please go and don’t come back. At least not this year…” Evanna said quickly.

“I know,” Dumbledore stood from his chair and walked towards the front of his desk.

“You know?” Evanna looked up, startled.

“I know what Draco is given to do. He has to kill me but Evanna I know he can’t.”

“But they can!”

“They?”

“He’s planning… planning…”

“You came all this way to tell me the truth so you should… like you always did,” Dumbledore looked from top of his glasses.

“Yes, sir. That is the truth. Yes it is,” Evanna said as if she was convincing her oneself, “He is planning… planning to smuggle in deatheaters,” Evanna ended quickly.

“There is no way deatheaters can come inside Hogwarts. Not in a time like this when there is so much security,” Dumbledore concluded confidently with an amused expression.

“But it seems there is a way, Professor. The Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement…” And so she told everything she knew about the cabinet and what Draco was planning to do.

At the end of her story, Dumbledore looked serious and distant.

“Professor?” Evanna asked worriedly.