Potter&Holmes

Chapter 2

                  

The sun had set by the time Sherlock Holmes stood dripping in the rain outside the front doors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He knocked on the large, oak doors. He hadn't even drawn his hand back when the doors swung open to reveal a grand, dim-lit entrance hall. Sherlock gave a satisfactory nod, grabbed his case then walked inside. The doors closed behind him with a soft thud. He glanced around. It was empty. A few portraits hung on the walls, their occupants peering down at him. Sherlock stared at them.

"Genius!" he muttered to himself as he watched one of them leave their portrait and disappear. Behind him, another set of double doors opened and a man 3 times bigger than Sherlock had ever seen stepped out. Sherlock wasn't even sure if it was a man.

"Er, 'ello." It said loudly, easily audible over the hundreds of babbling children behind him. "I'm 'Agrid. I'm the 'Ogwarts gamekeeper."

"Sherlock Holmes" he announced, holding out his hand.

"Already?!" Hagrid exclaimed. "Thank you for coming!" he cried, shaking his hand enthusiastically. Sherlock winced as he felt his hand being crushed. Hagrid let go quickly.

"Er, sorry." He said guiltily. Sherlock looked at him expectantly. Hagrid frowned, then gasped.

"Ah yes. Er... the case... yes... You better come with me." And with that, he stalked off in the direction of a large marble staircase. Sherlock rushed after him, his case banging against each step. Hargid turned around.

"Let me take that for you." He grunted, grabbing the case. Sherlock nodded in thanks and carried on following him. At the top of the stairs they reached a long hallway with six doors on each side and a giant gargoyle at the very end. Sherlock peered in through a door that stood ajar. These must be the classrooms he thought.  He looked up and caught up with Hagrid just as he dropped the case. Sherlock jumped as it landed on his toe. Wiggling his toes, he realised that the gamekeeper had stopped in front of the gargoyle. Sherlock frowned.

"I asked to see the headmistress not a gargoyle..." he started. Hagrid laughed.

"_________" he cried loudly, his arms outstretched. Sherlock watched in amazement as the gargoyle twisted slowly into a spiral staircase, rising slowly.

"Almost like a double helix of stone..." he started. Hagrid turned to him.

"A what?" he asked, frowning so much that his long eyebrows covered his eyes.

"Never mind." Sherlock said quickly. "So... the headmistress. Is her office up there?" he asked. Hagrid nodded.

"I won't come with you. I have to get back to the great hall." He growled. "Professor McGonagall will explain everything." He rushed off down the hallway and stopped as he reached the staircase.

"Thanks for coming!" he called, then disappeared down the stairs. Sherlock turned to face the spiral staircase.

"Here goes nothing..." he mumbled to himself, then grabbed his case and walked up the stairs. It seemed to go on forever. Finally, he reached the top, where a small, wooden door stood. He propped his case against the wall then stepped forward to knock on the door, only to find it opening already. Forgetting his case, he stepped inside. It was a circular room with bookshelves on almost every wall. An old hat sat on top of one. Why would anyone keep such a thing?

Across the room sat a desk. He walked up to it and had a look around. Now he could see a wall of portraits. Each had a picture of a witch or wizard, sleeping quietly on an armchair. One of them was much larger than the rest, and in it was a wizard with a long white beard and half-moon spectacles.

"Ah yes, that's Albus Dumbledore." Said a voice behind him. "I was his deputy." Sherlock turned to see a stern-looking witch dressed in green robes looking at him.

"You must be Sherlock" she continued. "I'm Professor McGonagall, headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Welcome." Sherlock nodded.

"It's a pleasure." He paused for a moment. "So... what's the case?" he asked her. She stared at him, her lips thinning slightly.

"You didn't read the letter, did you." She groaned. Sherlock shook his head. The headmistress looked him up and down. Great, she thought, yet another one who read only the first line in his enthusiasm. I hope he's better than the rest.

"I've seen that look before." Sherlock said quietly. "I know I may not seem it at the moment, but I am one of the best detectives you can hire. My colleague, John Watson, will be here sometime tomorrow." Professor McGonagall sighed.

"Ok then. I assume you must be tired after travelling from London so I'll explain as quickly as I can." She paused, wondering where to begin. "Since the beginning of term... well it's rather distressing... students have been... well... going missing." Her eyes were wide. Sherlock stared at her and put his hands together, waiting for her to continue.

"We have hired many detectives, but none seem capable of fixing this... this... disaster! 15 students have gone missing already, and a further 20 have been taken home by their parents. We have tried and tried to find the culprit, but we've had little luck.

"The issue has driven us to allow muggles, such as yourself, into the castle to help us-"

"Muggles?" he interrupted.

"-Non-magic folk." She said, before continuing. "Muggles aren't even supposed to see this castle!" she cried. "But we have no choice." She looked down at him. "So... will you help us?" she asked, eyes glittering with tears.

"Yes" was all Sherlock said before leaving the room, grabbing his suitcase and rushing off to the carriage awaiting to take him to Hogsmeade, where he will stay the night in the Hogshead.