Fred and George and the Toilers of Trouble (Year 1) ✔

Chapter 26:11

The wobbling, ghostly shapes fell away. And soon the world spread out in all directions. It was solidified and steady, with such brilliant clarity and vibrant colors that it felt like an exact recreation of life outside the Pensieve.

"We are now entering the memories of Vindictus Viridian," said Dumbledore with a shuddering breath. "This should be easier to follow, but remain close."

Cloudy structures were erected from the ground, and the twins were compelled, once again, to feign a lack of familiarity with their surroundings. Professor Dumbledore glanced over at them.

"You look confused."

"Where are we?" asked George.

"This is the headmaster's office," said Dumbledore. "But, as you can see, I had yet to hold the title."

Armando Dippet was sitting in Dumbledore's high-backed chair, a hand on his hearing trumpet. Standing opposite the desk before him was Vindictus Viridian. He looked livid.

"We must solve this investigation! A secret chamber has been opened somewhere in the school, more Muggle-born students are being petrified by the day, and now two Hufflepuff girls have gone missing — one of whom is pure-blood!"

Headmaster Dippet tweaked the trumpet up and down as he nodded slowly. "Quite a beguiling set of circumstances. I am in full agreement. This is just the thing for the Dark Force Defense League."

The comment could not have enraged Viridian further.

"At the very height of Grindelwald's rebellion?! None of them will stray from the fight, I assure you."

"Are we certain this isn't his handiwork?" said Dippet, gazing up at the many portraits of previous headmasters who were echoing their own, unwelcomed tidbits.

"No, but I believe it could be something else," Vindictus lamented. "We must determine the source of this attack. I've been monitoring the comings and goings at this castle for months."

"Yes, and I've been in constant contact with the ghosts."

"And yet, somehow —"

"There's an intruder!" shrieked one of the portraits.

"A girl," chirped another. "She's ascending the stairs."

Vindictus turned, just as the excitable Gryffindor student reached the landing. "Yes, what is it, Hornby?"

"I found Moira and Myrtle, Professor," the girl said completely out of breath, a haunted expression stripping her face of all color. "A ghost led me to them."

"Where were they?" Vindictus asked rapidly. He removed his outer robe, in the event that he would need to leave at a run.

"The girls' toilet on the first floor."

"House ghosts aren't allowed in the bathrooms!" Dippet declared in a huff, the hearing trumpet tumbling from his ear.

"It weren't a house ghost, sir. It was...er...Myrtle."

Viridian's face dropped. "What are you saying?"

"She was killed by the monster, Professor Viridian. And Moira...she's been petrified."

The twins took a step back to see Professor Mulligan, who was looking terribly guilty as the headmaster's office faded away.

"No one has ever blamed you, Moira," said Kettleburn, placing his iron and copper hand on her back.

"I know that. But nothing could be done," she whined. "It happened so quickly. One moment we were together, and the next — I woke up in the hospital wing to the matron telling me it was months later — that the term had ended, and my friend had died. The only solace I had was...knowing..."

She had stammered to a stop and glanced over at Hagrid, her expression turning sour. In her eyes, Fred and George glimpsed a hint of the same suspicions Kettleburn seemed to have had of their gamekeeper.