The New Trio and the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 9: The Writing on the Wall

To their dismay, Harry, Draco, Neville, Hermione, and the twins were now standing awkwardly, trying to comfort a sobbing Mr Filch in Professor Dumbledore's office as he examined Mrs Norris.

Snape had quickly taken charge, vanishing the words on the wall after casting a few different spells to try to determine their origin, then removed Mrs Norris from the torch bracket and floated her, Disillusioned, behind him as he made his way to the Headmaster's office. Not really having anywhere else to go, and wanting to see what the conclusion would be, the Marauders' Recruits draggled along behind him. When Dumbledore finally came sweeping through the door, he stopped short at the sight of so many people in his office, then smiled genially. "Severus, children, what a surprise! What can I do for you?"

Snape quickly explained the scene they'd come across, as well as the cover story they'd all come up with to prevent the public at large from finding out that Harry was a Parseltongue (It wasn't an issue that his dorm mates knew, since they knew him well enough to never believe he could do something like that). Dumbledore summoned McGonagall, since they were all from Gryffindor and should therefore be represented fairly, then, once she'd arrived, he turned to Hermione. "Miss Granger, Professor Snape said you discovered him as you were on your way to the bathroom?"

"Yes, sir," she nodded, Occlumency shields on full.

"Why that exact bathroom, may I ask?"

"It was the closest one to where we were at the time, sir. Also, I knew for a fact that Moaning Myrtle wasn't there, since I saw her at Sir Nicholas' Deathday Party, so I knew I wouldn't be disturbed. However, I didn't actually get to go, since we found Mrs Norris."

"Albus, let her go to the bathroom," chided Professor McGonagall. "There's one just through that door, Miss Granger."

Hermione put on a face of gratefulness and went through the door.

"Headmaster," said Snape, "were you trying to insinuate that one of the students that I was escorting, could have done such a thing? If I recall correctly, full Petrification of that sort is not taught in the Hogwarts syllabus besides a simple hex that can be counteracted easily, and besides, these second-years are on fairly good terms with the caretaker."

And so, in due course, Mr Filch was summoned, both to confirm his relationship with the Marauders' Recruits, and because it was Mrs Norris who had been petrified. They waited for a few minutes, and just after Hermione got back from 'visiting the bathroom', Filch knocked on the door.

"What's going on here?" Filch asked once he'd arrived. 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.

Hermione quickly stepped in. "Professor Snape says she's been Petrified, Mr Filch. I needed to go to the bathroom, so we detoured from our way to Gryffindor Tower, and we found her hanging from a torch bracket."

"Oh, my sweet cat! Who did this to you?"

"Argus!" called Professor Dumbledore. "I have not yet had the chance to fully examine her. Why don't you sit down and allow me?"

Visibly choking back tears, Mr Filch nodded and sat down heavily in the nearest chair, shaking. Dumbledore, having bent down to examine Mrs Norris, his nose barely an inch from her fur, didn't seem to notice when Filch started sobbing quietly. Harry thought that if Mrs Norris weren't Petrified, she'd be annoyed with the way the Headmaster was prodding and poking her.

Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close as Dumbledore, and Snape loomed behind them like a shadow. Mr Filch's sobs were getting worse, so Draco handed him a hanky surreptitiously, which he took gratefully. Dumbledore started to mutter under his breath, tapping her form with his wand as he did so, but to no avail. At last, he straightened up and walked over to Filch. "She's not dead, Argus. Severus was indeed correct in his examination."