Whispers of a Snake (Chamber of Secrets)

Chapter 10

Lea shot a glare at the blonde Slytherin, wondering how he could find the situation entertaining. She knows that Mrs. Norris was petrified but dead or alive, she feared for the cat's health. 

"What's going on here? What's going on?"

She felt Neville tense beside her as she paled. Filch was shouldering his way through the crowd, no doubt having heard Draco's proclamation. But as his greedy, amused eyes fell on Mrs. Norris, he stumbled back, his eyes now wide with horror. 

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" He shrieked, his voice bouncing off the walls.

His eyes inspected the students closest to the said cat, they came to a halt on the Potter twins. Filch inspected Harry's winded state and Lea's robes that were drenched in water. 

"You!" He howled, "You two! You've murdered my cat! You killed her! I knew you two were trouble when you got here! I'll kill you! Both of you! I'll-"

"Argus!"

The crowd parted slightly as the headmaster and a number of other teachers found the source of noise. He swept past the four Gryffindors and Hufflepuff and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket, cradling the cat delicately as though she was made of glass. 

"Come with me, Argus" He said to Filch, "You too, Mr. and Ms. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger, Mr. Longbottom"

Lockhort stepped forward, eager for the attention of the large crowd away from the cat and on himself. "My office is nearest, Headmaster- just upstairs-please feel free-"

"Thank you, Gilderoy" Dumbledore said curtly. 

The silent crowd parted once more to let them pass. Lockhart hurried after Dumbledore along with Professor McGonagall, Sprout and Snape, the quintet trailed behind them. Many student were giving them glances full with curiousness and fear. Lea wouldn't blame them, she would also be scared if she was in their place. 

Lockhart's office was dar when they entered, there were some yelps of surprise as several of the Lockhart's in the pictures dodged out of sight with heir hair in rollers. Dumbledore laid Mrs. Norris on the polished surface of a desk as Lockhart lit candles. 

While Dumbledore examined her, the students exchanged tense looks. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sank into the chairs around the candles. Lea and Neville stayed standing as they were still wet and did not wish to press the drenched material of their robes closer to their bodies. 

The tip off the headmaster's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from the cat's fur. He was looking at her closely, his eyes roaming for any details while his long fingers gently prodded and poked. McGonagall was bent almost as close to the cat, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, almost in a shadow, looking as he was trying not to smile and Lockhart was hovering over them, making unnecessary suggestions. 

Sprout walked over to Lea and Neville, who both started to shiver slightly. She pulled out her wand and gave it a complicated little wave as the tip of her wand edited steam. She pointed it at her robes and they sighed in content as it started to dry. 

They thanked her once they were completely dry and no longer shivering. She waved it off, saying "Wouldn't want two of my favorite student catching cold, now would I?" before walking back to McGonagal and Dumbledore, who was muttering strange word under his breathing tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but with no results. 

Lea spotted Filch slumped into a chair next to a desk, his face in his hands as he let out dry sobs. While the man was very unfair and rude towards the students, Lea knew no one would actually want him hurt. With Snape...that's a different story.