The Cupboard Series 2: Hermione's Book Nook

Chapter 34

"§Open§."

At long last, after what was probably hours, Harry and Lisa were at the final hurdle. In front of them, the stone wall started to shiver before each and every stone wiggled around and away to create an opening in the stone wall.

Leaning heavily on his staff on one side and with Lisa's arm around him keeping him up on the other, Harry started forward. And immediately froze.

"Harry!" Sirius cried before bounding forwards towards him.

In the brief flash of time before his godfather reached him, Harry saw enough to realise that the corridor was filled nearly to overflowing with adults. Kneeling in front of him were a pair of men dressed in dark brown cargo pants and a buttoned shirt, their robes loose on their shoulders. Each of them had their wands in their hands, raised as if in the middle of an incantation.

Half a dozen red robes could only be aurors, the most prominent two being Auror Robards and Madam Bones. Professor Dumbledore looked to be in an animated discussion with three or four unknown others, while a knot of professors – McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick and Pomfrey – were clustered together against the far wall.

"Pup! What happened? Are you alright?" Sirius asked.

Harry knew that he must look a sight. He was covered in blood and slime; his robes, what was left of them, were ripped and torn; and he was wrapped in makeshift bandages. Once Lisa was recovered enough, she'd helped him to tear up his robe and wrap it around not only his wounded shoulder, but also his knee which he'd found had been cut quite badly.

"Let me through, Mister Black," the no-nonsense voice of Madam Pomfrey commanded. "The boy obviously needs medical attention."

"That's her! She's the one who kidnapped Potter!" Auror Robards accused in his deep voice.

Three red-robed aurors closed in on Lisa who began shrinking back behind Harry.

"Wait. It wasn't her fault," Harry told them quickly, "she was being possessed."

"Possessed? Whatever do you mean, Harry?" Madam Bones asked quickly, staying her aurors with a single gesture.

"I think that this is neither the time nor the place, Madam Bones," Dumbledore cut across Harry's answer.

"I quite agree," Madam Pomfrey stated as she waved her wand over Harry. "I need to get Mister Potter to the Hospital Wing."

"Perhaps it would be better for all of you to return tomorrow after Harry has been patched up and had a chance to rest," Dumbledore suggested in a tone that left no doubt that he expected to be obeyed.

"From what I've been hearing, this is now a DMLE matter, Headmaster," Madam Bones stated. "Students placed under the imperius curse in order to attack other students and to provide the means for a kidnapping to occur and now there's the suggestion of a possession. No, neither I, nor my aurors, will be going anywhere until I get some answers."

"The School Governors would also like to hear what has been happening here," Lucius Malfoy intoned.

"Madam Pomfrey. Before you take these children to the Hospital Wing, I need to ask them one question," Madam Bones stated. At the healer's nod, she looked at Harry. "Is the school safe? Is whatever was petrifying students still on the loose?"

Harry gave a tight smile. "It's okay, Madam Bones. I killed the basilisk."

His statement was met with an uproar. Most adults stepped back, gasping in shock before trying to bombard the two teens with questions. Over it all, Harry made out Malfoy's drawl as he sent accusation after question at Dumbledore.