The United

Chapter 9: Realisation

 "This year is turning out to be fun!" Scorpius laughed as they sat at breakfast the next day at the Gryffindor table, "My sister said Hogwarts was boring."

"You have a sister?" Albus asked.

"Yeah she's eighteen, just left Hogwarts. She's a nightmare her name's Cassandra."

Lessons carried on as normal Professor Van Dutch was now the charms teacher as well as the Ravenclaws Acting Head of House. Albus had become instinctively wary of him, though he had no solid reason; for Professor Van Dutch was friendly, fun and almost one of the children. He had an aura about him that almost instantly made people like him. Albus and the others were now paying close attention to him for any hints of the thing he was looking for, it was obvious to Albus that the box couldn't have been it but also that Professor Blackheart may have no too much about it.

Al

Meet me on the Fourth floor by Fred's Stones NOW!

Scorpius

Albus read the note Fawkes had woken him up to give. It was eleven o'clock at night and Albus read Scorpius' neat handwriting a little bleary, however that changed when the urgency gripped him, he slipped on his robes over his pyjamas. He strapped his watch more firmly to his wrist and clutching the Marauder's Map he snuck quietly out of the Great Hall. The corridors were pitch black so Albus turned on his watch, it illuminated nearly the whole corridor with a bright clear light. He crept up the stairs it was quite a long way to Fred's Stones which was a part of a corridor that had a section of younger stone like many part of the castle except this particular patch had a small gold plague bearing Albus late uncle who he never met, Fred Weasley.

"Boo!" Scorpius pounced.

Albus had already seen him as soon as he entered the corridor from the staircase but he was immensely pleased that his watch actually worked, "What do you want?"

"To tell you what I just saw!" I needn't the toilet so got up, I wasn't sleeping anyway, and then I decided to go explore. I went to go and look at the broken tower." Scorpius whispered.

Albus felt a bit dubious about this the Ravenclaw tower was miles away from the dungeon, it showed that Scorpius had nerves of steel to be wondering school on his own at night, also to wait here in a deserted corridor in the darkness, he was obviously made of harder stuff than Albus.

"I was just about to pass the charms classroom, when I hear him like he's talking to someone. Professor Van Dutch sitting there having a little chat with him and so I'm thinking he is actually loony but no! His wand's on a piece of paper and as he speaks words write themselves. He's writing a letter!" Albus could see Scorpius's eyes shining and his mouth was a smirk. "I missed who he was writing to but I got the general context. He said he's looking for a charm that Flitwick invented a charm that enables you to fly just by having your wand. He wants to find it, says Flitwick's written down somewhere. The box with an F on it just had letters from Flitwick's old love life or something. Anyway he burned on the letters in a rage. I think he was writing to his girlfriend because he kept saying my love, my one. This is cool isn't it?" Scorpius beamed, trembling with excitement.

"It isn't cool Scorpius, he's a murderer! He's dangerous." Albus started jogging back down the corridor.

"Oi! Where are you going?" Scorpius hissed down the corridor, "Wait it's dark!"

"McGonagall we have to tell her!"

On the moving staircase Albus continued running. It was only at the door that he hesitated, Scorpius scowling at him knocked instead. It seemed to ring out loud over the whole school, Scorpius' beat thumping into space. And Albus suddenly felt terribly small.

"Who on earth is it?" Professor McGonagall snapped from within the office.

"Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy," Albus stammered.

There was a pause before, "Enter."

Professor McGonagall stood behind her desk in her nightdress, her hawk eyes scanning them.

"Professor, we know who killed Flitwick. Professor Van Dutch! And if we're quick we could catch him out." Albus gasped.

"My goodness! How could you say such a thing Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall glared.

"Professor I overheard him writing a letter, he spoke out loud as he did it and he explains it all, he killed Professor Flitwick to get to a charm that the Professor had invented. I'm also quite sure that he caused Professor Blackheart's death also," Scorpius stepped forward and his voice was suddenly authoritative and impressive.

"And what were you doing Mr Malfoy, snooping around school so late and shadowing people's doorways?" Professor McGonagall looked at him with what Albus was astonished to realise was dislike.

Scorpius did not even blink, "Professor, Professor Van Dutch is defiantly up to something and he still has to go up to the owlery to send his letter. You could catch Professor Flitwick's killer."

"Please Professor, there's no harm in investigating it." Albus stuttered.

She sighed, "Thank you boys, do not talk about this to anyone else, I will have a search done." Professor McGonagall went to dismiss them.

Albus could tell she doubted them; it was easy to see, even though it made perfect sense! And much worse than that Albus feared he had gotten Scorpius into trouble.