Wolfbite (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter 11: The Knight and the Unicorn

Chapter 11: The Knight and the Unicorn

The Marauders decided to start working on their Animagus transformations. They're excited to see what they'll turn into, but I told them they'd be waiting for a while. The process of becoming an Animagus is long and difficult for those who aren't familiar with the process. Lucky for them, I have experience.

**

Leo avoided Ron like he avoided the library after the incident in the common room. He slept in the common room at night – at least until Fred and George dragged him up to their dorm one night and told him he could stay with them. Leo tried to refuse at first, but the twins would hear none of it. Their brother was being a prat and one of their best mates needed help, and that was that. At mealtimes, he took to eating either in the kitchens, with Remus, or with Sirius.

Sirius was beyond furious when Leo told him what happened between him and Ron – though he couldn't decide if that was because Pettigrew had disappeared again or because Ron was a prick. Sirius spent most of their time ranting and raving about what a bloody git Ron was, as well as offering up some very creative forms of revenge that Leo didn't think he would do. He was already getting payback, and he wasn't even trying to.

Any time he and Ron were in the same general vicinity, the bottoms of his robes spontaneously caught fire. Normally, Leo would have been somewhat alarmed by this loss of control, but he felt nothing but vindicated when he recalled how badly the boy treated him and Hermione. Unfortunately, about the tenth time this happened, McGonagall informed Leo that Dumbledore wanted to see him.

With an angry grunt, the boy took the piece of paper containing the password to Dumbledore's office. As he walked down the halls, the torches lining the walls would flare up, dimming down as he got a fair distance away. He eventually stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle. He glanced down at the paper in his hands.

"Pumpkin pasty," he told the gargoyle in an irritable tone.

The gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As he stepped onto it, Leo heard the wall close behind him. He rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Leo saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.

He rapped on the door and entered when it opened, glancing around in vague interest. It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk where Dumbledore sat, his fingers steepled in front of him.

"Welcome, Mr. Black. Please, take a seat," Dumbledore informed him with a kind smile, gesturing at one of the chairs in front of his desk.

Leo gritted his teeth before stalking forward and placing his rear upon the seat. Dumbledore surveyed him for a moment, though Leo noticed he tended to avoid making direct eye contact. Maybe he's scared of a thirteen-year-old wizard. Leo almost rolled his eyes sarcastically. Finally, the old man spoke.

"I suppose you must be wondering why I have called you here -"

"Weasley's robes keep catching on fire, I'm well aware," Leo informed him in the driest tone he could manage.

"And I daresay you don't have much control over it, correct?" Dumbledore asked, disregarding his attitude.

Leo inclined his head.