Not your usual Veela mate [Chapters 39-69]

The Mayhem Continues [61]

Thursday, Sep. 19
A

lbus Dumbledore looked up as the door to the Great Hall was thrown open. Seeing who was entering, the Headmaster bit back an angry curse, plastered on his most benevolent expression and climbed to his feet. "Cornelius, to what do we owe this honour?" he asked, while silently wondering what reason was worse; the loss of a professor, or the casting of an Unforgivable.
But how in the world had the Minister found out? Binns sending had only happened this morning, and Albus thought he had managed to put a muzzle on both the students and the professors concerning Parkinson's unfortunate actions.
As if dragged by an invisible magnet, Dumbledore's eyes went to Harry Potter. The boy was sitting at the Slytherin table, looking just as surprised as anyone else. Still… could Harry have gone behind the Headmaster's back? Albus wouldn't have thought so. Everyone knew there was little love between the Golden Boy and the Minister of Magic.
Then again, Albus wouldn't have thought that Harry would have turned away from himself and side with the Malfoys either. He really needed to find a way to bring that lot to heel. Perhaps he would go through with his threat to send young Malfoy away. If nothing else, it should teach the boys an important lesson in humility.
Cornelius was completely ignoring Dumbledore. He had turned towards the Slytherin table and he was scanning the students sitting there, making a face of distaste when his eyes landed on the Boy Who Lived. Not finding the one he was looking for, Fudge turned around and began scanning the Gryffindor table.
"Where is she? Where are you hiding the criminal?" Fudge asked in a strident voice.
"Criminal?" Albus asked, hiding a cringe. This was not good. "I assure you, Cornelius, there are no criminals present in this Hall," he said nevertheless, needing to minimize the damage as much as possible.
The Aurors had been looking around the room as well, alert for trouble of any kind. One of them respectfully tapped his employer on the shoulder and pointed to the solitary table in the back.
"No? What do you call that?" Cornelius asked in triumph. "Aurors, arrest that girl," he said imperiously, pointing directly at Pansy Parkinson.
The girl in question flew to her feet, shrieking shrilly, "Hey! I'm not a girl! And I'm not Pansy either," she added as an afterthought.
Fudge made a scornful face. "Then what are you, if you are not a girl?" he asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.
Pansy blushed hotly, glaring at the other students who were snickering at her dilemma. "I'm a boy!" she snarled, only to cringe back slightly as she remembered who she was talking to.
Fudge stared at the girl for a moment, then he gestured for one of his guards to come closer, and the two began to whisper hurriedly.
"I can assure you that Miss Parkinson is not harbouring under any delusions," Albus said, coming down to stand next to the Minister. "Why don't we head to my office and I will explain everything." Dumbledore smiled pleasantly. "I fear Miss Parkinson and Mr Weasley have been targeted with a harmless prank."
"Is that why you have broken tradition and are forcing them to sit on their own?" Fudge asked suspiciously.
"Ah, yes. Since Miss Parkinson in reality is Mr Weasley, the Gryffindors were uncomfortable allowing someone who looked like a Slytherin to sit at their table. The Slytherins feel the same way. For the sake of peace, the teachers and I decided to allow the two of them to have a table of their own where their friends can join them without fears of being spied upon. I fear the rivalry between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors are as strong as ever," Albus said with a small chuckle.
Fudge turned and gave the Headmaster a stern look. "And why haven't those two children been returned to their rightful form? And why wasn't I informed that one of them performed an Unforgivable on a fellow student?" he asked, arching an eyebrow pointedly. "What kind of school are you running here, Dumbledore?"
"I can assure you, Cornelius, that everything is under control," Albus said soothingly. "Severus is brewing an antidote for the potion used in the prank as we speak, and-"
Whatever the Headmaster was going to say was drowned out by the war cry coming from the Slytherin side of the hall. As one everyone turned to look, and then they all reflexively ducked as a flock of falcons swooped over their heads.
"Albus Dumbledore, what is the meaning of this!" Fudge shouted, before cursing angrily as one of the falcons stole his hat.
Albus could only stand there and blink dumbly as the birds swooped around the air, apparently playing an impromptu game of Quidditch with the Minister's hat as the Quaffle.
For a moment everyone was silent. Then the Slytherin table broke out into cheers as one of the falcons stole the hat from the others and made a mad dash around the room, the other six birds in hot pursuit.
Turning towards the unruly House, Dumbledore for the first time noted that several students were missing. Seven to be exact. In other words, the entire Slytherin Quidditch team. Draco Malfoy included. Groaning softly, the Headmaster turned back to look at the falcons in time to see three of them in a game of tug-of-war. The sound of the bowler being ripped apart was surprisingly loud in the suddenly silent Hall.
Glancing over at Fudge, Albus was not surprised to see the Minister turning an alarmingly shade of purple.
"Albus Dumbledore, I demand an explanation for this appalling event!" Fudge hissed, looking as if he was having a stroke.
Truly fearing for the man's health, Dumbledore glanced up at the Head Table, signalling for the school nurse to join them.
"I'm sorry, Cornelius, but I have no idea who might be behind this prank. I apologise on the behalf of the school for your loss of head garment, and I am certain the students will apologise the moment they are back to normal again," Albus said soothingly, while shooting daggers at both the Gryffindor table and at Ronald Weasley. Of all the times for them to retaliate! At least this prank was harmless in nature.
"Minister, you need to calm down!" Poppy said urgently, looking over the results of her scans. "Severus! Do you have a calming potion on you? The Minister is going into a fit!" Poppy shouted, before frantically starting to cast different Healing spells.
Severus, who had been sitting next to Lucius and taking quiet delight in the happenings, immediately became businesslike and he joined the nurse in her efforts to save Fudge's life. Snape might wish the man to Jericho, and he would cheer the day the man was finally booted out of office, but he did not wish to see the incompetent fool dead. At least, not because the results of a prank he had helped the boys to set up, worrying what the guilt would do to the already too heavily burdened Elf.
Draco, who had been the one to snatch the Minister's bowler, dropped the offending thing and flew over to Harry, landing smoothly on his mate's arm. Mindful of his sharp claws, the blond made his way up to Harry's shoulder and he settled in to observe the events unfolding so unexpectedly.
Harry watched with wide eyes as Pomfrey and Severus worked to save Fudge's life. Automatically, he reached up and began to stroke the soft feathers of the falcon's chest, taking comfort from the weight of the small body and the soft crooning coming from Draco. Bird or man, the blond always knew just what to do to comfort him.
"There, he is stable, but I would feel better if he was taken to St. Mungo's and examined by one of their Healers. It has been a long time since I dealt with this kind of problems," Poppy said, wiping her forehead with a sleeve.
"We will take care of him," Proudfoot, the leaders of the Aurors, said, patting the nurse on her shoulder in thanks. "The wizarding world owes you a dept, Madam, and I for one will make sure you are nominated for a medal. Dawlish, Savage, Shacklebolt, you three will remain here and get to the bottom of the allegations that one of the students cast an Unforgivable. The rest of us will escort the Minister to St. Mungo's. Call me if you find yourself in the need of assistance," Proudfoot ordered, before herding his charge towards the door.