Echo | Harry Potter - George Weasley

Chapter 28: Truths Discovered, Secrets Uncovered

Shaye couldn't exactly remember how she, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart had gotten out of the Chamber of Secrets. When she closed her eyes and thought hard enough, she could see bits and pieces of it, such as Fawkes the phoenix and Harry smiling. She could also hear Lockhart shouting something happily, his memory still wiped, but that was about it.

When Shaye woke up in the hospital wing the following morning, she thought back not-so-fondly to how she had ended up in the same place at the end of her first year. A pattern was growing that didn't exactly leave Shaye looking forward to how she would be spending her remaining five years at Hogwarts, but that was neither here nor there at the moment. Instead, she was simply grateful to be alive and proud of herself and her friends. 

Shaye's head still ached a little when she finally sat up but Madam Pomfrey assured her it was nothing more than a minor concussion and that with the healing potion she had given her the night before, she would be feeling good as new in no time.

Harry and Ron were waiting for the girl when she exited the hospital wing around mid-morning and together, they headed toward Dumbledore's office, unsure if he was going to congratulate or punish them. Frankly, neither one of the trio knew what to expect. 

Either way, Dumbledore, like always, delivered the news fairly and calmly.

When the three friends climbed up the narrow, twisting staircase to the headmaster's office and opened the door, Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk in the same maroon robes that he had been wearing the night he had been suspended. Fawkes was sitting on his perch beside the desk and blinking down at the three students, ruffling his feathers and slowly beginning to doze off as if he hadn't just battled a basilisk himself.

"You three realize, of course, that in the past few hours, you have broken perhaps a dozen school rules," Dumbledore informed them. There was no anger or disappointment evident in his voice. He was simply stating the facts. 

Nevertheless, the three students felt guilty. "Yes, sir," they responded in unison.

"There is sufficient evidence to have all three of you expelled."

"Yes, sir."

"Therefore, it is only fitting that you all receive ... Special Awards for Services to the School." Dumbledore smiled softly.

Shaye, Harry, and Ron shared a dumbfounded look. Sure, they hadn't known what, exactly, to expect when they had been called into the headmaster's office, but this wasn't even on the list of possible outcomes they had guessed on their way over. They had broken a dozen school rules and were being awarded?

"Thanks, sir." The trio smiled in response. 

"Now, Mr. Weasley, if you would have an owl deliver these release papers to Azkaban." Dumbledore handed over a folded bunch of papers to Ron. "I believe we want our gamekeeper back."

Ron nodded and went on his way.

"And Miss Frazier." Dumbledore looked to Shaye next. "I'd like to have a word with you if I could. If you please, just wait outside until I've finished with Harry."

"Of course, sir." Shaye turned and left the office as well, leaving Harry alone with Dumbledore.

As Shaye descended the steps once more and waited in the corridor beside the gargoyle statue, her mind began to run amuck with questions and concerns. What did Dumbledore need to speak to Harry about? What did he need to speak to her about? Why didn't he ask to speak to Ron? Would Hermione be awarded a Special Service to the School too?

Before Shaye had a chance to try and flesh out some of the answers for herself, she heard someone coming down the corridor and looked up to see Lucius Malfoy striding toward the entrance to Dumbledore's office, the familiar snake-head cane in his hand and a bumbling house-elf at his feet.