The Boundary of Magic

Chapter 8: The Missing Note

         Jake hesitated a moment, his feet rooted to the spot. He was overcome with anxiety. Perce shouted again, and only then did he stir, and make for the door. He burst out of the common room, and ran the fastest he could, till he reached the Great Hall again. He was shivering all over. He tried to reach the handle to open the door, but he couldn't stop his hands from shaking. He tried taking some deep breaths.

         Just then, the door swung open, and there stood Dumbledore, with a slightly worried expression, his face devoid of his benign smile. Behind him Jake could see the High Table, where professors and students were still eating. Hadner, with a thoroughly confused expression, was at Dumbledore's side. He spotted Jake shaking, and his face turned anxious. He began to rush towards him, but Dumbledore put his hand in the way.

         "What happened?" He asked gently, his eyes fixed to that of Jake. Hadner tried to talk, but again was stalled by Dumbledore.

         "Com-common room — Per-Perce —" he stammered. Dumbledore nodded in comprehension, and turned to Hadner.

         "Mr. Greyfall, please bring Professor Slughorn to the Slytherin common room. No one needs to know anything," he said, and looked at Jake again. "Mr. Elladore, lead the way." Hadner's protests were once again silenced by the elderly wizard, and he turned reluctantly to the Great Hall again. Jake and Dumbledore swept away to the common room.

         "Mr. Elladore, I would not trouble you if I had a choice. Hence I ask you, please recount the events of this evening to me," said Dumbledore, walking beside him.

         "Professor I — I — I really — it was —" he stammered, trying to keep up with Dumbledore.

         "Calm down. Your friend Drake Fawley will be alright, I assure you."

         "How — how did you —" he said, now pale in the face.

         "Mr. Jordan was not the only one who noticed the absence of a certain first year. When he took you with him, I understood. And that brings us back — what did you notice about Mr. Fawley's behaviour tonight?" He asked, still with a gentle voice.

         Jake gulped first, and steadied his breath. Dumbledore simply waited.

         "He was — very — happy — and thinking about something all day... he wouldn't say what, I tried to ask — I know it was something bad... then he said he'd come a bit late... to dinner. I suspected something was — happening. And Perce went inside the dormitory — I don't know what —" he broke off, his breath shaky again.

         Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, and came to a halt as the Slytherin common room's entrance appeared. Jake was not astonished when Dumbledore uttered the password, before entering. He sweeped passed all the chairs, Jake trotting nervously beside him, and entered the dormitory.

         It was a terrible sight. Smoke engulfed the room, the windows insufficient for its clearing. The neat beds were in the grasp of soot, and one particular bed was reduced to rags. The curtains were burnt, to fine ashes, and the bed itself was snapped in two like a stray twig, with a few flames still crackling at its side. The ceiling's paint was peeling, and the wall was unrecognisable.

         Dumbledore's eyes registered every bit of the room, finally resting at a corner. Two figures were huddled together. One of them turned to face him.

         "Professor Dumbledore!" Exclaimed Perce. He was kneeling beside Drake, who was perched against the wall, and he got up as he saw Dumbledore. "Drake didn't come for dinner, and I noticed Jake's face and thought something was up, so I thought of coming here and looking what happened and I found him unconscious —"