Morning at the Lake
It was two weeks later when they finally got the opportunity to try and see the music teacher. All three of them had set discreet alarms at 6am. With small eyes and warm jackets, Hermione, Ron and Harry met in their common room. They had to shuffle around a bit to all fit under Harry’s cloak but once it was done it was a child’s play to get out of the dormitories and then outside of the castle completely. The sky was still dark, some stars visible behind light clouds and a vicious little wind ; if what Luna said was true, it baffled them that the music teacher woke up everyday this early to go outside by choice !
The trek to the lake was mostly uneventful if you do not count that time when a rabbit bolting out of a bush made them jump. As they get closer, however, they start to notice something on the wind ; stray bits of melody.
It’s when they finally arrive to the shore lake that they see him. The music teacher is already here. He stands in the water, barefoot, his long black hair flutter gently in the wind. His eyes are closed and there is a small harp in his hands. He is singing but neither Harry nor Ron can understand him. When they look at Hermione, she shakes her head. The words are alien and the music sad, lonely even.
They listen.
It’s Ron that sees it first. Gently, he nudges his two friends and silently points to the lake itself, not the man singing.
As they turn to see what caught his attention, they notice the light of the stars and moon fading behind dark and heavy clouds. Soon after, an acrid smell starts filling their noses and smoke rises from the shore as the water turns dark. If they turn their head back to the castle, they see scorched grass and burnt trees, and torn banners hanging from the walls.
They are jerked back to reality when a heavy weight slams into them from behind. The trio find themselves face first into the ground, a happy Goldie wagging its tail furiously and sniffing at them curiously. The great commotion startled the music teacher as well, and he had stopped singing to look at them, his head slightly tilted to the side. When the student look again at the lake, the water is clean, the trees dark and tall, and there is no smoke in the air.
Seemingly deciding that staying ankle deep in the cold water wouldn’t help him understand what happened, the musician left the lake and came to stand in front of them. He was greeted by a joyful bark from Goldie and awkward smiles from the three children. He sighs.
“…a volunteer to explain what’s going on here ?”
After several seconds of glancing at each other, Harry finally speaks up.
“Um. Sorry sir, it’s just, a friend of us told us about picture she saw when she hears you singing and we wanted to see them too.”
The man looks at them, a strange look in his eyes, before asking what they saw.
“Smoke.” It was Hermione that spoke this time. “Smoke, and burnt trees and grass, the water had a strange colour and there was a bad smell in the air. And the castle, it had what looked like torn banners on its walls.”
When he hears her, the music teachers closes his eyes before opening them again and looking in the distance, towards the castle.
“That was… a part of the past. A long time ago, before Hogwart’s school existed.”
At that answer, Ron decides to take a risk and asks “Was it Thargelion ?”
Lightning fast, the man turns back to him, his eyes wide open. There is a light in his eyes.
“Where did you hear that name.”
“Well, I would like to tell you, sir, but I would like answers as well because it’s starting to become quite a lot of people who seem to know but don’t want to talk !”
This gets the teacher to laugh. Indeed, he might owe them an answer. He turns again towards the castle.
“This was Thargelion, yes, but you saw it at its lowest, when everything seemed lost.”
“At its lowest ?” enquires Hermione. “How do you know that ? And where can we find more information ?”
“Ah. Well, you would have to go to the Restricted Section of the library, or maybe deeper.”
This only serves to make the trio more confused and curious. Looks like they’ll have new questions for the Head Librarian.
“Before we go, sir, we’re sorry but can you give us your name ? We don’t have you in class and we always have trouble remembering it. Sorry.”
“Indeed, I don’t have any of you in class ; just call me Kano, it’ll be easier.”
***
As they go back to the castle, the group is silent. Stray bits of melody are still caught in their heads and the trees they pass are half-burnt, they see scorched patches of grass here and there, and when they finally reach the castle, they do not see Hogwart’s blazon but a torn black banner, an eight-pointed star embroidered in golden thread on it. Their only comfort is the light of the sun slowly rising and the warmth of Goldie’s fur as he trots next to them.