Errored Human Mind
Minnie hadn't been able to sleep as peacefully as she'd have liked. She'd been too busy researching Lethifolds.
She didn't want to admit it, but a few things weren't adding up. She wondered if maybe Crawford wasn't as brilliant as she'd first thought he was.
It was Valentine's Day though and although it wasn't her favorite Holiday, she always enjoyed it. There was normally some kind of special decor or treats. She even chose to wear a special sweater for the occasion, a soft pink ermine with tiny pink hearts along the collar.
She was surprised to see Hogwarts wasn't decked out as usual with the large hearts or tiny paper cupids flying between corridors. It was almost as if the school had forgotten it was Valentine's Day.
She figured her parents hadn't forgotten the day, seeing as they were both missing from breakfast that morning. She shuttered remembering Aberforth's possibly honest confession the day before. That was not anything she wanted to think about.
After breakfast she headed to their empty classroom to meet Cas. She wanted to discuss what she'd found.
Her findings were slightly put on hold when he presented her a perfectly lovely Valentine. He had written her a lovely poem on heart shaped paper. The words were written by a tiny fairy flying around the page.
Minerva my sweetheart,
From you I could not part.
I wouldn't trade you for jewels or a rare potion,
Not for every pearl at the bottom of the ocean,
You and your brown beckoning eyes,
Are all I need to satisfy my lonely cries.
Beauty and brains are intertwined in your being,
With your beauty all I want to be seeing,
And your brain constantly on my mind.
Please be my Valentine?
-Cas
She was very impressed by the magic and the poem. She gave him her Valentine that wasn't nearly as impressive. It was just a card she'd transfigured to change between their house colors that said Be My Valentine.
She unwittingly began to admit she may not be the romantic one.
They exchanged a few sweet pleasantries before continuing onto discuss the day before.
She explained that her hesitancy with Crawford was derivative of her mother's reaction to him.
"Well Crawford didn't seem all that horrible." Cas shrugged sitting back onto a desk, "Seemed a decent bloke."
"I guess, I don't understand why my mum was scared of him." Minnie said.
"Do you think it's cus of what he said?" Cas asked, "You know how journalists are always scared of other journalists?"
"No, my dad told Harry it was something more than a grudge." Minnie shook her head. "That if my mum was avoiding him, she had a good reason."
"Minnie, I don't mean to sound disrespectful when I ask this, but do you think they were, you know," Cas's struggle played out in his face as he pinched his mouth together, "involved?"
"My mum and Crawford?" Minnie asked, feeling her stomach begin to turn again. She had just gotten Aberforth's nauseating admission about her parents out of her mind. Now the idea of Mr. Crawford and her mother, no, it was too repulsive.
"He knew an awful lot about her, personally, or he pretended to." Cas continued, "And your mum did have a reputation-"
"Most of it was hogwash." Minnie argued.
"Yeah, but even your mum, in Albert's books, admitted she did have," He swallowed before spitting out the words, "have, you know, lovers."
Minnie didn't have a good response. The idea was again horrifying beyond her imagination.
"I mean, she was probably just scared if they had that kind of history." Cas suggested.
"Mum isn't that petty." Minnie said shaking her head. "That's beside the point, I don't honestly know if Crawford was all that helpful."
"What do you mean?" Cas asked with a higher tone, "He told us all about Lethifold's."
Minnie pondered for a moment, she had her reasons of course.
"Lethifold attacks are practically untraceable." Minnie began, "They don't leave victims."
"Which makes sense to all of the disappearances."
"No, it doesn't." Minnie sat up a little more. "My Uncle Flume had his soul taken, and I don't believe that it's a red herring. According to my research Lethifolds, can't do the Dementor's Kiss, only Dementors can do the Dementor's kiss. I mean, hence the name."
Cas didn't seem to have an answer, just shifted slightly.
Minnie breathed out as she said, "And Lethifolds are only found in the tropics, it's bloody winter, the wrong sort of temperature for them. They wouldn't dare travel to a colder climate."
"Perhaps they-"
"And what else did Crawford actually tell us?" Minnie interrupted. She stood to her feet and crossed her arms.
Cas' eyebrow lifted, "Mostly what we already knew?"
"And isn't it a little odd that two fifth year students can figure out the same thing as a seasoned investigator?" Minnie asked suddenly realizing a truth of her own, one she'd have never ignored if she'd simply put things together sooner.
She cursed her errored human mind.
"What if he meant for us to stay in the dark?" Minnie asked.
"What are you implying?"
"What if he's in on it?"
Cas shook his head frantically, "There's no way Minnie."
"He was awful interested in how we got out of the castle." Minnie reminded, "What if he was using us?"
"Minnie, that's ridiculous."
"Is it?" Minnie asked, her brain seeming clear.
The sound of running footsteps reached Minnie's side as she noticed two grown wizards running past the classroom door. They were dressed in Auror's robes and Minnie thought she recognized one of them.
"What's that about do you suppose?" Cas asked.
"All students and staff will immediately gather in the Great Hall, no exceptions."
The Headmistresses voice sounded through the school.
Whispers began sounding as mobs of students made their way to the hall. Cas and Minnie, made their way together.
"Do you think they are closing the school?" One sixth year Ravenclaw asked Nell, Lorcan's girlfriend. "You don't think it's because that house elf went missing do you?"
Minnie wondered what house elf could be missing.
"No, I mean maybe, but I suppose it has more to do with that barkeeper's disappearance." Nell responded as she clobbered along.
"You mean the old barkeeper at the Hogshead?" The sixth year responded making Cas and Minnie both stop.
"It's Crawford." Cas said desperately meeting her eyes. "If Aberforth is missing, he followed us to the Hogshead."
"And he got into the castle." Minnie gasped, she felt hot tears growing in her eyes.
Her actions became understood as she uttered the words, "Cas we let him in."
"Calm down, we don't know for sure." Cas said putting his hands on her shoulders. The other students parted like a sea with a ship around them.
"Lulu!" Minnie cried, "She must be the house elf whose missing, he took her after she tried to get out the other way."
"We need to hear what McGonagall has to say first."
They were the last to enter the hall as McGonagall confirmed their fears.
Everyone in the hall was sitting down, eyes glued to the Headmistress. Minnie noticed Aurors were placed at every door, with her Godfather standing directly behind the Headmistress.
"Aberforth Dumbledore was unfortunately a recent victim of this attacker." McGonagall's eyes looked sunken. Minnie had never seen her look anything other than austere before. "Which has resulted in this dangerous criminal gaining access to the castle."
The room was no longer silent as students began whispering and a few sobs could be heard.
"Silence." The Headmistress raised her hand. "To make things worse, as of this morning, five teachers and one member of staff, have been taken. Each from their beds and without a trace."
Minnie's eyes scanned the Head table as the students around her chattered again.
It was her fault, it was her fault, she had let someone in who was now harming people, now harming-
"Silence please." The Headmistress raised both of her hands.
Minnie's breathe ceased as she realized her parent's chairs were empty. She counted six empty chairs. Were both of her parents gone? McGonagall only said five teachers and a member of staff, the member of staff was surely Lulu. Lulu didn't have a place at the head table, so either a member of staff simply wasn't present or McGonagall hadn't counted correctly.
"Because of this, all students will immediately evacuate." McGonagall instructed, "Do not worry about your personal items, time is of the essence, your personal effects and animals will be sent to you."
Minnie looked at Cas, who's hand was tightly wound around her's. His eyes screamed the same terror that plagued her mind. It was their fault.
"You will all follow your Prefects and the Auror department to leave."
The Aurors began escorting everyone out.
What about her parents? Where would she and Alice go if something was wrong? Surely she'd go to Uncle Jack's or her Gran's of course.
Alice?
Minnie cursed her inability as a sister.
What about Alice?
Minnie couldn't see Alice in the crowd. What if someone had hurt her or taken her? Alice had to be safe.
"Lissy!" She called out, scanning, praying she could see her face. "Alice!"
What if her parents and Alice were all gone?
McGonagall hadn't mentioned any students being missing, but would she?
Would they admit a student was missing?
"Alice!" Cas began yelling with her.
"Oh shut it you love birds." Brenna exclaimed as she pushed between the couple with her elbows, "Your prat of a sister was on her way to the train with Jordan and Scamander. Unfortunately she's not missing like your stupid parents are."
Minnie was ready to punch Brenna, and this time it wasn't going to be in self defense.
Cas held her back grabbing her wrists. He whispered in Minnie's ears, "Priorities, Sarah's just scared. At least we know Alice is fine."
She still couldn't see Alice. What she could see through the crowd was a familiar mop of black hair.
Her Godfather! She needed to tell him about Crawford and about their mistake, and maybe he'd know about her parents.
"I need to tell Harry about Crawford." Minnie insisted to Cas.
"But what if he doesn't listen?" Cas stopped walking.
"My parents are teachers, possibly missing ones, if they are gone I should know!" Minnie's voice became louder.
"But what if something happens to you?" Cas gripped her hand tighter.
"Do me a favor, find Lissy and make sure she gets on that train." Minnie begged Cas. "Make sure she gets to Uncle Jack please. Whether I get there or not."
Cas paused, looking over her face like he was reading lines.
"Cas, please!"
"Ok, I will." He kissed her quickly before whispering, "Just be safe alright?"
Minnie nodded. "I'll do my best."
He ran away through the crowd, shouting for Alice.
Minnie ran the other direction, towards Harry. She elbowed her way through the flow of students going the opposite way. She felt like a salmon swimming upstream.
She shouted Harry's name multiple times before he turned to her.
"I don't have time Minnie." Harry scolded back to her, "I need you to get on that train."
"I think I know who's behind it, or at least how someone got inside!" Minnie insisted to Harry making him stop.
She told him everything as best she could with everyone walking around her.
Harry's face began to a deep shade of chartreuse as she finished her confession.
"You didn't make this all up right?" Harry asked after removing his hand that had been covering his shocked expression.
"No, it's all true." Minnie warned before asking the one question she dreaded most, "Are my parents ok?"
Harry took her wrist before dragging her through the opposite direction of the flowing crowd.
"Harry! Please! If my parents are missing it's my fault! It's my fault! I did it!" She cried as she followed closely. They wound through the hallways until it was practically empty.
"Your mum is fine." He admitted as they arrived to the Headmistresses office. Inside were a few teachers and about a dozen Aurors.
The Headmistress was standing beside her mother. Her mother looked horrible. Tears were staining her face. Her regularly composed appearance had dissipated, wearing jeans, what looked like her dad's sweater, and no hat. Her mother was shaking intensely and leaning against a cane.
Minnie had seen that ebony cane before. It was very rarely used, mostly collecting dust in the attic with Duke's things. Her mother had only used it a few times that Minnie could remember. She could remember in small blurred visions the cane being in her mother's use after Alice's early birth.The only other example Minnie could think of, was after her mother had accidentally foregone her daily potion during Minnie's childhood.
Whatever was going on, it was terribly distressing her mother.
Duke was wrapped around the hand she leaned against the cane with.
In her mother's other hand, she gripped the chain of a pocket watch. The pocket watch her father had shown her merely days before. The pocket watch wriggled and writhed beneath her mother's shakes.
As her mother's eyes reached her's, Minnie knew her father was one of the missing.
Her mother said a word Minnie wasn't used to hearing in good company before running down to her daughter.
Her mother embraced Minnie against her chest. Minnie could hear her mother's heart beating excruciatingly fast. Her shaking felt like an earthquake and the cane pressed into her back. Minnie could tell her mother was now pressing her weight onto her instead of the cane.
"Where's your sister?" Her mother asked.
"Getting on the train, Cas promised he'd get her to Uncle Jack." Minnie assured before whispering, "Did they take dad?"
Her mum mumbled a small, "Yes."
It was all her fault, all of it. She'd let the mad man in, she'd caused this problem while trying to solve it.
"Everyone, aside the Headmistress and Professor Fyre, I'd like you to go ahead with the original plan, I will debrief the rescue team in the Great Hall in just a moment." Harry announced to the room.
Her mother lifted her chin from the top of Minnie's head as everyone left the room.
"Minnie, would you like to tell your mother and the Headmistress what you've told me?" Harry asked gruffly.
"What are you talking about?" Minnie's mum asked Harry.
"Minnie." Harry sounded across the still room.
Minnie's words weren't as steady as they were when she told Harry, especially with her mother's eyes upon her.
"That is very serious." The Headmistress said with bugging eyes behind her spectacles, "To sneak out of the castle when we are insufferably under attack."
"I know, and I think this is all my fault. I think he followed me." Minnie said as steadily as she could.
"I believe in this situation, consequences should speak for themselves." The Headmistress continued, "We don't have time to wallow in this knowledge now. Your mother can take whatever course of action she wishes for your discipline."
"At this point what's done is done." Her mother rubbed her neck, her shaking increasing as Duke wrapped himself further around her wrist, "There isn't a greater punishment than the fact your father is missing Minnie."
Her mother's jaw tensed upwards. Her mother's hands had released Minnie's shoulders and had retreated back to her cane, her eyes no longer lined with tears. Instead a great fury lined her eyes. She shoved the necklace in her hands into her jean pocket.
The Headmistress turned to Harry. "Potter, I must go with my students, they are my charges and I will ensure their safety."
"Agreed, it's obvious they are going after the students, who's to say Crawford is working alone and won't attack the train?" Harry nodded, "Myself, and my team, and any teachers who wish to stay will continue our search of the castle."
"You are sure they are still present?" The Headmistress asked.
"No one has left the Hogshead." Harry said with a shake of his head, "And no one is in the Room of Requirement, it was one of the first places we checked. We were wondering how they'd managed to get in, considering it does work only in a one way capacity. Lulu was obviously in the wrong place at the wrong time."
As the Headmistress left, Minnie forced herself to look at her mother.
"He didn't hurt you right?" Her mother asked with a trembling bottom lip. "I'd never forgive myself if he hurt you."
"He didn't mum."
"I can't say I'm not furious Minerva, you should have come to me." Her mother said in a scolding tone, "You shouldn't have snuck out."
Minnie tried to argue, "I thought maybe we could solve the case and I trusted Albert."
"My god, why didn't I realize?" Her mother began to shake her head before yelling, "Potter, I think Crawford is manipulating Albert."
"Do you think this Crawford is capable of organizing something like this?" Potter asked.
"He's tried to at least assert himself in the Prophet before. I warned Albert not to trust him." Her mother bobbed her head a little, "Years ago, he well,-he, I was young and-"
"Sam." Potter continued, "It wasn't just some stupid grudge over a tryst like you tried to pass off to Ginny was it?"
"No, he used some kind of enchantment on me." Her mother was shaking fully. "To make me, well my actions would have normally been more reserved. I was lucky enough that I was able to accidentally counter it."
"What did you do?" Harry asked.
Her mother shrugged, "I threw him out of the Prophet when I realized what he had done."
"Why didn't you ever report it officially?" Harry asked.
"I had just been instated as Editor-In-Chief and if it had gotten out that I'd been weak enough to let someone, get that close to the Prophet and the Ministry, everything I had sacrificed would have been for nothing. My reputation would have been ruined."
Her mother took Minnie's hand. "I never thought he'd do something like this, I thought he was just power hungry and ambitious."
"I will inform my team." Harry nodded, "Until then, you and Minnie should hurry and get out of here."
"No, I'm staying." Her mum said sternly, "I'm not leaving here without Nev."
"Is that smart in your condition Fyre?
Minnie's mother insisted shakily standing up from leaning on her cane, "I'm fine."
"I'll stay with you." Minnie insisted, knowing her mum wouldn't go, no matter how much she begged.
Her mother shrugged slightly, "Ok, you can stay."
"You aren't going to tell me no?" Minnie stopped and pinched her face.
"Sam!" Harry scolded.
"She's my daughter, if I say she can help, she can help." Her mother growled back.
"She's just a kid Sam!" Harry said his eyes wider than the lenses of his glasses.
"You are one to talk. How old were you when you flew Thestrals to the Ministry to save your Godfather?"
"That's beside the point. Isn't that being irresponsible?"
"I don't need to be scolded about my parenting from someone who told their son you'd rather not be their father." Her mother said before gritting her teeth.
Minnie wasn't sure what situation that was, but assumed it may have been when Albus had been sorted into Slytherin.
"Sam!" Harry scolded. "This isn't the time or place for that discussion. Minnie needs to get on that train."
"I know what will happen if I say no to her." Her mum shook her head, "She will just find a way back here, and I'd rather any more trouble happen under my nose."
"Yeah but Neville would never forgive me if I let something happen to you both." Harry argued with a tremble echoing his voice.
"Ok Potter, make a decision." Her mother said putting her cane into Minnie's arms and pulling out her wand, "You either get hexed by me or you get hexed by Nev."
Potter began to say something, but found himself cut off as he looked into Minnie's mother's eyes.
Her mother's face had a habit of occasionally striking fear. Her eyebrows would narrow like she were Duke sizing up a steak while her nose would flare like a bull about to charge.
It was a reserved look, Minnie had seen many incantations of it before.
Minnie had never seen that look directed at someone her mother was on good terms with. It had never been directed towards friends or family.
The look she shot Harry was possibly the most terrifying Minnie had ever beheld. The dark circles beneath her mother's eyes amplifying the sheer captivation her anger had.
Harry was not prepared for the look at all, but took her seriousness without adaptation.
He answered, with a sweat streaking his brow, "Understood Fyre."
A smirk pushed through her mother's lips as she took her cane back from Minnie, "Good choice Potter."