Chapter 70 - Nagging & Approaching Danger
The night passed peacefully, at least for me.
I had decided not to interfere too much. Whatever had happened with Harry, Ron, Hermione and the three-headed dog was now under Professor Dumbledore's eyes. If things continued the way they had in the original story, then Fluffy would remain exactly where he was supposed to be.
The next morning, I was having breakfast in the Great Hall when I noticed Harry looking around.
The moment he saw me, he stood up and rushed towards me. Ron followed him. Both of them looked serious.
"Arthur!" Harry called, "I need to talk to you."
"Good morning to you too."
"It's important."
"How important?"
"Very important."
I sighed.
Ron nodded immediately.
"Definitely important."
I quickly finished my breakfast and followed them outside onto the lawn. The morning air was cool and only a few students were outside. The moment we were alone, Harry started speaking.
"Arthur, do you know there's a giant three-headed dog on the third floor?"
I blinked.
"On the right side of the third floor?"
Harry looked surprised.
"Yes."
"The same third floor Professor Dumbledore specifically told everyone not to visit?"
Both boys immediately became nervous.
"No!" Harry said quickly.
"We didn't go there on purpose!" Ron added.
"The stairs changed!"
"It was an accident!"
I folded my arms.
"When was this accident?"
There was a pause.
"Yesterday at Midnight," Ron blurted. Harry immediately looked at him.
I raised an eyebrow.
"So."
Both boys looked guilty.
"My dear brother and Mr. Weasley, what exactly were you doing outside your dormitories at midnight?"
Neither answered.
"Speak now," I said. "Or I write to Mum. And to your Mum too Ron."
That got their attention immediately. Even Ron looked worried. 'Telling Mum', in any convo, is the deadliest threat to any boy, magical or not.
And 'telling Dad' is a declaration of WAR. You better not do it unless there is a deep enmity.
Harry sighed and then they told me everything.
The midnight duel which was Malfoy's challenge. How it had been a trap, a set up. 'Exactly the thing I warned Dudley yesterday evening.'
Filch had nearly caught them. Then they had run through the castle. The moving staircases had changed and took them somewhere else. They had accidentally reached the forbidden corridor.
And finally, they had opened the door, thanks to Hermione and met the three-headed dog.
I listened quietly without interrupting. It was exactly the same as the original story.
When they finished, Harry looked at me seriously.
"Hermione says the dog is guarding something."
Ron nodded.
"It was sitting on a trapdoor."
Harry leaned forward.
"What could be under there?"
I looked at both of them. Then I asked, "Is it your business?"
Both stared at me.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Is it your business?"
Neither answered, so I continued.
"Professor Dumbledore warned everyone not to go there."
"Yes, but-"
"It was an accident. Fine. I understand that."
Harry nodded.
"But now you know something dangerous is there."
"Yes."
"So stay away from it."
Both looked unconvinced. I wasn't surprised, really. Harry Potter and staying away from mysteries did not go together.
"There are many secrets in Hogwarts. And many secrets outside Hogwarts too. It isn't our job to investigate every single one."
"But what if it's important?" Harry asked.
"Then the professors can handle it."
"But-"
"Harry."
He stopped.
"If Professor Dumbledore knows about it, Professor McGonagall knows about it and the other professors know about it, then there is no reason for first-years to get involved."
Harry frowned. I could already tell he was not convinced. Honestly, I wasn't sure I would have convinced myself either. Still, I had to try.
"As your brother," I said, "I am telling you not to go there again."
Harry looked away.
"I'll try."
That answer told me everything. He was absolutely going back.
Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But someday. The story was already pulling him toward it. And even if he listened to my nagging and did not go there proactively, Dumbledore will guide him there. After all, the whole setup was there specially for him. So how could the protagonist be away from his story's climax.
I decided to change the subject.
"Anyway, you never told me what Professor McGonagall wanted yesterday."
Immediately both boys brightened. Ron practically bounced.
"Tell him!"
Harry turned red.
"Ron-"
"No, tell him!"
Harry groaned. Before he could speak, Ron blurted it out.
"Harry's the new Gryffindor Seeker!"
I blinked.
"The Quidditch team?"
"Yes!"
"The first-year?"
"Yes!"
Ron looked delighted.
"Youngest Seeker in a hundred years!"
I looked at Harry.
He looked embarrassed.
"Congratulations."
Harry smiled shyly.
"Thanks."
"Well," I said, "your reckless flying accomplished something useful."
Harry rolled his eyes.
"It wasn't reckless."
"It absolutely was."
"It worked."
"That doesn't make it less reckless."
Ron laughed. Harry looked even more embarrassed.
"When's your first match?" I asked.
"Not for a while."
I nodded.
"Good. Practice hard."
"I will."
"And listen to your captain."
"Oliver Wood already told me that."
"Excellent."
I pointed at him.
"And don't forget your studies."
Harry sighed.
"I won't."
"You'd better not."
Eventually the bell rang. Classes were about to begin.
Harry and Ron hurried off toward Gryffindor Tower.
I watched them go. Then I shook my head.
Harry had discovered Fluffy. Harry had become Seeker. The story was moving forward exactly as it should.
Days passed after that. Classes continued.
My accelerated studies continued.
Harry threw himself into Quidditch practice. Dudley threw himself into absolutely everything. Mostly trouble.
Halloween slowly approached.
As the days passed, I noticed something familiar.
Ron and Hermione were beginning to argue more often.
Not constantly. Not seriously.
But enough for me to notice.
Harry spent more time studying than he had in canon because of our lessons before Hogwarts. Even so, some things never changed.
Hermione corrected people.
Ron got annoyed.
Hermione got annoyed that Ron got annoyed.
Then Ron got annoyed because Hermione was annoyed.
It was a very efficient cycle. The beginning symptoms of a toxic relation.
I watched it happen from a distance and tried not to get involved. Some events seemed determined to happen no matter how much the timeline changed.
Soon Halloween arrived.
The Great Hall was decorated with hundreds of floating bats.
Enormous pumpkins lined the walls. The smell of the feast filled the castle.
Students were excited. Teachers seemed relaxed. Everything looked normal.
Because unlike most students in Hogwarts, I knew what would happened on Halloween night. And what would happen today.
And as I sat at the Hufflepuff table, watching the decorations sway overhead, I quietly prepared myself.
The troll was coming.
End of Chapter 70 - Nagging & Approaching Danger