Sub Rosa

Chapter 12 – Truth

Three days later, as the October sun streamed in through her window, Kathryn was sitting in her office grading papers when there was a knock on the door. She looked over at the wall, where a small mirror hung, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville were reflected in it. She sighed and with a wave of her wand the door opened.

“Professor Leblanc?” They trooped in and she smiled at them, gesturing them to be seated.

This room was probably her favorite. It was in one of the towers so it was round, with a huge curved window in one wall and bookshelves circling around the rest of the walls. It got perfect afternoon light and with all the comfortable chairs and loveseats scattered around, it was the perfect place to curl up and read.

“How may I help you?” She asked them as they settled into the chairs.

“Um, we wanted to talk to you about something.” Harry started.

“Professor, we woke the creature in the hill.” Hermione blurted out.

“Ah, did you?” Kathryn replied, she was somehow completely unsurprised. It made many things very clear. “What did you think you were doing, or was it your intention to wake the creature?” She knew the fastest way to alienate these kids was to get upset, having read their files; the last thing she wanted was for them to go off on their own again.

“We thought we were looking for allies to fight against Voldemort.” Harry’s chin was up and he was staring at her defiantly. Hermione had obviously forced him to come, the way she kept glancing at him made it painfully obvious.

:”Well, the idea is a good one.” She nodded and watched them all relax a bit. “What precisely did you all do?”
They all began to speak at once in a jumble of changing voices, underscored by Ginny’s scolding and
Hermione’s lecture tone. The story she pieced together chilled her to the bone, but she kept her face friendly and accessible, while she contemplated apparating back to America and just leaving Albus a note.

Apparently Hermione had found an ancient reference to the guardian spirits invoked to protect Hogwarts by the founders. Hoping to contact those spirits or at least get in contact with similar spirits, the children had used an ancient charm designed to summon friendly spirits. When nothing responded they decided it hadn’t worked and forgot about it. Now they suspected that somehow their charm was responsible for the awakening of whatever had caused the earthquake. Kathryn didn’t laugh, hex them or weep, but it was a close thing.

“I would like a promise from all of you.” She said, breaking into Hermione’s explanation of the charm’s origins.

“What?” Harry was instantly suspicious.

“That the next time you decide to do something like this you will come to me and let me help.” They looked at her in stunned surprise.

“You don’t think we’re just kids?” Ginny blurted out. Kathryn looked at the young people before her and was vividly transported back to being sixteen. She remembered the need to prove herself, the need to be seen as an adult and the fears that she would fail and always be a child in the grown-up’s minds.

“Ginny, all of you have fought and won against Voldemort more times than most adults. Harry has survived five attacks. No one has ever done that before. You may be young, but I very much doubt whether any of you can be called “just kids”. I however, have almost twenty years experience fighting dark magic and doing crazy things.” She grinned at them and watched as answering smiles bloomed on their faces. “So, at least let me check your math and back you up, okay?” They nodded; there was relief, as well, in their faces. The idea of having an adult along made them feel much better about whatever they were going to have to do next.

“So what do we do now?” Ron asked, his voice only trembling slightly.

“Well, we need to find out what exactly was woken. You said the founders invoked the guardian spirits, so we will need to find out which spirits they invoked. Somehow, I don’t think Salazar Slytherin invoked the spirit of fuzzy kittens.” They looked at her with dawning horror mingled with chagrin and nodded.

“That sounds like research, Hermione is really good at that.” Ron volunteered his friend without compunction, but Hermione looked eager to begin.

“I’ll check the library.” The girl responded and began jotting down notes.

“I will send off for the magical geographical surveys of the area.” Kathryn jotted down some notes of her own.
“Bloody brilliant!” Ron grinned at her and Harry nodded,

“I hadn’t even thought of that.” Hermione looked crushed.

“Miss Grangthe the reason why operations are planned by a team is that no one person can plan every detail.” Kathryn gentled her voice. “You are far too bright to imagine you can think of everything.” Hermione smiled sheepishly at that and Harry shot Kathryn a look of warmth.

“So, Neville, find out for me all the various plants that grow wild here, certain spirits affect nature and a plant that grows in only one spot is a clue.” He saluted her with a shy smile on his face. “Ginny, you are to listen to the castle gossip, we want to know if anyone is having unusual dreams.” Ginny looked at her thoughtfully, her expression sober. “Ron your job is to see to it, that everyone is accounted for. If people start going missing or if they are gone for periods of time unaccounted for.” His eyes went round as she said this and he gulped and nodded.

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Harry, you and I are going to duel.” He gasped and she grinned at him wickedly. “I am going to teach all of you some very potent hexes and dueling techniques, but I’ll teach them first to Harry and then he will teach them to you.”

“Why?” Harry asked suddenly.

“Because I can’t be seen talking to all of you too much.” They gave her such woebegone looks that she did finally laugh.

“I don’t understand.” Ron moaned, but Hermione sat forward suddenly.

“You are keeping an eye on the Slytherins for Dumbledore, aren’t you? ”She bounced in her seat and the others turned their eyes towards her in amazement. Hermione’s discretion about Severus’ role, in front of Ginny and Neville was appreciated.

“Well, let’s just say that Mrs. Malfoy thinks I am her kind of pureblood right now and I don’t want to disabuse her of that notion.” Her lips twisted in distaste. “No matter what I think of that woman.” The last part was bitten out rather sharply.

“She can’t be as bad as Draco.” Harry snorted.

“Harry, Draco is the product of his upbringing, he may be a pain in your ass, but if you had been raised by Lucius and Narcissa, you would be just like him.” She gave him a wry grimace as she said it.

“You stick up for everybody, first Snape, now Malfoy!” Ron spluttered and banging his hand on the arm of his chair.

“Do you like Professor Snape?” Hermione asked out of the blue.

“I respect his skills and abilities very highly. I also find his sense of humor to be close to my own.” She smiled at their shocked faces.

She sat back and waved her wand. Tea and cakes appeared on the desk in front of her and she began levitating them to each of her students, who sat there stirring in sugar and cream and digesting more than just the cakes.

“As for Mr. Malfoy, my pity for his upbringing does not blind me to how dangerous he could be to everything we hope to accomplish. Should he ever take the Mark and declare his allegiance to Voldemort, he would be in position to betray many secrets.”

Harry sat back and watched her carefully, reading as much from what she wasn’t saying as from what she was. Some day, she mused, this boy will be a damn fine Auror. Assuming, of course, She could keep him alive that long.

“What is his mother like?” Harry’s eyes were sharp and the grwas was hard and brittle.

“Cold, Mr. Potter, very cold. She talks about him as though he were a possession, like an expensive vase.” She shook her head sadly. “Between her and Lucius, that boy has never known love or kindness. He’s like a pet that’s been kicked too much. Neither tame enough to approach or wild enough to turn loose.” Understanding passed between them and he leaned back in his chair, thinking through her words.

“But, you didn’t come here to discuss Mr. Malfoy. You all have your assignments. Good hunting, people.” She dismissed them with the traditional send off of the MSA, the irony of the situation all too apparent to her.

They grinned, executed sloppy salutes and after draining tea and stuffing the last of the cakes in their mouths, they began to filter out of the room, suddenly just a pack of teenagers again. Kathryn felt very old anry try tired.

She needed a glass of pear cider or some whisky, but that was contraindicated in conjunction with her pain potions.

“Mexico is lovely in October.” She muttered as she hauled herself from her office to go visit the headmaster. She had a lot to tell him.