Across the Quidditch Pitch

Please review! I know it’s been awhile, but I had to forgo any writing for the holidays. But now I’m back with an unusual fervor to write.


Chapter Two: Impending Punishment


Mcgonagall would not even look at Mulciber. They made it to the courtyards where just beyond led to the headmaster’s study way up on the seventh floor. They crossed the many alcoves of the outdoor courtyard, where luckily the few students present did not think anything was amiss. The older students were studying for their exams and it was just the younger ones present, too intent upon silly antics.

But this did not stop Mcgonagall. She saw two boys knocking gobstones and cracking them against the ancient stone walls.

“Five points from Slytherin Mr. Dosset and five points from Gryffindor Mr. Lynch!”

The two boys stopped at once and stared at Mcgonagall’s huffing frame going past them. Even they could feel the foul mood emanating from her. Mulciber was in his typical gait, prowling ahead. The tip of Mcgonagall’s wand was visible at the nape of his neck from behind, where it poked out of Mcgonagall’s sleeve. Mcgonagall was too disgusted to lay so much as a finger on him. She’d leave that to Dumbledore and hopefully it would be considerably more than a trifle finger!

It seemed this had attracted the students. They were now whispering amongst themselves, hands covering their mouths, as they eyed Mulciber and Mcgonagall with that distinctive air of human curiosity.

“You horrible, despicable young man. I hope the headmaster gives you a good addressing down!” she said once they got inside the castle. Nobody heard this.

Mulciber did not answer, but simply shifted his eyes away from her. They had taken the quickest route from the Quidditch pitch to the castle, specifically for the entrance nearest Dumbledore’s quarters.

“Giant Pygmy Puff!” screeched Mcgonagall at the end of the empty corridor.

“Correct, professor,” answered the right gargoyle who noted the password was indeed the right one. Through magic the large door opened and the staircase was revealed. Mulciber and Mcgonagall took it.

All too soon they were before the bronze griffin knocker. It already seemed to be gleaming with fire, like a raging inferno. Yet Mulciber was not one to notice ominous details. Yet nevertheless, he felt a surge of dread resonate in his core being. He had never been to see Dumbledore for such a serious reason as this. He wondered if he had gone too far this time. But even though there was this trepidation it did not show on his exterior.

“Please come in,” said the old wizard heartily. He sounded mirthful and full of good cheer. Most fortuitously they had caught the headmaster in a good mood. Mulciber felt a growing hope that maybe he wouldn’t be expelled and thrown in a cell afterall. He certainly did not want this for himself even if he knew it happened to the many supporters of Voldemort’s whose plans went awry. The goal had been not to get caught. ‘If only Snape had come up with a better plan…’ thought Mulciber, actually blaming his friend.

It was Mcgonagall who opened the door and marched inside. The whirring of many silver instruments could be heard and the portraits leaned over their frames to see who was visiting. They watched with reserved detachment. It didn’t look too exciting to chime in. Not yet at least.

Dumbledore looked up from a huge volume he had been glazing over at his desk. He pushed his half-moon spectacles onto his crooked nose and forced his face not to turn crestfallen and sour when he saw who was accompanying his colleague.

He looked to her first and barely got to question through asking, “Minerva, what is the matter?” Immediately Mcgonagall reacted, going off into a tirade, full of zeal regarding the act she witnessed Mulciber attempt. “This student tried to…attack another student in the shower stalls! I caught him at it professor. Words cannot describe the unspeakable act he was about to perform on her…and I believe it was with the Imperius Curse!”

Instantly whatever good mood Dumbledore had been in before was dispelled. Mulciber and Mcgonagall could actually feel Dumbledore’s anger bristling. There was an odd fluctuation in the room, as if a dissonant musical chord rang out sharply. Dumbledore abruptly rose from his stately chair.

For the first time since entering the headmaster’s chamber Mulciber’s fear became obvious. He flinched and forced his eyes away from the headmaster’s gaze. Those sparkling blue eyes had always haunted him, unlike the majority who found them to be kind. But kindness was not something Mulciber was familiar with.

“To whom? Whom did you see this boy attack?” spoke Dumbledore finally in an unusually curt voice for him. And Dumbledore glanced at Mulciber coldly but then looked away.

“Mary Macdonald. I heard a brief scream from the girls' changing room after my Gryffindors' practice. I ran in and found – and found. It was a horrific sight, Dumbledore! Mary sprawled on the shower floor-“

“It is not necessary for you to elaborate,” interrupted Dumbledore sharply. “I see what you cannot see. I believe I can see exactly how it was so…” said Dumbledore faintly. And indeed Dumbledore could through his Legilimency powers.

Dumbledore did not speak for a moment. He was thinking his own private thoughts. Of all the sins of human nature, he abhorred rape right next to murder as the top atrocity. His own sister, Ariana had been raped by muggles when Albus was just a boy of eleven! The whole event had left an indelible mark on his childhood not to mention Ariana’s.

Finally Dumbledore spoke softly, but there was still a dangerous edge in his demeanour. “Is this true boy?”

Mulciber gave the barest of nods.

Dumbledore went onward, “You placed an Imperius Curse upon Mary Macdonald, however briefly it was and then proceeded to…harm her further?”

Mulciber merely nodded again. But then balked under pressure and looking for a rational explanation and also a way to lessen the act he attempted he said awkwardly, “It was only something muggles can do, sir. Not – not really Dark Magic, only I wanted – n-needed to use the Imperius Curse-”

Dumbledore’s eyes flickered to fury immediately at these words. “No. What disturbs me, Mr. Mulciber is the failure in your character as a Hogwarts student. That is much more disturbing then your inner turmoil at failing in your vile scheme to harm Ms. Macdonald. Might I add your intentions were not only perverse but evil.”

Mulciber hardly reacted. Yet he could not disagree with Dumbledore more. Not evil to him. Justified more like it in his mind. But he dared not divulge that to the headmaster.

Mcgonagall, hands in her fists at her own anger loudly demanded, “He should be getting a term in Azkaban for this. But of course that won’t be the reality thanks to your usual leniency, Albus. A thrashing should be in store to say the least! So how are you to punish him Dumbledore?!”

Dumbledore glanced away from Mcgonagall and back at Mulciber. He smiled. But it was more a leering grin. It was very rare to see a leer from Dumbledore, only reserved for those possessing of characters he disapproved of. And Mulciber happened to be someone he genuinely disliked. “That is to be between myself and Mr. Mulciber. But I assure you, Minerva…It shall be severe.”

Mcgonagall seemed to calm down at these words. She merely nodded, her lips still set in that grim line it was always in when exceptionally irate.

“So, Minerva-“

“Yes. Good day Dumbledore,” she bade farewell curtly. With one last glare to Mulciber she turned on her heels.

Dumbledore took a sudden step closer and called after her, “And please, Minerva…I know you pity the poor girl, but don’t take the initiative. When I get along to the hospital wing later today, I can decide if her memory of the event need be modified. For it appears unclear if she fully comprehends what occurred.” At these words regarding Mary possibly being oblivious to her molestation and attempted rape, Mulciber guffawed. It was both funny and being less perceptive, an unexpected possibility to him. Dumbledore heard it and resisted reacting, choosing to just ignore it instead.

“Yes. I’ll gladly leave that decision up to you,” answered Mcgonagall. And with that, she swept out the door.

The silence inside the room was strong, especially now that the great wizard was bestowing his full attention onto the boy. Inside his mind Dumbledore made a brief summation of the ‘dark trio.’ For he knew Mulciber had a great influence on and sense of identity with his two best mates: Avery and Snape. Mulciber was a ruthless tenacious young fellow. He would, despite being less than pure, make a great Death Eater. Avery was from a noble Pureblood family and yet, despite this was nothing more than a follower. Dumbledore felt sure this tendency would compute to Avery being an ideal slave to the Dark Lord. And Snape was something of an enigma, even Dumbledore wasn’t sure he understood him. Alone and scared, as an entering student, Snape had found the only two peers that accepted him and understood his passion for the Dark Arts. Yes. It could be understandable as to why the Halfblooded Snape would want to associate with Mulciber and his sidekick Avery.

But Dumbledore merely gazed at Mulciber for an inexorable moment, marshaling his thoughts on the many things he might say. Finally he spoke his voice surprisingly calm. “Before we discuss your acts and the consequences they will entail, is there anything you need to tell me Mr. Mulciber?”

Mulciber hesitated for a long moment, biding his time. For he’d been punished by Dumbledore on several occasions. It had always been painful and he’d like to avoid what he suspected was coming to him for as long as possible.

Dumbledore continued to wait with a look of grave expectancy on his face. Mulciber continued to refuse to answer. Finally Dumbledore resorted to asking testily, trying one last time to prompt him to admit there was a witness, “Well?…Is there anything on your mind you feel you need to tell, or even perhaps there is something you would like to share with me?”

Finally Mulciber answered with a blank, “No, professor.”

“Very well…” But Dumbledore already knew what was on Mulciber’s mind, especially as the boy was no budding Occlumens. He had seen that another student had been heavily involved and in fact, witness to the entire ordeal in the shower stall across from where Mary and her assailant had been! Dumbledore did indeed find it odd that the boy was choosing not to share his friend’s involvement with it.

“Then tomorrow…When I am in a clearer frame of mind and not as terribly angered as I am right now…I shall discuss and mete out your punishments. I should hope that this adds the additional discomfort of having to anticipate it,” and Dumbledore and he smiled almost kindly again.

Mulciber felt himself blanch a bit from nerves. He needed to know what was coming to him. “I-I suppose you’re going to cane me sir?” he said almost politely.

The headmaster barely nodded. It looked to be the affirmative.

“Yes, caning and ample detentions will certainly be part of it. However…”

Mulciber gulped. 'How could there possibly be more than caning and detentions?', thought Mulciber.

And Dumbledore went off on a whole new tangent. ‘Mr. Mulciber…Have I not given you enough power already as a prefect? I find it almost disgusting that you felt the need to dominate another individual. I have the mind to demote you from your status as a Slytherin Prefect.”

Mulciber’s head snapped. “But headmaster-,” he said with alarm.

Dumbledore held up a large hand with long pointed fingernails. “But I will not. For I am well aware of your ambitions, boy. I am sure you will be granted some power in the future when you leave this place. However, as I was getting to before you interrupted, I am taking another action.”

“W-what?” Inside Mulciber secretly feared he would be put on trial or even worse, serve a term in Azkaban.

“No. It is not what you are thinking,” said Dumbledore impatiently, waving his hand away. “I shall be writing a negative reference to the ministry, which will thus restrict your employment. Therefore your punishments shall not primarily be my impending physical chastisement…. Is this clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good…Then kindly leave my office until tomorrow evening at seven. I shall mete out the physical component then.”

Mulciber’s broad shoulders sagged with evident relief. He was not expelled and nor was he going on trial or straight to prison. And thank Merlin he wasn’t receiving the worst possible fate, the Dementor’s Kiss! He turned his back on Dumbledore to depart.

“Oh and Mr. Mulciber?”

“Yes, sir?”

“A warning to you…You shall not speak of any of this to anyone…Unless it’s one who knows of the facts like Professor Mcgonagall. And also your head of house, Professor Slughorn shall be informed, I am sure he will desire speak of this to you…But anyone else is out of the question. That is an order, Mr. Mulciber…Do you understand?”

“Yes, headmaster,” Mulciber said through gritted teeth, feeling irritated. He had so wanted to brag about Imperiusing and trying to rape that stupid slut!

Dumbledore finished with a cold ominous note ringing in his office, which made him sound almost like Voldemort in his omniscience “If you do so, I shall know.”

Mulciber didn’t answer but stalked out of the study with his usual proud, swaggering gait. But when Mulciber descended the staircase, finally free, he felt a shiver resonate in him. Mulciber had the strangest feeling the old man somehow knew everything that went on. He knew he was planning on joining the Dark Lord, and he even knew that Snape was involved.


NOTE: Please review! Once Snape and Lily gets in the story more it will be much more interesting. Mulciber’s side is not the reason for writing, but this is necessary to show.