in which hollis rosier falls asleep in the wrong compartment
or the right one, depending on who you ask
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part one of two
editing closed, logged off wattpad (sorry only like half of it is edited, but its obviously still all good)
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#...
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"an empty seat"
The four Gryffindor boys stormed into McGonagall's office without so much as a knock the next morning during breakfast. McGonagall looked up from the Transfiguration essays that she was grading with startled annoyance, but not surprised once she realized who they were.
"You four!" she exclaimed, setting down her large eagle feather quill on the carved wooden desk. "This is not the Gryffindor common room, this is my private office! At least knock before you come in. Now, what on earth is going on?"
"Profesor, you have to investigate the Rosiers," Remus said with a pleading voice, not wasting a second on niceties or apologies.
Her severe expression instantly softened as she realized why the four pranksters were here. McGonagall sighed and shook her head reluctantly as she walked over to the Marauders. "I'm afraid that I have no power to do that as a mere professor," she told the desperate friends sadly. "I wish I had a better answer for you."
James groaned. "Who does?" Peter asked quietly.
"Only the Ministry, my dear, and even then we would need sufficient proof that something was going on at Rosier Manor for any sort of suspicious, let alone investigating, official to set a foot in that place."
This sent Remus over the edge.
"Proof?" he exclaimed, banging his fist on a mahogany side table. "What more proof do you need besides her back being practically split open?"
"The Rosiers are a very powerful family, Mr. Lupin," reminded McGonagall softly. "Most of the people who would even investigate such a thing or give the order are either scared of them or are otherwise controlled by them. Legally, the Rosiers are practically immune to prosecution unless someone caught them in the act. Which, once again, is highly doubtful."
"There are too many powerful families that should be in Azkaban that aren't," Sirius muttered frustratedly, pushing his hair into a bun with his wand. "It's ridiculous."
"That I can agree with you on, Mr. Black," said McGonagall, making her way back to behind her desk. "My advice to the four of you is to be there for Miss Rosier. Even if you don't know exactly what's happening, you know that she needs help whether she chooses to show it or not."
"What if she doesn't let me?" Remus asked, brows bunching up.
McGonagall didn't miss the me instead of us, and she let a small smile grow on her face.
"I think that even the most selfless of people will eventually let those they really care about see their pain, Mr. Lupin."
