The Boy Who Lived

Emergency Meeting!

When Minerva and Shandra Pince stepped through the Floo into the large galleried hall at Beaumont, Minerva gasped and Shandra let out a small whisper of 'oh my goodness!'. They carefully put down the two pictures they carried, though two House-Elves immediately rushed forward and the portraits were hung in places which overlooked the great table. Shortly after, Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape appeared in their frames, watching over proceedings as they waited for various parties to arrive.

Minerva was instantly met by Harry and they hugged firmly.

They watched in silence momentarily as Shandra hurried over to greet Madame Hecate Tweazle, the Ministry of Magic librarian.

'Separated at birth,' Harry muttered and Minerva pursed her lips in censure.

Only because she didn't like to laugh. Indeed, they both wore the same expression of disapproval over their half-moon glasses with their glasses chains when they walked into the hall and saw the piles of books and the disorder and the lack of system everywhere. And worse still, there was food and drinks in the same room as the books...

Shandra immediately whisked any books away from the vicinity of the main table despite Mione's protestations and Madame Tweazle tutted loudly before they both huddled in a corner together, identical aquiline noses practically touching, turning over books and inspecting them for damage, before separating them into piles according to subject area.

Harry hadn't even asked them to help yet!

The hall was already alit with people. Minerva spotted Kingsley and Gawain Robards. George, Molly and Arthur, Neville, and Angelina arrived shortly after her. There were another two Aurors she didn't recognise and Hermione, Pansy, Luna, and her latest employee, Ron Weasley were there. And Draco Malfoy, of course, who seemed to be watching Harry like a protective mother hen. Minerva smiled to herself, assuming something had finally happened between the two men.

Ron was hovering awkwardly near Hermione who was thoroughly ignoring his presence and kept wandering off to talk to other people. There were also a couple of others too, Unspeakables, judging by the uniforms.

It seemed Harry had pulled together quite a meeting.

A House-Elf, who was introduced as Letty, rushed around, offering teas and coffees to everyone as they stepped through the Floo. Sumptuous breakfast choices were laid out on the long central table for people to help themselves. It appeared the House-Elves at Beaumont were enjoying having people to cater for.

'Sorry about last night,' Harry muttered quietly.

She touched his arm softly. 'I suppose you're going to explain what's going on when everyone's here.'

'Yes, sorry I didn't tell you in person first. I only really found out yesterday evening. I came straight to you but...'

'We'll do everything we can to help, Harry.' She was so worried for him. This many people gathered together, of such importance too, couldn't be a good thing. The previous evening had played on her mind too. That he'd finally taken the step to come up to the school, or perhaps whatever was wrong had overcome his anxieties. Either way, to see him suddenly rush away, clearly frightened... She'd barely slept.

'Sorry,' he looked into her hazel eyes but wasn't going to tell her yet, not when he was clearly going to tell everyone together.

'It's quite a place you've inherited, Lord Potter,' she teased to lighten the mood. Admiring the double height room and the gallery with its bookshelves and its wide wooden spiral staircase that lined one of the towering turrets right up to what appeared to be a fourth floor. And down into a basement too as she peered over a balcony. It made her smile, it reminded her of Hogwarts though it was more refined with the ornately carved dark wood balcony and arches lining the gallery.