Since the beginning | Deamus |

(third year) Ch. 24 Sirius Black

"Alright Mr. Finnigan, let's begin my you making this bookshelf explode."

"E-excuse me? Sir I'm not sure if that's a good idea-"

Lupin waved my comment aside. "It's fine. Just try."

I was worried this whole thing would end in disaster. Despite that, I still tried as hard as I could to make that bookcase explode. I threw my wand at it, tried to get angry at it, I even tried to perform the charm that blew up my book on the first place. Nothing worked.

"See Mr. Finnagin, you can't control it."

"I think I figured that out when I almost blew my toe off last year."

Lupin chuckled and continued with his speech. "Since you can't control it, that means the explosions aren't tied into any spell. It's just you."

"Sir?"

"I'm sure people have told you that this was caused by childhood magic waiting to me learned." I nodded as he sat back in his chair. "Well, they were wrong. If that was the case than you would have grown out of it when you started school."

I looked at him, confused. "So why do I blow things up? If it's not that or a failed spell?"

"Well," Lupin walked over to me and leaned back on his desk with his arms folded. "My guess would be that it has something to do with anger issues. That combined with stress or internal conflict is most likely the reason you've been having these problems as of late. Has there been anything that has been stressing you out recently? A falling out with a friend? A conflict at home?"

My cheeks reddened a bit with embarrassment and I looked down at the floor.

"Don't worry, I won't ask for specifics. All I'm saying is that there are multiple factors that go into your fire problem. It's unlikely that they will all be resolved, but I can help you control it and fix whatever damage it causes."

I looked back up. "Okay, let's start."

The staircase slid over to where we were standing and Dean and I hopped on without hesitation.

"I swear Snape is trying to get all of Gryffindor expelled." I huffed as we trudged up the stairs.

"He's been trying to do that since we got here, it's nothing new."

"I know that, but to put those ingredients into Neville's potion! Neville could've been killed if Hermione didn't add the counter-ingredients."

"What about when he let Malfoy hex those second years?" Dean added. "He's just trying to harm as many Gryffindors as he can without being fired."

Our walk slowed to a stop as we reached the last staircase to the Fat Lady. It was crowded with people, all talking over one another and trying to push their way through.

"What's the hold up!" I shouted. A few people turned to look at me and a boy in fourth year came down to answer.

"It's the Fat Lady!" He was practically panicking. "She's disappeared!"

I stood there in shock. The Fat Lady? How could she be gone?

"Move! Out of the way! Headmaster!" Percy pushed us aside as Dumbledore swept up the staircase to the now empty portrait. I could finally see what happened. Three long claw marks ran down the center of the painting so you could see the wood behind it. The other portraits nearby were in various stages of distress. One woman was shouting orders to knights to search for the Fat Lady, and old astronomer sobbed into his map, and a group of children crowded around a table to try and get a better view of what was going on.