The Roses of Hogwarts | Cedric Diggory [1]

Chapter Fourteen: Between the Branches

"Mobiliarbus!"

The Christmas tree next to their table suddenly rose a few inches off of the ground. Confused, Oriane looked around and saw Hermione was moving it with her wand. It didn't stop moving until it completely obscured them from sight, where it then dropped back onto the ground with a soft thud.

Thanks to her quick thinking, Hermione saved them from being caught by any of the professors as moments later they sat at the table next to them. The children sat in silence as the teachers erupted in conversation as Madam Rosmerta, the barmaid, gave the patrons their drinks.

"Thank you Rosmerta," the hearty voice of Cornelius Fudge said. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Come, join us, why don't you?"

The barmaid thanked the Minister and took a seat with the other adults. If she turned her head, Oriane could hardly see them from between the branches. Yet, she tried not to draw too much attention to her staring.

"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" Rosmerta asked.

Fudge turned in his seat, glancing at the room around them as if looking for listening ears. However, he failed to find the four students just on the other side of the tree from him. "What else, my dear, but Sirius Black?" he asked, his voice low. "You must have heard what happened at the school on Halloween?"

"I did hear a rumor," Rosmerta admitted. "Do you think he's still in the area?"

"I'm sure of it."

A small bout of silence settled over the group as they paused for a moment, indulging in their drinks.

"You know," Rosmerta spoke, a sort of grit to her voice, "the dementors have searched my pub twice now. Scared all my customers away. It's very bad for business, Minister."

"I don't like them any more than you do," Fudge admitted. "I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore for not letting them in on school grounds."

"Well I should think not!" McGonagall said, her words sharp. "How do you expect anyone to teach with those horrors floating around?"

All of the professors nodded in agreement. Oriane shuddered at the mere thought of them in the castle. It was bad enough having to deal with them once. She couldn't imagine being around them constantly.

"All the same," Fudge mumbled. "They are here to protect all of us from something much worse. We all know what Black is capable of."

"Do you know? I still have trouble believing it. Of all the people to go over to the Dark side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought," Rosmerta admitted. Her voice took on a sort of airy feeling, as if she was remembering some far off memory. "I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

"The worst he did isn't widely known," Fudge grumbled.

"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse than his murders?"

The Minister sighed as he leaned back in his chair, eyes focusing on his drink. McGonagall looked from Fudge, back to Rosmerta.

"You say you knew Black while he was at Hogwarts," she said. "Do you remember his best friend?"

Rosmerta nodded. "Naturally. Never saw one without the other, did you? Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter."

The sound of a cup dropping came from underneath the table. Oriane's eyes tried to peer over the side, but she couldn't see Harry. Ron did, however, give him a good kick as a warning to keep quiet.