VOID, h. potter

v. quidditch season

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CHAPTER FIVE
— quidditch season

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"THE TEACHERS AND I NEED TO CONDUCT A THOROUGH SEARCH OF THE CASTLE," Professor Dumbledore told all of the students as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. They had all gathered back to the Great Hall, every student looking as confused as the one next to them.

"I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, one of Ron's older brothers, who was looking immensely proud and important.

"Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing..."

One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.

Juliet wasn't well. Knowing her mass-murdering father was somewhere around the castle – the place she was meant to be safest – had left her terrified beyond belief.

The hall had burst into a buzz of excitement: everyone was now hearing about what had happened.

But Juliet couldn't make out what anyone was saying. Her mind was blank and so was the white noise around her – she almost didn't hear Kate and William go up to her and Callum.

"Are you alright?"

"Did you hear?"

Juliet just nodded, but didn't say anything else. Her three friends just looked at each other nervously.

"Let's grab some sleeping bags and go somewhere quieter," Callum said, grabbing the nearest purple sleeping bag and dragging it near a corner. The other three followed him without another word.

For Juliet, the sudden appearance of Sirius Black didn't feel like a surreal event to speculate about, like the rest of the school seemed to be doing – and her friends felt it along with her.

The four of them sat with their backs against the cold stone wall, feeling all the grooves of the stone pressing into them. Kate and Will sat cross-legged, with their knees touching, while Callum's legs laid in front of him. Juliet was resting her chin on her knees, which she hugged at her chest.

"How do you think he got in?" Kate asked, twisting her fingers distractedly in her lap.

"No idea," Juliet said quietly.

"Dumbledore will find him soon, Julie," Will said reassuringly, but he honestly didn't know if that was going to be true.

"Yeah, he can't be sticking around for long, especially with all the dementors hanging around," Callum said, not knowing how to comfort Juliet in this.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

All the candles went out at once. The only way they could see was through the silvery glimmer coming from the ghosts drifting about, talking seriously to the prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars.