The Marauders: Year Five #Wattys2017

A Terrible Idea

A Terrible Idea

Gideon Prewett had not left the school. He was waiting for them not even an hour later in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, sitting on his desk, staring down at his own copy of the Daily Prophet, his eyes trained upon an article on page two. The warrant for Newt Scamander's arrest had made the front page, but the story about Fabian Prewett being taken into custody had been on page two, accompanied by a picture of the shaggy-haired Prewett brother being apprehended by two burly looking blokes who were aurors, Peakes and Rhodes according to the caption. Gideon looked horribly morose and only just barely looked up when the troop of fifth years came in.

"Sorry about your brother," said Peter awkwardly as he scrambled into his seat.

Gideon folded the Prophet and put it down on the desk. "I appreciate the sentiment, Mr. Pettigrew," he replied.

Remus raised his hand.

"Mr. Lupin?"

"They haven't captured Mr. Scamander, have they?" he asked, nervous.

Gideon shook his head, "Nor will they. Mr. Scamander is quite safe and well hidden. Do not worry for Mr. Scamander."

"And Tina? And Bradley?" Remus pressed.

"All safe."

Remus felt better instantly and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"They can't have much evidence against Fabian," James said, "Yeah? So they'll let him go quick, right?"

Gideon shrugged, "It's hard to tell. These are uncertain times." He slid off the desk, standing up and walking 'round it to the professor's seat behind it.

"They didn't bring him to - to Azkaban, did they?" Sirius asked, a slight tremble at the name of the wizarding prison.

Gideon shook his head, "The cells in the Ministry are just as bad these days though... crawling with dementors..." his eyes went all funny and unfocused a moment, then he murmured, "We share feelings at times... Fabian and I..." He blinked himself back to the DADA classroom and said, "I've been trying to cheer myself up all day, so that perhaps he will feel something besides despair." He paused. "It isn't working very well."

Lily Evans arrived, a bit late, to the classroom, breathless and her hair a bit mussed up. James couldn't help but wonder if she'd been with Jasper Odair all this time and his stomach felt a bit sick as he looked her over, as he noticed the details of her flushed face and slightly swollen lips... She clutched her books to her chest and slid into her chair. She looked around at the sad expressions. "What's happened?" she asked.

James reached into his bag and withdrew the paper, tossing it onto Lily's desk.

"Newt Scamander?" Lily said in surprise, seeing the headline, "But - but he seemed so nice..."

"Of course he seemed nice, he is nice!" Remus exploded. "The Daily Prophet is into publishing lies and rumors, it seems!"

Lily flushed.

Sirius turned 'round to face Gideon, "What about the Patronus lesson? You said -- I mean, it seems like it would be the best thing now, doesn't it? Nobody's safe, and the dementors are being placed everywhere by a nutter who's going after heroes instead of bad guys now - we can't be left vulnerable. Everyone should know how to protect themselves against the darkness."

Remus nodded, and so did Peter, James, and Lily.

Gideon answered, "I agree. Which is why I've decided that I'm going to offer it school wide. Dumbledore has agreed and we'll be posting the notice in the morning. We'll be starting Saturday morning."