When Myths Meet Magic || 6

4 || Will

Will had just started on his pudding when the ghosts flew through him. Caught off-guard once again by the chill of death in his body, he spat out his food onto Justin.

"Sorry!" he said, trying to mop up the half-salivated chocolate with the sleeve of his robe.

"Hey!" said Nico's voice from behind him. Will turned around to see him standing up, angrily facing the ghost Will assumed just passed through him. "Watch where you're going!"

Nearly Headless Nick dipped his head in shame and it bobbed forward on its skin-hinge.

As Justin cleaned up his robes magically, with the normal disgruntled expression of one who just got pudding spat over his fresh clothes, Someone running by knocked his shoulder into Will causing yet another unfortunate dessert mishap in Justin's direction.

"Maybe this is a sign to eat less sweets," Will muttered as they quickly cleaned up the peppermint humbug bits and get Justin a new glass of pumpkin juice. But as Justin regained his composure and finally reached to finish his food, it vanished.

"The best of evenings to you!" said Dumbledore at the front, his voice echoing over Justin's swearing. He stood up and beamed, spreading his hands wide. As he did this, his sleeves slipped down and revealed his hand, withering and blackened like the decoration in Nico's cabin. A wave of whispering swept over the students, but Dumbledore merely smiled and shook his sleeve over his hand.

"Nothing to worry about," he said airily, but Will was very much concerned. What on earth had happened that could injure Dumbledore — Dumbledore, of all wizards, who had access to probably the largest variety of healing potion and spells, as well as ambrosia, nectar, and unicorn drought being a descendant of Hecate... what could possibly do that to him?

Or perhaps, Will thought as Dumbledore continued his speech, he simply hadn't the time to heal it himself. But he remained unconsoled by this thought as he tried to focus.

"... pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year," the headmaster was saying. "Professor Slughorn is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of potions master. Professor Snape, meanwhile, will be taking over his old post as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

There was another riple of whispering throughout the hall, and behind them in the Gryffindor table, someone loudly shouted, "No!"

Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly and the tables reluctantly silenced. "Now, as everybody in this Hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength."

Those who weren't silent fell so. "I cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe," continued the Headmaster. "The castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student or member of staff. I urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that your teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them — in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of bed after hours. I implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and others' safety."

There was a pause, then a smile.

"But now, your beds await, as warm and comfortable as you could possibly wish, and I know that your top priority is to be well-rested for your lessons tomorrow. Let us therefore say good night. Pip pip."