The Underground

Chapter 11 - Attack!

 So passed four years, in which Elizabeth slowly adapted to being a Slytherin. She made friends, (none as good as Maria though) and grew in capabilities and maturity. She was fourteen. Life was good.

She was walking down the hall to Charms class. It was a double period with the Ravenclaws, so she would get to sit next to Maria. She had been hinting at a surprise for her after class, and Elizabeth was excited. She entered the classroom and sat down at a desk near the back. Moments later, Maria arrived and sat down next to her. She whispered, "You still good for the surprise?"

"Yes! What is it?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, but I'll tell you one thing. It was very hard."

"Hard?"

"Shhhhhh!" 

The teacher, a woman named Gwen Flifftor, was marching toward them. She wore a grim expression on her face, and had a note in her hand. "Elizabeth Scamander?"

Elizabeth gulped, what had she done now? "Yes Miss Flifftor?"

The teacher's face softened as she handed her the note, "I, I need you to go to the headmaster's office after class dear. If you want, I can go with you."

Elizabeth was thoroughly baffled by this, but she took the note. Slowly she unfolded it. Slower she smoothed it out. Even slower she read the message, written in the headmaster's curly handwriting. She gasped and hid the note from Maria who was reading over her shoulder, squishing it into a ball and tucking it into the secret inside pocket of her robes. She. Would. Not. Cry. A stray, rebellious tear rolled down her cheek. 

She managed to sit through the lesson on banishing charms despite Maria asking what was on the note every few minutes, and waited until Miss Flifftor was finished gathering up the pillows they had banished. She was almost ready to burst inside, but held it in long enough to ask her teacher to accompany her to the headmaster's office. 

The corridors were emptying as students gathered on the quidditch pitch for the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff game. William had just left Hogwarts to play for the Chudley Cannons, and Thomas had taken his place as Gryffindor Quidditch captain. Elizabeth normally would have wanted to watch, but this was far more important.

The stone gargolye moved at the sound of the password, (Butterbeer) and reveled the steps behind. Elizabeth took a deep breath and began to climb, one foot in front of the other, slowly. She reached the top at last and knocked on the door. 

"Come in."

She went in. "Professor, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I did. I  trust you got the message?"

"Ye-yes" She faltered, a lump suddenly forming in her throat. She swallowed hard, and reached for the note she had received. It read. 

Elisabeth Scamander,

Your father was just attacked by the Hallowed. He has several injuries and was taken to St Mungo's. I need you to come to my office after your last class so I can explain more to you then.

Professor Dumbledore. 

"Now," Dumbledore said. "I will be taking you to your father shortly, but first, a few rules." He gave a reassuring smile, "First. He will be very weak, so don't frighten or upset him. Second. Don't hug him. He has several curse-broken ribs and they take time to heal. Third. Don't stress yourself out. He will be fine." Elizabeth nodded, already trying to remember rule one. "We'll be apperating, so brace yourself."

Elizabeth did, and was suddenly experiencing something like being stuffed through a tube that was only just too small for her, she came out of it with a slight 'pop' and almost fell onto the pavement, taking in deep gasps of cold air. Dumbledore looked unperturbed. 

They were in a city center, tall buildings rose skyward and in front of them was a department store, with a dusty dummy posing and wearing a style of dress from the 1860's. Dumbledore approached this dummy and said softly. "I'm here to bring Elizabeth Scamander to see her father, Newton Scamander." The dummy nodded, and admitted them inside. 

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A few short minutes later, Elizabeth and Dumbledore were knocking on the door of wardroom 113, and watching as a nurse got up and let them in. It was a small room, with a window in the far wall. There were three beds, two were empty. On the third lay a pale figure with a bandage around his chest and a monitor displaying vitals beside him. Elizabeth remembered rule three and rushed to his side, feeling his hand. 

The nurse who had let them in came up to Dumbledore and said, "He'll be out for a few days, we had to do surgery to get his ribs back in place. The doctors say he'll be fine, but he should take it easy for a few months.  If his condition changes, I will let you know." A knock sounded from the other side of the door. "Come in!"

A tall man with flowing robes and a scarred nose entered, followed by Elizabeth's  Uncle Theseus. The tall man went over to Dumbledore, Theseus made a beeline for Elizabeth, and picked her up like he use to do when she was smaller. "Oh Elizabeth, I'm so sorry." 

Elizabeth didn't know what to say, she was shocked that her father had been nearly killed by the Hallowed. At first she had just thought them to be an annoyance, their attacks had always seemed so far away that they simply weren't a problem. But now that they had struck in her home, the danger was now very real. She shuddered in Uncle Theseus' embrace, worry consuming her mind and heart. Her Uncle noticed that in her face, and sighed just loud enough for her to hear. Her face bore the same expression that her father wore often, and it frightened him. 

Dumbledore and the tall man were talking in low earnest voices, and suddenly they broke off, having come to an agreement of sorts. "Elizabeth!" Dumbledore called out, "You should be going home, it's getting later and you need to get back to the school. I've arranged with Percival Fennwick that you will go by portkey." 

Elizabeth disentangled herself from her uncle and went over to Dumbledore. He handed her an blank sheet of parchment, and in moments she felt a jerk and suddenly she was flying fast through the walls of the building and out into the night.