Cast yourself (you are the spell)

Chapter 14

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore stands alone in his office, watching the rain pound against dirty glass he could never seem to clean completely. His phoenix, Fawkes, settles gently on a book stand next to him. His fierce, red eyes glow into Dumbledore's own, and the headmaster imagines that the world is burning around him.

The sound of intense arguing from the entrance breaks the silence, and Dumbledore turns around just as the door bangs open.

He allows the professors to continue to bicker for only a moment longer.

"Silence!" he bellows, and the sound of flapping wings fills the room as Fawkes leaves. "We cannot fall into childish squabbles. I won't allow it."

The teachers all look down, perhaps in shame or something else. The room prepares themselves to start discussing the prophecy again, as they've done every night since Trelawney first foresaw it.

"Now, back to the matter at hand," Dumbledore says, he turns his attention to Slughorn. "We'll start with you, Horace. How was your class today?"

"Completely silent," the man replies as everyone turns to look at him. "Miss Mikaelson and Miss Saltzman exchanged a few words at the start of the period, but that was all. I fear...I fear that all our desperate measures our futile."

"Do not despair," Dumbledore tells him quickly, reading the demoralizing tone in the room. "It is only Monday. We still have time. What about you, Minerva?"

"The same," the witch says, her eyes trained not on Dumbledore, but above his head to watch the rain. "They did not talk at all, but I had a feeling that Miss Mikaelson wanted to. She kept opening her mouth and then shutting it. It was quite peculiar."

"Really?" The old man's eyes twinkle.

"Yes," Professor McGonagall nods. "And actually, this afternoon, the shopkeep of Gladrags Witch and Wizardwear-Endel Faustino-contacted me. Remember how we instructed him to keep us informed on the students buying muggle clothes and those not for Friday? He told me that Miss Mikaelson and her friend, Miss Nicot, visited the store. Miss Nicot actually purchased a few items."

Dumbledore smiles as many professors gasp quietly, not quite believing their ears.

He nods contemplatively, content to let the ramifications of such a story settle profoundly in the room. "And you, Severus?"

"There was no discussion as well," the man recalls. "I confess, however, there was barely any opportunity for such conversation. Currently, I am preparing my students to start producing their own patronuses, and that involved a lot of concentration in arrangement for tomorrow. I expect that there will be plenty of talking then."

The teachers drop their heads from him, as if they expected more good news, or at least yearned for something not so terrible at all.

"I must admit, however," Snape continues, "the muggleborn is bringing out the best in Miss Mikaelson. Together, they've been rewarded more than a hundred house points, propelling Slytherin far in front of the other houses."

"I agree!" Professor Vector speaks up. "You should see them in my class, Albus. I have not witnessed such motivation from Miss Mikaelson since her third year, and both she and Miss Mikaelson are doing extraordinarily well."

McGonagall, Slughorn, and Snape voice their consensus, beginning to recount how remarkably strong the pair have been performing in their classes to the others.

"Uh uh," Professor Flitwick-the Charms Professor-tuts. "Not in my class. Miss Mikaelson is constantly distracted-and it pains me to say this-but at times, I fear she does not know her wand from a stick."