Echo | Harry Potter - George Weasley

Chapter 16: Enveloped Enigma

Sneaking their belongings in with the various other student trunks and pet cages that sat unattended in the corridor, Shaye, Harry, and Ron hoped that they could sneak into the Great Hall and join the Gryffindor table without anyone noticing. They were already late enough, which was apparent by the sounds of chatter and dinging silverware that echoed from the Hall and through the rest of the castle, and they didn't want to miss any more than they had to.

Surely, Hermione had noticed the three of them were missing when she had boarded the train and was forced to sit alone. Now, however, without the famous Harry Potter sitting at the Gryffindor table with two of his three closest friends, it was blatantly apparent that they were gone.

"So a house-elf shows up in my bedroom ..." Harry started, which had been the reason he hadn't been writing back to any of his friends over the summer. A house-elf named Dobby had been hiding all of Harry's mail in hopes that if he believed his friends weren't his friends anymore, he wouldn't return to Hogwarts that year. It was a crazy story but when compared to all of the crazy things that had happened that day, it was simply the icing on the cake.

"Then we couldn't get through the barrier at platform nine and three quarters," Shaye added.

Harry nodded. "We almost got killed by a tree. Clearly someone doesn't want me here this year."

As the three students climbed the flight of steps that led up to the Great Hall, they were stopped short by Filch, who was waiting for them in front of the closed door, a wicked grin on his face and that mangy cat of his in his arms. 

"Well, take a good look, lads," Filch said. "This night might well be the last you spend in this castle. Oh, dear, we are in trouble."

Just like that, Shaye, Harry, and Ron were ushered away from the Great Hall—right when they had been so close to pulling off their elaborate stunt—and promptly ushered into Professor Snape's office.

Snape, who was sitting at his desk and reading a copy of the Evening Prophet—where the front page read, in bold lettering, Flying Ford Anglia Mystifies Muggles. He had clearly been awaiting their arrival.

"You were seen by no less than seven Muggles." Snape slammed the paper down onto his desk and glared at the three children. "Do you have any idea how serious this is? You have risked the exposure of our world. Not to mention the damage you inflicted on a Whomping Willow that's been on these grounds since before you were born."

"Honestly, Professor Snape, I think it did more damage to us," Ron reasoned.

Filch, who was standing in the corner of the room and petting Mrs. Norris, just grinned. He couldn't wait to see the wrath that Snape would rain down onto Ron for a comment like that.

"Silence." Snape snapped and rose from his chair. "I assure you that were you in Slytherin, and your fate rested with me, the three of you would be on the train home tonight! As it is-"

"-they are not." Dumbledore appeared in the doorway with McGonagall by his side. Shaye instantly felt a lot better at the mere sight of them. 

Snape backed away from the trio. "Headmaster, these three have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry. As such-"

"-I am well aware of our bylaws, Severus, having written quite a few of them myself," Dumbledore assured Snape. "However, as head of Gryffindor house, it is for Professor McGonagall to determine the appropriate action."

"We'll go and get our stuff then," Ron spoke up. He, along with Shaye and Harry, knew that while Professor McGonagall would surely try and soften the blow just a little, their actions were still inexcusable. They saw nothing but expulsion in their near future.