Hadrian Sirius Black

Trouble

Trouble

"This can't be.." whispered Dumbledore, staring into the mirror. No matter how long he stared or who else stared into it, the stone did not appear.

Meaning that it was gone.

Someone had taken it.

"Impossible. Longbottom didn't retrieve it. Neither did Hadrian. So how..? Who..?" he muttered to himself pacing the room, Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape staring after him in silence. They were two of the other professors that had been in charge of protecting the stone.

"Albus, Hermione Granger's parents are asking for her body.." murmured McGonagall, slightly annoyed that the leader of the Light didn't seem to care at all that one of his Gryffins was dead due to the "protection" he had placed around the stone.

She had said time and again that the Cerberus was too drastic but Dumbledore hadn't thought so.

Severus was silent, inwardly roaring with laughter, his thin lips twitching now and then as he enjoyed the obvious distress the old goat was in. The man really had grown too arrogant. If he hadn't, maybe the stone would still be in his clutches and the Dark Lord wouldn't be silently making his move.

"Unfortunately, the Cerberus ate her alive. If you wish to tell them that, be my guest, Minerva." retorted the great wizard somewhat harshly and her lips became a thin line on her face.

Albus sighed and looked between his most trusted followers. So he thought.

"Minerva, has Nymphadora been able to contact Remus?"

"No. She says he won't speak to her at all. They had some sort of falling out." she said and Dumbledore frowned. Remus had always been light. Even after Sirius had gone dark the wolf was loyal to their cause (so he thought). He and Nymphadora were apparently getting married.

But after Halloween night ten years ago, the wolf had vanished. No information on his whereabouts available. Remus was close to Sirius so he knew that the wolf would be the only way to get to young Hadrian.

Now though..it seemed as if that option was out of the question.

"I see. Talk to Longbottom's grandmother. That boy needs to start training. He's all we've got right now." he said and Minerva nodded stiffly before leaving the room. Once she was gone, Dumbledore looked to Severus. "Has there been any word on the Dark Lord? Has he summoned the Death Eaters at all?"

"No, none. And no, he has not. The Malfoys have been going about their lives like usual. Perhaps you simply, misplaced the stone." replied the stiff male and Dumbledore's frown deepened. "I did not misplace the stone. It was in the mirror. No one would be able to retrieve it unless they weren't intending on using the stone."

"So anyone with another desire other than the stone? That is quite..useless. Anyone would be able to fool the mirror into believing they didn't want the stone. In short, anyone could have it now. Who's to say it isn't some fool hearty child? And as you said, the Dark Lord, wherever he may be, can not enter Hogwarts. Correct?"

"No but his subjects can. What of Quirrel? That man seemed off. I also heard that his class was different from the usual Defense class." said Dumbledore and Severus sighed. "You think I'm close to the stuttering fool? I have no idea where he is. He could've ran into that vampire he apparently had trouble with. If he was working with the Dark Lord, he wasn't very good at his job."

Dumbledore heaved a heavy sigh and slumped into his chair.

"This could be bad. We're in quite a bit of trouble. That stone was the only thing keeping Nicholas and his wife alive. Now that they don't have it, whomever does is immortal." he murmured and Severus found it increasingly difficult not to erupt in the cheeriest bit of laughter he had in a while.

"Yes. That is troubling. Isn't it?" he replied blankly.