After ridding himself of Voldemort's diary, Douglas finally felt a weight lift from his chest. He decided he'd earned a proper rest. To avoid being disturbed by any students, he layered his room with a few extra protective charms. Still restless after returning at four in the morning, he found himself tinkering with new wards—drawing inspiration from the Headmaster's office defenses—and wove them into his own office. It wasn't until after six o'clock that he finally drifted off to sleep.
Meanwhile, the four Heads of House had learned from Luna the true nature of the Dark Magic artifact she'd handed over. They reassured her that Professor Holmes would be perfectly fine before sending her on her way. But despite their comforting words, an uneasy tension lingered between them. As far as anyone was concerned, no matter how gifted Douglas might be, it was unthinkable that he could take on Voldemort alone.
After several attempts, they confirmed that someone was indeed inside the office—alive, at least. But without resorting to brute force, there was simply no way in.
Snape eyed the office door, muttered something under his breath, and told the others to wait; he'd fetch Dumbledore. With a dramatic swirl of his robes, he strode swiftly toward the Headmaster's office.
Professor Sprout wrung her hands. "If there's really no danger, why would Douglas use so many protective spells?"
Flitwick, meanwhile, was busy examining the office door, his wand tracing intricate patterns as he occasionally let out a low whistle of admiration. "Actually, the charms on the door weren't added on a whim—they've been there since Douglas moved in. But Pomona, you're right: the new spells layered inside the office are definitely unusual. Some of them resemble the Headmaster's own defenses, but with a twist. Maybe we're overreacting. Perhaps Douglas just had a burst of inspiration and is experimenting in his office?"
As they debated, a growing crowd of students gathered to see what all the fuss was about.
At that moment, Snape returned, his expression thunderous. The corridor was growing crowded, and spotting Harry Potter among the onlookers only soured his mood further. After all, the Heads of House all suspected that Douglas was locked in a struggle with Voldemort right now—and here was the Dark Lord's favored target, loitering nearby. The last thing they needed was more chaos.
Snape strode forward, voice sharp as a whip: "What's going on here? Ah, the famous savior himself—Potter. Planning to rescue someone who's overslept?"
Harry bristled at the sarcasm, blurting out, "Professor Holmes never sleeps in! He must be in trouble—we have to help him!"
With someone daring to stand up to Snape, other students found their courage and chimed in.
Snape lifted his chin, eyes cold. "Insubordination, is it? Gryffindor loses points thanks to Potter—"
He didn't get to finish. Professor McGonagall had spotted the commotion and swept over, cutting him off: "Insubordination against a professor—ten points from Gryffindor. And what are the rest of you doing here? Don't tell me you're short on homework. Severus, where's Albus?"
Her last question was directed at Snape, who shook his head darkly.
With McGonagall's intervention—and the loss of Gryffindor points—the students quickly dispersed, though many lingered nearby, peeking from behind corners.
Hermione seized Harry and Ron by the sleeves, dragging them into a secluded alcove.
"Harry, we have to help the Professor! He's taught us so much!" Harry protested.
"Listen," Ron whispered, "I think we should find Percy. He's bound to know what's going on—he's closer to the Professor than almost anyone, except maybe Bill and Charlie. Or we could try George and Fred. I heard them talking about some club the Professor invited them to join. They might know something."
"I don't know where Percy is," Harry said, anxious, "but George and Fred are practicing on the Quidditch pitch. We can find them there."
Ron eyed Harry suspiciously. "If they're training, why are you here?"
Harry glanced around, lowering his voice. "It's Wood's plan. They're working on new formations, and since I'm Seeker, I don't need to practice with them. He told me to wander the castle and confuse the other teams. Enough talking—let's go!"
Hermione grabbed both boys by the hand, glancing around. "I have a way into the Professor's office. Do you want to help him or not?"
Harry and Ron stared at her in shock. "What?"
Ron looked even more bewildered. "You have a way? Why not tell the Heads of House?"
Hermione tossed her hair. "I overheard some of the Professors talking. Apparently, Professor Holmes's office door is covered in protective spells. I don't know if he's guarding against other staff or something else. From what they said, the door could be forced open, but they're afraid something dangerous might escape. I don't believe the Professor's a bad person. I want to warn him…"
Harry and Ron exchanged glances—this wasn't the Hermione they were used to.
Hermione, noticing their hesitation, huffed impatiently. "We have no proof the Professor's done anything wrong. Time's running out—the Heads of House look ready to act. So, one last time: do you want to help him or not?"
Ron and Harry hesitated, then nodded.
Back at the office door, Snape stilled the urge for a forced entry. "Dumbledore said we should trust Douglas. Besides, if he really is fighting the Dark Lord, barging in could do more harm than good. We have to trust him."
The atmosphere shifted at once. If not for years of working together, Professor Sprout might have accused Snape outright of still serving the Dark Lord. After all, the scandal of Snape's past as Dumbledore's spy in Voldemort's ranks was still fresh in many minds. Truth be told, plenty who knew Snape never quite bought his story. If it weren't for Dumbledore's unwavering support and tireless assurances all these years…
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
The story isn't over...
🤔 Want to know what happens next to the characters?
🤫 Eager to explore the untold secrets of this world?
✍️ Ready to read more of my wildest stories?
✨patreon.com/GoldenLong