Charmolypi

Chapter 82

"Miss Potter is right, it would be best if Miss Weasley got to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore said in a firm voice. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her. "You will find that Madam Pomphrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice — I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."

"So Hermione's okay!" said Ron brightly.

Cheers and happy chattered echoed through the Great Hall, everyone happy and relieved that the victims were all going to be alright.

"There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny," said Dumbledore. Mrs. Weasley led Ginny out, and Mr. Weasley followed, still looking deeply shaken.

"Not physically," Regulus whispered to his friends, who nodded knowingly.

"Not physical, at least," Thea mumbled.

"You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"

"Right," said Professor McGonagall crisply, also moving to the door. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter and Weasley, shall I?"

"Certainly," said Dumbledore.

As she left, she made sure to stop beside Thea and squeeze her shoulder, hoping it would get her relief across. The trio gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore.

"I seem to remember telling you gentlemen that I would have to expel you of you broke any more rules," Dumbledore said.

James looked furious as he turned accusingly to the headmaster.

"Sir, you can't be serious! It wasn't their fault!" James protested.

"Yeah! The shit staff you had been picking for the previous years is on you, not them!" Sirius added, just as annoyed as his friend.

"If you wanted to avoid them getting in trouble, you would have done a better job searching for the Chamber," Remus said, mirroring his friends' feelings.

Dumbledore was obviously put on the spot when he started fidgeting and glancing nervously between his collogues and the group of Gryffindors that were hounding him for answers.

"I'm sure there was a reasonable explanation to my following actions," Dumbledore said nervously.

"I don't think expelling them for doing your job would reflect well on you, professor," Thea said as she strolled towards one of the seats and sat down. Both boys were looking at her, their eyes wide, while Dumbledore looked visibly irritated.

Marlene stood from her seat clapping, quickly being joined by the Marauders, followed by the Gryffindors, and the majority of the hall.

Everyone saw Dumbledore's flaws, but they weren't ready for the amount of flaws they would be uncovering while watching the journey of the young Potters.

"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. "You will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School and — let me see — yes, I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor." Ron went as brightly pink as Lockhart's valentine flowers and closed his mouth again. "But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"