Broken Child

By Lady FoxFire

Jan 1, 2001

Revised August 2, 2004

The Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was buzzing with gossip. The students whispered among themselves about the huge black dog and Professor Snape's strange behavior.

"Do you think it was Snuffles?" Ron asked Hermione around a mouthful of food.

Hermione sighed exasperatedly as she watched the redhead voraciously shovel huge forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth as if he had not eaten in a month. "Ron, in the future could you please..."

But before Hermione could finish her statement, Professor Snape stormed into the Great Hall, his robes flapping behind him like the immense wings of a raven.

Conversations hushed abruptly as one by one, the students noticed their Potion Master's entry. One by one they turned in their seats as they watched Snape stalk past them and march up to the head table. His fellow professors turned in their seat as Snape walked around the table and behind them until he reached the Headmaster; their faces betraying their concern as they observed the Potions Master bend over and whisper something into the wizened Headmaster's ear.

Dumbledore's face grew grim. With a nod of his head, he stood and faced his students. "Attention please," he beckoned, gazing at the sea of students assembled in the hall. "Due to an emergency, all students are to report to their common rooms immediately. Prefects, please inform the Head of your House if any student is missing."

The Great Hall was as eerily silent as the echoes of Dumbledore's announcement gradually faded. Then suddenly as if someone had released a valve, the room erupted into chaotic cacophony as everyone began to gather their belongings and move to their towers. The question on everyone's tongue was "what was the emergency?"

"I bet it concerns...."

"...Potter wasn't...."

"Maybe it's that mad man..."

"...Black or it's about You-Know..."

Hermione and Ron fought against the river of students flowing out the door as they waded towards the head table. "Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione inquired when they had finally reached the Headmaster.

Dumbledore turned and peered grimly down at the two children, the twinkle that normally resided in his eyes missing. Laying a hand upon each of their shoulders, he gently turned them around. "Not now. Once I have any news, I'll tell you," he assured kindly as he shooed them toward their tower.

"Minerva," the Headmaster called as he watched Weasley and Granger join the other students as they exited the hall. "Make sure those two are in the Gryffindor tower tonight personally, then please join me in the Hospital Wing."

"I understand, Albus," McGonagall assented with a nod. "But won't you tell us what this emergency is?"

Dumbledore shocked his head, as he chewed on his bottom lip in thought. "Not yet, my friend. Not yet. For the safety of all in this school, I must first discover how bad it truly is." With that said, Dumbledore swept silently out of the Great Hall.

~*~

Effortlessly, Dumbledore opened the massive courtyard door to the Hogwarts grounds and waited.

Within a few minutes, a huge black grim-like hound bounded across the open lawn with a grimy, white form floating closely behind. The dog skidded to halt just a few feet from the headmaster. It peered up anxiously at the old wizard, a strangely human expression of worry in its eyes.

"Welcome back, Sirius," Dumbledore greeted as he stepped aside so that the huge black dog and floating body of Harry Potter could enter. "I just wish it were under better circumstances."

Dumbledore gazed down at the boy's sleeping face. The purpling bruises stood out lividly against his pallid skin. "If I had known, I would have taken him out of that house long ago." Dumbledore muttered, more to himself than anyone else as they strode down the empty halls towards the Hospital Wing. "All the owls he had sent gave the impression that things were fine. I should have checked on him."