Can A Phoenix Love A Lion? (Hermione Granger x Male Reader)

27. First Quidditch Games

Increasingly loud murmurs, soon shouts, came from the students' mouths.

"Silence." Dumbledore's calm voice rang over the heads, over the "What's going on?" and "I want to see." Every mouth shut, and Dumbledore continued, "Please, be quiet. Percy, take your house to the Great Hall."

Percy almost bowed, which would have been funny in any situation but this one. "Yes, professor. Gryffindors, follow me!" he shouted as he started to leave, pushing aside those too slow to move out of his way.

"Y/N," Dumbledore continued. "I'd like you to fetch the Ravenclaws and bring them in the Great Hall too."

"All right."

Ten minutes later all the students from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin had joined the Gryffindors in the Great Hall, and everyone looked extremely confused.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors Flitwick and McGonagall closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guards over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing...."

One casual wave of his wand and long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the wall; another wave and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," Professor Dumbledore said, closing the door behind him.

"C'mon," Ron said to Y/N, Hermione and Harry; they sized four sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.

"Dumbledore thinks he might be," Y/N said as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "And probably he is. You can't Apparate inside the castle, and obviously Black can't run at light speed."

"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars.

Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the Hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Y/N watched him looking around for Percy, who was only a short way away from him, Hermione, Harry and Ron, and he quickly pretended to be asleep with the others as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer.

"Any sign of him, Professor?" Percy asked in a whisper.

"No. All well here?"

"Everything under control, sir."

"Good."

Y/N heard the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps.

"Headmaster?" It was Snape. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."

"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"

"All searched...."

"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."