Foolproof

The news was spreading like wildfire through the Great Hall. Down the tables, students were sharing excited glances and proposing to one another what could be the name of this strange man sitting at the head table and why he had come.

Sage Pippins, a seventh year Gryffindor, was animatedly swapping ideas with Margaret Hensley, a fellow 7th year. “Do you think he’s with the Ministry?” Sage asked, leaning towards her friend.

“I’m not sure,” Margaret said with a shrug. “He could be anything, I suppose.”

“What if he’s a new teacher?! I don’t see that anyone’s missing.” Sage eagerly scanned the head table to confirm. “Perhaps there’s a new subject? Or maybe he’s taking over transfiguration for McGonagall…”

“Perhaps…” Margaret mumbled around a fat link of sausage.

“Margie, Margie—look! McGonagall’s standing up! Look!” Sage shoved Margaret excitedly in the shoulder, sufficiently knocking the sausage out of her mouth.

Margaret scowled at Sage. “Oh, now look what you’ve done,” she lamented over her sausage that lay unappetizingly on the bench beside her. Sage sat unaware of her friend, attentive to what their Head Mistress was about to announce.

“Quiet down, please!” McGonagall cried in a strained voice, her face in a sterner expression than usual. Her hands were clamped together in front her, as though she was worried. Once the hall quieted down, she continued on. “As I’m sure you all have noticed, we have a visitor with us. I expect you all to regard Mr. Muldoon with the greatest respect. He will be staying with us for as long as the Ministry of Magic deems needed. Please give him a warm welcome.”

Everyone clapped politely, though eyed this man suspiciously. He was not a new teacher, and Professor McGonagall did not seem very welcoming of this man. Besides, what could possibly be going on that required the Ministry’s attention?

McGonagall did not answer this last lingering question however, she simply at down and mulled over her empty golden plate.

“Why do you think he’s here?” Sage asked Margaret, but she was paying no mind. She was back to eating her breakfast, untroubled as always. Sage sighed deeply and looked longingly over her shoulder for someone who she could share her raging thoughts with. And, speak of the devil, a certain someone who could surely appreciate her suspicions tapped on her shoulder. Sage turned her head suddenly to a boy with a bird-like stance and raven hair. “Felix!” she exclaimed. Felix was a great friend of Sage’s from before they even went to Hogwarts. They were in different houses, Sage in Gryffindor and Felix in Ravenclaw, but this never threw a wrench in their relationship.

“Hello, there. Thought I’d stop by, see what wild thoughts are rolling around in your brain.” Felix grinned with all his teeth.

Sage stood from the table, waved goodbye to her friends, and walked out of the Great Hall alongside Felix, her oldest and best friend. On their way through the Entrance Hall, Sage spouted off crazy ideas— from secret spy to Death Eater, another dark lord rising to a repeat of the Umbrage incident so many years ago.

Felix smiled along, accepting the ideas as valid, but not so much as to give her any ideas. Because when Sage had ideas, they became plans. And when Sage had plans, they became a recipe for disaster.

Sage was just about run another idea past Felix as they walked up the grand staircase, when a little first year by the name of Lucy came charging up the stairs yelling, “Sage! I have mail for you, Sage!”

Sage stopped in her tracks with a slight grimace and turned towards Lucy, who was now panting on the step below her. “Here.” She handed a small piece of parchment to Sage, which she took.

“Thanks, Luce,” she said, turning back to Felix, who was waiting patiently.

“What does it say?!” Lucy yelped, clambering up next to Sage once more.

“I’m not sure yet,” she said calmly.

“Well, open it, then!” Lucy insisted.

Sage smiled slightly and unrolled the small, white paper. She ran her dark green eyes over the parchment slowly at first, and then quicker. Her smile disappeared and her breath sped up.

“Well?” Lucy said.

Sage shook her head, looking down at the paper still.

“You okay?” Felix asked, stepping a bit closer.

Sage looked up with wide eyes and shook her head again. “My sister is… she’s sick. Really, really sick.”