dark goings on

[hagrid]

Hagrid waited in the hallway for Dumbledore, he'd sent a message to him only an hour earlier that he had something urgent to tell him but that it should be done in private. And as always Dumbledore was the first on his list to confide in, but not only as a friend but he was the greatest wizard he knew and he was the Headmaster. Dumbledore needed to know what he had discovered in the Forbidden Forest early this morning. He held his umbrella closely while he waited for Dumbledore to arrive.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Professor Dumbledore had been having quite a morning. He'd been receiving owls all day about the previous evening's opening ceremony, as well as letters urging support for Professor Black. There were even letters urging him to tighten security on the grounds so that rogues like Ted Tonks couldn't wander in off the streets and start kissing random students.

It was all a big mess, and he had yet to hear from Andromeda about the situation. He rather expected that the girl had enough on her mind already, but he was considering sending Minerva McGonagall to the girl's apartment later for a little chat.

So when he'd received the owl from Hagrid, his groundskeeper, Albus was actually relieved to hear from a friendly person with a different issue. He hurried down from his office to meet Hagrid.

"Good morning, Hagrid!" he greeted his old friend. "What's going on?"

[hagrid]

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, I seen some some things yeh mite need ter know 'bout wha' 'append in tha' Forest last night. This mornin' I found me a dead body, sir. I covered it up real good so no un could find it, till I could show yeh. I think it's a student I never met before, sir. I thin' you sould have a look and report it to tha Ministry o'course."

His hands seemed to fiddle nervously in front of him. It was not a pretty sight what he'd found and that was why he'd sent such an urgent note to the Headmaster.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Dumbledore widened his eyes. "A body? Of a student?" This troubled him deeply. He was not aware of any missing students, and wondered instantly who the body could have been. "Oh, dear... I should have a look. I'll also send a message to Mr. Moody. Since Ms. Black is feeling ill, Alastor is the only auror we have on site right now. Thank Merlin he's here... if there are going to be deaths, we need a Ministry presence to be certain."

He quickly sent a Patronus to find Alastor Moody with the message to meet him down by the edge of the forest.

"Take me there, Rubeus," he said grimly.

[hagrid]

Hagrid noded "o'course follo' me, I made sure ta cover it up real good so nuttin' would come o' it 'till yeh seen it." He wondered if he would send for Professor McGonagall too, but he just nodded and headed down the cooridor and out through the castle. He worried what this meant and had a sad frown to his face. But if anyone could handle the situation, he had complete faith in Dumbledore.

As they passed by his hut he didn't stop and walked past the pumpkin patches and guided Dumbledore towards where the body had been found.

[alastor]

Alastor was in the process of adding the finishing touches to the quarters Dumbledore had assigned him in the school. Placing his prized Foe-Glass on the back of the entry door he smiled as he looked around at the finally secure room around him. As Dumbledore's patronus entered the room, he twirled around with wand in hand facing the patronus. As Dumbledore's voice issued from the wraith like form in front of him, Alastor calmed down and listened as Dumbledore said there was an emergency and to meet him by the edge of the forest.

As a grin began to grow on his face, he grabbed a black cloak off of a rack by the door, wrapped it around himself and was out on his way towards the forbidden forest. Rushing down the many halls of Hogwarts and finally reaching the courtyard, Alastor slowed to a walk and carefully began scanning the horizon as he approached the forest. "Ok, Dumbledore. Where are ya hiding at now?" He said to no one in particular.

[hagrid]

Hagrid stood at the edge of the forest in the direction of the body just past the hut as he waited with Dumbledore for Moody to join them. Hagrid was worried of course, but he knew the Headmaster would take care of things somehow. And as he saw Alastor Moody he waved him over so he could join them.

[alastor]

Alastor spotted Hagrid and came to a stop next to where the other two waited. "Albus, Rubeus...what seems to be the problem? Last I heard the Headmaster of Hogwarts doesnt need to summon an auror for delinquent students." His eyes darted about, scanning the edge of the forest for any sign of danger, even for an adult wizard there were some things in the forest that just shouldnt be disturbed.

Reaching into his pocket he removed his wand and grasped it tightly in his palm, he would be ready for whatever it was that Albus seemed to need him for.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Albus gave his friend a grim, tight-lipped smile. "I'm afraid the situation is much more dire, Alastor," he said, his voice serious. "Hagrid found a body in the forest. It's definitely one of the students. How long do you suppose the body was there, Rubeus?" He looked beyond them both, to the depths of the forest, his eyes troubled.

[hagrid]

"I can't rightly say, but looks like she was dragged there. No more tha' a few days at most." Hagrid knew this because he went to visit Aragog every week and the body hadn't been there a week ago. It had been dragged to a point in the forest between his hut and Aragog's cave. Luckily Aragog was safe and he was sure had nothing to do with the death. He hadn't noticed any bites on the girl. She was just.. dead.

[alastor]

Alastor lowered his eyes to the ground as Albus and Hagrid began to describe the situation to him. He took anyone dying on his watch hard, yet when it was a student a near defenseless child, he took it quite a bit harder. After a few moments of staring at the ground and gritting his teeth so hard it felt a few of them would break he raised his eyes to look at his two friends and two of the most loyal people he knew.

"This is my fault, I didnt even think to put up security precautions in the forest..." He paused for a moment to regain his composure then continued on. "Well, do we know the child's name atleast? Hagrid can you find the spot where the body is again?" Trying to cover his pain with action it took a conscious act of willpower to keep the questions from pouring out.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Albus shook his head sadly. "So it's a girl, is it?" he said. He heaved a heavy sigh. "I'd better summon Minerva. She could help to identify the victim." He sent his Patronus with another message to his Assistant Headmistress. "Alastor, I'm gravely concerned about this. If someone would dare murder a student on school grounds, who knows what else they might do? I can tighten the rules a little, to keep students from wandering where they shouldn't, but I still may need more of a Ministry presence. I don't suppose there are any Aurors to spare?"

[Minerva McGonagall]

Minerva had been in her office going over some of her student records. She hadn't been expecting to see a patronus this morning, but she instantly recognized who's it was. She listened to the message to meet at Hagrid's Hut. It was urgent and she immediately set down the papers in her hand and walked out the door.

She took the shortest possible route to get outside the castle, one of the advantages to spending decades in the castle. She strode quickly and with purpose towards Hagrid's. When she arrived she saw the headmaster standing there with Hagrid and Moody. This did not bode well.

"Albus, what is it? Has something happened?"

[alastor]

Alastor nodded at Dumbledore as he asked about other auror's showing up. "Albus were not just talking about someone commiting a murder, but of a student no less. I promise you, if I have to pull Vincent himself out of that stuffy minister's officer and drag him out here by his ear we will have more auror's on the grounds." As the last of the statement faded into nothingness, Minerva showed up and Alastor couldnt help but lower his head a bit.

Minerva McGonagall had been Alastor's transfiguration professor when he was in school and he still had the utmost respect for a witch he considered one of the best in the field of transfiguration. "I wish I could say it is good to see you again Minerva." Letting the subject drop he decided that it be best the story of what happened come from Dumbledore.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Albus turned to Minerva with the same grim expression on his face. "I'm afraid it's rather grave news," he said. "Hagrid found the body of a young girl, a student, in the forest." He sighed. "There's no use second-guessing what we did or didn't do, Alastor. It's a tragedy that a young woman has to lose her life for us to find out where our weaknesses lie. But we owe it to the child to make sure no other students suffer the same fate. Hagrid, can you take us to the body?"

[Minerva McGonagall]

Minerva let out a startled gasp as her hand went to her chest in reaction to the death of a student. It was the worst thing she could imagine and she looked to Albus with the gravest of concern, as a look of understanding passed between them. She looked to Hagrid.

"Hagrid, if you would show us where she is?" Minerva was sick to her stomach.

[hagrid]

"o'course, follow me... I left 'er body where I foun' it, but I covered it so nothin' would happen 'till I could show you." He lead the way into the forest then and walked deeper until they came to a tree which had roots that formed above the ground. Across the curve of those large roots was a spot covered with a branch. He bent over and lifted the branch off the roots which had created a canopy over what lay beneath. The body was actually still fresh, likely upon looking at it killed only the night before. However Hagrid let them see for themselves.

Nestled in the curve of those roots was a young girl who had no marks on her at all. If you didn't know she was dead you'd think she was sleeping. It was a sad sight and Hagrid lowered his head and stepped back for the others to see. The gryffindor robe was however ripped and tattered looking as though drug across the forest floor. There was also a trail if you knew what to look for that showed the path of the body being dragged through the brush.

[alastor]

As soon as Hagrid uncovered the girl Alastor didnt waste a second, with a quick snap of his wand and a silent Lumos! A light ignited on the tip of his wand as he kneeled down by the girl and began to inspect her body for any signs of a non magical killing such as strangulation or asphyxiation. After a few moments Alastor stood and turned to the group.

"I'm no doctor, but if you want my professional opinion. It was a magical attack. I don't want to admit it due to it very possibly being true but it looks as if the killing curse is at work here."

[Albus Dumbledore]

Albus let out a soft groan. The girl had brown hair; and looked to be in sixth or seventh year. Judging by the robes, she had been a Gryffindor. He knelt down by the girl's side, checking her over for any telltale marks. "Looks like a killing curse, all right." He looked at Minerva. "She appears to be a Gryffindor. Do you recognize her?"

[Minerva McGonagall]

Minerva frowned at the body while she waited for the two men to inspect it. When he mentioned Gryffindor her heart sank even more. One of her own, this was devastating.. although any student would have been.. but this cut deeper that it was one of her own students.

She took a closer step and knelt next to Albus, as recognition crossed her face. "It's Katie Lawerence... She is.. was a fifth year Gryffidor student." She frowned intently, which to Minerva was as good as crying in public. She knew she'd take this hard when she was alone. But for now... she was all business even though it was obvious she was affected by it.