Ministry intervenes

In the headmaster's room, all the professors were sitting with grave expressions. One of their own colleague and the new Professor for Defense against the Dark Arts got attacked today.

"How is he, Headmaster?" Prof. McGonagall asked worriedly.

Even though they had seen the solid statue of Prof. Weasley with a horrified expression on his face, they were not sure about his real condition.

"In true danger, Minerva. In true danger. He used all his magical reserve for the last attack and that was the bravest attempt on his part. However, that is the reason he is in true danger.

He was petrified before his own attack and then the blast sent all the debris toward him. Now, he has a missing ear and three missing fingers.

Once the mandrake plants are ready, we can prepare solutions to heal them from this state but for Prof. Weasley, the minute we do so, all the pain and magical damage he is not feeling now, will come at once.

His body might not tolerate it or even if it does, he will need a long rest before he can live a normal life."

Headmaster Dumbledore spoke.

"But what attacked him or others? Do we have any clue now?" Prof. Severus asked the question that was on everybody's mind.

"We don't know for sure but I did find traces of something. It is not a spirit if I am not wrong. Prof. Weasley used a physical attack rather than a spiritual or any other curse, giving us a clear idea that he wanted to hurt that thing.

And we can only hurt anything when it is alive. So, I assume we are dealing with a magical beast kept by Salazar Slytherin in his private chambers."

Headmaster Dumbledore spoke. The Professors wanted to continue the discussion but suddenly, the fireplace inside the headmaster's room lit up and one after another, wizards from the ministry came out.

In the lead was Kingsley Shacklebolt, uncle of Dean T. Shacklebolt and currently one the senior Aurors.

"Headmaster!" Kingsley simply greeted Headmaster Dumbledore with a cold expression and all the other wizards stood behind him.

"We have a notice from Ministry. Until the safety of students is confirmed inside Hogwarts, the classes must be suspended and the school must be closed for inspection.

Aurors will support your Professors in catching whoever the culprit is and I am sure together we can solve this problem at the earliest." Kingsley handed over the parchment of order to Headmaster Dumbledore and then he along with other Aurors took seats in the back.

This was the first time Ministry directly intervened in the working of Hogwarts but they have no choice. The future of the entire British Wizarding world depends upon the safety of the kids studying here.

If there is a situation like last year, the ministry might have to change its Minister of Magic again. Not only that, parents will refuse to send kids to Hogwarts and the entire economy of the British Wizarding World might collapse.

Hogwarts is not just a school but the foundation of the British Wizarding World. Hogsmeade is the only all-wizarding village in Britain and it is completely dependent upon the traffic that students from Hogwarts bring to the village.

"I don't think ministry needs to concern itself with the problem of Hogwarts. I believe the recent wave of operations against black magic artefacts and black magic books must be keeping Ministry truly busy."

Dumbledore didn't even open the parchment but put it on one side of his desk.

"Yes, we are truly overloaded by the work against the dark magic but the safety of students is paramount. Our Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, has strictly ordered us to do the needful.

"Knock Knock..."

Before the discussion or debate could be continued, someone knocked on the doors of the Headmaster's room.

Headmaster Dumbledore just waved his hand and the door opened for everyone to see, Neville Longbottom, with his two other friends - Dean T. Shacklebolt and Seamus Finnigan carrying large bottles of some potion.

"What is this boys?" Headmaster Dumbledore curiously asked when the three boys carefully put down the potions in front of everyone.

"Freshly prepared Mandrake Solutions. Enough to heal the attacked students and Professors and some extra as a precaution." Neville spoke with an innocent smile but Dumbledore was not fooled by it.

His eyes twinkled for a few seconds before he looked over at Dean and Seamus. He found that the students truly bought Mandrake Potion after it was delivered by the house elves from the Longbottom family.

"Wonderful. Truly wonderful." Headmaster Dumbledore said with a big smile after the initial confirmation from students.

"Neville Longbottom. I had truly forgotten this boy's name. I must say you truly are the best helper for me. Unlike some potion masters or Herbologists who don't even have the basic potions for School Infirmary."

Madam Poppy Pomfrey spoke while thanking the students and picking the potions. For her, these potions are truly well needed. And she didn't forget to give some colour to certain professors who always fail in delivering potions when she needs them the most.

"Well, Madam Pomfrey, this is to help Hogwarts. Also, if someone had not blocked an old route through a certain candy shop, my elves would have delivered the potions directly here." Neville spoke hinting at Headmaster Dumbledore who made sure to block the known secret passages to prevent any outsides from sneaking in.

"Ahem... Headmaster and Professors, I think we should continue our discussion after saving those who need our help." Kingsley spoke and backed out from any confrontation at this moment.

His own nephew delivered potions to help the victims and he didn't want to make a scene for no reason.

"True. Let Professor Snape prepare the medicine with Mandrake's solution and we can continue our discussion after finding our true enemy." Headmaster Dumbledore spoke with a smile but that smile meant only one thing.

Once he finds out what attacked his students and professors, he will make that thing pay a price a thousand times worse than this.