Chapter 88: "The Unsettled Library"

As the Hogwarts kitchen quivered from the unexpected shake, Harry didn't flinch. Pulling out the Marauder's Map once again, he was on the hunt for Professor Fletcher. He wasn't worried about being in any danger from the shake-up. Harry had a lot of faith in the sturdiness of the castle's construction. Plus, he was surrounded by a bunch of house elves who could quickly get him to safety if needed.

Feeling completely at ease about his own safety, Harry used the map to zero in on the library. There, he saw Professor Fletcher's steps hastening away from the library, likely heading to his own quarters. Something about this told Harry that Fletcher was probably the reason behind the castle's sudden disturbance. Maybe he had messed with something or set off some kind of protective spell within the castle.

Now, Harry's curiosity was piqued. He felt a strong urge to go check out the library himself to see what exactly had gone down there. After a quick peek at the map, he saw his chance. The professors and students were all still at the Great Hall, which meant they'd take time to respond to whatever caused the disturbance.

Harry figured that Dumbledore did not have a way to instantly know what or where something was happening in the castle, otherwise, a lot of events in the books wouldn't make any sense. They should not directly go to the library and hence Harry would have time to see the place himself before the Professors.

Noticing the house elves were calm and not panicking, Harry politely said his goodbyes and left the kitchen. He draped himself in his invisibility cloak and cast spells to make sure he didn't make a sound or leave a scent as he moved, then dashed off toward the library. He knew he had very little time to dig into what happened.

While on his way, Harry kept a watchful eye on the professors' movements using the Marauder's Map. It looked like Dumbledore had decided to hold the students back in the Great Hall while some professors started scouring the castle's depths, seeking the source of the unsettling tremors.

The library was just on the first floor, so Harry made it there quickly, running at top speed. The professors seemed to be searching the basement and ground levels first, far from his objective. This left Harry free to investigate the library without the risk of running into any professors.

As he stepped through the library's entrance, Harry was met with a scene of chaos. From the outside, the library had appeared untouched, but inside, it was a different story altogether. Shelves lay in ruins, and books, once treasured, were now scattered and torn apart.

It was a heartbreaking sight. The Hogwarts Library celebrated across the wizarding world for its extensive and comprehensive collection, was a repository of knowledge and history, a treasure trove for any curious mind. The heaven for all knowledge seekers now lay in shambles. The sight cut deep into Harry's Ravenclaw heart and he deeply mourned the senseless destruction before him.

As Harry cautiously navigated the aftermath within the library, he determined it was crucial to pinpoint where the chaos had originated. Stealthily advancing through the destruction, shielded by his invisibility cloak, he ventured towards a section that seemed to have borne the brunt of the devastation. This part of the library, known for its extensive collection on warfare and combat strategies, was a place Harry had seldom explored. Now, it lay in ruins before him.

It seemed to Harry that Professor Fletcher had targeted this specific area in search of something, but was thwarted by a protective mechanism. Harry reasoned that the mere act of ransacking the library wouldn't have been enough to shake the entire castle; there must have been a hidden chamber or a secret vault hidden behind the ravaged bookshelves, protected by strong wards or some other forms of magical protection. Fletcher's aggressive attempts to access it might have inadvertently activated a protective alarm designed to alert the castle's guardians.

Harry imagined Fletcher, fueled by frustration and rage at being denied his prize, wreaking havoc on his surroundings. In a fit of temper, he demolished the area, and, realizing his actions would soon draw the attention of others, made a hasty retreat, leaving a path of destruction in his wake.

Despite a thorough search, Harry found no hidden levers or magical triggers on the shelves or walls that might reveal Fletcher's objective. With time running short and the professors expanding their search to the first floor, Harry acknowledged the need to withdraw.

Harry was caught in a bit of a puzzle about whether Dumbledore or any other professor for that matter, could spot him beneath his invisibility cloak. Given it was the famed Deathly Hallows cloak, theoretically, Dumbledore shouldn't have been able to detect him. However, Harry remembered from the books that Dumbledore and Moody seemed to have ways around it. The whole situation was rather confusing, and Harry didn't think this was the right moment to put it to the test.

As he stepped out of the library, Harry's thoughts lingered on the hope that the professors would be able to fix the damaged books. He himself felt pretty confident that he could fix most of them with a simple "Reparo" spell, given enough time. Harry silently wished that Dumbledore could restore them instantly with his special Elder wand. If not, the wizarding world would indeed suffer a great loss from the destruction of such invaluable books.

Turning his attention to Fletcher, Harry decided not to pursue him or uncover whatever it was he had been searching for. The level of destruction Fletcher had wreaked in the library in a short time hinted at a considerable magical strength, a stark contrast to the somewhat weak Mudungus Fletcher Harry was familiar with from the books.

Harry wasn't sure he was ready to face a wizard of unknown strength in a direct confrontation just yet.

Instead, Harry decided to keep a close eye on the DADA professor for the rest of the year through the map. He figured he'd let Fletcher continue his hunt for whatever secrets lay behind those shelves, and only when Fletcher seemed on the verge of success would Harry sneak up on him and swoop in to claim whatever treasure was found. 

Admittedly, Harry wasn't at all interested in exploring the mysteries behind the library's walls just yet, particularly since he hadn't delved into the topic of wards deeply enough to dismantle any of the strong wards and other protective mechanisms that might be in place there.

Just then, noticing the approach of two professors on the Marauder's Map, Harry quickly hid as an extra precaution and stealthily made his escape, heading back towards the comfort and safety of the Ravenclaw tower, away from the curious and possibly accusing eyes of the faculty.

The Great Hall still buzzed with the rest of the student body, none the wiser of Harry's secret adventure.

Harry returned to the Ravenclaw tower and his dormitory calmly, settling in to wait for Reggy and Roger to return from the Great Hall. He expected it would take some time, considering Dumbledore would likely be investigating the incident in the library, trying to uncover the mystery behind those shelves before allowing the students to leave.

True to Harry's predictions, he watched the unfoldings in the library through the Marauder's Map, almost able to piece together the scene from the movements he observed. Indeed, it took nearly an hour for the professors to conclude their investigations and release the students back to their dormitories.

Upon Reggy and Roger's return, Harry Asked them about the evening's events, but they had little to offer in terms of explanation. The professors had just kept everyone waiting in the Great Hall without sharing any details about what caused the disturbance.

Curious, Reggy and Roger questioned Harry about his whereabouts during the commotion. Harry told them that he had stayed in the common room the entire time, too afraid to go out searching for professors. He said that the Ravenclaw Tower felt more safe to him than going out.

Harry chose not to share about his trip to the kitchens just yet. During his brief time there, he'd grown quite fond of the Hogwarts house elves and wished to keep their secret haven safe from being exposed. However, if questioned by any of the professors, Harry planned to be honest about his whereabouts. He had nothing to hide, and he was confident the house elves would vouch for him, serving as a reliable alibi if the situation called for it.