Chapter 33 - Inquistor McGonagall

The following morning, Thomas woke up feeling uneasy about what had happened the previous night. He had received a summons from his Head of House, Filius Flitwick, to discuss the events that had unfolded in the hospital wing and his use of the magical dagger to fight the troll. As he donned his robes, he couldn't help but feel like he was walking to his doom.

He made his way to the Headmaster's office, his heart pounding in his chest. Upon entering the room, he was greeted by the stern faces of Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and Professor McGonagall. Flitwick gestured for Thomas to take a seat, and he obliged, feeling as though he was about to face a grueling interrogation.

As Thomas sat down, he noticed that Dumbledore had a twinkle in his eyes, and he seemed to radiate warmth and kindness. He couldn't help but feel a bit more at ease in the Headmaster's presence. McGonagall, on the other hand, looked stern and unforgiving, while Snape glared at him with his usual malice.

"Mr. Grayson," Dumbledore began, his voice gentle but firm. "We have summoned you here to discuss the events that occurred last night in the hospital wing. Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape have informed me about the magical dagger that you used to fight the troll."

Thomas nodded, feeling the weight of his mistake settle heavily on his shoulders once again. He knew that he had broken school rules and put his friends and himself in danger. He braced himself for what was to come.

"Can you tell us again how you got to 'befriend' a devil?" McGonagall asked, her voice cold and hard.

Thomas took a deep breath, preparing himself to explain once again. "Her name is Latia Astaroth," he began. "I met her on my first night in Diagon Alley, and we became friends. She's not like what you might expect a devil to be like, she's kind and helpful. I asked for her help in finding a medium that I could use to practice charms, and she gave me the dagger as a gift."

Snape sneered. "And you didn't think to tell us about this last night?"

Thomas shook his head. "I didn't think it was necessary. As I told you last night, professor, I wasn't using the dagger for anything harmful, and I didn't want to get my friend in trouble, not after how much she helped me over the years."

McGonagall looked skeptical. "And yet, Mr. Grayson, you brought it to Hogwarts, where it is strictly forbidden to possess any kind of weapon."

"I know, ma'am" Thomas admitted, bowing his head. "I made a mistake, and I take full responsibility for my actions. Please don't punish my friends, they were just helping me."

Dumbledore interjected with a kind smile. "We appreciate your honesty, Mr. Grayson. However, we cannot overlook the severity of the situation. Using a magical weapon on school grounds is a grave offense. It is fortunate that you and your friends were able to defeat the troll without any harm, but that does not excuse your actions."

Thomas nodded, feeling a lump form in his throat. He knew that he deserved whatever punishment they deemed fit. "I understand, sir. Once again, I'm sorry for that."

"As we stated last night, we will be confiscating the dagger, for the rest of the semester." Snape declared, his voice cutting through the room like a knife. "And there will be detention for all involved."

Thomas nodded again, feeling a sense of relief that the punishment wasn't more severe. Dumbledore, however, had a different idea. "Now, now, Severus, I believe that Mr. Grayson and his friends have shown great bravery in facing the troll, and even risked their lives to save a friend," he said. "Perhaps instead of detention, they can serve their punishment by helping Hagrid with his duties." Thomas looked up in surprise. He had expected a harsher punishment, but this seemed almost too easy.

"Thank you, sir," he said, grateful for the headmaster's leniency.

"However," Dumbledore continued, his eyes twinkling once again. "I do hope that you will think twice before bringing any kind of weapon to Hogwarts in the future. It is imperative that we maintain a safe and peaceful environment for all students and staff."

Thomas nodded, feeling a sense of shame and embarrassment wash over him. He had let his curiosity and desire for protection get the best of him, and he had put himself and more importantly his friends in danger.

Once Thomas had left the office, the four professors exchanged glances. Dumbledore let out a deep sigh and leaned back in his chair, his expression pensive. "Well, that was quite an ordeal," he said softly. "But I believe that young Thomas has learned his lesson, and I have faith that he will not make the same mistake again."

"His use of that magical dagger was extremely reckless," Snape interjected, his voice dripping with disdain. "He could have easily injured himself or one of his friends. And the fact that he's associated with a devil is concerning, to say the least."

"I agree," McGonagall said firmly. "We must keep a close eye on him and his friends. We cannot have students breaking school rules and associating with dangerous creatures."

Flitwick, who had been quiet up until now, spoke up. "But did you not notice his stance, Headmaster?" he asked. "For an eleven-year-old, he had the same stance as a seasoned swordsman, and believe me Albus, I've faced one before. And did you see the power he wielded? He's stronger than anyone in his year or in the year above."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, with a smile plastered on his face. "Is that so? I must admit, I did not notice."

"It's true," Flitwick said with a nod. "I've been keeping a close eye on him since he was always eager in my class, and he has a natural talent for magic. His control and power are impressive."

"I see," Dumbledore mused. "Well, it seems that we have quite a prodigy on our hands."

"Perhaps," Snape sneered. "But let us not forget that he is still a child, Headmaster. He needs to learn discipline and respect for authority."

"Of course, Severus," Dumbledore said, his tone gentle but firm. "But let us not underestimate the potential of our students. They are the future of our world, and we must nurture their talents and guide them on the right path."

The professors continued their discussion for a while longer, debating the merits and risks of allowing a student to possess such power. But in the end, they all agreed that Thomas Grayson was a student worth watching, a student with the potential to be great.

Meanwhile, Thomas made his way back to the Ravenclaw's common room, since it was already too late for him to return to his history class, not that he was excited to spend two hours listening to his ghostly teacher. He knew that he had narrowly escaped punishment, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he had disappointed his mentors.

As he sat by the fireplace, lost in thought, one of his friends, appeared from within their room. "You made it out alive, I see," James said with a grin.

Thomas let out a nervous laugh. "Barely," he admitted. "But I learned my lesson. No more reckless behavior."

James nodded, but he rolled his eyes at Thomas. "That's not good mate. We are supposed to become the best. How in Merlin's saggy balls would we reach that if we don't risk a little?"

Thomas sighed, feeling torn between his desire to prove himself and his newfound sense of responsibility. "I don't want to put myself or anyone else in danger," he said. "But I understand what you mean. We can't just play it safe all the time. We need to push ourselves if we want to become powerful wizards." James grinned again, patting Thomas on the back. "That's more like it. Now, let's go eat something good, I've been starving because of your sorry ass."

As the weather grew colder, life at Hogwarts settled into a routine. Thomas focused on his studies and made sure to stay out of trouble while also doing his punishment of helping Hagrid whenever he could, earning himself the friendship of the kind half-giant. At the same time, he was determined to prove to his mentors that he could be responsible and reliable, and not just a reckless boy. Because of that, he spent many evenings studying in the Ravenclaw common room, working hard to keep up with his coursework.

Meanwhile, Ron had come to regret his outburst against Hermione and the Ravenclaw boys. He knew he had been wrong to lash out and try to start a fight. So, one day, he approached Thomas and his roommates in the library and apologized for his behavior. "I'm sorry for the way I acted," he said. "I was out of line, and I hope we can put it behind us."

The boys were taken aback by Ron's apology, but Thomas accepted it graciously. "We're all in this together, Ron," he said. "Let's be friends."

James, Adam, and Michael all looked at Ron with surprise when he approached them in the library. They remembered how he had lashed out at Hermione and tried to start a fight with them, so they were unsure how to react to his apology. However, when Thomas accepted Ron's apology graciously and offered to be friends, the other boys followed suit.

Adam spoke up first, "Yeah, man. We're all just trying to get through this crazy place together. It's all good."

Michael added, "And besides, it takes a real man to admit when he's wrong. We respect that."

James nodded in agreement, "We're cool, Wesley. Let's just move on and focus on more important things, like our house winning the Quidditch cup against yours."

Ron smiled, relieved that the boys had accepted his apology. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it."

From that day forward, Ron made an effort to be more open-minded and friendly towards Thomas and his roommates as well as Hermione, who had become friends with Ron and Harry. The four Ravenclaw boys appreciated Ron's efforts, and they all became good friends, often studying and hanging out together in their free time.

The months passed quickly, and soon it was time for the first Quidditch match of the season. Thomas and his roommates decided to attend the Ravenclaw practice session, which was taking place on the Quidditch pitch. They watched as their housemates flew through the air, executing complex maneuvers with ease. Thomas couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at Harry for getting preferential treatment and even got himself the position of a seeker for his house.

Despite that, Thomas couldn't help but admire the skill of the Ravenclaw team. Their tactics were impeccable, and their coordination was impressive. They were preparing for their match against the Hufflepuffs, who had a formidable team of their own or at least that's what he heard about. Everyone knew that it would be a tough match, but Thomas had faith in his housemates.

As the practice session went on, the team split into groups to work on specific skills. The chasers were practicing their passes, the beaters were working on accuracy, and the seeker was practicing his speed and agility. Ever since James dragged Thomas and his friends around the practice of the Ravenclaw team a few months ago, Thomas 'fall in love' with the game and dreamed of joining his house team next year. As Thomas watched the seeker, a sixth-year named Andrew, soared through the air, looking through the skies for the elusive golden snitch.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack, and Andrew plummeted to the ground, his broomstick spinning out of control. The other players rushed over to him, and Thomas and his friends followed. When they reach the other players, the four boys saw Andrew lying on the ground, clutching his arm in agony.

"Is he okay?" Thomas asked one of the chasers, a fourth-year named Emily.

"I don't know," she said, her face pale with concern. "I think he's broken his arm."

The team captain, a seventh-year named Matthew, quickly called Madam Pomfrey, and Andrew was taken to the hospital wing. And with that, the rest of the practice session was canceled, and the players trudged back to the castle, dejected and worried about their injured teammate.

As they walked back to the Ravenclaw common room, Thomas and his friends discussed what had happened. "That looked really bad," James said, shaking his head. "I hope Andrew is okay."

Thomas nodded in agreement. "Me too," he said. "He's a great player. We need him for the match against the Hufflepuffs."

The others murmured their agreement, and the group fell into a somber silence. The injury had cast a shadow over the upcoming match, and Thomas couldn't help but wonder if the Ravenclaws would be able to win without their star seeker.

The next day, word spread quickly around the school that Andrew's injury was way worse than anyone had feared. He had broken his arm in two places and would be out of commission for at least two months. When they heard that, the Ravenclaw team was devastated, and Thomas could see the worry etched on their faces as they prepared for their match.

Despite the setback, the team tried to stay positive and focused on their game plan. But as the match approached, the reality of Andrew's absence weighed heavily on them. Matthew, the captain, called for a team meeting to discuss their options. "We need to find a replacement seeker," he said, "and fast."

The team looked around at each other, unsure of what to do. "What about the two first year that keeps coming to watch us?" suggested Emily

The other players looked at the two first-year boys skeptically. "Are you serious?" asked one of the beaters. "They're just first years. What do they know about Quidditch?"

Matthew considered this for a moment before speaking. "We don't have many options," he said. "And we can't afford to go into the game without a seeker."

"Fine, Mat, but it's on you if we lose the match."

A few hours later, as Thomas and James were chilling in the common room with Adam and Michael, Matthew approached them with a serious expression. "Hey, can we talk for a moment?" he asked.

Thomas and James exchanged a curious look before nodding and following Matthew to a quieter corner of the room.

"We're in a bit of a bind," Matthew began, his eyes darting around nervously. "As you know, our seeker is out with an injury, and we haven't been able to find a replacement. But we were thinking, since you two seem to be interested in Quidditch and have been coming to our practices, would you be willing to try out for the position?"

Thomas and James stared at him in disbelief. They had never thought that in their first year, they would get the chance to play in the house team, let alone become the seeker for the Ravenclaw team.

Matthew noticed their hesitation and quickly added, "Of course, you would have to go through the same tryouts as anyone else, and even if you make the cut, our Head of House, Flitwick, might not allow a first-year to play on the team. But we're running out of options, and we need a seeker to have a chance at winning the next match. Besides, if Professor Flitwick declines, then we can always use the Harry Potter card and how he got preferential treatment, though I doubt our teacher will decline."

Thomas and James exchanged a look, silently weighing their options. It was an unexpected opportunity, but also a daunting one. However, the thought of representing their house on the Quidditch field was too exciting to pass up. "We'll do it," James said decisively, and Thomas nodded in agreement. Matthew grinned in relief.

"Great! We'll arrange for you to try it out tomorrow after classes. Just give it your best shot."

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