Chapter Text
Being a student is weird, Ron decided. School is absolute, and even when mysterious figures declare the school theirs and leave everyone confused – teachers and headmaster included – he still has to go to charms class at 8am. Well. In this specific case, he knew who was responsible for the mess, it was Erestor, the scary shadow haunting the Restricted Section. Grumbling under his breath, he readied himself for the day, tucking his shirt in his trousers and making sure his tie was on correctly. Once Harry was ready as well, they exited their dorm and went in search of the third member of their little group.
***
The trio of Gryffindor approached the dining hall for breakfast but found itself stopped by a flock of students blocking the way.
“Hey ! You’re in the way, move ! What’s happening ?” questioned Ron.
“Someone redecorated the hall ! It’s all red ; Weasley, is it a prank from your brothers ?” asked a Hufflepuff prefect.
Finally after much pushing Harry, who was the smallest of the group, managed to pass through. His eyes opened wide in surprise.
“Woah ! What happened !?”
“That’s what we would like to know, Potter” replied the prefect. “Hmm, it doesn’t seem dangerous and more people are coming, go, move along.”
The assorted students finally entered the room properly, but still mostly stayed in a mass in the middle, not daring to go sit at their usual tables.
The hall been completely transformed overnight, it seemed. The floor was of dark wood, with here and there lighter wood forming a pattern of eight-pointed stars. The walls of stone were covered in huge tapestries, showing different landscapes – a green and dense forest, a fortress upon a snowy hill, large grassy plains. The four tables for the students and the one for the staff were still there but had been covered by a red tablecloth. But the biggest change was the ceiling. Gone was the enchanted sky, in its stead was the same dark wood as the floor with the beams decorated with silver stars and trees. Heavy chandeliers of wrought iron and dripping with chains of small rubies were hanging at regular intervals, giving the room a warm glow. The only reference to Hogwarts itself was an embroidered blazon hanging behind the staff’s table.
“Merlin !” exclaimed a voice behind them.
It was Professor McGonagall, a hand covering her open mouth as she looked around her, trying to understand what she was seeing. Snape and Flitwick arrived shortly after and paled at the sight of the hall. All three adults lost no time and went to inspect the place, casting a flurry of spells to analyse everything and protect the student from hidden dangers.
“There’s… nothing. It’s as if it had always been like this.” Said Snape, aghast.
“The only thing I found are enchantments for light, durability, and protection. Nothing dangerous, nothing suspicious.” Agreed Flitwick. “It’s obviously related to yesterday’s contract, but how come nobody felt anything ? That big of a change surely would have been felt by someone, no ?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. Minerva, did you find something ?”
“Yes and no – it’s as you said, as if it had always been like that and only now reverted back to its previous appearance.”
The Head of Gryffindor House sighed before sending the silver cat of her patronus to alert the Headmaster. This done, she and her colleagues authorised the students to sit at their tables.
“Oh, the Ministry shall be informed !” suddenly screeched a voice. “Headmaster Dumbledore, how could you allow something like that to happen !? This so called Lord Thargelion has gone too far, this prank is frankly ridiculous and I will make sure they are apprehended and brought before the justice !”
“Dolores, don’t you think this is a bit extreme ?” asked Dumbledore who had arrived with the DADA teacher hot on his heels. “Redecorating has never hurt anybody, after all, and those tapestries are simply gorgeous !” The old wizard went to inspect the one closest to him, a depiction of the Black Lake and the mountains behind it. “They are almost lifelike !”
“What is all this noise about ?” asked a new voice from behind.
Wearing an unusual red robe embroidered with patterns of waves over his usual blue one, the music teacher was looking at them all, his head tilted in confusion.
“Oh, very nice ! Gorgeous ceiling, the details of those carvings are absolutely lovely !”
“Don’t you notice something else, maybe ?” asked Dolores Umbridge, disdain in her voice. “Are you that dull ?”
Suddenly she stopped, as if frozen in fear.
“Wha-what is… this THING on your shoulder !?”
“You mean my new friend here ? He woke me knocking at my window and I promised him breakfast, so here we are ! Why, you’ve never seen a crow in your life ?”
And indeed, on his left shoulder was crow with shiny black feather, sharp beak and even sharper eyes. He cawed once. The pink-clad teacher took a step back.
“This… this is unsanitary ! Why would you bring such an awful creature for breakfast, it’s not even cute !”
“I rather like our new friend here, very sharp eyes! I’m sure he’s a very intelligent fellow.” interjected the Headmaster.
Makalaurë smiled at him and went to sit at the staff table, completely ignoring the DADA teacher in doing so.
Today’s breakfast was of black tea and walnut pie – a sweet treat for the cold weather of Scotland. As he cut a piece of his pie with a dainty metal spoon with the same star as the one covering the floor and ceiling, Dumbledore listened to three of his Heads of House as they reported their findings.
“The fact that is seems to be normal is in itself not normal, I think, and it worries me. I spoke with Lord Thargelion yesterday evening and he said he would be at breakfast today but either he forgot or something happened that required his attention.”
“Well, he’s clearly not here ! I would have loved to ask him questions, mainly about all these stars. I’m fairly certain I’ve seen them before – but alas the only addition to our table is Makalaurë’s new friend” sighed Flitwick.
His words seemed to find an echo in Dumbledore’s mind, for he suddenly turned his head to look at the crow currently eating a caramelised walnut next to the musician’s plate.
The crow winked at him and the Headmaster closed his eyes, feeling the beginning of a headache.