chapter: 21
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Perenelle took the letter and her lips twitched in amusement as she read the note.
Penny, Old Man,
Happy Christmas!
H.P.
"That was sweet of him." Perenelle said as she stared at her husband who was palming his face in frustration as the Sorting Hat laughed on the background.
"It's a good day for flying." George Weasley said as he walked out of the Gryffindor Common, his twin and the three chasers following him out into the deserted hallway.
"Yeah... the snow stopped falling... It would be nice to just play around." Fred said.
"Fred, George, did you bring your gloves? It's still cold out there, and your hands would freeze in a minute." Angelina Johnson said.
"Oh yeah, mum got us new ones." Fred said as he turned around. "You guys go on, I'll catch... up" Fred Weasley's mouth never closed as he stared at the bare wooden door where the Fat Lady used to hang.
"Fred?" George asked. "What's wrong... BLOODY HELL!"
The three Chasers stopped in their tracks as they stared at the entrance of their Common Room, where the Fat Lady was now missing.
"The Fat Lady! It's gone!" Katie Bell said as she, Angelina and Alicia Spinnet hurried back to the entrance to touch the bare wood where the painting used to hang.
"Who could have done this?" Alicia Spinnet asked. "And how are we supposed to go back to the Common Room?"
"He struck again..." Fred said as he glanced at his twin.
"Whoever did this got some guts." George said a tone of admiration in his voice.
The Twins looked at each other and grinned.
"Wicked."
"This is serious Albus!" Minerva McGonagall fumed. "First the sorting hat and now the Fat Lady! Clearly there is a thief among the students!"
Albus sighed as he stroked his beard, lost in thought, his mind running different scenarios as to why Quirrel would steal the painting of the Fat Lady. It served no purpose and had no relation to the Philosopher's stone. Clearly he missed a detail, and wondered what sort of nefarious scheme the Defense Professor was planning.
"Do you hear me Albus? We have to catch the culprit! This is unacceptable! This is an attack on my House!" Minerva ranted while Severus Snape smirked, enjoying the reactions of his fellow head.
Minerva spotted the arrogant smile on the potion's master face and focused her wrath on him. "You find this amusing Severus? Perhaps this is a scheme by one of your Slytherins!"
"Hardly." Severus said as he placed the cup of tea he was drinking back on the table. "My snakes would never do such a thing. We are known for our subtly and cunning, not stupidity. This might be a harmless prank by two of your lions..."
"Fred and George Weasley were the ones that discovered the theft!" Minerva snapped back. "Even with their immature behavior, they are Gryffindors and the Fat Lady is as much of a symbol of our house. My lions would never do something so heinous... and dishonorable."
"Are you insinuating that my snakes are without Honor?" Severus sneered.
"Severus, Minerva." Albus stepped in before the bickering between the two heads worsened. "This is not the work of a student. Only eighteen students are staying with us, and most of them are not capable of this."
"And the ones that are capable?" Minerva asked as she tried to calm herself down.
"The oldest students staying with us are the Weasley Twins, Bell, Spinnet and Johnson." Albus said. "I have no doubt that they are not responsible for this and the first and second years are not capable of unraveling an advanced sticking charm."
"What do we do now?" Minerva asked.
"To be through, search the common rooms and the dorms of the four houses, though I doubt that we will get any results there." Albus said. "Have the students assemble at the great Hall while we have the staff do that, and Severus... check Quirrell's living quarters."
The four heads nodded and left leaving Albus Dumbledore wondering as to what was the purpose of this latest heist.
'Maybe he had a fetish for... large women?' Albus mused.
"Here he is mum!" Hermione said as she opened the book containing the picture of the boy who lived. She had recently received the latest book containing a picture of her friend and eagerly showed it to her parents. "That's Harry Potter... and look you can see me there!"
The picture was recently taken without the boy knowledge, showing him eating in the great hall. As with all magical photos, the picture was alive and showed young Harry looking up as a flash attracted his attention and ducking his head immediately afterwards.
Emma Granger smiled at her daughter as she placed the book on her lap and stared at the picture of the famous Harry Potter.
"He's awfully shy isn't he?" Emma Granger observed while Dan Granger looked over his shoulder.
"So that's the boy who had caught my baby girl's fancy..." Dan said. There was something familiar with the boy, though he couldn't place it.
"Daad!" Hermione complained as a blush colored her cheeks. "I don't fancy him, he's just a good friend that's all."
"Mhmmm." Emma said, giving her daughter a disbelieving look. She knew it was normal for girls at that age to develop crushes.
"It's true! He's really nice! Did I tell you how he helped me with getting back my quill?" Hermione asked.
"You told us a hundred times dear." Emma said as she smiled at her daughter. "And who is that beside you dear?"
"That's Padma, my other friend and roommate. She's really nice and friendly! We usually study together" Hermione said.
Emma Granger enjoyed the peace of the holiday as she listened at her daughter's latest story. It was nice for once to have not another round of fighting with her husband. She knew her husband learned that lesson well, or the consequences would be dire.
Threatening to have magic vanish her husband's manhood was enough of a threat, when she pretended that she befriended a witch while in Diagon Alley capable of delivering the threat.
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