So it Begins

From the mind of Professor Renzus Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Head Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry

The morning had been a fit of chaos. At around five in the morning, Minerva McGonagall lead a handful of very pale, shaken looking young Hufflepuffs with their equally disturbed head of house into the headmaster’s office to recount their story. Professor Albus Dumbledore heard a dozen rules broken before they even got to the point of their story. He wasn’t surprised to hear vague references to well known rule breakers, Potter and Black. The girls spoke fast, panicked– throwing useless information randomly into their tale with no real order or sense. Toga, fire snakes and masks. He rose a hand to silence them and McGonagall quickly enlightened him with her own, much more compact version of events.

“There’s a student – missing.”

They had the girls walked back to their dorms and discussed with the other heads of house what they were to do. It wasn’t necessarily suspicious. There were many intoxicated young students roaming the castle that morning with no excuse for their mental state or themed attire. Filch had been found sobbing uncontrollably in a cupboard, but was consoled slightly when Minerva returned his cat from drink tray form. The creativity of students always amazed and amused him, but their recklessness may have cost them that evening. Troubling thoughts had haunted his rest that night, screams and howls. When there was no sign of the girl by 7am, they agreed to gather the students in the great hall and launch a search.

It took a long while to gather the school. Most students looked suspiciously ill. They all took their seats with confused, low muttering. It had only been a week since they all gathered in good spirits for a feast to welcome their newest arrivals. Now the headmaster had to deliver potentially devastating news. It wasn’t as though he wasn’t prepared for it. Albus Dumbledore was a man always several steps ahead of most. The war had started years ago, truly, and he had been preparing for the battles to begin for a long while. It was only a matter of time before it came to the doors of the school, but even he had thought they had more time. There was still a chance that this was simply a lost and tipsy student, but something about certain details recalled to him led him to believe this was more sinister.

Once the professors were satisfied that all their students were present, the headmaster stood and addressed the school, earning an immediate wave of silence from eager ears.

“Students, we require patience this morning. A student is currently missing and members of staff will be conducting a search of the school. We cannot allow anyone to leave whilst we look for her. The student in question is one Evelina Gamp.” He paused as mutterings and whispers began, they quickly hushed when they realised their headmaster was waiting. Dumbledore would protect these children for as long as he could not only from the dangers they faced but the sickening theft of their childhood that would occur soon enough. For that reason, he would tell them no more regardless of their confusion. Satisfied with the silence, he continued, “In the meantime, two staff members will remain here at all times on rotation. Should you know anything about this, if you have seen anything suspicious please do not hesitate to approach one of them. And before you all rush to them now, we are aware of the social events taking place last night. This is a separate matter.” With that, breakfast appeared on the tables of the great hall and Dumbledore swiftly made to exit the hall with more energy than natural for his age.