Parental Interference – Level: Apocalypse
The four students walked in complete silence, closely following Professor McGonagall, who marched ahead with firm steps and a stern expression. In her hands, she held a smoking cage where the small dragon flapped its wings furiously, releasing short, high-pitched bursts of fire in a futile attempt to break free.
Red, on the other hand, walked beside Harry, secured by an improvised magical leash. Strangely enough, he wasn't trying to escape. On the contrary, he walked with a proud, almost regal posture, as if escorting his master on a diplomatic mission of the utmost importance. No one quite understood why… except, perhaps, his own chaotic dragon mind.
"Lemon sherbet," McGonagall said to the stone gargoyle.
The statue moved without a word, revealing the spiral staircase that led to Dumbledore's office. McGonagall didn't wait for anyone to speak and began climbing with determined steps.
As they reached the large wooden door, it swung open on its own before she could even knock. The headmaster's office welcomed them with its usual blend of warmth and mystery: magical devices humming silently, ancient books stacked in corners, strange instruments whose purpose was anyone's guess, and the ever-watchful portraits of former headmasters—some pretending to sleep, others observing far too closely.
Harry was the only one who didn't lift his head to look around. Behind the reflection of his runic glasses, his eyes moved with surgical precision, scanning every corner, every detail. His gaze lingered briefly on a few specific portraits before continuing his silent assessment.
"Great Merlin! An illegal dragon inside the school!" exclaimed Professor Flitwick as soon as he saw the cage. He began pacing in circles with a deeply alarmed look on his face. "This must have broken at least twenty rules! Possible expulsion! Or magical prison! Headmaster, what do we do? What do we do? We must minimize the punishment immediately! Maybe someone else is responsible! My students wouldn't do something like this without a reason!"
"Filius," Dumbledore said calmly from his chair.
"Maybe they were framed… you know how competitive students can be. Especially the promising ones."
"Filius," Dumbledore repeated with the same serenity. "Calm yourself. Hagrid has already explained everything. The egg was his. Apparently, it was given to him in a tavern by a rather suspicious-looking wizard."
"Oh? So… my students weren't directly responsible? Thank Merlin," said Flitwick, placing a hand over his heart and exhaling with relief.
"I've brought the students," McGonagall announced, stepping forward with the four kids trailing behind. She then lifted the cage slightly. "And the dragon."
Flitwick approached with a stern expression. "If you truly wanted to help Hagrid, you could've told me. I am your Head of House."
"We're sorry, Professor," the four said in unison, perfectly synchronized.
"Do you know what a Hungarian Horntail is? It's one of the most dangerous magical species in existence. Its bites are venomous and lethal if not treated in time. You could have died," Flitwick said, staring at them with serious eyes.
The students looked down. Although their original intention had been to cause a bit of controlled chaos—and maybe throw Dumbledore off-balance—they hadn't anticipated the consequences for their professor. Someone who genuinely looked out for them as their guardian and guide in Ravenclaw.
"When we return to the tower, you'll be punished. Two hours a day, copying every rule related to magical creatures. Until you're finished," Flitwick declared.
"Yes, Professor," they replied with resignation. They knew it wasn't as bad as it sounded. Some of those rules were repetitive or downright absurd. If they worked together, it wouldn't take more than a couple of days to finish.
McGonagall, however, didn't seem satisfied.
"Professor Flitwick, even if they didn't bring the egg, they did hide it, let it hatch, set parts of the hallway on fire, and failed to notify an adult. I suggest they also clean every school trophy—under Filch's watchful eye. That should help them think twice before doing something like this again."
"I agree with Professor McGonagall," Dumbledore interrupted in a tone that was both gentle and firm. "But this time, I will assign the punishment myself. After all, while they didn't bring the dragon into school grounds… they did parade it through the corridors quite cheerfully."
McGonagall and Flitwick both turned to look at Dumbledore, clearly surprised. It wasn't usual for the headmaster to intervene directly in student discipline. Harry also looked up at him… and Dumbledore smiled.
A soft smile. Ambiguous. Dangerously polite.
"Declaration of war," Harry thought instantly, recognizing the gesture.
"In recent weeks, there have been reports of injured creatures in the Forbidden Forest. Among them, a unicorn. Hagrid found one in critical condition. I believe it would be educational for these students to accompany him on a patrol. So they can understand the true danger of magical creatures."
"Have you lost your mind, Albus?!" McGonagall exclaimed. "You want to send them into the Forbidden Forest?"
"WHAT?!" Flitwick cried out, practically choking. "No. Absolutely not! That's—That's unacceptable! Let them write every rule in the school handbook if you must, but this… this is too far!"
"Don't worry," Dumbledore said, still calm. "I trust that Hagrid will keep them safe. Besides, these students have proven themselves to be clever and responsible. I'm sure they'll know not to stray or take unnecessary risks."
The tension in the room thickened.
But before anyone could respond, a burst of green fire erupted from the stone fireplace.
The flames surged upward, flooding the room with green light, and from within them stepped a figure with firm posture and an imposing presence.
A voice rose from the flames:
"I'm sorry… but I can't accept that punishment for my son."
Everyone turned immediately, stunned by the interruption.
They all turned at once to look at the newcomer—or rather, the newcomers.
"Mum?" said Harry, eyes wide with surprise, though there was a spark of happiness behind them.
Right behind Wanda, Narcissa Malfoy strode into the office with her usual expression: serious, elegant, and with just enough disdain to fill the room like expensive perfume. She scanned the space with casual disinterest, as if she'd seen far more impressive places before.
And closing the group, hands in his pockets and a proud smirk on his face, was Sirius Black—watching the four students with an expression somewhere between "I raised you well" and "What did you do now?"
Wanda smiled briefly upon seeing Harry—one of those smiles that seemed to shine for him alone. But as soon as her attention turned back to Dumbledore, her expression became firm, unshakable.
"Mrs. Maximoff. Mrs. Malfoy. Mr. Black. It's a pleasure to have you here," Dumbledore greeted them with his characteristic, unbreakable calm. "May I ask what brings you to us today?"
"Oh, I just came to introduce myself," Sirius chimed in with a cheerful tone. "I'm something like a representative of the School Board. I suppose we'll be seeing each other quite often, Headmaster. I do hope we get along."
He stepped forward a couple of paces, but Narcissa casually pushed him back with one hand, as if brushing aside a servant who'd spoken out of turn. Sirius didn't protest—he just rolled his eyes and stepped behind them again.
Clearly, his main function was being the tag-along they used to enter the Headmaster's office without needing an official appointment.
"We came for the dragon," Narcissa said bluntly, crossing her arms. "But we overheard something interesting through the Floo Network… You're planning to send my son into the Forbidden Forest?"
Her tone chilled the room.
"That forest has that name for a reason, doesn't it?"
"Perhaps Harry does deserve punishment," Wanda added, her voice soft but charged with the kind of quiet threat that hangs in the air before a thunderstorm. "He made a mistake. But as his mother… I can't allow him near danger. So I thought—maybe if I simply erase everything dangerous from the forest, problem solved."
Her eyes slowly turned scarlet.
A low hum filled the room. The portraits of former headmasters began to tremble, and one of them—a Victorian-looking witch—vanished from her frame with a startled shriek.
Everyone felt it.
If that woman wanted to, she could erase entire species from existence. And she wouldn't even have to move to do it.
"You're in trouble, Headmaster," Sirius said theatrically, shaking his head with a smile. "As a representative of the School Board, I can't approve of this."
He was clearly enjoying his new role—until Wanda and Narcissa both turned to stare at him in perfect synchrony. Sirius shut his mouth immediately and stepped back like a man who'd just seen Death approaching in heels.
He turned to the four students and the small red dragon, adopting a more casual tone.
"Come along, troublemakers. Let the scary people and the Headmaster discuss adult matters. Tell me what's changed around Hogwarts since I left."
He glanced at Flitwick for permission, and the tiny professor nodded quickly. He, too, could feel that the air between the women and Dumbledore was growing… heavier.
…
"Your mums are absolutely terrifying," Sirius said as soon as they exited the office.
"I'm telling my mum you said that," Draco said without hesitation.
"Me too," Harry added immediately, with clear enthusiasm.
"Great. Do that. Tell them I was the one who opened his big mouth. Let's see if I survive the week," Sirius muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Anyway. Come on. Show me the school. I need to know just how bad things have gotten."
"How did you even get that job?" Hermione asked, arms crossed.
"Money," Sirius repeated simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He shrugged. "To be specific… your parents bought shares, gained board votes, and I did too. Naturally."
The kids stared at him as he continued, gesturing like he was telling a family legend.
"And then… the civil war began. A real competition."
"Competition?" Daphne asked, her interest clearly piqued.
"Deadly competition," Sirius corrected with a shiver. "Everyone wanted to be the official representative. The position lets you visit the school whenever you want, weigh in on decisions, snoop around without being kicked out… basically, Hogwarts VIP access."
He made a dramatic pause. He was clearly enjoying the spotlight.
"Friendships nearly died. Lives were at stake. Mine, mostly. It was ugly. Screaming, broken pacts, legal threats… and a violent duel in the middle of the Greengrass garden."
"Violent duel?" Draco murmured.
"Let's not get into the details. I had to ask the Lovegoods for help to negotiate a truce. They always have strange ideas… but they work. In the end, I convinced everyone that they were too busy with their companies, the Ministry, and their whole golem-selling empire."
"And you?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"I'm free," Sirius said proudly. "Because I made Lupin the CEO of all my businesses. He works. I supervise. From far away. Very far away."
His tone was so proud, he might as well have saved the wizarding world with that decision.
"So you basically dumped all the work on Uncle Remus and now you just loaf around?" Harry asked with a serious look.
"Like the good old days," Sirius replied with a wide grin.
"When I grow up, I don't want to be an adult like you," Harry said flatly.
Draco, Hermione, and Daphne all nodded in agreement.
"You wound me," Sirius muttered, clutching his chest in fake dramatics. "Fine. Let's go. By the way… where's that crazy little dragon who's always following you around?"
His eyes landed on the broken leash hanging from Harry's belt. Only a bitten-off end remained, damp with dragon saliva.
Everyone stared at it slowly.
"Ah," the four of them said at the same time.
"Oh, I found him," Sirius said, pointing to the window.
They rushed over.
There was Red, sprinting gleefully across the lawn.
Straight toward the Forbidden Forest.
"How the hell did he get down that fast?!" Harry shouted, bolting for the stairs without a second thought.
After all… they were in the highest tower of the castle.