135 Pretending to Sleep (1/2)
Arth quickly returned to the great hall and pretended as though he had been in his sleeping bag the entire time.
Hermione was livid.
”Where were you this entire time? You know how much trouble you would've gotten in if you got caught?”
Arth gave her an apologetic expression before sliding into his sleeping bag. Seeing that Arth was unwilling to give an answer, Hermione humphed before turning her head away from Arth.
Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the hall to check that everything was quiet.
Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Arth watched him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking.
Percy was only a short way away from Arth, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer.
”Any sign of him, Professor?” asked Percy in a whisper.
”No. All well here?”
”Everything under control, sir.”
Arth couldn't help but snicker as he could see a bunch of opened eyes listening to the conversation.
”Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow.”
”And the Fat Lady, sir?”
”Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her.”
Arth heard the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps.
”Headmaster?” It was Snape. ”The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either.”
”What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?”
”All searched . . .”
”Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger.”
”Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?” asked Snape.
”Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next.”
How was it that Sirius Black was able to enter and escape unnoticed?