"Phineas, you really are dreadful at reading people." another portrait rebuked sharply from across the room.
"While it is true that Albus often hides his true face to play the jovial old man... that was certainly not the case today."
"Are you, a former St. Mungo's Healer, attempting to tell me, a true Slytherin that I do not know how to read people, Dilys?" Phineas sneered down at the portrait of Dilys Derwent.
"I am proud to have been a Healer, you arrogant bastard." Dilys snapped back, her painted silver ringlets trembling with indignation.
"It is a far nobler legacy than whatever it is you prejudiced dark wizards left behind!"
"You insufferable bitch..." Phineas snarled, his hand reaching for his painted wand.
Dumbledore remained completely silent throughout their escalating argument.
He simply sat in his high-backed chair, his tired eyes gazing distantly at the empty wood of his desk, entirely ignoring the chaos as the rest of the portraits eagerly woke up to join the shouting match.
...
After making his escape from the Headmaster's office, Alister deliberately routed his path through the corridors where the first-years attended their morning classes.
He arrived at the Transfiguration classroom just as Professor McGonagall was instructing the students on the finer points of turning matches into needles.
He rapped his knuckles sharply against the open wooden door. Instantly, he was assaulted by the collective glare of the entire class, every student turning to see who had the sheer audacity to interrupt Minerva McGonagall mid-lecture.
Near the back of the room, Draco turned his head toward the sound.
The moment he recognized Alister, a malicious smirk spread across his face.
'This bastard,' Draco thought gleefully. 'First he and his sister humiliate me on the train, and then my own father scolds me for offending him. Let's see what kind of punishment McGonagall gives him.'
Sitting near the middle of the room, Astra simply shook her head and She glanced at Artoria, who was seated right beside her while muttering under her breath.
"Brother, you absolute dummy. Even if you're angry, is there really any need to cause such a scene? You actually came right into her classroom."
Yet, to the absolute shock of everyone present, Professor McGonagall who's infamous for her strict adherence to the rules and zero tolerance for interruptions infamous for her strict adherence to the rules and zero tolerance for interruptions didn't utter a single word of reprimand.
There was even a hint of smile in her eyes when she recognized it was Alister who knocked the door.
"Ah. It is you, Alister," she said briskly. "Do you require something?"
Alister would never know it, but his mere presence in this doorway was about to ensure that every bathroom in Hogwarts would be scrubbed spotless over the next few weeks.
Rumors that Professor McGonagall's famously strict temper had suddenly become 'gentle' would begin spreading by lunchtime, ultimately resulting in dozens of overly bold Gryffindors and a handful of cocky Slytherins landing themselves straight into toilet-scrubbing detentions.
Alister who would be unconcerned even if he knew about it, walked calmly to the front of the room and handed McGonagall the freshly signed parchment.
"Professor, I need to borrow Astra for a minute," Alister said smoothly. "I have to talk with her."
McGonagall was about to refuse him outright, but she paused the moment she recognized the headmaster's official seal at the bottom of the parchment.
She took the note from his hand and started scanning the text. By now, the entire classroom was practically vibrating with curiosity, all eyes locked on the mysterious piece of paper.
Finishing the letter, her lips parted in sheer disbelief. "How could Albus..."
She caught herself in time and letting out a heavy, long-suffering sigh.
The Headmaster had already officially approved it; there was nothing she could do. She handed the parchment back, while glaring at Alister.
"Are you entirely sure about this, Alister?" she asked quietly.
"Professor," Alister replied, tucking the note securely away, "I wouldn't have gone through so much trouble if I wasn't absolutely certain."
McGonagall nodded slowly. "Very well. Astra, you are excused. You may go with him."
The classroom was half a second away from descending into absolute, riotous chaos at the sheer unfairness of the situation, but the noise instantly died in their throats as McGonagall turned and swept the room with a single, terrifying glare.
Watching Astra hurry out of the classroom, Artoria deliberately turned her head away to stare out the window, blue and golden eyes narrowing.
'He just came to get his sister,' she thought, as a spark of irritation flaring in her chest.
'Bastard. He didn't even look at me, let alone apologize... And to think, after speaking with Grandfather this morning and learning that he was actually telling the truth last night, I was almost ready to forgive him.'
'...So be it, I won't be forgiving you either.'
...
Out in the quiet corridor, Astra sprinted over to where Alister was casually leaning against a stone pillar.
"Brother, what did you just do?" she demanded, grabbing his sleeve. "I've never seen Professor McGonagall lose her composure like that! Are you still angry about what happened this morning?"
"I called you out just to tell you about that and I am not angry anymore."
"Asher!"
An immediate pop answered his call as Asher teleported directly onto his shoulder.
Asher's usually sleek fur was an absolute, ruffled mess but she looked incredibly smug. Clutched proudly in her paws was a cluster of faintly glowing, red-and-gold phoenix feathers.
"Good girl," Alister muttered, smoothly collecting the priceless feathers and slipping them into his robes.
He turned his attention back to his sister. "First of all, I am going to be leaving Hogwarts for a month or two. That letter you saw was my official leave of absence, already approved by the Headmaster."
Astra completely froze.
"Wha— What?!" Her voice jumped, echoing loudly in the empty corridor. "What do you mean by that?! And how could the headmaster just agree to such an unreasonable demand from a second-year student?!"
Before Alister could even attempt to explain, Astra launched herself at him, clinging tightly to his arm,
"I am not letting you go!" she declared fiercely. "If you are leaving, I am coming with you!"
"That's not happening." Alister rejected her without even giving it a single thought.
He was about to continue but the words suddenly died in his throat. He looked down. Astra's grip on his robes was trembling, and her large eyes were already rapidly welling up with tears.
"Brother... are you leaving me here? Are you angry, even at me? What did I do?"
END OF CHAPTER
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