Seventh Floor Corridor

[NarwhalTears]

Indala climbed the final staircase that let out onto the
seventh floor corridor and back to the Gryffindor Common Room.
She was no longer crying, but her eyes were puffy, and she felt so overwhelmingly tired.
Her heart was heavy and her thoughts where completely centered
around Will and how he had run out on her in the Hospital Wing.
She desperately hoped that both he and Tamara would be alright.
The fact that she had no clue what Will had been told nearly drove her crazy.

She was so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed the group of
people who were walking in front of her,
until she bumped into the rather tall blond one.
She took a step back and looked up at him.
What met her eyes was a striking resemblance of Will, except that he was much older.
She blinked a few times to make sure that she wasn't seeing things and softly choked out "O...eh...p-pardon me."

 

[Professor Tahiri]

Arthur Radcliffe
Head Auror

Arthur turned around when the girl bumped into him, looking at her inquisitively. "Oh, uh, it's alright young lady." When he spoke, his voice sounded a lot like Will's albeit deeper and more refined. The girl appeared to have been crying recently. This was not an odd occurrence, but Arthur's detective mind rarely missed coincidences. He raised his hand. "I'm Office Arthur Radcliffe. Is everything alright young lady?"  

[Professor Tahiri]

Professor Anyanka Swan

Anya stopped and looked to the girl who walked into Arthur and tried to remember the girl's name. She was sure it was something Grey. She shrugged when Arthur stopped to question her and waited patiently, even though she was anxious to get down to the Forest to show the Aurors the scene.  

[NarwhalTears]

Indala's puffy eyes widened in shock.

Thought I had been imagining it...

She quickly stood up straighter and lifted her head elegantly.
" I'm fine," she said trying to sound composed, but it came out sounding more like what it was, a cover-up.

I can't believe he's standing before me, what a way to meet Will's father!

Trying to move the conversation away from where it was going, she introduced herself,
" I am Indala Grey. It is good to make your acquaintance."
Without thinking she gave a little curtsy, and then blushed slightly.

Great Eve, greet him like you've been trained to your whole life.
Like he's part of the old Dark Arts families. I thought you were past all of that.

 

[Professor Tahiri]

Arthur Radcliffe
Head Auror

Arthur narrowed his eyes momentarily when the girl mentioned that her surname was Grey, but he relaxed when he noticed that she was wearing the Gryffindor colors. That didn't make sense to him, but he still smiled at the girl's politeness. "Your father isn't Demetrius Grey, perhaps, is he?" His tone was questioning, but still friendly.  

[NarwhalTears]

She watched as Arthur's eyes judged her for a split second before he relaxed again.

Of course he would recognize my surname, both of his children did.

Unconsciously she rubbed her eyes and then resumed her proper demeanor.
"Yes, Demetrius Grey is my father.
She paused and then asked "You wouldn't happen to know him would you?"
The question came out sounding a bit more hopeful then she had meant it to.
Either she was out of practice, or the stress of the day was wearing on her.
Probably both.

Well, I haven't heard anything from him. It's worth a shot to see if he's been put away.

 

[Professor Tahiri]

Arthur Radcliffe
Head Auror

Arthur felt himself smile for the first time since he received the letter from Professor Swan as he spoke to this young girl. "Unfortunately yes, I do know your father. Not that it's a slight at you, young lady. You seem like a fine, courteous, polite young lady. First year, if my guess is right. My son's a first year too. William." He paused and his thoughts turned back to Tamara. "I'd love to chat more young miss, but I have to meet with the Headmistress. If you happen to see my son, do not tell him that I am here. I would prefer he know as little as possible until we know everything."  

[NarwhalTears]

She nodded once in response to his questioning of her status here at Hogwarts and continued to listen intently.
The longer he spoke however, the worse she felt.
As she was charged with the responsibility to keep everything she had
just experienced with Arthur from Will,
she began to feel ill and her heart sank, her walls crashed down with it.

She leaned back against the wall of the corridor, her head bent down to
where she was looking at the ground, and breathed for a moment before deciding to reply.

" Arthur, sir. I know your son Will very well. He is a very good friend of mine, as is Tamara your daughter."
She looked back up at him pleadingly, still using the wall to support her weary body and soul.

" Will had been looking for her everywhere.
Just now I came up here from the Hospital Wing where he was speaking with the matron.
I could not hear what they were talking about, but Will must have been very upset.
He ran out of the wing without saying a word."
A look of pain crossed Indala's features before she continued.

" Apparently I was correct in thinking that it was something more than just
not being able to locate her in the castle.
Otherwise you would not be here."

She stood up no longer being supported by the wall and took a few steps closer to Arthur and his party.

"Please, tell me she's still alive."

At that moment she was reduced the the eleven year old girl that she was.
Tears formed at the corners of her tired blue eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

 

[Professor Tahiri]

Arthur Radcliffe
Head Auror

He listened to the girl say that both Will and Tamara were her friends and instantly decided to ask his children if they recognized her surname. Then she asked if Tamara was still alive. He drew in a breath. Honestly, he didn't know the answer to that question, but if the girl knew, then she might be threatened or in danger, and that also might put Will in danger, so he forced a smile to his face. "She's fine. I just need to talk to the Headmistress about her. Now, run along back to the common room, and if you should happen upon Nearly Headless Nick, tell him Art Radcliffe says hi. And don't worry about Tamara."  

[NarwhalTears]

Indala flashed a quizzical look at him,
not positive if he was completely sure of what he said.
However, she did not pursue it any further, allowing him to believe that she took his words at face value.
Before she took her leave she looked Arthur in the eye seriously.
" I will do as you have asked," she said as though she had been
contemplating his request the entire time they had been speaking.
" Hopefully next time we meet things will be different."

She tried to force a smile but was too exhausted to pull one off, so instead she nodded to him and swept off down the hallway,
happy to finally make it to the Fat Lady.
"Nargles," she said grumpily. The portrait swung open and she climbed through into the common room.

(( Next post Gryffindor Common Room))  

[Professor Tahiri]

Arthur Radcliffe
Head Auror

Arthur nodded when the girl wished that the next time they met, it would be under better circumstances. When she left, Arthur turned back to Anya and gave her a brief nod. "Let us continue now, Professor."  

[Professor Tahiri]

Professor Anyanka Swan

Anya nodded with a heavy sigh. She could sense the problems the girl was having and she could feel the sense of betrayal, but dismissed it. The girl would be alright once this situation was resolved. "We're almost there anyway."  

[Professor Tahiri]

Arthur Radcliffe
Head Auror

Arthur nodded idly, his mind working all the possible angles he could figure out with the information he had already been provided. He followed Anya to the gargoyle that guards the outside of the Headmistress' Office. He looked to Anya to recite the password and grant the two of them access.  

[Professor Tahiri]

Professor Anyanka Swan

Anya stopped outside the entrance to the Tower and whispered the password to the gargoyle. Stepping aside, it revealed the entrance to the Tower. "I'll wait out here for you to return." It was clear to anyone that she was itching to get the two Aurors to the scene so that they could find the missing girl.  

[Professor Tahiri]

Arthur Radcliffe
Head Auror

Arthur motioned to Michael to follow him, then nodded to Anya. He felt the same as her, anxious to find his daughter and rescue her from the madman's clutches. He started up the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Almost an hour later, Arthur and Michael returned to find Anya still in the same position she was in when they left. He nodded weakly, his already long day growing much longer. "The headmistress suggests we go to the scene tomorrow so that we can be well rested and recuperated to examine the scene. She has set aside two beds in the hospital wing for us to sleep in. Tomorrow, bright and early, Professor?"