It was around 2 o'clock when the Minister suggested a recess.Magnus's stomach was growling wild by then.
All the grilling questions and explanations had seemingly wiped the little breakfast off his stomach, leaving him feeling famished.
"Filius, will you see the boy out and join us please... I have arranged for us to have our meals here."
"Of course, Headmaster... come on, lad," Flitwick said cheerily.
Magnus stood up, feeling a relief wash inside him, though he did his best not to show it.
He slowly followed his Head of House out of the Headmaster's office.
The huge doors swung open for them and Flitwick led him down the moving staircase.
When the gargoyle guarding the staircase swung open to usher them out, Flitwick tugged at his sleeve and he stopped.
"You did well there."
Magnus could see the truth in the professor's eyes... and he was right.Even he felt slightly better than he had when coming in for the questioning.
Not that he would fancy his chances getting any better.
In fact, the discussion that was underway about his fate made him more uncertain.
Seeing he wasn't there, he had to rely on his own mind's guesses and at the moment, his mind seemed pretty pessimistic.
"Now you go to the Great Hall and have your meals. Then you will wait there until you are summoned. Understood?"
Magnus nodded hastily before turning to leave.
"Magnus," Flitwick called in a completely different voice from that cheery, encouraging tone he had just used.
This one was the stiff version.The version reserved for the troublesome lot in Charms and Ravenclaw.
"You go directly to the Great Hall. Not any other place," he insisted.
"I understand, Professor."
It's like Flitwick had read his thoughts.He had planned to find Fred and Hermione and hear their version of the questioning...
With them also, he had a good chance of knowing where his Zorua was.
But now that he thought about it,that might not be the best course of action.
If Hermione had her parents with her,then it only made sense that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had been summoned as well.
Suddenly the encounter with them did not seem so enticing anymore.
He had seen how Mrs. Granger had looked at him, it was like she was accusing him of involving her daughter in his schemes.
He could only imagine what Mrs. Weasley would say.
He decided he was better off waiting for his fate alone.
Unfortunately for him,when he stepped into the Great Hall,he was shocked to find the very group he was hoping to avoid was already there.
His eyes immediately flew to the group on the Gryffindor table.
Fred was seated on one side with his back towards him.
His parents were on the other.
Fred was busying himself with his plate,but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's plates were empty.
They hadn't even served themselves.
Their focus was clearly on lecturing their child.
Hermione and her folks looked a little more relaxed than the Weasleys...maybe because Hermione's parents were Muggles and, as such, only relied on their daughter to enlighten them.
Knowing her, she had probably found a way to assure them that nothing serious or bad would happen to her.
He was surprised to note that Hermione's group was seated on the Hufflepuff table,despite the fact that she was a Gryffindor.
Then it occurred to him that maybe it was to keep them separate...
He didn't see much sense in it,seeing that they had all already been questioned.
Suddenly, he felt like turning and fleeing but then recalled Professor Flitwick's insistence.
Besides, he was famished.
"Huff!"He sighed, before forcing his heavy feet to pull him towards the Ravenclaw table,where a covered bowl and a set of plates were waiting.
He was trying not to look at either party...but from the corner of his eyes, all of them were now looking at him.
He had barely sat at his house table when Fred abruptly leapt from his table and ran toward him.
"Sit down!"Mrs. Weasley screamed,but Fred was already off.
"Boy! You come here right now!"Mr. Weasley boomed, getting up but Fred was already on the Ravenclaw table.
Magnus looked at him wide eyed.He didn't know what to say with all the screams and yells directed at his friend .
"I wouldn't have told them shit...but Dumbledore told me you had already told him everything, and that if I wanted to help, we had to tell them the truth...Did you? Did you tell him?"
Magnus managed a nodjust before Mr. Weasley reached the table and grabbed Fred by the arms and tried dragging him away.
"Did you not hear the instructions?You are supposed to stay bloody separate!"Mr. Weasley boomed at his resisting son.
Mrs. Weasley was now running toward Fred,who had managed to hold himself on the Ravenclaw table.
She grabbed him by the ear and twisted it.
Fred yelped and let go.
"I'm sorry, mate!"he screamed, as his mother dragged him back to the Gryffindor table by the ear.
Mr. Weasley had left him to his mother but was still standing at the Ravenclaw table.
Magnus couldn't stop a snicker at the sight of Fred being pulled away by the ear.
Mr. Weasley turned to him.
He looked around as if suddenly wondering why he was alone.
"Aren't your parents coming?"
Magnus looked up. the smile suddenly disappeared,at the realization that he was about to be subjected to another interrogation.
"No,"he said curtly, suddenly busying himself with placing some puddings into his empty plate.
He hoped Mr. Weasley would take the cue and leave.
He didn't.
"Is it true... that you are the one who caused my son's Pokémon to change and behave like that?"
"Yes."
Again, Magnus's answer was short and devoid of any encouragement.
He could, however, detect a hint of hope in Mr. Weasley's voice.
He was worried for his son and doubly for his career at the Ministry.
"You told them that, did you?"
"It's okay, Mr. Weasley. I made it clear I was behind everything."
He quickly threw a spoonful of food in his mouth just to avoid answering further questions.
"Arthur!"Mrs. Weasley screamed across the hall, and Fred's dad quickly seemed to realize he was doing what he had forbid his son from doing.
He quickly threw a look at Hermione's table.
They had been following everything in silence.
He smiled stiffly before quickly heading back to the Gryffindor table.
Magnus swallowed and breathed a sigh.
He had hoped he could ask someone about his Zorua,but it didn't seem possible under the current circumstances.
At least he could eat his food in peacebefore going to listen to his fate.
He would find out soon enough anyway.