Knock! Knock!
Knock! Knock! Knock!!
"Professor Annie, are you in there?"
After Dumbledore, who had sent a magical message but received no reply for a long time, sent Hermione to look for her, Hermione led Harry and Ron up the winding stone staircase to the very top of Hogwarts Castle's tower. Once they reached the door of Professor Annie's "little" room, Ron eagerly volunteered to go first. He pounded on the door and called loudly through the crack.
This was their first time visiting a place where ordinary students weren't usually allowed...
That was how things stood now. In the past, if students had dared to come here without permission, they would have been caught and hauled to Filch's office by that hyena-like, ever-present caretaker—or by his wretched cat, Mrs. Norris. Then they would definitely have lost points and been punished with cleaning the bathrooms!
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Professor Annie? Are you there? Professor Dumbledore sent us to find you. All the students and professors are gathered in the Great Hall now. It seems like you're the only one missing!!"
Thinking she might be busy with something else and hadn't heard the knocking, or simply didn't want to answer, Ron paused, then knocked again, harder this time. He also explained why the three of them had come.
"..."
"..."
But after he knocked a second time, the three of them waited for quite a while, and still heard no movement or reply from inside...
"..."
"Uh-oh!"
"See, Hermione? Professor Annie doesn't seem to be in there. We came all this way for nothing... How about we head back now? We might still make it in time to see the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute delegations arrive at Hogwarts."
Ron waited a little longer. When the room remained silent,