Work Text:
Argus Filch was patrolling the corridor outside the library, since there had been an illicit intrusion of the restricted section several nights before. His ears perked up, hearing the slightest sound of footsteps, and then –
“YORWL!” Mrs. Norris cried.
“Chase them down, my sweet!” Argus yelled, running in her direction. “We’ll catch the troublemakers yet!”
“YORWL!” Mrs. Norris cried again. Then he heard his beloved cat begin hissing in fright.
“Mrs. Norris!” Argus yelled. “What’s wrong, Mrs. Norris!? Where are y-!?”
Argus turned a corner in the library and stopped, staring in horror. He had found Mrs. Norris, still hissing and spitting at a figure, fur standing up on end, as she backed up to get to him. The figure took a step forward, and to Argus’ surprise and horror it was him!
The other Argus looked exactly like him, from the clothes he was wearing, down to the scratches on his cheeks from Mrs. Norris falling off his shoulder and trying to latch onto his face to catch herself. There was only one difference. Whereas Argus’ eyes were a pale color, the other Argus’ eyes were nothing but pure black – not even a speck of white where the whites of his eyes should have been.
The other Argus took another step forward, and grinned evilly, “I’ve come for your soul, Argus Filch. Ask not for whom the bell tolls – it tolls for thee!”
Mrs. Norris jumped into Argus’ arms as he started screaming in terror. He grasped Mrs. Norris to his chest as tightly as he could without hurting her and then took off running as fast as he could, yelling out for help.
The other Argus waited until his terrified yelling was disappearing into the distance before he morphed back into the familiar figure of Nymphadora Tonks.
“Whew! Oh, I’ve still got, mmm,” Tonks waved her wand around her throat. “There, that’s better. It’s a good thing Charlie taught me that voice changing charm or I’d have been caught for sure!” Tonks transfigured her ‘Filch clothes’ back into her Hufflepuff robes. “I’d best get this book back in the restricted section and get out of here before he comes back with reinforcements. Looks like I won’t be picking up this week’s reading material tonight.”