In response to the owl received in his office, an overstuffed opossum waddled its way through the door and flopped over on to its side for a few beats before lazily rolling over on to its back. An impractical corporal form to be sure, the message 'spoken' from the silvery creature in the voice of one Charles Hollingberry was no less clear.

"Trouble at Hogwarts School at Witchcraft and Wizardry in the form of a pest infestation and accompanying unknown illness infecting students. Assemble in my office immediately."

And then, while still playing dead, the patronus dissipated into thin air.