A/N: Gratitude again is publicised for those heartening comments by the reviewers. And now another chapter in this short and humble 'book' of events. I have good evidence from the Potter books to back up the events that take place from now on…
Chapter 7: A Scene Unforeseen
Harry, Ron and Hermione sped down the stairs, heading directly for the Weaslys' back garden. There, they found all the members of the Order seated in a random fashion, conversing about recent issues in low voices. All talking abruptly halted as Harry entered. He looked around to find some old and some new members of the Order of the Phoenix. His eyes, however, were attracted towards another person with his back facing him who still was engaged in a quiet conversation with Professor McGonagall, who noticing Harry was watching them, signalled the mysterious person to look at him. The person turned around.
Harry eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in astonishment and surprise at the scene his eyes beheld. But it could not be possible, a small piece of his mind reasoned (the only part that still seemed to be sane). He fell; he was hit with the enchantment right in the abdomen. What he was seeing must be an impostor.
"Good Evening, Harry, I hope that I find you well," said Albus Dumbledore, serenely surveying Harry through his half-moon spectacles.
"Good evening, Professor," replied Harry. The man before him was roaring the class of authority that was almost a trademark of Dumbledore. "If I may ask, what is your favourite type of jam, Professor?"
This earned him many inquisitive and apprehensive glances from the assembled members of the Order. Dumbledore's lips, however, arranged themselves into a knowing smile.
"It is raspberry, Harry," said Dumbledore. Several members of the Order chuckled openly before lapsing into a questioning silence.
Harry's brain was blasted with questions, shaped yet shapeless. Eventually, he merely uttered helplessly, "But…how, Professor?"
"Ah yes! That is quite the tale that I am sure we all want to hear," replied Dumbledore kindly, "Take a seat, Harry." He motioned the three towards an assortment of empty chairs.
"I must take you back to that painful moment when the door to the marked tower was thrown open. I immobilised you and was disarmed. Did you not question yourself Harry? Why did I petrify you when you were invisible to our foes and in no danger from them? When I hinted to Draco Malfoy that no one will suspect he was dead if he died in an attempt to kill me? READ NOTE AT THE END Why did you think Fawkes did not try to save me as it had done on numerous occasions before? Avada Kedavra, if you did not know, requires a very strong form of magic behind it, the incantation alone is as efficient at killing people as a Jelly Legs Jinx. I knew Professor Snape would only last for one year when he took the Defence Against the Dark Arts job. Severus hated doing it, it took a lot of time to convince him," said Dumbledore, uninterrupted by anyone.
"I did, nonetheless, lose something, instead of my life," a sensation of pain crossed the ancient face, "my leadership of Hogwarts."
"Why then, if Snape made the Unbreakable Vow, is he not dead?" asked Harry, his spirit burning with hatred for the hook-nosed, pale-skinned man.
"Because, in her haste and impatience to save her son, Narcissa Malfoy did not throw light on the specific deed Severus should complete that had been thrust upon Draco. It could merely have been to infiltrate Hogwarts and Draco had been more than successful at it," Dumbledore shed light of the subject.
An ear-splitting silence followed the prevalence as the assembly thought over what had been said by their Leader.
Finally the silence was shattered once again by Dumbledore, "Let me introduce to you, one old and infinitely staunch friend and one fresh member of the Order of the Phoenix…"
Two illustrious individuals apparated into the garden with a loud pop. Harry, Ron and Hermione gasped mutely, before embracing an impassive façade. It was Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy, two of Harry's least favourite people in the entire world.
IMPORTANT A/N: This quote did not appear in the British version of the Half-Blood Prince (which I had the pleasure of reading) but it can be found in the, more indicative, American version. For more information, please visit (ask in your review for the website and I will send it to you in review reply).
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and yes I know its short but the next chapter is coming quickly. Please take some time to review!
