The Hunt

Chapter 11

Minerva's Pensieve

"What exactly are you saying Horace?" Professor McGonagal demanded. "The boy Minerva, I do not know why he did it, but Potter stared into his eyes when he bound and petrified the Dark Lord, and then he saw something in the eyes. There, right there in the Dark Lord's own eyes." Professor Slughorn was now pointing two large and fat fingers at his own eyes in emphasis. "But what does that mean Horace?" McGonagal asked. Horace Slughorn was mopping his brow as he sat down and indicated to Minerva that she do the same.

Minerva took a seat in a chair near Slughorn and asked, "Is there something else Horace. Something, that worries you so?" He took a long breath before replying, looking about the office as he thought out his words carefully. "Minerva, the boy said that it was not over." "Yes, yes you have told me that once already today!" McGonagal's voice was sharp and cutting as she continued, "And what else did Potter say?" What was it man?" Slughorn looked positively panic stricken as he replayed the scene over in his head again as if hoping that he had not seen what he had. The look in Potter's face when he suddenly looked about the chamber as if expecting to see some one else emerge and then the sudden expulsion of all that was friendly and could help. Voldemort was only a minion which meant that the war was not over. If Voldemort was a pawn, then this was not a game to be played by anyone.

"Come now, what else did the Potter boy say that has you so obviously worried Horace?" McGonagal's voice had calmed as she prodded once more. She thought herself what she had seen, and so wanted it to be untrue. Hoping desperately al the while chiding herself for not having seen it before…, long before now. Horace took another deep breath and answered her question as calmly as he could. "He said… the boy said…the Dark Lord was…only a …minion." "A what?" Minerva gasped. "A minion Minerva, a minion." Horace had blurted the last out. "But we've had no more incidents since the Potter boy defeated him." She stated. "Are you quite sure of what you witnessed Horace?" But Minerva knew that he had just seconded what she had though she had seen herself just recently.

Slughorn did not answer, he didn't want to. "Minerva, its been three years and not one word, not one incident. The Death Eaters have all been captured or have completely disappeared. Dumbledore himself has even gone back to sleep Minerva. We all saw, we all witnessed those Dementors as they applied the Kiss. We were all there when Potter summoned them and us to bear witness that The Dark Lord was finished. We witnessed it with our own eyes." Slughorn was trying very hard to convince himself that he was wrong in what he had seen with his very own eyes and just moments ago.

The Deputy Headmaster rose from his chair and began to pace the office. His hands clasped tightly behind his back he drifted deep into thought. He had known Tom Riddle as a boy and as the Dark Lord. Riddle was a leader among men and it did not sit well that he would be a follower of someone else's design. "How could I have missed this?" he had spoken the words aloud but Minerva paid no heed to them as he continued his pace. Slughorn was meticulous at seeing the potential of his students and had for years aligned himself only with those that would achieve great standing and power or influence. The only other Dark Lord greater than Voldemort was Grimwald and Dumbledore had defeated him during Voldemort's last years at Hogwarts, and Grimwald was not the heir of Salazar Slytherin and he could not open the Chamber of Secrets, but then Harry Potter was not the heir either and he could open the door. Horace had submerged himself deeper in thought.

Minerva too had risen from her seat and returned to her desk observing Slughorn as he paced about in her office. Taking her seat, she sat down behind her desk and buried her face into her hands. She needed help as she was unsure if she needed to raise the alarm. It had been three peaceful years and the only unexplained disappearance was that of Harry Potter's, but who could blame the boy for wanting to leave? She asked only herself. Potter had lost everything he cared about to the Dark Lord and there was nothing left for him here except for Ronald and Hermione Weasley. Without knowing she had swiveled about in her chair to face the portrait of Albus Dumbledore. He had been a source of strength to her for many years and she was very fond of him. "Albus," she said softly as if to herself. "Albus, help is needed." "I was wondering when you were going to asked." A bemused voice had said. Minerva jerked her head up to peer at the portrait and Slughorn stopped and turned as well. "What help is needed Minerva?"

Fred and George Weasley came bounding down the stairs of the Burrow shouting "Remus is back! Remus is back!" Bill and Ron both jumped to their feet and joined the rest of the Weasley family as they all assembled in the kitchen just as Molly hurriedly opened the back door to let both Remus Lupin and Tonks in. "Remus!" Bill bellowed as he clasped the man's hand and welcomed him inside the house while Molly and the ladies took in Tonks. Molly separating herself long enough to give Remus a hug and a kiss on his cheek in welcome. When the welcomes had finished the men left for the front room while the ladies began chatting excitedly in the kitchen while finishing up for the dinner to come. Moments later a soft knock at the kitchen door brought Molly Weasley about as she was the only one to have heard the knock.

Molly left the girls to their chat and opened the kitchen door and took a sharp breath. "Mother?" Molly let out a loud sob and gasped in exclamation as she pulled in her now second oldest son to a tight embrace and held him as tight as she possibly could afraid that it was either a dream or if it were real he would leave again. Percy clung to his mother as if he were once again a small and frightened child. Molly gathered herself and pulled away but still held onto Percy when he asked "Mother…, Mum can I come home?" Molly let out a sob that had caused everyone to come to the door to see what was happening but Hermione and Fleur both beckoned them to stay inside for just the moment.

"If you hurt my Grandma Molly I'll hex you!" A fiery little red headed girl of two years old was standing in the center of the doorway with a clenched fist on her hip and a tiny wand in her hand pointed directly at Percy. Mrs. Weasley still holding her son tightly, turned and said, "Molly dear, this is your Uncle Percy. He's your Daddy's big brother." Molly stood her ground and said defiantly, "Uh-uh, Uncle Bill and Uncle Fred and Uncle George are Daddy's big brothers, and he…," and she pointed with her wand ever more severely, "made you cry." "My daddy and my uncles would never make you cry. Only a bad man makes you cry because I heard you say that."

Ron and Hermione both rushed to their daughter and Hermione reached for Molly and turned her to face them both. Kneeling so that she was face to face with little Molly Hermione said as soothingly as she could, "Molly dear, you have never met your Uncle Percy before and you know Mommy and Daddy would never lie to you don't you?' Molly should her head but she still kept looking at Percy from the corner of her eye. Uncle Percy is your Daddy's big brother and you wouldn't want to hurt daddy's big brothers now would you?" again Molly shook her head no. "But he made Grandma Molly cry." She said plaintively stood not taking her eye from Percy. "That's because Uncle Percy has been away for a very long time and Grandma Molly is so very happy to see him again." It was Ron who had now spoken as he knelt to face Molly.

As Ron and Hermione were trying to explain to Molly why her grandmother was crying and who Percy was the rest of the family now joined in around them. Someone had taken the wand from Molly's little hand as Hermione continued on to say, "Now my little one, you give Mommy your wan…" "Molly Ann Weasley! Just where did you get a wand!!" Hermione had just realized that her daughter had a real wand in her hand. Molly instantly pulled her hand behind her back. "Molly give me the wand this instant." Hermione was now standing and her hand was outstretched waiting. Percy had separated from his mother and crossed the narrow space between him and Molly when he noticed an exchange between Molly and someone he did not see.

"It's alright Hermione." He tried to coax. "It most certainly is not alright!" Hermione exclaimed still standing with her hand out. Using her most demanding voice now Hermione said, "Molly you give Mommy that wand this instant or mommy will jinx it from you!" Percy tried again by saying "Hermione it's alright. It wasn't a wand it was only a pencil in her hand." Hermione ignored him and took her own wand out and began, "Molly…one…two…," Molly looked more defiant than ever but she brought her hand around in front of her before Hermione could say three. "You see Hermione, it was only a pencil." Percy said, as he extracted a pencil from Molly's hand and handed it over to Hermione.

Percy knelt down so that he was at eye level with Molly and extended his hand towards her. "Hello Molly Weasley. My name is Percy Weasley we have not been introduced before but I assure you that I am your Uncle and I am most happy to make your acquaintance." Molly looked about her to the adults uncertain as what to do when Ron placing a hand on her shoulder for reassurance and nodded that it was okay to take Percy's hand. Molly took Percy's hand and Percy shook it. "Molly, do you have something to say to your Uncle Percy?" Hermione intoned still looking unsatisfied about the pencil in her hand. Molly looked questioningly at her mother so Hermione added, "It wasn't very nice of you for what you did now was it?" Molly blinked her eyes for a moment and thought. "I'm sorry Uncle Percy." Percy, still kneeling in front of her smiled at her and said "It was very brave of you to want to protect your grandmother from a stranger so I think I'll accept your apology."

"Well dinner is just about ready." Mrs. Weasley said to break the ice and as Percy stood up each of his brothers took it in turns to embrace and welcome Percy back to the Burrow while the elder Molly beamed at her sons. While everyone was filing into the kitchen Hermione was watching intently for any sign of the wand that she knew Molly had definitely had in her hand.

Albus listened patiently as McGonagal told of her concern and after so many years of viewing the memory, she had just now noticed that Harry was saying something near the end of his most unbelievable fight and his unusual behavior near the end of the memory. Because of this, she explained why she had finally asked Horace for his help and opinion. Horace unable to be quiet any longer began to tell of what he had witnessed while in the pensieve and how he had positioned himself so that he could read Harry's face and lips and he expanded on Harry's most extraordinary power to not only expel the members of the Order of the Phoenix from the Chamber but to expel him forcefully from the pensieve as well. And where had he learned such a command was just as intriguing in the tale.

Dumbledore had remained silent and pensive throughout the telling as he took in both accounts of the memory that had barely differed in their detail. When they had finished speaking Dumbledore's portrait remained silent for a long while before it spoke again. "Horace are you without doubt, sure of what you had seen?" The question was not challenging but speculative in its nature, "I am quite sure Albus, yes; quite sure, but without doubt…, I cannot say." "And, you said that Harry had said that Tom was but a minion?" "Yes, but Dumbledore I did not hear him speak those words. I only saw his lips move to those words. I could be mistaken." There was a near plea in Slughorn's voice as he said that last statement.

"Albus," Minerva now spoke up. "You said yourself that all would be over once..," Minerva still found it difficult to say the name, "Voldemort would be defeated." "And there had been no word from Harry since?" Dumbledore had ignored McGonagal. "No Albus not one word. He came back to finish his classes and spoke to no one and then vanished." Minerva looked very worried as she continued to look at the Portrait.