Chapter 12
"Harry! Albus!"
Albus jumped violently and opened his eyes. He was lying on the marble staircase, shaking. His father lay beside him, his face pale. "Dumbledore." Harry said. Uncle Ron muttered something and Albus felt himself lift into the air. He closed his eyes, allowing the smooth swaying of his body soothe him as he floated through the air. When he reopened them, he found he was sitting in a very comfortable, rather squishy armchair, near a fire. Looking around, he saw he was back in McGonagall's office. His father sat beside him in a similar chair, staring open mouthed at McGonagall's desk.
"Shut your mouth Potter, or you'll swallow a fly and choke, and I'm sure no-one wants that." Said a familiar, sneering voice. Albus turned and saw Professor Snape siting behind McGonagall's desk. Glancing up at Snape's portrait, Albus saw McGonagall sitting in his green armchair.
"How are you here? You're dead." Uncle Ron asked. For the first time, Albus noticed his family were seated to the left of him, just out of his line of vision.
"Tactless as usual, Weasley. Fortunately, I will only have to be in your sad, insignificant presence until right about…now."
Professor Snape flicked is wand, vanished and appeared back in his portrait, McGonagall vanished and appeared in Professor Dumbledore's portrait and Dumbledore appeared behind the desk.
"Umm… Sir?" Aunt Hermione asked. "How is this possible?"
Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "Well, being me, I have privileges. As I knew that it was inevitable that I would pass way during the 1996-1997 school year, I set about devising a spell that would allow myself, or any of the deceased headmasters or headmistresses to return to physical form. There are restrictions, however. The current headmaster or mistress would have to switch positions with the deceased head, and in order for a deceased head to regain physical form, the current headmaster or mistress will have to switch positions with each deceased head whose portrait is before the head that actually wants to regain physical form. For example, as I want to regain physical form, Headmistress McGonagall, has to switch with Professor Snape for half an hour, then with myself for the amount of time I wish to be in physical form. Each deceased head has to remain in physical form for at least half an hour, before they can return to their portraits. Finally, the deceased head in physical form is confined to the heads office, and the current headmaster or mistress can attend meals, meetings and any classes, but in, as muggles say, projection form. Wizards think of it as being a coloured ghost."
"Wow." Ginny breathed. "That is some incredible magic."
"Thank you," Dumbledore replied smiling, "Now I presume there was a reason, you came back to this office a mere five minutes after you left it for your towers?"
"Yes sir," Aunt Hermione responded, "We were climbing the marble staircase when suddenly Albus fell. We thought he'd tripped, but he didn't get up. Once we realised that he was having a vision, the kids tried to wake him. Harry,-Aunt Hermione glared at him- decided to go into Voldemort's mind, to see if he could help Albus. Soon after, he collapsed too. they were out for about two minutes, and when they woke up Harry said 'Dumbledore', so we came back."
"I see." Dumbledore replied thoughtfully. "Albus, could you tell us please, what happened in the vision?"
Albus told the tale, interrupted by various gasped of horror from the other occupants of the room. "Then Voldemort said,'I will give you a clue. Just one clue to the identity of my most my loyal, my most faithful follower. The one who has given me this form. Harry and Albus Potter, your clue is this: The one who has hated and loved more than any other, risked their life to save another. That is all.' then he smiled, everything went black, and we woke up." He finished.
"The one who has hated and loved more than any other, risked their life to save another." Dumbledore repeated, a far away expression on his face. "How very interesting."
"How, sir?" Lily asked.
"Well, Miss Potter, that clue could apply to anyone in the world. At some point in their lives every single person has experienced love and hate. We are looking for someone who has hated and loved more than the average human being. A person whose compassion is to be admired, a person who is to be cowered from, by all except the bravest of the brave, when they are angry. We know that they are male. Who knows what we will learn next? Think on it. Inform myself or Headmistress McGonagall of any possibilities the moment you think of them. You know the password. Stay safe, and repeat none of this. You never know who could be a spy. Goodnight."
They left the office, returned to their towers, and went to bed.
A/N: Please review!