Chapter 42 – Too Many Questions In My Head

Note: Chapter Title from Little Mix's song 'Case Closed'

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters.

Trigger warning - I'm told some people are distressed by the whole idea of unbreakable vows so be warned, one is performed in this chapter.


Now that that's out of the way, let's begin…

Last time,

Hours later, fire from the study fireplace at Malfoy Manor comes soaring out, words burning themselves onto the wall.

We need to talk. By the lake in the forbidden Forest. Midnight.

Inimicus

Voldemort stares at the writing for a moment, then nods slowly to himself. He has things to prepare.

Now,

Harry stands at the edge of the lake in the Forbidden Forest, decked out in his Inimicus outfit.

Moments later, a figure approaches, and Harry is shocked to realise his scar doesn't hurt at all. It had been the horcrux all along…

"You wished for an audience?" Voldemort asks, speaking incredibly patronisingly.

Inimicus drops the blanket in which he had wrapped the broken diadem and locket. Voldemort stares at them in shock.

"Believe me, there's more where that came from," Inimicus declares.

"You are the reason they came for Nagini," Voldemort realises.

Inimicus lets out a garbled chuckle through the voice disguiser. "Oh, the Order has no idea they were helping me, but yes. Through them I had a few destroyed. And then poor little unsuspecting Harry Potter, of course, destroyed the diary many years ago, as I am sure you are aware." Inimicus takes a step forward. "So you see, Lord Voldemort, if I kill you now, there will be no half-death. You will be finished."

"Then why do you hesitate?" Voldemort questions, hating the vulnerability that he feels, but confident that the Death Eaters hidden nearby can deal with the child if there is a problem.

"Because I do not wish to kill you. As I told you when we first met, I intend to use you to discredit and destroy Dumbledore. Finally, it is time for that to happen." Voldemort looks at him in surprise. Inimicus nods. "I want you to speak against him, Ariana. Tell them what happened, what Dumbledore did to you. Make them aware of exactly what he created when he murdered his own sister."

"And why would I do this?" Voldemort asks, his voice coming through as it did when Bellatrix died, dual voices, and for once Harry can hear Ariana speaking.

"You're the one who wanted him to suffer," Inimicus explains, "I'm giving you that chance. It's that, or you die where you stand."

Voldemort debates this. "And what happens to me after that? If I stand before the Wizarding World to tell them this, they will kill me. How is that any better?"

"You are already dead," Harry reminds her, "This is your chance to punish Dumbledore for that fact. Does it matter what happens afterwards? Your purpose will be fulfilled."

Voldemort doesn't remember the day Ariana died, doesn't remember being her anymore, it's been so long and so many vessels have melded with her own. All Voldemort has known for many years now, is that Albus Dumbledore must be destroyed.

He nods.

"That agreement is not good enough."

"Then what do you require?" Voldemort asks short-temperedly.

Inimicus holds a hand out. "Nothing short of an unbreakable vow."

Voldemort hesitates a moment longer, but he's been working to bring down Dumbledore for too long to pass on what may well be his best chance to succeed.

Voldemort clasps Inimicus' gloved hand. "Who will perform the spell?"

"That would be me," Severus says as he walks forward, surprising Voldemort.

Voldemort chuckles, "You turned on me, then Dumbledore. Are you loyal to anyone?"

"Call it self-preservation. I work for the one I believe will win." Severus touches the tip of his wand to the conjoined hands.

"Will you, when I go to the public, speak against Dumbledore?"

"I will," Voldemort declares.

"And will you tell the truth of who you are, what you are, and how you came to be?"

"I will."

"And will you bring absolutely no harm to anyone from now until you have concluded speaking against him when I have requested."

Voldemort hesitates at this, then sighs, "I will," He says resignedly. Naturally, this does not say his Death Eaters cannot bring harm.

The rings that had wrapped around their hands fade, leaving marks on their skin.

"I shall contact you when it is time. It will be within three days," Inimicus reveals. Voldemort nods.

Inimicus then links arms with Severus who apparates them into the tunnel leading from the acromantula nest into the Chamber of Secrets.

"So how did you know that spell for the whole fire words on the wall thing?" Harry asks Severus after removing his mask.

Severus snickers as they walk down the tunnel back to the school. "I made it to torment Gryffindors when I was a teenager."

Harry laughs as they walk. "Not even surprised."


The Reapers are in the Graveyard when they return, waiting to hear how it went.

"We got the vow," Harry announces, everyone looking excited about that.

"We've been talking," Blaise tells him. Harry raises an eyebrow at him.

"We think enough people have died," Luna explains, "You said that you'd present evidence to the public and they'd decide whether or not he is guilty so that when you killed him no one would care to stop it." Harry doesn't recall saying that to her but is unsurprised that they've all been talking.

"Yes, and?" Harry asks, sounding irritated that they seem to be backing out just as they are about to win.

Draco walks forward, taking his hands, "We want to aim for a different outcome, that's all."

"Such as?"

"Bind his magic, banish him to the Muggle world, make him legally unable to enter the wizarding world again," Hermione tells him.

"And what's to stop someone feeling sympathetic and unbinding his powers? What's to make him follow the law?" Harry demands rather angrily. They had all expected such a reaction so none are particularly surprised.

"We are," Neville tells him.

Pansy nods, "We'll keep an eye on him, we'll make sure he's following the rules and that no one is helping him get around them."

Harry crosses his arms, looking rather unwilling to go along with this. He looks to Severus to see what he thinks.

"They're right, Harry. There's been enough death."

"This all started because he got people killed!" Harry argues.

"So don't end this by becoming him!" Ron says harshly, "You want to build a better world? Well that starts with how we deal with this."

Harry hesitates a moment, "I'll think about it," he concedes before he stalks out of the chamber.

"You know I'm really not sure that we managed to convince him," Blaise tells the others.

"Inimicus or no, Riddle-Potter-Black or no, he is still Harry Potter, just as we have always known him," Luna says airily, "He may dislike it, but he will do the right thing."


Finally reaching the weekend, everyone leaves for Hogsmeade, Sirius being entrusted, for God only knows what reason, to take the third years down.

"That cannot end well," Harry comments, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed as he sees Sirius trying to get the kids corralled enough to tick their names off the list.

"I can hear you," Sirius says, glaring at him.

Harry smiles innocently at him. "Have fun, Dad," Harry tells him. Sirius huffs and turns back to the kids, but Harry can see the smile on his face. Harry finds that his smile hasn't faded either. Then it does, unsure what his newly-found parents will think of all this Inimicus stuff when it all comes out.

As everyone heads to Hogsmeade, Harry secretly meets Remus near the fence blocking off the Shrieking Shack.

"You're sure everything's ready for this?" Remus asks him, nervous about everything finally coming to a head.

Harry smiles, nodding. "I solemnly swear it."

Remus chuckles, nodding. "Well then, best suit up."

Harry pulls on his Inimicus suit and then his invisibility cloak. Remus apparates Harry to an alley just down from the Daily Prophet main office in Diagon Alley. "Good luck," Remus tells him before he heads to Weasley Wizards Wheezes, if only because he knows he's not going to get attacked there.

Harry walks into the Editor's office without issue, finding it empty. He pulls off his invisibility cloak and looks at the issues framed and displayed on the office walls, along with various awards.

About a minute later, the door opens and the Editor walks in, talking with someone.

"Erm, you know what, I trust your judgement, you deal with this," He tells the photographer with whom he was attempting to select photos for the next edition.

"Barnabus Cuffe, I assume?" Inimicus asks.

Barnabus nods, "And you are?"

"Inimicus." Barnabus' eyes widen. Inimicus walks forward. "I see you've heard of me."

"Who hasn't, these days? You've made quite the impression."

"And now I intend to make a bigger one, but I need your help to do so."

Barnabus sits behind his desk, watching Inimicus calculatingly. "What is it you need?"

"A story run. I wish to bring justice against an important figure in the Wizarding World, and I want the citizens to decide how it goes."

"But to get them involved, they need to know it is happening," Barnabus concludes, Inimicus inclines his head. "Who is it you're going after?"

"Albus Dumbledore."

"Yeah, should've figured, all things considered. Though I'll admit, a lot of us were hoping you'd deal with Voldemort too," Barnabus explains.

Inimicus chuckles, "Oh believe me, that's happening too. He's presenting evidence against Dumbledore and will then be turned over to the proper authorities."

Barnabus' eyes widen, then he nods slowly. "Well, I suppose in response to that, I'd be a fool not to help. But Dumbledore, he's a powerful man to make an enemy of. I'd hate to see myself or my employees suffer for it. You sure you'll win in this…let's call it an unconventional trial."

"If the Wizarding World fails to see what is right in front of them after everything I have to prove it, we have bigger problems than Dumbledore after all."

Barnabus nods once again, "Right then. Let's get started."

Once it's over, Harry uses the cloak to sneak over to George's shop and into the back room where Remus agreed to be waiting.

"Ready to go?" Harry asks. Remus nods and apparates him back to Hogsmeade. He takes Harry's suit, going to the tunnel in the forbidden forest and stashing it in the Chamber before returning to the Fortress. Harry goes on to have a pleasant day in Hogsmeade.


At breakfast the next morning, there is shock and accomplishment and concern and many other things flooding the Great Hall as people read the Prophet, showing it to others around them, many looking to Dumbledore as they do so.

"I think you'd better see this, Headmaster," Flitwick tells him, handing him a copy.

Inimicus Speaks Out. Dumbledore Stands Accused.

Yesterday, Inimicus came to my office with charges to lay at the Headmaster of Hogwarts' feet. We spoke at length about exactly what he wished to accomplish.

"I wish to bring to light several things the Headmaster would rather kept hidden. The Wizarding World deserves to know the truth about the man they rally behind," Inimicus told me.

Inimicus challenges Dumbledore to join him in Hogsmeade tomorrow at noon and face the charges. He invites every member of the public who can make it to do so, for it will not be Inimicus who passes the final judgement on Dumbledore. Inimicus invites you all to consider the evidence he presents.

"The citizens of Britain's magical community should be the ones deciding if this man is the one they want shaping who their children grow to be. Is this the man we want shaping our future?"

The charges stand as followed.

The claim:

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is unfit to hold the position of Headmaster of Hogwarts and too dangerous an individual to be allowed to remain in the Wizarding World.

Grounds:

Dumbledore has knowingly and wilfully endangered the lives of all Hogwarts students attending at the time of the incidents on three separate occasions, leading to the death of a student on one. First in 1975, then 1991, and finally in 1994. And in the current schooling year, has shown erratic behaviour causing students great concern for their own safety.

Dumbledore knowingly and wilfully refused to remove a child from an abusive home in which he had previously placed the child, despite plentiful evidence of said abuse being brought to his attention on numerous occasions.

Dumbledore kidnapped a child, assaulting said child's God-Father in order to do so, and abandoned the child into the muggle foster system.

Dumbledore forced a juvenile student to ingest a substance to which she is allergic, and threatened to expel her from the school should she refuse.

Dumbledore altered the sentencing of a wizard in Muggle prison to exceed the original time of imprisonment from 1 year to a life-sentence with no additional offence being committed.

Dumbledore aided the criminal Gellert Grindelwald in his original attempts to overthrow the Ministry of Magic.

Finally, in the summer of 1899, Albus Dumbledore murdered Ariana Dumbledore and created the dark wizard we all have come to know as Lord Voldemort.

I'm sure that, like me, you'll be joining them in Hogsmeade tomorrow to help decide the fate of our world, and of our children.

Dumbledore reads through this, the frown growing on his face. His heart in his throat as he reads the final accusation. He forces himself to re-read the accusations, noticing several things and remembering a few others.

He looks up at the Main Table, seeing many still reading, and others staring at him. He looks to Harry who smirks at him and gives a small salute. Albus takes a deep breath, nodding gently a few times as he looks back to the paper. He should have known.

Nobody inspires loyalty like Harry can.

"Is any of it true?" Filius asks Albus.

"'course it's not, Dumbledore'd never do any of this!" Hagrid immediately defends.

"Can't help but notice he isn't denying it," Sirius comments, raising an eyebrow.

Albus ignores them, regarding the paper. Harry isn't an idiot, he would never have made such bold claims without a lot of strong evidence to back them up, or prove them without a doubt. Dumbledore finds himself genuinely unsure how tomorrow will go, but to ignore the summons would be an admission of guilt in and of itself.

Albus stands, the Hall falling silent in a moment.

"I suppose it is only fair to cancel classes tomorrow. You all have as much stake in these proceedings and should therefore have the option to attend. Those of you without current permission to visit Hogsmeade should write to your parents and attempt to gain such should you wish to attend…whatever this is," He tells them all before he exits the hall.

"Albus," Minerva calls quiet enough that the students will not hear, he turns back to look at her questioningly. Minerva hesitates for a moment, "You should know…I've been asked to speak tomorrow." The other teachers look on in shock except Severus.

"I expect many in the room have been. I hope you will tell the absolute truth, Minerva. It is the only way all of this will be put to rest." With that, Dumbledore leaves the room.


The castle is buzzing for the rest of the day, the teachers are all damned glad it's Sunday and they aren't dealing with classes while the students are like this.

Unlike the students, the teachers are solemn. Most had not seen this coming, Minerva still unsure what she wants the outcome to be, only knowing that this has to happen. Severus knows damned well what he wants the outcome to be, but that does not mean he feels no trepidation about upending the Wizarding World.


George is in Hogsmeade, apparently the residents had decided to set up a stage area for the 'trial' to take place. George sets up large screens like those used at the Quidditch World Cup, though a great deal smaller. He puts many up around the place with the aid of the townspeople, hoping for a very large turnout.

He organises with Madam Puddifoot to keep their witnesses in her café until they need to be called out. He puts the pensieve he bought on the stage, ready for use tomorrow. He then sorts out special placement right by the stage for Barnabus Cuffe and his photographer, as was agreed when he helped Inimicus. Then chairs are placed on the stage, enough for Dumbledore, Inimicus, the Minister for Magic, and an Auror.

Finally, he places a box behind the stage, enlarging it until it is taller than the trees and scaled appropriately for that height in width and depth.

"Thank you for all of your help," George tells those that had aided him in setting up.

"Nothing this exciting has happened 'round here in years," One of them says, "Not since a bunch of Death Eaters showed up with no bloody memory of anything back in the '70s."

George looks confused at that before shaking his head, "Marauder related, I'm sure."


Sirius heads to the Fortress, intent on finding out what the Order thinks of all this. He finds Remus in the living room, drinking, unsurprisingly, hot chocolate.

"Hey, Love," Sirius greets, moving to sit on the couch beside him.

Remus smiles at him, eyes crinkling in the way they do when the smile is genuine happiness. Sirius loves that crinkle.

"Crazy business going on, eh?" Sirius asks. Remus frowns, and Sirius gets a sinking feeling in an instant.

"Sirius…I need your help with something." Sirius raises an eyebrow at him. He sits up straighter, putting his hot chocolate on the side table and turning to face him properly. "Sirius, I've been working for Inimicus."

"M'sorry, what now?"

"I know, I know." Remus sighs, "Sirius, Dumbledore has done some bad things –"

"I knew you hated the man but don't you think this is a step too far?!" Sirius asks, standing as he does so.

"We're only trying to prove what he's done, what the public decides to do after that, it's nothing to do with us!"

"You've been betraying the Order, betraying me," Sirius tells him, "Do you get that?"

Remus nods, looking down for a moment before meeting his eyes again, "I know. I get it. But it's like you said, Sirius. If you'd turn on your best mate for it, that's when you know it's worth it. I believe in this, Padfoot. In a way I've never believed in anything, never seen anything as worth fighting for. But Dumbledore has done bad things and whether I like the man or not does not add nor detract from that fact. He can't keep getting away with it."

"How long have you been working for him?" Sirius demands angrily, apparently unconvinced.

"Since before you came back from the dead. Long before."

Peter suddenly walks into the room. "What's with all the yelling?"

Sirius turns to him, about to say something when he hesitates, apparently unwilling to throw Remus under the bus. But when Remus nods for Peter to come into the room, Sirius' anger resurges. "He's been working for Inimicus!"

Peter's eyes widen, "Plot twist."

"Plot twist?" Sirius asks, "You find out one of your most trusted friends has turned on you and your only response is to say fucking Plot Twist?!"

"Why are you telling us now?" Peter asks Remus. Sirius goes to shout again before remembering that Peter does this. He turns, still clearly fuming, to face Remus again.

"Because our evidence can't all be coming from the same spot. You were both present for events that prove some of our claims."

"Inimicus wants to use our memories of said events," Peter guesses, Remus nods.

"Oh, so you've been talking to him about us?" Remus sighs at Sirius' words. "I'm not going to help you discredit a man because he disapproved of your girlfriend twenty-five years ago!"

"I mean…and he killed his kid, but yeah," Peter comments, Sirius glares at him.

"Look, Sirius –" Remus begins, finally standing up with the other two. "– hate me if you want. But whatever your feelings for me, it's got nothing to do with what's happening now. All we are doing, is proving what we know Dumbledore has done. If it's all true, what is the harm in presenting it and letting people decide if they are willing to look past it?" Sirius turns his glare on Remus.

"What memory is it he wants us to provide?" Peter asks, significantly calmer about everything than Sirius is.

"Your memory of our conversation with Grindelwald."

"Why would they trust the word of a man who literally admits in that conversation that he hallucinates?" Peter asks him with a frown.

Remus shakes his head, "They won't, but it'll push Dumbledore to either show his own memory of things, or some other proof that those allegations are false, or admit his guilt on that front."

"And me?" Sirius asks, "What does he want from me?"

"Your testimony, recounting the events that lead to the battle in the Dark Forest, the night we obliviated those Death Eaters. And to show your memory of us warning him and his refusal to help," Remus explains.

"Remus the allegations in that paper…they'll ask for his execution!" Sirius tells him.

"Inimicus will step in and stop that from happening."

"And you're sure of that, are you?"

Remus hesitates, "…Well, the others are still trying to convince him of that. But I'm 100% they'll succeed." Peter and Sirius raise eyebrows at him. "98% sure."

Peter sighs but he nods, "I'll do it." Sirius looks at him in shock. "Sirius, if having the truth be known ends badly for Dumbledore, don't you think there's a reason for that?"

Sirius debates this for a moment, a frown on his face. "Fine. I'll do it."

"Thank you," Remus tells him, a relieved tone to his voice.

Sirius huffs before he storms out of the room and back through the floo leaving a heartbroken Remus behind.


Sirius leaves the Fortress, going to Potter Mansion to see Delphini. He finds Tessel trying to feed the uncooperative infant some baby food.

"Mind if I have a go?" Sirius asks him.

Tessel smiles, nodding quickly and handing the food over making Sirius chuckle as he leaves.

"Hi there, Little One," Sirius greets. Delphini smiles at him, giving him a chance to stick the spoon in her mouth. She smacks away at it before swallowing the food. Sirius internally fist-bumps at the success. "Whatever happens tomorrow will determine what Hogwarts is like when you are there. I hope it all goes well. Though, if everything on that list of accusations is true, and I know some of it is, then I'm not really sure what constitutes it going well anymore. All I know is, this war will end. And for your safety, that's the most important thing."

When he's finally got her to eat the bowl of food, Sirius kisses his grand-daughter on the head. "I love you, Delphi."