Albus hurriedly cast a Stasis Charm on the fallen witch to preserve her body, because he knew that he had to deal with his cover-up later, as he had an appointment with young Remus. He glowered at the thought, throwing an activated Portkey on McKinnon, transporting her to the dungeons of Dumbledore Manor, which only he had access to.
Meanwhile Fawkes had broken out of his stunned stupor, screeching violently, sinking his talons into the old wizard's face with fervor, pecking his wrinkled skin with disgust. He was revolted by the wizard's behaviour, and he was abhorred to find that he still could not break their bond, the blood magic having a tight leash on the feathered creature.
"Calm yourself you crazy bird!" Albus yelped in pain, flicking his wrist, forcefully knocking the phoenix away from his face with a jolt of magic. "I know you disapprove, but this had to be done for the Greater Good..." He scowled at his familiar. "I really wish you would not argue with me about my methods-, one would think phoenixes were peaceful creatures." He grumbled.
Fawkes stared at him sorrowfully, and flashed out of his office to roam the skies of the Hogwarts ground. He technically could not leave the premises thanks to his Master's Hocus-Pocus that he tied him to himself with, but the Dark Forest, and the fields within the Hogwarts wards weren't off limits.
He flew into the heart of the forest, perching on one of the branches of a yew tree, that was cleverly hidden by the surrounding shrubbery. He trilled a heartbreaking melody, and the leader of the local Centaur herd answered to his call.
"Greetings my feathered friend." Magorian murmured softly, and held out one of his arms for the sad phoenix to land on.
Fawkes trilled in kind, and gently nuzzled his centaur friend's cheek.
"What had the old coot done this time?" The stargazer inquired, and the red and golden coloured bird pressed the crown of his feathers to his forehead to open a mental link between the two, flashing the memory directly into his mind.
Magorian's eyes hardened at what the phoenix showed him. His herd was aware for the longest time that the Headmaster was not a representation of Light Magic, because the stars have showed them his true colours, but they were not informed that he did not think twice about murdering someone.
Fawkes was trilling a disheartening melody, relaying his depressed sorrow about being unable to fly free.
The centaur looked at the legendary magical bird tenderly. "Never fear, my feathered friend, the Stars are shining bright over the horizon for you. The brightest of them all shall free you from the weight of your curse, and you will have free will and choice once more." He stroked his feathers gently, and smiled.
For the first time in what felt like forever, the beautiful phoenix's heart was soaring with hope again. He could not wait to meet the person who would free him from his prison. He trilled thankfully to Magorian, and when he flew back towards the castle, he left one of his tail feathers behind as a token of his gratitude and affection.
Albus was exasperated at the behaviour of his phoenix and scowled, shaking his head. He did not have time to deal with the bird at the moment though. He needed to get ready for his meeting with Lupin, and decide how to handle him. He did not necessarily want to permanently silence another person today, but he would do whatever was required.
While he waited for his guest, he quickly cast a plethora of innocuous charms and spells to cover up his use of an Unforgivable Curse. It was ridiculously easy to make one's wand seem uninvolved in a criminal situation, if one was aware of the loopholes, and Albus Dumbledore made it his business to know each and every escape clause, and use them to his benefit. To do otherwise would be incredibly artless.
Once he was satisfied, he tucked his wand into an invisible holster that was secured across his left inner arm, and flopped down on one of the arm-chairs, softly whistling his favourite tune. He had to take his mind off the McKinnon witch, because if he was honest with himself, he was uncomfortable with what he did, as he was under the influence of alcohol, and his judgement might have been slightly clouded, and he acted on cold dread alone, without thinking about the possible consequences.
Albus knew that he could make the situation seem like it was done by someone else, but all the same, he did not want to act so hastily with the werewolf, thus he needed to calm down. He sighed, and reached over into the ornate golden bowl that held his favourite muggle candy, plopping a few into his mouth, sucking on them with pleasure.
He did not have much time to contemplate his actions, or construct a plan of response, as the fireplace flared once more with bright green flames, and Remus Lupin stepped out, his form stiff and his face strangely impassive, which was very unlike him. It was clear that he was forcing himself to appear calm and collected, but the Headmaster knew the truth.
"Ah, my dear Remus!" He greeted him cheerfully. "How are you on this fine day, my friend?" He asked kindly, but in truth his tone held a subtle mocking undertone, that he wasn't sure he would catch.
Lupin struggled with keeping a straight face. "I've just come from Gringotts." He hummed, and sat on the chair opposite Dumbledore. "How has your day been so far, Headmaster? "
"It has been quite an eventful morning. I had some matters to settle." He vaguely answered. "What business did you have at Gringotts, my dear boy?"
Remus was simmering with so many layers of anger, that he was unsure how long he could keep his facial features on the straight and narrow. "I attended the Potter will reading, as you already know." He frowned.
"Yes, well-" He grimaced in kind. This conversation was going as well as it was expected, strained beyond belief. "How about a spot of lunch?" Albus suggested to distract from the obvious tension.
Lupin nodded his consent, and Dumbledore called for Sippy's assistance once again. The elf did not even appear, just delivered the mouthwatering display of tasty cuisine. She prepared them some bite-sized appetizers, which consisted of baby vegetables dipped in melted cheese, and a little bit of elf-made wine. She cooked two enormous steaks for the wizards, with a side of French fries, and a selection of various sauces and spices they could add to their meal. Finally, for dessert, she baked a gorgeous chocolate cake.
They ate in complete silence, which was not how they usually spent their time together.
"Remus-" Dumbledore chimed, before hesitating slightly.
"Yes, Headmaster?" He echoed, glancing at the elderly wizard.
"I hope that you will keep certain, ah-, findings confidential." He remarked nonchalantly.
The werewolf blanched at the realization that Albus somehow found out about the discussion they had undertaken at Gringotts. He was reeling with all the possibilities, but he eventually surmised that the only way he could have known was if he scanned Marlene's mind.
All the colour drained from his face at the thought. He pulled out his wand and cast his Patronus to send her way, but the silver Wolf merely looked at him as if confused about the instruction. He repeated the spell, only to get the same results.
Dumbledore was part amused at the werewolf's frantic antics, and part alarmed at how bad this situation could go.
"Whatever are you doing, my boy?" He raised an eyebrow.
Lupin's jaw tightened and his knuckles where white from the sheer pressure of clenching his fists together. "Where is Miss McKinnon, Headmaster?" He asked, his voice like icy wind had frozen the air between them.
Dumbledore painfully underestimated the Marauder's intelligence. He should have considered that if he alluded to anything, he would figure out that the only possible source of information available to him was the witch. He subtly released his wand to his hand, all hidden under the long sleeve of his cloak.
He raised a silver brow. "Why would it be my business to know where Miss McKinnon might be?" He asked.
Remus' eyes hardened. "Because I know for a fact that she had a lunch appointment with you. She told me." He drawled. "You must be stuffed with all this food by now, having extra servings of lunch..." He quipped sarcastically. He usually was not a terribly brave man, but his wolf was very close to the surface, as it was nearing the full moon. His eyes flashed with a striking amber colour, his other half giving him courage beyond what he would usually possess.
Dumbledore was shocked at his audacity, and he was growing alarmed when he noticed the change in Lupin's eye colour. He decided to play things slowly, and with a level head. "Even if she briefly visited me, which I don't see how it would be any of your business Remus, why would it be my responsibility to keep track of her movement? Surely, you are able to see how ridiculous that sounds." He sighed serenely.
"You know- "He took a deep breath. "The really interesting part is that my Patronus could not find her, which is curious, as Patroni always find their target no matter where they are. As you are no doubt aware, the Patronus Charm is the materialization of pure positive energy, thus Patroni are able to visit any destination, even if their target is under the Fidelius Charm." He ranted.
Albus drew in a sharp breath. This was going to end badly. "Is there a point to your mindless lecture on the very charm that I had taught you myself?" He mused, his posture stiff with tension.
"Indeed." He pressed on, grasping his wand under the cover of his robes. "The only viable reason for the confusion of my Patronus is that Marlene McKinnon is dead." He voiced his theory.
Albus Dumbledore drew himself to his entire height, his gaze hardened. "Are you accusing me of murdering a member of my Order?" He challenged.
Remus trembled slightly under the power the older wizard exuded, but held his ground. "Yes, yes I am."
"Now, why would I commit such a disgraceful act, Mr. Lupin?" He inquired, staring into the werewolf's eyes, which held so much loathing, that he was certain Remus was convinced that he murdered McKinnon. "Also, please indulge my curiosity, if you will." He paused, and his lips twitched with momentary amusement. "Why would you interrogate a person, whom you suspect has no qualms murdering a fellow witch, or wizard? Are you barmy, my dear boy?" He asked in a condescending tone, shaking his head, like he was discussing detention with a misbehaving student.
The sandy haired man grasped his wand tighter, and let out a shallow breath. "I can tell that you know what went down at Gringotts, it's obvious. I am not nearly as unobservant as people assume I am, not to mention your sarcastic undertone you greeted me with." He snorted, ignoring his biting remarks about his mental faculties.
"Very well. I have to admit I underestimated you, Remus." He shrugged. "Well, it doesn't really matter now, does it?" He chuckled darkly, pointing his wand at the werewolf, merely twirling it around, like he did not have a care in the world.
"I suppose not." He replied curtly, muttering a non-verbal Disarming Spell that had caught the Headmaster unawares, his wand flying into his able hands. He felt a sudden rush of power, and without really knowing why, he stepped forward and simply gave the wand back to him. "So, are you going to kill me too, Albus?" He asked.
The Headmaster watched with masked horror in his eyes as the Elder Wand switched loyalties. This was not good, was not good at all, especially because the werewolf just handed his wand right back to him before he could disarm him himself. Darn werewolf.
"I never said I killed Miss McKinnon, my boy." He murmured with an exasperated sigh. There was no way he was going to admit it outright. He was smarter than that.
"Ri-i-i-ight." He snorted, rolling his eyes. "Well, if you are not going to murder me, how are you going to play this? Imperius? Memory Charms? Oh, w-a-a-a-it a second, you can't inflict control on a werewolf. Who would have thought there were benefits to turning into a bloody monster once a month..." He sneered.
The Headmaster was seeing a completely different side to Remus Lupin, and as much as he was infuriating him, he was attracted to his sass. He chuckled softly. "Despite our obvious, ah-, differences..." He paused. "I quite like you, my dear boy, which is why I could never hurt you. It wounds me that you think I would do something so unthinkable." He muttered, and Remus looked at him with sheer disbelief. "No, we shall take a walk down memory lane to your Fifth Year... Does some sad, unfortunate incident ring a bell, perhaps?"
Lupin stiffened in his seat. "Ah, we are going with blackmail then." He stated nonchalantly. "I should have expected that, even though I was not a willing participant in that particular stunt against Snape."
"You see, that does not matter in the slightest. I can ruin you with a couple of well-whispered words into the right ears. You could have a one-way ticket to Azkaban." Dumbledore clarified.
"I see." Remus muttered darkly. He knew that if he valued his freedom, which he did, he would have to keep quiet about everything that he knew, or suspected. He scowled.
"I knew you would see things my way, my boy." The Headmaster chimed tenderly, and sipped on his wine. "Now, how about a delicious slice of chocolate cake? No reason to waste such an exquisite dessert..."
~oo~oOo~oo~
Sirius was in his Animagus form, laying on the dirty stone ground of his prison cell, contemplating his misery. He was such an incredibly idiotic fool for going after Pettigrew on his own, and leaving baby Harry to his own devices.
What kind of Godfather was he to abandon his godson to the impulse of revenge?
The large black dog whined regretfully, as he mentally scolded himself over and over again. He was a sanctimonious arsehole. Not only did he recklessly chase down the rat and bumped into trouble head first, but he also disregarded how his actions would effect his fiancée.
Amy was no doubt cursing his name and his sheer idiocy, and he would not be surprised if she hexed him into oblivion when he got out of here. Well, if he got out of here... For some reason there was no movement around his cell at all, apart from the occasional Dementor coming for a pleasant visit.
That is why he was in his animal form. They did not have as dreadful an effect on him as a dog, as they would otherwise.
He curled his body into a tight ball of fur and tail, and continued his self-deprecating thoughts.
~oo~oOo~oo~
Amelia Bones was taking a temporary break from inwardly reprimanding her birdbrained fiancé, as her ire was solely focused on Cornelius Fudge and the Ministry.
Her mind was still reeling from the information she unexpectedly come upon at Gringotts. In the past few hours she had attempted to convince Barty that she had reasonable evidence to the fact that Sirius Black was innocent, but her claim was shrugged off.
She might have earned the title of Head Auror on paper, but in all actuality all the power was still in Crouch's hand. Her promotion was more of a publicity stunt, an act of good will to show that the Ministry nurtures talent, and respects the old family lines.
The Bones family was an old Pureblood line, and as such, she was respected more than she would be, if she was born as a Half-Blood, however their society favoured wizards over witches, thus she had to deal with a lot of gender generated prejudices and obstacles. It was completely exhausting.
"But, Minister-" She took a deep breath. "I have confidential information concerning the innocence of Sirius Black, and I am convinced that if he was administered Veritaserum, he would be pardoned at once." She stated firmly, her hands clutching the edge of his desk.
Cornelius frowned. Even if he personally would have been inclined to grant her request for a fair trial, his hands were tied by those more powerful than he.
"Madame Bones, you know as well as I that the circumstances of Black's arrest were pretty straightforward. He was caught in the middle of a dozen dead muggles, wand in hand. What more proof do you need?"
"When have you become the self-titled hand of Fate, Cornelius, or is it not Fate, but other third party influences?" Amelia asked with steel in her voice. "I was not born yesterday, Minister. I know that there are a lot of powerful individuals at play, but I will not stand for-" She sharply expanded on her thoughts, but she was interrupted.
"Now see here, Amelia, I will not allow anyone accusing me of being bought." He shouted. "I do have to say though, you need to realize that this is a dog eat dog world, where not everything goes the way you would like. Please stop shoving your idealistic agenda at my face, and stop wasting my time. Justice was served, my hands are tied, and this discussion is over."
Fudge left in a whirlwind of robes, and Amelia stood in her office momentarily stunned.
"Did that really just happen?" She asked herself in a whisper, banging her head against her desk.
She had her work cut out for her, if she wanted to get Sirius cleared of all charges, and she apparently had to battle the whole Ministry to achieve this goal. This would require time, and she was not sure that she had enough of it.
~oo~oOo~oo~
Once Lupin left his office, Dumbledore did not think twice about his next course of action. He grabbed a Portkey, transporting himself home, right next to the still body of Marlene McKinnon. He transfigured a piece of rubble into a comfortable chair and sat down, thinking about the best way to solve the situation.
There were several possible moves that he could make, and all had their unique benefits.
He could permanently transfigure her into some random object, and no one would be any wiser about her disappearance.
He could cast a simple and easy Incendio, burning her earthly remains, but he found that option very tactless. It wouldn't do for him to do something so lackluster.
He could harvest her body for his rituals, but then he would lose out on the very tempting fourth and final option: framing the Death Eaters.
The Headmaster chuckled darkly, and briefly touched the witch, apparating into her house, where he made a fine mess of things. He shattered the windows, and the lone glass standing proudly on the coffee table, spilling the contents onto the floor. He shredded the curtains and the fabric of the sofa, and cracked the mirror that was hanging on the opposing wall, knocking over a pot of white lilies, imitating a mighty scuffle.
He was just about to strategically levitate Marlene under a partially broken table, when he heard a stifled sob. He whirled around and stared at the dead witch's little brother, who was looking back at him with wide tearful eyes.
"You killed my sister!" He accused in a shrill voice, wild magic crackling around him, knocking Albus into a wall. He was impressed by the sheer power of the boy, but it wasn't time to lament on it. He sprung to his feet with surprising agility.
"Incarcerous!" He muttered, tying the boy's body, watching as the thick ropes circled around him, securing his hands to his torso, and bounding his ankles together.
"Well yes-, you see, she poked her nose where it did not belong, and snuffed it." He shrugged. "But it doesn't matter, you will not remember any of this anyway." He smiled at him, caressing his soft blond locks. His hair was so soft, that he sighed happily.
"You are a monster!" The boy yelled, flinching away from his touch.
"Aren't we all?" He hummed nonchalantly. "Well, as much as I am enjoying our conversation, time is of the essence here. Obliviate!" He uttered, erasing this instance of his memory, gently taking the small boy to his room. He removed the ropes, and tucked him into bed, leaving to finish what he came here to do in the first place.
Once he was done, he cast the trademark spell that every Death Eater was compelled to be able to cast, even in their sleep.
"Morsmordre!" He whispered, watching as the smoky vision of Voldemort's Dark Mark appeared above McKinnon Mansion, and disapparated..
A/N: There we go, the final installment of The Fallout. I went back to writing right after posting the previous chapter, as I had a clear idea what I wanted to happen, so I wrote it quickly. I did not want to lose out on the inspiration. It was also a good distraction from my horrible cold. I haven't been this sick in ages. Everything hurts.
Anyways, writing demented Dumbledore was entertaining. I feel so sorry for the little McKinnon boy though. I will have to figure out how old he is exactly, and perhaps have him with a role to play. Hm.
Also, things should pick up now that we handled the will, and the fallout. Next chapter we will have major Harry time, and might even meet Hermione, but outside of a school setting.
Thank you for reading, and I wanted to take a moment and say how stunned I am that over a thousand of you follow this story. I appreciate the show of support, and I hope you will continue enjoying this journey with me. :)
