Chapter 8
"Neville what exactly is going on" She spoke softly but her eyes burned with fire.
Silence was met with that question for a whole 20 seconds.
"I was by Hagrid's hut when he apparated on the edge of school grounds by the Forbidden Forest. He claims to be the deceased Albus Dumbledore." Albus was quite impressed, Neville did not falter in his tone nor did he flinch at the glare levelled his way by the angry and armed witch.
"And you brought him up here instead of sending him away with the Aurors," the sentence was practically growled out. She turned to glare at the supposed imposter. "Do you have no respect? You dare to stand here before us… and to what! To mock a great man, a man who was murdered on these very grounds!" Sparks flew out of her wand and her arm shook with her rage.
Albus met her gaze with a steely one of his own. "I am the man I claim to be and I am willing to prove it with an audience with the Minister with the use of veritaserum."
"You dare to continue this mockery! I will not stand for it! Neville bind him I will be summoning the Aurors!" She turned to the fireplace reaching for the floo powder.
"Your first love was with the young muggle, Dougal McGregor." That one sentence caused Minerva to stiffen and pale. She turned to face the man bound on the chair, her mouth opened and closed but no sound came out. "You loved your father greatly but were despaired by his inability to understand magic. You watched as it caused him pain to come to terms that his wife and children belonged to a world he could never enter." She was slowly shaking her head as Albus continued to talk. It couldn't be. She had only spoken of her father and Dougal to one person, her dearest friend and mentor. Not even her late husband, Elphinstone had known of Dougal.
"Albus," she shook her head, eyes glistening with tears. "It can't be…you were killed, we buried you here. Your tomb lies here. I watched as they lowered your body into the tomb." A sobbed escape her throat and she fought to keep in another sound.
"I know Minerva, and truly I am sorry for the deception. But it needed to be done. I was so weak by then and in so much pain. I could feel my body shutting down, I couldn't keep fighting Tom. I was so tired. Although contained, the curse continued to eat at my core and my health. Truly I believed that I was going to die that day in that tower." The last sentence Albus whispered but it was heard clearly in the silent office. Neville was looking between the two, slightly confused and curious of the curse the Headmaster was speaking of. The portraits around the room were all silent as well listening intently. Minerva seemed to gain some control.
"Then how is it you are still here? How is it you are still alive Albus?" At that a small smile graced the old wizard's face.
"Severus. Severus is the reason I am here today. He refused to allow me to succumb to Tom's curse. He did not stop searching until he had found a ritual to save my life. It essentially suspended my body in time while the magic's in the ritual performed cleansed out the curse. I would remain unconscious until all the dark magic was cleansed from my body." He looked at Minerva and saw her shocked face and when he turned, he could see that Neville was in a similar state.
As the other two occupants within the room continued to resemble statues Dumbledore stood as he wordlessly released the binds Neville had conjured around him. He couldn't let there be any more delays he was here to get his son released. "If you could please Minerva call in Minister Kingsley Shackelbolt. There are a few things I would like to speak of with both of you." When Neville looked in the Headmasters' eyes there was only steel.