Chapter 20: The Truth Unfolds

Penny lay quietly on the bed, deep in thought. Percy, meanwhile, was still tied to the chair and was contemplating on a plan to get to his wand- Penny had taken it and set it down far away, on top of the television.

Why am I here? Penny thought to herself. Why am I pleading for him like a sick puppy? If he won't believe me, he probably doesn't want to. Why do I even bother? I always hated how we had to have schedules. I always hated how everything had to be organized. I always hated that our every date was planned and not spontaneous. I always hated those d*mn lectures on Cauldron bottoms and International Cooperations. Why had stayed with him? Percy, what spell do you have on me!?

"Actual retail price: $19,027, Cornelia, you are our winner!" Bob Barker announced as a jolly little old woman ran onto the stage. Penny suddenly jerked up from lying down and saw Percy standing by the television with the chair still attached to him. He had tried to knock his wand off with his nose and accidentally turned on the television.

"Now what's this?" Percy suddenly asked, setting himself down. He stared at the television. "Are there miniature people in there?" Penny laughed to herself.

Yes, that's why I've stayed with him. His determination to succeed past his obstacles, his silly sense of humor…his fascination with Muggle objects…just like his father…His red hair, blue eyes…Oh Percy, why won't you believe me?

"It's called a television set," Penny explained, sitting at the foot of the bed, next to Percy. "Muggles send motion pictures through electronic transmissions."

"Is this entertainment?"

"Yes. This is a game show." IT was just like old times, as if they hadn't got into a fight.

"Kind of silly," Percy said, watching Cornelia play an odd sort of game by punching her fist through a wall labeled "Punch-a-bunch." Penny picked up the remote control and changed the channel.

"Rex, I can't live without you!" a woman said to a man who was heading out the door.

"Forget about me Dinah," Rex said angrily as he pulled a fedora on his head. "You have Dex to live with now."

"Oh Rex! You don't understand! Please listen to me!"

"No you listen! I don't care anymore! I was a fool to think you'd love someone like me! All along, it was just to get closer to Dexter!" Rex said, spit flying everywhere. Percy found this conversation to be strangely familiar.

"What is this show?" Percy asked. (Dinah: "No, you don't understand!").

"It's called a Soap Opera," Penny replied. ("It's not like that at all! Rex please listen!")

"Soap Opera? You mean soap will be singing?" (Rex: "No! All my life, I've felt like no one loved me!")

"No silly, it's…well…?" (Dinah: "I love you Rex!")

"Do ya mean it?" Rex asked, taking his fedora off.

"Yes, Rex! Dex was just being a good friend! I only love you!"

"Dinah!"

"Rex!"

"Dinah!"

"Rex!" The couple kissed and the scene cut to a young woman and a man in a white coat talking in some sort of waiting room.

"Your boyfriend is a match. We need you to sign his organ donor papers," the man said.

"Why me?" the girl asked.

"He has no other living relatives or guardians. You were the next to ask for consent."

"But…all right…"

"Thank you…when can you have it delivered?"

"The day after tomorrow…he's playing for an old church wedding tomorrow. They strictly requested pipe organ music."

"Oh brother," Percy said as Penny turned off the television.

"Percy, I've been thinking," Penny said. "If you feel that it's over, than it's over. But, I'm not letting you go until you believe me when I say I am not in love with Oliver!"

"Do you really mean it?" Penny nodded, looking deep into his eyes.

"Yes, Percy!"

"Penny, I've been such a fool!" Percy finally cried out. "I can't believe I tried to get rid of you. My head was spinning to fast and when you were hugging Oliver, the scene was etched in my mind! Penny, I'm sorry!" (Where's that sappy "Oh they're back together" music when you need it?) The two finally made up and gotten through their first major fight. The journey was on a long and rocky road, but they got through it. Penny untied Percy and he got up and hugged his girlfriend. After a few more minutes of making up, Percy grabbed his suitcase again.

"I'm sorry, but I have to leave you."

"Why? Where are you going?"

"Like I said, back to the Ministry. Mr. Cornwallis had sent me an owl about a peace conference and alliance with the giants. I wish I could stay with you, but I must be there for the good of all wizards."

"Can't I come with you?" she asked as they walked out of Lupin's room hand in hand.

"No, I'm afraid that no one is allowed to know their whereabouts just yet," Percy said. They went into the elevator and Penny pushed the Lobby button.

"But how will you get there? You must've missed your flight! Oh I'm sorry Percy!"
"It's all right Penny. I'm glad we got our problem resolved. I'll miss you," Percy said. He then kissed Penny goodbye on the elevator. "Don't fall in love with Oliver while I'm gone," he joked. Then with a poof he was gone, disapparated back to London.

***

At dinner that night, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lupin, and Sirius were all eating together in Lupin's room. They had ordered room service and were having a wonderful time. They all were in deep discussion of their holiday so far. They all talked at once about the Convention and the Magic Kingdom and about their curiosity of Dumbledore and all that. Ron had even brought all the pictures with him to show to Lupin and Sirius.

"Don't worry about Dumbledore," Lupin said. "I was at Hogwarts when Hedwig brought your note, Harry."

""So that was you who had written to me," Harry said. "So what about Dumbledore?"

"I don't know if I should be the one to tell you," Lupin said. "Just don't worry about him. He's a great wizard, you all know that." Ron decided to change the subject.

"This is us in front of the castle," Ron said, showing the photograph of Cinderella's Castle.

"Wow! I'm sorry we missed going there," Sirius said.

"And here we are on Splash Mountain," Ron said.

"How come it's not moving?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, Muggle photo…but it was great!! There was this big drop in the end! I loved it!"

"You were screaming for you r Mum all the way down!" Hermione said. Everyone laughed.

"This is us in EPCOT," Harry said. "That's when we found Percy's camera."

"Oh look, there's a deer in the picture. See there's its hoof and it's tail," Hermione said, pointing to the one of Ron and Neville in front of the woods behind the United Kingdom Showcase. The picture showed Ron and Neville smiling and in the very far side, almost cut off entirely, you could see some sort of back end of an animal.

"Oh well, the picture turned out good…" Ron said. They continued to talk for the rest of the dinner hour about how McGonagal had lost the school letters and how Dudley was a wizard. Soon, dinner hour was over and Lupin and Snuffles escorted Harry, Ron, and Hermione out of the room.

"Good night Lupin, Snuffles," they said as Snuffles led Lupin back to the elevator.

***

Harry was tossing and turning in his bed that night. For some reason, he felt something about that gazelle was not right. The dream started the same as before, but Harry forced his body to remain asleep, even with the horrible things he saw…

"Ahh, Fawkes…this is too much work. I seemed to have run low on my lemon drops stock," Dumbledore said, getting up. "I'll just be down in the kitchen. Don't wait up." Fawkes cooed as Dumbledore got up. He left his office and went down the spiral staircase. The gargoyle leapt to the side and Dumbledore headed for the kitchens. Although he could've just conjured a sandwich out of thin air, Albus felt it would be nice to visit the house-elves. On the way to the portrait hall, Dumbledore noticed the great oak front doors had been left ajar. The warm summer night breeze squeezed through with the soft moonlight of the coming full moon.

"Now who opened that?" Dumbledore muttered to himself as he shut the door.

"I did," a gruff voice said from behind a suit of armor. The owner of the voice stepped out and had his wand, as though he was ready to duel.

"You are no longer a school governor, Lucius," Dumbledore said. "What business do you have here." Other wizards, their faces hidden by their dark, drooping hoods, began to step out from behind other things like tapestries and statues and from behind closed doors.

"What's going on?" Dumbledore said alarmed. They all raised their wands and one cried out "Crucio!" Others performed other hexes until Albus Dumbledore, great wizard, feared by Voldemort, was brought down to his knees in excruciating pain. The wizards, satisfied with their curses, stepped aside as Lucius Malfoy stepped forward. By his side stood a tiny little gazelle. It was very ugly and its snout seemed squished in and his nostrils were like slits.

Dumbledore looked at Malfoy with terrified eyes and was absolutely anxious of what was to come. Lucius raised his wand and said in a serious, angered, yet triumphant voice, "Avada Kedavra!"

NOOOOOOO! PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE! Harry cried, but no one seemed to hear him, let alone see him. Harry woke up with a start. He's had dreams before where they were so real that they were actual events. Harry hoped, and prayed that this wasn't real. He fell back asleep…

"Parela Maldición! " Dumbledore shouted, swiftly getting up to his feet and pulling out his wand. A yellow string of light shot out of Dumbledore's wand and met the sickly green stream from Lucius's wand. When the two spells met, they had exploded upon impact.

"Give up old man!" Lucius said. "Avada Kedavra!"

" Parela Maldición!" Dumbledore shouted. This time, the yellow stream of light had reached the sickly green light first. "Your curse is weak Lucius! Give up now!"

"Never!" Lucius said. He motioned for the Death Eaters to continue their attacks.

"Crucio!"

"Crucio!"

"CRUCIO!" Dumbledore felt the pain shoot through his veins and all over his poor old body.

Stop with that Cruciatus curse! Kill him! The tiny gazelle yelped. Well that was what Dumbledore heard inside his head, for the gazelle just seemed to be yelping.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Malfoy said. Harry wanted to stop him. He lurched forward and tried to knock over Lucius Malfoy himself, but with no success.

Dumbledore could feel death come nearer. Death had poor Albus in its grasp, but he felt it suddenly diminish as someone had counter attacked the most horrible of all curses.

"Dispersimente!" the wizard shouted, causing most of the dark wizards to fly backwards far from Dumbledore. The stronger ones were still trying to harm poor Dumbledore, but the other wizard had managed to shield him.

Kill him! Get rid of him! Do anything, but kill Dumbledore! The tiny little gazelle yelped.

"Out of the way you despicable man!" Lucius cried out. Before Lucius could curse him, many of the other teachers had finally emerged, startled to see such a display. They all armed themselves and prepared themselves to fight. Harry turned around as heard someone running through from the upper floors. Professor Trelawney came sprinting down the corridor crying out:

"Hurry! Professor Dumbledore's about to be killed! The Death Eaters are coming!" She was a tad too late. The other professors raised their wands and began to curse and charm and transfigure, whatever they could do, to clear away the Death Eaters.

Professor McGonagal pointed her wand to a very tall Death Eater. "Ferra Vearto!" she said to the Death Eater, who was immediately transformed into a water goblet. "Serveus, hurry and fetch Madam Pomfrey! And get all of your blasted truth potions!" Snape quickly got away, dodging sparks and waves of magic.

Finally, the action disappeared as quickly as it had came. The teachers had managed to tie up a few Death Eaters and Professor McGonagal had a long line of objects in front of her: goblets, a trunk, books, chairs, pincushions, a slew of turtles and sloths. She also managed to transfigure some of the Death Eaters' cloaks into cages, trapping the Death Eater inside. They ganged up on Lucius Malfoy and he was trapped. Madam Pomfrey had rushed to Dumbledore and attended to the poor man. Malfoy was tied up and the other dark wizards had fled from the school, flying away beneath the full moon. The tiny gazelle had gotten away as well, under the arm of a Death Eater. The first wizard had disappeared…leaving behind a trail of paw prints…

Harry ran to the open doorway to see where the first wizard had fled to, but could not see anything. He turned back to and saw poor Professor Dumbledore, lying on the ground in agony and pain, resting his head in Madam Pomfrey's lap. She was crying and muttering, "Oh he's dying! He's dying!" Harry couldn't stand seeing and hearing this and he found himself again in the hotel room. His scar was screaming of pain. Harry had only felt such horrific pain when You-know-who himself was staring him in the face. Harry winched as the pain began to increase in his head. He held his forehead in agony. Ron arose from the bunk below him.

"Harry?" Ron whimpered, sounding very scared. "Are you all right up there? You were twitching and mumbling!"

"It's my scar! It hasn't felt this bad since…Arrrghhhh…"

"I better get Mum!" Ron said, opening the door.

"No, I'm all right…she'll just make the situation worse…arrgghhh…see if you could get Sirius…"

"Now?"

"Please!" Ron ran in complete fright, worried with fear about Harry. Ron carefully crept through the room, stepping over Fred, George, Lee, and Oliver. He muffled his mouth when he stepped in the sickly cold goop leftover from an empty can of shaving cream. He quickly glanced around and saw that Oliver was covered in the white fluffy cream. He let out a chuckle and then quickly remembered his mission. He crept through the hallway and was about to turn back to ask Harry the room number of Sirius and Lupin when he bumped into Hermione.

"Ron, something's not right! You won't' believe the horrible nightmare I had!" Hermione sounded scared too. "Where's Harry?"

"He's in our room. The room on the left…I have to find Siri-Snuffles," Ron quickly said.

"He's on the third floor, room-"

"What's going on out here?" Fred asked as his head peeked out of the doorway. "Oh, a little midnight meeting! Wittle Ronniekins is meeting his widdle girlfriend!"

"Oh, he's grown up so fast!" George added in a falsetto as he emerged.

"No, it's not what it looks like!" Ron mumbled. "This is more important!" He shooed them back into the room as Hermione mouthed what looked like "I'll go get Sirius."

"We woke up because Oliver started mumbling," Fred said as George tried to stifle his laugh. "We think he may have discovered the shaving cream in his sleep."

"That's nice," Ron said as he headed back to his room. "Harry, you sure you're alright? Hermione is getting Sirius…"

"It keeps getting worse!" Harry said, his hands clenched into fists and resting on his head.

Ha Hah! It's working! The creepy voice said once again. Harry and Ron looked at each other and strained their ears once more. It's working!

"Oh go away!" Ron screamed, clutching his ears tight, but the voice only cackled louder, for it was as if the speaker was trapped in their heads.

The Weasley can't take it!

"Stop it!" Ron yelled. Then his head began to ache as the cackling grew louder. His head hurt so much that he banged it on the window. The cackling was even louder here. "STOP IT!" Ron yelled, with his eyes shut tight and his hands on his ears. If he kept his eyes open, he would've seen the gazelle changing in the night. It seemed to grow taller, but its hooves were replaced with hands and feet and it's fur coat changed into a dark, heavy cloak.

Snuffles had came charging in with Lupin and Hermione close behind. The other Weasley's began to wake up and see what the commotion was. Oliver woke up, aggravated, and he yelled at the twins. The other Weasley's went back to sleep, laughing away, though Ginny knew something was wrong. Harry and Ron's door was still slightly opened and she could here an older man's voice. She peeked through the crack and now saw two men, one getting up from the floor. Ginny's eyes grew big and she was too scared to speak.

"Harry, what's the matter?" Sirius asked at once, holding Harry in front of him, grasping his shoulders. Meanwhile, a cloaked figure skulked by the window.

"My scar! It hurts! And something's wrong with Ron!" Harry said. Ron was still by the window, though he sat down, curled up in a corner with his hands on his ears.

"Make it stop! Make it stop!" Ron was muttering. Ginny couldn't stand seeing he brother like this. She thought the two men were hurting him. She let the door swing open. At the exact same moment, Sirius had seen the cloaked figure in the corner of his eye. He immediately transformed right in front of Ginny, not knowing her presence. He moved like a quick brown fox, not like a lazy dog, right through the window, shattering the glass. Sirius and the cloaked figure fell from the balcony into the Savannah plain while the others watched in horror from the window. Ginny, was holding onto Ron and the pain seemed to die away. Harry no longer felt pain, but anger that his best friend had to share it.

The cloaked figure had gotten away, and Snuffles had found a large burlap sack. Meanwhile, Hermione began talking very fast, trying to explain everything to a very scared Ginny. Lupin used a levitation charm to bring Snuffles back in the room. Ginny, though happy for an explanation, was still very frightened towards the black shaggy dog. She stayed from him and didn't let go of Ron.

"Was that, Voldemort?" Harry asked without thinking. Ginny fainted.

"I don't know, but there's a very good chance it was," Lupin said. By now Snuffles had transformed back to Sirius. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Harry? Ron?" Mrs. Weasley cried. "Are you all right? What's going on in there?"

"Nothing," Ron called out.

"Watching a scary movie on TV," Harry quickly added. He then turned it on. Luckily, a monster movie was playing. Dr. Frankenstein was laughing maniacally and a bolt of lighting lit up across the screen.

"I thought I heard glass breaking?"

"Oh that was the movie," Hermione said. She took out her wand and whispered, "Oculus Repairo," and the shattered glass went back in place, leaving the window looking as good as new.

"Hermione, when'd you get here?" A very cross Mrs. Weasley asked. "Staying with the boys you are?"

"Oh, Ginny's here too!" Ron added, waking Ginny up. "We were…er…none of us could sleep…and we watched movies on the TP."

"The what? Why can't I come in?" Mrs. Weasley asked suspiciously. Lupin and Sirius, quickly disapparated in case Mrs. Weasley broke down the door. Hermione went to open it. She muttered a few spells and out popped a bowl of popcorn, sleeping bags, and a mess. Ginny was awake now and felt very disoriented.

"Well you best be getting to sleep," Mrs. Weasley said when she discovered that Ron had told the "truth." The television screen showed Frankenstein. Mrs. Weasley laughed, "Looks like your Uncle Elvin…"

It's getting late you know…get some rest. We're going to the MGM Studios tomorrow," Mrs. Weasley said leaving. She closed the door behind her and walked across the suite back to the other bedroom.

"That was a close one," Ron said, falling back on his bed.

"I had the weirdest nightmare…" Ginny said, greatly worried. "I don't remember coming here to watch movies though…"

"Heh…" Ron laughed nervously. "Yeah you did when you said you couldn't sleep. Well, we better all go back to bed." Ginny left the room to go back to her cot in Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's room. Once they were sure she was gone, Hermione began talking again. Apparently, she and Harry shared the same dream. They were both very worried about Dumbledore and about that Dark Wizard.

"I don't think I want to go back to sleep," Harry said, looking out the window.

"I don't think I want to stay awake," Ron said, also looking out the window. "That horrible voice!"

"What voice?" Harry explained about the voice he had heard the first time he had arrived, the first night at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, in the woods at EPCOT, and just now.

"It's a dark wizard Harry," Hermione concluded. "And I bet you that it has to be Voldemort. Who else would want you dead, as well as anyone you know?" Ron shuddered at the thought.

"But how could we both hear it?" Ron asked. "Even Neville heard it."

"It's Dark Magic," Hermione said. "I read about it in our textbook. When an evil plot is set for any witch or wizard, many of them find somehow find out about it. It's the Dark Wizard's way of taunting his victim. In this case, he must've used telepathy or something."

"But how come we're not hearing it all the time?" Harry asked.

"Only when they're near or are getting closer to cursing you…" Harry suddenly remembered something and grabbed the photographs, Ron had taken that day. He looked at the one of Neville and Ron. The one with the deer.

"We heard the voice after we took this picture!" Harry said.

"Maybe the deer is being used by the Imperious Curse and is mentally-telepathying for You-Know-Who!" Ron said.

"Maybe," Hermione said. "I don't know, I'm too tired to think. Good night you two."

"Hermione, you can't leave us!" Ron said. "Sleep over! See, you even set up a sleeping bag!"

"Are you scared Ron?" Hermione asked.

"No! It's just that…oh you'd be scared too if you could hear voices in your head, trying to hurt you!"

"Oh all right then," she said, unzipping the sleeping bag. "Oh, what's that?" She pointed to the sack Sirius had brought in.

"I dunno," Harry said, noticing it too. He picked it up and pulled the drawstring. Inside were thousands of parchment envelopes bearing the school seal.

"The school letters!" Hermione gasped.

Phew! That took a lot of editing. Parts of this used to be parts of the last chapter. I hope Dumbledore's 'Death' wasn't worse then what you all were expecting. It's hard to write exciting things! I also added a few things and started to solve a few mysteries: Harry's Night Owl letter, the movement in the trees at EPCOT, the missing letters, the mysterious voice…more shall unfold upon the next chapter…as always thank you so much for reading and supporting my story! I'm very thankful for your reviews and comments and please keep reading! ºoº