To Angel of Death: I'm sorry if you don't have the brainpower to recognise the plot in this, dear, but that doesn't mean that you can go demanding things of me. I really couldn't give a flying cow pat if you keep reading this or not. It's really lovely to how supportive you are of me, though. Especially considering that I've just had a nervous breakdown. Thanks so much.
Disclaimer- Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. Not me. I'm not making any money off this, I do it purely for the fun of it.
Chapter Thirty-Seven"How did you allow this to happen?"
Voldemort stood from the chair he had been sitting in and took a step toward the Death Eater standing in front of him.
"We were attacked, Dark Lord. There was nothing we could do…"
"Nothing you could do? Nothing you could do?! How many of my servants were there? How many?!"
"A…a little over two hundred, my Lord." The answer was stuttered.
"Two hundred. And one person – one person – managed to infiltrate the base. Not only that, but our only captured member of the Order was successfully rescued! The Order of the Phoenix must be laughing right now! How could you allow this to happen?!" Voldemort screeched, causing the unlucky Death Eater to wince.
"My Lord…"
"SILENCE!" The word was roared. The sound of Voldemort drawing in a deep breath was the only one in the room, before he started speaking again.
"You will all be punished, of course. However, right now what we need to do is make sure that the damage caused by this…blunder…is as minimal as possible. I will need to contact my spy at Hogwarts."
"Y-Yes Sir. I will ask for the serum to be brought at once."
"Yes…you do that. Oh, and Terunth?"
"Yes Sir?"
"Crucio."
Terunth fell to the floor, writhing in agony as the curse shot through him. Voldemort held it for a few seconds before stopping. He stepped up to Terunth, gazing down on him as he gasped for breath. Voldemort smirked and kicked him in the guts before turning away.
"Never, ever assume what my orders will be, Terunth. Ever."
* * *
"I want to see Harry."
Mundungus was sitting in Dumbledore's office. He had spent three weeks in the Hospital Wing after his rescue, and had asked to see Harry more than once during that time.
"I know, Mundungus," the Headmaster answered, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his middle and index fingers.
"Then why haven't you let me?"
"Because I thought that seeing you as you have been would not have been good for Harry. I'm worried about him, Mundungus. He seems to be fine, but I just don't know…" Dumbledore sighed. "I suppose that he will have to see you sooner or later at the meetings, though."
"You mean you'll let me talk to him?" Mundungus asked, leaning forward slightly in anticipation of the answer.
"Yes. I will ask for him to meet me in an hour, and you can talk. Just try not to mention what they did to you in there, understood?"
Mundungus shuddered. "I wouldn't tell him, even if he asked."
* * *
"Professor Dumbledore wants you to go and see him now, Harry," Professor McGonagall told Harry as he walked into class.
"But what about class?" Harry asked, stepping out of the way of Ron as he walked in. Harry wasn't sure, but it looked like Ron was avoiding looking at him.
"I'm sure that missing one lesson will not have a hugely detrimental effect on your learning, Mr. Potter."
"Yes, Professor," Harry sighed. McGonagall frowned and, lowering her voice spoke again.
"Harry…are you all right? I know you have been under a lot of pressure…"
"I'm fine, Professor," Harry reassured her.
"Are you sure? You can always talk to me – there is a reason we have Heads of the houses, you know."
"I'm fine," Harry repeated. "Just fine."
"Alright then. Off you go, now."
Professor McGonagall watched as Harry walked away.
"I'm not certain whether you know if you're okay yourself, Harry," She murmured, shaking her head.
* * *
"Blood pops," Harry said, waiting for the Gargoyle to move. It did so, and rather happily for a change.
"Got to see the Headmaster, do you? What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time, I wonder?" It said, grinning as Harry walked past it. "Good luck!"
"Thanks," Harry called back, beginning to feel rather nervous. The gargoyle had acted as if it knew he was in trouble for some reason, but Harry couldn't think of a single thing that he had done wrong in the past week, unless you counted sneaking into the kitchens for a midnight snack. Dumbledore wouldn't have called him out of class for something so trivial, though…he hoped. He reached the door of Dumbledore's study and, realising that sometime after his last visit the Professor had fitted one of those old demon-faced knockers to the door, used it. There was silence for a moment, and then—
"Oi! Harry Potter's here to see you!"
Harry jumped backwards, looking about wildly to see where the voice had originated from.
"Always forgetting his appointments, he is…" Harry realised that it was the doorknocker speaking when it began to mumble under its breath. The door swung open, and Professor Dumbledore poked his head out.
"Ah, Harry. I see you have met my new knocker, Clarence," He said, holding the door open for Harry. "He's a little cranky, today – he had to have his screws tightened," he added in a whisper.
"I see," Harry said, not sure that he did at all.
"I heard that, you crackpot old fool!" Clarence's voice passed through the door, slightly muffled by the thick wood. Dumbledore chuckled.
"I really must teach Clarence about manners, some time. Have a seat, Harry."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, sitting down in one of the least over-stuffed chairs in the room.
"I'm sure that you've been wondering how Mundungus is getting along, Harry," Dumbledore began, "he's been asking to see you for quite a while now. I have arranged for you to spend some time talking to him today. He's still recovering from his ordeal, however, so I must ask you to try not to get him too excited."
"Yes, Sir," Harry said, just the slightest bit surprised.
"Now then…come this way," Dumbledore stood and walked over to one of the bookcases in the room. Harry watched him, wondering if it was one of those bookcases that had a hidden room behind it that you had to pull a book out of to open. Dumbledore ran a hand over the rows of books, looking for all the world as if he was searching for a volume. The bookcase sank into the floor, revealing a set of stairs.
"Up you go, then," Albus said, gesturing towards the flight of steps. Harry nodded and walked up them, placing a hand on one wall as it got darker so that he wouldn't fall over. The staircase finally opened out to reveal a bright room, lit by hundreds of small spots of light in the ceiling. Harry blinked, trying to adjust his eyes to the sudden light after the dark stairs. A figure stood up from where it had been seated on a chair beside a table in the middle of the room and took a step forward.
"Harry Potter?"
