Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other characters all belong to J K Rowling.
I'm just borrowing them. I will give 'em back, y'know!!
Showdown
Chapter 7:
Libby was right- Harry, Ron and Hermione were wondering where Libby was. The last they had seen of her was when she was hauled out of Potions. When Snape had left the room, the whole class were talking about who Fudge was, and what he may be doing at Hogwarts. They all also wondered why Snape had departed so quickly. Some had tried to listen to the conversation outside, but failed miserably.
After Potions had ended shortly, and Libby wasn't seen, the trio decided to ask Dumbledore where she was. Hermione has stated quite truthfully that there was no harm in trying, and they would never know until they asked. So, after long contemplation, they were in agreement. They would ask McGonagall if they could see the headmaster, and they obviously didn't know the password, so McGonagall was their best bet.
They were going to ask McGonagall if they could see the Headmaster, and, as they didn't know the password, she would have to take them.
"Professor McGonagall?" stuttered Ron. "We were wondering if we could speak to Professor Dumbledore for a second?"
"Why on earth would you want to do that?" came her Scottish voice again.
"Professor," continued Hermione. "We haven't seen Libby for two whole days. We just want to know she's ok."
The teacher looked from face to face, and, seeing a look of worry and determination on each, quietly nodded. How Dumbledore was going to get out of this one she didn't know!
They followed her up several staircases until they reached his office, where she announced, 'Cockroach cluster'. The staircase rose up until they were just outside Dumbledore's door.
McGonagall knocked, and a voice came from the inside. "Come in!" The three friends did not enter straight away, but instead allowed the Professor to enter first.
"Albus," She said rather hoarsely. "Albus, Potter, Weasley and Granger want to know where Libby Silverman has gone."
Dumbledore thought for a second, and then said, "Very well. Send them in."
"You're not going to tell them the truth, are you?" She asked anxiously.
"How can I?" He replied gloomily.
Minerva faced the door and turned the handle slowly.
In trooped Harry, Ron and Hermione. He conjured three chairs up and beckoned them to sit down. He made a fourth chair, but McGonagall said she was quite contempt with standing by the door.
"I heard from Professor McGonagall that you have been wondering where Libby is?" This was met by three simultaneous nods.
"Libby had to leave quickly as she had some news that one of her relatives is quite ill. I doubt she will be gone long. I'm sorry I haven't told you sooner- I would have if I'd known you would have worried so."
"But why would Cornelius Fudge worry if one of Libby's relatives is ill?" Asked Harry.
"This relative of Libby's worked for the Ministry of Magic, and naturally Cornelius Fudge was one of the first to know about it."
The three nodded again, but Dumbledore could see from the frown on Hermione's face that they weren't buying it.
"And if you would excuse me," he finished, "I do have quite a lot of work to do..."
"Yes. Thankyou anyway, Professor." Said Ron.
When everyone had gone, Dumbledore thought about Libby. Apart from Snape, what other relatives did she have? Severus had once said something about Libby's parents dying a long time ago, so who did she live with? Severus had said as well that neither him nor Libby liked talking about the past. 'Well,' thought Dumbledore, 'maybe it's about time that I asked Severus all he knows about Libbys life.'
*~*~*~*~*~*
Severus was currently teaching first years, so Dumbledore waited patiently outside until the lesson ended. When the students started filing out, Professor Dumbledore quickly slipped in.
He stood just behind Snape until Severus turned around with an exclamation of "Headmaster! I didn't see you there!"
"Severus," Dumbledore interrupted, "I have come to ask you about Libby."
Severus looked away from the Headmaster and pretended to be tidying his parchments.
"You know Libby and I do not like to dwell upon the past, Headmaster." He finally responded.
"As you have said before. That is why I am keeping my questions to a minimum." answered Dumbledore.
Severus sighed, then said, "Very well. But I do not believe that even I can provide you with the answers you wish to know."
"Yes. See, that is part of my question. Why do you not know some things about Libby?" Dumbledore gestured to the two chairs which were positioned either side of Snape's desk, and the two men sat down. Severus spoke first.
"Libby's parents died when she was young. Everybody thought she was dead too. There was a funeral, you see. We all attended-"
" 'We'?" Quizzed Dumbledore.
"Yes...her four godfathers...Potter, Black, Lupin and myself."
Looking mildly surprised, Dumbledore nodded. "I only found out that Libby was alive," Severus continued, "when she came to Hogwarts. Lupin found out when he became a professor here, and Black found out when he gave us a...surprise visit. When I asked Libby who she had been living with, she told me she had been with Lupin. I did slightly doubt it when he returned to Hogwarts; but I never actually asked. I always tried to avoid talking to him."
Dumbledore thought for a moment. "Remus never mentioned her living with him..." he said slowly. "You know, I don't think she even did..."
"Did what?
"Did live with Remus. She couldn't have lived with Sirius and she could never have lived with James. Is there anywhere where she could be living on her own?"
A brainwave came across Severus. "Her parent's house. It was never sold after they died. It was just...abandoned." Severus looked slightly hurt at the thought, so Dumbledore stopped the questions there.
"Severus, I think we should visit this house. But I'm going to need your help."
Severus reluctantly agreed.
Showdown
Chapter 7:
Libby was right- Harry, Ron and Hermione were wondering where Libby was. The last they had seen of her was when she was hauled out of Potions. When Snape had left the room, the whole class were talking about who Fudge was, and what he may be doing at Hogwarts. They all also wondered why Snape had departed so quickly. Some had tried to listen to the conversation outside, but failed miserably.
After Potions had ended shortly, and Libby wasn't seen, the trio decided to ask Dumbledore where she was. Hermione has stated quite truthfully that there was no harm in trying, and they would never know until they asked. So, after long contemplation, they were in agreement. They would ask McGonagall if they could see the headmaster, and they obviously didn't know the password, so McGonagall was their best bet.
They were going to ask McGonagall if they could see the Headmaster, and, as they didn't know the password, she would have to take them.
"Professor McGonagall?" stuttered Ron. "We were wondering if we could speak to Professor Dumbledore for a second?"
"Why on earth would you want to do that?" came her Scottish voice again.
"Professor," continued Hermione. "We haven't seen Libby for two whole days. We just want to know she's ok."
The teacher looked from face to face, and, seeing a look of worry and determination on each, quietly nodded. How Dumbledore was going to get out of this one she didn't know!
They followed her up several staircases until they reached his office, where she announced, 'Cockroach cluster'. The staircase rose up until they were just outside Dumbledore's door.
McGonagall knocked, and a voice came from the inside. "Come in!" The three friends did not enter straight away, but instead allowed the Professor to enter first.
"Albus," She said rather hoarsely. "Albus, Potter, Weasley and Granger want to know where Libby Silverman has gone."
Dumbledore thought for a second, and then said, "Very well. Send them in."
"You're not going to tell them the truth, are you?" She asked anxiously.
"How can I?" He replied gloomily.
Minerva faced the door and turned the handle slowly.
In trooped Harry, Ron and Hermione. He conjured three chairs up and beckoned them to sit down. He made a fourth chair, but McGonagall said she was quite contempt with standing by the door.
"I heard from Professor McGonagall that you have been wondering where Libby is?" This was met by three simultaneous nods.
"Libby had to leave quickly as she had some news that one of her relatives is quite ill. I doubt she will be gone long. I'm sorry I haven't told you sooner- I would have if I'd known you would have worried so."
"But why would Cornelius Fudge worry if one of Libby's relatives is ill?" Asked Harry.
"This relative of Libby's worked for the Ministry of Magic, and naturally Cornelius Fudge was one of the first to know about it."
The three nodded again, but Dumbledore could see from the frown on Hermione's face that they weren't buying it.
"And if you would excuse me," he finished, "I do have quite a lot of work to do..."
"Yes. Thankyou anyway, Professor." Said Ron.
When everyone had gone, Dumbledore thought about Libby. Apart from Snape, what other relatives did she have? Severus had once said something about Libby's parents dying a long time ago, so who did she live with? Severus had said as well that neither him nor Libby liked talking about the past. 'Well,' thought Dumbledore, 'maybe it's about time that I asked Severus all he knows about Libbys life.'
*~*~*~*~*~*
Severus was currently teaching first years, so Dumbledore waited patiently outside until the lesson ended. When the students started filing out, Professor Dumbledore quickly slipped in.
He stood just behind Snape until Severus turned around with an exclamation of "Headmaster! I didn't see you there!"
"Severus," Dumbledore interrupted, "I have come to ask you about Libby."
Severus looked away from the Headmaster and pretended to be tidying his parchments.
"You know Libby and I do not like to dwell upon the past, Headmaster." He finally responded.
"As you have said before. That is why I am keeping my questions to a minimum." answered Dumbledore.
Severus sighed, then said, "Very well. But I do not believe that even I can provide you with the answers you wish to know."
"Yes. See, that is part of my question. Why do you not know some things about Libby?" Dumbledore gestured to the two chairs which were positioned either side of Snape's desk, and the two men sat down. Severus spoke first.
"Libby's parents died when she was young. Everybody thought she was dead too. There was a funeral, you see. We all attended-"
" 'We'?" Quizzed Dumbledore.
"Yes...her four godfathers...Potter, Black, Lupin and myself."
Looking mildly surprised, Dumbledore nodded. "I only found out that Libby was alive," Severus continued, "when she came to Hogwarts. Lupin found out when he became a professor here, and Black found out when he gave us a...surprise visit. When I asked Libby who she had been living with, she told me she had been with Lupin. I did slightly doubt it when he returned to Hogwarts; but I never actually asked. I always tried to avoid talking to him."
Dumbledore thought for a moment. "Remus never mentioned her living with him..." he said slowly. "You know, I don't think she even did..."
"Did what?
"Did live with Remus. She couldn't have lived with Sirius and she could never have lived with James. Is there anywhere where she could be living on her own?"
A brainwave came across Severus. "Her parent's house. It was never sold after they died. It was just...abandoned." Severus looked slightly hurt at the thought, so Dumbledore stopped the questions there.
"Severus, I think we should visit this house. But I'm going to need your help."
Severus reluctantly agreed.