Albus Dumbledoore was sitting in his office happily sucking on a
lemon drop when a bright yellow light enveloped the room. With a bang,
Draco Malfoy materialized in an unconscious heap in front of the desk.
"Draco?!" he gasped. He looked over his ex student, checking for injuries. Finding none, he whispered "Enervate."
Draco groaned and rolled over, head feeling like someone was banging his skull with a hammer from the inside. "Headmaster?"
"Oh, my dear boy, what happen? Ill call Madam Pomfrey."
"No! No, I'm.fine, uninjured. I didn't even get Cruciatus. I- Vol- He knows! Albus, he tried to kill me, he knows I am a spy! Potter-he-"
"Potter?" snapped Albus. "So he has joined Riddle then."
"No, he.he saved me! He came up out of nowhere, and did something to Voldemort- sent me here.how?"
"Id like to know that as well.even Voldemort himself could not get anything past the wards of this castle."
"Albus! He.oh.gods Albus, he didn't even have a wand!"
"No wand?" Albus starry blue twinkle returned. "Well well.it seems that our dear Mr. Potter has begun to realize the extent of his true abilities."
"But, Headmaster, that is impossible No one can possibly channel that kind of magic. Wandless magic is raw. Unfocused. Wild. He should not even be able to accomplish the simplest spells, especially just out of Azkaban!"
"Hmmm." Albus stroked his beard. "This could be used for the good of the Order. If he is willing."
"Headmaster!"
Albus turned to the fireplace. "Severus?"
"I have retrieved your lost saviour.he is with me in the dungeons." crashes and loud cursing were heard in the background.
"I daresay he is not very happy about being retrieved?"
"Oh no. Really, He's absolutely jumping for joy."
"What happen after Draco was.returned?"
Severus sighed. "he--" Snape was cut off by a bang, and shattering. He he turned his face towards the wall. Albus held in a smile as his features went slack jawed in shock.
"POTTER! HOW DARE YOU-headmaster, can we continue this another time? I have to." His head disappeared.
Albus shook his head. "I do hope.Draco? I must ask you to stay here awhile longer. I need to inform the Order of what has happened.Fawkes? If you would?"
The gold and red Phoenix flew from its perch over to Dumbledoors shoulder. Albus twirled his wand, glimmering gold dust falling onto the phoenix, which burst into song; one that every member of the Order would hear, and know it was time for a meeting.
"Welcome." Albus stood in front of the room, speaking to the Order of the Pheonix. "I am sure you all know by now what this meeting is about."
Hermione spoke up. "So it is true then? Har-that murderer is free?"
"He is currently with Severus in-"
Draco furrowed his brow. "Albus! There is something I did not tell you! How could I forget."
"Just as well. Would you inform us all what happen, even what you have told me, from the beginning?"
Draco cleared his throat and looked around nervously. This would not go over well, he knew. "I..I was in my.meeting, and the Dark Lord was in quite the good mood. He was laughing" Draco shuttered. " And gloating about the simplicity of something, which he was not saying. My father inquired, and he informed us, that.that.it was all a set up. Potter did not kill Ronald Weasly. Blaise Zambini is to blame.
"NO!" Hermione shrieked. "That's not true! I saw Harry Potter kill Ron with my own eyes! I saw him! There is not way."
"We are not MUGGLES, Granger. We are WIZARDS! And you should know of all people that appearances aren't always what they seem. Blaise was Potter. At least, in body. He was using the Poly Juice potion."
"But..But surly, someone would have known? The aurors." Remus looked almost hopeful.
Dumbledoore sighed. "They did not capture Blaise in disguise. The caught the real Potter. Since Fudge refused to use Veritiserum, there was no way of knowing."
Sirius buried his face in his hands. "What have I done? I should have known better.after what happen to me.how could I have been so blind?"
Remus was pale. "He'll never forgive me.what I said.I don't even deserve forgiveness."
"Damn straight you don't."
All faces turned towards the door.
"None of us do." Severus spoke. "And neither will we get it. We threw him aside like a broken tool. Which, truthfully, in our eyes, he was. Who would want a murderer for their saviour, after all?"
Dumbledoores twinkle was non-existent. If one were to look close enough, they would see a glaze of tears. "But we should have known better. This is mostly my doing. I knew Harry. He was one of the most gentle, loving, noble people I have ever had the honor of meeting. He stove to be loved, not for power. Oh, Merlin, I have failed him."
Even Alastor (Mad eye) Moody's one normal eye was slightly wet. "There is enough blame for all of us. We all knew the lad, he was fiercely loyal to those who he loved and that loved him in return."
Hermione had her head leaning against Minerva's shoulder; both women were shaking, silent tears running down their faces.
"Severus, how is he.?" Albus stared at one of the strange devices on his desk, watching it tick, tick away.
"He's currently under the effects of the Dreamless Sleep Potion, in my bed chambers might I add. Health wise, I am amazed. He is underfed, yes, and lord knows he's filthy, but I've never seen anyone come out or Azkaban so..so..Healthy before. He's just as strong, if not stronger, that before he went into that god-forsaken place. And his magical abilities, they have multiplied ten fold. He is quite easily the strongest individual I have ever met. His magic, its..Its inexplicable."
"And his.mental condition?'" Molly Weasly spoke her first words since the beginning of the meeting.
"Stable. He is quite intelligent, er, well as intelligent as he ever was.He is quite obviously not the same, however. His eyes, while showing that he is not mad, are dead. He speaks in a totally listless tone, I don't feel any emotions coming off of him, other than his initial anger at being brought here."
Sirius spoke up. "Where is he to go?"
Albus looked thoughtful. "He would never willingly go with any of the Order, that much is-wait."
Severus looked at Albus, some of his infernal twinkle was returning.
"No."
"But Severus, my boy, he can't possibly feel like you betrayed him. He never trusted you in the first place."
"Exactly! He has always hated me! And most likely still will!"
"Yes, but you are the lesser of the evils! He hated you for being a cruel teacher, and I doubt it was even hate at that, but he hates the rest of the world for betraying him."
"Ah, but that is wear you are wrong my dear Headmaster."
Every head turned.
"Harry?"
"Draco?!" he gasped. He looked over his ex student, checking for injuries. Finding none, he whispered "Enervate."
Draco groaned and rolled over, head feeling like someone was banging his skull with a hammer from the inside. "Headmaster?"
"Oh, my dear boy, what happen? Ill call Madam Pomfrey."
"No! No, I'm.fine, uninjured. I didn't even get Cruciatus. I- Vol- He knows! Albus, he tried to kill me, he knows I am a spy! Potter-he-"
"Potter?" snapped Albus. "So he has joined Riddle then."
"No, he.he saved me! He came up out of nowhere, and did something to Voldemort- sent me here.how?"
"Id like to know that as well.even Voldemort himself could not get anything past the wards of this castle."
"Albus! He.oh.gods Albus, he didn't even have a wand!"
"No wand?" Albus starry blue twinkle returned. "Well well.it seems that our dear Mr. Potter has begun to realize the extent of his true abilities."
"But, Headmaster, that is impossible No one can possibly channel that kind of magic. Wandless magic is raw. Unfocused. Wild. He should not even be able to accomplish the simplest spells, especially just out of Azkaban!"
"Hmmm." Albus stroked his beard. "This could be used for the good of the Order. If he is willing."
"Headmaster!"
Albus turned to the fireplace. "Severus?"
"I have retrieved your lost saviour.he is with me in the dungeons." crashes and loud cursing were heard in the background.
"I daresay he is not very happy about being retrieved?"
"Oh no. Really, He's absolutely jumping for joy."
"What happen after Draco was.returned?"
Severus sighed. "he--" Snape was cut off by a bang, and shattering. He he turned his face towards the wall. Albus held in a smile as his features went slack jawed in shock.
"POTTER! HOW DARE YOU-headmaster, can we continue this another time? I have to." His head disappeared.
Albus shook his head. "I do hope.Draco? I must ask you to stay here awhile longer. I need to inform the Order of what has happened.Fawkes? If you would?"
The gold and red Phoenix flew from its perch over to Dumbledoors shoulder. Albus twirled his wand, glimmering gold dust falling onto the phoenix, which burst into song; one that every member of the Order would hear, and know it was time for a meeting.
"Welcome." Albus stood in front of the room, speaking to the Order of the Pheonix. "I am sure you all know by now what this meeting is about."
Hermione spoke up. "So it is true then? Har-that murderer is free?"
"He is currently with Severus in-"
Draco furrowed his brow. "Albus! There is something I did not tell you! How could I forget."
"Just as well. Would you inform us all what happen, even what you have told me, from the beginning?"
Draco cleared his throat and looked around nervously. This would not go over well, he knew. "I..I was in my.meeting, and the Dark Lord was in quite the good mood. He was laughing" Draco shuttered. " And gloating about the simplicity of something, which he was not saying. My father inquired, and he informed us, that.that.it was all a set up. Potter did not kill Ronald Weasly. Blaise Zambini is to blame.
"NO!" Hermione shrieked. "That's not true! I saw Harry Potter kill Ron with my own eyes! I saw him! There is not way."
"We are not MUGGLES, Granger. We are WIZARDS! And you should know of all people that appearances aren't always what they seem. Blaise was Potter. At least, in body. He was using the Poly Juice potion."
"But..But surly, someone would have known? The aurors." Remus looked almost hopeful.
Dumbledoore sighed. "They did not capture Blaise in disguise. The caught the real Potter. Since Fudge refused to use Veritiserum, there was no way of knowing."
Sirius buried his face in his hands. "What have I done? I should have known better.after what happen to me.how could I have been so blind?"
Remus was pale. "He'll never forgive me.what I said.I don't even deserve forgiveness."
"Damn straight you don't."
All faces turned towards the door.
"None of us do." Severus spoke. "And neither will we get it. We threw him aside like a broken tool. Which, truthfully, in our eyes, he was. Who would want a murderer for their saviour, after all?"
Dumbledoores twinkle was non-existent. If one were to look close enough, they would see a glaze of tears. "But we should have known better. This is mostly my doing. I knew Harry. He was one of the most gentle, loving, noble people I have ever had the honor of meeting. He stove to be loved, not for power. Oh, Merlin, I have failed him."
Even Alastor (Mad eye) Moody's one normal eye was slightly wet. "There is enough blame for all of us. We all knew the lad, he was fiercely loyal to those who he loved and that loved him in return."
Hermione had her head leaning against Minerva's shoulder; both women were shaking, silent tears running down their faces.
"Severus, how is he.?" Albus stared at one of the strange devices on his desk, watching it tick, tick away.
"He's currently under the effects of the Dreamless Sleep Potion, in my bed chambers might I add. Health wise, I am amazed. He is underfed, yes, and lord knows he's filthy, but I've never seen anyone come out or Azkaban so..so..Healthy before. He's just as strong, if not stronger, that before he went into that god-forsaken place. And his magical abilities, they have multiplied ten fold. He is quite easily the strongest individual I have ever met. His magic, its..Its inexplicable."
"And his.mental condition?'" Molly Weasly spoke her first words since the beginning of the meeting.
"Stable. He is quite intelligent, er, well as intelligent as he ever was.He is quite obviously not the same, however. His eyes, while showing that he is not mad, are dead. He speaks in a totally listless tone, I don't feel any emotions coming off of him, other than his initial anger at being brought here."
Sirius spoke up. "Where is he to go?"
Albus looked thoughtful. "He would never willingly go with any of the Order, that much is-wait."
Severus looked at Albus, some of his infernal twinkle was returning.
"No."
"But Severus, my boy, he can't possibly feel like you betrayed him. He never trusted you in the first place."
"Exactly! He has always hated me! And most likely still will!"
"Yes, but you are the lesser of the evils! He hated you for being a cruel teacher, and I doubt it was even hate at that, but he hates the rest of the world for betraying him."
"Ah, but that is wear you are wrong my dear Headmaster."
Every head turned.
"Harry?"