A/N - JKR owns the idea, all of these characters, and pretty much
everything in England from what I hear. I only own the idea.
Chapter 27 Fact Finding
No one was speaking. There was absolute silence in the Great Hall. No one even dared to do so much as blink. Even though it was less than a minute, it seemed like an eternity before Dumbledore finally regained his composure and started the now familiar ritual.
"Mr Snape, you are charged with several crimes against the wizarding world including supporting Voldemort and trying to kill several wizards including myself." There was a slight, almost imperceptible pause, before the headmaster continued. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Snape just sat there as still as a statue staring at a point just above Dumbledore's head. He didn't answer the headmaster nor did he even look around at all the faces staring at him. If he had looked around he would have seen: an angry Dumbledore, a triumphant Sirius, and every emotion in between on the various faces around the tables. Harry couldn't decide if Dumbledore looked more angry or sad as he told the security wizards, "Take him away."
Without speaking, Dumbledore walked out of the Great Hall. Harry was very unsure what to make of everything he had just seen. As promised earlier, snacks and drinks appeared at the open fourth table and slowly wizards and witches rose to partake in some of the offerings.
The Weasleys seemed very interested in hearing where Ron spent the evening but Ron was not to be distracted from his quest to congratulate Sirius some more and talk badly about Snape. He was grinning from ear to ear when he said, "That lousy git, he finally got what he deserved. I'm only grateful that we were here to see it."
Harry was absolutely torn. He hated Snape as much as the next guy but he never actually believed that the potions master would rejoin Voldemort. He thought back to the end of last year when he was surrounded by Death Eaters listening to Voldemort's speech. The cretin said something like " --- and one, I think, has left my service --- ". That must have meant that Voldemort knew there was a chance Snape would return to his side. What had Snape's errand for Dumbledore been at the end of last year? Hermione broke into his thoughts.
"Ron! Stop babbling about how much you hate Snape. But think about it. It just doesn't make sense. Dumbledore trusts him and we have to trust Dumbledore. Maybe he's still doing his double agent work for our side. After all, none of us got hurt in the forest tonight so he didn't actually hurt anyone, maybe that was intentional. I don't think Snape has gone back to You-Know-Who's side."
Harry, Ron and Sirius spent a few moments contemplating everything she had just said. Harry was still unsure what to think. Ron was trying to think of an answer to her arguments because he wanted to be able to think Snape was going to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban. Sirius was the first one to speak.
"Hermione that's a very clever thought but I just can't agree. First, the Death Eaters were all brought in one at a time. There was absolutely nothing to be gained by bringing him before all of us and accusing him. Besides you three, there was no one in the room that didn't intentionally risk his or life fourteen years ago. Secondly, and even more importantly, Azkaban is a terrible place to spend even one night. Just think about being surrounded by all those dementors and not being able to leave or even conjure a Patronus. I can't, no I won't, believe that Dumbledore would send an innocent man there."
They spent the next few minutes arguing both sides of the Snape issue but none of them really wanted to believe that Dumbledore would send an innocent wizard to Azkaban, even if that wizard was Snape.
Harry groaned. Just as he remembered how hungry he was, Dumbledore was entering the Great Hall telling everyone to take his or her seats. "We have seen these troubled times coming for months now. Some people in this room have fought battles against Voldemort this year. Most have even fought battles on this very night. Almost all of you will fight a battle on Christmas Eve --- we will discuss that later. The time has come for us to share our individual bits of knowledge with each other." Dumbledore paused long enough to scan the faces of everyone seated in the Great Hall.
"On the agenda tonight is that sharing of information. You all saw the interrogation of the prisoners at the same time as I did. We're going to start on one end of the table and go around the room until everyone feels all pertinent information has been shared. I must ask that if you're unsure whether or not to tell us something, please do tell. We do not want to miss any clues. We'll take a break every hour but we will stay here until we are done. Feel free to help yourself to refreshments while we are doing this. Does anyone have any questions before we begin?"
"Albus," Mr Weasley began, "Do the children really need to hear all this?"
"No they most certainly do not!" Mrs Weasley answered her husband's question. Several heads around the table were nodding along with her.
Ron and Harry stood up to protest but Dumbledore cut them both off with a single hand motion and they quietly sat back down. "I can assure all of you that few people have made the contribution to keep Voldemort down as long as he has been than these three 5th year Gryffindors. In their first year, they worked together to stop Voldemort from getting the Sorcerer's Stone. In their second year, Hermione figured out that it was a basilisk causing harm to everyone. Ron and Harry then went down to a part of Hogwarts that I myself have never been to in order to retrieve Ginny Weasley from a powerful dark magic that Voldemort had placed in this school. Need I go on?"
"But Albus," Mrs Weasley was almost pleading. She wanted not only her own son but the other two spared this hardship as well. "That's my point. They've been through enough. They've pushed their luck to the limit. They're only children!"
Dumbledore was shaking his head. "I'm sorry Molly. If we're going to win this fight against Voldemort we need every able body and that includes these three who have beaten him and his assistant's before." Something in the wizard's tone indicated that he was done with this particular conversation. "Now, Molly do you have anything to report?"
She was still looking skeptical at the headmaster but she knew that she would not win this argument, after all Ron knew about Sirius Black well before she did. She decided to just answer Dumbledore's question. "Well, the weirdest thing that has been happening since about October is that all sorts of strangers have been apparating to the Burrow. You know about Harry of course. But he wasn't the first nor the only one. I'd guess there have been about ten surprise guests over the past couple of months, including one very surprised muggle boy."
"What? You didn't tell me about that." Mr Weasley was obviously more than a little surprised.
"Well dear, it didn't really seem like that --- "
"Please Arthur," Dumbledore interrupted the married couple. "We'll be here for three days if we don't let everyone speak freely. I want to encourage people to tell us things that they never before realized was unusual." Mr Weasley just nodded and asked his wife if there was anything else.
"Well the last thing on that point is that someone apparated there tonight but I wasn't able to see who it was before they left. There's nothing else except tonight, but I don't think that's our story to tell."
Dumbledore smiled. "Quite right, of course. When the time comes, please feel free to add your perspective." He waited for her to nod before moving on.
Professor McGonagall stood up from one of the other tables. "Molly, I think I can clear up tonight. I went looking for Ron tonight and I had no idea where to start. I went to several places where I thought he might be and naturally, since he's so familiar with The Burrow, I started there. When I was sure he wasn't there I just left; I wasn't quite ready to worry you two yet."
Mrs Weasley smiled. "Well I guess that clears up at least one mystery."
"Quite right. Thank you both for proving my point on the importance of sharing information." Dumbledore turned to the next wizard on the agenda. "Arthur, what about you? What information do you have for this group?"
"Well I believe most everyone here knows about the split at the ministry. There have been too many deaths and other incidents for anyone in their right mind not to believe that You-Know-Who is --- "
"Arthur, please!"
"Sorry Albus --- for anyone in their right mind not to believe that Voldemort is back." Mr Weasley shuddered slightly as he said the name before continuing. "I'll let the security wizard talk more about some of the things that the aurors have seen lately but I will say that Bruno's death was the final straw for many in the ministry." Mr Weasley paused and seemed to be looking to Dumbledore for guidance.
"Please continue Arthur. They should be among the first to know."
"Right then. Even tonight Fudge still tried to convince members of the ministry that there was no cause for concern. He still tried to pretend that there was no dark activity just a lot of coincidences. When the ministry members found out about the captured prisoners tonight, they questioned one or two out of Dumbledore's presence, and then called for Fudge's resignation. They made him sign Black's paperwork first to preclude any delay." Mr Weasley paused again. Most people in the room were contemplating what he had said about Fudge resigning. Harry was contemplating what he said about the ministry officials insisting on getting Sirius' paperwork squared away. He was starting to think that maybe all the ministry officials weren't like Fudge after all --- perhaps they could be trusted. Mr Weasley's next sentence recaptured his attention.
"In the interim the ministry asked, in fact they insisted, that Dumbledore take the position as temporary Minister of Magic." Harry smiled at the old wizard and started to clap when he realized that he and Ron were the only ones applauding.
Dumbledore winked at both the boys. "Thank you but I must insist that we stay focused on the business at hand. Besides I assure you that this is only temporary; I much prefer my position here at Hogwarts."
Mr Weasley, apparently through, sat back down.
"Let's take our first break before hearing from Ron, shall we?" No one said anything so Dumbledore walked over and helped himself to a sandwich and some juice. Harry wasn't about to miss another chance to eat something. He and some of the others spent the entire time partaking of the treats. In no time at all, they were starting up again.
Ron stood up. "Well, I think Dobby knows more than I do about what happened to me tonight. Basically, I was with Professor McGonagall, Harry and Hermione in Hogsmeade tonight when she was going to apparate us to --- er --- well Harry and Hermione will get to that but anyway the next thing I knew I was alone in a huge underground tunnel. It seemed to go on forever and there were chambers down there. I wandered around for a bit when Dobby appeared next to me. He led me out and apparated us back to Hogsmeade."
Ron paused as if trying to figure out what else to say. "The only other thing I've noticed this year is that Snape seemed particularly shifty --- "
"RON!" Shouted more than one person.
"Sorry" he murmured sitting down. Once again, Hermione thought that he didn't look sorry at all. So much had happened tonight that Hermione and Harry had forgotten to ask Ron about his adventure tonight. They were both shocked when they heard what happened to him and that Dobby rescued him. Harry was thinking back to the warning Dobby gave him earlier that very night in the kitchen.
Hermione quietly said that she thought her stories would be better coming from Harry. Dumbledore also bade her to add her perspective at the appropriate intervals. He then turned his attention to Dobby.
"Please sir, Dobby has nothing to say in this forum. Dobby should not be hearing this stuff. Please do not make Dobby speak in front of all the wizards sir --- I is not able to contribute anything anyway." He looked truly scared.
Dumbledore would not relent. "Dobby, I must insist that you tell us where you found Ron tonight. I also would like to know how you knew to go looking for him in the first place." Dobby just sat there shaking his head. Dumbledore refused to take his gaze off the near-pitiful house elf.
"Please sir, I is doing nothing wrong. I only wanted to help tonight. I can not tell."
"You can and you will."
"Please sir I beg of you, I is not able to say anything against my former master."
AHA, several people in the room were thinking to themselves. Dumbledore however did not think this was enough information. "Dobby, we will let this go for now but I can assure you that this is not over and you will tell me."
"Thank you sir. Dobby is understanding what Professor Dumbledore sir is saying sir. Thank you sir. You is kind and generous." Dobby just covered his face with his hands and sat in the chair shaking.
As it was his turn next, everyone turned to look at Harry. He stood up unsure of where to begin. He started with telling everyone about the incidents while he was learning to apparate. Those stories earned different reactions from everyone. Some people were surprised that the students were learning how to do such advanced magic. Sirius was almost chuckling; he was apparently still thinking about how Lupin couldn't defeat Harry's shield and ended up hexing himself. A few other people were trying to figure out the significance of Harry's troubles.
When he finished that story, he was wondering how to possibly tell tonight's story when Dumbledore stopped him. "Harry, tonight's events are very complicated and I think it best to save those for the end; we'll cover tonight chronologically when the time comes. Sirius, you next but again --- we'll save tonight events for later."
Sirius stood up. "Lupin and I have done some things this year. Mundungus Fletcher and Arabella Figg have been helping us to track down Pettigrew. We've also been spying on some of the Death Eater's meetings. Mundungus and Arabella stayed behind tonight to try to spy on more conversations to see how Voldemort is going to respond to the losses he suffered tonight. One of the possibilities he had mentioned earlier was coming after the students at Hogwarts, which is why the students were sent home early for the holidays. Everything else important concerns tonight."
"Thank you Sirius. I think we'll listen to one more story before taking another break. Hagrid --- "
"Of course sir. Well, as some of you already know this past summer I went on an errand for the headmaster." Hagrid paused as Mr Weasley had done earlier to look at Dumbledore for confirmation that he wanted him to continue down this path. Harry, Ron and Hermione were hopeful as the watched intently for Dumbledore's discreet answer to Hagrid's unspoken question. They were ecstatic to see the headmaster nod his head in approval.
Hagrid began again, "Well, it's kind of a long story."
A/N - Next week is going to be very busy for me but I'll try to do one at least every other day.
Chapter 27 Fact Finding
No one was speaking. There was absolute silence in the Great Hall. No one even dared to do so much as blink. Even though it was less than a minute, it seemed like an eternity before Dumbledore finally regained his composure and started the now familiar ritual.
"Mr Snape, you are charged with several crimes against the wizarding world including supporting Voldemort and trying to kill several wizards including myself." There was a slight, almost imperceptible pause, before the headmaster continued. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Snape just sat there as still as a statue staring at a point just above Dumbledore's head. He didn't answer the headmaster nor did he even look around at all the faces staring at him. If he had looked around he would have seen: an angry Dumbledore, a triumphant Sirius, and every emotion in between on the various faces around the tables. Harry couldn't decide if Dumbledore looked more angry or sad as he told the security wizards, "Take him away."
Without speaking, Dumbledore walked out of the Great Hall. Harry was very unsure what to make of everything he had just seen. As promised earlier, snacks and drinks appeared at the open fourth table and slowly wizards and witches rose to partake in some of the offerings.
The Weasleys seemed very interested in hearing where Ron spent the evening but Ron was not to be distracted from his quest to congratulate Sirius some more and talk badly about Snape. He was grinning from ear to ear when he said, "That lousy git, he finally got what he deserved. I'm only grateful that we were here to see it."
Harry was absolutely torn. He hated Snape as much as the next guy but he never actually believed that the potions master would rejoin Voldemort. He thought back to the end of last year when he was surrounded by Death Eaters listening to Voldemort's speech. The cretin said something like " --- and one, I think, has left my service --- ". That must have meant that Voldemort knew there was a chance Snape would return to his side. What had Snape's errand for Dumbledore been at the end of last year? Hermione broke into his thoughts.
"Ron! Stop babbling about how much you hate Snape. But think about it. It just doesn't make sense. Dumbledore trusts him and we have to trust Dumbledore. Maybe he's still doing his double agent work for our side. After all, none of us got hurt in the forest tonight so he didn't actually hurt anyone, maybe that was intentional. I don't think Snape has gone back to You-Know-Who's side."
Harry, Ron and Sirius spent a few moments contemplating everything she had just said. Harry was still unsure what to think. Ron was trying to think of an answer to her arguments because he wanted to be able to think Snape was going to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban. Sirius was the first one to speak.
"Hermione that's a very clever thought but I just can't agree. First, the Death Eaters were all brought in one at a time. There was absolutely nothing to be gained by bringing him before all of us and accusing him. Besides you three, there was no one in the room that didn't intentionally risk his or life fourteen years ago. Secondly, and even more importantly, Azkaban is a terrible place to spend even one night. Just think about being surrounded by all those dementors and not being able to leave or even conjure a Patronus. I can't, no I won't, believe that Dumbledore would send an innocent man there."
They spent the next few minutes arguing both sides of the Snape issue but none of them really wanted to believe that Dumbledore would send an innocent wizard to Azkaban, even if that wizard was Snape.
Harry groaned. Just as he remembered how hungry he was, Dumbledore was entering the Great Hall telling everyone to take his or her seats. "We have seen these troubled times coming for months now. Some people in this room have fought battles against Voldemort this year. Most have even fought battles on this very night. Almost all of you will fight a battle on Christmas Eve --- we will discuss that later. The time has come for us to share our individual bits of knowledge with each other." Dumbledore paused long enough to scan the faces of everyone seated in the Great Hall.
"On the agenda tonight is that sharing of information. You all saw the interrogation of the prisoners at the same time as I did. We're going to start on one end of the table and go around the room until everyone feels all pertinent information has been shared. I must ask that if you're unsure whether or not to tell us something, please do tell. We do not want to miss any clues. We'll take a break every hour but we will stay here until we are done. Feel free to help yourself to refreshments while we are doing this. Does anyone have any questions before we begin?"
"Albus," Mr Weasley began, "Do the children really need to hear all this?"
"No they most certainly do not!" Mrs Weasley answered her husband's question. Several heads around the table were nodding along with her.
Ron and Harry stood up to protest but Dumbledore cut them both off with a single hand motion and they quietly sat back down. "I can assure all of you that few people have made the contribution to keep Voldemort down as long as he has been than these three 5th year Gryffindors. In their first year, they worked together to stop Voldemort from getting the Sorcerer's Stone. In their second year, Hermione figured out that it was a basilisk causing harm to everyone. Ron and Harry then went down to a part of Hogwarts that I myself have never been to in order to retrieve Ginny Weasley from a powerful dark magic that Voldemort had placed in this school. Need I go on?"
"But Albus," Mrs Weasley was almost pleading. She wanted not only her own son but the other two spared this hardship as well. "That's my point. They've been through enough. They've pushed their luck to the limit. They're only children!"
Dumbledore was shaking his head. "I'm sorry Molly. If we're going to win this fight against Voldemort we need every able body and that includes these three who have beaten him and his assistant's before." Something in the wizard's tone indicated that he was done with this particular conversation. "Now, Molly do you have anything to report?"
She was still looking skeptical at the headmaster but she knew that she would not win this argument, after all Ron knew about Sirius Black well before she did. She decided to just answer Dumbledore's question. "Well, the weirdest thing that has been happening since about October is that all sorts of strangers have been apparating to the Burrow. You know about Harry of course. But he wasn't the first nor the only one. I'd guess there have been about ten surprise guests over the past couple of months, including one very surprised muggle boy."
"What? You didn't tell me about that." Mr Weasley was obviously more than a little surprised.
"Well dear, it didn't really seem like that --- "
"Please Arthur," Dumbledore interrupted the married couple. "We'll be here for three days if we don't let everyone speak freely. I want to encourage people to tell us things that they never before realized was unusual." Mr Weasley just nodded and asked his wife if there was anything else.
"Well the last thing on that point is that someone apparated there tonight but I wasn't able to see who it was before they left. There's nothing else except tonight, but I don't think that's our story to tell."
Dumbledore smiled. "Quite right, of course. When the time comes, please feel free to add your perspective." He waited for her to nod before moving on.
Professor McGonagall stood up from one of the other tables. "Molly, I think I can clear up tonight. I went looking for Ron tonight and I had no idea where to start. I went to several places where I thought he might be and naturally, since he's so familiar with The Burrow, I started there. When I was sure he wasn't there I just left; I wasn't quite ready to worry you two yet."
Mrs Weasley smiled. "Well I guess that clears up at least one mystery."
"Quite right. Thank you both for proving my point on the importance of sharing information." Dumbledore turned to the next wizard on the agenda. "Arthur, what about you? What information do you have for this group?"
"Well I believe most everyone here knows about the split at the ministry. There have been too many deaths and other incidents for anyone in their right mind not to believe that You-Know-Who is --- "
"Arthur, please!"
"Sorry Albus --- for anyone in their right mind not to believe that Voldemort is back." Mr Weasley shuddered slightly as he said the name before continuing. "I'll let the security wizard talk more about some of the things that the aurors have seen lately but I will say that Bruno's death was the final straw for many in the ministry." Mr Weasley paused and seemed to be looking to Dumbledore for guidance.
"Please continue Arthur. They should be among the first to know."
"Right then. Even tonight Fudge still tried to convince members of the ministry that there was no cause for concern. He still tried to pretend that there was no dark activity just a lot of coincidences. When the ministry members found out about the captured prisoners tonight, they questioned one or two out of Dumbledore's presence, and then called for Fudge's resignation. They made him sign Black's paperwork first to preclude any delay." Mr Weasley paused again. Most people in the room were contemplating what he had said about Fudge resigning. Harry was contemplating what he said about the ministry officials insisting on getting Sirius' paperwork squared away. He was starting to think that maybe all the ministry officials weren't like Fudge after all --- perhaps they could be trusted. Mr Weasley's next sentence recaptured his attention.
"In the interim the ministry asked, in fact they insisted, that Dumbledore take the position as temporary Minister of Magic." Harry smiled at the old wizard and started to clap when he realized that he and Ron were the only ones applauding.
Dumbledore winked at both the boys. "Thank you but I must insist that we stay focused on the business at hand. Besides I assure you that this is only temporary; I much prefer my position here at Hogwarts."
Mr Weasley, apparently through, sat back down.
"Let's take our first break before hearing from Ron, shall we?" No one said anything so Dumbledore walked over and helped himself to a sandwich and some juice. Harry wasn't about to miss another chance to eat something. He and some of the others spent the entire time partaking of the treats. In no time at all, they were starting up again.
Ron stood up. "Well, I think Dobby knows more than I do about what happened to me tonight. Basically, I was with Professor McGonagall, Harry and Hermione in Hogsmeade tonight when she was going to apparate us to --- er --- well Harry and Hermione will get to that but anyway the next thing I knew I was alone in a huge underground tunnel. It seemed to go on forever and there were chambers down there. I wandered around for a bit when Dobby appeared next to me. He led me out and apparated us back to Hogsmeade."
Ron paused as if trying to figure out what else to say. "The only other thing I've noticed this year is that Snape seemed particularly shifty --- "
"RON!" Shouted more than one person.
"Sorry" he murmured sitting down. Once again, Hermione thought that he didn't look sorry at all. So much had happened tonight that Hermione and Harry had forgotten to ask Ron about his adventure tonight. They were both shocked when they heard what happened to him and that Dobby rescued him. Harry was thinking back to the warning Dobby gave him earlier that very night in the kitchen.
Hermione quietly said that she thought her stories would be better coming from Harry. Dumbledore also bade her to add her perspective at the appropriate intervals. He then turned his attention to Dobby.
"Please sir, Dobby has nothing to say in this forum. Dobby should not be hearing this stuff. Please do not make Dobby speak in front of all the wizards sir --- I is not able to contribute anything anyway." He looked truly scared.
Dumbledore would not relent. "Dobby, I must insist that you tell us where you found Ron tonight. I also would like to know how you knew to go looking for him in the first place." Dobby just sat there shaking his head. Dumbledore refused to take his gaze off the near-pitiful house elf.
"Please sir, I is doing nothing wrong. I only wanted to help tonight. I can not tell."
"You can and you will."
"Please sir I beg of you, I is not able to say anything against my former master."
AHA, several people in the room were thinking to themselves. Dumbledore however did not think this was enough information. "Dobby, we will let this go for now but I can assure you that this is not over and you will tell me."
"Thank you sir. Dobby is understanding what Professor Dumbledore sir is saying sir. Thank you sir. You is kind and generous." Dobby just covered his face with his hands and sat in the chair shaking.
As it was his turn next, everyone turned to look at Harry. He stood up unsure of where to begin. He started with telling everyone about the incidents while he was learning to apparate. Those stories earned different reactions from everyone. Some people were surprised that the students were learning how to do such advanced magic. Sirius was almost chuckling; he was apparently still thinking about how Lupin couldn't defeat Harry's shield and ended up hexing himself. A few other people were trying to figure out the significance of Harry's troubles.
When he finished that story, he was wondering how to possibly tell tonight's story when Dumbledore stopped him. "Harry, tonight's events are very complicated and I think it best to save those for the end; we'll cover tonight chronologically when the time comes. Sirius, you next but again --- we'll save tonight events for later."
Sirius stood up. "Lupin and I have done some things this year. Mundungus Fletcher and Arabella Figg have been helping us to track down Pettigrew. We've also been spying on some of the Death Eater's meetings. Mundungus and Arabella stayed behind tonight to try to spy on more conversations to see how Voldemort is going to respond to the losses he suffered tonight. One of the possibilities he had mentioned earlier was coming after the students at Hogwarts, which is why the students were sent home early for the holidays. Everything else important concerns tonight."
"Thank you Sirius. I think we'll listen to one more story before taking another break. Hagrid --- "
"Of course sir. Well, as some of you already know this past summer I went on an errand for the headmaster." Hagrid paused as Mr Weasley had done earlier to look at Dumbledore for confirmation that he wanted him to continue down this path. Harry, Ron and Hermione were hopeful as the watched intently for Dumbledore's discreet answer to Hagrid's unspoken question. They were ecstatic to see the headmaster nod his head in approval.
Hagrid began again, "Well, it's kind of a long story."
A/N - Next week is going to be very busy for me but I'll try to do one at least every other day.