A/N - JKR owns the idea, all of these characters etc.
A/N - Sorry it took me so long to post this one. Busy week.
Chapter 33
Deeper Depositions
Harry had much more important things to wonder about than why Snape was being so nasty --- well nastier than usual that is. He needed to find a place where he could read his mysterious letter in private. Of course! He knew there was one place that no one would look for him. There was one place that he hadn't been to at all this year. He headed straight for the prefects' bathroom.
Because of those annoying monthly meetings he knew the password. "Hot Dog" Harry said opening the secret entrance.
He went straight inside and opened his envelope. A pack of lemon drops and a note fell out.
Dear Harry,
There is something else you need to know about the Order of the Phoenix. There's no better way to say this then to tell you straight out. Later this year you are going to be called upon to save it, as your dad and his grandfather before you did. I know I said last year that you had given us all that we had a right to expect but I assure you that this is beyond my control. This is powerful magic and only something the son of Lily and James Potter can do. I am only telling you this because whatever happens this year, you must continue to concentrate on your studies, especially your additional studies.
Keep working on your animagus form in your spare time and after the holidays are over, we'll begin working on the invisibility part of the Order's test.
Finally, I must ask you to keep an open mind about what you see in tomorrow's proceedings.
Happy Christmas,
Albus Dumbledore
Harry didn't know what to make of the letter. Why didn't Dumbledore just tell him instead of sending him this letter? He also wondered why Dumbledore seemed to be holding out on him. Harry would much rather that the headmaster would just tell him what was going to happen to him and the Order at the end of this year instead of remaining so cryptic about it. He was full of questions but he didn't have any answers. He folded up the letter and put it in his pocket as he returned to the Gryffindor common room.
Apparently the rest of his group was tired from the evening's merriment because he found the main room empty. He went straight up to his bedroom and had no trouble falling asleep. He dreamed wonderful dreams all night about the adventures he would have on his new broomstick. He was glad the next morning when Ron shook him awake, he had been slightly afraid that Sirius would return and smack him with a pillow again.
Everyone met in the Great Hall as planned. There was a table on the side set up with food and drinks. Besides that though there was nothing from yesterday's festivities present. The four tables were arranged in a square again and the contraption for recording interviews was once again set up. All of the people that were there on Christmas Eve were present today with two exceptions. Severus Snape was present. And Albus Dumbledore was missing.
The adult wizards were gathered in a quietly secretive discussion. Harry guessed that they were talking about how to proceed without Dumbledore. Within a few minutes everyone went back to his or her usual seats with the exception of Professor McGonagall taking over the headmaster's usual position. As she seemed to have everyone's attention already, she began speaking.
"Professor Dumbledore cannot be with us yet today. I will be conducting the interrogations, with Professor Snape's help of course."
By the volume of the reaction in the Great hall, Harry knew that he wasn't the only one who wondered where the headmaster was. Harry only briefly had time to wonder if Dumbledore's new position as acting Minister of Magic required that he stop going after Voldemort on his own. He started picturing Dumbledore being surrounded by security wizards like the Secret Service when he was brought back from his pictures of Dumbledore wearing a bulletproof vest by McGonagall's voice.
"Madame Pomfrey," the acting headmistress said. Madame Pomfrey opened up the door of the Great Hall and four ministry security wizards brought in the first prisoner.
Most of the first few prisoners didn't testify to anything significant. Many of them were the same prisoners that were brought in last time. Crabbe, Goyle, and Avery were the first three prisoners brought in. Each of their testimony was the same as it was the first time. Occasionally Snape would toss in a question but not one of the prisoners answered him.
When Nott was brought in Harry finally remembered where he had seen his face and why Hagrid seemed especially glad that this Death Eater had been caught. Harry had seen Nott in a photo in the Daily Prophet back during his second year. The article was about Hagrid's release from Azkaban and the photo showed a skeptical looking wizard releasing Hagrid. Nott was that wizard. Hagrid wasn't one to hold a grudge and Harry couldn't help but to wonder what Nott had said to him that made Hagrid dislike him so much. Unfortunately, Nott's testimony wasn't any different from that of the first three prisoners.
Pettigrew was the fifth prisoner brought in. He was still in his rat form. When the ministry wizards placed him in the chair in the middle of the tables, McGonagall brandished her wand and transformed him into the short balding man that had betrayed Lily and James Potter. Again, he did nothing except plead for his life. Sirius was not the only one in the room staring at the Death Eater with pure hatred in his eyes. The few people not staring daggers at the former Marauder were looking repulsed at him.
A few other wizards that Harry didn't recognize had been brought in to give testimony in their own defense. No one said anything interesting and truth be told, these proceedings were becoming routine and boring. Harry was thinking about how much he would rather be outside trying out his new Nimbus 2003. He knew that this was important business but after all, so was trying out that new broom.
Eventually, something happened that got Harry's attention. Lucius Malfoy was brought into the Great Hall. The proceedings began just as they always did. --- "Lucius Malfoy, you are charged with --- " Harry didn't' start paying attention again until the transfiguration professor was done speaking.
Lucius Malfoy had a look that Harry had seen before; the wizard was having an internal struggle.
Whatever was going on inside his Death Eater's mind was resolved quickly because he set his face resolutely and didn't answer any questions. No real discussions began until all the prisoners had been returned to their cells and the members returned from another break.
Professor McGonagall announced to the group, "We shall continue our discussion over lunch. Everyone help yourself as we talk about what we've seen here." She nodded to the table where lunch had magically appeared. She continued, "I have my own opinions but I don't want to comment until we've heard from other people. So that they feel free to give their opinion and don't get intimidated by any of us --- er --- more mature witches and wizards, I want to hear from the youngest people here before hearing from some of the rest of you. Weasley, you first."
Ron gulped audibly as he looked around first at his friends then at his parents before facing the head of his house. "What do I do?"
"Weasley, just tell us what you thought about what you saw here today." As she was speaking, the acting headmistress softened her facial features as she looked patiently as Ron.
"Erm --- well --- I don't really think that anyone is going to tell us more except Scab --- Pettigrew unless they're magicked."
Professor McGonagall smiled briefly at Ron before looking at the other teenagers in the room. "Do any of the rest of you have anything to add? Anything at all?" She waited for a few seconds but when they didn't answer she said, "Even the smallest detail that might seem trivial to you may end up being important."
"Ummm professor --- " Harry began tentatively.
"Yes? Out with it." Her face and her tone were both encouraging.
"I noticed something in Lucius Malfoy's face when he was being questioned. He looked like he was trying to make a decision about something."
"Interesting, did anyone else notice that same thing?" She queried the crowd in general.
"I did" Tiny said. "But I probably wouldn't have even thought to bring it up."
"Very well thank you both. Now who else noticed anything?"
The consensus of the masses was that Malfoy was bordering on telling the group something and would be worth questioning again. Also everyone agreed with Ron that Pettigrew would probably tell everything he knew given the proper "encouragement".
"ARTHUR!" Mrs Weasley shouted interrupting his conversation with Sirius.
Apparently Mr Weasley knew the source of her anger because without being told he chuckled slightly and put down the dessert he was eating.
Most of the other people were still on the dessert course by the time the conversation faded down. Professor McGonagall announced a fifteen-minute recess and told Harry that she needed to speak with him in private.
"I just saw Dumbledore in the hallway. He asked me to tell you to meet him in the hallway on the way to your common room."
Harry was slightly confused but he left immediately nonetheless.
"Ahhhh Harry, excellent. I have a small favor to ask. I need to borrow your invisibility cloak for the afternoon."
Harry hated parting with the only thing he had left that had once belonged to his father but he could hardly refuse the headmaster. "I'll be right back," he said turning to go to his bedroom to retrieve it. He found the headmaster in the same place where Harry had left him earlier.
"Thank you very much, I'm sure you're being missed in the Great Hall."
Harry slowly walked back to the Great Hall. He wished that Dumbledore had told him what the cloak was going to be used for but he knew better than to ask.
Professor McGonagall was ushering everyone back into his or her seats as Harry entered the Great Hall. Harry was asking Sirius if he missed anything when Dumbledore walked in.
"Sorry I missed the earlier proceedings but Minerva tells me that we've decided to call back two of the prisoners for more questioning." He waited for the general murmur of consent to die down. "Excellent then, shall we proceed?" Dumbledore gestured to the ministry security wizard by the door and watched as Pettigrew was brought in and seated in the chair in the middle once again.
"Pettigrew, I must warn you --- my patience is running thin. This session will be your final chance to save your life."
"You can't do anything to me. I --- I --- I know that the dementors work for the Dark Lord now." If it was possible, he actually sounded more confident than he looked.
"Actually Pettigrew, that is not the case. We have the dementors in a secure location but that is not the issue. Do you or do you not have anything else to say to us?" Everyone was waiting for him to say something but he just sat there shivering.
"Stay quiet Peter," Sirius said. "I don't want any arguments about whether or not your life is worth sparing so just sit there and remain quiet and make it easier for me to convince these wizards that your existence no longer serves any purpose."
Everyone watched on as the prisoner began shaking even more violently in the chair. "What do you want to know?" He asked meekly.
"Everything" Dumbledore replied automatically.
The prisoner looked around and timidly said, "I don't know where to start but I'll tell you anything you want to know just keep me away from the Dark Lord."
"We're not going to make any promises to you Peter." Sirius said in a snarl. Dumbledore looked over at Sirius because there was no longer any point in looking at the prisoner; he had passed out.
"Fine then, we're going to have to calm him down enough to at least get his testimony at some point but now I think, we should turn to our next prisoner." Again the headmaster and acting Minister of Magic gestured to a security wizard and the prisoners were exchanged. Pettigrew was led back to his cage and Lucius Malfoy was brought in.
After he was situated in his place in the middle, Dumbledore began. "Some witches and wizards in this room seem to think that you have more testimony to offer." Malfoy just sat there stonily. Dumbledore continued, "I think perhaps you don't know the extent of your troubles. Voldemort cannot rescue you from here. You can't buy your way out of this and you can't intimidate your way out. We don't care about your family name and there is no way that you are going to escape from Hogwarts. Talking to us is your only hope."
There was complete silence, as Malfoy seemed to be trying to make up his mind. Harry would have given his new broomstick to know what Malfoy was trying to decide between. After what seemed like ages, but was actually less than three minutes, Malfoy finally spoke.
"I didn't have any choice. Draco said that he'd kill Narcissa if I didn't help him carry out the raid against Azkaban. Snape over there can testify that I haven't done anything to please the Dark Lord. I haven't killed any one and I haven't developed any of these plans that have been attempted. I was stuck trying between trying not to hurt anyone and protecting my wife from my son."
There was a general outpouring of disbelief from the onlookers. Harry was the first one to speak up. "You support Voldemort, I saw you apparate to him at the end of last year. You're a member of his inner circle."
Malfoy was definitely angered by what Harry said. "I do not have to explain myself to a mere boy."
Although Sirius was quick to his feet it was Dumbledore who spoke first, "Oh but you do. Harry has first hand knowledge of many things concerning Voldemort and I consider his testimony valid. You will answer his charges."
Malfoy just sat there for another few seconds before speaking again. "The Dark Lord isn't interested in me. He's going after the teenagers trying to ensure his future for years and years to come. After Potter escaped that night, we were told that we weren't good enough to serve him and that we weren't needed any more. He told us to stay out of his way and that's what I intended to do. I didn't want anything to do with him or his activities. Snape will tell you that all he cares about is the wizards without a family or the children of the ones who do."
Everyone turned to Snape. He rose before speaking. "Voldemort is especially interested in the youth, that part is true. However, I'm not convinced that he would turn away the older wizards."
Malfoy didn't miss a beat before answering. "As long as he has one member of a family, that's all he needs to turn the family against itself and make it miserable. I haven't done anything except rear an ungrateful son who worships the Dark Lord and threatened to kill his mother if I didn't go with him on Christmas Eve to get his friends out of Azkaban."
Everyone was having difficulty accepting what they were hearing but Mr Weasley was having special difficulty trying to understand this from a father's perspective. "You're giving up your own son to a life in prison for what you did?" Everyone knew that the Weasley's and the Malfoy's hated each other but Mr Weasley's surprise was obviously genuine.
"That's what I keep trying to say. This wasn't something I wanted to do. You don't know what it's like living in fear of your own son. I know that if I hadn't gone with him that night, he would have killed his mother."
"Oh really Father?" Everyone turned to see Draco standing a few feet behind Dumbledore pulling off an invisibility cloak.
A/N -Share your thoughts with me
.
A/N - Sorry it took me so long to post this one. Busy week.
Chapter 33
Deeper Depositions
Harry had much more important things to wonder about than why Snape was being so nasty --- well nastier than usual that is. He needed to find a place where he could read his mysterious letter in private. Of course! He knew there was one place that no one would look for him. There was one place that he hadn't been to at all this year. He headed straight for the prefects' bathroom.
Because of those annoying monthly meetings he knew the password. "Hot Dog" Harry said opening the secret entrance.
He went straight inside and opened his envelope. A pack of lemon drops and a note fell out.
Dear Harry,
There is something else you need to know about the Order of the Phoenix. There's no better way to say this then to tell you straight out. Later this year you are going to be called upon to save it, as your dad and his grandfather before you did. I know I said last year that you had given us all that we had a right to expect but I assure you that this is beyond my control. This is powerful magic and only something the son of Lily and James Potter can do. I am only telling you this because whatever happens this year, you must continue to concentrate on your studies, especially your additional studies.
Keep working on your animagus form in your spare time and after the holidays are over, we'll begin working on the invisibility part of the Order's test.
Finally, I must ask you to keep an open mind about what you see in tomorrow's proceedings.
Happy Christmas,
Albus Dumbledore
Harry didn't know what to make of the letter. Why didn't Dumbledore just tell him instead of sending him this letter? He also wondered why Dumbledore seemed to be holding out on him. Harry would much rather that the headmaster would just tell him what was going to happen to him and the Order at the end of this year instead of remaining so cryptic about it. He was full of questions but he didn't have any answers. He folded up the letter and put it in his pocket as he returned to the Gryffindor common room.
Apparently the rest of his group was tired from the evening's merriment because he found the main room empty. He went straight up to his bedroom and had no trouble falling asleep. He dreamed wonderful dreams all night about the adventures he would have on his new broomstick. He was glad the next morning when Ron shook him awake, he had been slightly afraid that Sirius would return and smack him with a pillow again.
Everyone met in the Great Hall as planned. There was a table on the side set up with food and drinks. Besides that though there was nothing from yesterday's festivities present. The four tables were arranged in a square again and the contraption for recording interviews was once again set up. All of the people that were there on Christmas Eve were present today with two exceptions. Severus Snape was present. And Albus Dumbledore was missing.
The adult wizards were gathered in a quietly secretive discussion. Harry guessed that they were talking about how to proceed without Dumbledore. Within a few minutes everyone went back to his or her usual seats with the exception of Professor McGonagall taking over the headmaster's usual position. As she seemed to have everyone's attention already, she began speaking.
"Professor Dumbledore cannot be with us yet today. I will be conducting the interrogations, with Professor Snape's help of course."
By the volume of the reaction in the Great hall, Harry knew that he wasn't the only one who wondered where the headmaster was. Harry only briefly had time to wonder if Dumbledore's new position as acting Minister of Magic required that he stop going after Voldemort on his own. He started picturing Dumbledore being surrounded by security wizards like the Secret Service when he was brought back from his pictures of Dumbledore wearing a bulletproof vest by McGonagall's voice.
"Madame Pomfrey," the acting headmistress said. Madame Pomfrey opened up the door of the Great Hall and four ministry security wizards brought in the first prisoner.
Most of the first few prisoners didn't testify to anything significant. Many of them were the same prisoners that were brought in last time. Crabbe, Goyle, and Avery were the first three prisoners brought in. Each of their testimony was the same as it was the first time. Occasionally Snape would toss in a question but not one of the prisoners answered him.
When Nott was brought in Harry finally remembered where he had seen his face and why Hagrid seemed especially glad that this Death Eater had been caught. Harry had seen Nott in a photo in the Daily Prophet back during his second year. The article was about Hagrid's release from Azkaban and the photo showed a skeptical looking wizard releasing Hagrid. Nott was that wizard. Hagrid wasn't one to hold a grudge and Harry couldn't help but to wonder what Nott had said to him that made Hagrid dislike him so much. Unfortunately, Nott's testimony wasn't any different from that of the first three prisoners.
Pettigrew was the fifth prisoner brought in. He was still in his rat form. When the ministry wizards placed him in the chair in the middle of the tables, McGonagall brandished her wand and transformed him into the short balding man that had betrayed Lily and James Potter. Again, he did nothing except plead for his life. Sirius was not the only one in the room staring at the Death Eater with pure hatred in his eyes. The few people not staring daggers at the former Marauder were looking repulsed at him.
A few other wizards that Harry didn't recognize had been brought in to give testimony in their own defense. No one said anything interesting and truth be told, these proceedings were becoming routine and boring. Harry was thinking about how much he would rather be outside trying out his new Nimbus 2003. He knew that this was important business but after all, so was trying out that new broom.
Eventually, something happened that got Harry's attention. Lucius Malfoy was brought into the Great Hall. The proceedings began just as they always did. --- "Lucius Malfoy, you are charged with --- " Harry didn't' start paying attention again until the transfiguration professor was done speaking.
Lucius Malfoy had a look that Harry had seen before; the wizard was having an internal struggle.
Whatever was going on inside his Death Eater's mind was resolved quickly because he set his face resolutely and didn't answer any questions. No real discussions began until all the prisoners had been returned to their cells and the members returned from another break.
Professor McGonagall announced to the group, "We shall continue our discussion over lunch. Everyone help yourself as we talk about what we've seen here." She nodded to the table where lunch had magically appeared. She continued, "I have my own opinions but I don't want to comment until we've heard from other people. So that they feel free to give their opinion and don't get intimidated by any of us --- er --- more mature witches and wizards, I want to hear from the youngest people here before hearing from some of the rest of you. Weasley, you first."
Ron gulped audibly as he looked around first at his friends then at his parents before facing the head of his house. "What do I do?"
"Weasley, just tell us what you thought about what you saw here today." As she was speaking, the acting headmistress softened her facial features as she looked patiently as Ron.
"Erm --- well --- I don't really think that anyone is going to tell us more except Scab --- Pettigrew unless they're magicked."
Professor McGonagall smiled briefly at Ron before looking at the other teenagers in the room. "Do any of the rest of you have anything to add? Anything at all?" She waited for a few seconds but when they didn't answer she said, "Even the smallest detail that might seem trivial to you may end up being important."
"Ummm professor --- " Harry began tentatively.
"Yes? Out with it." Her face and her tone were both encouraging.
"I noticed something in Lucius Malfoy's face when he was being questioned. He looked like he was trying to make a decision about something."
"Interesting, did anyone else notice that same thing?" She queried the crowd in general.
"I did" Tiny said. "But I probably wouldn't have even thought to bring it up."
"Very well thank you both. Now who else noticed anything?"
The consensus of the masses was that Malfoy was bordering on telling the group something and would be worth questioning again. Also everyone agreed with Ron that Pettigrew would probably tell everything he knew given the proper "encouragement".
"ARTHUR!" Mrs Weasley shouted interrupting his conversation with Sirius.
Apparently Mr Weasley knew the source of her anger because without being told he chuckled slightly and put down the dessert he was eating.
Most of the other people were still on the dessert course by the time the conversation faded down. Professor McGonagall announced a fifteen-minute recess and told Harry that she needed to speak with him in private.
"I just saw Dumbledore in the hallway. He asked me to tell you to meet him in the hallway on the way to your common room."
Harry was slightly confused but he left immediately nonetheless.
"Ahhhh Harry, excellent. I have a small favor to ask. I need to borrow your invisibility cloak for the afternoon."
Harry hated parting with the only thing he had left that had once belonged to his father but he could hardly refuse the headmaster. "I'll be right back," he said turning to go to his bedroom to retrieve it. He found the headmaster in the same place where Harry had left him earlier.
"Thank you very much, I'm sure you're being missed in the Great Hall."
Harry slowly walked back to the Great Hall. He wished that Dumbledore had told him what the cloak was going to be used for but he knew better than to ask.
Professor McGonagall was ushering everyone back into his or her seats as Harry entered the Great Hall. Harry was asking Sirius if he missed anything when Dumbledore walked in.
"Sorry I missed the earlier proceedings but Minerva tells me that we've decided to call back two of the prisoners for more questioning." He waited for the general murmur of consent to die down. "Excellent then, shall we proceed?" Dumbledore gestured to the ministry security wizard by the door and watched as Pettigrew was brought in and seated in the chair in the middle once again.
"Pettigrew, I must warn you --- my patience is running thin. This session will be your final chance to save your life."
"You can't do anything to me. I --- I --- I know that the dementors work for the Dark Lord now." If it was possible, he actually sounded more confident than he looked.
"Actually Pettigrew, that is not the case. We have the dementors in a secure location but that is not the issue. Do you or do you not have anything else to say to us?" Everyone was waiting for him to say something but he just sat there shivering.
"Stay quiet Peter," Sirius said. "I don't want any arguments about whether or not your life is worth sparing so just sit there and remain quiet and make it easier for me to convince these wizards that your existence no longer serves any purpose."
Everyone watched on as the prisoner began shaking even more violently in the chair. "What do you want to know?" He asked meekly.
"Everything" Dumbledore replied automatically.
The prisoner looked around and timidly said, "I don't know where to start but I'll tell you anything you want to know just keep me away from the Dark Lord."
"We're not going to make any promises to you Peter." Sirius said in a snarl. Dumbledore looked over at Sirius because there was no longer any point in looking at the prisoner; he had passed out.
"Fine then, we're going to have to calm him down enough to at least get his testimony at some point but now I think, we should turn to our next prisoner." Again the headmaster and acting Minister of Magic gestured to a security wizard and the prisoners were exchanged. Pettigrew was led back to his cage and Lucius Malfoy was brought in.
After he was situated in his place in the middle, Dumbledore began. "Some witches and wizards in this room seem to think that you have more testimony to offer." Malfoy just sat there stonily. Dumbledore continued, "I think perhaps you don't know the extent of your troubles. Voldemort cannot rescue you from here. You can't buy your way out of this and you can't intimidate your way out. We don't care about your family name and there is no way that you are going to escape from Hogwarts. Talking to us is your only hope."
There was complete silence, as Malfoy seemed to be trying to make up his mind. Harry would have given his new broomstick to know what Malfoy was trying to decide between. After what seemed like ages, but was actually less than three minutes, Malfoy finally spoke.
"I didn't have any choice. Draco said that he'd kill Narcissa if I didn't help him carry out the raid against Azkaban. Snape over there can testify that I haven't done anything to please the Dark Lord. I haven't killed any one and I haven't developed any of these plans that have been attempted. I was stuck trying between trying not to hurt anyone and protecting my wife from my son."
There was a general outpouring of disbelief from the onlookers. Harry was the first one to speak up. "You support Voldemort, I saw you apparate to him at the end of last year. You're a member of his inner circle."
Malfoy was definitely angered by what Harry said. "I do not have to explain myself to a mere boy."
Although Sirius was quick to his feet it was Dumbledore who spoke first, "Oh but you do. Harry has first hand knowledge of many things concerning Voldemort and I consider his testimony valid. You will answer his charges."
Malfoy just sat there for another few seconds before speaking again. "The Dark Lord isn't interested in me. He's going after the teenagers trying to ensure his future for years and years to come. After Potter escaped that night, we were told that we weren't good enough to serve him and that we weren't needed any more. He told us to stay out of his way and that's what I intended to do. I didn't want anything to do with him or his activities. Snape will tell you that all he cares about is the wizards without a family or the children of the ones who do."
Everyone turned to Snape. He rose before speaking. "Voldemort is especially interested in the youth, that part is true. However, I'm not convinced that he would turn away the older wizards."
Malfoy didn't miss a beat before answering. "As long as he has one member of a family, that's all he needs to turn the family against itself and make it miserable. I haven't done anything except rear an ungrateful son who worships the Dark Lord and threatened to kill his mother if I didn't go with him on Christmas Eve to get his friends out of Azkaban."
Everyone was having difficulty accepting what they were hearing but Mr Weasley was having special difficulty trying to understand this from a father's perspective. "You're giving up your own son to a life in prison for what you did?" Everyone knew that the Weasley's and the Malfoy's hated each other but Mr Weasley's surprise was obviously genuine.
"That's what I keep trying to say. This wasn't something I wanted to do. You don't know what it's like living in fear of your own son. I know that if I hadn't gone with him that night, he would have killed his mother."
"Oh really Father?" Everyone turned to see Draco standing a few feet behind Dumbledore pulling off an invisibility cloak.
A/N -Share your thoughts with me
.