CHAPTER II

THE TRUTH?

Dumbledore´s office was completely silent, despite the presence of almost the whole Order of the Phoenix, with the obvious exception of Sirius, whose terrifying death had put them all in a deep stupor, as they all came to realize concretely that it was their lives they were putting at stake.

The leader of the Order, Professor Dumbledore, was not willing to leave Hogwarts and return to Grimmauld´s Place, for he was not leaving the school, not with Voldemort being completely flagrant now. Now almost everybody in the Wizarding Community was aware that Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore were saying the undeniable truth, even through the all wished it was a lie. So now, the Order´s meetings took place at Dumbledore´s room.

"They are very punctual, aren´t they?" said Molly Weasley, who was talking in a very low voice to Mr. Weasley, who nodded in agreement.

Dumbledore was able to hear everything perfectly, but said nothing; he was now concentrating on the difficult speech he was about to do. He just needed the signal. Meanwhile, Tonks was in the middle of a transformation, from red-headed to yellow-headed, Shacklebolt Kingsley was rubbing a stain from his very white nail and Mundungus Fletcher seemed to be just a little dizzy, but Lupin, who was beside him, was quite aware that he was actually drunken, and Arabella Figg was looking at him supremely flustered.

However, Dumbledore remainded silent, until the blazes in his fireplace grew and turned bright green. They all turned to look, just to see Severus Snape stepping out of the flames. He unceremoniously removed the ashes that had landed on his robes and hair, and walked straight to the table, where the Order was already assembled.

"It has been done, Headmaster" he said, drawling the words, as everybody in the room, looked up at them, totally mistified.

"Thank you, Severus" said Dumbledore, smiling vagely. "Well, it is time to beggin our meeting".

A loud hiccup was heard, and Mundungus Fletcher clapped his hands to his mouth, trying to pretend there was nothing wrong with him.

"Shouldn´t we wait for McGonagall?" he asked.

"Next time we set a meeting, Mundungus, we certainly will appreciate if you did not stopped in a pub on your way here. Is it clear?" said Mrs. Figg, furiously.

"Thank you, Arabella" said Dumbledore. "You should listen to that, Mundungus".

He received another hiccup as an as answer, and continued:

"Minerva is not coming tonight, I am afraid to say".

He fell silent, giving the statemente enough time to settle.

"Oh, the poor thing... She is ill again, isn´t she?" asked Mrs. Weasley, genuinely concerned.

Dumbledore nooded.

"However, she is not coming to following meetings, ever..." For the first time it seemed as words were escaping his mind. "I have called you, not to discuss, but to explain to all of you the reason why Professor McGonagall has been banned henceforth from this Order".

Nobody uttered a word. Only Shacklebolt spoke after the announcement, in a deep and rather harsh way.

"With all due respect, Professor Dumbledore, I don´t think it is wise nor fair to discuss this matter without Professor McGonagall being present, if you forgive my interruption".

Dumbledore was calmed, even though there was a strange look in his eyes; its usual sparkling was completely gone.

"As I said before, Shacklebolt, you are not here to discuss the matter, but to simply know about it, for I have already decided it is best to proceed this way. As it is, I will ask all of you not to speak to her about anything that may concern the Order".

Everybody in the room knew Dumbledore was a very wise man, but this imposition did not exactly correspond to his usual image. He was not the kind of leader who imposed an order without even asking his subordinates.

"We understand your statement perfectly, Professor Dumbledore" said Lupin, rasing both eyebrows. "However, I am sure we would all like to know why you have decided to ban her. For all we know, she has always been the most loyal of your friends and helpers. It is normal to for us to think it unfair that she is not here" He took a deep breath and continued. "The lady deserves at least an explanation. I think it will be wise to call her... if she is ill then we sould postpone this meeting until she is able to join us".

Dumbledore´s right temple was pounding slightly. From the beggining he knew than convincing them was not going to be an easy task at all.

"Professor McGonagall is not here because I have asked Severus to administer her a very powerful sleeping draught, known as the Draught of the Living Death. She will come to her senses soon and luckily today is Friday".

Dumbledore had enough time to see the petrified faces of his Order´s members. No one dared to speak out loud what was crossing their minds, and he was sure their thought were not very postive. They may even think he was losing his mind.

"And she drank it?" growled Moody, unbelievingly. "The smell is piercing... I cannot comprehend how a former Auror drinks something without even... I know I would not...".

"She realized it was not the usual smell of the potion I always make for her" said Snape, darkly. "But the pain did not let her think clearly".

"Well, perhaps it is easy when the potion is handed to you by someone you trust in... and who tells you it is a potion against the migraine that is splitting your head up almost twice a week" said Tonks, totally disgusted, directing Snape a very dirty look.

"I think it is time for you" interrupted Lupin harshly, talking to Dumbledore, while he stood up "to tell us exactly why you have gone so far to avoid the presence of Professor McGonagall in this room".

"Please sit, Remus. And try to remain calm" said Dumbledore slowly, in a voice that suddenly seemed older and loaded with very heavy burdens for a man´s back. "I am not trying to avoid her presence. I am protecting her".

"Is drugging your most loyal friend your idea of protection, Dumbledore?" asked Mrs. Weasley, who had not been able to find the words to desribe her boiling anger. "I sincerely fail to understand you. Why would she need protection in the first place?".

Albus Dumbledore gazed at her though misty eyes. Suddenly, he realized that almost everybody in the room was staring at him with the same concerned and mistified looks. However, he was sure once he had explained everything to them, they will perfectly understand the way in which he had proceeded. Even Fawkes seemed to be looking at him with his bright black beetle eyes.

He realized then that all of them deserved an explanation.

He slowly circled the table, trying to find the words to describe what was happening.

"You do realize, of course, that Professor McGonagall was my student here at Hogwarts, during the time Tom Riddle was still that brilliant Head Boy and the favorite student of almost every professor".

He paused for a moment. The members of the Order were wondering when he will go straight to the point.

"That is old information" said Lupin, shrugging. "Please tell us something we don´t know".

"Well, I certainly didn´t know that..." said Tonks brightly, but she stopped almost immediately, as Lupin looked at her as though she had just said the worst possible thing.

"Here is something you certainly didn´t know," continued Dumbledore, who didn´t seem aware of the interruption he had just endured. "Tom Riddle was Professor McGonagall´s dearest friend at that time".

Molly Weasley was unable to remain sat after what she had just heard about her fomer Professor.

"And you are insinuating that just because she was his friend... ? Are you suggesting that perhaps she will reveal our whereabouts and plans? That is the most...

But Albus didn´t knew what followed her statement, because everybody else in the room, with the exception of Snape, was now talking loudly. Albus raised his hand, trying to calm everybody. He had feared this; he had feared they all thought he was being unfair, and perhaps he was, but it was not her who he distrusted.

"If you please... just stay calm while I continue", said Dumbledore, closing his eyes to regain peacefulness. "It is not her who I distrust... it is him. Voldemort".

Almost every member of the Order flinched at the mention of the name.

"Dumbledore, please don´t say... not that name..." said Mr. Weasley, with a pale face.

"I have always thought that fear of a name only increases the fear itself. There is no reason why we should not..."

"We are deviating from the subject here, Professor", piped in Lupin, rather aggressively. "We are not discussing Voldemort´s name −just cut it out, Arthur! −but the situation...".

Albus nodded in agreement.

"You are right, of course" he said, curtly. "The thing is that... you all know he possesses powers nobody could ever dream of having, but powers are not the issue here. I am certain that Voldemort may try to coerce her into telling him something about us, ´for their old friendship´s sake´. By banning her, we are prottecting her and us at the same time. If she knows nothing more about the Order, she will have nothing to tell just in case he..."

He broke off, quite sure that his message was by now understood.

"How will you explain this to her, Dumbledore?" asked Lupin.

"The truth, Remus. Always the thruth"

Mr. Figg was struggling not to say something, but Dumbledore fixed his gaze upon her.

"Say whatever is in your mind, Arabella"

"Don´t you think she will be offended?" she exploded. "Almost forty years of loyal friendship and this is how you pay her? Distrusting her and her reasoning? Thinking that she may somehow talk out of affection?"

Albus nodded; he had agreed with this comment long before he knew who would utter it. He had been wondering how to tell her without offending her, without making her think she was not trustable anymore, but she was such a loyal and dear friend to him. He might be acting as Voldemort expected him to act, but he was going to do everything that was on his hands to prevent her suffering.

"I know she will understand this feeble attempt to keep her away from danger. She will understand and forgive".

The members of the Order were gone within an hour, not very convinced of his arguments, but he knew they will end up accepting it.

"The truth, Remus. Always the thruth" said a hoarse voice before him, mimicking the words he had already pronounced.

Dumbledore didn´t even turned.

"It was the easiest way to go, Armando, I assure you"

The portrait of the former Hogwart´s Headmaster was hanging close to him, and his owner didn´t seem pleased by the facts he had just seen. His face was red with anger.

"Was it, Dumbledore?" asked Dippet, furiously. "You were talking about ´truth´, Albus, but I am afraid you are not quite familiar with the term. Are you?"

Slowly turning to face him, Dumbledore smiled feebly.

"I believe I know why you are saying that, Armando".

Dipper laughed out loud, waking up almost every single one of the Hogwart´s former Headmasters and Headmistress.

"I bet you do. ´His dearest friend?´... I believe you failed to mention something else... You should have told them their frienship was not an ordinary one... or have you already forgotten that Minerva McGonagall used to be Tom Riddle´s mistress?"

Albus began to feel his heart pounding faster, his temper boiling.

"Don´t you repeat that again, Armando!" he shouted, pointing at him. "She is my friend and I shall not allow you to..."

"Why not?" asked Dippet. "Everybody else in this room knows it after all. Don´t you, Phineas?" he added, talking to Sirius´s relative and less popular Headmaster of Howgarts.

Phineas Nigellus raised both arms in front of him.

"I don´t want to intervene...", he said sheepishly. "But yes, she was...".

Albus stormed out of his office. He now came to understand than the portraits were not a good company for him in the present time.

Autor´s note: Well, chapter two is over, and is certainly much longer than I had first planned, but that is perfect! Thank all of you who had read and reviewed this story, you guys are great:D

Special thanks to \\/ Jadzania, who was the first one who left a review!

Well, leave a nice review and you will be able to know some of the following questions:

Will Dumbledore tell his Deputy the truth? Will she accept it? Will Voldemort try to do what Dumbledore thinks he might? Will Tonks ever stop changing the color of her hair? Will Dippet ever stop meddling in things that are not of his concern? Will I ever stop circling around the bushes and continue the tale?

You´ll know soon:D See you next chapter!