Chapter 33: Destination: The Bahamas
The Departure Elevator continued to zoom upwards while Dumbledore and Sirius slept on the squishy lounge chairs. The trip back to Earth was taking much longer than they expected, so they decided to get a little bit of shut-eye before they arrived. Minutes later, the elevator jolted, awakening the two travelers.
"Ah, we're here!" Dumbledore said. Sirius rubbed his eyes and yawned, following Dumbledore out of the elevator. They were in a brightly-lit waiting room, empty except for a bored-looking witch sitting behind a desk labeled 'Reception.'
"Hello, welcome back to Earth, what will your destination be?" she asked in a monotonous tone while filing her nails.
"The summer residence of Minerva McGonagall," Dumbledore stated.
"Alright, please step inside the destination chamber," the reception witch said, pointing toward a door across the room. Sirius and Dumbledore stepped inside, discovering a bleak round chamber with nothing but black walls. As soon as the door clicked shut it disappeared and the two travelers were left in a round room with no doors or windows. They just sat there, waiting for something to happen.
"Um, Alberto, are we supposed to-" Sirius began. But right at that moment, the room started spinning. It accelerated quickly, pinning Sirius and Dumbledore to the walls. Dumbledore stretched his arms out against the wall, reeling in the pleasure of pure spinnyness. Sirius on the other hand, was turning green and was about to vomit, right when the spinning stopped. The room lit up and the door reappeared.
"Ah, here we are," Dumbledore said. He turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. They were bombarded with intense sunlight and a gentle ocean breeze.
"Where are we, Alberto?" Sirius asked, shielding his eyes from the sun rays.
"Welcome to the Bahamas!" Alberto replied.
"The Bahamas? What are we doing here?" Sirius inquired. Dumbledore, however, did not answer. He simply pointed his wand at himself and then at Sirius, changing their clothes to apparel very similar to what the Lord of the Underworld was just wearing. He then began walking across sand towards an isolated beach house on the shore.
"Alberto? Where are we going?" Sirius inquired again. Alberto hushed him.
"Shh, I want to surprise her!" Alberto replied. They made their way up the front porch of the tropical cabana. Sirius kept getting sand in his shoes, so he transfigured them into a pair of flip-flops. Alberto knocked on the front door. Sirius looked around. The beach was completely isolated and pure. It was the most beautiful place he had ever been to, but he wasn't very happy. He wasn't sure where he was or why he was there. A minute later, the door opened to a sight that truly horrified Mr. Black. Standing there right in front of him was the respectable Hogwarts professor Minerva McGonagall wearing nothing but a two piece bathing suite and a towel wrapped around her waist. Sirius was eternally thankful that she had that towel around her waist.
"Albus! Sirius! What is going on?" she exclaimed, staring at them. "Oh my, I must have soaked in too many rays! I'm hallucinating!" she cried, slamming the door shut. Alberto chuckled and knocked again. McGonagall opened it and screamed. "I'm still hallucinating!"
"Minerva, you are not hallucinating. I have come back from the underworld, and I brought Sirius with me. We need your help."
McGonagall simply stared at them with her mouth hanging open. "Well, then, come inside," she said. "Albus, what a surprise it is to see you again!"
"Alberto, actually."
"Excuse me?"
"I go by Alberto now."
"Erm, alright Alberto." She led them into the small parlor, handing them each a piña colada with little umbrellas in their glasses.
"Um, professor, may I ask why you're here?" Sirius asked.
"Well, you don't expect me to remain in dreary old England all year round, do you Sirius? I may be old and wrinkled, but I still like to have fun you know. This is my summer residence I come to every holiday to relax and free my mind," McGonagall replied.
They then sat down, and Alberto spent the next hour recounting his story and plan. Sirius sat quietly, listening intently to his former professor. When he was finished:
"And that is why I need you to let "Harry" do as he pleases this year at Hogwarts. While the real Harry Potter and friends are out hunting for the horcruxes, the world must believe they are still at school so no one will go looking for them elsewhere."
"But Alberto, how will this Dudley boy do magic? And the squib woman? How do you even know about Harry's plan if you haven't even talked to him?"
"Ah, Minerva, have you forgotten I'm the greatest wizard there ever was?" Alberto asked with a humorous glint in his eyes.