Slughorn and Blackmail
Chapter 19
Saturday, August 3
Sirius Side-Along Apparated with Dumbledore to what appeared to be a sleepy little town.
Dumbledore motioned him forwards when Sirius asked, "Where are we?"
"This is the town of Budleigh Babberton," said Dumbledore as they walked up the empty streets. It had been half-past six when Sirius left Potter Manor and the town seemed deserted at the early hour.
After a few minutes, Sirius broke the silence. "What do you actually want me to do?"
"I am certain your presence alone should be enough for him," chuckled Dumbledore.
"How do you know he lives here by the way?" said Sirius, looking around. "You said he's quite elusive."
"He is," said Dumbledore. "I had Fawkes take me to the place where he delivered the letter I sent to Horace."
"Having a phoenix as a pet does seem to have its advantages," said Sirius, impressed.
"Quite," said Dumbledore, as he pointed forwards. "Just through this left and…oh dear. Oh, dear…"
Sirius tensed as he took in the house in front of him, its front door hanging by its hinges. He pulled out his wand and noticed Dumbledore doing the same as he looked up and down the deserted street.
Dumbledore opened the gate and walked forward swiftly, Sirius at his heels. He pushed the front door with his wand raised and at the ready as he ignited his wand tip, "Lumos."
Sirius lit his wand too as he took in the scene of total devastation in front of him. Everything was broken and the house was in complete disarray.
Dumbledore was walking between the piano and the overturned sofa and examining them closely. Sirius couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right and not everything was what it seemed.
"It can't be Death Eaters. For one, there's no Dark Mark," said Sirius, eyeing around the house suspiciously.
Dumbledore merely nodded and suddenly plunged his wand into the seat of the overstuffed armchair which yelled, "Ouch!"
"Good evening, Horace," said Dumbledore calmly.
Sirius watched, eyes widening as the armchair turned instantly to the fat, bald, old man that was none other than his former professor, Horace Slughorn.
"There was no need to stick the wand in that hard," said Slughorn gruffly, clambering to his feet. "It hurt."
"What gave me away?" asked Slughorn, irritatedly.
"My dear Horace, if the Death Eaters had indeed made a visit, there would have been the Dark Mark as proof," said Dumbledore.
Slughorn hit his forehead with his pudgy hand, muttering, "I knew I forgot something…"
With Dumbledore's assistance, they put back everything in its place to reveal a charming little house.
"What kind of blood was that incidentally?" asked Dumbledore.
"On the walls? Dragon," replied Slughorn. "My last bottle and prices are sky-high at the moment. Still, it might be reusable."
It was then that his gaze fell upon Sirius. His eyes widened comically as he stated in a surprised tone, "Sirius Black!"
"Hello, Professor," replied Sirius coolly. "Long time, no see."
"Sirius, m'boy!" said Slughorn boomingly and hurtling forwards to shake his hand. "What a shame, convicting you on false charges in Azkaban for twelve years! I never believed it when they said you were a murderer."
Sirius raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Never?"
He was slightly amused to watch his old Professor looking sheepish, "Well, I…"
"How have you been Professor?" cut-in Sirius.
"Not so well," said Slughorn at once, his eyes narrowing suspiciously from him to Dumbledore. "Weak chest. Wheezy. Rheumatism too. Can't move like I used to. Well, I'm not getting any younger."
Sirius suppressed his snigger at the blatant lying but Dumbledore said, "And yet, you must have moved fairly quickly to prepare such a welcome for us at very short notice. You can't have had more than three minutes' warning?"
Slughorn said, half-irritably, half-proudly, "Two actually. Didn't hear my Intruder Charm go off. I was taking a bath. Still," he added sternly, "the fact remains that I'm an old man, Albus. A tired old man, who's earned the right to a quiet life and a few creature comforts."
"You're not yet as old as I am, Horace," said Dumbledore.
"Well, maybe you ought to think about retirement yourself," said Slughorn bluntly. His pale eyes had found Dumbledore's injured hand. "Reactions not what they were, I see."
"You're quite right," said Dumbledore serenely, shaking back his sleeve to reveal the tips of his burned and blackened fingers. "I am undoubtedly slower than I was. But on the other hand…"
He shrugged and spread his hands wide as if to say age had its compensations, when Sirius noticed a ring on his uninjured hand that he had never seen Dumbledore wear before: a large gold ring set with a heavy black stone that had cracked in the middle. Slughorn's eyes lingered for a moment on the ring too but then he motioned for them to take a seat and both Sirius and Dumbledore took the opposite-facing armchairs.
Dumbledore asked Slughorn about the Death Eaters and if they had come recruiting. Slughorn admitted that he had been on the run for over a year now.
Dumbledore said, "But it sounds a rather tiring existence for a broken-down old buffer in search of a quiet life. Now, if you were to return to Hogwarts—"
"If you're going to tell me that my life would be more peaceful at that pestilential school, you can save your breath, Albus!" said Slughorn, irritated and Sirius found himself nodding in agreement. Living in Hogwarts was anything but peaceful, if even half of what Harry told him was true.
Slughorn continued, "I might have been in hiding, but some funny rumours have reached me since Dolores Umbridge left! If that's how you treat teachers these day—"
Sirius abruptly cut in, rage filling him at the mention of that cow, "Even a troll would have the sense not to stride into the forest and call a horde of angry centaurs, 'filthy half-breeds'."
Slughorn looked at him quickly, as if he had forgotten Sirius was there. "That's what she said, did she? Idiotic woman. Never liked her."
Sirius smirked but the anger in his eyes did not fade. The next time he saw that woman, he was going to murder her. Slowly.
Dumbledore stood up rather abruptly.
"Are you leaving?" asked Slughorn, looking hopeful.
"No, I was wondering whether I might use your bathroom," said Dumbledore.
"Oh," said Slughorn, disappointed. "Second on the left, down the hall."
Dumbledore strode from the room. Once the door had closed behind him, there was silence.
Slughorn turned to look at him interestedly. "How have you been, my boy?"
Sirius raised both his eyebrows. "I've been in Azkaban for twelve years and on the run for three. How do you think I am?"
Slughorn looked abashed. "That was rather tactless of me. I regret to have ever questioned your allegiance like the rest of the world. And as your former teacher, it pains me even more to hear what you had been through. The newspapers were flooded for a week; even I couldn't miss what was happening last month. But I must say, you look really better now."
A small genuine smile found its way on Sirius' face. "That credit goes to Harry, of course."
Slughorn's eyes widened excitedly. "Of course! Harry Potter – the Boy-Who-Lived and now the Chosen One."
Sirius scowled. He hated what the Prophet did to Harry giving him those stupid titles. He made fun of it often of course, in front of Harry, just so he would know that Sirius had no expectations of Harry like the rest of the world seemed to have.
"He's just Harry to me," said Sirius gruffly.
Slughorn immediately replied jovially. "Of course, of course… I didn't mean to insinuate anything. It's just remarkable what an impact a teenage boy has on the entire Wizarding World. Does he stay with you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Yes, he does," said Sirius neutrally.
"Is he like Lily, or perhaps like his father, James?" Slughorn asked, openly curious.
Sirius did not like the unnecessary interest that his former professor was showing on his godson, but he also understood Dumbledore was banking on his ability to coax Slughorn to join Hogwarts. He sighed.
"He looks exactly like James, but he has Lily's eyes. He has her nature, too," said Sirius, fondness seeping naturally into his tone.
"How wonderful! How wonderful!" Slughorn was saying, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He seemed to be holding back his urge to ask more questions when Sirius changed the subject. "Why won't you teach at Hogwarts?"
Slughorn's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "Did Dumbledore talk you into coming here?"
"No, we were on our way to the Order meeting for today," lied Sirius easily.
"Hmpf! The Order is exactly the reason I can't teach at Hogwarts. Taking up a post at Hogwarts just now would be tantamount to declaring my public allegiance to the Order! And while I'm sure they are very admirable and brave and all the rest of it, I don't personally fancy the mortality rate—"
Sirius rolled his eyes at the man's cowardice. "You don't have to join the Order to teach at Hogwarts. There's not more than a couple of them in the Order. Besides, Hogwarts is the safest place to be in the current climate. Voldemort has never touched Hogwarts, has he?"
That was quite a bit of a lie and Sirius was glad Slughorn won't know it.
Slughorn had predictably shuddered at the mention of Voldemort's name but was now staring into space, thinking over Sirius' words and muttering to himself.
Dumbledore re-entered the room and Slughorn jumped as though he had forgotten he was in the house.
"Oh, there you are, Albus," he said. "You've been a very long time. Upset stomach?"
"No, I was merely reading the Muggle magazines," said Dumbledore. "I do love knitting patterns. Well, Sirius, we must be leaving soon. We have the Order meeting in ten minutes."
Sirius stood up from his seat, amused to know that Dumbledore had been listening in after all and added for good measure, "You're quite right, Dumbledore. Harry will be expecting me soon."
Slughorn seemed taken aback. "You're leaving?"
"Yes, indeed," Dumbledore said, "I think I know a lost cause, when I see one."
"Lost…?" Slughorn seemed agitated. They bid Slughorn farewell and were at the front door when there was a shout from behind them.
"All right, all right, I'll do it!"
Dumbledore turned to see Slughorn standing beside the doorway, panting.
"You will come out of retirement?"
"Yes, yes," said Slughorn, impatiently. "I must be mad, but yes."
"Wonderful," said Dumbledore, beaming. "Then, Horace, we shall see you on the first of September."
"Yes, I daresay, you will," grunted Slughorn.
As they set off down the garden path, Slughorn's voice floated after them, "I'll want a pay rise, Dumbledore."
Dumbledore chuckled and even Sirius had to laugh. The garden gate swung shut behind them and they set off back down the hill.
"Well done, Sirius," said Dumbledore.
"Did you think I wouldn't be able to do it?" said Sirius, grinning.
"I had full faith in you. You always did have a gift of persuasion," said Dumbledore, chuckling good-naturedly.
Sirius couldn't help but think Dumbledore was poking fun at him and he snorted as they parted ways and he Disapparated back to Potter Manor.
