AN – It has been years since I first started writing this, and have only recently come back to it, partly as it's also good practice for my writing style to develop as I have a book in the works, and also as a good way to get rid of writers block. Any feedback is always welcome. I hope this chapter has been worth waiting for after all this time.

Chapter 3

Minister Bagnold had bags so big below her eyes that some might even have called them suitcases. At this point the only reason her eyes were still open was from sheer strength of will. After everything that had happened in the past 48 hours she hadn't yet had time to sleep and she was physically and emotionally exhausted. That was why she barely even had the strength to lift her head when her office door was thrown open wide with such force that it clanged against the wall.

In stormed the greatest wizard of the time and his equally formidable wife, both of whom also looked severely sleep deprived and uncommonly dishevelled with their cloaks looking creased and rumpled. Dried tear tracks were still present on both of their aging cheeks.

"Millicent" Dumbledore croaked out, his voice still rough from crying, "tell us it's not true." He was begging her with his eyes, now a dull blue, that what they had heard was a big mistake.

"I'm sorry Albus, I know you both were close with them." At the ministers words and sorrowful gaze the Dumbledore's only seemed to crumple more before her very eyes, grief once again taking hold of them as they clung to each other for comfort.

At the sound of his wife's sobs in the next instance Dumbledore's eyes seemed to take on a steely resolve, twinkle all but non-existent as he said "Voldemort will die, once and for all!" Ignoring the shiver that passed through both women in the room at the sound of the cursed name.

"Albus" Bagnold began with confusion at his statement, "surely you have heard the whole story?"

"I've already heard that James, Lily and baby Harry were betrayed and struck down by that monster" Albus all but snarled, clutching his wife more tightly as she let out a sound of pure devastation at Harrys name, who they already saw as their honorary grandson. His eyes lost their rage and became more focused on the minister once again when he heard her gasp in response.

"That's not nearly the whole story. You had both better sit down." With the wave of his wand Albus transfigured the previously uncomfortable looking chairs before the Ministers desk into a purple couch which he sat on and pulled his wife close to him, knowing that whatever was said next was going to shock them both.

The Minister took a deep breath as if to steel herself before she began the story. "You Know Who found the Potter house and when he got there he and James Potter duelled before he struck him down and advanced through the house up the stairs to the nursery where Lily Potter had taken Harry. He killed her then too, but Harry Potter lived."

"What?" came the breathless reply of Minerva, Albus simply being too shocked to speak.

"As far as we could tell, You Know Who tried to kill Harry too, but for some reason it didn't work, the spell actually appears to have backfired and killed You Know Who while blowing apart most of the top floor of the cottage."

"Is that how the Harry died then, from the destruction of the curses backlash?" Albus asked with sad eyes.

"You misunderstand me Albus, Harry Potter is very much alive. The only injury he seems to have suffered is in the form of an oddly shaped scar on his forehead."

"Then where is he now?" Minerva cut in with something like hope for the first time appearing in her eyes as she wrung her hands together worriedly.

Minister Bagnold seemed to grow more weary if that was possible at that question. "While receiving medical attention at St. Mungo's he was snatched from under the healers noses by a known Death Eater, probably out for revenge at the death of his master. We haven't found them yet, but have every available auror working around the clock to find them."

"Who took him" Minerva demanded with tears again pooling in her eyes.

"It was Severus Snape" the Minister said with a sigh.

In that moment the twinkle seemed to partially return to Dumbledore's eyes "He is safe then" he remarked calmly.

"Safe" spluttered Minister Bagnold, "have you finally gone completely senile Albus? What part of me saying that 'The Boy Who Lived' as the press have dubbed him is in the hands of a known and dangerous Death Eater?"

"Simply my dear Millicent that Severus Snape has been a spy for me for the last year."

Dumbledore's smiling eyes observed his dear friend and wife's mouths dropping open at this declaration, both in complete shock at what he had just revealed to them.

With that Dumbledore stood up, closed his eyes and took a deep breath before smiling serenely and whispering the words "Expecto Patronum", calling forth his magnificent phoenix patronus that bore a striking resemblance to his familiar Fawkes. "Find Severus and tell him to come to my office at Hogwarts with the boy" he told it, and with a graceful dip of its head, the bird then flew straight through the bare wall behind Bagnold's desk to complete its mission.

AN – I hope to update again soon, any feedback would be much appreciated.