"He's lulling us into a false sense of security and then when we fall asleep," Ron mimicked having his throat cut with the traditional finger across the neck gesture.
"Oh Ron, do grow up," Hermione whispered harshly though she was visibly shaken. She had snuck into the boys' bedroom after the transfiguration of Cornelius Fudge. All prefects were supposed to be performing checks up and down the hallway to ensure the students weren't sneaking out of bed to gossip about the night's events.
"He has a point, Hermione, why would Snape take the blame for us or for anyone for that matter? Something is definitely not right."
" Because," said Hermione," He brewed the potion and in his own cauldron. He must have known it would be traced back to him."
Both boys stared at her incredulously.
"The potion wasn't supposed to transform Fudge into a skunk. Remember. Snape must have found out we were mixing that potion and replaced it with something else right before I added the final ingredient."
"So why didn't he just turn us in," Harry asked.
" I don't know but we can't just let the professor take the blame for something he didn't do," said Hermione with resolve.
Ron and Harry looked as if they wanted to faint but nodded their heads and followed Hermione down the hall to the headmaster's office.
When they reached the hall, the door to Dumbledore's private study seemed dark and sinister; and the statue of Fawkes, Dumbledore's pet phoenix, stared coldly at the three students in accusation. Harry thought grimly of the gate guardians from a movie, the Never Ending Story, who prevented those unworthy from entering by transforming them into stone. They could hear voices arguing from outside the entrance.
" I don't know what the original potion contained," the tired and exasperated voice of their potions' teacher explained," I found it in my personal cauldron and assumed it was some silly witches acne treatment or a boy's strength tonic. I thought to teach them to respect other person's private property and nothing more. I replaced it with my transfiguration formula and poured it down the drain."
The headmaster sighed wearily and pressed his fingers wearily to his temples.
" I am going to have to explain this fiasco to the ministry and my trial is only two weeks away. For all we know, whoever did this may have meant serious harm to the minister. The potion could have contained poison or a killing curse. Perhaps I am really losing my touch."
"It was Verita Serum, sir," Harry Potter resignedly pushed open the door. A pale Ron and Hermione followed after him. Dumbledore stared speechless at the trio.
"Mr. Potter and friends why I am I not surprised," the potions master drawled menacingly.
"We only wanted to make the minister tell the truth about what is really going on," Ron justified.
"But of course, that is what Verita Serum is for. For revealing the truth," Snape made the last word sound slimy and disgusting as if truth were some kind of contagious disease, which had to be quickly eradicated before it endangered the entire population.
"What's so wrong with that,' Hermione demanded, losing her temper,"Believe it or not some people tell the truth quite often."
"Ms. Granger,"Dumbledore interrupted in a colder voice than she had thought he owned," The problem is not with telling the truth but with forcing it from someone. Did you know that when I was still involved with the ministry that I campaigned to have the use of Verita Serum added to the list of unforgivable curses?"
Hermione mutely shook her head.
"What about you Harry,"Dumbledore prodded silently," Can you think of anything that the Imperius Curse and Verita Serum have in common?"
When Harry only stared in fearful silence the older wizard continued," They both inhibit the exercise of free will. When you force someone to do something against their intentions, you are usurping their right to live and act as they choose and that is the path to the darkness, Harry. "
Once again he focused his attention upon all three of the guilty parties," I am more ashamed at this moment than I have been of any student since I taught a young boy I once knew as Tom Riddle. Did any of you think what it would mean if the minister of magic gave a speech under the influence a truth telling potion?"
Dumbledore's voice rose sharply," He knows the secret location of the order; He knows the name of every one of our spies! You could have endangered them. You could have endangered your own families."
All of the energy seemed to go out of the wizard with that last statement. He continued in a normal voice," All of you may go back to your beds I will speak to you again tomorrow after all of our heads have cooled. Ms. Granger you are hereby relieved of your prefect duties until further notice. Professor Snape, please escort them to their dormitories to ensure they get into no more trouble on the way."
" I will do my best, headmaster," Snape said in an unpleasant voice.
Despite Ron's prediction the Potion's teacher did not cut their throats or even say anything particularly nasty to them on the way back. However his menacing presence and their own misery kept them from speaking further to each other as they walked in silent dejection.