CHAP 2: The Great Experiment

"My dear witches and wizards…." Dumbledore began.

Harry stood stunned in disbelief as Dumbledore's words washed over him. These things do not happen, not in real life. Surely he was dreaming, how can this be possible, surely Dumbledore was lying…wait a moment wasn't he dead? Hadn't he heard the hated words, the green light, and the rag-doll like figure flying over the parapet? Hadn't he talked to his portrait lust a few minutes earlier? Was he hallucinating? Or, and his heart contracted painfully, had he finally lost it? What was all this about experiment and second chances and love and harmony?

A thousand voices, echoing Harry's confusion, spoke up as soon as Dumbledore ceased speaking: incredulous, disbelieving, shocked, petrified…. "LET ME SPEAK," Shaklebolt's voice, magnified a thousand times over boomed over the tumult. Slowly the rest fell silent.

"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY ALBUS?"

"What I am saying Kingsley is that this is one great experiment for the wizard race." Dumbledore's voice wasn't magnified and yet everybody in the hall heard him

"YOU SAID THAT ALL WILL COME BACK TO LIFE! TO LIFE??!!"

"Not all Kingsley, only those who died violent deaths or died due to unnatural causes will return."

" SI…SIN…SINCE THE BEGI BEGINNING," Kingsley's voice shook with incredulity.

"No. Only from 1945. The year I defeated Grindelwald."

" YOU MEAN PEOPLE WILL RISE FROM GRAVES. THEY…THEY WILL BE..IN…INFERIES."

Shrieks filled the hall even before Shaklebolt had finished speaking.

"SILENCE. LET DUMBLEDORE SPEAK."

"They will come back from the dead but they will not be inferies. They would be as human as possible. All waking up as though from a sleep. Older and wiser, I hope." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

" I have a question." A voice broke through the silence that fell as people tried to make sense of what Dumbledore was saying. Harry looked around. It was Neville's grandmother.

"I can answer it even before you ask Augusta," Dumbledore said gently. "Those who were victims of unforgivable curses will recover. Even those who were given the dementor's kiss will recover their soul to become normal."

"B…BUT…THIS CANNOT BE," Shaklebolt stuttered.

"Am not I standing in front of you Kingsley," Dumbledore's voice was full of humour. "And all these others,"..he made a sweeping gesture. "Tom, Remus, young Weasley, Madame LeStrange," a sweeping bow. Harry realized with horror that Bellatrix had also risen up. There was a blank look on her face as she looked at the crowd surging in front of her.

"KILLERS," Molly Weasley didn't even need to magnify her voice, "SO IT IS TO START AGAIN IS IT ALBUS? THE BLOODSHED, THE KILLINGS…"

"No Molly," Dumbledore cut her short. "This is what I meant by the great experiment. We have to learn to live together in peace and harmony and love."

"BOLLOKS!"

"You do not believe it Molly. But that is also part of the experiment. But see others are joining us too. Hogwarts is where the union is supposed to take place. Look around you," he again made a sweeping gesture, "do you not see your loved ones, the old familiar faces who you thought you would never meet again.?"

A tumult broke out again. And then gasps and shrieks. Figures were apparating all over.

"BUT..BUT HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?"

"Ah, Kingsley, shall I quote, if a little incorrectly my favourite squib, and say that there are more things in heaven and earth thaa are possibly dreamt of."

"BUT…"

"OH DO STOP IT!!!" Harry looked around. It was not Dumbledore who spoke but Fred and like his mother he did not need to magnify his voice. "I THOUGHT I WILL GET A BETTER RECEPTION."

For a moment there was a hushed silence and then George ran towards Fred and hugged him. Laughing and crying they held each other. It was as if a dam broke. Suddenly everybody was moving, looking for loved ones. Shoveling, searching, yelling, frantic…

Suddenly somebody grasped Harry's wrist. He looked up still in a daze, unable to comprehend. "Do you realize what it means Harry? Do you realize?" Hermione was almost dancing in excitement.

"What?"

"You will be able to meet your parents!!"

He turned towards her trying to make sense of all this.

"BUT WHY ALBUS WHY???" Shaklebolt seemed determined to ask questions still.

"Ah! But that's the whole story."

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A/N: This is my first fan fic. Please read and review.

Thank you Padawan Jan-AQ. Your words were really encouraging.