Chapter 52
For disclaimer and author notes please see chapter 1.
1991-09-24 21:00 UTC, Hogwarts, headmaster's office
That evening, after they were sure most of the students would be out of the common areas, the Marauders took the floo to The Three Broomsticks, on their way to Hogwarts.
"It's been ages since I saw you Siri", greeted Rosie warmly. While Remus rolled his eyes, Sirius went right up to her and gave her a very affectionate hug. Noticeably, he did not wink or make any suggestive remarks, choosing instead to let go after a second or two.
"Yes it has, hasn't it? That's what having to take care of a godson means, I suppose. But now that he's in school, I am sure I can visit much more often".
"You should, and Remus - you too. You look like you guys could use a drink once in a while, and some conversation. Just like old times!"
"Just like old times", sighed Sirius, suddenly becoming less jolly. This was one of the places where they had spent the maximum amount of time (other than Hogwarts itself of course), so speaking of old times would suddenly bring back to the forefront of his mind the loss of James and Lily.
"Oh Siri, cheer up; you've got a new marauder to teach!", said Rosie, realising a bit late what her off-hand comment had done.
Sirius smiled at her, and the two said their goodbyes. "We'll be back in an hour or so", said Remus.
The silence of the night at Hogwarts was broken by a muffled roar. Sirius had refused to walk the long path from the main gates to the building proper, so he had shrunk his motorcycle and brought it along. Luckily, he had modified the sound - almost silencing it completely, leaving just enough of a low growl to warn people something was coming.
Fortunately, Remus managed to convince him not to fly the damn thing all the way to Dumbledore's office, so they dutifully parked it outside the main doors, and walked in. They first paid a visit to their old head of house, spent some time updating her on various happenings, and then went to the headmaster's office.
Albus Dumbledore was, as expected, sitting at his desk. He did not appear to be doing anything; rather, he was staring into space, with an unreadable expression on his face.
Sirius and Remus knocked on the door, then pushed it open and walked in. Dumbledore had never locked it, per se - at least not while he was in. Students thought it was locked, and waited, but Sirius knew better.
"Come in, my bo-" - Sirius glared at him - "excuse me, Lord Black and Mr Lupin. What brings you here?"
As if he didn't know, the old bastard, thought Sirius.
"We just came to gloat and rub it in your face", said Sirius, with an unholy, gleeful, smirk.
Just as Dumbledore was about to object to this, the door opened again, admitting Professor McGonagall. She calmly drew up a chair and sat down, not even greeting anyone else in the room.
Disheartened (but not too surprised, apparently), Dumbledore turned to Remus, as if hoping he would tone down Sirius's enthusiasm. But Remus did nothing of the sort - although he was less open about it, it was clear that he was about half-way to Sirius's way of thinking, if only because he did not attempt to stop or curb Sirius in any way.
"Well, headmaster, I happen to agree with the general direction, if not the exact words, of Sirius's mood right now. What you don't appear to have realised, is that only the sheerest of luck, and Harry's reflexes, saved him from what could well have been instant death last Thursday".
"Surely you exaggerate", said Dumbledore with an ingratiating smile. He had been on thin ice with these people for a few years now, although - apart from Sirius's incarceration - he was hard pressed to imagine what he had done that was so bad (such was his self-delusion!)
Sirius calmly pulled out a vial from his pocket, and said, "You have a pensieve, don't you?"
Dumbledore summoned his pensieve from a side cabinet, and, once the memory had been transferred, they all entered.
Just before Malfoy's action started, Sirius paused the playback. "Notice how he has been nervous all this time?", and waited for Dumbledore to nod before resuming.
When Draco's fearful scream started, he paused again. "Notice that the broom has not started moving yet?" Again, he waited for a nod, then resumed.
The next pause was at the moment that the broomstick was vertical - you could see Harry's knuckles go white with the grip he was forced to keep on the handle, to avoid falling off.
A couple of seconds later, Sirius pointed out Draco's smirk, and his landing.
When they exited, Dumbledore appeared a little bit shaken, but only to Minerva, who knew him very well. To Sirius and Remus, he still appeared the same.
"I agree that Mr Malfoy was up to something, but that seemed more like a prank that went slightly wrong. I notice Harry had no trouble at all, and I believe he did not even have to visit the hospital wing".
Minerva had been silent all this time; in fact she had not said a word since she entered, not even within the pensieve. It was a bit unnerving for Dumbledore, but he did not show it.
Now she spoke up. "You imbecile, I have no idea how you got the reputation you have - if you cannot see that if Harry's reflexes had been a minute fraction slower he would have completely fallen off and hit the ground headfirst, there is no hope for you."
"And by the way", said Remus, "if that had happened, he still would not have visited the hospital wing. It would be straight to the grave - not much even Poppy can do with someone who's already dead".
"I think you are all exaggerating. While I regret what happened, when Mr Malfoy is back he will be discip-"
"You will not do anything to Mr Malfoy. I have already told you this is a family matter and I will deal with it", said Sirius sternly.
"When will he return to the school?"
"That is also not your concern. Your deputy has been informed in writing; if she feels you need to know, she will tell you".
Minerva's silence told him that was not going to happen. He decided not to go asking for a snub and wisely kept quiet.
"But the real point is this. Do you remember when you told me you would put me back in Azkaban if I continued to try and get my godson away from his abusive relatives?"
"I do not believe the Dursley's were abusive. They were probably stri-"
Again he was interrupted, this time by Remus. It was not anywhere near the full moon, but you could see his temper was not from the normally placid wizard.
He stood up, towering over the sitting headmaster, and slammed both his hands on the desk, scattering papers, quills, and ink to the sides.
"You fucking moron, his bedroom was a cupboard under the stairs! Have you forgotten? He was starved, he had no emotional support, he had learnt not to speak unless spoken to, not to ask for anything, ever. What the fuck does that mean you sanctimoniously son of a bitch?"
Sirius put a hand on Remus's arm, and gradually settled him down. He knew where this anger was coming from - the other timeline's Dumbledore had done a number on Remus - but this one did not know that, and there was no way they were telling him. Besides, he would just shrug it off and say "I would never do that" or something.
"Back to my point", continued Sirius. "You threatened me with Azkaban, so your pet death-eater is now there. To be fair, he should have been there all along - this was merely justice delayed. This is the consequence of your meddling with Snape's house arrest, and having his godson visit him."
Dumbledore paled. At no time during the trial had his connection been mentioned, nor even the name of the auror who had facilitated those visits, so he assumed no one had dug into that aspect of the incident. For once, his face was an open book.
"Oh wow, he thought we didn't know!", laughed Sirius, slapping his knee.
"Does it feel good to know you caused your pet minion Snape to be in Azkaban? You know he won't survive, plus he is still wondering why you had him framed the first time", said Remus.
"Oh by the way, I managed to get a small piece of parchment to him via the boatman. It just mentioned that you had paid an auror to send his godson to him regularly, knowing he could not resist the temptation to try something foolish, and that the results were far beyond expectation. So now he's wondering why you would screw him a second time!", chuckled Sirius.
Dumbledore put his head in his hands. "I cannot believe you would be so cruel, Sirius", he moaned.
And instantly regretted it, when Sirius - all too predictably - said, "Cruel? Cruel is being sent to Azkaban without having done any of the things you were charged with. Cruel is knowing you're the only person in Azkaban to not even have a trial, while also knowing that known death-eaters still walked free."
"Unfortunately, Sirius, you have no hope of visiting that fate upon the headmaster", said Remus. "When he does go to Azkaban, it will still be for things he has actually done".
"You speak as if it is a foregone conclusion. As if I have been already charged, tried, and sentenced", protested Dumbledore.
"It's only a matter of time, old man. You are too old to actually listen to good advice, so it won't be long. Speaking of advice, I strongly suggest you do all you can to make sure the school is safe for all the students. And I mean completely safe, as safe as you can make it, do you understand my meaning?"
"The school is perfectly safe, as you well know".
"And yet my godson nearly died a few days ago. But I am speaking of much more than an eleven year old mini-death-eater. I am speaking of stuttering defense professors with a terrible, terrible, smell of garlic pervading them. You have been warned".
Nodding to Minerva, the two Marauders left the room.
Minerva turned to Dumbledore. "Do you also remember, headmaster" - that hurt, using his designation - "how you said you will not interfere with any teacher's handling of their classes? Do you remember how soon after that Snape was arrested, because of something that - according to court records - you instigated?"
Dumbledore looked pained. "I assure you Minerva, I did not-"
"Oh I am pretty sure you did not. But Snape is sure you did. Do you know why he was so ready to believe you would do something like that, something that does not make any sense?"
She waited till Dumbledore indicated she should continue.
"Because you always do things that are incomprehensible to us. And that is because you are unwilling to explain the thinking behind your actions. And that, in turn, is because you hate giving anyone else the bloody facts", she said harshly.
"Minerva, what-"
"Don't you 'Minerva' me, headmaster! Don't think we don't know what you've got hidden behind the locked room on the third floor corridor. You think by cutting off our information when we refused to help you, you actually achieved anything? A lot more people know about the fake stone you put there than you-"
She stopped to read his expression.
"Oh this is precious! You did not know that we knew what it was?"
"How-"
"You're the last person who deserves any answers, for the reasons I just explained - that you never give any. But I will tell you lots of people know, including my two lions who just left the room".
Dumbledore did not ask how they knew. Clearly the Phantom or his elf had been more successful than he had realised. He needed to go check on the stone again.
"Oh they didn't steal it, or if they did I think they put it back where they found it. Still, I would take their warning seriously, if I were you."
Saying which, she smartly got up, turned to the door, and walked out with a cheery wave. At the door, she paused, turned her head toward him, and said, "On the other hand, I don't think you're capable of learning, and you always under-estimate people. So I'll send my elf sometime next week to measure the windows and the door for new curtains".
Dumbledore looked really confused. This was one non-sequitur too far for him, but he dared not ask her what she meant. Or rather, he was afraid of what her answer might be!
1991-09-24 22:00 UTC, location unknown
Sirius and Remus reported back to Nick and Penny (and Hobby) about what had happened at Hogwarts, while enjoying a late snack and refreshments.
"Most importantly, Dumbledore now knows that we know about the fake stone. I wanted to tell him myself, but Minerva said she would like to do that herself. I think she's really really pissed at him for meddling in Draco and Snape's lives, and indirectly almost causing Harry's death, but more than that, for coddling Snape all these years, while refusing to listen to any objections about him from herself or the others".
There were nods all round, then silence for some time. It was getting late, and Remus at least had an early morning appointment the next day. Sirius elected to go home also, but before they dispersed, Hobby brought up a subject they really needed to discuss.
"When would be the best time to expose and get rid of Quirrellmort? To be precise, when we should pull Voldemort out of Quirrell's body and trap him before sending the spirit into the veil. Sending Quirrellmort will of course have the same effect, but I want Voldemort revealed in front of as many people as possible."
"Not precisely. Or at least not enough. We need to make sure it is revealed that not only did Voldemort possess Quirrell, but that Dumbledore knew about this at the beginning of the year."
"Oh yes, that too!"
"I think it would all depend on how Quirrellmort is behaving. We will need to have some excuse to have Amelia or Rufus land up there, leave alone anyone else. So - one way this could go wrong is if Quirrellmort decided to try something at a time when we're not already there and we don't find out fast enough or we don't have the time to get there fast enough".
Hobby piped up. "I think I'll try and be there as much as I can, and prepare some things - the chamber for instance. And meanwhile I'll try and work out some way to prevent Quirrellmort from taking any serious action till Halloween. Halloween gives us a plausible reason to have certain people visit Hogwarts, or post some additional aurors, or whatever. If we can end all this on the day it all went bad for us, that'll be great!"
1991-10-06 11:00 UTC, Hogwarts
Over the last couple of weeks - ever since Draco Malfoy's unofficial suspension and departure from school - Pansy Parkinson had been visibly more agitated. After Crabbe and Goyle had deserted Draco so openly, Pansy had stepped up to be his sidekick, and it was clear that Draco's departure had upset her.
Only Hermione appeared to have noticed her behaviour, though, which she thought was odd, until she realised that Pansy appeared to be attempting to get her alone, that is, without Harry nearby.
It may just be that she wants to talk, she thought, but did not tell Harry - no point worrying him, and anyway she did not really think Pansy was actually capable of hurting her. That does not mean she was complacent - she still took precautions whenever she would potentially be alone in some part of the castle without Harry nearby.
Of course, this was rare - being firsties, they all had the same classes anyway - but they weren't joined at the hip, and did give each other some space. While in the muggle school, neither had tried to cultivate other friends, that was more because they knew those friendships would not last, and if cultivated, would involve a lot of creative lying over the next few years, due to the statute of secrecy. Here, in Hogwarts, they could afford to make lasting friendships, and although Hermione had not yet found someone worthy of that (Daphne was the closest), Harry certainly did not lack for friends.
Pansy finally managed it on a Sunday morning, just shy of two weeks from the Tuesday that Draco had been removed from school. Harry had gone off to watch some quidditch practices, on an invitation from the twins. Hermione was also invited, but she declined politely, saying she had some reading to catch up on in the library.
Pansy was waiting a few rooms before the library. At 11 am on a Sunday, there was virtually no danger of any "traffic", so there was no one else.
"I need to speak to you Granger", she said, indicating a room behind her.
The incident on her birthday had changed Hermione also. She had lost most of her tact, politeness, and manners - at least to people "on the wrong side", so to speak.
It was not the stories Hobby had told her and Harry over the past few years.
It was not even the Dolohov experience, horrifying though it was.
More than all that, it was seeing someone as young as Draco try to murder, or at least seriously injure, a fellow student that had an impact on Hermione. Suddenly, all the things Hobby had told her, especially about his decision to not ever give them a chance, turned from vague concepts and philosophical thought-experiments, to hard reality - a simple clarity in her mind about what this actually meant, on the ground.
And the fact that the target was her Harry only served to raise her hackles further.
She had no intention of being nice to this girl, who clearly appeared to support Draco Malfoy.
She shrugged. "You may 'need'" - Hermione used finger-quotes - "to speak to me, but I don't need to speak to you. As such, if you want to say something, say it right here, and make it quick, because I have no intention of cutting down on my precious reading time. It's a Sunday, and Madam Pince closes the library early".
"Afraid of me, mudblood?"
"Use that word one more time and we will test whose blood is more muddy."
"Hmph. Anyway, I did not come here to trade insults. I wanted to te-"
Hermione interrupted. "Then you should not have started with the insults. Is this what being a pureblood means - that you have no manners, can't think critically about your own actions, and always blame the other person?"
With a visible effort, Pansy stayed on the track she originally wanted to be on. "I wanted to tell you, I know your friend had something to do with Draco disappearing, and as soon as Draco comes back, he will get him. You might want to warn Potter. And you may want to start finding other friends, just in case Draco decides you also deserve to be dealt with".
"I see. And what does 'dealt with' mean, precisely?"
"Could be anything. The next accident may not happen when so many people are watching. Draco is smart, and I am sure he won't make the same mistake again."
"And I suppose you will be there with him, supporting him?"
"Of course".
"Why? His father is dead, his mother is an ex-con. They live in a poky little flat, paid for by Lord Black - who by the way is Harry's godfather, in case you forgot. If something happens to Harry, Lord Black's anger and vengeance will be like nothing ever seen before. Doesn't Draco have the barest amount of the self-preservation instinct?"
"As I said, it won't be so blatant. If it cannot be proven, then there's nothing Lord Black can do."
"Harry will tell-" - she caught herself at the smirk on the other girl's face. "Are you seriously suggesting Draco Malfoy would murder Harry, quietly and without witnesses, and assume that he will be safe?"
Pansy smirked some more.
"Pathetic, Parkinson. You don't seem to get it - Lord Black would not even need veritaserum to get the truth out of him. As a Black, he would simply order Draco to tell the truth, and Draco would have no choice but to comply. I am told it is enforced by some family magic - and I am shocked that a proper pureblood like yourself has to be reminded of this by a so-called mudblood!"
Pansy's smirk had vanished by the time Hermione stopped speaking. Clearly she had not thought of that.
While she was talking, she had quietly gotten closer to Pansy. She did not want to use magic, so it was best to close in.
Too late, Pansy realised Hermione was within touching distance, and she instinctively put up her wand, a curse on her lips.
Hermione knew what had happened to Madam Edgecombe - Hobby had explained that to her also. She did not want Pansy to suffer something like that - at least not yet. So, instead of wrenching the hapless girl's wand out of her hand, and risking the curse acting on the hand, she simply struck from underneath, making the curse - a simple stunner, as it turned out - hit the ceiling instead.
She then held Pansy's wand hand tight in her right hand, including the handle of the wand, and with her left, struck the base of the wand sharply upward, snapping it in two unequal pieces. Pansy appeared to want to scream, so she slapped the girl hard - hard enough to leave an imprint.
"It is not Slytherin to make threats. If you have the guts, do something. Just know that I will be watching, and I don't take prisoners, if you get my drift. I have already caused the death of one death-eater, and I have no qualms about repeating that with anyone else who threatens me and my friends".
Well, technically, if no one had found him and treated him, Dolohov would have died from my accidental magic, so that's not a lie, she thought to herself.
By now Pansy was thoroughly beaten, and not just in body. She backed off from Hermione, turned, and ran. In her hurry, though she tripped on her own feet making the turn, and fell hard.
Hermione walked up to her menacingly. Grabbing the girl by the hand, she pulled her up hard, and asked, "who is waiting in that room you invited me into? Why haven't they come out to rescue you?"
"The- There's no one there. I only wanted to- to ta- talk".
Hermione pulled her into the room, and then pushed her onto one of the chairs. It was dusty, but Pansy did not dare to object.
"Hobby", she called. A moment later, Hobby popped in.
"I need to speak to the Phantom, could you ask your master to come here please?", she said. Hobby took one look at Pansy, and immobilised her silently. "Just in case, Hermione, I have immobilised this girl, whoever she is. My master will be here shortly".
Hermione made herself comfortable. She knew Hobby could just pop out, change form, and pop back in, but was probably delaying a bit to make it more realistic - his master could not be seen to have nothing to do but answer summons from children, now, could he?
A couple of minutes later, the Phantom popped in. He freed Pansy first, then asked Hermione what happened.
Hermione told him everything.
He listened carefully, then said, "do you want me to deal with the girl?"
"No of course not! I'll deal with the girl, you deal with her father. If this is coming from him" - here Pansy blanched; clearly this was her own idea - "you can deal with him as you see fit. If not, then he can deal with Pansy as he sees fit."
The Phantom nodded and popped out.
Hermione turned to Pansy.
"Now what do I do with you?", she muttered to herself.
"Please let me go. I- I- I won't come near you or Potter again, and I will make sure Draco doesn't."
"That you will, my dear, that you will", said Hermione in her best Ernst Blofeld voice (modulo the fact that she was girl). "But you need to be punished for what you have done, don't you?"
"I have not done anything! The spell did not connect and anyway it was only a stunner. Please let me go."
"Oh I am not talking about the spell and the threats you silly girl. Don't you realise you cost me at least half an hour of library time?"
While the girl was goggling at her, she turned and walked to the door. "You're lucky I don't want to waste even more time dealing with you. Be off now, and mind you stay away as you said".
Saying which, she left the room.
AN: Sorry to say, but this story is coming to an end. Almost everything that needs to be dealt with, has been dealt with - only the two dark lords remain! Next chapter will probably be the last. If I can get it out on October 31st, it'll be somewhat symbolic, because what happens in that chapter is also on the same day! I will try my best to do so.
I thank all of you for your kind reviews. As I said in the AN in chapter 1, I did not write this for the reviews, and I admit I did not always read them avidly either, but I did peruse them from time to time, and I really appreciate the kind words very much. This is my first long fic (and 4th fic overall) and the encouragement feels good! Thanks again!