Chapter 19: Silly Dumbledore

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"Well, how did you know?" Sirius asked, looking curious. He knew that sometimes people got feelings that something was wrong or going to happen, but this was weird. It was as if he got a premonition or something. Harry only had those from the horcrux before and that was gone now. Was there some residue left over? Was there some lingering link? Or was it just some overwhelming relief that fate was done with him?

"I was sitting at dinner, and I just got a really weird feeling that Voldemort was dead," Harry said, looking at him like he was just as confused as his godfather as to why he had gotten this feeling. Now that he knew it was correct he was happy, tremendously so.

Sirius got a contemplative look and then he just shook it off. "Wow, that's weird. Well, I did kill him earlier this evening," he reiterated with a shrug.

"Really. How did you do that?" Harry said, excited that it was true and wanted to know the gritty details. He hoped it was painful like Neville said. He too thought the man deserved no less.

So, Sirius told him the story of what happened with Nagini and Voldemort, and they both had a good laugh about it. It hadn't been painful, but it was shockingly simple. "And then we left," said Sirius with a casual air.

"That's really funny," said Harry, chuckling a bit. To think, the Dark Lord could be taken down so easily. There hadn't even been a fight, just a simple decapitation. Harry had to wonder why the man hadn't had any safeguards up, or at least a proximity ward. "Um, I know the war is over, so what are you going to do now?" It was just then that he noticed that McGonagall had come into the hall looking for him, or at least he thought she was. There was no one else in the hall but him, so he figured it must be him she was searching for. "Oh wait, Sirius, I gotta let you go. McGonagall is looking for me." She was peering all around the hall looking behind tapestries. There was a disapproving look on her face, so Hermione must have told her he was in the hall. He really hoped she didn't tell the old battleaxe why.

"Why is she looking for you?" the dogman asked, concern in his tone.

"I don't know, maybe she found out that Voldemort was dead," Harry ventured, knowing that would be one of the many reasons. She was going to take him to see the old man. She seemed to be searching for him pretty hard.

Sirius frowned at that. "How would she know? The only people that knew, are the people that were with me. Well, them and the Death Eaters," he said, his tone dark and confused. "Well, Kingsley told Bone, but I don't think they'd tell the headmaster. We're trying to keep it lowkey."

Harry just knew that the werewolf ratted the group out to the headmaster the first chance he got. "Was Remus with you?" he asked, casually, but frustratedly. Why Sirius would have brought the werewolf to the raid was beyond him.

"Yes."

"Do you think he could have told Dumbledore?" was the next question.

"Shite. I'll be there in a few minutes," Sirius said irritably, getting up and going to his closet. He had already got dressed for bed and now he was going to have to put on clothes. He wasn't happy about this. He had been looking forward to reading all night. He was trying not to drink the night away in celebration. Damn it. He was trying to be the bigger man.

Had he been five years younger and no Azkaban in his history, he'd be getting roaring drunk right now. However, they were trying to keep it all on the downlow until Amelia got the Death Eaters in custody. That's why he was staying home and not out getting rowdy. If he went to the Leaky Cauldron right now, he'd be shouting out his accomplishments to the world.

"Well, there's your answer. I'd better go. I'll make sure to tell Dumbledore you're on your way," Harry said, trying not to sound like 'I told you so'. He didn't succeed. He had tried to warn Sirius that Remus was the old man's lapdog. However, he wasn't his godfather's keeper. The man was welcome to be friends with whomever he pleased. Harry would just voice his opinion on that person and say 'I told you so' when the time came.

"I'm going to have words with that werewolf," Sirius growled, as he threw a shirt on the bed. He had made it clear that they weren't going to tell anyone about the fall of Voldemort to anyone when he separated with the man earlier.

"Goodbye, Sirius."

"See you in a few, pup."

With that, Harry put away the mirror and stepped out of the alcove he was ducked into. "Can I help you, Professor?" he asked as he got behind her, making her jump a bit in startlement.

McGonagall jumped and turned around as fast as her old feet would let her without falling over. "There you are, Mr. Potter. The headmaster would like to see you," she said as she put her hand to her chest, trying to steady her old heart.

Harry refrained from rolling his eyes in exasperation. He just knew this was going to be a meeting of sheer annoyance. "Of course he would. Shall we go?" he said, waving his arm forward for her to lead the way.

McGonagall pursed her lips in irritation, the boy was mocking her again. She didn't understand why Albus put up with such shenanigans from him. "Follow me," she said, primly.

Harry smiled at her and fell in step with her as they walked down the hall. Their shoes echoed in the empty corridors, and the suits of armor followed their path with their empty heads. The portraits all gossiped as to what Harry could be in trouble for this time as they ran from frame to frame to try and stay ahead of the two going down the hall. "Are you going to stay with me this time?" he asked, hoping he didn't have to have another conversation with her. Not that she would be much help in this talk with the headmaster, but it was her responsibility to be there.

"Yes, you needn't bother guilting me into it. I know my duties," she said, sticking her nose in the air. She still didn't like being talked down to by a teenager. Even if he was correct.

"Good," Harry said, nodding his head decisively. "My guardian will be here any minute," he informed her, like it was just as important, which to him it was.

McGonagall looked surprised at that, she even stopped for a moment and then had to step a few times hurriedly to catch up. "And pray tell, how does your guardian know you're going to see the headmaster when I did not know until a few minutes ago?" she asked him with a glare. That didn't bode well in her eyes. She didn't like that he could contact Sirius Black. She still didn't completely trust the man. It wasn't that she thought him guilty of the crimes he was accused of. It was that she remembered how he acted when he was in school, and it wasn't nice.

"I have my ways," Harry alluded. He wasn't going to tell her about the mirrors. Now he knew that Hermione had not ratted him out.

"Mr. Potter, if you have a way of contacting your guardian in the school, it is imperative that we know," Minerva persisted, folding her hands in irritation. This boy was doing nothing but irritate her this evening. Had he always been this annoying? Or was this a new thing? She knew he was always difficult, but she remembered when he was a sweet child. What happened to that boy?

Harry just looked at her and said, "Family secret." It was what his dad told him to say whenever he wanted to keep anything he did from prying witches or wizards. They couldn't ask anything else because of their own laws. Purebloods had boxed themselves into a corner with that one. They had passed the law to keep the muggleborns from learning their magic. Now they couldn't learn any new magic from the half-bloods and muggleborn for the same law.

"Huh." That was all she could say to that.

With that the two of them remained silent on their way to Dumbledore's office. They passed the gargoyles, went up the stairs and knocked on the door and were bid to enter. "Come in," said the voice behind the door. The two of them entered and went to the chairs in front of the desk, McGonagall taking the one furthest away from the desk.

"You asked to see me, Headmaster," said Harry, taking one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"Ah, Harry, my boy, it's come to my attention that your godfather has taken it upon himself to rid us of Voldemort. I want you to know before you found out from anybody else that Voldemort is not truly dead," Albus said, folding his hands in front of himself as if imparting important information. He wanted to get to the boy before anyone else did. If he told him this then maybe the child would listen to him. He knew that Harry had to be the one to deal the killing blow. It had to be. He had made many plans counting on this.

Harry was distracted by the old man's hands momentarily. They were in such contrast to each other. One was whole and healthy, while the other was shriveled and dead. The healthy one was plump and white, while the dead one was thin and black. It was distracting. It reminded him that the old man was dying. He did wonder how much time the old man had left and how he was going to go out. Was he going to pass peacefully in his sleep, or go out with a bang?

He shook his head of his musings and answered the man. "Oh, I can assure you, Headmaster, that the Dark Lord is very much dead," he said with a great deal of surety. He felt that to the bottom of his heart.

"And how can you be sure of this, my boy?" Dumbledore asked, a frown on his face and in his tone. He did not want this to be true.

"It's a feeling in my gut," Harry said with a confident smile.

"Well, I'm sure that you have this feeling that he is. I can assure you that the Dark Lord has made steps to ensure his immortality," said the headmaster, waving the feeling away as a flight of fancy. Anyone can get a gut feeling, they don't mean anything.

Just then, the floo flared and out stepped Sirius. "How reckless of you, Headmaster, to have your floo open at this time of night. Are you waiting for someone, perhaps. Like Snape? I can tell you right now he's on the run. The DMLE is looking for him," he said, coming into the room and sitting next to Harry. He removed his outer robe and put it on the back of the chair and ruffled Harry's hair. He nodded to McGonagall. He was glad to see her. This way there would be a witness to the conversation.

"Whatever do you mean, Sirius, my boy? Why ever would the Aurors be looking for Severus?" the old man asked, looking completely floored by that statement. Though he really shouldn't have. He knew Snape would have been where the Dark Lord would have been when he was taken down. However, he didn't know that the DMLE would have been told about the incident.

"Well, because he's a Death Eater and he was there when old Voldy died today," Sirius said, smiling like his pig won the prize. He was just full of himself tonight and well deserved too. He should get the Order of Merlin: First Class. He was going to see about getting one too. Then both he and Harry would have a voice on the Wizengamot. He had a seat on the damn thing, but he never used it. If he had an award his voice would be that much louder.

Albus frowned and looked at Sirius with a cocked head. "And how do you know this?" he asked, not liking the sound of that.

Sirius smiled and said, with a great deal of fanfare, "Because I'm the one who killed Voldemort." He lifted his arms up and made a victory pose. He even set off some of the twins' fireworks in the office.

Harry clapped and cheered, making Sirius laugh and hugged him. The two of them hammed it up for a few minutes, while Albus and Minerva sat in shock.

Finally, Dumbledore said, "You cannot be the one who killed Voldemort. Only Harry can do that. It's prophesized." He was emphatic about this. All his plans tethered on it.

"Bugger your prophecy. I was there. I sliced his head clean off and he's dead. We killed all his horcruxes and he was dead on the floor when I left him," Sirius said, getting angry that the old man was in denial and once more trying to foist it off on Harry. The teen was only a kid. Sure, he was more magically powerful than Dumbledore, but the man didn't know that.

"I am telling you this cannot be true," Albus said, banging his good hand on the desk. He would not die with his plans in ruin. He didn't have long to live, and he needed to get things done. He didn't have time to readjust his plans.

"Look, Dumbledore, you weren't there. I was. I killed Nagini, who was the last horcrux, and I killed Voldemort, and he was dead. D. E. A. D. Dead. Gone, not coming back this time," Sirius said, rubbing his nose in frustration. He would get the man to see reason if he had to beat it into him.

"But he… but Harry… but the pro…" the old man said, at a loss for words. This couldn't be true. It just couldn't be.

"I don't know what to tell you. Those are the facts. If you don't believe me, go down to the ministry. I'm sure they have the body there by now," Sirius said. He was sure that Kingsley would have brought Bones to the manor, and they would have gotten the Death Eaters in prison by now. The body would have been processed as well. No one had mirrored him telling him anything differently, so that's what he assumed was what was happening.

"Look, can I go now? I had nothing to do with this," said Harry, getting up to do just that. They were talking in circles. He didn't think the old man would see reason even with the proof right in front of him. He was going to die thinking he was right.

"Yeah, sure, pup, go on," said Sirius, waving him to the door. He didn't see the need for Harry to be there.

"I did not give you leave to go, Harry," said Dumbledore. He was desperate to keep the boy here until this made sense to him. Harry was the child of prophecy. He had to deal the killing blow. He was sure of it. But if what Sirius said was true…

"But I didn't do anything," Harry whinged, still standing but not going forward.

"Let the kid go, Dumbledore," Sirius said, waving Harry off.

Harry shot Sirius a grin and went to the door, but he stopped because just then the floo flared again and Snape came through. "Headmaster, we have a problem," the man said before he took stock of the room. He stopped talking when he saw all the people there.

"Snape, what are you doing here? I thought for sure you'd be caught by the Aurors," Sirius said, standing and pointing his wand at the man. He still didn't trust the man. Even if he didn't sell them out, he didn't help them either. He didn't know how the man escaped from custody, but he wasn't going to let him get away either.

"Black, what are you doing here? This is all your fault. I know it was you that killed the Dark Lord," Snape said, lifting his hands in the air. He knew Sirius was unhinged. The man had killed Voldemort and Nagini earlier that day, and many of the other Death Eaters. He would have no qualms in killing him.

"Well, if you were on our side, you should be happy about that," said Sirius, sneering at him. He twisted his hand holding the wand in a 'I'm not sure if I should curse you' type of way.

"I am on your side, you insufferable fool. But did you have to kill him in such a manner? Now we have Death Eaters running around everywhere trying to find out who killed him and why. They're going all over the place interrogating people. Innocent people, Black. Do you understand this?" Snape said, still holding his hands in the air. He had only gotten away by claiming that he needed to maintain his cover.

"Like whom?" Harry asked, not sure he liked that. Just in Snape's tone they were causing people pain for no reason.

"They're pulling random people off the street," Snape said with a sneer. He was exaggerating. They had pulled one person off the street, but that person had been let go almost immediately. The Death Eaters were scared, and they didn't know what to do. They didn't know who had killed the Dark Lord, and they didn't want that person's wrath turned to them.

What they were doing was hiding in Crabbe's place for now, those that had nowhere to go. The rest had gone home as if nothing had happened. These were people who had not seen violence in years, but there were a few that were insane. Like Yaxley. He wanted the man who killed their lord.

"How am I supposed to know they were gonna do that? It's not my fault you lot are crazy," Sirius said, throwing his hands in the air. He wasn't going to let Snape make him be the bad guy in this.

"Here's a thought, why don't you just go to the DMLE and give up the names of the Death Eaters and let them serve their time in jail?" said Harry, like that was the most obvious thing. To him that seemed reasonable.

"These people can be redeemed," said Dumbledore. They would be better served to be free where they can serve the community. They can help people out with their time and their money.

"Let them be redeemed behind bars," snapped Harry with some bite. "That's supposed to be what prison is for." That was what he was taught. That prison was where criminals got reformed. He didn't think that was true. He was sure they just went there to sit on their arse and do nothing until their time was up, but it was supposed to be for reform.

"I agree," said Sirius, not wanting Death Eaters on the street. Not that he wished anyone in Azkaban, but these were murders and rapist. If anyone was to go it should be them.

"I will not be giving up the names of the Death Eaters," said Snape. He didn't want to be a snitch. He'd seen what happened to Karkaroff when Voldemort came back. That man hadn't lasted a week. Then again, if these two were to be believed then the Dark Lord wouldn't come back. Should he take that chance? How can he be sure? They thought that the last time as well.

"Then you're siding with them," said Sirius, pointing an accusing finger at him. He knew the man couldn't be trusted and here was proof. "I told you, Dumbledore, I told you that he couldn't be trusted," he said, putting his thoughts to words. He lifted his wand again and then put it down. He knew that Dumbledore would not let him get away with cursing Snape. He'd go to the DMLE and let them know that Snape was at Hogwarts.

"No, I just value my life. If I give up the names of the Death Eaters, I'm putting myself in a death sentence," Severus said, a twist of his lips gave his thoughts away. He really did fear for his life. He finally put his hands down, seeing the man wasn't going to curse him. However, he stayed on his side of the room.

"How? You will be out here, and they will be in prison," Harry wanted to know. He didn't think that Snape would be in as much danger as he thought he'd be in.

"They have families and friends."

"You're a coward," said Harry, waving his hands dismissively. He never figured the man for a coward, but here was proof.

"I value my life," persisted the potions master. He really did believe that his life would be forfeit. It was bad enough that he was a spy, if he gave up the names of the Death Eaters, he'd have to flee the country.

"Whatever. You're the one who's putting these innocent people's lives in jeopardy, not I," said Black. He wasn't going to be made to feel guilty for killing the Dark Lord. He did what he was supposed to do. It was the DMLE's job to round up the Death Eaters. Sure, they should have told them what they were doing beforehand, but hindsight is 20/20.

"Headmaster, what are we going to do?" asked Snape, looking to his mentor. The headmaster should know how to prevent any more people from being snatched.

"Alas, there is not anything we can do," Dumbledore said, shaking his head sadly. Without the Order, he was useless.

"You're a coward too," said Harry, this time without the bite to his words. This time it was with resignation. "I'll bet you already know the names of half these Death Eaters and you're not giving them up either. You'd rather let innocent people suffer instead of giving up names of people who might be 'redeemed'." He would never understand how the old man thought. He was going to call Kingsley when he was done here and let him know that the old man was holding out on them. That and tell him that Snape was here and that they were snatching people off the street.

"You people disgust me," said Sirius, grabbing his outer robe off the back of the chair. "Let's get out of here, Harry." With that, the two of them left the office and went into the halls of Hogwarts. "You still have your mirror on you?" he asked, knowing the boy did, but asking anyway.

"Of course, we just got off it not a half an hour ago."

"Keep it handy. I don't trust Snape."

"I wouldn't worry about him too much," Harry said, waving the warning away. "I have a feeling they're going to be coming to get him any minute now." He knew he was going to make that call as soon as Sirius left.

"You're probably right but keep it on you anyway," Sirius said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He squeezed the shoulder once and then dropped his hand. "There are the children of the Death Eaters I don't trust either." He knew how dangerous teenagers could be. He and his friends were proof of that.

"Alright, I'll keep it handy, but you forget I have more magic in my little finger than they have in their whole body," Harry said without bragging. He was just reminding the man.

"You're right, I did forget that."

Harry got a stern look on his face and looked up and down the hall to make sure they were alone. "You keep yourself safe too," he said, firmly, "and if you see any Death Eaters, don't take any chances, kill them." He didn't want to see his godfather in prison, but he didn't want him dead either.

"I will."

"But do it safely and don't get caught."

"It's all about intent, Harry," Sirius said, laughing and clapping him on the shoulder. "It's all about intent. You taught me that."

"And you learned fast," the teenager said, laughing with him.

The two hugged each other and went their separate ways. Harry went to Gryffindor tower to make his mirror call and Sirius went to go to the ministry to find out what was going on.