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In the Headmaster’s Office


McGonagall waved the First Year Gryffindors into their seats before Dumbledore’s desk. Seated in one already was the auror, Alastor Moody, leaning onto the elbow of his seat and rubbing his chin thoughtfully as they set themselves down, his one eye examining them. Professor McGonagall sat as well. Moody leaned back in his seat as Dumbledore magicked a tea set onto his desk, and Moody pulled a flask out of his robes and said, “You understand, Albus,” as he unscrewed the cap and took a sip of whatever it was inside.

James had a feeling that it wasn’t pumpkin juice.

They each took their teas - Peter’s cup clattered nervously against the mismatched saucer - and they sipped, waiting for the punishments to begin. Lily felt sick rather suddenly - it wasn’t normal for the headmaster and two professors to be present to assign detentions, she realized, and she worried they were all about to be expelled. Had a house’s entire year ever been expelled at once, she wondered? What would her parents say when they found out that Lily had been expelled in her first year at the new school? They’d be so disappointed in her - let down when they found they no longer had a witch in the family… At least Petunia would be quite happy… but Lily didn’t want to be expelled. She loved Hogwarts far too much… and, she hated to admit it, she’d miss the boys.

As though reading her mind, Dumbledore stated, “I won’t be expelling you.”

Lily breathed in relief.

This time,” Dumbledore added after a moment. He cast a glance at them through his half-moon spectacles, stern, but in a caring way. “What you did last night was very dangerous, you were far over your heads and could have been killed. You are all lucky that Voldemort likes to… play with his food,” he said.

Moody grumbled, “Tormenting’s his favorite part of the kill.”

James felt his mouth go rather dry at the word kill.

“You all owe Severus Snape quite a lot for having come to me,” Dumbledore added.

James hung his head.

“As such, I have awarded Slytherin house with fifty points,” Dumbledore said, “For honesty and looking out for one another, among houses.” McGonagall’s jaw quavered slightly. “This puts Slytherin in first place for the House Cup with only a short time left in the term.”

Sirius frowned. Before, Ravenclaw had been in first and Gryffindor in second - putting them impossibly behind. Now there’d be no way for Gryffindor to catch up. Just more to add to the things that were his fault.

Dumbledore sipped his tea, then put down the cup and saucer. “I think, however, that what bothers me the most about this entire occasion is that you didn’t come to me with your worries, that you chose instead to act upon yourselves.”

James and Sirius both looked up quickly, their eyes wide. Remus and Peter both looked ‘round at them, knowing what was going through their minds. “We did tell you about it, sir!” Shouted Sirius, the first to wrap his mouth around words. “We told you back at the start of the year, remember? I even gave you a bit of the mirror and you didn’t do anything about it!”

“Didn’t do anything about it?” Dumbledore asked, his eyebrows raised, “Whyever should you think I did not do anything about it?”

“Because Lucius Malfoy was strutting about the castle as though he owned it,” James spoke up, “Beating up on Bilius Weasley and bragging to whoever would listen how he’d got away with imperiusing Professor Tutman!” This last, of course, was a bit of a stretch of what had actually happened, but the exaggeration seemed warranted.

Dumbledore rubbed his beard. “I must be quite mistaken on my understanding of what you believe should be categorized as having done something.”

Moody leaned forward, “Do you lads think I came here on my own volition, then? Just out of the blue had the urge to become a professor of the Dark Arts to a bunch of disobedient little rugrats?” He rubbed his nose, shaking his head.

“Well I s’pose you did alright there, hiring an auror for the Defense teacher,” admitted Sirius, having forgotten that’s why Moody was there in the first place, “But -- sir -- why is Malfoy still here if you know he is working for the Dark Lord?”

“Ah but we do not know,” replied Dumbledore. “It is something which we have been investigating.”

It was James who exploded this time. “But you do know! We told you - months ago!” He stood up, he was so impassioned, though he sat quickly with a simple glare from Dumbledore.

“Accusing someone of being a follower of the Dark Lord is a very serious business, Mr. Potter,” said Dumbledore. “It requires observation from the Ministry of Magic - hence, our visitor, the auror - and leads to a cell in Azkaban. It is far more involved than receiving a detention from the headmaster of a school or even an expelling. It entails a trial in the courts of the ministry and for that trial to be won, there is need of evidence and witnesses - witnesses who are not First Years at Hogwarts,” he added, when he could see James and Sirius about to speak up again. Dumbledore looked at them imploringly. “I am not ignoring your advice, no do I doubt your claims. But these things need to be done quietly and delicately. Unfortunately, the visit you’ve made in the woods with the Dark Lord has made the job so much harder. Now, what we must do --”

Before Dumbledore could tell them what they must do, however, there came a voice from behind him, in one of the portraits. “Sir! ...Dumbledore, sir!” The subject of the portrait was quite out of breath and leaned against the edge of his frame, panting. “Urgent message, from the minister.”

Dumbledore turned to look at the portrait. “Yes, Rupert?”

Rupert Candor had been a headmaster a century ago, followed by a brief time as Minister for Magic and, as a result, his portrait hung in both offices and frequently ran messages from the Ministry to the Headmaster. He cleared his throat and recited, “Adom Tutman has been found, sir -- dead -- in Egypt. The Minister requests your presence in the wake of this shocking news to gather more details about the Professor’s resignation.” Rupert looked about importantly.

“Of course,” said Dumbledore, though his wooly eyebrows were raised high above the half-moon of his glasses. “Tell the Minister that I shall finish with the matter at hand and be along in just a few moments,” he requested. He turned back to them.

Dead?” Gasped McGonagall, her face quite pale. She put a hand over her mouth, and her eyes welled up with tears.

Moody scowled, “Destroying evidence,” he growled. He looked over at the students. “Any of you mention Tutman to You-Know-Who last night?” He demanded.

Sirius’s face turned red as he stared down at his lap.

Moody looked up at Dumbledore. “There you have it,” he said without saying a word to Sirius.

Dumbledore took a deep breath. “This is why these things need to be done quietly. Innocent lives could be in danger of destruction if we point fingers too soon.” He looked over each of them carefully. “I fear most for you five, and for the life of Lucius Malfoy.”

Sirius’s words were cold, “Malfoy deserves whatever comes to him.”

“Until very recently, Mr. Black, your family had just as strong a hold on you as Malfoy’s has on him,” Dumbledore said quietly, “I see you have forgotten how powerful a parent’s influence can be upon their children.” Dumbledore said, “I will be taking measures of protection for each of you over the summer break, to be sure that you are all safe and --”

“The Dark Lord could be trying to kill us?” Squeaked Peter, eyes wide.

Dumbledore frowned. “It is precautionary,” he replied.

Peter put down his teacup, his hands shaking, and wrapped his arms very tightly around his pudgy little body.

“Now, I must go - the Minister is expecting me, as you know. Alastor, I’ll request that you come along with me to the Ministry,” Dumbledore began collecting his things.

Lily blinked in surprise. Dumbledore was leaving? He wasn’t punishing them? She looked ‘round at Remus, who looked just as shocked as she was at this revelation. But then Dumbledore said, “Professor McGonagall shall assign your detentions as she sees fit.”

“Yes, headmaster,” McGonagall replied sharply, though her cheeks were still damp from the news of Professor Tutman’s death.

“Very well,” Dumbledore said, “Let us part.”

McGonagall quickly shooed the First Years out of the office. Sirius hesitated at the doorway, tempted to turn back and tell Dumbledore his fears for going home, but Dumbledore had already turned away and begun putting on his traveling cloaks and McGonagall said, “Let’s go, Mr. Black,” and ushered him onward.

In the end, she assigned them detention each day after dinner for the entire week, which they would serve in her Transfiguration classroom. She sent them off to their dormitory - “you are not to be wandering about the castle, you’ve done enough of that to last a lifetime,” she scolded.

On the way back to Gryffindor Tower, they were rather quiet until Sirius said, “I recognized others of his followers. My cousin Bella and my father.”

Peter, James, and Remus looked ‘round at Sirius in surprise. He hadn’t yet told the other three boys about seeing his father beneath the hood - only Lily. Lily looked quite heartbroken for Sirius at the declaration. “Blimey, mate, your father?” Whispered James.

Sirius nodded, “He was the one holding me in the clearing.”

Your father?” Said Remus, astonished.

Sirius nodded. “Doubt Dumbledore’s protections will do much good for me.” He stopped walking and turned to look at the others. “Listen. If I don’t come back from the break - if i’m not on the Hogwarts Express - you lot have to make sure that Dumbledore and Moody knows why. It’ll be because of my father and mother.” His eyes were desperate.

“You need to tell Dumbledore,” Lily said.

But Sirius shook his head.

“Oh please!” Lily cried, “Haven’t you learned your lesson about not telling things to Dumbledore? Look what’s happened - us, almost killed - Tutman, dead - Bilius Weasley’s been cursed and hurt and Malfoy’s gotten off for everything!”

Sirius flared up, “I’m aware it’s all my fault, Evans, you needn’t remind me of all that. But if it’s information Dumbledore wants - in a quiet and delicate manner - then what better way for it to be gotten if not from me simply being at home? I’m sure I’ll hear loads and loads about the Dark Lord all summer.”

“At what cost?” Lily snapped.

“If I have to be cruciatused, then so be it!” Said Sirius, “This is more important than --”

“Than your safety?” Lily cried, “Than your sanity? You heard the Dark Lord - they say you can go insane from the curse!”

Trying to lighten the mood, James said, “He already is insane, Evans.” A smirk crawled across James’s face.

“Fine!” Lily said, “Make it a joke, then! Don’t tell Dumbledore. Do whatever you want.” She turned on her heel and sped up, off through the portrait hole looming ahead of them down the corridor without so much as a glance back.

“Seems like that’s always how she leaves us,” said Remus with a sigh, “Angry and annoyed.” He looked over at James and Sirius, “Must you two get her worked up every time we see her?”

“She works herself up,” James answered.

Peter spoke up, “She has a point, though. You should tell Dumbledore.”

But Sirius merely shrugged.