535Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
The Evil That Men Do
"You have no idea of the actual severity of the situation."
Later that night, ten minutes before curfew, found the Golden Trio putting away their books and setting off back to the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was proud of both Harry and Ron. Though neither one of them really wanted to study anymore now that the school year was basically over, they had been more serious about it than she has expected. Harry had been especially motivated it seemed, but admittedly she didn't know why. Perhaps it was because it was almost the one year anniversary of Sirius' death and he was remembering that. Whatever the reason Hermione knew that Harry had studied more intensely that night than he had for most the year and it made her happy that he was taking this as the serious threat it was.
The three walked back to the tower, casually talking about nothing in particular, when suddenly Harry felt uncomfortable. Something was out of place, he just knew it. He had no idea what it was of course but he knew that something was amiss. As the three of them rounded a corner Harry heard it: a low, menacing voice that sounded too evil, for lack of a better term, to belong to any student.
The first thought that ran through Harry's mind was that the three of them were in terrible danger. He shoved the other two back around the corner and pressed them up against the wall. Before they could say anything to question his actions he put his finger to his lips and strained to listen. All he heard was muffled talking from what sounded like the same person. Without consciously thinking about it Harry waved his wand over his body and whispered the incantation for the Disillusionment Charm that he had just discovered. He was surprised to find that it actually worked quite well.
"You two stay here and stay quiet. I'll be back in a minute. I promise I won't do anything, I just need to find out what's going on." With that he left Hermione and Ron behind and went quickly and quietly down the hall. He didn't know what he was expecting but he definitely didn't expect what he actually did find.
Standing in the middle of the hallway were Lucius and Draco Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, and several other Death Eaters. How they got in the castle Harry had no idea but he did know that everyone was in grave danger. Whatever they could want was nothing good. As anyone in the wizarding world knew, wherever the Death Eaters went chaos was sure to follow.
Normally in a situation like this Harry would immediately do whatever he possibly could to stop his enemies from proceeding with his plans. Tonight was different. Maybe it was because he had Ginny now and he didn't want to stupidly risk his life, maybe he had grown up a lot since the Department of Mysteries, maybe he realized that he couldn't do much by himself anyway, or maybe he was just tired of playing the hero. Whatever the reason, Harry decided that night to stay hidden and silent and listen to their plan before he did anything. Lucius started talking and Harry realized that it had been his voice he had heard from the beginning.
"I know that you can't get into his office without the password, Thorfinn. That damn gargoyle's in the way. But the old fool has always been eager to help people, especially his students. That's where you come in Draco. Go to Severus and get him to go to Dumbledore. Make up whatever story you have to, I don't care what it is but it needs to be convincing. Once Severus gets him out of his office then we'll strike."
Before anything else could be done or said Harry was hurrying back to Hermione and Ron. He reversed the Disillusionment Charm he'd put on himself as he turned the corner. He was proud of their reaction: both of them pulled out their wands and pointed them at him before they realized who he was. He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender and they lowered their wands.
"Relax, it's definitely me. They didn't have enough time to do anything to me and you'd have heard something if they did. Death Eaters are in the castle. They're planning on doing something to Dumbledore. They didn't specifically say that they're going to kill him but it's obvious that's what they're planning to do. They're going to manipulate Snape into getting him out in the open. We don't have a lot of time. Come on."
Harry headed for Gryffindor Tower as quickly as he could, the other two following right behind him. They were both confused but neither said anything. They all knew that time was of the essence. In just a few minutes the three teens made it past the common room into the boys' dormitory.
"Harry, what the bloody hell are we doing? Why did we come back here? We need to be out there doing something about this! We can't let them kill Professor Dumbledore! If we lose him then V-Voldemort will definitely win. We won't stand a chance without him."
"Calm down, Ron, I just need a couple things. Here." Harry gave Ron the Marauder's Map while he pulled out his Cloak of Invisibility. "Listen, if we go to any of the teachers and tell them that Death Eaters are in the castle to kill Dumbledore they won't believe us, so we need to show them proof. Go to McGonagall and use the map to show her that you aren't lying. I'm going to go wait outside Dumbledore's office and follow Snape up there and warn him.
"'Mione those coins from last year still work, right? See if you can get anyone from the D.A. to answer them. We're going to need all the help we can get, not to mention luck. Speaking of which," he looked around in his trunk a little more before pulling out a small bottle, "share this between you. It's the last of the Felix Felicis. I want you two to have this; you're going to need it more than me."
Before Ron or Hermione could say anything, Harry pushed past them and headed downstairs. They quickly recovered from their shock and followed him. He was almost at the portrait when they made it to the bottom of the stairs. Before he could leave, though, they all heard someone coming down the stairs. They saw a mane of red hair a second before Ginny entered the room.
"What's going on Harry? Where are you all going?" Harry hesitated; he didn't want to tell Ginny anything to get her involved in this. In the end though, he quickly explained to her what was going on in their school. When he finished Ginny had a hard look in her eyes, not unlike when she had kissed him after the Quidditch tournament. "I'm going to help too. And there's no sense in arguing with me, I'm going. You need all the help you can get and what makes me different from the other D.A. members?"
Harry didn't have time to refuse her offer. All he said was "Go with those two." Turning to Ron and Hermione he told them, "fill her in on everything. And share the potion with her too. I don't want anything happening to any of you." Before anyone could say anything else he had slipped on the cloak and vanished through the portrait hole.
Severus Snape was heading for the statue standing guard over the headmaster's office. Draco Malfoy had just told him that there were Death Eaters in the castle, that he had just let them in, and that he didn't want to but he had no choice. Snape knew the boy was telling the truth; he had known long ago that young Malfoy wanted out but there was nothing he could do about it. That wasn't his concern now though. His main concern was what to do about this current event.
He knew that they were only using him to lure Dumbledore out of his office and he was determined to live up to his role as a double agent. That didn't mean that he had to like this turn of events however. Given his way he knew that he wouldn't even go to Dumbledore and would force them all out of the castle. However, despite what everyone thought about him, he did have a heart and he didn't want anything to happen to any of the students or his fellow teachers. Therefore, he decided that his best course of action was to find out what Dumbledore wanted to do.
He quickly gave the password to the gargoyle statue and started up the stairs. He sensed someone follow him before the statue closed behind him but whoever it was was invisible. He tried to perform Legilimency on the unknown person but found that they were a skilled enough Occlumens to protect themselves from anything short of an actual attack. He paid little attention to it; a Death Eater wouldn't be so subtle and anyone else wouldn't be an enemy. Besides, at this point in time his focus was on the Death Eaters currently in the school, waiting to attack Albus Dumbledore.
Snape knocked on the door and entered without waiting for an actual reply. Dumbledore was still sitting at his desk despite the lateness of the hour. He showed no shock in seeing his potions master, only mild curiosity it seemed. Before he could say anything though, Snape spoke.
"Headmaster, there are Death Eaters in the school. Draco Malfoy let them in, but he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. We can't blame him for anything."
"Of course not, Severus. I assume that they're here to kill me then?"
"Yes. They're using me to lure you out so they can kill you. I don't think that anyone else knows, so we don't have to worry about that too much."
"Actually sir, we do know," Harry spoke up, taking off his cloak. Dumbledore was genuinely surprised at this and could not keep it from his face.
"Harry! I assume you followed Professor Snape up here?"
"Yes Professor. But right now we don't have time for that. Hermione, Ron, and I found them after we left the library. They're going to alert the other teachers and I'm here to warn you. You can't trust Snape, Professor. He's with them, he's one of them."
"You need to keep your mouth shut about things that do not concern you, Potter. You have no idea of the actual severity of the situation." Snape turned back to Dumbledore before asking, "Are we still going to go forward with our plan?"
"It's the only way Severus. This way things are done on my terms and it will end my suffering. Alas, I wish there was some other way, I truly do." Harry was looking between the two older men, confusion written across his face.
"Professor, what's going on? You seem much too calm about this entire thing."
"You need to mind your own business, Potter. This is between the Headmaster and me. It's of no concern of yours."
"No, Severus, I think Harry needs to be told the truth. If things go as planned then I won't be here after tonight and someone needs to be informed of everything, including your true allegiance." Before Dumbledore said anything else he produced a Patronus that went off to find Minerva McGonagall. "Now we'll have the time we need."
For the next quarter of an hour Dumbledore explained everything to Harry. He explained about the Horcruxes. He explained about Severus Snape, his actions, and his true allegiance. He left out why Snape actually was on their side, saying that only he himself had the right to divulge that information. He explained about the Hallows. He explained most everything that had happened over the years, to the best of his knowledge. Most importantly he explained the plan for the night and why he had to die. When he finished tears were in his eyes.
"I know that you may never forgive me for what I did Harry. I don't forgive myself honestly. All I ask is that you continue to do things as you have been. This war is going to get much more difficult and I need you to continue the fight. You're the only one who can end it." Harry seemed to be struggling with the realization of all this information. Finally he spoke.
"So you're telling me that part of Voldemort's soul is inside me and in order to destroy it I have to be killed? I basically need to willingly walk to my death at the hands of Voldemort?" Dumbledore quietly nodded, ashamed of what he was asking the sixteen-year-old boy. Harry looked at his Headmaster with a fire in his eyes. "So you're telling me that I've been raised like a lamb to be sent to slaughter?!"
"Yes," Dumbledore responded mournfully. "The only way to destroy a Horcrux is to destroy its container beyond magical repair and the only way to damage a living being beyond magical repair is death." Harry was silent for several minutes before finally speaking again.
"Fine, I'll do it, I'll sacrifice myself so that Voldemort might finally be defeated and let everyone else live long and happy lives. If it's a choice between living in a world where I'm either hated for no reason," he glared at Snape who glared right back, "or being praised for my parents dying and getting to be with my Mum and Dad and Sirius again then I'd rather be with them. I don't like that I wasn't told any of this though." Dumbledore visibly winced at the anger and accusation in Harry's voice.
"I don't think it's quite that simple Harry. I believe that if Voldemort himself kills you, you won't actually die. Not if you don't want to at least. With him using your blood to resurrect himself and a piece of his soul residing in you, he essentially serves as an anchor for your own soul. Think of it as a shield if you will. As long as he lives when you're killed then you should still live as well, though I don't think it works the other way around." The look Harry was giving Dumbledore became even angrier, if that was possible. When he spoke, his voice was low and dangerous.
"So you told me I had to die, let me get my hopes up about seeing my family again, and you knew the entire time that I would most likely live?"
"Yes because being told that you're going to live is so terrible, isn't it Potter?" Snape interjected sarcastically.
"Shut up!" the teen venomously replied. "I know you had a terrible childhood but that doesn't give you a reason to treat your students like you do. If anything you should be protecting us from bullying, not joining in! And I know that you and my father loathed each other but, despite what you seem to think, I'm not him. I'm sorry for what he did to you but he's the one who did it, not me!" Leaving Snape fuming and unusually quiet, Harry turned back to Dumbledore. "Now will you tell me why you didn't tell me that sooner Professor?" His voice still had a hard bite to it.
"I had to make sure you would do it for the right reasons Harry," the Headmaster responded, tears leaking into his beard. "I had to know that you be willing to face death itself, with or without a reassurance. You're willing to sacrifice yourself for others, just as your mother did for you. You're a braver man than I ever thought you were." Harry closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh.
"I don't like that you kept all this to yourself over these past few years but if tonight really is your last night alive then I don't want to leave angry with you. It's all about defeating him, Professor." Harry walked to the door. "Now if you'll excuse me I have some business to attend to with the Death Eaters." As he walked down the stairs, Snape joined him. As much as Harry still didn't like the man he at least respected him, now that he knew what he had gone through and the lengths he was willing to go to defeat Voldemort.
"Potter, I have to ask: why are you now a decent Occlumens?" Harry stopped and looked his Potions professor straight in the eye.
"Necessity, Professor. With Voldemort constantly trying to attack my mind, I had to learn Occlumency to get any peace. Of course it helps when the person teaching me is someone that I trust and actually explains things to me instead of throwing me in blind. Hermione may not be as good at Legilimency as you are, but she's still a wonderful teacher." Harry left Snape standing there speechless again, continued his way down the stairs, and set off looking for his friends.
As quickly as he could Harry made his way to the seventh floor. He took one of his favorite short-cuts and was soon there. He didn't hear any sounds of fighting but that didn't mean anything. The castle was quite large and it was very possible that they were fighting in some other part of it. He was getting ready to go down the hallway to his left when he suddenly heard noise from his right, noises that shouldn't be heard in a normal duel. He rushed towards the sound of the fighting, throwing his cloak over himself as he went.
He arrived to find scorch marks on the wall, several destroyed suits of armor, and more people lying motionless on the ground than he cared to see. It seemed like things were moving in slow motion and his brain couldn't comprehend anything as he watched the battle. All he could think about was how things might have been different if he hadn't had his talk with Dumbledore. A spell aimed at Ginny that barely missed her brought Harry back to reality. He fired a Stunning Spell at the Death Eater and was pleased to see that it found its mark.
It was at that moment that he decided to actually join the battle and threw off his cloak, revealing himself. The effect was instantaneous: the Hogwarts fighters were both relieved and happy to see him while the Death Eaters actually seemed to be scared. It seemed that many of them finally realized that in front of them stood a boy, a boy, who had defeated or dueled their master to a standstill on several occasions and that it might not be in their best interest to fight him. Nevertheless they had a job to do and none of them were about to leave until it was finished, no matter what may happen. They all knew that death would be preferred to the punishment they'd receive if they returned to their master defeated. So, they had no choice but to wait for Snape to string the trap.
Things soon began going downhill for the Hogwarts Defenders. They were losing members, though none of them due to the Killing Curse, and the Death Eaters were becoming increasingly aggressive and dangerous. When Antonin Dolohov sent an all too familiar purple spell towards Hermione yet again Harry lost it. He sent a Sectumsempra spell to Dolohov, who ducked out the way at the last second. The huge, blond Death Eater behind him wasn't so lucky and took the full force of the attack. He was lying on the ground with blood pouring out of him when Dumbledore made an entrance.
"It seems that you've taken to visiting people in the late hours of the night, Lucius. I know why you've come here. I've known it all year; it was quite obvious really. Here's your chance, right here."
"If you think we're going to try anything on your terms Dumbledore, you're sadly mistaken. You're going to be doing things on our terms." As Malfoy Sr. was talking Bellatrix was waiting on tether hooks. As soon as she heard the words "our terms" she blasted the ceiling, causing dust and smoke to fill the air. When it finally cleared Dumbledore, the two Malfoys, Bellatrix herself, and Antonin Dolohov were gone. The Death Eaters quickly put up a ward preventing anyone from following them. The fighting resumed and no one seemed to notice that Harry was gone too. No one except for a certain bushy haired bookworm, that is.
Harry followed Dumbledore and the four Death Eaters through the halls to one of the towers, which one he didn't know. Of course none of them noticed him, with the possible exception of Dumbledore; he was, after all, hidden under his cloak. Despite the lopsided fighting conditions Dumbledore was more than holding his own, though that wasn't surprising. He wasn't known as the most powerful wizard alive for nothing.
As they battled up the tower Harry noticed that Dumbledore seemed to getting more and more fatigued, and it was taking a toll on him. It seemed to finally catch him when they reached the top of the tower. Dumbledore stumbled backwards and Lucius Malfoy quickly Disarmed him. He had a confident look about his features as he looked expectantly at his son. Draco seemed to be afraid of what was coming next, what he knew was expected of him. From his spot in the corner Harry readied himself to act. He had to be careful though, since he didn't want to strike too soon and give himself away.
"Go on Draco. What are you waiting for? We finally have the chance to return to our rightful standing. You shouldn't be hesitating in a moment like this!" Before Malfoy Sr. could say anything else the door to the tower flew open and in strode Severus Snape. He surveyed the scene before him and seemed to be unaffected by the sight, though Harry was sure that it was an act, at least partially.
Snape then looked directly at Lucius Malfoy and asked him four simple words: "Why are you here?"
"To see my son fulfill the task given to him by our lord and to see my house's name rise back to its rightful glory. I won't let you take that away from us, Severus. You may now be the Dark Lord's favorite but that means nothing to me." It was then that they all heard a small voice.
"Severus, please." It sounded like Dumbledore was pleading with his Potions master. Snape looked down at the old Headmaster. Before he could do anything though, Lucius Malfoy shoved him out of the way.
"Avada Kedavra!" the blond Death Eater yelled, pointing his wand straight at Dumbledore's heart. The older man fell lifeless to the ground as the Death Eaters fled the tower. Harry couldn't believe what he just saw. Despite the earlier conversation he had had with the Headmaster about his death he never thought that anyone could actually kill Albus Dumbledore. The only thing that mattered now was that Lucius Malfoy was going to pay for his sins.
The teenage wizard silently blasted the fleeing Antonin Dolohov against the wall where he slid to the ground unmoving, leaving behind a slick trail of blood. Harry thought he might have cracked Dolohov's skull or worse (after all, he could see the indentation of the Death Eater's head against the wall) and he knew that the spell he had used was completely foreign to him, but he had no time to stop and contemplate either of these things. He flew down the stairs as fast as he could, narrowly avoiding falling more than once. When he finally reached the bottom he noticed a trail of long blond hair whip around the corner. Not stopping to think about how dangerous this may be, Harry gave chase to Lucius Malfoy.
He followed them to the scene of the previous battle, where the Hogwarts Defenders were still holding their own against the Death Eaters. Now it seemed that the Death Eaters were starting to get overwhelmed, as more of the Hogwarts students and staff were getting involved. With the reappearance of the Malfoys, Bellatrix Lestrange, and now Severus Snape the others felt reassured. Hermione felt reassured when she saw Harry rejoin the battle as well. She had been really worried about him when he left but of course had no way to follow him due to the ward. Apparently it had been taken down when the four Death Eaters crossed through it though, since there was now no need for it. The fighting didn't last for much longer before Lucious announced that it was time to go.
As soon as he gave the word every standing Death Eater fled from their opposition. Most of the Hogwarts fighters followed directly behind them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, on the other hand, went the other way to one of their shortcuts. They made it to the first floor mere moments before the Death Eaters and were waiting for them when they made it down. Immediately the fighting began again, though this time the Death Eaters were much more desperate. Their goal now was simply survival, to leave Hogwarts with as many of them as possible. It was with this thought in mind that the Malfoys, Bellatrix Lestrange, and several others broke away from the group and rushed outside.
Harry saw Lucius Malfoy running with Draco and he attempted to follow them. Before he could get too far, though, a spell from behind barely missed him. Without thinking about it he turned and blasted the Death Eater in question back using the same spell he had used earlier against Dolohov. With his way seemingly clear now he rushed after the elder Malfoy.
Unfortunately for Lucious, he wasn't too far outside the castle when the doors burst open and Harry Potter came out. He wasn't really sure what the boy wanted but he did know that he was much braver than he was smart. There was no way that he alone could fight against the number they had on their side and live to tell the tale. However, it seemed as though Potter had a specific agenda on his mind, for he looked around before actually doing anything. Then his eyes locked onto Lucius'.
"Malfoy!" he yelled, his voice drenched in anger and hate. Without another word he rushed towards the Death Eater, hell bent on making him pay for killing Albus Dumbledore, randomly firing off spells as he went. Most of them missed Malfoy and he blocked the others but it was a vicious onslaught nonetheless and he was taken aback by it. Before he could do anything to retaliate he felt his wand forcibly leaving his hand and barely heard a word escape Harry's lips: "Crucio." At first the Death Eater merely smirked at him, looking very much like his son: he knew that Potter didn't really have the ability to cast an Unforgivable. He soon found that he was wrong as he lay on the ground, writhing and screaming in pain.
When Draco heard his father's screams he doubled back, wanting nothing more than to punish Harry for what he was doing. The fact that Harry was using a Dark curse to torture his father, and therefore what else he may be capable of in this state, seemed to not register with the young Malfoy. He felt the same way Harry did when Lucius had killed Dumbledore. Before Draco could actually do anything though, Bellatrix pulled him with her and the two of them rushed beyond the gates of Hogwarts where they quickly disapparated. Harry was still torturing Malfoy when Hermione and Ron caught up to him. Hermione couldn't believe that Harry would do something like that.
"Harry!" she yelled, trying in vain to get his attention. It didn't work and Harry did little more than look up at her as he continued torturing Malfoy. The only reason that he finally released the spell was that Snape knocked him back with a spell of his own. Several other Death Eaters grabbed Malfoy and dragged him to the gates of the castle, with Snape supporting them, where they all promptly disapparated.
Hermione put her hand on Harry's shoulder as he let out a fearsome yell to the heavens. He turned into her arms, sobbing as she held him. "Harry, what happened? Where's Dumbledore?" She held him as he tried to get himself under control.
"Dead," he told her, when he could finally speak. "Lucious Malfoy killed him in one of the towers. Dolohov's up there too, I think." As shocked and upset as Hermione was, she could tell that Harry was much worse than she was and that right now he needed someone else to be strong for him. She kissed his cheek and laid her head on his shoulder, silent tears streaming down her face. Ron came up behind them and put his arms around their shoulders and the three friends stood that way for a while. After a while Harry noticed that Ginny wasn't there comforting them. "Where's Ginny?" he asked, dreading the worse.
"She's alright. She got knocked out in the Entrance Hall, but we're not sure by what. She should be revived pretty soon." Little did they know that Ginny had already been revived, having just been hit with a simple Stunning Spell, and had been watching the scene on the grounds. As odd as it was, she wasn't angry or upset at seeing Harry and Hermione in such an intimate position. Seeing this actually reinforced the decision she had made earlier that night.
After a few minutes, Ginny made her way to the trio. Hermione saw her coming and she moved out of the way, allowing Harry to be spun around into Ginny's waiting arms. By this time Harry had stopped crying and was soothed by Ginny's presence. For some reason Harry felt more comfortable and welcome in Hermione's arms than Ginny's, but he put the thought out of his mind for now. The two stood there holding each other until Professor McGonagall came to them.
"I know this will be difficult for you all to hear, but we just found Professor Dumbledore's body in the North Tower. We also found Antonin Dolohov with a severely cracked skull. He-" Before she could say anything else, Harry cut her off.
"We know Professor. I was up there when Lucius Malfoy killed Dumbledore. I'm the one who hit Dolohov with the spell, though I don't know what it was. It was a spell I've never used before and I didn't even think about it, I just used it. I wanted them to all suffer for what they'd done." McGonagall simply nodded at this, knowing exactly how Harry felt for she felt the same way herself.
"Professor, I think it's important for you to know too, that Snape is still on our side. I had a discussion about that with Dumbledore tonight and he assured me that Snape is indeed on our side and has a very good reason for being so, though he didn't tell me what it was. I do know that it's a much better reason than what I was told earlier, that he was simply sorry that my dad was killed. He hinted that Snape felt responsible for their deaths."
McGonagall frowned at hearing this information, apparently deep in thought. While she herself didn't trust Severus Snape, Dumbledore did and she trusted Dumbledore, so that closed the argument in her mind. Nevertheless she had been trying for years to find out exactly why Dumbledore trusted the man. All her attempts had been less than fruitful and yet he came just short of telling Harry, who was no older than sixteen, tonight. Even if he knew he was going to die tonight he still could have gotten the information to her. She knew that he trusted Harry no more than he did her, so that couldn't have been the reason. What did it all mean?
"I see," she said, finally coming out her trance. "Harry, I need you, and only you, to come with me please. There are matters I must discuss with you." Harry simply nodded, told the others that he'd see them later, and followed her in silence up to the Headmaster's office. The gargoyle simply moved out the way for them, seemingly recognizing Professor McGonagall as the new Headmistress.
As she walked in she noticed a sealed envelope on the desk in Dumbledore's handwriting. She left it there for now, intending to read it later; besides, she had more important things on her mind right now. After gesturing for Harry to have a seat she sat down herself and asked him to tell her what had happened that night. Harry internally sighed before he launched into the events of that night. He told her everything, including his discussion with Dumbledore, culminating in the torturing of Lucius Malfoy. He quickly added that he never would have done it if the Death Eater hadn't have killed Dumbledore.
"That's alright, Harry, I probably would have done the same myself, if not something much worse. If I may ask though, what did you and Professor Dumbledore discuss?" Harry knew that she was going to ask that and he had his answer ready. He knew that she wouldn't be pleased but he couldn't betray any of Dumbledore's secrets to her, even if he was no longer here.
"I'm sorry Professor, but I can't tell you. Most of it had to do with why things happened the way they did over the years or the key to defeating Voldemort. That's all I can tell you though; he trusted me with this information, telling me to tell only Ron and Hermione, and I can't betray him, even if he's not here anymore. I suspect that he told you the most important things in that letter he left you." McGonagall was rightfully disappointed that Harry wouldn't tell her how to defeat Voldemort and impressed with his level of perception. Before she could say anything else though, the door opened and the other Heads of House walked in.
"The Minister will be here soon Minerva," Professor Sprout told her. "He's shocked and wants to know exactly what happened. I still can't believe that Albus is-" The words seemed to catch in her throat and she couldn't say them.
"What about the funeral arrangements?" Professor Flitwick asked her.
"Albus always wanted to be buried here. We'll have to get permission from the Board of Governors though, because that's not something that's usually allowed. It is fitting that he be buried here though." The others nodded their agreement.
"Professor, can I go before the Minister shows up?" Harry had no desire to be questioned by him as well. McGonagall nodded her consent and dismissed him with a wave of her hand. Harry rushed from her office to the Gryffindor Common room where he found Hermione and Ron waiting for him. Ron told him that Ginny had already gone to bed. "Good," Harry responded, "because I have something to tell you that only you can know."