Chapter 10: The Pursuit of Truth. Part 2

"You just could be right about Professor Dumbledore, he's playing politics with the student's lives," Hermione whispered sadly to him. Harry squeezed her hand to comfort her.

An awkward silence pervaded the Great Hall. Dumbledore cleared his throat once again.

"On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

As to our new appointment, well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties.

Well, I think that's everything of importance. Let the feast begin!"

Despite the announcement of the feast, the reaction was lackluster. There was scattered applause but the fear on the student's faces was not abated.

Harry and his friends dug into their meals silently. He noted out of the corner of his eyes that the Ravenclaws gave Luna a wide berth, something she seemed to be perfectly happy about. He noted how Marietta Edgecombe frequently glances towards Luna in fear.

'I mean the next time they pull off that shite from last year, I am not sure they would like the results. ' Harry mused amusedly.

The start-of-the-term concluded with the usual housekeeping announcements and the prefects lead the first years into their new dormitories. Harry spotted Malfoy shoot him a smirk as he exited the Great Hall.

Harry and his friends walked up to Percy. Harry asked, "Percy, can you please tell us the password to the dorms? We were asked to come to the headmaster's office by Professor McGonagall."

Percy nodded as he eyed the head table. He said stiffly, "Oddskins. I do hope that there isn't any major trouble for the four of you."

"Anything they do to us only further reflects their unwillingness to actively help the students at Hogwarts," Hermione responded curtly. She was still furious at the blatant disregard for the students by the staff.

"For what it's worth, I hope your stand against the staff would help establish some safety," Percy sighed, though Harry doubted he even trusted his own words.

"I very much doubt it," Neville grumbled. Percy gave them a wry smile and walked away.

"Right then you lot, off we go to see the Wizard of Oz!" Harry exclaimed with a falsely cheerful tone. Hermione rolled her eyes with a huff and Luna skipped away with Harry whiling humming a merry tune.

"Who's the Wizard of Oz?" Neville asked.

"A muggle thing."

"Ah."

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Harry and the rest stood in front of the menacing gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office.

"I don't s'ppose you would let us in without the password, even though his majesty wanted us in there," Harry said without a care in the world.

The gargoyle just frowned at the boy. "No."

Luna inspected the gargoyle and suddenly she started to tickle the statue. The gargoyle immediately doubled down with laughter.

"Please make it stop, make it stop!" the statue begged.

"Not unless you let yes through," Luna replied brightly. Hermione and Harry just stared wide-eyed at Luna and Neville roared with laughter.

"N-no, I cannot, I shan't, I mustn't," The gargoyle wheezed.

"Shan't away Mr. Gargoyle."

The statue suddenly opened, and the four students found Professor McGonagall with her hand on her hips. Hermione quickly grabbed and pulled the younger girl from the statue. The gargoyle shot a dirty look at Luna.

The professor thinned her lips. "Pray do tell me what that ruckus was all about?"

Harry answered all too happily, "Well professor, you seemed to have forgotten to provide us the password for the office when you delivered your message. Luna was simply trying to save us some time. We wouldn't want to go through a list of both muggle and magical confections now do we?

She did not grace Harry with a reply, she turned around and walked back into the office. The four of them followed her without missing a beat.

The office was how Harry remembered it. A fancy perch for Fawkes, various magical trinkets, portraits of different headmasters and mistresses, multiple shelves neatly arranged with books of a variety of topics.

Directly in front of him was the headmaster seated in his golden throne-like chair, behind his massive desk. Professors McGonagall and Lupin stood to his right and Professors Flitwick and Snape stood to his left. Fawkes was absent from the office.

"Ah! Harry, Mr. Longbottom, Ms. Granger, and Ms. Lovegood. Now that we are all gathered, let us address the events that transpired today."

Harry made sure that he did not establish eye contact with either Snape or Dumbledore. "With all due respect headmaster, there is nothing to discuss. Dementors attacked the train, there were little to no safeguards from the ministry, four students who haven't written their OWLs stepped up and chased them away. Hogwarts proceeds to not only not provide any additional security but instead washes their hands clean by stating 'dementors are horrible'. Sums up everything thus far, right?"

Harry looked at his friends at the end of his point. They just bobbed their heads in affirmation which made the potions master snarl in distaste.

Dumbledore leveled his gaze at Harry, who looked up immediately. "Be that as it may, one might need to address how four students, as you said are students who have not written their OWLs, came across such advanced spell work such as the Patronus Charm."

"But headmaster, isn't the charm meant to be one of the only ways to counter the dementors? Also, the books that describe the spell are easily available in almost every magical market," Luna pointed out.

Dumbledore's brow tightened for a split second before he adjusted back to his grandfatherly person. "That may well be the case, Ms. Lovegood. But I must confess, I am baffled as to how four students in the early years of their magical instruction mastered such an advanced and esoteric piece of magic."

"Is that a question or a statement headmaster?" Neville asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Idiot boy, you clearly seem to lack the mental faculties to answer such a menial inquiry," Snape sneered at Neville.

Harry observed the reactions of the other professors, even though McGonagall frowned slightly at Snape's language and tone, she didn't berate him, Flitwick remained as useless as ever for all intents and purposes, and Lupin looked even more uncomfortable.

'If that's even possible.'

"With all due respect, the headmaster seemed to be musing to himself more than anything else, Professor Snape," Hermione answered.

Every professor except Lupin did a doubletake on Hermione. Yes, she spoke out in the Great Hall, but for them, they viewed it as an emotional outburst during an emotional situation. For her to repeat this behavior was no coincidence.

Before Snape could gather his wits to respond, Dumbledore raised a hand. "Then do tell us how you came across this spell and how you mastered it to this degree."

The professors leaned in slightly and even Snape adopted a curious look. Harry just smiled at his friends who nodded back at him.

They simultaneously echoed, "No."

Before any of the staff could display their outrage, Dumbledore raised his hand again to silence them. He frowned, "That is not an acceptable response."

"And what school rule or otherwise, that you know of, have we broken? This seems to be out of your purview Headmaster," Harry refuted easily.

"One might suggest that the four of you broke one of our sacred laws pertaining to underage magic," Dumbledore suggested with an edge to his voice.

"Or one might suggest that suggestions are just that, suggestions," Luna quipped with an ethereal smile.

Dumbledore leaned back against his seat and steepled his fingers. He finally asked a proper question. "Why would you try to make our lives difficult?"

"Because we are not, you are making your own lives difficult," Harry responded in a completely relaxed tone.

"Besides Headmaster, I don't recall us having broken any rules for this conversation," Hermione added tightly.

"There is the matter of your outburst at the Great Hall," McGonagall presented testily.

"You mean presenting a matter of grave importance to the students and questioning the authorities in charge as to what measures they have taken?" Hermione retorted.

"There is a time and place for topic of such gravitas," Flitwick said uneasily.

"Gravitas?" Neville looked at Hermione in confusion.

"Muggles say that the force that pulls things to the earth is called gravity. Maybe he wants to pull our pants down?" Harry suggested completely straight-faced.

"Don't be silly Harry, that just attracts Umgubular Slashkilters," Luna argued while she looked around the room.

Hermione slapped her forehead in exasperation. "It means seriousness."

"Like Stubby Boardman?" Luna excitedly pressed.

"Enough! Now is not the time for this silliness," McGonagall angrily interrupted. "I cannot believe that you four would joke around a time like this!"

"Because you didn't think that addressing matters of student safety was not appropriate when all the students were gathered in one place," Harry countered as he rolled his eyes.

"Because the time for that is when a student becomes a soul-less husk and the place is the funeral of that said student," Neville declared blandly. "Even then, it won't be enough for some of you to get up from your rear end and do anything."

Flitwick swayed backward with surprise and the rest of the staff baring Dumbledore was not better off. Snape gathered his wits first and declared vitriolically, "Watch your tongue, boy. You have no idea about you speak of."

"Someone please tell me why Snape is here? He wasn't at the train neither is he the head of house for any of us," Harry quizzed the staff with a sigh.

"You arrogant boy! Just your father you- "

'Hook, line, and sinker. Thank you, Ted, for teaching this little technique.'

"A father I don't have the pleasure of remembering or knowing. You would think that taunting an orphan with his dead parent would be something the worst of humanity would do. But you repeatedly do it anyway. Speaks volumes about your character, Professor Snape," Harry interrupted.

'Not to mention that you wanted to raw dog my mother you twit. '

The atmosphere of the room suddenly shifted, and the entire room sucked in a breath. Snape curled his lips in distaste and held his tongue, he knew well that couldn't overstep his bounds, lest it devolves into further chaos.

Remus shot Snape a look, but Snape pretended not to notice it. But Harry was disappointed that the man did not rebuke Snape for his vitriol against his dead friend. McGonagall and Flitwick didn't even dare to act against their fellow professor.

Harry looked McGonagall directly in her eye. She immediately avoided eye contact and looked down. 'So much for your earlier 'commitment' to helping me. It's easier for you to stick your head in the sand.'

Dumbledore knew that he lost every bit of control in the room. If he tries to press the issue now, he knew that would only lead to further chaos.

"Well then, I believe we should turn in for the night. I do hope that we set aside any misunderstandings and move forward Harry," Dumbledore carefully remarked.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You can tell that to your pet Death Eater, Headmaster."

The whole roomed sucked in another breath as Harry turned around and left the office with his friends. Hermione was still caught off guard by Harry's revelation at the end.

"He really was a Death Eater?"

Neville solemnly nodded, "Gran said Dumbledore personally vouched for him at the end of the war."

"Yet the sanctimonious old git couldn't even bother to arrange a fair trial for Sirius," Harry muttered under his breath.

Hermione looked back at the gargoyle statue uneasily. Luna noticed her friends uncertainly and brightly declared, "At least we know the Umgubular Slashkilters haven't infected us!"

Hermione turned towards the younger girl and blinked once. She chuckled, "Never change Luna."

"But change is fun though," Luna immediately disagreed brightly.