Chapter 35. Snape in a Quandary
Headmaster's office.
Albus Dumbledore sat in his chair.
His fingers tapped rhythmically on the brown desktop, making an unceasing tap-tap sound.
Bright moonlight filtered through the glass and spilled over his eyes, now and then kindling an inexplicable gleam, much like his heart at this moment.
One of the portraits on the wall—a wizard with a goatee who did not look particularly clever, dressed in silver-and-green Slytherin garb—was roused by the noise.
He glared at Dumbledore and complained, "Dumbledore, it is very late now.
Can't you spare a thought for us elderly folk?
We need ample sleep to keep up our spirits."
"Sorry, Phineas."
Dumbledore stopped tapping the desk and spoke apologetically.
"That's more like it..."
Phineas smacked his lips and prepared to drift off again, but then something occurred to him.
His gossipy soul flared up, and he asked curiously, "You seem to have run into some difficulty?
I haven't seen that expression on you in ages."
Dumbledore nodded.
"A student failed to attend the Start-of-Term Feast today."
"What?"
Phineas's eyes went wide, as if he had heard something that deeply offended him.
He chattered on, scolding, "What sort of student is that?
Dumbledore, you shouldn't trouble yourself over this—just expel him at once.
He doesn't deserve..."
"Phineas, keep your voice down!"
The other portraits on the wall had woken and began rebuking the shouting Phineas.
"Dumbledore, which student failed to come?" asked a fat wizard with a red nose.
They stayed in the Headmaster's office all the time, and they knew how powerful the white-haired old man before them was.
Anyone he took special notice of could hardly be ordinary.
"Harry Potter.
He seems not to have boarded the train," Dumbledore replied.
Phineas, who had been making a racket, shut his mouth.
He blinked and said, "The brat you mentioned before?
Haven't you been keeping an eye on him?
How could he fail to get on the train?
If you've lost him, you..."
Dumbledore cut across Phineas.
"Professor McGonagall has already gone to look into it.
It may be only an accident.
The Muggle family Harry lives with have always loathed wizards; perhaps they were unwilling to let him come to Hogwarts."
"Muggles?
Those foolish creatures..."
Phineas changed tack and began an endless sneer about Muggles.
The door of the Headmaster's office was shoved open rudely and crashed against the wall with a bang, making the wood groan as if in pain.
In the blink of an eye, the portraits all fell silent in unison and turned toward the doorway to see who had arrived with such force.
Severus Snape swept in with his robes billowing, swift and decisive.
He stood expressionless before the desk and locked eyes with Dumbledore without a word.
Ever since hearing the news of Harry Potter's disappearance, Snape's feelings had been in a knot—wanting him dead, and yet not.
After a moment, Dumbledore broke the stillness.
"Severus, you..."
"Harry Potter," Snape said, reluctantly.
"Any news?"
Dumbledore shook his head.
"Professor McGonagall hasn't sent word back yet."
"And you sit here at your ease?" Snape said with a sneer.
"In your heart..."
"I know, Severus," said Dumbledore.
"I care more than anyone for his safety."
"I hope so."
Snape gave a cold laugh and simply stood there, saying no more.
The room sank into a stifling silence.
The portraits on the walls looked at one another.
No one felt it proper to make a sound.
Time passed.
Dumbledore sat upright, his gaze drifting over the parchment on the desk, while Snape, like a stone statue, stood motionless.
Suddenly, with a whoosh, the nearby fireplace blazed up, and Professor McGonagall's head appeared upright in the flames.
Dumbledore rose quickly and stepped to the hearth.
Snape followed close behind, and the portraits also looked on, curious.
"Minerva, how is it?"
Dumbledore asked, bending slightly.
"I've found Harry Potter," Professor McGonagall answered between breaths; she was a little worn out.
"But the situation isn't good."
"What has happened?"
Dumbledore's brow furrowed slowly.
"Come at once.
We're at Dedalus's house.
I fear there may be other dangers."
Professor McGonagall rattled this off, and her head vanished from the fire.
A portrait on the wall said, "Dumbledore, could it be those Death Eaters again..."
"I'll go and see for myself," said Dumbledore.
He extended his arm.
"Fawkes, if you please."
Fawkes the phoenix gave a melodious cry and fluttered down onto Dumbledore's arm.
"I'm coming as well."
Snape's tone was level, yet admitted no refusal.
Dumbledore's gaze passed over Snape.
He sighed and nodded.
"Very well."
Snape laid a hand on Dumbledore's shoulder.
Wizards could not Apparate within the school, but a phoenix was not so constrained.
A pale red flame wrapped them both.
Whoosh—like a gust of wind, man and bird were gone.
On a mottled cobbled street, the doors on either side were shut tight.
No one walked there; only the lamplight along the road cast a yellowish glow.
Flame surged up in the middle of the road and quickly vanished.
The two figures appeared, sweeping wary eyes over the surroundings.
Fawkes lifted from Dumbledore's arm, circled once high in the air to survey the area, then gave a call to Dumbledore and settled steadily on the roof of a house, becoming a sentry to watch the environs.
Satisfied there was no danger, Dumbledore strolled to the door of a house by the street and knocked five times in a steady rhythm.
After a moment, a man's voice sounded from inside.
"Is that you, Dumbledore?"
"Mm, Dedalus," Dumbledore answered softly, now and then casting a sidelong glance at the dark corners behind him.
"Thank heaven you're finally here."
The door was pulled open to reveal a small wizard, his wand clutched in his hand.
"How is it?"
Dumbledore slipped inside and looked around, but he did not see any sign of Harry Potter.
"I'm not entirely sure," Dedalus replied.
"Half an hour ago, Professor McGonagall hurried here with a boy called Harry Potter, said they'd run into trouble and needed to lie low at my place..."
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Professor McGonagall came bustling down at a quick trot.
Her expression was severe.
She said quickly, "Dumbledore, Snape—you're both here?
Harry Potter is upstairs."
"Is he all right?"
Dumbledore went up the stairs with Professor McGonagall.
"What on earth has happened?"
Walking just ahead of Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall said, "At first, as you instructed, I went to that Muggle household, but Vernon Dursley said he had sent Harry to King's Cross Station first thing in the morning.
So I hurried to the station, but I still couldn't find Harry, and even the Aurors on duty there that day said they hadn't seen him."
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