The Secrets We Keep
After several minutes of explanations that sounded like stories told by two boys with very active imaginations, Harry and Percy finally finished recounting everything that had happened in the Chamber. Anywhere other than a magical school, their story probably would've gotten them sent straight to a psychiatric hospital.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore listened to them in absorbed silence, paying attention to every detail of their words, while Snape, for his part, frowned every now and then.
Especially at the part where Harry couldn't help admitting that he seemed able to hear the basilisk or, more directly, snakes. But there seemed to be a few parts missing from their story, something Snape noticed. He opened his mouth, about to say something, but Dumbledore raised a hand, stopping him.
"I see," the Headmaster said as he brought a hand to his long beard, stroking it while looking at both of them through those glasses that seemed to make his bright eyes shine even more. "So you were on your way to find your friends, found them being attacked, and decided to go after them to save young Tyson. And the basilisk, after being mortally wounded, went back through the same place it came out of," Dumbledore repeated, although as he did so, he seemed to be pointing out the very flaws in their story, making both Harry and Percy feel nervous.
"Well... maybe it preferred to die in there," Percy added softly.
"Perhaps. It would be better if that were the case, although I'd feel uneasy not knowing whether it truly died," Dumbledore added calmly.
This made Percy and Harry even more nervous, since if the Headmaster really wanted to investigate thoroughly, he might open the statue's mouth to see if the basilisk was still there. And if he didn't find it, how would they explain that their Aunt Mor, who seemed able to come and go through Hogwarts with ease, had taken it away and apparently also knew the basilisk and was the creator of that creature, as well as a student of Slytherin?
"It would be better to place a few spells and magical seals on the statue just in case, don't you think?" Dumbledore said with a gentle smile toward them.
"Um, yes. I think that would be better," they both said awkwardly in unison.
Dumbledore seemed to want to smile at their reaction, but then his gaze became more serious as it settled on the battered diary, covered in stab marks and black ink that looked like blood.
"It truly never ceases to amaze me what the Dark Lord is capable of, even when he isn't personally involved. According to my sources, he's currently hiding somewhere in a forest in Albania," Dumbledore said as he stared at the diary.
"What?" both Harry and Percy said when they heard those words, surprised that the guy was still alive and now hiding somewhere. Especially when they remembered the words of young Tom Riddle, who seemed to have some kind of interest not only in Harry, but also in Percy and even Tyson, and knew about their divine side.
Snape frowned when he heard Dumbledore's words and stared at the Headmaster.
"Taking advantage of even a poor young girl to achieve his ambitions is exactly the kind of thing he would do. Something neither Professor Dippet nor I managed to see in time before he became what he did," Dumbledore said as if remembering the past.
One of the Headmasters' portraits, which had been listening to the conversation along with the others, couldn't help looking away guiltily either.
Dumbledore smiled again, this time with a somewhat more cheerful air.
"Even so, I believe this deserves a grand feast. What do you say, Severus? Could you inform the kitchen for me?" Dumbledore said, looking toward the professor, who clearly wanted to refuse, but upon seeing the Headmaster's expression, seemed to understand something and simply nodded, though not before giving the Jackson and Potter brothers a scathing look.
"Very well. Then I'll leave you to settle accounts with Potter and Jackson," he said, heading toward the office door.
Snape left, and Harry and Percy looked at Dumbledore hesitantly.
Dumbledore returned their gaze, his face gentle, like a grandfather looking at his grandchildren.
"As Headmaster, my role isn't just to run the school and manage the professors, but also to look after the safety of every single student. Although, well, it seems I'm not doing that last part particularly well, am I?" he said with a somewhat guilty air.
"Although, well, sometimes that job becomes quite difficult when there are people who seem determined to stop me from doing it. That's why I always try to leave some kind of safety measure in place," he added as he affectionately fed Fawkes again. "I know that sometimes keeping a secret means hiding a part of our world from others. We don't always do it for ourselves. Sometimes we're also trying to protect those around us."
For a moment, Dumbledore paused, looking at both of them before continuing.
"I just want you to know that as long as your hearts remain at Hogwarts and you don't betray your convictions, I'll always do everything I can to lend you a hand. Hogwarts will be your home. And as for your ability to speak Parseltongue, Harry, you have nothing to worry about. I'll keep it a secret until you decide to speak about it yourself," Dumbledore added, although judging by his words, he didn't seem to be talking about Parseltongue at all.
Harry looked at the old man for a moment and opened his mouth, but closed it again before nodding softly.
Percy didn't seem to understand the other meaning, but he could feel the old man's sincerity, so he nodded as well.
Dumbledore watched them for a few more seconds before recovering his usual smile, bringing that conversation to an end.
"For your bravery, I'm sure you both deserve a medal and, obviously, two hundred points each. Although that's not enough for the danger you put yourselves in, we mustn't ignore the number of school rules you broke. That's why I had to send Professor Snape away," the old man added with amusement. "Now, I believe you two need something to eat and some rest, so you can head straight to the feast and..."
Before Dumbledore could finish speaking, the office door suddenly burst open, even slamming against the wall.
Lucius Malfoy entered with a furious expression, followed by Dobby, who was cowering in fear a few steps behind him.
Dumbledore looked up.
"Back again, Lucius? I thought you'd already left after our long conversation just a few hours ago," Dumbledore said kindly.
Lucius approached, almost bumping into Harry and Percy, ignoring the Headmaster's relaxed appearance, and stopped abruptly before recovering his false calm.
"I was on my way home after our discussion about your possible removal as Headmaster, thanks to the support of the majority of the Board of Governors, when I was informed that the culprit had supposedly been found and the danger hanging over the castle had been stopped," Lucius said, although he didn't seem very happy. "Who was it? Where is he?" he immediately asked.
"News certainly travels rather quickly," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Indeed, we've found him, and you'd be surprised to learn that it was the very same person as last time, Lucius, although he used different methods this time," he added as he raised the diary and looked closely at Malfoy.
Upon seeing that diary, Malfoy seemed to freeze for the briefest moment, almost imperceptibly, before continuing to act calmly.
Harry, who was watching Lucius, barely seemed to notice that reaction, but Dobby, who was standing behind Lucius, caught his attention. The house-elf, still with bandages on his hands and a few bruises that hadn't been there before, was trying to make gestures at him while pointing toward the diary and Lucius Malfoy, attempting to warn him about something. Then he began punching himself in the head.
"I see," Malfoy said slowly to Dumbledore.
"A clever plan: planting such a dangerous object among a student's school supplies. Luckily, our two knights, Jackson and Potter, discovered the culprit in time. Otherwise, she might not have come out of it so well and could even have been blamed for the attacks," Dumbledore added without taking his bright eyes off Lucius.
"How fortunate," Lucius immediately added, without changing his expression.
"Yes, it would be good if whoever planned this stopped allowing memories of Voldemort to wander around the magical world. After all, it seems even the Pendragon Knights took quite an interest, going so far as to send their men to the castle to investigate. It seems they're not particularly happy about the possibility of his return, and I've heard they appear to be establishing relations with Mr. Weasley to protect the Muggle world from dangerous magical artifacts. If this plan had succeeded, that friendship would have been destroyed. Luckily, it didn't happen," the Headmaster added, sounding calm.
But Harry noticed that Lucius's fist trembled for a moment before clenching tightly.
"Yes, luckily," Lucius added, but his mood only worsened and, without saying much more, he simply turned around. "Dobby, we're leaving," he said as he suddenly kicked the house-elf, knocking him out of his way.
Percy, seeing this, almost lunged at him without hesitation, but Harry grabbed him, his expression quite serious.
"Professor Dumbledore," Harry said without waiting for Percy to ask why he'd stopped him. "Could I keep the diary? After all, it doesn't seem to be of any use anymore," he asked the Headmaster.
Dumbledore looked at him in silence for a moment before giving him an amused smile.
"Of course, Harry. Do whatever you like with it."
Without hesitating, Harry grabbed the diary and ran out of the office, leaving Percy standing there, confused. Percy looked at his brother's retreating back and then turned toward the Headmaster.
"Um... So, what about the sword?" he said, pointing toward the Sword of Gryffindor on the desk.
"I'm sorry, but the sword belongs to the school. Even as Headmaster, I can't decide what happens to it," Dumbledore answered calmly.
"Well, I tried," Percy said before turning around and running after his brother.
Meanwhile, the Headmaster could only let out an even more amused smile as he watched them both leave.