Chapter 1245: An Unacceptable Truth
Chapter 1245: An Unacceptable Truth
"Harry!"
As Harry pushed open the door to the headmaster's office, he heard a startled cry and almost collided with Mrs. Weasley, who was rushing out.
"I'm glad you're alright, Harry," she said, hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek.
"How's the situation at the Astronomy Tower?" Professor Slughorn asked anxiously. "What about the Death Eaters and the Dark Mark?"
"The battle at the Astronomy Tower is over, and everything went smoothly. No one was hurt. By the time we rushed over to deal with the Death Eaters blocking our path, Dumbledore had already defeated those who tried to assassinate him."
Harry, with the phoenix chick in his robe pocket, took out the Marauder's Map and located the Astronomy Tower, casually asking, "Did any other members of the Order arrive?"
"Only Wadtaro Diggory came earlier," Fleur said, "but he probably left not long ago. Didn't you run into him?"
"No, Mr. Diggory must have gone to help at the school gates. Some Death Eaters destroyed the school gates and led their forces to invade Hogwarts. Everyone is reinforcing the entrance now, but I suspect that group is just a distraction." Harry located the Astronomy Tower on the map, and his expression froze as he didn't see Dumbledore's name there, while Snape and Malfoy were still present.
"This can't be!" Harry screamed in denial, unwilling to accept his speculation.
"I have to go to the Astronomy Tower." Harry sprinted towards the tower at an astonishing speed.
Mrs. Weasley and Fleur exchanged glances and quickly chased after him, leaving a bewildered Professor Slughorn behind.
At the top of the Astronomy Tower, Bella, who had been awakened by Snape, stared at Dumbledore's body in disbelief. She couldn't imagine that Snape had succeeded in killing Dumbledore with a sneak attack.
Then what was the point of her previous efforts and sacrifices?
"This was the original plan. What made you doubt my loyalty to the Dark Lord?" Snape glanced at Bella indifferently. "There was no need to be angry. If I couldn't deceive even you, I wouldn't have been able to deceive Dumbledore so easily and assassinate him when he let his guard down."
"However, having said that, Alektor is much smarter than you. That guy probably figured something out, so he ran off on his own."
"How do you know that coward didn't run away out of fear?" Bella shouted angrily at Snape, her face turning red.
However, no one paid attention to Bella's excuses.
At that moment, the Death Eaters stared at Dumbledore's body with disbelief, and some even shouted excitedly.
After witnessing Dumbledore's overwhelming power, they never thought they would be the ultimate victors.
"If I were you, I'd keep my voice down instead of shouting and drawing attention to our presence here," Snape said disapprovingly, glaring at Bella as he continued to release the other Death Eaters from Dumbledore's spells. For those who didn't wake up after the use of the Reviving Spell, Snape slapped them a few times to force them awake.
"Without Dumbledore, do you think those professors and Order members are our match?" Bella said scornfully.
"Don't forget about Albert Anderson. Who knows if he'll suddenly pop up," Snape said, frowning at the group of restless Death Eaters. "I want to return to the Dark Lord and claim the glory that's mine. If you want to die, don't drag me down with you. I plan to leave this damned place now."
"There are still people below who were subdued by the Order members. Aren't you going to save them?" Charlies asked.
"They're your problem now!" Snape said to the stranger. "Take them and leave through the Forbidden Forest later. I won't wait for you."
Charlies cursed Snape repeatedly in his mind. He didn't move, as those so-called colleagues were just strangers he had exchanged a few words with, and they weren't worth risking his life for.
"Bella, they're your recruits, so you deal with them," Snape added before motioning for Malfoy to follow him.
"Do we really have to jump down from here?"
Malfoy stood at the crenel of the wall, looking down as the night wind from the tall tower made his face twitch.
"Why don't we just take the stairs?" he suggested. "We can also rescue those subdued by the Order members along the way..."
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from below the Astronomy Tower, startling the whispering Death Eaters.
"That's too slow. The sooner we leave, the better. Don't forget about Albert Anderson. That guy has power comparable to Dumbledore's. I don't believe this ambush didn't have his involvement," Snape said, leaving no room for hesitation as he jumped off the top of the Astronomy Tower.
Malfoy hesitated for a moment before following suit, having no choice but to trust Snape.
A scream came from below, and finally, Snape cast a Cushioning Charm to slow their fall, successfully suspending himself and Malfoy in mid-air.
"I never want to experience that again," Malfoy said, feeling his pants grow damp. Jumping off the tall tower was not a pleasant experience, especially after seeing the mangled corpse beside him.
"Let's go! Now!"
Snape pushed Malfoy, reminding him that it was time to leave.
The other Death Eaters exchanged glances as they watched Snape and Malfoy jump. In the end, they didn't choose to go down to save their colleagues.
After all, they were unrelated strangers, and no one would joke about their lives.
The Death Eaters who felt played by Snape's actions were angry but also admired him. Not everyone could successfully kill a powerful being like Dumbledore.
And as Snape had said, there was still the equally troublesome Albert Anderson to deal with. Leaving as soon as possible was the wisest choice.
Like dumplings dropping into a pot, the Death Eaters jumped off the Astronomy Tower one after another.
By the time Harry rushed to the top of the tower, there was no one else there except for two Death Eaters who were still unconscious and whose fate was unknown after being struck down by Dumbledore's spells in the previous battle.
"Oh, no, no, why? Why did this happen!"
Harry reached out to pick up Dumbledore's body, gently calling his name in an attempt to wake the old man, but he knew Dumbledore was gone.
"Traitor! You damn traitor! I'll kill you! I swear I'll kill you!" Harry looked down from the crenel of the wall, seeing the blurred ground below and knowing that the group of Death Eaters had escaped by jumping off the tower.
"You can do it, Harry. There's nothing to be afraid of!" Harry gritted his teeth, tightened his grip on his wand, popped a Pepper-Up Potion into his mouth, and then leaped off the top of the Astronomy Tower.
The night wind howled in his ears, and Harry felt his tears and snot about to flow.
Just before he hit the ground and turned into a meat pie, the Pepper-Up Potion kicked in, and he managed to cast a Cushioning Charm in time to prevent a messy landing.
Struggling to his feet, Harry glanced at the mangled corpse of the Death Eater beside him before continuing the pursuit. He would not let the traitor who killed Dumbledore get away so easily!
Outside the Forbidden Forest, Bella, who had just vented her anger by burning down Hagrid's hut, was laughing hysterically, as if this was the only way to release her suppressed emotions.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Snape suddenly raised his wand, pointing it into the depths of the forest.
"It's us. Looks like you succeeded," a voice called out.
Alektor, along with the two Death Eaters who had left first, appeared before Snape. Her eyes swept past him to observe the remaining Death Eaters before turning to her companion and saying, "See, I told you Snape would succeed in killing Dumbledore!"
"Well, you win," said Avery with a shrug, seemingly unbothered by the bet he had made with Alektor. He turned to those behind him and shouted, "Bella, it's time for us to leave as well!"
As he spoke, Avery raised his wand and sent a green spark into the sky, signaling the pre-arranged retreat.
"What are you doing?" Bella frowned slightly, her eyes narrowing at Avery's unusual action.
"I need to alert the others at the school gates, or they might be wiped out," Avery explained, his gaze shifting back to the group. "Once Snape has successfully killed Dumbledore and retreats, I'm supposed to send up the green spark to signal their retreat."
"We should go," Alektor urged.
No one bothered to question Avery further. Although his action might have drawn unwanted attention, they were already outside the boundaries of Hogwarts, and they could easily Disapparate at any moment.
"You..."
Just as Snape was about to Disapparate with Malfoy, he sensed something amiss. Even though they had moved beyond the grounds of Hogwarts, they still couldn't Disapparate.
"We need to go further into the forest," Avery said, as if reading Snape's confusion. "We have to get away from the school grounds before we can Disapparate."
Snape frowned and, along with Malfoy, continued deeper into the forest. Behind them, Bella and Alektor could be heard arguing about Alektor's earlier escape.
The Death Eaters were in high spirits after Snape's successful assassination of Dumbledore. Even though they had paid a heavy price, it was all worth it.
Without Dumbledore standing in their way, nothing could stop the Dark Lord's advance, not even the Ministry of Magic.
However, no one noticed the silent approach of a dark figure. A spell flew unnoticed from the depths of the forest, striking Malfoy and causing him to lose his grip on his wand and fall unconscious.
"Who's there?" Snape raised his wand, his eyes scanning the darkness warily.
"Good evening, everyone. Looks like you're having quite the party tonight!"
A voice emerged from the forest, and Albert Anderson stepped into view, blocking the path of the Death Eaters. He smiled at them, his eyes cold and calculating, as if he were inspecting a piece of meat.
"Albert Anderson!" Bella snarled, her wand pointing at Albert as she shouted the Killing Curse.
"You're like a rabid dog, Bella!" Albert replied, and a tree beside him seemed to come to life, bending down to intercept Bella's Avada Kedavra.
"Let's attack together and kill him!" Bella exclaimed, her entire body trembling with excitement. This was undoubtedly the perfect opportunity to take down Albert.
However, as soon as Bella finished shouting, she heard a commotion behind her, as if in response to her words.
Bella spun around and was shocked to see several Death Eaters, who had been evacuating with them, now lying on the ground, taken down by none other than Alektor and her companions.
Bella couldn't believe that there would be Death Eaters daring enough to betray the Dark Lord.
"Isn't it strange? Or maybe not," Albert said, narrowing his eyes. "After all, Snape managed to assassinate Dumbledore with a sneak attack."
As Bella raged incoherently, Albert casually waved his wand, easily subduing her. It was like an adult knocking a child to the ground with a single punch.
Duels were not just about the power of the spells cast but also the strategy and timing employed. Bella's rash actions had led her straight into a trap.
After dealing with Bella, Albert turned his attention back to Snape. The man was much more cautious than Bella and had not attempted to attack while Albert was occupied with her, a wise decision given that his fate would likely not have been much better than Bella's.
"It looks like you want to duel me," Albert said softly. "Rest assured, I won't kill you. Everything must follow the script: you will escape with Malfoy, Alektor, and Avery while I pretend to chase you down."
Snape glanced at the unconscious Death Eaters who had been taken down by Alektor and her companions. Then he turned to Albert, who was smiling at him, and fell silent for a moment. He had anticipated that something like this might happen, but not in this manner.
When had Albert cast the Imperius Curse on them? Had it been during the chaos of the moment, or... had they been under his control from the very beginning?
Snape didn't have time to ponder these questions.
Two spells collided in mid-air, diverting from their original paths and blasting a thick tree trunk in half.
Snape was adept at nonverbal spells, able to cast them swiftly and counter most witches and wizards. However, standing before him was the youngest Duelling Champion in history.
After a few exchanges of spells, Snape realized the situation was dire. Dueling against Albert, he felt a sense of powerlessness similar to what he had experienced when facing Dumbledore.
As Snape considered his next move, a powerful force sent him flying, and he crashed into a large tree. Before he could react, vines from the tree wrapped around him, binding him tightly.
"I've always wondered why Dumbledore chose to sacrifice himself to save you and Malfoy," Albert said, his left hand reaching out slightly, causing the wands that had fallen to the ground to float into his palm. He tucked them into his robe pockets.
Snape pressed his lips together, remaining silent, but Bella couldn't contain herself any longer.
"There were better options, weren't there?" Albert asked, ignoring Bella's outburst and sealing her mouth shut with a spell. "But in the end, Dumbledore chose that path."
"Who knows?" Snape replied expressionlessly. He was well aware of the gap between his abilities and Albert's, but he hadn't expected it to be so vast.
Even with Snape's caution, he found himself disarmed, and Albert hadn't even resorted to Dark Magic.
"Calm down, Bella," Albert glanced at the wildly struggling woman beside him. "If Dumbledore hadn't willingly accepted death, do you think Snape could have killed him?"
As he finished speaking, Albert turned his head slightly, as if sensing something. "Oh, it's you, Potter. Come out, I know you're hiding over there!"
"You've caught him, you've caught the traitor!"
Harry scanned the three Death Eaters who had turned on their companions, his eyes filled with hatred as he aimed his wand at the bound figure of Snape. "Avada..."
Harry's Killing Curse was left unfinished as his wand was knocked from his hand, sailing through the air to land in Albert's outstretched palm.
"Why?" Harry roared angrily at Albert, "Why did you stop me? He killed Dumbledore, that beast killed Dumbledore, I want revenge for him."
"I know." Albert said calmly, "But that was Dumbledore's intention. From start to finish, everything went according to Dumbledore's designed script: Snape kills Dumbledore in a sneak attack when he's at his most vulnerable. Oh, I have to say that this script is really quite terrible, but Dumbledore didn't want to follow the script I wrote, and there was nothing I could do."
"Wait, do you mean... Dumbledore willingly let himself be killed by that beast?" Harry's mind went blank for a moment as he struggled to accept this answer.
"Why, why did Dumbledore do this?" Harry asked, his face wet with tears, "Did he go insane?"
"Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he didn't have much longer to live due to his injured arm." Albert replied calmly, "He probably felt that since his end was near, he might as well make the most of his remaining time. As for Malfoy, our Headmaster wanted to give him a chance to walk down the right path, instead of letting him be corrupted by Voldemort's orders to kill. I have to say, he was a competent Headmaster."
This sentence carried a multitude of emotions, and Harry heard both the sarcasm and the admiration in Albert's tone.
"If you want to know more, I suggest you ask Dumbledore yourself." Albert patted Harry's shoulder and returned his wand to him, continuing, "If you can't get any answers from his portrait, you can come to Hogwarts in a few days when I deliver Dumbledore's will, and I'll tell you some of the things I know."
"Now, could you please take these Death Eaters back and let them face justice at the Ministry of Magic? Of course, except for that lunatic over there."
"I thought you would just kill them." Harry said, his mouth slightly agape.
"No, these were all the fish that Dumbledore lured with himself as bait. I think it would be a good idea for the Ministry to execute them all at once and deter the Death Eaters for a while." Albert said to Harry, "You need this time."
"I know what to do. I hope that by then, you can tell me the truth. I hate being kept in the dark like a fool." Harry wiped away his tears and, with a wave of his wand, dragged the stunned and bound Death Eaters back to Hogwarts.
"I've already arranged your future." Albert turned away, looking at the still-struggling Bella, he said with pleasure, "Believe me, that place will suit you better than Azkaban."
As Bella slowly closed her eyes, Albert looked at Hogwarts one last time and murmured, "So, Dumbledore guessed that I knew the location of the last Horcrux? When did he realize... was it when I made the prediction about the snake or when I recognized Slytherin's locket?"
"But, do you think I wouldn't pursue power? Do you think it was a good idea to just hand me the Elder Wand, thinking I would help keep it safe?" Albert took out a Felix Felicis from his pocket and popped it into his mouth, using the luck-enhancing potion to analyze the parts he couldn't quite understand.
Dumbledore wasn't wrong, Albert didn't really need the Elder Wand, as he already possessed immense magical power, perhaps even more so than anyone else, and was therefore the most suitable person to safeguard the wand. And...
"He saw through me from the beginning? Maybe he just had a feeling, after all, he was a century-old wizard, so it's not strange for him to have such a hunch."
Although Albert had been providing assistance to the Order of the Phoenix and helping the Ministry of Magic fight against Voldemort, he never intended to shoulder everything alone. Instead, he chose to guide Britain's wizards to stand against the Death Eaters themselves.
And for the latter to achieve peace, it would undoubtedly require a tremendous price, a price that Dumbledore was aware of, which was why he entrusted the Elder Wand to Albert.
"He killed multiple birds with one stone, but I didn't exactly lose out either." Albert mused.
Although he didn't need the Elder Wand, he was well aware of its immense power, and perhaps, just as Dumbledore had said, it might come in handy in the near future.
A triple win.
No, a double win.
After all, Voldemort's downfall had already been set in motion the moment Dumbledore died.
As for the British wizarding world...
"He's really not that hateable after all." Albert mused, "But I still want to say that your script is truly terrible, it should have followed the one I wrote."
Indeed, everyone had their own little schemes, especially geniuses, who were a bunch of arrogant individuals. It was unrealistic to expect others to follow their plans blindly.
From the very beginning, Albert knew, and that was why he ultimately accepted everything so calmly.
After all, everything was already predetermined in the script, and he was merely an actor in it.
"We should go now!" Albert turned away, looking at the raving lunatic of a woman by his side, he murmured, "You've tried to kill me so many times, and now it's time for you to face my retribution."
(End of Chapter)
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