Hidden Wings - Part II

Back at Hogwarts

After Madam Pomfrey had checked Hermione, Ron and Harry several times and made them drink a Pepper-up Potion, a Strengthening Potion, a potion against longterm effects when being exposed to malnourishment, as well as several other disgusting-smelling liquids, she allowed them to leave the Hospital Wing. They took the fireplace to avoid being seen by others, even though it was already late at night. Harry longed to see Ginny again, but that had to wait.
They had to speak to Snape first.

When they entered the headmaster's office, a strange feeling settled in Harry's stomach. It was as if this place still belonged to Dumbledore, yet it was another man who sat at his desk. And behind it was a bare square of wall where Dumbledore's portrait should have been.

On a perch sat Fawkes, preening his feathers as if nothing had changed at all. He trilled softly when the Gryffindors entered.

Professor Snape waved his hand and the door shut behind the three Gryffindors.
"Sit", he said and pointed at three chairs in front of his desk.

Hermione chose the middle one, while the boys flanked her left and right. Harry had to force himself not to glare at Snape, especially after his six years of experience with the wizard. He had a hard time believing that this man was on their side, after killing Dumbledore.

The three exchanged uncertain glances, not knowing who should start.

"If you are able to use your vocal chords", said Professor Snape coldly after several minutes had passed in silence, "then I would be most interested in hearing what happened the past year."

Hermione turned pink.
"We managed to destroy two horcruxes", she said with a slightly shaking voice. "One was Salazar Slytherin's locket and the other one Helga Hufflepuff's cup. We had some...trouble getting them, but we always managed to dodge the Death Eaters."
She hesitated.

"I realized the last horcrux is at Hogwarts", Harry continued with a blank face, "so we decided to apparate back, while taking short stops in between. In the Forest of Dean, I used Vol- You-Know-Who's name and then the Snatchers found us."

"A taboo had been placed on You-Know-Who's name", added Hermione. "And that's when-"
Her face twitched, as if she still couldn't believe it.
"We saw Mioha."

A shudder ran through her.

"She was nothing like the Mioha we knew", mumbled Ron, his face a grey color. "She was...cold and evil. And her eyes- she was just like a female version of You-Know-Who."

"She was ready to torture us to find out what we were looking for", said Harry in a hoarse voice. "She didn't seem to know that we were looking for horcruxes. If Fawkes hadn't shown up...I don't know what she would have done."

The Gryffindors fell silent and looked at Professor Snape, who had listened without uttering a word. Now he leaned back in his chair.
"I can expect you three to have a lot of questions", he began with a cool voice, "but beforehand let me clear something up for you. Dumbledore is alive."

Ron hiccuped in surprise while Hermione fell from her chair.
Harry just stared.

"Alive?", he repeated frostily, "no- that can't be, I saw you kill him."

Snape looked at him sharply.
"I know what you saw, Potter, but Dumbledore survived. He created a doppelgänger of himself that got killed instead of him, then took a Sleeping Draught to appear as dead in case someone checked his grave. He was supposed to wake up in time before the Dark Lord attacked Hogwarts. However, since the Dark Lord will be moving earlier than we had planned, Dumbledore will be of no help."
Professor Snape did not tell them that the doppelgänger-part was a lie, that Albus Dumbledore had survived the curse because actually he was a thousand-year old immortal wizard named Gandalf.