A True Riddle

Chapter 6 - Endings

"Professor?" Hadrian calls, knocking on the door to Dumbledore's office, he had received a note from Dumbeldore earlier, asking him to come to his office.

"Ah! Harry! Good, you're here." Dumbeldore calls from deep within his office, "Come in." When Hadrian enters he looks around, noting the heavy tomes and various instruments that fill the office. When his gaze lands on Fawkes - who is nearing the end of his life cycle - it stops, is this the bird of fire Jormun was talking about? Thinking of Jormun, it's been a while since Hadrian has heard from him, and he really ought to go to the Chamber of Secrets to free him.

"Harry? Are you okay?" Hadrian's gaze snaps back to Dumbledore, it was foolish of him to get so distracted.

"I'm fine, Professor." Hadrian moves to sit in a chair, "Why did you call me?"

"I was just wondering if you'd seen anything through Voldemort lately." Dumbledore sits in his chair, his concern seems so real that Hadrian almost doubts Voldemort, but he can't deny his connection to Draco, Severus, and Voldemort.

"No, nothing. Sorry."

"No need to be sorry. That's good news. It means that your lessons with Professor Snape have been working." Dumbledore claims. Harry studies his face carefully, buried deep there is a faint hint of annoyance in his eyes.
"But if you do see anything, tell me. And definitely don't react to it. Voldemort might have worked out your connection and tried to use it against you."

"I promise I won't react." Hadrian promises.

"Excellent. And how have you been Harry?" Dumbledore's concern is once again so real. On the surface, The second Hadrian looks a bit deeper, he can see Dumbeldore's annoyance in having to put up with him. Anger flares in Hadrian. Anger at himself for having fallen for this old man's tricks.

"Things have been good, Professor. Now if you don't mind, I need to go study." He stands.

"Of course Harry." Dumbeldore stands as well.

"Goodbye Professor." Hadrian moves to the door, but before he can leave it bursts open, revealing Umbridge, Cornelius Fudge, Percy, and two Auroras.

"Professor Dumbledore, you are under arrest for conspiring against the ministry." Fudge points his wand at Dumbledore, the Aurora's flanking him, their wands also pointed at Dumbledore.

"Why?" Dumbledore asks.

"You have been trying to undermine the ministry by claiming that the Dark Lord is back." Fudge says.

"He is." Dumbledore claims.

"Nonetheless, we have found proof that you have been training people to fight." Umbridge pushes her way to the front, waving around a piece of paper. Pleasure fills Hadrian, and it is hard to keep from smiling as he sees what is written on it, guess she took the bait.

"I-What?" Dumbledore asks, confused.

"See." Umbridge holds the paper up to Dumbledore so that he can read it. At the top is the title Dumbedore's Army, below that is a list of names, starting with Harry Potter.

"Professor, Dumbeldore had nothing to do with that." Hadrian truthfully claims.

Dumbledore's gaze swings around to him, Hadrian can practically see his thought process as Dumbledore works out that Hadrian really had made it, but then his thoughts differ from the truth and he thinks that Hadrian made the Army to help him. Anger flares in Hadrian at how confident Dumbeldore is in his 'creation.' Annoyance flickers in Dumbeldore's gaze as he calculates, if he says that he made the Army then he will have to leave Hogwarts and trust that his magic will hold, but if he lets Hadrian take the fall, then he may lose his trust, bit late for that, Hadrian thinks grimly.

"I made it, after all, it has my name in the title." Dumbeldore claims, sure in his magic to keep Hadrian under control.

"I knew it." Fudge says victoriously. "Take him." He gestures to the Auroras.

"I only made it to try and stop Voldemort, because you are too scared to admit that he's back." Dumbledore half spits.

"I am not scared. The Dark Lord is not back." Fudge blusters, trying to hide his flinch at Dumbledore's use of Voldemort's name.

"You will see soon." Dumbeldore promises before turning to Hadrian, "Help will always be at Hogwarts for those who need it." He says, staring as if he could see Hadrian's soul. Suddenly he lifts up his wand and brings it down suddenly causing a bright flash. Hadrian closes his eyes in a futile attempt to guard against the piercing light, when the light dims he opens his eyes, blinking rapidly to dispel the bark spots in his vision.

"Where is he?! Find him!" Fudge roars as he sees that Dumbledore has disappeared.

"Yes sir." The Auroras nod and turn to leave.

"Professor Umbridge, you will be the headmaster of Hogwarts."

"Thank you minister." Umbridge nods, failing to hide her excitement.

"And you Potter, I expect you will be punished for colluding with Dumbledore, however I will allow you to continue attending Hogwarts."

"Thanks." Hadrian says.

"See me tonight after dinner." Umbridge tells Hadrian.

"I will." Hadrian replies, trying to hide his fear of what she will do. His scarred hand seems to pulse. "Bye." As he walks out the door he notices a column of flame, Fawkes. That's strangely symbolic, he thinks grimly, the ending of the bird, signalling the ending of Dumbeldore.

~~~

A/N: I have chosen Traitor by Daughtry as the song because it basically sums up how Hadrian now sees Dumbledore. And in this chapter he lets/causes Dumbledore to have to run, because he is a traitor, which is basically the chorus. I could go on forever about the similarities between the song and Hadrian and Dumbledore's relationship (and not just because I love the song).