ᵖʳᵒᵘᵈ ᵖᵃʳᵉⁿᵗˢ ; ʰᵃʳᵐⁱᵒⁿᵉ

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter 34 - Bring to Light

Since this was his third time around, Dumbledore was becoming more familiar with the inhumane process they were very deliberately putting his old body through. As the pain of being chemically forced to expel every morsel from his digestive system began to wane, his appreciation of the powerful aroma resulting from these actions became far more pronounced. Just before it became totally overpowering, the jets of ice-cold water would instantly replace the dispelling abdominal pain in refocusing his mind away from the vile stench.

Thankfully while the severe change in temperature still shocked him every time, Dumbledore couldn't deny the forcible application of the ice cold water was very effective at fulfilling its main objective - cleaning away everything his body had so recently and explosively expelled. As he lay there shivering, listening as the last of the water ran into the drains built into the floor, Dumbledore was already anticipating the next part of the process. A hot cup of tea and a mug of soup might not be much to look forward to but, until he could figure a way to get himself out of here, it was really all he had.

They wouldn't tell him how long the purging program would continue for, but the longer they took the more time he had in hand. Albus was certain once they started to ask him questions under truth serum his goose would be well and truly cooked. Interrogator Smith seemed very competent, he had no illusions that his darkest secrets wouldn't soon spill from his lips.

At that, Smith walked in with a pair of metal cylinders Albus remembered were called 'thermos flasks'. These were muggle devices that kept the tea and soup warm, since no magic would work in his cell - very clever devices that also had their own attached cups.

Pouring tea into the stainless steel cup, Smith held Dumbledore's head up and helped him sip the sweet warm liquid. When the cup was empty he switched flasks and started feeding the old wizard chicken soup.

In a vey light tone, Smith began their chat. "The latest news is you have been disowned by your brother - kicked out of the Dumbledore family. I know this is unusual - since you are the older brother - but there were so many families lining up to declare blood feud on yours. Sorry, that was rather cruel of me, since it's not your family anymore. Discovering that your brother was one of the most heavily spelled of your victims generated Abe a lot of support and sympathy - and saw the unusual motion pass through your Wizengamot unanimously. What possessed you to cast that amount of spells on your own brother - since the time he was a teenager too!"

His first serving of soup finished, Dumbledore's eyes never left the flask as it refilled the cup. He chatted away, as if having a conversation with one of his closest friends.

"Abe was telling anyone who would listen that I had murdered our sister, he didn't believe my story that it was Gellert's wand that cast the fatal blow. Gellert knew it wasn't his wand that killed Ariana and immediately ended our relationship - said I was a dark bastard. Pot, kettle, black."

Taking another welcome sip of soup, Albus continued spilling his secrets. "Abe broke my nose at Ariana's funeral by punching me like a common muggle, it was very public too. Enough people were beginning to listen to him that I had to quickly put a stop to it. He still hates me of course, it would have appeared too suspicious if I took that hatred away as well, but every so often the charms would start to wear off. I finally had to take action to destroy his reputation, annihilate his credibility, create the situation where no one would believe Abe no matter what he said. Would you believe the claims of someone who served time in Azkaban for casting inappropriate charms on goats?"

"Did you force him into life he's led?"

"I couldn't risk anyone getting too close to Abe, they might have figured out he was under so many charms. I also didn't want any Dumbledore offspring running around, possibly outshining their Uncle Albus one day. When people think of the name 'Dumbledore', I want mine to be the only one that comes to their mind."