The Dark Lord's Playbook of Nefarious Misdeeds

Sympathy For The Devil

Previously...

Well then...let's go find your flux capacitor and DeLorean."

I bark out a laugh "I can't believe you were actually listening to my hysterical ramblings".

"I maybe an arsehole Hermione, but I am always listening".
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Third POV Albus Dumbledore

Back at the Battle of Hogwarts

"Let you think on it? What is there to think about?" Harry screamed at him, his young irate voice echoing in the clearing of the forest.

In all of Albus's imaginings of this very moment, this result didn't even rank in the top 100. In fact, to an outside observer, it would be seen as narcissistic of Albus to never have contemplated a negative reaction. But to answer Harry's irritating question so he can put a stop to this ridiculousness. Yes, he does need to ruminate on it. Voldemort was never supposed to exit this prison. The ramifications of unleashing an angry Dark Lord could be dire to the wizarding world once again. Personally, he didn't really see what the issue was. It was unfortunate that she got sucked in with Tom and he didn't want to stop and think about what that girl would be going through, but if her sacrifice saved the lives of the many then so be it. The only disappointment he saw was the loss of her intelligence and to be stuck with these dimwits.

Before he had a chance to answer, the ministerial Aurors started popping in, making the 'minions' rapidly start apparating away. His guess was that without their leader they aren't so confident. Bellatrix tried engaging with a few, but eventually she too saw the futility of it and apparated away in a swirl of black smoked fury.

Without a word Albus moved to leave the clearing in the forest wanting to have a look at Hogwarts. He hoped the others would naturally follow him.

The view of the beloved Hogwarts castle from down at the forests edge, was horrifying. The outer exterior of the castle was essentially rubble. The walls had large blast holes that you could drive a car through, some had smoking puffs of dark grey plumes reaching high into the sky funnelling out of them, parts of the castle were still on fire which lit up the night sky like a monstrous night light, and all of this was punctuated by children screaming. This was a complete sodding mess, but it could be rebuilt. Wiping the slate clean as it were.

Albus turned back to see most of the Order of the Phoenix behind him all looking a mixture of bewilderment, incensed and bitter. He knew they would rally against him and say why he couldn't stop this, why he couldn't take Voldemort out earlier, why he, why he, why he. Ungrateful bunch of twits. If he did everything then they would never learn, plus this was never about them. No, this was between him and Tom. Everybody else was a means to an end. He raised his hands and clapped them together, apparating him and them away from the war-torn castle grounds and to his personal residence.

Upon righting themselves from the forced apparation, Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke up, "What the in the world is going on Albus, how are you alive?", the dark-skinned man looked perplexed and a little exasperated.

Albus held his hand up to prevent anymore Phoenix members from speaking up over the top of each other. In fact, he thought that he should really just stupefy them, along with a silencing charm, so they can just be still and listen.

"If you all would be quiet, I will explain", a small amount of impatience bleeding through his words.

"Ugh can you stop stalling and tell us where Hermione is! And with the Dark Lord too! You have condemned her", Ronald Weasley yelled, going red in the face. Such an annoying boy with hideous orange hair. But a good fanatical follower for the light. A sheep, as the muggle teenagers would colloquially say. Albus knew he had affections for the young witch, however she held fascinations elsewhere.