The Choice of Destiny (Snape Love Story)

Quibbling for the Truth

I'm sorry that Snape looks like a Tinkerbell with this kind of a slideshow; it was a misunderstanding with the photobucket. :P

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Dumbledore watched as all of the professors and several members of the Order of the Phoenix set down their copy of a report. Their reactions differed widely; some were surprised, some nodded in approval and others disapproved. To Dumbledore, it wasn’t surprising that Severus was among the few scowling individuals.

“When is this supposed to come out?” he spat out immediately after everyone finished reading.

“Two weeks according to what Aberforth had to say about it but believing the man is quite hazardous,” said Dumbledore briskly. He personally thought that everything Harry has said in the interview was quite to the point. He even felt some sense of pride at the fact that Harry found a way to speak up against the public persecution. The boy was exceeding his expectations.

“I believe it’s very commendable of him,” announced Filius and folded his own report. Some of the others looked at him in shock.

“What?” asked the small professor. “He stood up to the Ministry! Of course I know that Umbridge will punish him however, if this article is published many of those we were trying to convince will believe!”

Minerva frowned: “Do you really believe that Filius? Because one of the other options is that Harry will be dragged away to St. Mungo’s and Albus will be prosecuted…”

“None of that will happen,” interrupted Pomona. “Harry is still too much of a symbol of the victory over You-Know-Who… no one would dare to actually confine him.”

“The question at hand is,” raised his voice Dumbledore. “Do we allow this article to be published? Just about any one of us could go visit Xenophilius Lovegood and retrieve the interview not to even mention threatening Rita Skeeter with Azkaban time… Let’s put it to the vote…  who thinks we should pay Xenophilius a visit?”

No one raised their hand. Many of the members of the Order looked uncomfortable.

“We’re not Death Eaters Albus,” spoke Minerva. “We don’t pay ‘visits’ to those who stray from our plans… however I’m not sure about what to do with the article.”

“Potter needs to know his actions bring about consequences,” said Severus quietly. Nymphadora and Kingsley sneered meanly at him for his remark but no one said anything against it.

“There’s no need to delay this article; alea iacta est” said Catalina finally. Dumbledore was waiting for her to say something for the entire time of the meeting and now, he was facing a roomful of wizards who not only didn’t understand the part of the sentence in Latin but also seemed to be opposed to the idea.  From the corner of his eye he noticed Nymphadora and Remus to exchange a knowing glance; they must have thought that it was no coincidence Catalina and Severus happened to share an opinion.

“Why do you think so Caty?” he asked kindly. He wanted to know why the girl would consider it unnecessary to delay the article.

“It doesn’t matter if anyone actually believes the article or Harry ends up in St. Mungo’s,” she said in a resolute tone. “All we need is to somehow stir up the public. It doesn’t have to be necessarily in the direction we’d like it to be. In addition, if we allow this to be published, the Death Eaters will have to be a lot more careful.”

“Careful?” frowned Kingsley. “So far, they haven’t done anything… there hasn’t been a single disappearance, no murders, no sudden changes in the Ministry decisions… Their concern seems to be obtaining the Prophecy for Voldemort.”