With the talons of a phoenix gripping tightly to the back of his robe and flames generated by said phoenix swirling around him as the bird transported him to his next destination, Harry came to the conclusion that there was, in fact, no method of magical transportation that he liked (with the exception of broomstick flight, of course.)
If Fawkes was trying to disorient him, the bird was doing an exceptionally good job. The spinning was worse than any trip by floo or port key Harry had ever taken and he had the distinct feeling that whenever they got to their destination, the first thing he would do would involve the projecting vomiting of every meal he had eaten in the last two days.
He hoped he got most of it on Fawkes.
Fortunately for the bird, when they reached their destination, Harry did not throw up. Unfortunately for both parties, however, their arrival was less than graceful and the moment Harry's feet met solid ground his left foot twisted painfully and he went crashing to the ground, resulting in a crack appearing in the right frame of his glasses. Meanwhile Fawkes was sent scrambling across the room by Harry's right arm, which he had struck the bird with quite hard as he threw out both arms to try and steady himself before hitting the ground.
Fawkes squawked indignantly flapped his wings frantically and gracelessly in an attempt to right himself while Harry rested his forehead against the floor, eyes tightly shut in an attempt to get the world to stop spinning.
Finally the bird managed to flap up to its perch and take a seat, looking as regal as ever within moments.
Harry's eyes snapped open when a familiar voice spoke nearby.
"Thank you, my friend. I will not ask you to go back to the Ministry to retrieve those of our number who still remain there, but if you would be so kind as to go to St Mungo's Hospital and retrieve Minerva…?"
Fawkes trilled and vanished in a flash of flame.
From his position on the floor, Harry realised that he could feel the position of his wand near his hip. The fingers of his right hand were near the handle… If he was quick…
In one fluid movement he rolled onto his back, and aimed his wand "Petrificus tot-"
"Expelliarmus!"
With one spell, Albus Dumbledore send Harry Potter's wand sailing through the air and out of reach. A second spell resulted in Harry being forced to sit in a wooden chair and a third conjured a rope that tied Harry to said chair.
"I had hoped that you would not feel so hostile, Harry," said Dumbledore, with way too much familiarity for Harry's liking. "Alas, it is as I feared. Your involvement with the Ministry of Magic has had a most regretful effect on you. We will have to work hard to correct that lest you turn to the same path as Lord Voldemort."
Despite his situation, Harry was determined to not back down. "If anyone here is like Voldemort, it's you," he spat. "Look at you; you've got your own inner circle of sycophants who do your bidding without thought. You do what you want with no regard for the law or the rights of others. You rely on your name to intimidate others into doing your bidding and when that doesn't work you lie, cheat, coerce… you even kidnap people to get your own way."
Dumbledore sighed and adopted the expression and posture of a put-upon grandfather who was trying to be patient with a particularly argumentative nine year old. It was one of his favourites.
"You have fallen further than I feared. We will have to act fast."
He was interrupted by a burst of fire which signalled the return of Fawkes and Minerva McGonagall.
"Ah, Minerva," said Dumbledore, turning to their newest arrival. "I'm glad you could join us my dear. I trust that your stay in St Mungo's wasn't too traumatic?"
"It was dreadful, Albus," she replied, and Harry noticed that she both looked and sounded a lot older than she had before her arrest. "They didn't do anything to me but run a few tests, but the things people have been saying, Albus… The things that they have been saying about you…"
"Yes, yes…" replied Dumbledore in his gravest voice. "I am afraid that the Ministry has succeeded in its endeavour to disgrace my name."
"They didn't have to do much in the end," growled Harry. "Your actions did most of it for them."
"Be silent, you ungrateful whelp," spat Snape. "After all we have done for you-"
"What you've done for me?" retorted Harry, incredulously. "You lot have never done anything for me. I'm nothing to you other than another one of Dumbledore's puppets. To you I am nothing but a pawn on a chessboard to be sacrificed at the right time!"
Snape's face contorted into a sneer "Why you insolent little-"
"Calm down Severus," piped up Flitwick, his squeaky voice drawing all eyes too him. The diminutive charms master rounded on the former Headmaster.
"Albus, you need to stop this now. Your actions are doing nothing more than painting an even larger target on all of our backs. Let the boy go."
"I am afraid that I cannot do that, Filius. Young Harry has a destiny that he must fulfil. It is imperative that he remain with us so that we can prepare him for what he must do." Dumbledore turned back to Snape.
"Severus, I have managed to procure my father's old wand. If you would, I should like you to assist me in assessing if the Ministry has carried out any further alterations to Mr Potter's mind."
"The Ministry didn't alter my mind," growled Harry. "It was you, remember? Or are you that senile that you have forgotten?"
Dumbledore ignored him and handed Snape a wand.
Snape, however, was not in the mood simply to invade Harry's mind. He had spent a long time in Ministry custody, being interrogated until all of his deepest, darkest secrets came spilling out. If he were caught by the Ministry again he was all but guaranteed a death sentence. As was usual, Snape was willing to blame everyone but himself for this turn of events and as far as he was concerned, the Potter brat was the centre of all his problems.
Snape snatched the wand from Dumbledore and, without missing a beat, cast "Crucio!"
Harry screamed in agony as the spell connected, causing him to writhe in his seat, feeling as though every nerve ending in his body was on fire.
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