Dark Lord Dumbledore

Getting past the 'protections' was a simple matter to Dumbledore. They had been designed to test a first-year child, not a Dark Lord! It was even easier when you knew what each floor's challenge was and how to defeat or bypass it.

Arriving in the last room, he was dismayed to find the red glow of the magical stone gone from the pedestal that used to hold it. Dumbledore had placed the Philosopher's Stone on a pedestal until he could maneuver the Potter child to look into the Mirror of Erised and be further manipulated with tidbits about his parents.

He had initially meant to do it over the Christmas break, but circ.u.mstances had changed his plans, and he had yet to get around to it. Still, there were multiple spells to alert him to anyone that made it past Fluffy, Hagrid's Cerberus. So how did they make it here without him knowing?

Walking over to the pedestal, he found a crumpled ball of parchment that was obviously left to taunt him but may also reveal some clues in identifying the perpetrator. A detection spell exposed nothing untoward, so he opened it and started reading.

[ D-d-dear Albus 'N-no S-s-stones' D-Dumbledore,

J-just writing to inf-f-form you that I, Quirinus Quirrell quit! Since there is no longer a reason to pretend, I guess I should stop stuttering now. Not that my fake stutter would transfer to my writing, but you seemed to be dumb enough to trust Hagrid in retrieving the Philosopher's Stone, so who knows if you would believe it would or not?

I mean, really, coming back from Albania frightened so badly I developed a stutter, wore a turban and still wanted to teach the Dark Arts? I thought you were supposed to gain wisdom with age!

My new master showed me just how wrong I was to continue being held back by your pathetic moral dogma! There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to understand it... Since then, I serve him faithfully!

I had always wanted to teach the Dark Arts, but you kept brushing me off with excuses and made me continue to teach Muggle Studies! Do you even know how humiliating it was for me, a Pureblood, to teach Muggle Studies?

Anyway, I couldn't resist taunting the Great Albus-Too-Many-Names, and look forward to when my master teaches you your place as a Half-Blood.

P.S. In case I wasn't clear, it was in the dirt, and on your knees in front of your betters, us Purebloods! ]

To say that Dumbledore was shocked, was an understatement on par with saying that deserts are sometimes mildly hot and sandy. To think that Quirrell had enough of a spine to directly insult him, shocked Dumbledore to his core!

Did the man think that Tom would be enough to protect him from his wrath? The parchment ignited in his hands as his fury was so great it managed to briefly bypass his Occlumency and cause accidental magic. But now was not the time to worry about that or revenge, he needed to have a closer look into Hagrid's mind!

The note had indicated that Quirrell had stolen the Stone from him on July 31st, and by Brutus Scrimgeour's description of the leader, Voldemort had been resurrected! Though his previous twisted appearance from failed rituals seems to have followed him in his rebirth.

When Hagrid had returned from his mission all those months ago, Dumbledore had only briefly scanned his mind to find out if the boy was suitably abused enough to be moulded into his role as a martyr. Seeing that he was, Albus had no d.e.s.i.r.e to continue watching as they spent all day shopping!

It took Dumbledore only ten minutes to track down the Half-Giant after using a house-elf to find him, and he was not a happy camper when he came across the poorly concealed memory of Quirrell stunning Hagrid and Harry.

Why didn't the man take that opportunity to kill the boy?

Did Tom want to do it personally so he could gain back his lost reputation from being defeated by a baby?

Either way, it didn't matter. What did, was that he had to adjust his plans to account for the return of Voldemort. When he was nearly back to his office, he was met by Minerva escorting a contingent of Aurors with Madam Bones herself leading them.

'What has this blasted woman done!' He thought to himself, his rage reaching an all-time high!

Dumbledore was hoping to any higher power that existed, that his Deputy Headmistress had not just told the Aurors of the illegal protections set up in a school full of children!

Not to mention that the Auror teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts was under heavy compulsions to not think twice about the off-limits corridor on the third floor!

"Dumbledore, what's this I hear of you hiding a magical object, that every Dark Witch or Wizard would kill for, in a school for children?" The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement asked in a cold voice that could not be mistaken for anything other than extreme disapproval.

"Nicolas Flamel intrusted its safekeeping to me when rumours surfaced of a Dark Lord searching for it. May I ask why you are here?"

In response, Amelia just looked at McGonagall, clearly indicating that the Deputy Headmistress should answer his question.

"When you ran off, I remembered the Philosophers Stone could also have been the target of the intruders instead of the Sorting Hat. This was clearly a situation that needed to be reported to the Aurors!" Minerva fumed.

The look Dumbledore gave her when he realised she was the reason they where here, had upset her greatly. Who wouldn't call the Aurors when the school was attacked and robbed?

"Since the reason why we are here is cleared up, how about you finally explain why you had the Philosopher's Stone at Hogwarts, and why I was not informed? Also, why did Auror Blintley not notify me of it?" The severe-looking woman demanded.

"The more people that know about it being here, the higher the chance of the knowledge of its location getting out! The Auror office is not exactly a place where a secret would remain one." Dumbledore deflected, not answering why Blintley was silent on the matter.

What he really wanted to say was "What I decide to keep at Hogwarts is not under your purview!" However, even he knew that having most of the staff of the school set up 'protections' and then announce its location may not help his case.

Hogwarts was after all Government-run as it was compulsory to attend school and it was financed by them. The school board was just the directors, and the Headmaster position managed the day to day running. Something Dumbledore conveniently forgot when he treated the place like he owned it.

It was at this time that the classes had finished and students were starting to flood the halls of Hogwarts. Luckily, only the Charms classroom was on the third floor, but that was still more scrutiny than Dumbledore wanted. Especially when Filius Flitwick came hobbling up to the group.

"Oh good, you found Albus and called the Aurors," Flitwick addressed McGonagall when he reached the group.

He then turned to Madam Bones and gave his testimony of what he had witnessed, "I'm afraid that by the time I arrived after hearing the window smash it was too late and they were already too far away to hit with any spells."

Receiving a curt nod from the stoic Head of Magical Police, the Half-Goblin then wanted to sate his own curiosity. "Did you find out what they were after Minerva?"

"They looted the entire Headmasters office, and Albus has just returned from where the Stone was kept. Is it safe?" McGonagall asked the bearded old man hopefully.

Doing his best to control his emotions, Dumbledore could only shake his head negatively. This was the most stress his Occlumency shields had ever been under, it was just one thing after another without pause!

"Oh, dear." She gasped.

Of course, Hogwarts being a magical school for children, the students that had just finished Charms class had done their best to overhear what was said. A meeting between Dumbledore, McGonagall and the Head of the DMLE was gossip worthy of the Daily Prophet let alone the schoolyard!

"Perhaps we can take this conversation to my office, this is not something to discuss in front of students." Dumbledore managed to say, his grandfatherly act finally back in place.

Of course, this was when Rita Skeeter made an appearance!

"What's the matter Dumbledore, are you trying to hide something? The public deserves to know the truth!"

Looking at the now exceedingly beautiful witch that was responsible for ninety-nine percent of his problems with her scurrilous articles, he could only curse his bad luck. Dumbledore was now extremely thankful he had just locked down his Occlumency barriers before this nuisance had arrived to test them once again.

'This was going to be a long day.' He thought to himself as he reinforced his mental shields to stop himself from killing everyone present.

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Harry had already swapped out with Boppy and was now back on the first floor near the History of Magic Classroom.

As he was waiting in the RoR, he had the Marauder's Map out and was checking the progress of the aftermath from the elves 'exiting' the building.

Flitwick had run out, stood still for a couple of minutes, before returning to his classroom. Minutes later McGonagall had arrived and made a beeline for the gargoyle statue, that was once again closed. Maybe Flitwick had sent McGonagall a message magically?

When Dumbledore had popped back onto the map in his office and had run to the place where his room adjoined it, Harry couldn't help but laugh. Imagining the expression on the Dark Lord's face when he saw that everything he cherished had disappeared, would have been a Patronus worthy memory!

Amelia Bones arriving had been a surprise, but not Skeeter. She had already been briefed on today's 'entertainment' but was not scheduled to make an appearance.

When Harry saw Amelia Bones appear in Dumbledore's empty office, he had decided to make a few changes to his plans. An elf was sent to notify her of the updated situation, and she had Flooed over to Hogwarts immediately, taking advantage of Dumbledore's Floo being unlocked by his Deputy, so the Aurors to come through.

He didn't really care what the final outcome was from the Aurors showing up, just as long as it kept Dumbledore distracted. But with the Government officially investigating, maybe Harry could spin the situation into maybe making Dumbledore's residence at Hogwarts less permanent.