"So, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said pleasantly, his fingers resting together beneath his chin, "I trust you would not mind explaining what happened tonight. I must confess I am rather curious."
"I am fairly certain Hermione and Ron have already given their statements," Victor replied. "I was with them for most of it, so my version would not be particularly different."
Inwardly, he could only hope Ron had not accidentally revealed something he shouldn't have.
That possibility alone was concerning.
Dumbledore nodded.
"Yes, I have already spoken with Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley," he said. "However, what interests me is not necessarily the events themselves."
His blue eyes settled upon Victor.
"What interests me is how you reacted to them."
"You encountered a wizard whom the entire country believed to be a murderer," Dumbledore continued. "A man accused of betraying James and Lily Potter and responsible for the deaths of many others."
"Yet according to every account I have heard, you remained remarkably calm."
Victor thought about that for a moment.
Then he shrugged.
"Professor, I wasn't exactly searching for Sirius Black. It was an accident."
Dumbledore smiled faintly.
"Accidents do seem to find you rather often."
Victor wisely chose not to challenge that statement.
"When you're suddenly standing in front of a dangerous criminal," he said, "panicking doesn't really solve anything. At that point you deal with the situation in front of you."
"Indeed," Dumbledore agreed. "One cannot accomplish very much while screaming."
"Even so, most students your age would not have shown such composure."
Victor had a feeling Dumbledore was looking for something deeper.
Unfortunately for him, Victor had no intention of helping.
"Then perhaps they should work on it."
A faint smile appeared beneath Dumbledore's beard.
"I must admit, Mr. Malfoy, I have often thought you might have suited Gryffindor rather well."
Victor blinked.
For the first time during the conversation, he genuinely looked surprised.
Across the room, Snape's expression remained perfectly neutral.
Internally, however, he was staring at Dumbledore in disbelief.
Headmaster, are you attempting to poach a Slytherin student while sitting directly in front of the Head of Slytherin?
"No," Victor said without the slightest hesitation. "I think I belong in Slytherin."
The answer came so quickly that it almost made Dumbledore smile.
Victor genuinely could not understand why people kept insisting he possessed Gryffindor qualities. Running toward danger because it happened to be nearby sounded less like courage and more like a serious lack of self-preservation.
Dumbledore chuckled softly.
"I suspected that might be your answer."
Victor noticed that Snape's expression remained unchanged, though he had the distinct impression the professor approved.
Not that Snape would ever admit such a thing.
The headmaster allowed the subject to pass.
"Well then, let us leave House placements to the Sorting Hat," he said. "I hear you pursued Harry after the Dementors carried him away."
His voice became more thoughtful.
"I must say, that required a considerable amount of courage. Dementors are creatures that even experienced wizards prefer not to face, yet you followed them into the Forbidden Forest in order to help your friend."
Victor remained silent for a moment.
"Although," Snape interrupted smoothly, "it was also an exceptionally reckless thing to do."
His dark eyes settled upon Victor.
"A third-year student chasing a group of Dementors into the Forbidden Forest is not demonstrating bravery. He is demonstrating a concerning lack of judgment."
"I believe both observations can be correct," Dumbledore said. "The act was undoubtedly reckless, yet I am still grateful that both you and Harry returned safely."
Then, as though the thought had only just occurred to him, Dumbledore added casually,
"You did not happen to notice what became of Sirius Black afterward?"
Victor answered immediately.
"No."
The lie left his mouth so smoothly that even he was mildly impressed.
Dumbledore hummed thoughtfully.
Whether he believed the answer or not was impossible to tell.
The headmaster simply studied him for a moment through his half-moon spectacles before leaning back slightly in his chair.
"Well," he said, "I believe that is enough excitement for one evening. You may return to your dormitory, Mr. Malfoy."
Victor stood but paused before reaching the door.
"Professor," he said, "what happens now?"
Dumbledore looked up.
"With Sirius Black?"
"No. Peter Pettigrew."
That drew both professors' attention.
"Pettigrew being alive changes everything. The entire case against Sirius Black was built on the belief that Peter died that night."
For a brief moment the office became quiet.
"Quite right."
The old wizard folded his hands together.
"I have already contacted the Ministry of Magic regarding Mr. Pettigrew's survival. Representatives will arrive tomorrow morning to take custody of him."
"His testimony, combined with the accounts provided by those present tonight, will require a thorough reinvestigation of the original case."
A faint smile touched his face.
"Truth has a habit of resurfacing eventually, even after many years."
Snape remained silent, though his expression suggested he had mixed feelings regarding that statement.
"Which means," Dumbledore continued, "there is a strong possibility that Mr. Black's innocence may finally be proven."
"Of course," Dumbledore added, "you should be prepared for Ministry officials to request your testimony as well. You were present for a significant portion of the evening's events."
"Wonderful," Victor said dryly. "Exactly how I wanted to spend my weekend."
The corner of Dumbledore's mouth twitched.
*****
A/N : 🔥 On Patreon🔥
⚡ A 15-chapter early access is available for those who want to read ahead ⚡
👉 patreon.com/JakeA30