Et Nulli Miseretur

There are sixty-three golden-framed portraits of former Headmasters hanging in the Headmaster office of Hogwarts. Twenty-seven witches, thirty-five wizards - only one frame has been empty. It's fairly new anyhow; it was hung up just some weeks ago, and the other portraits as well as all the living souls involved are waiting most impatiently for the new inhabitant to show up after all. No one can remember that anyone's arrival as his portrait-self has ever been craved for so dearly. And yesterday, late afternoon, he has come. Sleeping still, but slowly waking up, and - yes! - in this moment! He is opening his eyes! At last!

Merlin bless them all! Hope! His dead colleagues are the first to harass him, joined by his living successor, and soon, a dozen people have gathered in front of the picture, storming at him with requests and complaints and questions. Dumbledore finally manages to silence them, promising to talk to everyone, one after the other. This is the most ingenious trick he's pulled so far, in the eyes of many - he is pictured on countless Chocolate Frog Trading Cards. There is no household in England where his portray isn't featured. His communications network is more perfect than when he was alive still. He can talk to all members of the Order of the Phoenix; he is present everywhere, he can transport messages in an instant - it's brilliant. Dumbledore, eh?

It should be mentioned that Dumbledore is one of the few people truly resembling his own portrait, because that is the catch about magical portraits, isn't it? Anyone can paint a portrait, even the muggles can. What distinguishes a true wizarding genius painter is the capability to hit the true essence of a person and thus revive the dead person's spirit. Take the former Headmistress Gwendolyn Fenwick, for example. In life, she was a stooped witch with a hunchback and a harelip. On her portrait however, one can see her real personality, an inner beauty reflected on the outside of the image - the noble features of a young witch, with an upright pose and an appealing figure, sparkling eyes and an enchanting smile. Albus Dumbledore is what he was though. Not looking his one hundred and sixty-nine years, emanating both power and benevolence, intelligence and playfulness, a silly sense of humour and true wisdom. He's got the same twinkling blue eyes that everyone who's ever met him remembers, the same long beard, the same pleasant bass when speaking. Minerva McGonagall is the first one to obtain a private audience, and before it comes to Hagrid, and the Weasleys, it's Harry Potter's turn. He has locked himself up in his bedroom in the Dursleys' house, propped up the card on a couple of books on his desk and sits straight before it, tense, excited. He doesn't know where to start.

Dumbledore smiles benignly, listening to the boy's ranting for a minute, but gesturing at him to stop then. "I stand by what I have said over and over again, Harry. I trust Severus Snape."

Harry gapes at him, finally finding his voice again. "But Sir! He - I've been there! He's - he's murdered you! He -"

"He didn't have a choice, Harry. You know it. My life was forfeited in the second when the four other Death Eaters appeared on the scene. I dare say, I wouldn't have survived drinking that poison anyhow. As a matter of fact, Professor Snape has spared me a far more gruesome death by the fangs of Fenrir Greyback. And he's saved you. That was what mattered to me in that second."

"Sir! I -"

"I was old, Harry. Very old. Only few wizards live to such an old age. I knew about Draco Malfoy's assignment. I knew about the Unbreakable Vow that Professor Snape has made. He didn't know what that vow was about when he made it, but I had instructed him to keep his cover, to gather every piece of information he could among the Death Eaters. What he did know was that Draco Malfoy's life was in danger, and he does care for the boy very much. I know your and young Mr Malfoy's antagonism, but you must allow that not only Professor Snape cares for him nonetheless."

"Yes," Harry mutters reluctantly, "though it's no one's fault but his own that he got involved with those bastards!"

"Oh Harry... I promise you we'll talk about this, but not now. The material point is that he doesn't belong there. I remember once telling you that it's our choices that matter. He has chosen the right way. As far as I can see, you have comprehended so much yourself already, so I needn't dwell on this right now. Look, I wanted to have the Malfoys on our side, I still do. You are the only one capable to eventually defeat Voldemort, but until then, we have to fight in this war, you see, and our chances have risen exceedingly since their defect. Lucius is a ruthless man, yes, but we need someone of his power. He wasn't happy about his old master's return, believe me. He'd rather have stayed independent. But what could he do? He's got a wife that he dearly loves, and his son to protect. I knew it made no sense to even try convincing him to join our forces then. But I also felt that I could persuade Draco, once I found out what his mission was. He may look like his father, but deep down, he is much more coming after his mother more than he might be aware of himself."

"She's responsible that Sirius is dead!"

"No, she isn't, Harry. You know I have interviewed the house-elf Kreacher then, and it wasn't Narcissa's doing, plotting that scheme. Also, Sirius' death was never a part of the plan to begin with. Lucius believed he could secure his family's future by gaining the prophecy, and I cannot bring myself to blame him too harshly for so much. Narcissa Malfoy is - she isn't bad, Harry. She is - neither here nor there. Like her son, in many ways. She doesn't care for anybody outside of her own family, but for those she cares excessively much. She isn't vicious like her sister Bellatrix. And she never joined the Death Eaters because she had no sympathy for them either. Her greatest mistake is her indifference for anything and everybody. She doesn't love other people, but neither, and that is what counts, neither does she hate them. Whom she does hate however is Voldemort. She'll never forgive him for what he's done to her family, what is more - she is longing to pay him back."

"You - you spoke to her?"

The portrait shows a little smile. "No, I didn't. Professor Snape did." Harry gives an angry snort, but Dumbledore continues regardless, "Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy are two of the only genuine friends he's ever had, Harry. One could say in a fashion that they are to him what Mr Weasley and Miss Granger are to you -"

"Little wonder he's got no friends! Git that he is!"

"You know who's the third person that Professor Snape has regarded as a friend in life? Your mother, Harry."

Harry cannot as much as snort with disbelief, and utmost scandalised, he cries, "My mother! Oh no, Sir, no! I've seen him! In his own Pensieve! Back then when I was taking Occlumency with him! I saw him call my mum a mudblood, I -"

"We will come back to these stories of old. You need to understand them. You need to understand, and accept, Professor Snape's difficult situation. I have a great many things to show you, but not now. Suffice to know that you might come across him in the future, and that it is of paramount importance that you try your best to get along with him then. He deserves your faith, Harry."

"If I know one thing for sure, it's that he does not!"

Dumbledore merely smirks sadly. "Professor McGonagall has told me that all of you decided to hide the young Mr Malfoy. That was very good of you, Harry. Frankly, I am proud of you. After all those years of animosity, you were capable of forgiveness, mercy, magnanimity. I trust you will come to afford the same greatness for Severus Snape."

"Squaring with Draco Malfoy doesn't mean I'd ever forgive his dad! Or that utter -"

"Do you know what the term 'opportunist' means, Harry?"

Harry sneers in disdain, "Oh, yeah, I reckon so! An opportunist is someone looking the other way while a dozen people are slaughtered right next to him, and making some money with selling coffins then!"

Dumbledore chuckles. "Yes, well, you clearly got the gist of the term. Mr Malfoy is what you'd call an opportunist, you see? He doesn't care for money though - you'll find that people who got enough of it rarely care about gold. Everybody had their own reasons for joining the Dark Order. In Lucius Malfoy's case, it was a blend of reasons. He craved for power, and a chance to prove himself. He was the son to a grand father, Harry - never a supporter of Voldemort's cause, incidentally, but no loving, warm, or even good-willed man either. Lucius Malfoy hoped to gain what he couldn't get otherwise, things like genuine respect, recognition of his talent. You'll notice that the majority of Death Eaters were recruited at a very young age. Excuse me the forbearing commonplace, but teenagers tend to be the easiest prey for Voldemort's promises. They feel lonely or desperate or disappointed for a broad variety of reasons, and Voldemort uses his skills as a Legillimens to find out what he needs to offer to them to bind them to his will. I must admit that I imitated him in this respect when it came to Draco Malfoy. I know that many students and teachers alike have been mystified, or downright affronted by my decision to appoint him as a Prefect, for an instance. I vividly recollect Professor McGonagall's reaction... But I knew then that the war was at hand - my decision would have come out quite differently had not Voldemort come back only some weeks prior. I also knew that Draco Malfoy resembled his father in so far as that he wanted to prove himself. You see, I had failed Lucius already. I knew his disposition, but still I never bothered to make an effort for the boy, although I was well aware that his immense talent, used for the wrong causes... But that is long in the past. I was determined not to make the same mistake twice, so I strove to make allowances for the son that I never made for the father."

"But what's so special about the whole lot of them?!"

"I needn't explain what a great wizard Lucius is, do I? You'll also acknowledge how talented young Draco is. Like his father, he's never given much about his performance in school, and still he failed good Miss Granger by an hair's breadth in your OWLs. He's managed to learn Occlumency in two months only - a task that most wizards do not achieve in a lifetime. And as for Narcissa... I don't think Hogwarts has seen another student like her. Not knowing who he was then, her declared aim was beating famous Tom Riddle, the by far best student that has attended this school, and she very nearly made it. But not only her marks were more than outstanding - she was a most impressive girl, in every way, even when she was only eleven years old. You've met her a couple of times, haven't you? I dare hazarding a guess here - albeit your loathing for her, you weren't able to resist her will, were you?"

"Well..."

"No, that's the normal effect she has on people, and despite all her vast magical talent, this has nothing to do with magic even. She's very, very clever, she's got a sharp eye for other people's flaws and whims, and she is able to adapt her air to manipulate them to whatever end she means to achieve. It's her most dangerous talent, but one that will be invaluable for our struggle with the Death Eaters. She never harboured much sympathy for Voldemort; she disapproved of the power he had over her husband, and she found the whole crusade most unsavoury. What's of interest for her is her family and literally nothing else. Narcissa would never have got involved in any of this, but seeing who's offering her loved ones a chance to live, and live as they please, she'd do anything in her power for the order. Our order, I mean. Lucius Malfoy is an extraordinarily gifted wizard, but trust his wife to outshine him in everything but the Dark Arts, and even there, I wouldn't want to make a bet. I cannot emphasise too much how advantageous it is for us to have those two, and Professor Snape fighting for our cause. I ask you to accept this, please."

"I did accept putting up with Malfoy junior, and his mother, didn't I?!"

"Professor Snape is on our side. I have trusted him with my life many times, and I do not begrudge him for being the one ending it that night. Why can't you do the same?"

Harry barely manages to keep down his voice, hissing, "No disrespect, Sir, but has it ever come to your mind for just one second that he's tricked you? That he's killed you in that night because it suited him and his buddies?! Haven't you -"

"I have ordered him to do it, Harry! He saw my thoughts there - he knew that you were hidden underneath the Invisibility Cloak, and if it had been up to him alone, he would have risked your exposure in order to try and save me, because like most of the other order members, he laboured under the false impression that my person was somehow vital to the outcome of the war. He was willing to sacrifice his own life up there by breaking the vow he's made, only to spare me, but that wouldn't do. His position in the Dark Order must not be compromised, without him, we hardly stand a chance at all! He has no idea until this very day about the true contents of the prophecy, but when I told him to trust me and do as I tell him, he did not hesitate for long."

"What on earth has he told you to befuddle your common sense like that," Harry whispers, shaking his head.

"I'll tell you. More, I will show you at the opportune moment. Go to Godric's Hollow, Harry, make your peace there, right after the wedding. You've got loads to do after that, and I will be there to assist you as good as I can. I will also prove you why I trust Severus Snape so completely, and why you ought to trust him as well. For now, I want you to have faith in me, please."

Harry nods numbly, willing to believe but not quite getting there. At least, he puts up no serious resistance when the entourage occupying the Dursleys' house is preparing to leave for their old Headqurters, no longer dreading to be killed by Snape in their sleep. His aunt and uncle are vastly happy - he can't remember to have ever seen them nearly as high-spirited. Aunt Petunia even offers to help them packing, and Dudley volunteers to carry down the luggage, unnecessary as this is.