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Chapter 409 - Chapter 409

"Albus," he continued, "We are the Unspeakables. The security of the magical world is our job... not yours. When you were Headmaster, the only security that was your problem was security of the castle and its inhabitants. When you were Chief Warlock, if there was an issue with the security of wizarding Britain your responsibility was to inform us. Then, we'd take care of it. And, when you were Supreme Mugwump, if there was an issue with the security of wizarding world your responsibility was to inform the ICWs Unspeakables; or us.

"You are still bound by that responsibility, Albus. So, inform us.

"If you do not, we're not only going to eventually dose you with our version of Veritaserum, but my team of Unspeakable Legilimencers are simultaneously going to rip away at your mental defences until there is not a shred left. You've now already felt the effects of that.

"In effect, they're going to mind rape you of anything and everything. We're going to know if the rumour concerning you and Gellert Grindelwald... that you were actually young lovers... is true or not. We're going to know if you murdered your sister, Ariana, or not. We're going to know of every crime you've ever committed. We're going to know... ev-ery-thing."

Croaker gave that a moment to sink in before he said, "Next; what do you believe the Horcruxes to be? And, I remind you, not answering the question will see you suffer yet another Legilimency attack of such power even your vaunted Occlumency shields will not be able to withstand it."

"Which ones do you believe you have?" he asked right back.

"Again, my question first," said Croaker. "However, this time, if you do not answer my question without the information being ripped out of your mind, then you will not learn what we have collected.

"So... again... What do you believe the Horcruxes to be?"

"I do not know―" tried Dumbledore, before his vision took on a red tint again.

This time he didn't even see the finger flick.

Pain, agony, pressure. Dumbledore felt the four Legilimencers rip though his mind. However, this time the attack did not appear to last anywhere near as long. He knew that was because his shields were already battered to almost worthlessness.

That same second voice said, "The diary of Tom Marvolo Riddle, destroyed by Mister Potter in June 1993; Lord Potter's scar, destroyed by the muggles; Riddle's wand; the Hufflepuff Cup; Slytherin's locket; Slytherin's potions athame; the cape brooch of Godric Gryffindor; and the Ravenclaw Diadem."

A new voice added, "Possible locations: Gaunt Cottage in Little Hangleton, where his mother grew up; Riddle Manor in Little Hangleton, where his father grew up; the old Wool Orphanage, where Riddle himself grew up; a cave along the seaside cliffs, near the town of Falmouth in Cornwall; in the Ministry, somewhere near the Minister of Magic's office, if not within the office; and the school, possibly... even probably... within the Chamber of Secrets, or in the Slytherin dorms."

The second voice said, "He believes Riddle to want famous and lost artefacts of the Founders of Hogwarts to be his Horcruxes and he wants to put them in places of importance to him."

"Which just goes to show he never wanted to make Harrison Potter a Horcrux," said Croaker.

Dumbledore slumped in his seat, breathing heavily. His head was throbbing and he desperately wished for a headache relieving potion that would not do more harm than good. However, he knew that taking such a potion would wreak havoc on his ability to rebuild his Occlumency shields later. The only treatment for a Legilimency attack that had no negative side-effects was quiet rest in a darkened room and wait the headache out.

A few moments later, Croaker again fixed Dumbledore with a stare and demanded, "Albus, do you know where Riddle is now?"

Dumbledore struggled to lock that knowledge deep in his mind and said, "I don't―"

Red haze. Pain.

He didn't even know he'd screamed until the pain stopped.

"Probably back in England, somewhere," said the third voice. "He suspects such, based on Potter's name coming out of the Goblet of Fire. He believes Crouch Junior, irrespective of what he said during his trial, to have been in contact with him. He believes the information was locked in Crouch's mind under secrecy charms."

"Hmmm..." said Croaker. "Then, we'll just have to visit the prison and get the information out of his head."

Dumbledore valiantly tried to gain information for himself. "Wh-what... items... do you... claim... to have?"

"I told you, Albus," said Croaker. "You lost the right to even ask for that information when you refused to freely answer mine."

"Wh... where... were... they?"

"Hmmm..." said Croaker. "As you were never actually asked where you thought them to be, I'll freely answer that one. One was in the school, as you thought one to be, but not in the Chamber or the Slytherin dorms. It was in a hidden room called the Room of Requirement. Two more were in places you didn't know; one was at the Black home in Grimmauld Place, Kings Cross, and another was in a vault within Gringotts. It took us a lot of effort to get that one."

"Whhhat... were―"

Croaker cut him off and replied, "I told you, Albus; you don't get to ask that question.

"My turn," he continued. "Why had you not already gone to search the places you thought them to be for yourself?"

"No... time," replied the old man. "For... Harry... to do."

Croaker gave an amused snort and said, "You effectively left in place what would be a treasure hunt for a fourteen year old boy to figure out."

He thought about that for a long few moments before he said, "That was the purpose of those so-called traps in that corridor back in 1991/92, wasn't it? You wanted to see how well Potter could puzzle something out."

"N-no," said Dumbledore. "I did not... know... of the Horcruxes until... later."

"But, you still wanted to test his ability to puzzle things out, though; yes?"

It was a long few moments before Dumbledore finally admitted, "Yes."

Croaker nodded back and said, "Now you're starting to be upfront and honest. It's a start. Because you're now answering questions with the truth, I'll reward you by giving you a break.

He then looked behind Dumbledore's back and said, "Take him to his cell. Leave the light off for him so he doesn't suffer further pain from the light. His head must be pounding."

Dumbledore felt the magic restraining him to the Truth Chair and only able to face forward release. As he slumped, hands grabbed him by his upper arms from either side and lifted him out of the chair. Then that blasted bag was yanked over his head again and he could see no more.

After being walked though doorways and down hallways, a couple minutes later he was marched into a room after he heard a heavy door released of it's locks.

Then he was marched forward about five feet and held still. Suddenly, the manacles on his wrists were released and the bag over his head immediately yanked off and away.

For barely a second he only stood there as his eyes tried to see, before he was forcefully spun about and shoved backwards to sit on what felt like a small bed or cot.

Then the two Unspeakables that had forced him here, without a word spun away, walked out and slammed the door shut. Then he heard the sound of a large bolt being thrown shut, locking him in.

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