บท 64: Chapter 64. Fickle Truths
The Slytherin Magus has undergone minor editing to remove the much hated OOC Feature, there's no need to read over the earlier chapters as no major editing was done.
thank you all for reading and supporting the book ^^
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Minerva intently studied the student sitting across from her, watching his every move and expression change.
When she had first heard of the death of his family, she had no opinions on it, not even when she was further informed that he had lost his memories from the incident.
The newspapers had said that Aurors had been the cause of the death of his family but there were rumors through the grapevine that there had been an altercation between his family and Death Eaters.
The rumors were too vague to make anything out of them.
Yet still, it was said that the Albeline family was shrouded in dark secrets and that might have been the cause of their deaths.
Minerva had held nothing against the surviving son, she had an eye out for him as well.
It must have been quite the traumatic experience, losing his entire family.
But then the new term started and the attacks followed.
It wasn't a surprise for someone who lost their memories to act entirely different but it was almost like Audric Albeline became a new person.
It was also quite odd that he seemed to have some sort of interference with every single attack.
She already had her suspicions but Sawyer bringing forth the accusation of Audric being Imperiused cemented them.
The very same Sawyer was found dead in the depths of the Great Lake.
It was truly something worth being concerned over.
She had suspected that Audric had been involved with the people that were the cause of his family's death.
It seemed unnatural that he was the only one to survive such a gruesome attack that left his entire family dead.
It was not possible that the people who had been the cause of their death would be sloppy enough not to realize that someone was still left alive.
It was also possible that he had exchanged something for his life.
Minerva coldly watched Albeline's eyes shutter at the mention of Legilimency, she could predict that he would try to talk his way out of it.
"Legilimency? Will that not be a hassle? Give me Veritaserum instead, then ask whatever you want to know."
Jackpot.
It was a good thing she had made a private call to Harry. She didn't want news of this spreading to the public, especially if Audric turned out to be innocent after all.
It was looking highly unlikely though, he was only further digging his grave with every word he spoke.
Harry Potter was currently in a connecting room, listening in on the conversation and when the time came that his help was required, he would join the interrogation.
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I blanked out my expression so that it would not give me away. Legilimency was the worst possible option to be given.
Even if I didn't have the System acting as the perfect Occlumens, I also wanted to hide the fact that I had transmigrated.
"Legilimency? Will that not be a hassle? Give me Veritaserum instead, then ask whatever you want to know."
From the look that showed up in Headmistress McGonagall's eyes, I knew that she had been waiting for me to say this.
I could very well be in deep shit.
Professor Slughorn joined the conversation for the first time. "Unfortunately, using Veritaserum on a student is strictly forbidden, not to mention rather unreliable."
I narrowed my eyes at this. The System acted in the same way as the Occlumency ability but I doubted it was something I could turn off and on.
Even if I chose to lock away the memories of what happened during my transmigration and before then, to allow Legilimency to be used on me, it was still not possible.
"It is decided then, Professor Slughorn will peruse your thoughts and memories, I promise he won't intrude on memories that don't pertain to the issue at hand." Headmistress McGonagall concluded, sharing a look with Professor Slughorn.
I gritted my teeth, I didn't need to use Legilimency to know that the Headmistress was lying through her teeth.
They planned to get everything possible out of me.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down, getting worked up would only work to my disadvantage.
I had to be ready to take drastic actions to ensure my survival, actions as drastic as pointing my wand at the Headmistress.
Even if I didn't know it yet because I didn't inherit the memories of the previous occupant, I was privy to certain information that a lot of people were dying to get their hands on.
Like how I had survived the incident that killed the rest of my family.
They weren't going to let me go, no matter what.
"Do you perhaps need some time to prepare yourself?" Professor Slughorn asked kindly.
I gave him a blank stare, I appreciated the offer and was going to take it but I wished he would shelve the patronizing tone.
"If it wouldn't trouble you." I accepted.
"Not at all." He waved away, walking to a shelf. "Would you like some mint tea? It might help you calm do…"
"No, thank you." I cut him off.
Ingesting anything given to me would be a really dumb move on my part.
"I would just like five minutes to put myself together." I said in a shaky voice, trying to buy myself more time.
The thing was, Professor Slughorn and Headmistress McGonagall were confident that Slughorn would be able to use Legilimency easily on me.
After all, Professor Slughorn was quite an accomplished Legilimens that even Dumbledore couldn't peruse his mind and thoughts.
If I had gotten Occlumency as a skill then I would be panicking right now because he would break through my mental defense easily.
I was still panicking though, but for entirely different reasons.
If my thoughts were impenetrable, I would be labeled a criminal instantly.
It was a lose-lose situation.
Headmistress McGonagall looked triumphant, it made me want to poke my hand through her glasses so that the glass shards would get in her eyes.
She never looked out for me, her only care was the image of Hogwarts.
"Time up, Albeline." Her cold voice broke through my thoughts. "We really do not have all day. Professor? Please, if you would." She gestured to Professor Slughorn.
I subconsciously flinched when Professor Slughorn stepped forward. I still had no plans.
I had no idea what I would do after my mind was found to be impenetrable.
I might be forced to run for it.
It didn't matter what I said, as long as I couldn't prove it, they wouldn't believe me.
I would end up going to Azkaban over something I didn't do.
'How much bad luck does this guy have?'
"It'll be over in a few minutes." Professor Slughorn spoke in that patronizing tone, coming closer.
There was no reason for him to stand directly in front of me, as long as we were making eye contact, he could read my mind from any point in the room.
Not to mention, as skilled as Professor Slughorn was, he could probably probe my mind without direct eye contact.
It was all mind games.
The more vulnerable I was, the easier it would be for him to harvest useful information from my mind.
"I merely need you to relax and try to think of the answers to the questions that the Headmistress will ask you."
I glanced from him to Headmistress McGonagall and back.
"Splendid!" Headmistress McGonagall leaned forward in my direction. "Now that we are all set, tell me, Albeline, where were you on the night of resumption?"
I kept my gaze steady. "On my bed, resting up from the exhausting journey." I deadpanned, my pulse racing.
Professor Slughorn frowned and the patronizingly kind look in his eyes disappeared as he glared at me.
"Well, Professor Slughorn? Is he telling the truth?"
Professor Slughorn looked strained from the effort of trying to probe my mind.
The last thing he wanted was for it to be known that he couldn't get past the Occlumency of a mere student.
"Try asking a direct question." He directed through gritted teeth, earning him a surprised look from Headmistress McGonagall.
Outwardly, I was sitting placidly on my chair but inwardly, I was so tense like there was a gun pressed to the base of my skull.
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