Chapter 365: Puppets and Brands

Chapter 365: Puppets and Brands

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Harry Potter and all its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

I own nothing but the original characters I create.

Chapter 365: Puppets and Brands

"Okay... let's begin again," Dumbledore said, adjusting his glasses.

"What happened to Umbridge? I saw that insufferable woman just a few hours ago," Snape asked, his tone sharp as ever.

"No... Harry is correct. That could not have been the real Umbridge. I spoke with the mind healers who treated her. She was far beyond recovery," Dumbledore explained gravely.

"Then who is that?!" Snape demanded.

"Her body was reanimated as an empty husk controlled from a distance, or allowed to function autonomously with limited intelligence. Like a golem," Harry explained.

"Just like Rookwood then," Dumbledore added, nodding.

"You mean the Dark Lord did the same thing to Umbridge?" Snape's frown deepened. He didn't like the woman, but being turned into a puppet through necromancy... that was a fate he wouldn't wish on anyone.

"This is, at the very least, his third one. We can safely assume the Minister is another," Harry said calmly. "I don't know how many can he have, but he cannot control them all at the same time. His consciousness can only merge with one at a time. The rest of it, they would just act like the mindless puppets they are."

Dumbledore nodded again. They had discussed this before, and it was the most likely explanation they could offer.

"And what do you suggest we do about her? We cannot reveal to the public that she's actually dead without explaining everything. Nor can we remove her from the school without a solid excuse," Dumbledore said, his voice laced with concern.

"There's no need to do anything to her. Even if you removed her, they'd likely just send another puppet. At this point, Voldemort has near full control of both the Ministry and the School Board," Harry replied, his tone pragmatic.

"It does not look good then..." Dumbledore sighed, his usual optimism clouded.

Harry sighed and stood up, moving closer to Snape with his wand

in hand.

"What are you—"

Before Snape could finish, Harry tapped his wand on Snape's arm.

A wave of excruciating pain coursed through Snape, and he screamed, clutching his arm and nearly collapsing in his seat.

"Harry! What did you do?!" Dumbledore asked, alarmed.

After a few agonizing moments, the pain subsided, and Snape's screams died down.

"Sorry about the pain, but you needed to see the truth." Harry pointed to Snape's arm. "You removed... nothing."

They all looked at Snape's arm. The Dark Mark had reappeared, clear and vivid as though it had never gone.

"Potter, what did you do to me?!" Snape demanded, furious.

"I just brought it back into view. I told you it hadn't been removed," Harry explained calmly. "A soul brand, as the name implies, is attached to your soul. Even if you cut off your entire arm, it won't disappear... as long as the one who branded you still exists. Destroy Voldemort...that is the only way."

"This... can't be..." Snape stared at the Mark, disbelief etched across his face.

"Now, with that detail out of the way," Harry said, sitting back down, "can we talk about the rest?"

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