Dumbledore's Hint

Chapter 810: Dumbledore's Hint

After a brief silence fell over the Headmaster's office, the former headmasters immediately resumed their hushed discussions.

"We understand your concerns. But Minerva, you should know that we serve only the headmaster," Sirius's great-grandfather, Phineas Black, said slowly.

"Of course I know, Headmaster Phineas Black. I don't need you to remind me," McGonagall said coldly, showing him not the slightest respect as a headmaster.

On her way here, she had run into Horace Slughorn, who had hurried over in his pajamas, and learned from him that not a single Slytherin student was willing to stay and help.

Under such circumstances, she truly found it difficult to maintain any respect for this stereotypical Slytherin headmaster.

Phineas sensed it as well, but before he could voice his opinion, an even louder voice cut him off.

"That Severus Snape was a Death Eater to begin with. I support Minerva," Dilys Derwent said as she stepped into the nearest portrait frame. "And I believe that, in a crisis like this, she has the right to exercise the headmaster's authority."

"I agree."

"I agree."

"I objec—mmph, mmph, mmph—"

"Very good. No one objects."

The former headmasters tacitly ignored Phineas, who was being dragged away by Dippet, and entered the uppermost portrait frame.

It was the smallest painting in the entire Headmaster's office, about the size of a book. It seemed to depict one of Hogwarts' corridors.

The reason he could not be certain was that Silvan had never seen a corridor with so many doors, looping over and over again, making it impossible to count them all.

After the six headmasters entered the painting, each of them went through a separate door.

A few minutes later, they emerged, and McGonagall immediately looked over.

"No problem, Minerva," Dilys Derwent said after a