Betrayal? Dumbledore Was No Saint (3)

Filch walked back to the fireplace. He did not sit down, merely stood there with one hand resting on the edge of the mantel, his fingers lightly tapping the stone. "You just said I betrayed Dumbledore." His voice was quiet, even carrying a trace of weariness. "Do you think that because he took me in, I should be grateful to him for the rest of my life? That I should spend my whole life cowering in this rotten office, being the Squib everyone laughed at?"

Hagrid said nothing. His throat was still clogged, and he could not force out a single word.

Filch did not look at him. His gaze rested on the flames dancing in the fireplace. The fire cast shifting shadows across his face, making his usually harsh, gloomy features seem to hold something indescribable.

"Do you know the first thing Dumbledore did to me after I came back from the Nirvana Research Center?" His voice dropped low, as though he feared disturbing something. "He used Legilimency on me."

Hagrid's eyes flew wide open.

"Surprised?" Filch turned his head, the curve of his lips carrying a hint of bitterness. "Did you think your beloved Headmaster Dumbledore would be happy to see this 'poor Squib' finally become a wizard? That he would pat me on the shoulder and say, 'Argus, congratulations, you finally did it'?"

Hearing Filch's explosive revelation, the Aurors who had been lounging around without much interest all sat up straight and listened intently.

Filch took two steps forward, moving closer to Hagrid. The fireplace was behind him, casting his shadow over Hagrid like an expanding black hole.

"He was not happy about my success. He just looked into my eyes—and then used Legilimency on me." Filch's voice turned cold. "He wanted to know who had given