The dread balloon, round VI

Round I: Dolores Umbridge
Round II: Vernon Dursley
Round III: Cornelius Fudge
Round IV: Bellatrix Lestrange
Round V: Albus Dumbledore

'Can't we draw straws this time?' Percy pleaded. 'Or at least vote?'

'An excellent idea,' said Lord Voldemort. 'I cast my vote for our... gracious host. I am certain Wormtail does as well.' He glanced down, and the rat nodded anxiously.

'In that case,' Dumbledore replied, 'I find myself forced to vote against you. And I am certain that young Weasley will agree, leaving us deadlocked.'

The other three looked at Percy, who was appearing ever more stressed and uncertain. 'Er...'

'Do not speak for this boy,' said Lord Voldemort, stepping towards him. 'Consider, my young friend... think. Who was it who gathered his enemies to him under the pretence of peace? Who proposed this ill-fated voyage? Who has been yammering on about losing altitude? Whose idea was it to start flinging people overboard one by one? As I once said many years ago to your former pet, here...' He picked up Wormtail and scratched him between the ears with one long finger. The rat shivered under the touch, though in pleasure or fear, it was impossible to say. '...the Headmaster may not be "Dark"... but he is certainly dangerous.'

Percy looked helplessly at Dumbledore. 'Is-- is that true?'

'Of course it isn't,' said the old man seriously. 'What cause have I ever given you to doubt me?'

Percy gazed uncomfortably from one side to the other. Wormtail -- Scabbers -- peered at him with beady eyes wide, perched on Lord Voldemort's palm.

'I-- I'm sorry, Headmaster,' he finally said, miserably.

Lord Voldemort smiled. 'I knew you would see it my way. An equitable vote, Albus, and you have lost.'

'Very well,' Dumbledore said quietly. 'I have often wished, Tom, that I had your knack for swaying the loyalties of young men.' He climbed to the lip of the basket, and turned to Percy. 'I hope you will be able to live with your decision.'

'I think I will, Headmaster,' Percy said.

And Dumbledore stepped lightly over the edge, as though fear of death had never crossed his mind.

'Well,' said Percy after a time, sounding a bit hoarse. 'Now what?'

Lord Voldemort gazed over the side. 'Hm. I'd have thought losing those heavy velvet robes of his would have done the trick.'

'You mean we're still falling?' Percy choked.

[Poll #397744]

The Balloon Master Sez: This balloon may be a piece of crap, but it wasn't made by Diebold. ONE VOTE PER PERSON.

[EDIT: This round is closed. Proceed to round VII.]

The dread balloon, round VI

Round I: Dolores Umbridge
Round II: Vernon Dursley
Round III: Cornelius Fudge
Round IV: Bellatrix Lestrange
Round V: Albus Dumbledore

'Can't we draw straws this time?' Percy pleaded. 'Or at least vote?'

'An excellent idea,' said Lord Voldemort. 'I cast my vote for our... gracious host. I am certain Wormtail does as well.' He glanced down, and the rat nodded anxiously.

'In that case,' Dumbledore replied, 'I find myself forced to vote against you. And I am certain that young Weasley will agree, leaving us deadlocked.'

The other three looked at Percy, who was appearing ever more stressed and uncertain. 'Er...'

'Do not speak for this boy,' said Lord Voldemort, stepping towards him. 'Consider, my young friend... think. Who was it who gathered his enemies to him under the pretence of peace? Who proposed this ill-fated voyage? Who has been yammering on about losing altitude? Whose idea was it to start flinging people overboard one by one? As I once said many years ago to your former pet, here...' He picked up Wormtail and scratched him between the ears with one long finger. The rat shivered under the touch, though in pleasure or fear, it was impossible to say. '...the Headmaster may not be "Dark"... but he is certainly dangerous.'

Percy looked helplessly at Dumbledore. 'Is-- is that true?'

'Of course it isn't,' said the old man seriously. 'What cause have I ever given you to doubt me?'

Percy gazed uncomfortably from one side to the other. Wormtail -- Scabbers -- peered at him with beady eyes wide, perched on Lord Voldemort's palm.

'I-- I'm sorry, Headmaster,' he finally said, miserably.

Lord Voldemort smiled. 'I knew you would see it my way. An equitable vote, Albus, and you have lost.'

'Very well,' Dumbledore said quietly. 'I have often wished, Tom, that I had your knack for swaying the loyalties of young men.' He climbed to the lip of the basket, and turned to Percy. 'I hope you will be able to live with your decision.'

'I think I will, Headmaster,' Percy said.

And Dumbledore stepped lightly over the edge, as though fear of death had never crossed his mind.

'Well,' said Percy after a time, sounding a bit hoarse. 'Now what?'

Lord Voldemort gazed over the side. 'Hm. I'd have thought losing those heavy velvet robes of his would have done the trick.'

'You mean we're still falling?' Percy choked.

[Poll #397744]

The Balloon Master Sez: This balloon may be a piece of crap, but it wasn't made by Diebold. ONE VOTE PER PERSON.

[EDIT: This round is closed. Proceed to round VII.]