Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
The Second War: Chapter Three - Confrontation With The Potions Master
Lupin watched with sad eyes as Harry trudged up the stairs. He blamed himself for Sirius' death just as much as Harry blamed himself. Harry blamed himself for falling for Voldemort's mind trick, while Lupin blamed himself for failing to prevent Sirius from leaving Grimmauld Place. His mind went back to the frantic conversation that he had with Sirius that fateful afternoon.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Sirius, you know you have to stay here in case someone tries to contact us!" Lupin pleaded.
"Well I'm sick of it always being me!" Sirius shouted. "I'm sick of always being the one sitting around not doing anything!"
"You know you can't be seen!"
"Don't you think I'm willing to take that risk!? I made a promise Remus, you should remember, you were there! I swore to Lily and James that if anything happened to them, I would do whatever I could to help Harry! I lost twelve years of that time in Azkaban, and nothing you or anyone else says is going to stop me! I'm going with you to help Harry!"
"We need to get moving," Moody growled. Tonks and Kingsley were waiting as well.
Lupin looked at the determined face of Sirius, and relented. "All right. Just be careful Sirius."
"I know how to look after myself," Sirius said contemptuously as they left.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That much Lupin knew. Add that to everything else that was going in Harry's head…well, Lupin couldn't understand how Harry could be putting on such a brave face.
"Remus?" Tonks' voice jolted him from his thoughts.
"I'm OK," he said quietly as they sat back down at the table where Mr Weasley was reading the Daily Prophet. "I just wish I could help Harry."
"He needs to do quite a bit of thinking," said Mr Weasley over the top of his paper. "It may take quite some time."
Lupin sighed. "That's the problem. We haven't heard a thing about Voldemort, (Mr Weasley and Tonks flinched at the name) we don't know where he is or what he is planning. I don't want to pressure Harry into opening up, but he needs to be prepared."
He trailed off and the three of them fell into silence. They all knew that they really couldn't do anything until Harry felt ready to talk.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The next three days seemed to last an eternity for Harry. Three hours of each day, Lupin worked with Harry on his sword skills. Lupin had charmed his and Harry's swords so that they wouldn't cause injury to each other. Although Harry picked up on Gryffindor's skills very quickly, his heart simply wasn't in it.
"That will do for today," said Lupin, putting down his own sword. Harry had been quite surprised by Lupin's skill with a blade. Lupin had explained that he had learned during his summers away from Hogwarts.
Harry put his sword back into his trunk and sat down on his bed. He felt very tired, as nightmares still plagued his sleep. He couldn't try to sleep at the moment though. Dumbledore would be arriving later in the afternoon to start on his Occlumency lessons. He had tried to clear his thoughts, but it seemed almost impossible.
"You don't have to do Occlumency today if you don't feel like it," Lupin told him, as if he was reading his thoughts.
But Harry shook his head. "I'm giving it a go Professor," he said as firmly as he could.
"Please Harry, I'm not your teacher anymore. Please call me Remus." He straightened up. "Dumbledore will be here in a couple of hours. Do you feel like any lunch?"
Harry nodded and Lupin disappeared down the stairs, returning a couple of minutes later with a plate of sandwiches that Mrs Weasley had made.
"I'll leave you alone for a bit," Lupin told him. Harry nodded his thanks as Lupin left the room.
As he sat there eating his lunch, Harry was again trying to clear his mind, but infuriatingly for him, it just wasn't happening. Instead, for some odd reason, he kept thinking about the last few days. Not that anything special had happened.
He had stayed up in his room for the rest of the day after his talk with Dumbledore, only being disturbed after dinner when Mrs Weasley arrived and gave him her customary hug and some dinner. After giving her his seemingly automatic "I'm fine" answer when asked how he was going, she had said goodnight and left the room.
Harry went down to breakfast the next morning and found that Ginny was there as well, but there was no sign of Ron or the rest of the Weasley clan. Ginny told him that Ron was still helping Fred and George at the joke shop, and that Bill and Charlie were busy at work with the Order. Harry didn't dare ask about Percy, but from what he had heard from Lupin later that day, Percy hadn't been in contact with the Weasleys'. Harry could only guess that Percy was horribly embarrassed after Fudge's major back-flip just over a month ago. Ginny (and Mr and Mrs Weasley for that mater) didn't mention Ron's incident with Malfoy in Diagon Alley either. Talk of Sirius was seemingly avoided like the plague, and for the moment, Harry preferred to keep it that way. Harry hardly said anything unless he was spoken too, and spent most of his time in his room, trying not to think about anything.
There was a knock on the door. "Come in," Harry called out quietly.
The door opened and Dumbledore entered the room. "Good afternoon Harry. Ready to begin?"
Well at least he didn't beat about the bush Harry thought. Getting to his feet, he said "I don't know how well this will go. Every time I try to clear my mind, something just keeps forcing its way in."
"Try not to worry about it," said Dumbledore. "I sure we will be able to work around it."
Something else then occurred to Harry. "I have a tendency to fire spells while my mind is being attacked. What are we going to do about that?"
"The whole house has been charmed," said Dumbledore. "The Ministry will not be able to detect any magic performed here."
"OK," said Harry, knowing he had bought all the time he could before the inevitable. "Let's go."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It didn't go half as bad as Harry thought it would. Sure he wasn't the world's greatest Occlumens after just one lesson with Dumbledore, but he felt in the hour session that he had just had with Dumbledore that he had learnt more than he had with all of his lessons with Snape. Dumbledore always gave Harry sufficient time to recover from each mind probe, answered all of the questions that Harry had and was actually teaching him. Unlike Snape, who seemed to take a sadistic pleasure in continually breaking into Harry's mind and instead of teaching him, seemed to be trying to shove all of the information down his throat at once.
"How do you feel?" Dumbledore asked.
"Not too bad. My heads a little sore, but my scar isn't burning like it used to," Harry replied, sitting down on his bed.
"That's good," said Dumbledore. "It means that you are learning. I hope that we can be finished before you go back to school."
So do I Harry thought. "Where have you been the last couple of days?" he asked, surprising himself somewhat. He hadn't expected himself to say that.
Dumbledore however looked at Harry thoughtfully, and then answered. "Well I suppose it will be in tonight's Evening Prophet but"…he cleared his throat.
"Cornelius Fudge has resigned as Minister for Magic."
Harry sprang to his feet. "What!?" he asked disbelievingly.
The door to the room burst open and Ginny rushed in. Her face turned bright red when she saw Dumbledore.
"I'm so sorry Professor," she said sheepishly.
"No matter," said Dumbledore smiling. "We just finished."
Ginny nodded and turned her attention to Harry. "You might want to read this," she said breathlessly.
Harry took the copy of the Evening Prophet from Ginny, who quickly left the room. Unfolding the paper, Harry looked at the first page.
MINISTER FOR MAGIC RESIGNS
After growing speculation and criticism over the handling of the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the Magical Community of Britain and members of the Ministry of Magic have given an overwhelming vote of no-confidence in the leadership of Cornelius Fudge, affectively leading him to resign earlier this afternoon.
Fudge's resignation has been seen as inevitable ever since he announced You-Know-Who's return at the end of June, after he continually denied all claims for the good part of a year that You-Know-Who had returned.
Fudge would not comment when leaving the Ministry. A temporary Minster will be appointed in the coming week, until an official election can take place. More news will follow in the coming days.
"Who is going to replace him?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore shrugged his shoulders. "That will be decided in the coming days. Sadly, I don't think many people will want to take the job now that they know what is going on."
"They're scared," said Harry bitterly. "This hasn't helped us at all. We are a whole year behind on Voldemort and Fudge is going to get away with just resigning!"
"Voldemort is too much of a threat to be worried about that for now," Dumbledore said.
Harry shook his head angrily. "The new Minister better know what they'll be getting themselves in for. Has there been any news on Voldemort at all?"
"Nothing has changed in the last couple of days," said Dumbledore, shaking his head. "I have to admit, it's not like Tom at all to be this quiet. Like I have already said, I believe he is still very angry about the prophecy." That caught Harry's attention.
"Does-does anyone else know what the prophecy said?" he asked quietly.
"Only two," said Dumbledore. "Remus and…" Harry didn't need him to finish. He just nodded quickly and asked another question that had been bothering him.
"How am I supposed to tell Ron and Hermione?" he whispered so quietly that Dumbledore almost didn't hear. "When I still have trouble accepting it myself?"
Dumbledore gave Harry a very sympathetic look. "I am afraid I cannot tell you how. That is going to have to be up to you."
Harry had expected an answer along those lines. He thought how each of them would react. Ron's reaction was bound to be the same that it always was: surprise and disbelief. But Hermione's…Well this was something where asking other people or consulting books couldn't help, so he wasn't quite sure.
But the fact remained that he himself still could not accept what he had to do.
"I can't," he said suddenly.
"Sorry?" Dumbledore asked.
"I can't do this," Harry said almost desperately. "How can I be expected to end all this? How can I be expected to kill him?"
Dumbledore surveyed Harry closely. "Are you worried Harry, that people will think less of you if you do kill Voldemort?"
"I couldn't care less what the public think about me," Harry viciously replied. "It's my friends I'm worried about," he said very quietly. "Whatever way you look at it, my life is going to include murder; whether I perform the murder or my life ends with it."
Dumbledore never felt for Harry more than he did at this moment. He had already been through so much in his life. From his mistreatment at the Dursleys, to the many ups and downs of his five years in the Wizarding World. Now here he was, and now the fate of the world hung on his shoulders, and he still wasn't even sixteen!
"Harry," he began. "In the eleven years before you were born, Voldemort showed the world what an evil destructive force he was. From his rise to power in 1969 to Hallowe'en 1981, he and his followers killed hundreds, if not thousands of people. Many of them died needlessly simply because they were what Voldemort hated more than anything else in this world. Many families that had Muggle-born witches and wizards were all killed. It wasn't just them either. As you saw at the Quidditch World Cup, Death Eaters tortured and killed random Muggles simply for fun." He sighed. "I know that there is nothing I can say or do that could possibly make you feel any better about what you have to do, but at least know this Harry. I meant what I said the other day when I told you that you are the strongest person I have ever known in my long life. I certainly wouldn't think any less of you, and I know that your closest friends wouldn't either."
Damn, Harry thought. How does he do that? Coming up with things to say at the right time? He looked up at Dumbledore. "Well, it sounds a little better when you put it like that, but…"
"You are wondering if you are capable of killing." Dumbledore gently finished. Harry just nodded. He didn't really want to talk about this. It was going to have to be something that he would have to work out himself. Changing the subject, he asked Dumbledore, "What time is it?"
"Dinner time," Dumbledore replied with a small smile on his face as he looked at his watch. "Don't know about you, but I am very hungry."
"So am I come to think of it," said Harry. Together, they went down stairs, treading very quietly past Mrs Blacks portrait, and sat down at the table, where dinner had just started. Everyone with the exception of Mr Weasley was there.
"How was your lesson dear?" Mrs Weasley asked kindly as she loaded Harry's plate with meatballs.
"Yeah it wasn't too bad. Easily the best Occlumency lesson I've had," he answered as he began to eat.
"Happy about Fudge's resignation?" Lupin asked him.
"Yeah, but if no-one is going to be brave enough to take the job, it hasn't really helped us has it?" said Harry disappointedly.
"No," said Lupin quietly. "No it hasn't."
"Did you hear the news about Ginny, Harry?" Mrs Weasley asked with pride in her voice.
"Mum!" Ginny exclaimed, going slightly red.
"What is it?" Harry asked with a small smile, happy to have something to interrupt his thoughts.
"Well, I got my Hogwarts letter yesterday," said Ginny a little sheepishly. "I've been made a Prefect."
"Really? Congratulations," said Harry sincerely. "I'm sure you'll do a good job."
"Thanks," said Ginny, downing the last of her pumpkin juice. "That was great Mum, can I be excused?" Mrs Weasley gave her a kind nod. "She's top of her year you know," she said proudly after Ginny left.
"Wow. I didn't know that," said Harry, who then tried, and failed, to stifle a huge yawn.
"Tired?" Tonks asked amusedly.
"Just a bit. I can't remember the last time I had a really good nights sleep," Harry answered. Probably sometime before my name came out of the Goblet of Fire he thought darkly. "That was really great Mrs Weasley," he said, finishing his last bite.
"I'm glad you liked it dear," Mrs Weasley said as she got up and cleared the table. Harry let out another yawn. Sword and Occlumency lessons in the same day had really worn him out. "When will our next lesson be?" he asked Dumbledore.
"I hope that we can have a lesson every three days," Dumbledore answered. "It's important that you have at least that much of a break in between lessons. Also, I know you find it extremely difficult, but please keep trying to clear your mind."
"I will sir." Harry stood up from the table. "I'm going for an early night. Goodnight everyone."
"Goodnight," said everyone in unison.
Harry let out another huge yawn as he opened the door and stepped out into the corridor. Not being able to see where he was going, (his eyes had been forced shut by his yawn) he crashed into someone and fell to the floor behind them. Without looking to see who it was, he opened his mouth to apologise, but the other person spoke first.
"For goodness sake Potter. You are as clumsy as your father and Black were arrogant."
The tiredness that Harry had felt moments ago evaporated in an instant, to be replaced with unbelievable hatred. Even after five years he simply could not believe the nerve of him. Not only had he again insulted the memory of his father, but also that of his godfather, who had only died weeks earlier.
And something inside Harry's mind snapped.
"Terribly sorry, Snivellus."
Snape froze in the act of closing the door.
"Oh yeah," Harry continued quickly, pressing his advantage. "Don't think I'll forget that name in a hurry. So tell me, did my Dad manage to get your pants off that day?"
So consumed by rage was Harry he didn't notice that Ginny was listening very intently up on the first landing, nor had he noticed the two people who had just arrived at the front door. Everyone in the living room and kitchen, even Dumbledore, were too shocked to do anything but listen.
Snape finally turned and faced Harry, and his usually pale face had gone red. "I suggest you watch what you say Potter," he said acidly, "or I'll…"
"You'll what?" Harry cut him off roughly. "We're not at Hogwarts. You can't take points from Gryffindor. But then again, that's never stopped you before has it? Taking points from Gryffindor for any reason you can find. Anything to help out slimy Slytherin."
Snape looked as though he was about to explode. Somehow, he calmed himself. Giving Harry a look of pure disdain, he coolly said, "The resemblance between yourself and your father at the same age is uncanny." As if to signal the end of the conversation, he turned to walk away. But those words were the last straw for Harry.
"I AM NOT MY FATHER!" he screamed. Not only did Harry successfully cause Snape to jump a foot in the air, but his yell also woke up Mrs Black and the rest of the portraits in the corridor.
"FILTH! SCUM! BY-PRODUCTS OF DIRT AND VILENESS!"
"LOOK AT ME!" Harry yelled at Snape, somehow managing to drown Mrs Black out. "GIVE ME ONE INSTANCE WHERE I HEXED ANOTHER STUDENT JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT! YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT!" he continued before Snape could even open his mouth. "YOU CAN'T! MY NAME IS NOT JAMES POTTER. MY NAME IS HARRY POTTER, AND THE SOONER THAT BIT OF INFORMATION GETS THROUGH THAT GREASE-FILLED HEAD OF YOURS THE BETTER!"
"HALF-BREEDS, MUTANTS, FREAKS, BEGONE FROM THIS PLACE!"
"THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT ME EITHER!" Harry shouted, continuing his uncontrollable rant. "MY FRIENDS HAVE SUFFERED AS WELL! CALLING HERMIONE A KNOW-IT-ALL AND REDUCING HER TO TEARS, INSULTING HER WHEN HER TEETH WERE ENLARGED, TWICE GIVING RON DETENTION JUST BECAUSE HE STUCK UP FOR HER AND THE WAY YOU CONTINUALLY BULLY NEVILLE EVEN THOUGH HE TRIES SO HARD!"
"BUT IT DOESN'T END THERE DOES IT? NO EVEN PEOPLE YOU WENT TO HOGWARTS WITH STILL SUFFER! YOU FORCED REMUS TO QUIT WHEN YOU TOLD EVERYONE IN SLYTHERIN THAT HE WAS A WEREWOLF SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU MISSED OUT ON AN ORDER OF MERLIN THAT YOU DIDN'T EVEN DESERVE IN THE FIRST PLACE! AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THE WAY YOU CONTINUALLY GOADED SIRIUS OVER THE LAST YEAR!"
By this point, Harry had tears of sorrow and rage pouring down his cheeks, but he didn't care.
"HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS…"
"SHUT UP!" Harry roared, yelling louder than he had ever had in his life, and such was the fury behind his words, every portrait in the corridor was suddenly blown off the wall. Their screams were replaced by wails of panic. Harry however noticed none of this. His emerald green eyes were burning a hole right through a shocked looking Snape.
"YOU! YOU ACTUALLY SERVED HIM! YOU SERVED THAT BASTARD! I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DID TO EVER GAIN DUMBLEDORE'S TRUST AND I REALLY DON'T CARE! BECAUSE I WILL NEVER TRUST YOU AND YOU HAVE NEVER GIVEN ME OR SHOWN ME ANY REASON AS TO WHY I SHOULD! AND AFTER EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE TO ME, MY FRIENDS, REMUS, SIRIUS AND EVEN CALLING MY MOTHER A MUDBLOOD BACK AT HOGWARTS, I WILL NEVER, EVER, FORGIVE YOU!'
Tears still pouring down his face, Harry gave Snape one last scathing look before turning to go upstairs. It was then he noticed who was at the front door.
Mr Weasley was looking at him with a mixture of awe and shock. But Harry was looking at the person next to him.
Underneath the long bushy brown hair on her head, Hermione Granger was looking at him with an expression that could only be described as pure shock. Tears were also silently cascading down her cheeks.
"No," was all Harry was able to gasp out, his voice not surprisingly sounding hoarse, before making a mad dash up the stairs. Ginny had to flatten herself against the wall on the first landing just so Harry didn't run her over. Completely oblivious to her, Harry dashed up to his room, slammed the door behind him, and then collapsed onto his bed before breaking down completely.
A/N: Well, Harry sure let old Snapey have it didn't he? That was a lot of fun to write, let me tell you. You know the drill. Let me know what you think.
J R Potter