Chapter 6: Attack and Betrayal, Part II
We are betrayed by what is false within
George Meredith, Modern Love, stanza 43
******Front Lawn, Hogwarts 1830 29 May 1995******
The young couple slowly walked in the gathering darkness in the direction of the gates of the castle. Hands entwined, she laid her head on his shoulder and said "Love, are you still having nightmares about the Death Eater in the restaurant?"
"Yeah. I wanted to talk to Padfoot and Moony about it tonight, see if they have any answers. I know that he needed to be stopped; I know that he would have killed all of us without a second thought. I know these things, yet I still dream, and think about the fact that there may have been something I could have done to not kill him." Here Harry stopped his outpouring and was engulfed in a hug from his girlfriend.
"I love you Harry, I always will, no matter what happens. Don't you ever forget that" she said. Looking up at him from his arms she placed a small kiss on his lips and got a small smile in return. Emboldened, he leaned in for a more passionate kiss. As their kiss deepened and arms clutched at one another, the soft magical glow started to surround them once again. Panting, they broke the kiss and Hermione said "Could we talk about `us' for a minute Harry? "
With Harry nodding at her question, she laid her head on his chest. "I'm a little scared of what's happening with us." She felt his sharp glance down and she looked up to him with a reassuring smile. "I am very happy that we are together. I wouldn't have said what I said at Gringotts otherwise. I am just feelings these very strong feelings that I've never had before." She looked at him somewhat sheepishly and said "Me, Miss Rules, wants to drag you into a broom closet and tear both our clothes off. Don't get me wrong, the idea is very appealing, but I'm not ready for that, yet. I'm happy where we are, kissing, some touching and so on" as her blush deepened.
Harry held her close and rubbed her back reassuringly "I feel the same way. I'm not ready for more. Don't get me wrong, I've had some very interesting dreams that have you center stage" here he gave her his lopsided smile, "but I am desperate to not screw up what we have. You're my best friend as well as the girl I love. I don't want to lose you by forcing something we aren't ready for. You may have to slap my hands away on occasion if I lose control, though" he said with another smile.
She planted a searing kiss on her man And you will probably have to slap my hands away too. When they parted, she snuggled into his arms and said "Thanks for being so open-minded and talking about this, it means a lot to me." Changing topics she said "I got a letter from mum and dad today. Apparently Sirius talked to them about the Orb like I asked him to, and they have a lot of questions. First and foremost is, `why Harry?' Can we tell them about the prophecy? We don't have to tell them the exact words, but the big picture. They do have a right to know the basics, since I am going to be with you the whole way."
Harry thought about that. He really liked the Grangers, and more importantly, he trusted them. Part of it was that they were an extension of Hermione, but also in the short time he knew them they were pretty impressive. Her mum and dad had been very welcoming. Her dad didn't try to kill me knowing I'm dating his daughter he thought with some humor. They were confused, but calm and listened in the restaurant, and afterwards they didn't fall apart, but engaged Sirius in a calm discussion about the future. Yeah, I can trust them. Nodding, he said to his girlfriend "yeah, let's tell them. Maybe the Headmaster will let us cut out tonight for a short time. You're done with exams, and I don't have to take any. The leaving feast is next week, so there isn't anything that we have to be here for."
"So what do you think about that letter from Mrs. Weasley?" she said looking to her boyfriend. Molly Weasley had sent a long letter apologizing profusely for the behavior of her youngest son and promising retribution on him for his atrocious actions. "Well, it was kind of amusing where she gave us permission to `hex his bits' if he acted up again, but it was kind of weird. Almost a desperateness about the whole thing" he responded thoughtfully. "You know what though? I don't have time, or energy, to worry about Molly Weasley's issues."
"Oi" was shouted from behind them. They turned and saw Sirius and Remus walking up the road from Hogsmeade. "Hey you two how goes it?" said Remus. As they closed, he continued "so what are we doing here after a fine dinner? Not that I dislike seeing you all. But, what's up?" The other three exchanged glances and Harry nodded to Sirius who said "Moony, there's something you need to know…" and after putting up privacy wards, proceeded to explain the prophecy and how Harry had just found out three days before.
"That bastard!" shouted Remus. "He's known all this time and not helped you prepare at all. No extra training, leaving you in the regular Hogwarts curriculum and on top of it all leaving you with those muggles. What the hell was he playing at?"
"Easy Moony, Dumbledore had a reason. A really stupid reason, but a reason nonetheless and I've already taken the strips out of his hide for it" said Padfoot. "Now, if Prongs Jr. wants to take a few more whacks at it, I'll help. But the thing is that our junior members here" and he nodded at the teens "picked up on something the old man said that I didn't notice." After explaining that Voldemort knew half the prophecy and Dumbledore knew that Voldemort knew, the logical question was how did Dumbledore know? That was their business tonight. Calming down a little, Remus nodded and they proceeded up to the castle.
******The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon 1900 29 May 1995******
Arthur Weasley apparated home after a long day at work. His wife immediately bustled up to him and after planting a kiss on his cheek, guided him into his chair and put his dinner in front of him.
Looking at his youngest son, he contemplated his actions. It all predicated on why he had acted the way he had. He loved his son, of that there was no doubt, but this behavior was criminal. The Auror he had talked to today had reminded him of that fact. His son refused to lift his head from his plate, as if trying to hide his presence behind the activity of eating. While Arthur cut his roast beef, he looked at his wife who had an expression that was a combination of furious and worried. He felt the same way.
"I had a visit from Kingsley Shacklebolt today" said Arthur to the room. "He's the Auror investigating the attack you made on Harry" he finished with his voice hardening and eyes locked on Ron. "Apparently, from the interviews, he feels that he could get a conviction for attempted murder." At this, Ron's fork dropped and he lifted his pale face to his father with terror on his features. "Kingsley said that he has yet to ask Harry if he wants to press charges. Without Harry pressing charges, there's nothing he can do." Now Arthur placed his own silverware on his plate and leaned toward his son "you had better hope that Harry is a better man than you and declines to press charges. I am disgusted with your behavior Ronald. I am half tempted to disown you and cast you to the wolves. However, you are my son, and despite your criminal, repulsive behavior, I do love you. Therefore, I will not disown you." Ron exhaled the breath he didn't know he had been holding. "But if you are brought up on charges, I believe that you should be convicted. You did wrong, and will be held accountable. Your mother and I have discussed this and will hold back on any punishment until we hear about any prosecution.
"However, no Quidditch, no magazines, no chess. I was informed by Minerva that even if you had got straight `O's' on your exams, you have failed fourth year. Therefore, you have an option. You can take the fourth year equivalency exam that is given to home school students and return to Hogwarts for you fifth year, or be home schooled by your mother for your O.W.L.s. Your equivalency exams will be administered on August 15th. You have until then to study and prepare if you want to return. Also, you will pay for half your tuition. Since you have seen fit to throw away what has been given you, you will have to earn the right to go back, academically and financially. You will be allowed to get a job in the village, either muggle or magical, I don't care. Your share of the tuition is 575 galleons. Be grateful Hogwarts gives a discount to families with multiple students enrolled."
******Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts 1915 29 May 1995******
Remus led the way into the sitting room area of the Headmaster's office. As he sat, Sirius and the teens sat to his right. To his left were Minerva McGonagall and then the Headmaster, completing the circle sitting next to Sirius. The atmosphere was tense, but Remus couldn't tell if it was because of his own residual anger or an accurate assessment of the occupants of the room. The wolf inside was still angry and if he was visible, would be pacing back in forth, growling.
Harry and Hermione were holding hands as the Headmaster spoke "Harry, given that Professor McGonagall will be accompanying you, I think that she ought to know about the prophecy. Not the exact wording, mind you. I think that should be kept secret for as long as possible."
Nodding, Harry then related to his Head of house the basics of the prophecy; he was the only one who could kill Voldemort and that in the end, only one of them would walk away. Harry had expected pity or sadness from her, but strangely enough, there was merely a hardening of her expression, as if she was reasserting a resolve, followed by a short nod. "Thank you for your confidence Mr. Potter, I am sensible of the magnitude of what you have told me and I thank you."
"You're welcome, Professor" said Harry, and turning to the Headmaster said "but the reason we're here is because we have some questions. After processing all you told us the other day, a point came up." Harry fixed the old man with an unblinking stare "How do you know what Voldemort is aware of regarding the prophecy?"
For a quick moment, Dumbledore's face fell before reasserting his usual collected features. "Well, Harry, that is a very complicated story that isn't really relevant, don't you think?" he finished with a hopeful smile.
Not even bothering to hide his snort of impatience, Remus jumped in before the others "Are you shitting me Albus? Of course it's relevant. Now answer the damn question."
With a big sigh, the Headmaster stared at his hands "I'd rather not; some people could get hurt if I do."
Now Sirius exploded "James and Lily were killed because of it, now spill Albus! What are you hiding now?"
At the last statement from Sirius, Albus noticeably flinched, and with a resigned air began to relate the telling of the prophecy by Sybil Trelawney at her hiring interview and that "a Death Eater" overheard the first part. That individual then related what he knew to his master.
"Who was the Death Eater, Albus?" insisted McGonagall with an inscrutable face.
"Severus Snape"
Silence. You could hear Peeves cackling somewhere down the hall, but the five visitors merely stared at the Headmaster in disbelief. "Once he realized that Voldemort had targeted the Potters, he came to me to warn me, so that I could protect them. He truly has repented" and the disbelief was etched deeper on the others faces.
Sirius and Remus shared a glance, and without a word, got out of their chairs and went to leave the office. Harry was quicker and interposed himself between them and the door. "Don't do it! Don't leave me again!" This brought the two irate wizards up short and got a semblance of control over the situation.
"Gentleman, if we could please talk about this…" began Dumbledore.
"Headmaster, I believe you've done enough, please hold you comments for now" shot Hermione, as she too ran over to try and calm Sirius and Remus.
Once, everyone had resumed their seats Harry fixed the Headmaster with a glare. "Is this why you let Snape teach here even though he is the worst teacher in the castle? Were you trying to keep your pet Death Eater under control until he was needed again?" When he did not get a response he shouted "Answer me!" At the look of shock and surprise from Dumbledore, Harry almost hissed at the old man "You left me in hell to be beaten, starved and treated as a slave while you protected him. I was put over a spit for most of my life but you protected, housed and even PAID HIM" Harry finished in a shout. "NOW, ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION. You swore."
"Yes I did, Harry. I was not avoiding you, I am merely examining my motives and I think that I have to agree with your assessment." By now the twinkle was non-existent in his clear blue eyes. The clearly defeated Albus Dumbledore said in a small voice "I was keeping Severus here to keep him `under wraps' as they say."
Hermione was incensed. "I can't believe this! You rewarded a Death Eater for turning traitor by giving him an illustrious teaching post and keeping him on, for what, 13 years? How could you? And how then did you reward Harry" and she pounded her free fist on the chairs arm, while she glared at the man. "You're the Headmaster! You are supposed to look out for your students, when instead you turn loose a Death Eater on us! How could you have failed us in this way? You are supposed to be the best Headmaster of the best magical school in Britain and you do this?" Hermione yelled.
"I want him gone by next term."
Everyone goggled at Harry. The look of disgust warring with rage on his face was powerful enough, but now, there were waves of magic exploding out from him in conjunction with his demand. The other witches and wizards all felt it like a physical presence. Like huge waves crashing over them again and again. Hermione got on her knees in front of him to be eye level and said "Love, calm down. You're going to lose it. I need you to calm down some, love. Come on, come here" and she took his resistant body into a firm hug. Slowly, Harry melted into the hug until he weakly returned it.
After a few moments, he broke the hug and glared at the Headmaster and said icily "I wasn't kidding, that bastard had better be gone. Not only is he a sadist bully, but he is the man who started the chain of events that resulted in my parents being killed. And you let him. You could have obliviated him, you could have stopped him, but you didn't. You, sir, owe me a wergild for the death of my parents, and I am calling it in. Now. Get rid of him, Trelawney, Binns and that moron who teaches Muggle Studies. Get some proper professors in here. You owe me for my parents. You also owe me for the last fourteen years of pain. We'll discuss that later."
Dumbledore was stunned. He expected none of this when Harry requested a meeting earlier in the day. Now, his Deputy Headmistress, two important members of the Order of the Phoenix, the child of prophecy and his best friend/girlfriend were all glaring at him with undisguised hostility and even hatred. "I understand your anger and your reasoning. However, I am bound by the law. He has done nothing that I can point to as justification for termination."
Now Harry lost control. "How many of my memories would you like to view for his behavior? How many ruined potions, maliciously lowered grades, how many instances where he blatantly favored his own house? How many times where he used his position to ridicule, taunt and hurl insults at me or Neville or Hermione or any other non-Slytherin student? HOW MANY!" he ended shouting. By the end, Hermione was not holding his hand, but holding his arm to keep him in his seat. He was panting with emotion and again, the magic was rolling off him.
Sirius looked up from his folded hands. He had been trying to master the nearly overwhelming urge to attack the old man sitting next to him. He said quietly "If he isn't gone by the first of September, we'll kill him" nodding at Remus, who nodded back. "I don't care if you employ him full time in the Order, but get him out of the school. He is also not welcome in any home that I own. Are there any questions?"
Hermione looked at Dumbledore, making an obvious effort to control her anger and outrage "Is there anything else Headmaster? Is there anything else that you have conveniently forgotten to tell us? Or do we only get answers to direct questions? Will you continue to dissemble and even out and out lie to us?"
Now Dumbledore really did look old and tired. As he seemed to fold in on himself in his anguish, he nodded his acquiescence regarding Snape and the other's futures and said "There is nothing else that comes to mind, other than to say that I do not know why Voldemort did not die that Halloween night."
Harry sat in his chair and didn't know if he should weep or rage. The violence of his emotions was like a hurricane, blowing out of control. He felt as if he was reacting to everything around him. One thing was running through his mind: Why did Dumbledore think that any of this was his business?
With almost a baffled look on his face, Harry looked up from the floor at the old man and said quietly "One more thing. Who are you to place me with the Dursley's over Sirius? As I hear it, Sirius was at the house that Halloween night" he looked to his godfather for confirmation and saw a short nod. "He tried to take me home but Hagrid `had orders from Dumbledore' and took me to Surrey. Who are you, to override my parents' choice of godfather? What gave you the right? Please don't tell me it's because you were `the Champion of the Light, because that won't fly." Here he sat back in his chair, Hermione's hand in a death grip, and awaited an answer.
Trying to meet Harry's steely gaze, Dumbledore said in a low voice "I was trying to put you in the safest possible home to be raised. I had no idea that the Dursley's were such monsters that they did the things they did to you. I didn't think it possible. Arabella mentioned over the years that you had substandard clothing and that they were rude to you. She recently mentioned a rumor about a St. Brutus' school you were supposed to attend. Please believe me Harry, I had no inkling that you were being physically abused" he finished with tears running down his face."
Now Harry was cold as ice "If you had ever bothered to come visit, or check on me you would have known. How did you seriously expect a woman living four blocks away to be an effective minder for me? Are you that stupid? Tell me Professor, if you did know that I was being abused would you have moved me?"
"Yes, I would have" Dumbledore answered quietly.
"I don't believe you. You took the easy way out by dropping me off in the middle of the night with people you didn't even know instead of coming up with a more healthy situation even at the cost of some levels of protection. Why wouldn't you continue to be smugly arrogant in the belief of your correctness and leave me there? After all, what are a few bruises and broken bones? They heal" he finished scathingly.
Sirius stood, "Harry, Hermione, go pack and meet us in the Entrance Hall with your things. We're going home tonight." After the teens left, Sirius addressed the aged man "Albus, to say that I am shocked and disgusted by your behavior is an understatement. I don't know if I can follow your banner in the upcoming war. I need to think long and hard. Your behavior has been as manipulative and deceitful as Voldemorts, and I can't abide that. You have some decisions to make about your own behavior for the future. Nothing can make this right. I doubt any of us will ever trust you again. Minerva" he said looking at the witch, "I'll be in touch about when we leave." At her nod, he and Remus walked out.
Dumbledore turned to his Deputy, and instead of the sympathy he was looking for he saw only rage. With her lips drawn back in what could be described as a snarl, she said "I didn't say anything in front of the others because of our long friendship. However, the man who I thought was my friend either didn't ever exist, or no longer exists. Your arrogance formented this situation. Your arrogance destroyed that young mans childhood. Your arrogance has now ruined our friendship. You, sir, are a coward and a liar" and she walked out of his office.
He was left alone. All there was in the office was an old man crying softly over the sins of his past.
******Black Manor, London 2030 29 May 1995******
"You're kidding me." The note of disbelief from Dan Granger mirrored the shocked disbelief on his wife's face. Sirius and Remus had just finished recounting everything to the Grangers, starting at the telling of the prophecy. Wormtail, Snape, Dumbledore's complicity. All of it. Harry and Hermione sat on the couch in a numbed silence, holding hands as if they were afraid the other would disappear if they let go.
"What do we do now?" Emma asked with a note of fear. If the vaunted Albus Dumbledore had made such egregious decisions, what hope was there?
Sirius ran his hand through his hair and said "We use the Orb. Moony can't come, as we don't know where we'll be, or for how long. He'll stay and work with the Order to be an internal watch-wolf of sorts to keep Albus on the straight and narrow."
Remus snorted at the joke and said "It wouldn't be safe for me to go. I do think you should go though. You'll be there with Hermione, can keep Padfoot here out of trouble and also, probably remove yourselves from threat as well. Could you do that with your dental practice?"
"Yes, I believe we can" said Dan. Hearing this, Hermione looked up with a smile. Apparently, the Grangers had a standing offer of purchase for their practice from a corporate dentistry agency that was setting up chains of dental surgeries all over Britain. "We'll just take a year-long sabbatical, and if we need more time, we'll figure it out. Family is worth it."
Sirius stood, yawning he said "Excellent. I assume you'll engage solicitors to handle the transaction for you?" After receiving an affirmative from the two Dentists, he started to the door and over his shoulder he said "start packing everyone, we'll be leaving as soon as we can. Probably the day after next."
A/N
1) I own nothing
2) One thing I want to make very clear; I do not condone what AD did regarding placing and leaving Harry with the Dursley's. I don't think he was malicious. I don't think he dropped of Harry and thought, "Good, now let's see him get the tar beat out of him for the next decade." The accusations thrown at him by Harry and Minerva are my opinions, as well as, theirs. I've been messaging quite a few people on this. I know what AD said to the Dursley's in HBP and what he said at the end of OOTP, but looking at it, it makes no sense whatsoever. He couldn't have known that the Dursley's where going to abuse Harry. Yes, Minerva said that they were "the worst sort of muggles" which doesn't really say anything. In the end, I blame JKR for this conundrum. I don't think that she is a very good writer. Her plot holes are so big an 18 wheeled truck could drive through them and character continuity and development suck. She did invent a wonderful universe with characters with a lot of potential and likable aspects. I don't think JKR thought through a lot of the implications of what she had her characters saying; double meanings and implications on past behavior. Ok, now I've criticized the Founder, let the rotten egg tossing and overripe tomato hurling begin.
3) Here and in chapter 3, AD has been confronted with his mistakes and it may seem like I've written him as a wuss and had him roll over. Actually, I've written him as honest. He realizes that there is no valid explanation for his choices and he is in a morally indefensible position. Therefore, he doesn't fight back, because he knows that he can't win. More to follow in later chapters. It isn't over yet. I'm really not trying to go for the "angst" thing. In fact, I hate angst. However, this is a big deal in Harry's life and can't just be dealt with in one session covering a few lines. Oh, wait, that was done in Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows.
4) Wergild: n: a payment. In early Germanic and Anglo-Saxon law, a price paid by a person who has killed another to the family of the person killed, to atone for the killing and avoid further reprisals.
5) Referral for the chappie: Anything by Madscientist on Portkey. His spelling is a bit atrocious, but the storyline and action rock.
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