For those who were following my earlier works, I will update The Rise. But my attention was divided between my exams, assignments and whatnot. I wanted to test my skills in writing a story with a mentor Dumbledore, just like how canon should have been, not the crap JKR force fed to us.
Welcome all to my newest idea of the apprentice. Oh and the story starts at the end of GOF.
Disclaimer: I don't own HP. The only things I own are my magic system and my OC's.
The Apprentice: The Rebirth and the offer:-
"As I looked over towards the small mob of black robed figures surrounding the abomination responsible for every single misery in my life, I realized sadly that it was over.
Every life that was lost protecting this generation wizards and witches from this abomination, the sacrifices made in the first war and all the blood that was shed, the tears that fell only ransomed a measly thirteen-year reprieve.
I stood there watching, bound by the magic of the same rat who sold out my parents, while I was forced to listen to the almighty 'Heir of Slytherin', my arse gloat about the inefficiency of my mother's sacrifice and how worthless it was against the unopposed might of Lord Voldemort. My current state being that of a captured prisoner, I clenched my jaw and gazed with unadulterated hatred at my capturers, hoping for some miracle that would save me from these monsters who supposedly were the 'law-abiding citizens of magical Britain'.
As the monster touched my scar, I heard a hiss of pain that actually came from my mouth. I focused on the pain as a way to forget the situation but all it did was unleash a flood of memories which no doubt were a doing of Voldemort to drag me into a never ending pit filled with dread and misery. I remembered the cold nights I spent in a freezing cupboard, the time Petunia pushed me down the steps, the pain I felt when I burnt Quirrel to death with the power of my mother's blood sacrifice, the pain of basilisk fang piercing me and sapping my life out of my body. The monster's hand left my scar, but the memories still flooded my senses. From the rush of adrenaline and triumph I felt when I stabbed Tom Riddle's diary, I drew some satisfaction from that memory of my tormenter's demise. I felt the memory of Quirrel and Voldemort's shrieks as I burned them within a hairsbreadth of the afterlife. I rememberd watching from the shadows as Fawkes tore out the eyes of insane Salazar Slytherin's monstrosity, and I remembered stabbing the basilisk to death shortly after that. I then remember the rush as my patrounus drove away some one hundred dementors. Then I remembered that I was all alone and I smiled at that grimly.
Voldemort, who initially seemed slightly unnerved by my smile recovered enough to tell me that no one was coming to save me. I couldn't help it, I laughed. Of course he didn't understand the reason at all. I was secretly glad that no one was here to save me. Anyone who showed up then would be killed just like Cedric Diggory.
Voldemort was terribly outraged at my laughter and when I didn't answer his questions, he launched a spell at me. I missed the incantation of it, but the colour was identical to the "Crucio" Moody cast on the spider. I felt the spell strike my chest and my world dissolved into a myraid of eternal suffering that never ceased to end. As the pain left me, I was reminded of the time I accidentally touched a live wire when I was 7 years old, whose outer layer had been peeled off.
I was pulled out of that reverie by a high-pitched voice. The curse disoriented me because it took me a moment to remember what was going on before the next curse hit me.
Then I remembered, I was alone, surrounded by enemies, bound to a tomb unarmed and injured. The realization wasn't particularly terrifying, looking back on life I realized that I lived for the most part. I did save myself from Riddle, Quirrel, Dementors, dragons, merfolk, and Dudley.
"Dudley! "
I almost shouted as I remembered Harry hunting, how when I was 8 I accidentally apparated onto the school roof to escape. I desperately tried to remember how I achieved that feat. I had wanted to get away and I had looked at the school roof and... I was there. I frowned at the simplicity of it. Had it really been that simple? Did I just need to have a destination in mind and be determined enough to be there. I glanced over to look at the pathetic rat 'Wormtail' who was holding my wand about five paces away. I was ripped out of my thoughts as I hear Voldemort shouting another Crutiatous curse at me for refusing to pay attention to his spiel. This man, if he could be called one had some serious anger issues. In a split second decision I forced myself to apparate in a crouch in front of Wormtail as I heard the crack as the statue that had held me moments prior shatter from the impact of Voldemort's Crucio. I lunged from the ground and kicked Wormtail in his 'jewels', who was staring dumbly at my sudden appearance. After the kick connected, I snatched my wand from his loosened grip and barrel rolled through the death eaters and dived behind a large monument, just as a series of Green lights flew overhead. Voldemort's shout to seize me sent me into a cold sweat. I bolted to the side with speed I didn't know I had as the stone monolith exploded. I dodged and ran as I yelled every spell I could think of (Including those I only knew the names of as blasting, piercing and bone-breaking curses flew from my wand's tip) shooting at anything that moved. I didn't recognize most of the spells they used, but the ones I did left me in a perpetual state of terror. I rolled under a bolt of iron and jumped out of my roll to get over a wave of fire. I dodged out of the way of a hex but it exploded instead of continuing past me. The blast threw me into a cross shaped tombstone and knocked the wind out of me. A curse hit the tombstone I was leaning on and it exploded ripping holes through my robes and embedding shrapnel into my now bleeding back. I fell to the ground to avoid a trio of curses that emitted a roar as they passed overhead. I saw a Death Eater move to my left and I fired a cutting charm at him and watch in shock as his the white mask glowed and the spell was cancelled on impact. As the situation stood, I was trying to avoid being crushed by a freshly summoned Golem currently trying to hit me with earthen fists the size of couches. I cast a sideways glance to see Cedric's body as green lights shot at me from all directions and for the second time in two minutes I apparated, this time to Cedric's side. As I did I remembered a spell from the fire spells I studied in the restricted section from the pass McGonagall signed to help me prepare for the final task. Foolishly, I spoke
"FIENDFYRE!"
When I asked Professor Flitwick about the spell, he said it was a dangerous curse that required both emotion and power to summon and that wizards using it were generally consumed by the cursed flame since most didn't have the skill or power to control the ravaging flames.
As I conjured the flames, I knew what emotion to use and there was more than enough hate in me at the moment to power the spell. I watched the fire explode from my wand tip in fascination and I felt my own hate fusing into the monstrous flaming mass in front of me causing it to take form. The flaming Chimera that emerged attacked without hesitation and as I watched it incinerate the graveyard. I continued adding more memories and feelings to the spell until the monstoroues flaming beast held all my wrath and raw hatred towards the Death Eaters and Voldemort.
It was only after the monster fully took form that I realized that I was losing control. The spell latched onto me, drained me and called forth all of my darker feelings. Fear, loneliness, and desperation gripped my heart the same way I felt when I was surrounded by the dementors. Suddenly, the flames reduced in size and disappeared completely as I saw Voldemort emerge, wand blazing, red-eyes narrowed in malice, rage and anger. I was pleased to see some charred corpses of the Death Eaters. The feeling however didn't last for long.
"Crucio"
Then I collapsed in agony and screamed myself hoarse. When Voldemort ended his fun I was lying on top of Cedric's corpse coughing on my own blood.
As I looked up I saw the glint of the Triwizard Cup about 5 feet away. In a panicked effort to escape I screamed the summoning charm, the cup hurtled towards me as I closed my palm on the cup's handle.
And that's the last thing I remember" Harry finished.
Albus Percivial Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was officially having his worst day in at least the past two decades. He had expected their common enemy to move, but the past four years since Harry's re-entry into the wizarding world had been filled with utter ridiculousness that caused even a wizard of his calibre to flinch.
During Harry's first year, Voldemort possessed Quirrel and came within an arms-length of getting the Philosopher's Stone. Albus still had the urge to throttle Nicholas Flamel whenever he saw the legendary Alchemist. What kind of man would lie to his colleague, trick him into putting a fake artefact inside a school at the risk of over three hundred children's lives? As much as Albus hated or perhaps even loathed to admit it, the trick worked and Nicholas was still the same indisputable deceptive genius of the magical world.
Harry's second year, the Chamber of Secrets was opened again, and he had to spend most of the year hunting for Riddle looking for unknown passages in and out of the school and walking around the corridors with a rooster in his hand, trying to kill the basilisk. Fawkes had one burning day every 50 years and that had to be on his period during the year he needed him to help find out if the chamber existed or if Riddle was in the school again. Then, Cornelius and Lucius had to show up and remove him from the school before he could finish searching for the chamber. He then spent the next few months in the back-room of the Hogshead with a time turner brewing Felix Felicis, before downing three times the recommended maximum dosage. Aberforth force fed him three bezoars, and luckily enough he recovered. To this very day, Albus was still amazed as the end of the year concluded with his reinstallation, Harry luckily surviving a bite from a basilisk, zero casualties, Hagrid getting a full pardon, Fawkes was reborn as apheonix, and if his most recent guessses were correct, Tom's horcrux was destroyed.
Third year, Sirius Black escaped. Peter turned out to be a traitor. Fudge proved himself to be thoroughly in Death Eater pocketbooks. And of course no year was complete without losing a Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher. That wouldn't have been too bad had the teacher in question not been the first one to actually produce O students on the NEWT for the first time in four years.
Finally there was the past nine months of mayhem. Death Eater activity at the World Cup, hosting the Triwizard Tournament, the Wizengmont pushing to get restrictive legislation through while the media was occupied, and disappearances of ex-order members and ministry officials. The finishing touch just had to be Tom's resurrection. As if that wasn't enough, Cedric Diggory was dead, and Fudge refused to even hear about the Voldemort's return. He sometimes wondered to himself if the sheep that resided in magical Britain deserved any form of saving. Not for the first time in a few decades, Albus Dumbledore regretted stopping Gellert. While Gellert's cruelty was boundless, he would have put the sheep in their place.
Following the brief confrontation with Mad-Eye(who proved to be Bartemis Crouch Jr. under polyjuice) when he and Harry were both interrogated, both under Veritaserum, in front of five Aurors and the Minister. Fudge promptly accused Harry and Bartemus of being insane and had the latter receive the Dementor's kiss.
After having dispatching Order members and Severus to their respective duties, Albus returned to Harry and with the youths' permission preceded to relive Harry's recollection via Legilimency. And now the Supreme Mugwump( though he feared he wouldn't hold the title for long) was sitting in his office with a still injured Harry Potter reclined on a conjured couch while Fawkes healed the remaining injuries of the Boy-Who-Lived the nurse was unable to heal, deep in thought.
All things considered the Grand Sorcerer could honestly say he was justified when he reached into his desk pulled out a bottle of firewhiskey and conjured two glasses. Harry who was stretching his recently healed back looked over questioningly at the aged headmaster in front of him. In response the old man walked over and handed Harry the glass of liquor before walking over to an open window and letting out a sigh of exhaustion. After a few minutes of silence Albus turned to the raven-haired youth and spoke with a heavy sigh for the first time since their mental cross-examination began.
"Harry, you no doubt remember when you asked me in your first year why your parents where targeted by Voldemort"
Harry nodded mutely, suppressing the anxiety that rose hearing the headmaster's words.
"Well in truth there was no logical reason for Voldemort's attack that night; however, there is an extremely depressing explanation" Albus turned and stared very sternly into Harry's eyes "I will have to ask that you not interrupt me until I have finished, this is a painful story for me in more ways than you could imagine."
After Harry's nod of affirmation, Albus turned to the window and let out another long shuttering sigh before continuing.
"I wasn't planning on telling you this until you were older; but, tonight's events and Legillimency have shown me that I was foolish to think you could ever have a happy childhood. I will start at the beginning, fifteen years ago when the war with Voldemort was still escalating. I was interviewing teachers for the open positions in an upstairs room at the Hogshead. I had almost finished with the interviews when I was interviewing Ms. Trelawney. I admit that the only reason I had even considered offering her the position because of her distant relative Cassandra Trelawney's notable skill. As our interview drew to a close, I was about to conclude that she was a fraud and end the interview there; however, fate had other plans. As the interview was ending Ms. Trelawney went into a trance and began to reveal a prophecy. As the prophecy started my brother Aberforth found Severus Snape eavesdropping outside the door threw the snooping young man out of the pub. Sadly, Severus had already heard a part of the prophecy and ran to his master. The segment of the prophecy that Severus told Tom was 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...' Now the full prophecy continued to state '...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...' When Tom heard the prophecy he deduced that there were only two children that fit the description. The first candidate was yourself and the second was your friend Neville Longbottom. When Severus found out that Voldemort intended to kill you and your family he rushed to me and begged me to protect your family offering anything in return for their safety. And that is when your parents went into hiding at Godric's Hollow, Severus became my spy, and the rest, is history. What the History books don't tell is that after that, on that fateful Hallows Eve, as your Father valiantly stalled Voldemort, your mother prepared an ancient blood magic ritual that, through the willing necessary sacrifice of her own life, she used to bind a shield into your very blood. When Voldemort's Avada Kadavra and your blood shield reacted and your skin split causing your uniquely marked face, as the wards on the house cascaded destroying everything but you. Following that, I placed you at your aunt's residence and tied the blood shield (which would have dissipated in a week had I not bound it to something more stable than your small and fragile body) to the blood of your aunt and by extension to all who lived at Number 4 Privet Drive. The ward held because of love, not the love of your aunt mind you, but the love of your mother. Your mother never truly could stop loving her family, before she went into hiding she tried desperately to get your aunt to flee the country or at least accept an emergency portkey. So I doubled the wards target and caused your mother's protection to feed off of your aunt's love for her son and husband and strengthen the protections on the house and on you. That is the end of my story, a story about how in my foolishness, about how in my stupidity I left you alone with people who hated your mother, and about how I failed to protect you from Riddle by allowing a piece of prophecy to fall into that his hands."
Dumbledore turned around to face Harry looking like a truly beaten man, his shoulders slumped, his face ruddy and glistening tears framed his dulled blue bloodshot eyes.
"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't feel regret for how I dealt with the whole prophecy debacle. I was blind, and the only thing left for me to tell you is that I am sorry"
Harry was in shock, there were no words to describe how torn he felt. One thought was to just nod dumbly, or to go to sleep and hope to never wake up, another much more appealing idea was to get up and smash everything in the office. However, before Harry acted on any action Fawkes let out a long sad trill, startling both the room's human occupants. Harry looked at Fawkes who had flown over to Dumbledore and was trying to cheer her chosen companion. The more Harry thought about it the clearer it became. Dumbledore had been trying to do right by Harry, granted the aged sorcerer had made some grievous mistakes. If what Albus said was true then he had made the mistakes with the best of intentions, and all the slights had been accidental. But still, a lingering suspicion, call it paronia, warned me otherwise.
"Prove it" Harry's voice came out colder than he had meant it to "Swear on your life and your magic that everything you just said was the truth"
Albus pulled out his wand and intoned "I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, swear on my life and my magic that everything I have told Harry James Potter this night is the blatant, unabashed, uninhibited, and unaltered truth"
After a brief flash of golden light, Harry gave the old man a small half smile.
"I guess I would be the biggest hypocrite on Earth if I didn't forgive you, who didn't mean to hurt me, after I already forgave Ron, who consciously meant to hurt me with his words and actions."
For the first time that night the twinkle returned to Dumbledore's eyes.
"Even if I forgive you I still have a question"
"Ask away Harry"
"Why did Professor Snape care about my family if he hated my dad, and how do you know you can trust him" Dumbledore smiled
"As sharp as ever Harry, well I would like to tell you that he had a change of heart but I think we both know better. No, I am afraid that the truth is actually a far more dissatisfying answer. You see, when Severus came to me on that night all those years ago I swore an unbreakable oath to never reveal his reasons for his betraying Voldemort. But, if it is any consolation Harry I can tell you that I made him swear an unbreakable oath of loyalty to me, so that he cannot willfully betray me no matter the circumstance. But, he might tell you his reasons Harry, if you ask him when you do not resemble your father"
Harry was about to try and push Dumbedore for more information after receiving that cryptic hint but decided against it.
"Now Harry, I know you've had a rough night but I have a small favour to ask you"
"Certainly sir, what do you need" replied Harry, although his inner senses started screaming at him to decline and deny everything. Suddenly he shook his thoughts away. He suddenly sounded like Fudge and he didn't like the fat-arse even a bit, not after the fat pig accused him of being insane.
"Well, I would be most grateful if you didn't tell anyone that you and I were drinking in my office, Cornelius is in a state as it is and the last thing we need is for me to be accused of getting my students drunk in my office." at the last part Harry smiled slightly. It was a reasonable request after all.
Harry James Potter, Triwizard Champion, Basilisk Slayer, Boy-Who-Lived and holder of many more insignificant titles woke up in the office of Professor Dumbledore after sleeping for three hours by the sound of potions master Severus Tobias Snape tumbling out of the fireplace.
"Albus…" the gasping plea was followed by a hacking cough that left blood dripping from the spy's lips.
Dumbledore crossed the room from his desk and dropped onto his left knee and gingerly pulled the injured man into his arms. Harry leapt off the couch as Albus levitated the injured man over.
"Harry get me the blue-green potion labelled "ADGG" from the top right drawer of my desk, the silver engraved dagger in the tan leather box on top of the desk and open the bottom drawer of the third cabinet from the left behind my desk."
The groggy youth leapt to the desk and opened the top right drawer revealing at least 200 potions on spread over 5 separate shelves! After shaking himself briefly he grabbed the appropriate vial, whipped open the tan leather box and snatched the dagger, and wrenched open the bottom drawer of the third cabinet before subsequently dropping to the ground as 3 vials, a mortar and a pestle flew out of the opened drawer into Dumbledore's waiting hands.
Harry handed the potion and dagger to Dumbledore and watched in awe as the elder wizard deftly poured the potion into the mortar added the ingredients of the three other vials in carefully matched portions removed with practiced ease. Then, while grinding the ingredients together with rhythmic motion, the sorcerer began to chant in a deep rumbling chant. Heat filled the room and it felt like Harry was underwater. As Dumbledore continued to chant he immersed his left palm in the swirling black mass, he summoned several small flames and attached them to Snape's robe, burning away his clothes exposing a deep jagged diagonal gash across his chest. Then, Albus gripped the dagger in his right hand he carved several intricate runes into Severus' exposed chest. Finally, Dumbledore ceased chanting and took a deep breath and slammed his left palm against Snape's bleeding chest causing pale blue light to explode out of Snape's eyes, ears nose and mouth. After several moments of Snape screaming all was silent. A thoroughly shaken Dumbledore stumbled back to his desk and slumped into the chair.
Harry, who was getting over the shock of watching the ritual, looked dumbly between a now unharmed sleeping Snape and an exhausted Dumbledore. After, a few quite moments Harry asked the question.
"What just happened"
"I healed Severus"
"I understood that much, I mean why did you heal Professor Snape? And why couldn't Fawkes heal him"
"Fawkes' tears could not have healed Severus' wounds, because of the link he has with Riddle through the Dark Mark on his arm"
"But I thought the Mark was just a tattoo linked with a variant protean charm linking them all together"
Dumbledore sighed tiredly.
"Unfortunately, Tom was not that benign in his designing the Dark Mark. The Dark Mark itself must be taken intentionally and without coercion, meaning the bearer must choose to swear loyalty to whoever administers the Dark Mark. After that the Dark Mark blemishes the bearer's soul before manifesting as a visible indicator of their sin. The Dark Mark then becomes parasitic and after the initial branding the bearer begins to feed their psychological and magical being to the one who administered the brand. After a time the Marked person feeds their entire mental and magical capacities to their master. The branded person, while still human, is mentally and magically dependent on their master's will, that saying all Death Eaters are Voldemort's slaves."
After a few moments of shocked silence Harry regained his voice.
"So the Dark Marks fuel Voldemort's magic?" he shakily asked.
Dumbledore nodded
"And Snape is going to become a magic-less squib?" he asked, urging himself to keep the glee out of his voice.
"Professor Snape, Harry. And no, he will not become a magic-less puppet because Tom feeds the Marked Death Eaters his own magic, and that is why Severus would be unaffected by Fawkes' tears. The two magics will not react if they come in contact since Fawkes is a creature of light and Tom's magic is inherently dark" Dumbledore explained patiently.
"But if he wanted to, he could make Professor Snape a squib"
Dumbledore again nodded sadly.
"So, why couldn't Vodemort control the Proffesor's mind as well as his magic?"
"Because Severus here is a master Occullumes, and can block out the mental drain of the Mark"
Harry sat down on a chair across the desk from Albus
"So… Fawkes' tears wouldn't work because Professor Snape is using Voldemort's magic?"
"Correct, and the ritual I just used to heal your beloved Potions Instructor was a far less pleasant, very painful, and extremely draining method of healing someone who may or may not have extremely dark magic corrupting them."
"Got it, can I ask another question"
"Well I am sure you can, and of course you may"
"Thank you, The question I wanted to ask why you couldn't summon the dagger and the potion in your desk drawer like you did the other ingredients."
"Nothing ever escapes your notice, does it Harry" Harry flushed slightly at the compliment, but couldn't help swell with pride.
"The reason I couldn't summon the objects in question is because of the enchantments placed on them specifically an anti-summon and summon triggered vanishing charm on the potion bottle, and the runes on the dagger prevent any magical interaction."
"Sir, if it's no trouble to you, could you tell me why there is an anti-summon triggered vanishing charm on the potion bottle." Dumbledore gave Harry a piercing look
"Harry, the nature of some things we have already discussed since you woke up is such that if it were revealed that we were discussing it, we would most likely be fined and given matching cells in Azkaban, for a period of no less than 12 months." Harry took that moment to do what any somewhat normal person of approximately fourteen years does when told they are in danger of going to a maximum-security cell for at least a year with the definite assurance of being totally at the nonexistent mercy of the soul-sucking demonic prison guards, he panicked. Harry Potter paled rapidly, tensed visibly, his pupils dilated rapidly and he lost the capacity speak coherently. Finally, after several brief but terrifying moments he regained control of the spoken English language to ask the obvious question.
"Why?"
"Very simply Harry, we were discussing the creation and implication of Category-A forbidden magic. There is only one reason we could conceivably have for discussing the intricate nature of spells like the Dark Mark. Can you guess what that reason is Harry?"
"To counter the effects or destroy it"
"Correct, but since the ministry's current stance is that Voldemort and his Dark Mark are gone, they could prosecute you for investigating, and myself for teaching and encouraging your study of Black Magic."
"But, I didn't want to study it…I just-just…"Dumbledore interrupted
"I am aware of your motivations, Harry. I also trust you not to abuse my trust by sharing this information; however, I wanted to make sure you understood exactly how dangerous it is for you to know about these magics, then again the ministry, despite my many efforts still is filled with what Severus would with affection, call 'dunderheads'" Dumbledore ended sadly.
"I…I think I can understand sir. And I can understand if you can't or don't want to…" Once again, He was interrupted by the Headmaster.
"Of course I want to teach you Harry, I just wanted you to understand that the things I am telling you require that you keep secrets. Can you understand that?"
"Of course sir"
"Good. Now, about that summon triggered vanishing charm on the potions bottle. Before I continue would you care to guess why I wouldn't want the bottle to be summon-able?"
"Because…you wouldn't want somebody else to gain possession of it"
"Correct, and why wouldn't I want someone to be able to summon a particular potion?"
"Because it is either valuable or dangerous…" and briefly Harry paused "…or forbidden?" he asked hesitantly.
"Right again Harry. Yes, the potion you fetched for me and the ritual I performed are both borderline at best in regards to their legality. The ritual is only prohibited because the potion is forbidden. And can you guess why the potion is forbidden" It was almost like a potions lecture; sans pain, humiliation and insults and of course the sabotaging.
"The ingredients sir"
"Yes Harry, the ingredients, more specifically the central ingredient." At that moment Dumbledore reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small bottle of silvery blue liquid and placed it on the desk and Harry's eyes widened in recognition.
"Unicorn Blood" he gasped, as causing Dumbledore to nod sagely.
"Yes, one of my lesser known experiments during my time with Nicholas Flamel was one on the purification of Unicorn blood" Dumbledore placed the bottle back in the drawer and closed it.
"During the experiments we found many variant ways of extracting healing essence from the blood, none of the extractions retained unicorn bloods primary quality-"
"Immortality"
"Yes, very fortunate thing too or we would have a great many more problems than we already possess"
"But why bother with the healing rituals if you had Fawkes" The phoenix in question trilled in response
"Fawkes does offer a much preferred method of healing but phoenix tear healing does have limitations. The first being that phoenixes cannot and will not cry on command, the second is that even if they could cry on command the tears themselves use the phoenixes' stored magic; and a phoenix's magical core, even though it rapidly regenerates, is not infinite." In the brief pause which followed Snape began to stir.
"I believe we shall have to postpone this discussion till a later date I have a feeling Severus will have a great deal to report" Harry took that as a hint to leave and began to do so when Dumbledore stopped him.
"I believe it would be best for you to stay here and hear whatever it is Severus has to report as it will most likely have something to do with you. I will have to ask that you not interrupt Severus' report and that any questions you have you hold until after he leaves".
After a nod of assent, Dumbledore disillusioned Harry and ushered him out of what would be Snape's line of sight. With a last glance at Harry, Dumbledore walked over to the couch holding the spy and gently shook the man.
"Headache potion...Numbing Charm on my chest..." Albus chuckled as he summoned the potion, and cast the charm.
"Just like last time isn't it Severus?" the younger man grunted as he blinked open his bloodshot eyes.
"I had hoped last time would be the last time" the aged Headmaster smiled gently
"Well, with you spying for me hopefully we can conclude this war more quickly than the last one"
Snape's lips quirked up slightly as he went into another coughing fit.
"From what I just witnessed I think we are well positioned to eliminate the Dark Lord's forces before they have reassembled"
"You are ready to deliver your report then?" Dumbledore asked sagely and Snape nodded.
"Start when ready Severus" Albus summoned the chair from his desk and sat down next to the couch.
"When I apparated to the Dark Lord the first thing that happened was I was hit with a Crucio, a cutting hex, and a bone-splinter. What followed was the expected interrogation of my actions for the past thirteen years and an in depth torture session to ensure I was telling the truth. After deciding I was of more use alive I was allowed to cast a temporary stasis charm on my chest, the Dark Lord said the pain would remind me to be prompt in future summonings. Then, I was allowed to see the rest of my old comrades. Imagine my surprise when I walk into a room filled with dead and injured Death Eaters. The Dark Lord ordered me to brew the usual set of potions. When I asked what happened to the injured forces I recieved a Crucio and a bone-breaker for my curiosity. That's when the Dark Lord left and I went through the Death Eaters to find someone to tell me what the state of the troops was. As it turns out Goyle was one of the only ones unscathed. He evasively answered my questions, but a few silent persuasion charms and mild Legilmency and his mind showed me everything." Severus stopped and gave Dumbledore a hard look.
"I won't talk to you about what happened until after you look at that memory"
As he spoke Snape tapped his wand to his head and pulled out a long silver strand and gestured to the lower left cabinet behind the headmasters desk.
"After I extracted thisfrom Goyle I checked two of the other surviving Death Eaters for details. Both provided near identical recounts of the incident."
The older wizard merely nodded, walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a pensive which he deposited on the desk.
"If you would, Severus, although I wonder, what happened to Lucius?" Dumbledore enquired.
"The Dark Lord sent Lucius to the ministry to gain control over Fudge headmaster" Snape replied with a scowl to which Dumbledore only hummed thoughtfully.
Snape rose walked over to the desk and placed the silvery strand into the pensive. Harry then watched as the two older wizards entered the pensive. After a few long quite minutes both were released from the pensive memory, Albus looking slightly conflicted, although Harry detected a pleased expression on his face and Severus appeared to be very perturbed.
'Must be thinking of the decimated forces'
"Very well Severus was there anything else that happened?"
"Yes, just as I was leaving I received the order that I should try and kill Potter if the opportunity presents itself"
"I am afraid I can't allow that Severus"
"I hadn't expected you to be very enthusiastic about the idea. I had hoped we could stage a few botched attempts so that I could have something to tell the Dark Lord"
"So the answer is no"
"I don't think he would respond well at the moment, but maybe next semester". Harry barely restrained himself from shouting in response to the way the conversation seemed to be headed.
"Fine, we can discuss that later Albus".
"Yes I doubt that discussion would be the best use of our time at present"
"If you are through with me then I have to go start brewing the potions for the next time I'm summoned"
"Yes the interrogation is over. If you feel well enough then you can leave"
Severus turned and walked to the door before stopping.
"What do you plan to do with the boy?"
Albus smiled kindly.
"I always knew you cared for him" Snape turned around sharply to face the smiling man.
"You know full well I do notcare about James Potter's spawn" Dumbledore merely frowned in response.
"Also I am now aware of exactly how unfit the Dursley's were to be Harry's guardians. Honestly, I was considering taking him on as my apprentice" Harry was totally and utterly dumbfounded
"Albus...are you seriously considering..." Snape's expression was a mixture of shock, surprise, revulsion and of course anger.
"Of course, I wouldn't say something like that in jest Severus."
"Of course..." Severus turned and stumbled out the door without another word.
After they were alone Dumbledore removed the disillusionment charm on a stunned Harry.
"I apologize Harry, I did not plan on Severus conducting most of his report within the pensive"
Unable to contain his curiosity Harry blurted out the expected question.
"Sir, where you serious? About you considering making me your apprentice?"
Albus chuckled.
"Of course I'm not considering it." If Harry had been stunned before it didn't begin to compare with what he was currently feeling; which felt like shock, sadness, and rejection. True, his grades weren't anything to write home about in his first three years. But he improved this year in preparation for the tournament and his spell work was complimented many times by his teachers.
"I have already finished considering it. I have now resolved to ask if you would accept the position of being my apprentice." Harry's emotions rebounded from the pits of despair to the height of euphoria in a second.
"Me…learning about magic…from you?" Harry asked breathlessly
"Not just learning about magic, Harry." Dumbledore said with a glint in his eye which Harry never saw in the old man's eyes.
"Learning the natural sciences, mathematics, history, language, and philosophy. Mastering the subtle arts of potions and alchemy, refining charms and transfiguration to their purest states. There is more to magic then spells, formulas and theories, and there is oh so much more to the world than magic and science!"
Finally, Harry gained control of his confused mind.
"When can we start?"
Dumbledore looked Harry in the eyes and the glint in the blue eyes receded and Harry looked into twin ominous tunnels that seemed to travel far deeper than any eyes.
"Understand this Harry" the voice was Dumbledore's but it was far less warm and inviting then his jovial tone and it was deeper and heavier than usual. The words echoed in Harry's head and shook him to his core.
"If you accept this bond you are mine, you will learn from me until either you have reached the level I deem fit or until I die. You will surrender your worldly possessions, your freedom, and your rights until our link is destroyed. You will not be able to leave this bond by any means other than death. You will be required to obey any order I give you and unable to kill me unless I willingly tell you to do so. You will learn things that will shake your worldview, and you will suffer because of it. If you accept the bond you will receive my protection, my knowledge, my honesty, and my power. You will become my heir, and when you are ready I will step away and surrender everything I have. So I swear it. Do you accept?"
As Harry listened he felt a pressure on him that could be best compared with having one's own skin shrink, while their insides grew. He knew when he spoke it would be the end one way or another. And finally, Harry Potter made a decision that would change the tides of fate and send ripples of shivers across the entire magical community of Earth.
"YES"
He hadn't meant to shout. As the word left his mouth he felt his own magic explode out of his body and he felt himself falling and for a brief moment everything was black. As soon as the darkness settled and everything was still he felt pain unimaginable and the world was on fire and freezing at the same time then as quickly as the pain appeared it vanished. He snapped his eyes open and looked up into the eyes of the man standing over him. It was then he realized he was kneeling. Dumbledore smiled and offered a hand to the younger man kneeling on the ground.
"Shall we begin…Apprentice?" he spoke in a colder and a menacing tone and Harry couldn't help but feel that he had just sold his soul to the devil. Then again, better Dumbledore than submit to the will of Voldemort.
Looking at the nasty grin Dumbledore was sporting, the only thought that went through his mind was,
'What have I gotten myself into now?'
That's all folks. Read and review. I am a review whore. The more you review, the faster I write.