Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, it would be me that's rich and famous. As it is, JK Rowling is the ultimate HP Goddess and I bow down to her greatness. She is the clever one, while I just have delusions of grandeur. I am so not worthy.
A/N: This story is a prequel to The Ability to Feel. If you haven't read TAtF, then this might not make much sense. I would advise you to read TAtF after reading this.
This story confronts the issue of mild self-harming. If you are not comfortable with the subject, are easily offended or have a delicate disposition, then please feel free to find something else to read. I promise not to take it personally.
Figured You Out
By
Greywolf25
July 31st 1991 – Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts
The Wizarding world had waited in anticipation. Harry Potter would soon be joining his peers at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and everyone had anxiously waited to catch a glimpse of him, the saviour, the Boy-Who-Lived. Albus Dumbledore had acknowledged Hagrid's part in informing Harry Potter of his status as a wizard earlier that day as well as his role as chaperone while the boy got his school supplies. The twinkle in his eyes increased when he heard how Harry had been received in the Leaky Cauldron and the Alley but he was a little bit disconcerted to hear the Harry seemed to shy away from any attention sent his way.
Albus Dumbledore watched as a small owl flew through his window. He retrieved the parchment and after offering a treat to the owl, he sent it on its way. He read the letter, his eyebrows rising. Ollivander had an interesting tale to tell. He leaned back in his chair and cast his mind back; immediately latching onto one particular memory where the circumstances were virtually identical. He stood up so fast, Fawkes squawked indignantly at being disturbed but was ignored as the man paced around his office.
"No, I can not and will not allow that to happen again. Harry Potter must stay on the side of the light at all costs."
August 1991 – Weasley Residence, Ottery St. Catchpole
"Ahh Molly. May I come in?"
"Of course Professor. What can we do for you?"
"Its actually young Ronald I would like to speak to, if I may?"
"I'll just fetch him for you. Please, make yourself comfortable."
Professor Dumbledore smiled at the witch before sitting down and making himself comfy. He pulled a paper bag out of his robe pocket and extracted a yellow sweet and popped it in his mouth. His mouth puckered just as Molly Weasley returned with her youngest son who laughed out loud at the funny face he was pulling. Molly, mortified by her son's blatant disrespect, slapped him round the back of his head. Dumbledore got his facial features under control and offered the bag to Ron who eagerly took one.
"Now, Ronald. There is something of the utmost importance that I wish to discuss with you."
Ron sat up straight, pleased at the thought that the Headmaster wanted to speak to him and not one of his many brothers.
"You are due to start at Hogwarts in September are you not?"
"Yes sir."
"Are you looking forward to beginning your education?"
"Yes sir, I can't wait."
Dumbledore and Molly looked at each other and smiled indulgently.
"I don't know if you are aware, but Harry Potter is also due to start."
At this, Molly and Ron gaped. Molly controlled herself but Ron began scheming in his mind, barely paying attention and he in fact missed some of what was being said.
"Sorry, what?"
"Manners Ronald."
"Sorry mum."
"It matters not. Ronald, I would like you to approach young Harry, take him under your wing. He will have little knowledge of our world and I would like him to befriend the right people, you know, keep him on the side of the Light."
"Yes sir, I can do that."
"Thank you. I'll take my leave and allow you to prepare for the upcoming year. Goodbye Molly, a pleasure as always."
August 1991 – Granger Residence, Rochford, Essex
"You mean…all those things that have happened…"
"That's correct Miss Granger. Now, I would like to extend an invitation for you to attend our fine school."
"If I may interrupt Mr…?"
"Professor Albus Dumbledore at your service."
"Professor. You mean to tell me that my daughter is a witch? A cauldron, wand, spells, Macbeth kind of witch?"
Dumbledore chuckled.
"That is correct. We have one of the best schools in the world for training young witches and wizards. Our academic achievements are quite well known throughout the world. We have on staff a Potions Professor who is the youngest by far in getting his Masters. The staff are second to none and they are very skilled in their chosen field, many of whom are Hogwarts alumni themselves. So you see Mr Granger, your daughter would benefit greatly from attending our school. We would teach her to control her magic, and I am sure, judging by the certificates I can see, she would be a welcome addition."
"I don't know…"
"Oh please Daddy, let me go. You know I have always felt different to others, now we know why. Please?"
"I'll need to speak to your mum…"
His daughter flew at him and he caught her in a hug. She knew then that she would be going.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you."
"Run along now Hermione, I just need to speak to the Professor."
The two adults watched as the excited girl ran out of the room, and then Mr Granger turned and faced the old wizard before him.
"I just have a few questions before I even think of allowing my daughter to attend your school."
"By all means."
"Right, where do we get her supplies from? I'm pretty sure Harrods do not sell cauldrons and I haven't seen wands being sold in Marks and Spencer."
"There is a pub on Charing Cross Road in London. It's is called the Leaky Cauldron. Young Hermione should be able to see it. On arrival, ask the barman, Tom, to open the portal for you. That is the entrance to Diagon Alley, which is one of our main shopping precincts. You will need to go to Gringotts, which is our bank, to exchange currency."
"I see. And what will she need?"
"Ahh yes, forgive my oversight."
Dumbledore began rummaging in his pockets until he pulled out an envelope. He hand it to Mr Granger and watched as it was opened and the parchment within was read.
"Hmm, I suppose if its necessary…It says here to catch the Hogwarts Express from platform 9¾. Now, unless they have built a new platform…"
"The entrance to the platform is between platform 9 and 10. You just need to walk into the last pillar between the two platforms and it'll take you there."
"Very well, I will speak with my wife. My daughter will attend your school. But if she is not happy, or I am not satisfied with her progress, I reserve the right to withdraw her."
"I quite understand. I look forward to seeing Hermione on the first of September. Good day to you."
1st September 1991 – Kings Cross Station
Harry watched his uncle drive away with screeching tyres and reached down to pick up his trunk. He winced as his shoulder cried out with pain and he had to breathe deeply to suppress the scream that was begging to be released. He walked slowly through the station carrying his owl and dragging his trunk behind him. He quickly found a trolley and placed his belongings on it, sighing with relief as the pain in his shoulder and side eased. Harry found platform nine and just stood there, a bewildered look on his face.
The large Snowy owl hooted gently in her cage and Harry turned his gaze to her and smiled. He looked around and saw the Weasleys, with whom he assumed was the mum talking loudly about muggles. He frowned. Hadn't Hagrid mentioned the need for secrecy? And here was someone talking loudly about muggles. But he quickly followed them. He watched as the older boy walked into the wall, literally, and disappear. He slowly approached the family, unaware that certain manipulations were happening according to plan. He was so focussed on getting through the barrier, that he never even noticed the sneer form on Ron Weasley's face.
'That is Harry Potter? For the love of Merlin look at the state of him. He looks like a right bad 'un. I'm gonna have my work cut out with that one. Hmm. How can I turn this to my advantage…?'
June 1992 – Infirmary, Hogwarts
Harry lay unconscious, unaware that Ron was busy hissing in Hermione's ear about him.
"What do you mean, you have no idea what happened? You left me on the chessboard and went with him."
"When we got to the end chamber, there was only enough of the potion for one person to pass safely. How could I have gone through with him? Besides, someone needed to bring you here."
"Look, I overheard the Headmaster say Harry killed Quirrell. Harry must have used dark magic to do that. How else could a student kill an adult?"
"Oh Ron, see sense. I also overheard that conversation. Professor Dumbledore speculated that Quirrell was possessed and it was ancient magic that helped Harry defeat him."
"I don't know, I just don't know. Something tells me we're not being told the full story."
31st October 1992 – Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts
"You heard him Hermione, he's a parselmouth. That's the mark of a dark wizard that is."
"Ron, don't be silly, this is Harry we are talking about. He isn't dark…"
"Hermione, you are muggleborn. You won't know that the last recorded parselmouth was You-Know-Who."
Hermione gaped, unable to comprehend the implications of what she had just heard. She shook her head.
"I refuse to believe it. Harry is our friend…"
"Look, what I am about to tell you goes no further."
"Okay."
"I mean it; I want you to promise you won't say a word. Promise me…"
"Alright, I promise I won't say a word."
"Before we came to Hogwarts, Dumbledore came to me and asked for my help...
He puffed out his chest pompously causing Hermione to roll her eyes. Sometimes, Ron reminded her of his older brother Percy.
"… He wants me to keep Harry on the side of the light. Now why would Dumbledore ask me to do that if Harry wasn't going dark?"
Hermione was saved the trouble of finding an answer when Harry opened the portrait and walked into the common room. He saw his friends and smiled. Hermione smiled and began walking over when Ron grabbed her arm and whispered harshly in her ear.
"Remember, you promised. Not one word."
XxxxxxX
And so, the seeds of doubt were planted into Hermione's mind. Throughout the year, Ron fertilised those doubts with innuendo and rumour until they flowered. Hermione found one excuse or another to stay away from Harry and by association, Ron. She had heard what Harry had been saying about the strange events happening within the school and even though she had distanced herself from him, she still did research.
She was busy reading a book when she found the passage she required. She gasped realising she had been wrong about Harry; this time anyway. She looked around the library before stealthily ripping the page out of the book. She had to tell Harry this news. But of course, she never found Harry, she instead found herself looking at the reflection of a huge pair of yellow eyes and felt nothing.
XxxxxxX
The year progressed slowly to Harry's mind. He was unaware of the doubts in Hermione's or Ron's mind. He was only aware of the fact one of his friends was in the hospital wing, petrified. He never even saw the sidelong glances Ron threw his way. He believed the red head was his friend and saw no reason to change his assumption. He resolutely ignored the rumours and the glares from the other students and tried his hardest to concentrate on his studies.
He only found relief when Ron and he discovered the truth behind the petrifications. Ron seemed very subdued when he realised he had been wrong about Harry, but in his mind, Dumbledore had asked him for a reason, and Dumbledore wouldn't have asked if there wasn't something to be concerned about because Dumbledore was always right. His mind stayed made up on this topic even when Harry saved his sister from the Basilisk and the diary. He continued to fertilise the seeds of doubt to Hermione after she had been restored.
Harry was unaware of all this as he had to get to grips with returning home for the summer. It had taken him the best part of three months to fully recover from last summer. He wandered aimlessly around the school with a feeling of dread welling in the pit of his stomach. He just knew this summer was going to be a bad one.
XxxxxxX
Harry's prediction had proved correct. The summer after his second year had been every bit as bad as he had thought, what with the blowing up Aunt Marge incident and his escape to Diagon Alley. But then the whole school year had been a bad one with only two exceptions. Remus Lupin, long time friend of his mum and dad had been their DADA teacher and at the end of the year, he found out his Godfather was innocent. But the rest of the year was definitely one he could've done without.
He had overheard Ron talking to Hermione about him. He heard the words 'dementor's' and 'going dark' but wasn't sure what Ron meant by it. Ginny Weasley had become a limpet, she never left his side, but when she did he had heard rumours of her exploits with other students of the male variety, yet she still maintained he was the one for her. Doubts began creeping into Harry's mind and he started to distance himself from his friends.
XxxxxxX
March 1994 – Unknown Passageway, Hogwarts
"Admit it Hermione, Harry is going dark. Why else would he fear dementors? They feed on negative emotions; that's why he fears them…"
"Now Ron, you know that's not true. In 'Fantastic Beast and Where to Find them', it clearly states Dementors…"
"I don't care what some book say! Harry fears dementors, which means he only has negative emotions in him. He is going dark!"
"Ron, listen to yourself. Harry can't be going dark. You have kept him on the right path since we started here, when has he…"
"Let me think. Oh yes, first year, he easily got through the traps meant to protect the stone…"
Hermione just looked at him and thought; 'So did we…'
"…he's a parselmouth and not to mention, he is friends with a werewolf and afraid of dementors. What other proof do you need?"
"Ron, are you forgetting something?"
"What?"
"We are friends with a werewolf too."
"That's different."
"How is it?"
"It just is. Lupin is a good teacher and we are Gryffindor."
"So is Harry."
"…"
"Ron…"
"Hey guys, what are you doing here?"
Ron and Hermione looked at each other. Neither wanted Harry to know what they had been talking about but for totally different reasons. Hermione quickly jumped in.
"Avoiding Malfoy."
Harry nodded his head, understanding straight away. Ron and Hermione looked at each other and Hermione looked away. Unable to believe she had just lied to her friend.
XxxxxxX
When they broke for summer, he said goodbye to his friends and Mrs Weasley hugged him. But even Harry wasn't naive enough to miss the reluctance in her actions. He broke away from her without a word and walked through the barrier towards yet another summer with his relatives, which turned out to be no better than last year.
November 1994 – Gryffindor Common Room
'I can't believe he did that! How is it he gets everything I want? I hate him. I wish Dumbledore never asked me to be his friend!'
"Ron, are you okay?"
Ron looked up and saw Hermione. He smiled and patted the sofa beside him and waited for her to sit down. He looked furtively around and saw no one was paying any attention to them. He leaned closer to her; a sad look on his face.
"I have failed. I have let Dumbledore down. I don't know what to do."
"What do you mean?"
"Harry. How else could his name be drawn for the tournament if not through dark magic?"
Hermione looked at Ron, not quite believing what he was saying, but his words slowly sank in and she thought through everything she knew. Ron watched with bated breath as Hermione seemed to think. He released the breath he didn't know he was holding when she slowly nodded.
"It does seem rather strange…"
"Hi guys."
They both spun around but relaxed when they saw Ginny. Hermione grabbed her hand and pulled her down next to her.
"Whoa, what's up?"
"It's Harry. Ron thinks he is going dark."
"What? Nah, Harry would never go dark."
"Ginny listen to me. In his first year, he got past enchantments meant to keep adults away and fought off You-Know-Who and killing a professor in the process. In the second year, we found out he was a parselmouth, last year, he befriends a werewolf and we discover he is deathly afraid of dementors and now, he has managed to gain entry into a competition that no sane 14 year old would even attempt…"
"Whoa, hang on a sec. You were only talking about trying to enter the other day."
"Yes but Harry managed it didn't he."
Ginny looked between Ron and Hermione and slowly nodded.
"So what do we do?"
"We need to…"
A roar of approval went up throughout the common room and they looked around. Ron stiffened and then stalked up the stairs. Hermione and Ginny looked at each other before walking up to their dormitory leaving a bewildered Harry Potter to deal with the excited Gryffindors.
25th June1995 – Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts
Ron watched Harry furtively from the other side of the common room. Harry had returned to the dorm that morning to a hero's welcome and had sat himself by the fire and not moved. Ron fumed. He should be the one getting the glory; after all, he had to put up with Harry. The sofa sank slightly and he smiled when he saw Hermione sat next to him.
"Are you ok Ron?"
"I don't know. I mean; has Harry told you what happened yesterday?"
"No. I was kicked out of the infirmary before he said anything. But..."
"But?"
"Harry claims to have fought You-Know-Who."
"What, that old chestnut? Did he have any proof?"
"Just something about their wands colliding and he saw his mum and dad. I'll have to do more research on that though."
"The big issue here though is what happened to Cedric."
"I heard Harry say Wormtail killed him on You-Know-Who's orders."
"Yeah, but do we believe that?"
August 1995 - 12 Grimmauld Place, Somewhere in London
'Why does this crap always happen to me? Cedric's dead because I didn't know what to do, Ron and Hermione have been avoiding me like I've got the plague. Ginny is just, eurgh. Need I say more? Why is every one avoiding me? I wish I could…'
Harry sighed deeply as his thoughts flew around in his mind. He drew his potions knife across his skin and breathed sigh of relief as the pain registered. The door opened and he quickly pulled his sleeve down and pocketed the knife.
"Harry, you in here?"
"What's up Sirius?"
Footsteps approached and Sirius emerged from behind the bookcase.
"What's up, pup?"
"Nothing, everything, oh I don't know."
"Well that clears that up. You want to start at the beginning?"
Harry looked at his Godfather and only saw concern. He breathed out and suddenly, without knowing why, he told Sirius everything. How Ron and Hermione had been avoiding him. How they seemed to be behind the rumours circulating the school, (but he had no evidence). How Ginny Weasley seemed intent on snagging him as her boyfriend/fiancé. He wasn't interested and he told Sirius that. He also told of his dismay at Molly Weasley distancing herself from him, how she no longer seemed eager to have him around.
Harry flinched when Sirius reached out but relaxed when he felt his fingers brushing his cheeks. It was then that he realised he had been crying. Sirius listened to what he had to say. He had to admit, he had noticed something a bit off but he couldn't put his finger on it and without proof, he couldn't evict them. He did the only thing he could think of and put his arm around Harry and hugged him. His Godson had obviously kept it all bottled up for far too long.
Same day - Hermione and Ginny's bedroom, Grimmauld Place
"Dementors! How much more proof do you need? He has obviously become too much of a threat to You-Know-Who. Why else would dementors attack him and his cousin?"
"You know, I have seen Harry muttering to himself quite a lot recently."
Ron nodded at Ginny and Hermione couldn't help but agree.
"So now what?"
"We gather information. We act like nothings wrong but we keep our eyes open. Ginny, you seem to be making some progress; maybe if you succeed we will bring Harry back to our side again."
XxxxxxX
Harry noticed things. He wasn't as stupid as his so called friends thought him to be. He was aware they were watching him. To him, they were trying to hard to be normal around him. Everything was forced. He had caught Ron rummaging through his trunk and he had seen Ginny read his mail. That's when he realised he would have to be careful what he wrote in his letters.
He became more distant and could often be seen studying in the library. Draco Malfoy had commented about this snidely but Harry just ignored him and continued to read his book. To Hermione's consternation, Harry's studying paid off and he began getting better marks than her. Something that really pissed her off. She forgot all about being normal around him and she openly insulted him, accused him of cheating and tried to get him into trouble with the Professor's.
When Sirius died at the end of the year, drawn to the Ministry to rescue his Godson, the accusations of him being dark continued. He was saddened by this and tried to maintain the friendship that had, to his mind anyway, bound them together since their first year. He still had hopes that his friendship with Ron and Hermione would recover and become as strong as before.
June 1996 - Owlery, Hogwarts
Harry walked up the steps to the Owlery. He had just lost one of the most important people in his life so he was going to see the only being that would listen to him. Hedwig. He slowed at the top of the stairs when he heard voices. As he listened, he recognised those that were speaking inside the tower.
"He is a danger to everyone here. He's got a link to You-Know-Who and it got Snuffles killed! We have to do something."
"I wrote to mum…"
"Why?"
"To ask her advice. It turns out Harry Potter is one of the richest wizards in England. After all, he is likely to inherit the Black estate from Snuffles."
"So, what's that got to do with anything?"
"Mum thinks I should try and get Harry to marry me. That way we would be set for life. With money like that behind him…"
Outside on the steps, Harry stood listening. He had heard enough and a mask fell across his face, his eyes dulling, giving him an almost catatonic look. He abruptly turned and retraced his steps. Up in the tower his 'friends' were unaware that they had been overheard and continued plotting.
Same day - Disused Classroom, Hogwarts
Harry sat at a dusty desk and stared at the wall. His bag at his feet.
'What should I do? Do I let them know I know? Or should I try harder? Oh, I don't know. If only Sirius was here. He'd know what to do. I can't believe they think I'm going dark. Why would I when the darkness has taken my whole family away from me?'
Without realising, he had drawn his knife out of his robe pocket and begun cutting into his arms; relishing the pain each cut brought, and the relief that accompanied it. A pop startled Harry back to reality and he looked around to see Dobby, with tears leaking out of his eyes, staring at Harry's arms.
"Harry Potter is hurting himself?"
"Hi Dobby. Can I help you with something?"
Dobby promptly burst into tears.
"Harry Potter sir is asking if he can help Dobby. Oh Harry Potter is a good wizard…"
"At least someone thinks so."
Another cut appeared and Dobby took the knife from Harry.
"There is something Dobby can be doing for Harry Potter."
"Oh and what would that be?"
"Dobby can stop Harry Potter hurting himself."
"Dobby…You can't…"
"Harry Potter must promise Dobby."
"Fine, I promise."
'Yeah, I promise not to get caught next time.'
"Is there something I can help you with?"
Dobby began wringing his ears and tears leaked out of his eyes.
"Harry Potter still wants to help Dobby?"
"If I can help you, I will."
"Dobby needs to be bound, Harry Potter. If Dobby is not being bound, then Dobby will die."
Same day - Great Hall, Hogwarts
"Harry James Potter! What do you think you are doing letting a house elf bond with you? Do you have any…?"
"Hermione, will you stop shouting? I am sat next to you, not across the hall."
"Just tell me! Why?"
"Because Dobby was dying. Would you rather he died? You claim you want to help the House Elves, but by doing what you're doing, you are condemning them. House Elves need to be bound in order to survive because their magic is too unpredictable. If you'd bothered to research their history instead of going off on some crusade, you would have found that out for yourself."
Harry didn't even wait for a response; he just stood up and quickly left the hall. Whispers and speculation flying wildly in his wake. Hermione and Ron watched him leave with narrowed eyes while Ginny watched with a speculative gleam in hers. Ron and Hermione put their heads together and began whispering in hurried, hushed tones.
"See, he has bound a house elf to him. He is the cause of what happened at the Ministry…"
Hermione needed no more arguments. She now agreed with Ron. Ginny on the other hand, despite what they thought, she was determined to get her hands on his fortune. Her family had lived a step above poverty for long enough.
XxxxxxX
He would have to be more careful. Since school resumed, Harry had been dragged to the infirmary twice. He could still feel the shame burning when Madame Pomphrey examined his arms. They had reached a compromise. Harry would write down his feelings etc in a diary and she would remain silent about his self-mutilation. But only if he wasn't brought before her again.
He continued to study and do well in all his classes. He also continued to ignore his former friends to the point he was receiving howlers from Molly Weasley. He remembered the commotion they had caused on arrival. Hermione, Ron and Ginny seemed to be watching in anticipation to see what Harry would do. But to the surprise of everyone concerned, including Harry, he listened to what the howlers shrieked, and then carried on as if nothing had happened.
Ginny was fuming. Her advances were being spurned. She had turned to others for the attention she desired but continued to hang around Harry, determined as ever to get her grasp on his money. He paid little attention to her and when he did speak to her, his voice was monotone and she had to wonder what was going on in his head.
The year carried on much as it had started. Harry continued to ignore but still hung around with his 'friends', but when he wasn't with them, he was preparing for the upcoming, guaranteed battle with Voldemort. He knew it was coming, but wasn't sure when. But no matter what happened, he was prepared to die. He felt that particular outcome was inevitable.
XxxxxxX
When the battle started, Harry was joined on the field by his friends. He managed a smile for them. He was glad they were by his side for this, what he hoped was the final confrontation. He looked down the field and saw Dumbledore looking at him. He smiled and received one in return. He turned to his friends.
"What ever happens; stay safe."
He was shocked when he received a hug from Hermione. He was so shocked that he missed the evil glare from Ron and Ginny as he hugged her back. They separated and went to their respective positions and waited for the final battle to begin.
Harry fought with a passion that he thought he had lost. He was determined to defeat Voldemort no matter what the cost. Deatheaters threw curses his way but didn't actively challenge him. He knew then that they were under orders. Harry slowly made his way across the field. The escalating ache in his scar alerting him to the fact Voldemort was nearby and the nearer he got, the more intense the pain.
Red eyes captured green as Harry and Voldemort faced off. Harry couldn't help but nod his head in acknowledgement. He was even more shocked to receive one in return but didn't have chance to dwell on it as Voldemort cast the first spell. Flashes of light, all different colours, lit up the darkening sky. All around, screams of anger, pain and frustration filled the ears of those who took the time to listen.
Then, after one almighty shout and blinding flash of light, it was over. Voldemort lay at the feet of one very weary Harry Potter, a withered husk of what used to be one of the most evil wizards of the last century. All around him, minor battles ended and victorious cries went up. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground on his hands and knees next to his nemesis. He could sense someone stood behind him and he lifted his head. He could see Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape, both had unmasked emotions crossing their features. He tired to speak but Draco got there first.
"Potter…Harry. I just wanted…I…"
"What Mr Malfoy is trying to convey to you is 'Thank you.'"
"Sir?"
Severus Snape pulled back his sleeve to reveal an unmarred left arm. The dark mark had gone; proof that Voldemort would not be returning. Harry tried to answer, but his eyes rolled up and he fell the rest of the way to the floor, unconscious.
Two weeks later - Infirmary, Hogwarts
"…Mmmm…"
"Mr Potter! Finally."
The rustling of robes reached his ears and he felt his glasses being placed on his face. He squinted in the bright light and saw Madame Pomphrey. She quickly flashed off a Patronus then began waving her wand over Harry, 'hmm'ing and 'ah ha'ing as she did so. Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape entered the infirmary and walked towards him. The former beaming and the latter with trademark scowl. He tried to sit up and he looked around as he did so. He felt a hand on his chest, gently pushing him back onto the bed.
"Remain still. You almost died out there; it has this long for your core to recover…"
Harry looked at his Professors, shocked at their words.
"How long…?"
The Professors and the Healer looked at each other before the Headmaster answered.
"It's been two weeks Harry."
"Ron? Hermione?"
"Your…er…'friends' are fine. They escaped without injury."
This was said by Professor Snape, his voice positively dripping with disdain. Harry tried to ask more questions but was fed more potions as soon as his mouth opened. He dutifully swallowed them and turned to Dumbledore.
"Where are they?"
"They are in the great hall."
Dumbledore answered. He seemed reluctant about answering. Harry didn't miss the furtive glance the three adults seemed to be sharing and he narrowed his eyes in understanding.
"What have they been saying?"
The look of shock was quickly covered by all three and Madame Pomphrey began fussing with his blankets and pillows. The potions Professor cleared his throat and turned to the Headmaster.
"If there is nothing else, I shall return to the Great Hall."
Harry watched as Professor Snape walked out of the room, robes billowing out behind him. Harry could feel the sadness emanating from the remaining adults.
"What have they been saying?!"
Madame Pomphrey sighed and walked into her office before returning. Harry noticed something in her hand as did Dumbledore who quickly spoke up.
"Poppy, I hardly think…"
"Harry has a right to know."
Harry held out his hand to take the offered parchment. He could clearly see the banner of the Daily Prophet and inwardly groaned. His reluctance turned to horror and his face paled as he read the headline and by-line.
Harry Potter, the Next Dark Lord? by Rita Skeeter.
He read on, not quite believing what he was reading. He felt someone pat his shoulder but paid it no mind.
According to a reliable source, Harry Potter, recent defeater of You-Know-Who, could be the next dark lord. Have we traded one evil wizard only for it to be replaced by another? An anonymous source informed me that Harry Potter's childhood rivalled that of the dark lord.
"Harry hates his muggle relatives. He told me they were the worst sort of muggles imaginable. He once told me how they used to beat him up just for the fun of it, and how they would lock him up in a cupboard and starve him…"
Another source who also wishes to remain anonymous had this to say;
"Potter shared many dark qualities with You-Know-Who. He can speak Parseltongue, he befriended dark creatures and he is deathly afraid of Dementors. He once told us he sent a python after his cousin and how he would scare his relatives by saying incantations. He admitted that he couldn't wait until he came of age, just so he could teach his muggle relatives a lesson…"
For those of you who may be unaware, Parseltongue is the ability to speak to snakes, and the only known speakers throughout history were Salazar Slytherin and You-Know-Who. The same source also revealed the core of Harry Potter's wand came from the same source as You-Know-Who. Befriending dark creatures is also a cause for concern. Even more so, the fact both wands share the same core... You-Know-Who's wand could only have a dark object as its core and therefore, so does Harry Potter's.
Perhaps the Ministry should step in and remove Harry Potter from Hogwarts to protect our children…
Harry blinked as the Prophet spontaneously combusted. He knew who the anonymous sources were. He had trusted only a couple of people with this information. Madame Pomphrey and Professor Dumbledore watched as a mask fell over Harry's face. When he looked up at them, they could see his eyes had dulled and they were saddened by this turn of events.
"Harry, I'd just like you to know, I had no idea what you went through. If I had known…"
"You'd have sent me back there because of the wards. Madame Pomphrey, when may I leave?"
"Harry, I don't think…"
"Can you do anymore for me?"
"Well, no, but…"
"Then I am leaving. There is no sense in me taking up a bed if I don't need it."
"Very well, Harry. But I want you to promise me you'll keep writing."
A sigh as Harry got dressed. He turned and nodded before leaving the infirmary without a word.
XxxxxxX
School carried on. Professors continued to test their students. Hermione and Ron were openly showing their hatred for Harry while Ginny continued to scheme. Harry had received a number of howlers from Molly Weasley, each more hurtful than the last. But to Ron and Hermione's chagrin, Harry showed no emotion to what they bellowed. Slytherin's laughed at Harry's misfortune while the Professors' looked shocked and confused by the words in Molly's correspondence.
Harry never said anything to his former friends anymore. He stayed away from them and when that wasn't possible, he just ignored them. Ginny was a bit harder to ignore. Especially when she had taken to clinging onto his arm between lessons and rubbing up against him in a bid to gain a reaction. Unfortunately, Harry did react, he was male after all, but the thought of being with Ginny in that way turned his stomach. He wasn't gay, he just didn't like her.
He had had enough. He had done his duty. He had vanquished Voldemort. Now he just wanted to die. Life had lost all meaning. He had done what was expected; what society demanded of him, now it was his turn to makes demands. He wrote a letter to Remus Lupin asking for advice. When the advice came, Harry read it, totally detached. It was like he was reading a school text book. Remus told him to talk to his friends, to Dumbledore, anyone but him, because he had been sent on a mission for the order.
'Why would Dumbledore send Moony on a mission? The war is over. Unless…unless he doesn't want me to have anyone to rely on but him. Yeah, that'd be right. Take away everyone I care about just so he can play the concerned…God, sometimes I really hate that man.'
Harry walked around the school, a different person to the innocent, naïve eleven year old he used to be. Even the Slytherins' left him alone, in fact, everyone left him alone. Everyone that is, except his 'friends'. He had taken to using his father's cloak and map between classes, just so he could avoid running into people. On a rare occasion that Harry actually entered the Great Hall to eat, he saw Hedwig circling above his head.
He held out his arm and she flew down, landing gently on the offered appendage. Harry stroked her soft, feathery chest and she seemed to relish the attentions being bestowed upon her. Harry walked over to his house table and sat down quickly. As soon as he had settled, Hedwig hopped off his arm and stuck her leg out. Harry retrieved her burden and fed her a piece of meat from the nearest sandwich.
Looking at the parchment, he saw the Gringotts emblem. He wasn't aware of his owl taking flight as he opened the letter before him. As his eyes travelled down the page, his eyes narrowed and his anger welled up within him. Students nearby felt the tremor as Harry's anger began to run away from him. The shattering of a glass brought Harry out of it and a mask fell. Three pairs of eyes watched this happen. Each one not believing what they saw. Exuding calm (though false) Harry rose slowly, shoved the letter into his pocket and walked calmly and gracefully out of the hall, ignoring Ron and Hermione as they entered.
XxxxxxX
After being treated like a pariah in the weeks that followed, Harry decided enough was enough. After the letter from Gringotts, he contacted the Goblins and had a will drawn up. He incinerated howlers before they reached him and resolutely ignored Ron, Hermione and Ginny. He also continued to write in his diary. Students often saw him scrawling away, day and night. Ron and Hermione were especially vocal and were always trying to look over his shoulder, but whenever they tried to see what he was writing, all they ever saw were potions notes.
That night, Harry tried to sleep, but just as he drifted off, his mind would snap back. After lying there for a couple of hours, he knew he wouldn't get any sleep tonight so he sat up quietly and listened to the noises in the dorm. Snores from one side; soft breathing from the other. Trevor the Toad gave the occasional croak and outside, an owl hooted. Harry stood up slowly and went to his trunk. He quietly rummaged around until he found what he was looking for and he pulled his hand out, bringing the object with him. Moonlight streamed through the tower window and flashed as it came in contact with metal. Harry looked up and glanced around the room.
Everyone else was asleep; everyone but him.
If you read this far, then I will have to assume you have read my A/N at the beginning. As such, I will not accept any flames. Feel free to offer constructive criticism, after all, how are we supposed to improve if no one tells us anything?
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Thanks for reading.
Greywolf25