1. Musing's of the old man part:1
On the table in headmaster's office was a curious white bowl made up of stone. The owner of the bowl was peering in the silvery depth off the contents of that bowl, contemplating the meaning of what he saw in the memory.
Albus Dumbledore was many things and had played many roles in his long life and he could have liked nothing better than give up all the roles he was playing and dedicate more time to Hogwarts and students. Alas that was too much to ask for. As he had suspected that fateful day that his old student did not pass on. He was still baffelled how he was not able to detect spirit of Voldemort in one of his teachers. He knew all along that Quirinus Quirrell was helping Tom to get to Philosopher's stone. But never once did he suspect that Voldemort himself was in the castle. There was no reason to. The wards on the castle prevented malevolent spirits from entering the castle. He needed to check the ward schema, but there was no need to rush that. Voldemort will not be going to possess anyone anytime soon.
On the other hand it took him ten years and a willing servent to come back to England then it was a safe bet that he was not going to come back anytime soon. Albus knew how Voldemort's mind worked, he would never appear weak infront of his servents. The current state he was in would leave him entirely in his servent's mercy. Whatever power he had in his spirit form was completely drained after his encounter with young Harry. The energy readings he took from the room would let him find where he Voldemort had fled, after that he would be able to keep a better watch on his former student.
Harry was able to come back from his adventure with few scratches, exhaustion of body and magic and hopefully a lesson that would teach young man that how idiotic it was to go to save by himself. But than boy belonged to house of Lions. Albus hoped that he would think things through next time and next time was not soon. In a way Albus admired boy's spirit and nobility when he was that age he certainly did not have that courage.
The first time Albus saw after dropping the child at his aunt's doorstep was at the welcome feast of Hogwarts at the start of the year. The boy was timid and shy not unlike student's from non-magical side. He was short and a bit thin on the side but no different than than other children. As the year progressed he found Harry to be polite, intelligent young man if bit curious. All good traits to be found in a student of magic. The situation with Dursley's was not ideal but the boy was safe from lingering movement Voldemort was spearheading and political attention. Not to mention that something like that could turn anybody's head imagine being famous before you could walk properly. Maybe he would have chat with the boy after he wakes up.
Albus main concern was that slowly but surely the people who were supporting Voldemort's movement were grouping under Lucius Malfoy. And unfortunately the current minister of magic was only concerned with his public image, political career and gold. Lucius's influence needed to be culled. Ever since gaining the seat on board of governors he was trying to remove Albus from his position of Headmaster of Hogwarts. Maybe time was ripe to ask Arthur Wesley to move forward with Muggle Protection Act.