Summary
Yes he left him with the muggles. But that didn't mean he didn't care. Yes he could be manipulative. But that didn't mean he couldn't love. A story in which the famous Headmaster of Hogwarts faces up to one of his biggest mistakes and attempts to make amends.
Chapter 1 Prologue
It was around noon, and Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, when one of the silver instruments turned red, started spinning, and let out a puff of smoke. Seeing that he muttered a curse, before throwing Floo Powder into the fireplace and disappearing. He landed in Minerva McGonagall's study, just as she was about to take a sip of tea.
"Minerva! Minerva! Change into muggle clothes and meet me in the Great Hall within 5 minutes!" He cried before stepping back into the fireplace. This time he landed in Severus Snape's private potions lab. After relaying the message, he quickly transfigured his robes into clothes he deemed appropriate muggle wear. He then stepped again into a fireplace and in a flash of green flames, was gone. McGonagall was already in the Great Hall and she looked seriously put out. Never a good sign. Sure enough as soon as she saw Albus, she yelled "What in the world Albus! I was about to have a nice cup of tea! This better be important!" She finished the last part in a more threatening sort of voice.
"I must say, loath though I am to admit it, Minerva is right Headmaster." Serverus said as he stepped out of the shadows.
"Yes yes my apologies. Come we must apparate to #4 Privet Drive. I fear Harry Potter may be in danger." That was enough to drive Minerva forward. She rushed out of the castle and once she reached the Forbidden Forest she quickly apparated.
Snape however, glared at Dumbledore before saying, "Is the Potter brat in trouble already? I don't see why I must go. I'm sure that your little kitty can take care of things on her own."
Dumbledore simply said, "Your promise Serverus, " Causing Snape to glare at him, before he too rushed off after his female colleague. The Headmaster sighed before turning and apparating on the spot.
Chapter 2 Rescue
The Headmaster sighed before turning and apparating on the spot.
They all landed around the same time in front of the pretty white house that looked so similar to all the other ones. Quickly Dumbledore started issuing orders,
"Minerva please transform into your animagus form and sneak into the house. If you find Harry please do your best to help him in any way possible. Serverus you go to the back door and if you hear me inside your mind please come as soon as possible. If needed activate your emergency portkey. I don't know what we are facing so be on your guard. Go!" And as the two of them went to their assigned locations, Dumbledore stepped up to the front door and rang the bell. Not surprisingly it was Petunia Dursley who answered the door.
"You! How dare you leave freaks on our doorstep, as if this house was an orphanage! And then you have the nerve to come here! How dare you! Get out!" She shouted spit flying from her mouth as she attempted to slam the door in his face. He simply put his foot in the way to stop the door closing, and then walked in smiling as though she had welcomed him into her house with a warm embrace and kind words. In reality however, he felt like doing anything but smiling. Was it possible that the Dursleys were responsible for putting Harry in danger? Minerva chose that moment to burst from a cupboard carrying a skinny kid who was in baggy clothes. He looked to be about 3.
"I found him Albus! He's unconscious! I'm taking him to Poppy now" She turned and ran towards the door, but on just as she reached the threshold she turned back to the female Dursley who was watching in shock and said, "How dare you b****" And with that she exploded the door and stepped through the wreckage. Dumbledore too glared at Petunia, while sending a message to Severus outside that said, "We're going now meet you in the Hospital Wing." And with that he apparated on the spot, while Snape in the backyard did the same thing.
Chapter 3 Emotion
And with that he apparated on the spot, while Snape in the backyard did the same thing.
Minerva McGonagall was mad. No that would be an understatement. She was beyond mad. She was furious, outraged, incensed, about to explode. Her anger was directed however not only at the Dursleys, who she resolved to practice her Unforgivables on later, but also at Dumbledore. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. That meddlesome coot! That horrible, idiotic, cunning, crackpot old fool! Oh yes, she thought Albus Dumbledore would live to regret the day he left The-Boy-Who-Lived at the Dursleys. What she didn't know however was that she wouldn't be able to make him feel any worse than he did know.
Albus Dumbledore was not used to feeling this emotion. He knew that he had risked countless lives in battle, but he had always managed to convince himself that it was for the "greater good." This time however, that excuse was rubbish and he knew it. He buried his face in his hands and cried tears of remorse. That emotion was guilt. Heart-breaking guilt.
Severus Snape was confused. That was one way to put it. What in the name of the Dark Lord had gone on in there? Snape had never Minerva McGonagall so mad before. And what on earth did the Hospital Wing have to do with anything? Snape wanted answers and there was only one person he was going to get it from. After all, only an idiot would mess with an upset McGonagall. And whatever Snape was, he most certainly wasn't an idiot.
The atmosphere in the Hospital Wing could be not be described as anything short of tense. The fact that the Transfiguration Mistress had her back turned to the Headmaster and refused to acknowledge that he even existed did not help. Nor did the fact that the Potions Professor was glaring, granted for a completely different reason than his senior colleague, help. Finally Minerva couldn't stand it, she had to let loose some of the pure and undiminished fury escape. "For the love of Merlin Serverus Snape! You will stop sulking this instant or Merlin help me you will find your self in detention with me. And as for you Albus," her voice that had been a shrill shriek until this moment turned cold enough to freeze stone. "You better hope for your sake that Harry's medical findings are good, or else I swear to God you will find your self wishing you hadn't employed me." The last threat delivered, had Dumbledore feeling chills up his spine, and even Snape, one of the most highly qualified Legilimens in the world, couldn't stop the shudder and utter fear he felt at those words.
Of course Poppy Pomphrey, the school medi-with, decided to use that moment to walk through. It would be a lie to say that she hadn't heard the last part of her friend's rant, and thought that she may as well be supportive, not that Minerva needed any help. "Albus Dumbledore! You are the most idiotic idiot in the world! How dare you send him to that despicable place! You want to see what you caused? Well here you go!" And with that she thrust the long piece of parchment into his hands and turned to walk away. At the last moment however, she said couldn't resist adding one more biting word. "If Harry in there didn't need my help, I would have half a mind to resign! Oh and Minnie, I agree with you, but could you do the lecturing somewhere else, Harry just fell asleep."
The glare Minerva McGonagall sent Dumbledore was terrifying enough to make most senior aurors wet themselves and cry. "My office now! And you better bring that damn piece of paper!" Dumbledore hurriedly scurried off, not stopping to think for a second that he was technically in charge of her, and that he was the Headmaster not a naughty first year, caught after curfew. No, the only thoughts running through his head were, "Get to Professor McGonagall's office quickly! Try to escape detention and lose of house points!" Very Headmaster like.
Chapter 4
Before she left the hospital wing the Transfiguration mistress turned to her younger counterpart, whose face was grey with shock, and said in the kindness voice she had used that day, which wasn't saying much, "Severus please. I'll be back soon but look after him for me. For Lily" The last part was a low blow and she knew it, but she needed his help ad this was the one guaranteed way to get it. To her surprise however, he neither reacted in anger nor sadness, just letting a flash of determination cross if face, before adding "Very well". And to both their surprise Minerva found herself pulling the younger boy into a quick embrace, whispering "thank you" then fleeing the Hospital Wing before her emotions completely got away from her.
When Minerva McGonagall walked into her office it was to find the headmaster, who was technically her boss, sitting in the seat in front of her desk looking like a naughty schoolboy. However, she was unprepared for the look of absolute misery streaked across his face. "Oh, Albus," she said. "other than the obvious what's wrong?" Again she was unprepared for the answer.
"What's wrong? THIS IS WHAT WRONG!" He roared shaking the piece of parchment madly. "What's wrong is that I left him to be abused at his RELATIVES! I could have killed the Boy-Who-Lived. Killed the very epitome of Light. But more than that I could have killed my grandchild. You know that's what he was to me. We went to see him remember? The day after he was born. We were one of the first people to hold him. Remember what he used to call me? Grandpa Albus. And I could have killed all of that with one STUPID choice. He'll probably never trust me again. I almost hope he never does. I don't deserve his trust, if he never trusts again the only one to blame will be me. Oh Minnie you should hate me. The people who I love and should have loved always end up hating me." And then he couldn't stand it anymore. The wizard who was said to be the greatest of their time, the only person Voldemort ever feared, broke down into sobs. His friend from long back, the one person who probably was the only one who knew him better than he knew himself couldn't hold up her glare anymore. She felt it melting as she crossed the room in three strides and wrapped her arms around him. "It's ok. I don't hate you Severus doesn't hate you, and I truly believe that Harry won't hate you. Yes you've done stupid things, but you have more than payed for your crimes."