A/N: Written for Season 2, round 9 of firethecanon's Quidditch competition, in the position of Chaser 3 for the Caerphilly Catapults.
Optional Prompts:
4. (song) The Tuss - Goodbye Rute
12. (emotion) Lonely
14. (word) Blind
Servant of Necessity
"It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies."
Harry and Hermione exchanged a somewhat disbelieving glance at these words from the Headmaster, and Hermione nodded resolutely before they both returned their attention to what Dumbledore was saying. They would talk to him after the feast, in private.
As soon as Dumbledore dismissed the students, Harry and Hermione made their apologies to Ron and headed for the Headmaster's office. They waited there for several minutes, talking quietly, before Dumbledore arrived.
"Ah, Mr Potter, Miss Granger. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Hermione's jaw set. "Can we talk, Professor? Privately?"
If Albus Dumbledore noticed the look on Hermione Granger's face, he did an excellent job of hiding any surprise at it. He favoured her with an avuncular smile. "Of course, Miss Granger, of course."
Once they were in the office and the door was closed, Hermione raised a hand. "Could you cast privacy charms, sir? And possibly silence whatever strange music that device there is making?"
Albus' bushy white eyebrows rose at this, but otherwise he made no comment as he cast a series of intricate spells - if Hermione Granger wanted this conversation to be private, then he would see to it properly. When he had finished and the room was silent and completely impenetrable to all forms of eavesdropping that he was aware of, he turned back towards the remarkably self-possessed young witch in front of him. No small talk here, of course - she was all business, and he doubted she would tolerate any delays for politeness' sake.
"Very well, Miss Granger - this room is now completely protected from every form of eavesdropping that I know of. The music was a temporal anomaly, by the way - I'm not quite sure, but I believe its name is something like "Goodbye." Now, what did you wish to discuss, with such precautions?"
"Harry," she said. "First, sir, there is your extremely damaging insistence that he must return to his relatives every year. I am aware that you have your reasons, but I am no longer willing to trust you blindly on this - your actions cause a lot more harm than you seem to realise, and as far as I know this is for no good reason at all."
The ancient wizard stared down at her for a long and awkward while, and then turned to Harry.
"Does she speak for you, Mr Potter? I ask because I fail to understand her role here."
Harry paused. "She's my best friend, Headmaster. I trust her with my life. She's also a lot smarter than me, and I'm smart enough to realise that and listen to her. So yes, I really would like to know why you keep sending me back to my relatives every year. You know how they treat me, don't you sir?"
Dumbledore grimaced as if in pain, then lowered himself slowly and painfully into his throne-like chair. He absently conjured comfortable armchairs for the two children, and then answered Harry as the two sat down.
"When your mother died, Harry, she gave you an exceptionally powerful magical protection; I won't go into details right now, but those protections are the reason that you survived that night when Voldemort tried to kill you. They are also why his Death Eaters, and you know there are still many, have been unable to find you all this time."
Harry sat forward in his chair. "That's not really true though, is it sir? That they haven't found me, I mean. First year I faced Voldemort himself in the body of a Death Eater, because you hired him as a professor. Second year I fought Voldemort again, this time his teenage self controlling Slytherin's monster through a diary supplied by Lucius Malfoy, another Death Eater who knows exactly where I am for nine months of the year. Last year I faced Peter Pettigrew, another Death Eater, and also a lot of Dementors sent by the Ministry. And this year, of course, I got served up to Voldemort by yet another Death Eater. Again, a Death Eater that you hired as a professor. So I faced Voldemort yet again, I saw Cedric murdered in front of me, and now the Ministry refuses to believe me and I'm probably about to get a whole lot more bad press and people hating me.
"So what I'm saying is, sir, it's not really working, is it? Whatever protection my mother gave me, even if for some reason it only works if my relatives get to abuse me at least once a year... Well, it's really not that useful, is it? And whatever it is, is it really more important than what I go through every summer? With all due respect, Headmaster, I grew up in a bloody cupboard. Why do you keep forcing me to go back to those people?"
Dumbledore rested his face in his hands for a moment, and when he looked up, his ancient face wore a look of profound regret. "I am truly sorry, Harry - more sorry than you could know - for what you have suffered at the hands of your relatives. I assure you that the need is great, but I must confess that I had not fully appreciated the depth of your feelings on the matter. I shall have to reconsider that requirement, and report back to you."
"No!" said Hermione sharply. "The Express leaves tomorrow morning, Professor - are you going to send Harry back to his abusive relatives while you sit and agonise over it?"
Dumbledore sighed. "Very well, Miss Granger - I shall make a decision before you leave this room. First, however, what were the other matters you wished to raise?"
Hermione smiled fleetingly. "I think it's time for you to tell Harry the secrets that you've been keeping from him."
"And what secrets might those be, Miss Granger?"
Hermione stood up abruptly. "If I knew the details, Professor, then I would hardly be bothering to ask you. I am quite confident that you are deliberately concealing significant information which Harry has a right to know, and I put it to you that the time has come for you to come clean to him."
Dumbledore looked hard at Hermione, thinking rapidly. Her intelligence was legendary among the staff of Hogwarts, and he was not unaware of this - if she said she was confident, then she could probably list a dozen strong arguments in support. She had clearly chosen to fight this, and he very much doubted that she could in any way be persuaded to back down. He sighed, and turned his attention upon Harry.
Once more he felt the pain and guilt, over the things he had been forced to do to this fine young man. He noted that Harry seemed mature beyond his years, and effectively more so yet with the guidance of his extraordinary friend. Perhaps it was indeed time that Harry should know his past and his future. Finally Albus Dumbledore dropped his hands to the desk in front of him, and raised his eyes to the two young people in front of him.
"Alea iacta est. When the other students leave for the Hogwarts Express, you two are to come to my office. I shall tell you all that I am able, and then we shall decide what is to be done. I shall Apparate you both to King's Cross if necessary. I do warn you both now, however, that what I shall tell you must be held in strictest confidence - you must tell no one. Of that I must have your promise now, or else you must ride the Express tomorrow."
Harry and Hermione both agreed, though Harry then gave the Headmaster an uncertain look. "Does that mean we can't tell Ron either?"
Dumbledore spread his hands. "Do you believe that Ron Weasley has the maturity both to deal with painful secrets and to keep them from his family?"
Harry opened his mouth to defend his friend, but closed it again a moment later. He smiled sadly and shook his head. Hermione said nothing.
"There, I fear, is your answer. I truly am sorry to place such a burden on your friendship with the Weasley boy, but once more I find myself constrained by necessity. Until the morrow, then."
The next morning, Harry and Hermione both rose early to avoid questions from their dorm-mates. They left notes explaining that they were staying back at the Headmaster's request, then they ate a quick breakfast in the deserted Great Hall before heading out onto the grounds of Hogwarts. Their wandering footsteps took them to Greenhouse 2, which fortunately didn't have any dangerous plants in it, and without discussion they decided to stay there. Late Spring it might well be, but the early morning was still quite cold, and the greenhouse was wonderfully warm.
They sat in companionable silence for some time before Hermione turned to Harry. "I think he's lonely, you know."
Harry stared at her. "Who?"
"Dumbledore."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, he's the leader of the Light, he's the Headmaster of Hogwarts, he's Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, he's Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. He has so much responsibility, and so much work to do, and I don't think he has anyone by his side to help him. I mean, Professor McGonagall probably more or less runs Hogwarts, but other than that he's all alone with no one to share his burdens. I'll always hate that he sent you to the Dursleys, but I think he probably has a lot less freedom than it looks like. Anyway, I wouldn't want to be in his position."
After a pause, Harry nodded slowly. "I see what you mean. I don't hate him, you know, and I definitely understand about loneliness. I just want to know why my life is so weird and dangerous."
Hermione cleared her throat. "Um... Loneliness? I know you've had an awful childhood, but do you still feel lonely?"
Harry looked down at his shoes. "Yeah, kinda. I mean, you're great and all, and Ron's good, but no one really gets what it's like to be me. I guess it's like what you said about Dumbledore - there's no one to share my burdens. I feel silly saying that, but look at what has happened. And Dumbledore was going to dump me back at the Dursleys', completely alone, straight after that. I just... I dunno, I suppose I've just never had one person I could completely trust. Never, unless you count my parents until I was one."
Hermione shifted closer to Harry on the bench, and tentatively reached an arm around his shoulders. He flinched slightly at first, but then seemed to relax slightly. Hermione smiled slightly, and left her arm where it was.
"I understand loneliness," she said quietly. "You saw that at the start of our first year, of course, but that wasn't any worse than I was used to from before except that I didn't have my parents here. I suppose that's the difference - I've always had my parents to trust."
Harry nodded, and the two leaned against each other in a comfortable silence.
In Dumbledore's office after the other students had left, Harry and Hermione sat once more in the comfortable armchairs. Dumbledore sat in his throne, body slumped and face terribly, terribly tired.
"I have thought long and hard since last we talked, Mr Potter, and I feel I owe you an apology for the hardships which I have allowed in your young life. I am bound by terribly many constraints, you must understand, but I believe now that I should have made greater efforts to find alternatives - the costs for you were truly too high to be so lightly imposed, but I was wilfully blind to those consequences. Again, my deepest apologies. Now, on a practical matter, if you are willing to accept some curtailment of your movements then you may stay here at Hogwarts and need never return to the Dursleys' - you will lose your mother's protection several years earlier than would otherwise have been the case, but I believe we can make adequate arrangements. Besides, you are quite correct in saying that the existing protections have not been entirely adequate in ensuring your safety.
"Miss Granger, are you able to stay here with Harry for perhaps a week or more? You are quite clearly a part of this, and there is much that I need to explain."
Hermione nodded uncertainly. "We'd have to talk to my parents - I can't let them worry."
Dumbledore nodded. "Of course - I shall Apparate you to your home shortly, and there we shall discuss the matter."
Dumbledore turned to Harry and continued. "Harry, there is a true prophecy concerning you, and it explains a good deal which must so far have puzzled you. In connection with this prophecy, there is a great deal I must teach you. Are you willing to stay here at Hogwarts, ideally with Miss Granger, and learn what I can teach you?"
Harry smiled and nodded. "I am, Headmaster. I want to know."
A tension seemed to go out of the old man's body at that, and a faint smile appeared on his face. "So be it, then. Now, shall we go talk to Miss Granger's parents?"