"Hey, Harry. Thanks again for agreeing to this!" Said a man in his early thirties. He was wearing a bright orange set of robes and had equally obnoxious hair to match. His name was Carmine Albright and he was one of the two hosts of the Wizarding Spotlight show on WWN. Their gimmick was bringing in some famous witch or wizard each week and sitting them down to conduct interviews.

His partner, Emily Harkinson, sat across the room. She was dressed like most sane people were, with only a small segment of orange-dyed hair to indicate she was Carmine's sidekick. When Harry had entered the surprisingly-small studio, she had merely waved. He had come alone, convincing Tonks to sit this one out. Andromeda had dropped him off, saying they'd be back by within the hour to wait for him to come out of the nondescript building that WWN was operating out of.

"No problem at all, Mr. Albright." Harry said, inclining his head slightly. "I certainly wasn't about to let the Daily Prophet interview me. Half the time, they're insinuating that I'll replace Voldemort after I take him out."

Harry noted with mild amusement that both hosts had flinched upon hearing the Dark Lord's name. He was trying to conceal his right arm, but he wasn't doing that great a job of it. His long, blue cloak kept it hidden from view well enough when he walked, but he was going to be sitting down soon. But, he supposed as he was led across the room, being told about the process that would soon take place, it was fine to be paranoid. He and Balthazar had spent a lot of time practicing various things and working out the kinks in the flow of Harry's magic. While he was sure he could hold his own in a fight, he really wasn't looking to find out if he was correct. A bit more downtime would be nice.

"Now then," Carmine said, motioning toward a chair, "Just sit down and put the headphones on. We'll be getting started in a few minutes, alright? Try and relax and this'll be over with before you know it!"

'Reminds me of a less flamboyant Lockhart...' Harry thought, sitting and doing as he had been instructed. "I just hope everyone will be ready for what I have to say. I'll warn you again: I'm not going to behave like most would assume I do."

"We'll see about that." Commented Emily, who was fiddling with some knobs and dials on the other side of the table that separated Harry from the hosts. "Get a little bit closer to the mic, would you?"

Harry nodded, leaning forward in the chair. His cloak pulled back, revealing the Gauntlet. He scowled slightly before sighing and leaning against his knees. "I guess the secret's out now, huh?"

"What the devil is that?" Asked Carmine, standing up from across the table to get a better look.

"Gonna have to wait for the interview to start to hear that." Harry said, smirking.

"Then let's get going. Em, you ready?" Carmine asked, looking over his shoulder.

"All go, chief." Emily said, giving Carmine the thumbs-up.

"Then let's get going." Carmine said, grinning. He sat back down and pushed a ridiculously large button. "And good afternoon once again, ladies and gentlemen. Carmine Albright and Emily Harkinson here once again bringing you another fine edition of Wizarding Spotlight! Tonight's surprise guest is someone who's been talked about quite a lot in the news of late. You might have even heard of him - his name is Harry Potter! Harry, say hello!"

"Hello, everyone." Harry said. It was a little odd to not see the audience he was addressing.

"Harry just arrived minutes ago, folks, and he's promised to sit down with us for an exclusive interview! And already, he's raised some interesting questions here in the studio. He seems to have some kind of contraption attached to his right arm. Harry, could you tell us what that's all about?" Asked Carmine.

"This..." Harry said, lifting his arm. "This is what's going to win this war. This is an old relic called the Gauntlet of the Magi. Some might know it as Melchior's Gauntlet. I've heard it has a few other names, but those are the two I'm most familiar with."

"I see. And what, exactly, does it do?" Asked Carmine.

"To answer that, I suppose I need to explain something else first. For many years now, I've had... a problem with my wild magic. It would act up for no reason, erupt out of me when I didn't want it to, and so on. Last year, after an accident of sorts, I gained some semblance of control over it, but it wasn't enough. This, however, has finally allowed me to gain full control over my wild magic. Essentially, it regulates how I control the amount of magic I have access to. Those who know of the things I've done since entering Hogwarts will probably atest to the fact that I can be a force to be reckoned with if brought to it..."

"Destroying the Forbidden Forest, for example?" Emily asked, glancing over.

"That was not exactly me. But to explain that would take longer than we have on this program. But yes, the power I can tap into now could probably make that look like child's play. I just need to learn how to channel it. I've only had this thing on my arm a short time, so I'm still getting back to the point I was before I fused with it." Harry explained.

"Fused with it?" Carmine repeated.

"Yes. This Gauntlet is a part of me now, just as my own flesh and bones are. It's essentially replaced my entire lower right arm. I can't remove it." Harry said, shrugging.

"So it'll be on there for the rest of your life? Why go that far?" Carmine asked, brow creased.

"Because I have to. Voldemort has to be stopped, no matter the cost. There are some around me who feel differently, however. And these people are ones who also shouldn't be trusted. As, in some ways, they're no better than Voldemort is." Harry said, leaning back in his chair slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"For years now," Harry began, tilting his head in thought. "I have essentially been raised as a weapon. Not a child, learning to love the world around him that he was experiencing for the first time. But a weapon, built from the ground up to accomplish one goal - stopping the Dark Lord should he ever return. And now that he has, I have no choice but to continue down that path."

"It's a well known fact that you were brought up by your Muggle relatives, kept hidden from the wizarding world until you received your letter from Hogwarts. Does the bitterness you seem to be harboring come from the fact that you never had the opportunity to grow up surrounded by magic? That, once introduced back into the world you came from, you seemed to encounter shades of You-Know-Who wherever you went?" Asked Carmine.

"It isn't so much that as it is where I grew up. If I had been sent to an orphanage, that would have been fine. I could have dealt with that. Instead, I was sent to stay with my mother's sister, her husband, and her son." Harry said, his voice growing cold.

"I take it things weren't alright there?"

"Unless you count years of physical and mental abuse 'alright,' then no. They weren't. I came to Hogwarts with many scars littered on my body already. The number's only grown since then. And not all of them were from incidents at school. Instead, they came from Vernon Dursley, my uncle. A man who Albus Dumbledore insisted I return to year after year." Harry said.

"Didn't Dumbledore know of the abuse going on, though?" Asked Emily.

"Oh, he knew. He just didn't care. You see, Albus Dumbledore only cares about one thing - himself." Harry said, his voice turning venomous for the first time. "He uses other people as pawns so he himself does not have to act. He forced me to return to that hell hole year after year, stating it was 'for the best' and insisting the blood wards that once protected their home would hide me from those who would seek to do me harm. Ignoring all the while the fact that I regularly came back to school with healing wounds and suffering mental trauma."

"That's quite a statement, Harry." Carmine said, his voice becoming less exuberant as he spoke. "You're essentially saying that Albus Dumbledore, a man who almost everyone in wizarding Britain respects, is a selfish man."

"Essentially? I'll state it outright if you want. Dumbledore sends people on missions to get information on Voldemort and his Death Eaters, despite knowing how great the dangers are. And these poor people, these sheep, follow him unquestioningly. All for the sake of being close to the 'great' Albus Dumbledore. Let me tell you something about Albus Dumbledore, everyone. He left me to die more times than I can recall - though I will try - because of what he thought was the right thing to do. In my first year at Hogwarts - my first year in the wizarding world since I was a baby, mind you - I had to basically face off against Voldemort again. He was hitching a ride on one of the professors at the time--"

"Quirinus Quirrell, correct?" Said Carmine.

"Correct. Voldemort was possessing him - the man had a second face coming out of the back of his head. And Dumbledore didn't do anything. Are you telling me for a second that he wouldn't know? Professor Snape even knew! And Snape is Dumbledore's bloody LAPDOG!" Harry barked. "But instead, the headmaster mysteriously vanished from the school on supposed business, leaving me to hunt down Quirrell before he could steal the Philosopher's Stone that Hogwarts was inexplicably playing host to! Snape beat me to him, but he was knocked out quick enough. That left me to deal with a grown man - and one with my parents' murderer sticking out of the back of his damned head - after less than a year of learning magic!"

"But he did return in time to save you in the end, obviously." Emily stated.

"Depends on how you want to look at it. I was being choked out by Quirrell. I had a grip on him which, due to his playing host to Voldemort, was causing his skin to boil and burn under my fingers. When I woke up, I was in the hospital wing and Quirrell was at St. Mungo's. Yeah, he arrived. Too late to do anything but essentially tip Quirrell over backwards, but he arrived." Harry said, crossing his arms.

"And after suffering through that, he made you return home to your abusive uncle?"

"Yes. Year after year, despite my pleading. Despite having a friend who lived mere blocks away who would allow me to stay with her during the summer. No, he insisted I return to the Dursleys. I stop a basilisk and keep Voldemort from being reborn and I'm punished. I free my wrongly-imprisoned godfather Sirius Black and help him escape and I'm punished. I get forced into the Triwizard Tournament and have to witness Voldemort's rebirth and I'm punished. I have to sit through Sirius being slaughtered in front of me and I'm punished. Dumbledore wanted to keep me right under his finger where he could keep an eye on me! He wanted me in a cage so he could control my every action!" Harry growled. "Albus Dumbledore is nothing more than a selfish, manipulative, pacifistic figurehead! If it were up to Albus Dumbledore, we would never win this war!"

"What do you mean?" Asked Carmine.

"Late during the last school year, I helped lead an assault on the Citadel of Azkaban. We had to do so to free one of the gemstones needed to reforge the Gauntlet." Harry explained. "After that, Voldemort and his remaining Death Eaters effectively relocated to Germany. And despite being the key to his war and being the only weapon our side has, Dumbledore refuses to tell me anything about what's going on! All I know is that Voldemort is dabbling with the undead in some manner and that a man named Sergei Wagner is involved. But despite my best efforts, I haven't found out anything on either. And I know Dumbledore is hiding information from me. Why, you might ask? So I don't go after him myself. Once I get full control over the Gauntlet, there really won't be anything to stop me. And Dumbledore wouldn't let that fly. He wants to helm the command of this war, just as he did the last one. HE wants the glory of 'winning' against Voldemort again."

"This is quite a surprise." Carmine said. "You certainly did warn us that you weren't going to act like most figured you would. But I must say, Harry - calling out Dumbledore like this is quite an accusation. You certainly have reason to if the reports of your abuse are true. But to say he's a mere glory-hog? Isn't that going too far?"

"Not at all." Harry said. "Currently, Dumbledore is essentially doing nothing. Small groups comprised of Aurors and others who wanted to be involved are being sent to Germany to watch over Voldemort. But nothing is being done to stop them. Nothing is being done to stymy his progress. If it were up to Albus Dumbledore, we wouldn't take on Voldemort until he returned to Britain with an army of the undead. I, on the other hand, want to strike now, when he's at his weakest. In a foreign land, dealing with things he has no great knowledge of. He lost a lot of his number at Azkaban, I saw to that. Can you think of one single, logical reason that he cannot mobilize our forces right now?"

"I know nothing about the inner workings of war planning, Harry. I'm afraid I'm a mere radio host. That being said, it probably has a lot to do with diplomacy. He doesn't want to start any trouble with Germany. Staging a war on their soil could be bad, you understand."

"And letting him desecrate their dead isn't bad?" Asked Harry. "Because that's exactly what he's doing, apparently. He's getting bodies over there and experimenting on them. All I know is that some form of necromancy is involved. Sad how little I know on the matter when I'm the one who has to stop anything he throws at us, huh? If we lose this war, let it be on Dumbledore's pointy head for not letting me be prepared. I wanted to come here today to clear the air on this matter. I refuse to be left out of the loop any longer. And I want to make one point very clear: If Albus Dumbledore continues to leave me in the dark; if he keeps trying to hide things from me, I'll walk out on him."

"You aren't saying you'll just abandon Britain, are you?" Asked Emily.

"Not at all. I'll just find my own way to Germany and hunt down Voldemort from there. I have a few things to go off of, after all." Harry said. Tapping his scar, he added, "I can see what he's doing through my scar sometimes, if he's particularly happy or angry. Unfortunately, that means waiting for something to actually make him happy - which is a sign of great trouble - or for something to piss him off. And the latter might be worse than the former, depending on the situation."

"So you've basically come on to get this out to the country as a whole? Why do that? Why not confront him in private?" Carmine asked, frowning.

"Because this information had to get out there. I know there are stupid little lackeys out there who will always blindly follow their White King wherever he goes. They'll always think he's perfect and that his word must be obeyed. But I know the truth. Albus Dumbledore is a fallable human being like the rest of us and, in his old age, he's starting to make wrong decisions quite often. And in a situation like this, which requires action, he is sitting on his laurels and sending good men and women out to their deaths. All for the sake of his supposed justice. I want the wizarding world to know that he's flawed. I won't try to claim I'm perfect, but I'll assert that in this situation, I'd make a better leader than him. He hasn't had to face Voldemort like I have. He hasn't had to suffer the losses I have. He hasn't been forced to get beaten within an inch of life every year! I have! And it's about time I started getting the damn respect I'm owed. I won't be treated like I'm some kind of lunatic, vying for the next Dark Lord spot as soon as it opens. If I were to go bad, everyone would know it. There's a difference between anger and lunacy. It's a fine line that I've nearly fallen over several times. But there's one important difference - there's one thing that seperates me from ever becoming like Voldemort."

"And that is?"

"My friends. As sappy as that may sound, it's true. Those around me have helped keep me sane; helped keep me grounded. When the world was falling apart around me, they helped put it into perspective. When Voldemort and nightmares were keeping me awake night after night, they helped me get sleep. When Sirius died, they helped pull me out of the funk I fell into. And if I decide to leave Dumbledore's side and end this war on my own, I know they'll be right there, going along with me. I learned a long time ago that it's hopeless to try and do things on my own - they'd just catch up and come with me whether I thought I wanted them to or not. So I accepted that they had to be with me. I want them to be with me. I lost one of my closest friends a few months back during the raid on Azkaban. That's what cemented this drive in me - that's why I need to end this now. I can't watch any more of my friends laying lifeless on the ground in front of me. And if I have to turn my back on Albus Dumbledore and everyone in wizarding Britain who follows him to do that, then so be it."

Silence reigned in the studio for awhile after that. Harry had lost focus of the world around him, lost in his thoughts as he spoke. Carmine and Emily seemed to notice Harry zoning out and promptly regained control of the show.

"Well, Harry, our time's almost up. I want to thank you again for coming on the show to say your bit. Is there anything else you'd like to say?" Carmine asked.

"Just this: Think for yourselves, everyone. Think about where Dumbledore's 'leading' has gotten us. Think about how many of your friends, your family, your loved ones have died following his orders. Think about how many more will die if we continue to let him guide us. I won't even try to say I'm a leader. But I know what's important. And I know that I'm the only one who can stop Voldemort. I want to do it now, while he's weakened, instead of after he gets another army going. Is that so bad? Does wanting to end this war sooner than later, sparing countless lives, make me a bad person? Does the fact that I'll abandon Dumbledore to reach that goal make me a bad person? If so, then so be it. But I'm sick of watching people die all around me. And I'm tired of having to hide. It's time to end this war. And whether it's with him or not, that's exactly what I'm going to do." Harry said, his voice quiet.

"Thank you, Harry. And thank you, one and all, for listening. Join us next time when our special guest will be Ixiana Bellfort, famed herbologist and writer of the new book 'Sprouting Up Gold'! I'm Carmine Albright..."

"And I'm Emily Harkinson."

"And we'll see you next Saturday!"

A light overhead went out and Carmine slumped back in his chair, blowing out a long, low sigh. After awhile, he looked over at Harry. "We're going to get giant, cartoonish bags of mail over this. I can't imagine how many howlers we'll have to sit through hearing."

"Comes with the territory, huh?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. But I think this'll be a record." Carmine said, closing his eyes.

"I do apologize for that, as well as for using your show to get my own issues out there. But it couldn't be kept a private matter anymore. Dumbledore's controlled me far too long. And when the matter is something this big, it can't happen anymore. I need more freedom. I need to know what the hell is going on out there." Harry said.

"Do you really think you'll be able to stop You-Know-Who?" Asked Emily.

"I do." Harry said, nodding. "I know the exact way I'm going to get rid of him. I just need to find him and pray he doesn't have an army."

Getting to his feet with a weary groan, Carmine walked over and extended his hand. "It was quite an interview, Harry. Thanks. I'm sure we'll regret it when we have headaches bigger than the whole of Europe, but thanks."

Standing as well, Harry paused for a moment before raising his right hand to grasp Carmine's. With a quick shake, he smirked. "Headaches are something I'm well accustomed to. I'd hate to be in your shoes right now."

"I'd hate to be in them any time." Muttered Emily, who was messing with the controls to the device in front of her again. "Louder than a rock band."

"You're the one who thought orange was a good idea, if you'll recall." Commented Carmine.

"I said 'a bit' of it." Emily corrected.

"I think I'll make myself scarce before I have to dodge flying radio equipment." Harry said, moving towards the door. "Good luck with the mail, you guys."

But the two radio hosts were well into an argument with one another. Grinning, Harry slipped out. Once the door was closed behind him and he was alone in the hall, he sighed. He already had a headache. And it was going to get worse before it got better. Turning, he blew out a second sigh as he headed for the exit. Andromeda and Lupin should have been back by now, after all.

Rounding a corner, Harry's face was jerked to one side as something connected with the left side of it. He blinked a few times before his eyes slid to the left. There, looking quite angry, was Andromeda. Lupin was standing just behind her, wincing.

"Oh? Am I going to have to start already?" Harry asked quietly, bringing a hand up to rub his sore cheek. "Surely you didn't think me to be so foolish that I would continue to abide by Albus' silly rules, did you?"

"Everything he's done, he's done--" Andromeda began, but Harry interrupted her.

"Everything he's done, he's done to satiate his own appetite! No one was looking for me until after Voldemort was resurrected! And finding me wouldn't have been hard even if he had been! He wanted me under lock and key so he could keep his all-seeing eyes on me and control everything I did! It isn't happening anymore." Harry growled, glaring at Andromeda. "You can follow him to your death, but I thought you, of all people, had more sense than that. You've seen first hand what Vernon did to me. And yet you still think Albus is in the right?! How dare you think that!"

"Don't you raise your voice to me." Andromeda said, her voice lower in pitch, but just as fevered. "I've raised you like my own all these years. I've tended to your wounds. I've given you a place to go if you've needed it. My daughter's gotten into more life-threatening situations because of you than I care to remember! But if it wasn't for Albus keeping an eye on us, there's no telling if we would have been attacked by now or not! No matter what you think of him personally, he's a strong figure of power for our side! Not many would dare raise their wands against him. He didn't deserve that, Harry."

"No, he deserves to be put through the same hell I've been through. Or worse." Harry said, grinning. "I'd kill him myself if I thought I could get away with it. But I'd rather not make myself a fugitive. Not when I have so much yet to do. More than any of you realise, I think. I won't apologize for what I said because it's all true. He's a manipulative bastard and he doesn't deserve to be ordering anyone around. But his time is nearly at an end. And when it arrives, I'm going to be there. And I'm not going to offer him any help. Because what help has he ever offered me?"

Harry slid his hands into his pockets and pushed past Andromeda. Lupin grabbed his arm before he could get by him as well, however.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Back to Number Twelve." Harry stated, keeping his eyes forward.

"You can't shift back." Lupin said. "Come on, Harry. Both of you need to calm down. At least until we get back to the house. It's safer there than it is here."

"Nowhere's safe anymore. Which is kinda the point, isn't it? For all his grandstanding, Albus Dumbledore hasn't made anywhere safe. Or have you forgotten Hogsmeade? How about this town? I hear they're still rebuilding the area we fought in. Don't you talk to me about safety, Moony. The Ministry was supposed to be safe as well, wasn't it? Why don't you ask Dumbledore how safe it really was!" Harry snapped, turning to look straight into Lupin's eyes. "Why don't you ask Sirius how safe it really was."

There was a loud CRACK then, and Harry was gone. Lupin hadn't even seen the Armor encase him. Closing his eyes, he leaned back against the wall. "Damn it... we can't be doing this. Not now..." Glancing over at Andromeda, he sighed. "Well, are you happy now? This is exactly what I said would happen if you did this. So do I get to say 'I told you so' or would that be taking it too far, Andi?"

"And what would you have me do, Remus?" Asked Andromeda. "Coddle him like everyone else does? He can't go around talking about Albus like that."

"He can, in fact, do so. He'll be of age soon enough. I daresay he's been through more than enough to state that he's been 'of age' for a good while now. He may have to sit back and wait, but if we don't get him calmed before the 31st, he's going to vanish on us. And without him around, morale is going to drop, even with that little speech of his fresh in the minds of everyone." Lupin said. "Like it or not, he just told the whole of wizarding Britain that if Dumbledore wasn't going to do anything to kill Voldemort, he would. And that doesn't paint a very good picture of Albus. I respect Albus as much as anyone, Andi. You know that. But don't act like he hasn't been at fault. Don't act for a minute as though he hasn't done anything wrong as far as Harry's concerned."

"So you're siding with Harry? Is that what I'm hearing?" Asked Andromeda.

"I'm siding with no one. I could sit around pointing fingers all night." Lupin said, squeezing his eyes shut and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "But it won't get anything done. Now come on. We need to get back and run damage control. Who knows what we're going to go back and walk in on..."

"...Fine. But we're not done talking about this." Andromeda said.

"Of course." Lupin muttered as Andromeda passed by. With a tired look in his eyes, Lupin pushed himself away from the wall and followed.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, quite possibly for the first time, was completely silent. The members of the house, as promised, had flipped on the wireless to catch the interview. And instead of something motivating, they were met with a bitter, rebellious speech. Harry's friends had gathered in the library to listen. And even knowing what was going to happen, it still left them quiet for various reasons. As soon as the interview had ended, Malfoy had gotten up and left the room. He hadn't returned yet.

Suddenly, however, the air began to crackle. The girls who remained in the library looked around them for a moment, slowly drawing their wands. Another CRACK filled the air as Harry reappeared, travelling with some lingering downward force. He slammed into the ground and immediately dropped to one knee, panting heavily.

"Well, that was bloody stupid." Harry hissed.

"It was your idea, if you'll recall." Balthazar said.

"Yes, yes. It's all my fault. I didn't hear you warning me about anything!" Harry cried, glaring at the Gauntlet.

"How was I to know?" Balthazar countered. "We're being stared at. Just so you know."

Harry stood up and dusted himself off, scowling. "Well aware of that, thank you." He looked to Tonks and asked, "Well?"

"We haven't been out to see how the old folks are taking it. Malfoy went out just after the show ended, but he hasn't come back yet..." Tonks said, putting her wand away. "The hell are you doing shifting back?"

"Your mother decided to slap me and get into an argument at the WWN building. So I left them behind." Harry said, crossing his arms. "Apparently, despite all she's seen, she doesn't want to believe I'm right."

Tonks groaned. "Dammit, mum..."

"Fair warning, you might want to hole up in the bedroom for awhile." Harry said. "So... want to go tag along for my meeting with Albus?"

"Using his first name now?" Pansy asked, smirking as she lazily twirled her wand. "Cheeky of you, Harry. He isn't going to take well to that."

"To hell with what he thinks." Harry said. "He's had long enough to change his direction in life. I can't be held responsible anymore. Soon as my birthday rolls around, I need to get a flat somewhere or something. I've gotta get the hell outta this place."

"And you think they're just going to let you?" Asked Luna, tilting her head. "Surely they'd come after you, Harry. And it would be quite dangerous living alone."

"I'm assuming I'll have Nym there with me." Harry said, looking at Tonks, who nodded. "Jolly good! I won't be alone, see? And besides, anyone who tries attacking me at this point is an idiot. If you think I wouldn't ward the place to the nines, you're insane. I've learned a thing or two about wards in the years since re-entering the wizarding world. I'll be fine."

"If you say so." Luna said. "Well... I suppose it would be best to get this over with. Then we can all have some aspirin and retire for the day."

"I like the way you think." Harry said, grinning. "Alright, let's go, you three. I wanna pick up Draco before we head into the kitchen."

But, as it turned out, Malfoy was already in the kitchen. And, apparently, had been there since the end of the broadcast. As Harry and the girls approached, they heard the sounds of heated arguing coming from inside. Putting a finger to his lips as he looked over his shoulder, Harry grinned and shifted quietly, his Armor barely getting a chance to light the area.

"--keep saying that, but where's the proof?!" Malfoy yelled. He was standing near Dumbledore, who was also on his feet. Snape was keeping Malfoy held back.

"And I have explained that to you as well." Dumbledore said, his tone even. "If you wish to think that continuing to ask will get you a better answer, you may do so. However, I would not hold out hope."

"It's a wonder he hasn't already broken ties to you." Malfoy said, voice growing icy. "With all the shit you've put him through, it's a miracle you're even alive."

"Harry would not attack me." Dumbledore stated.

Smirking, Harry dropped from the current he had been gliding along. As he shifted back in behind the headmaster, he drew his wands. And, before anyone could react, he had one poking into the front of Dumbledore's neck while the other rested firmly against the headmaster's left temple. "Are you sure of that, Albus?" He whispered silkily. "Are you really?"

"Welcome back, Potter." Malfoy commented, smirking. "Have a good day out?"

"Fantastic." Harry replied, returning the smirk. Pulling his wands away from Dumbledore, he twirled them a bit before tucking them away again. One in his back right pocket, one up his left sleeve. His own wand was always in his pocket. "So, you vanished on the girls, Draco. We wondered why."

"Draco had to get a few things off of his chest." Commented Snape, who looked none too happy to see Harry.

"Lovely. You'll have to tell us later." Harry said. Walking back over to the door, he opened it and smiled at the girls. "Right then. Everyone's assembled. So - what did you think of the show?"

"I think it was unwise to do that, Harry." Stated Dumbledore.

Malfoy snorted and repeated the headmaster's words in a mocking tone before looking to Harry and saying, "He was beet red when I busted in. I think the only thing keeping him from conjuring and subsequently kicking a puppy was the fact that he was surrounded by other people."

"Good. It'll give him something to stew on for awhile." Harry said, leveling his gaze at Dumbledore. "And you'd better stew on it. My birthday approaches. You can't chain me down at this point. So you'd better try your damnedest to work with me. With me, not over me. You aren't going to hide anything about Voldemort from me from this point forward, no matter how trivial a matter it may seem to you. I hope that's as clear as crystal because I'm only saying it once. If you haven't decided to stop sheltering me from what's going on by the end of the month, I'll go find Riddle myself."

"You cannot do that, Harry." Stated Dumbledore who, for his part, was doing a fine job at acting as though nothing was bothering him. "It is too dangerous for you to be going out by yourself. I only allowed you out today because Andromeda and Remus would take you. I see you have found your own way back, however."

"You 'allowed' me, huh? I got news for you, Albus, I would've shifted there if I had had to. I'm not your pawn anymore. So I suggest you stop treating me as such. As for the danger... what danger do you think I'm incapable of facing by myself?" Harry asked, gesturing vaguely to one side. "Do I need to give you a showing of my power? Very well. I'll think of something. And then, let's say tomorrow, during dinner... I'll perform something. And if you still think I'm incapable of taking care of myself, I may back down."

"And if I believe you to be capable, I am to simply begin telling you all I know of Voldemort's movements?" Asked Dumbledore. The headmaster took a deep breath before inclining his head slightly. "Very well. But if I do not believe you capable, I want you to apologize for what you have done today. Do you understand?"

"I'm not a child, Albus." Harry stated. "And I think it's about time I proved that to you."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

To most, it had been a quiet Sunday. The sounds of a few children playing could be heard coming from the nearby playground, occasionally a dog would bark, but for the most part, it had been quiet. The temperature had been pleasant enough, with a faint wind helping to keep the sun from being too overbearing. Every so often, someone would leave their house and ponder working on their gardens or flowerbeds. But the draw of the air conditioning would always bring them back in. As night crept up on Privet Drive, something came with it.

It kept itself hidden from everyone, standing in the middle of the road at one end. It was made invisible and stood stock still for hours on end. But when the faint chimes of a church bell sounded midnight, it began to move. Were anyone awake and looking outside, they would have seen something very peculiar stalking up the street.

It stood around six feet tall, give or take. Shining a brilliant white, it cut through the darkness like a sword, giving off an aura of sorts as it walked. It wore what appeared to be white robes with a hood up to hide its face. A face which, currently, was veiled in absolute darkness save for two glowing, red orbs that constituted eyes. Its robes, however, were tattered in an odd way, as though it had to fight through an army just to reach Privet Drive. The collar was especially torn up, leaving strips of fabric to flap in the wind.

The creature, because whatever it was clearly wasn't human, seemed very intent on one house on the street. As it got closer, its pace picked up. And, as it stood before the front door of Number Four, it brought a hand up. Reaching out and touching the door, it breathed out a small cloud of red mist, which travelled upward slightly before vanishing.

"I'm home, Uncle." It said, its voice echoing faintly in the silence of the night. And, without another word, it shifted to the other side of the door.

The house was silent, but the creature knew something was off the moment it had entered. Things seemed too... clean. And, as it glided into the living room, the answers to a few questions fell into place. The mantle over the fireplace still held pictures, just as it had done in years past, but these were different. These... were new. Reaching out, the creature picked up one of them, its hand unsteady.

Eyes narrowing from beneath the hood, it roughly set the picture back down and, anger coursing through it, turned to head toward the stairs. And, as it walked up them, it shifted again. This complicated matters. He hadn't expected to meet resistance of any kind. And if Vernon Dursley still lived alone, he wouldn't have hit any. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. He had apparently remarried in the year since Petunia and Dudley had been murdered. His new wife was far prettier than Petunia, leading the creature to wonder how the hell Vernon had snagged her. Adding to this was the fact that she, too, had a child. A boy that looked a few years younger than Dudley should have been.

Heading toward an all too familiar bedroom, the creature passed seemlessly through it. The furniture in the room seemed new, and it was arranged quite differently now. And there, sleeping in the bed, was the boy.

This wouldn't do. It needed to get rid of the idiots standing between it and Vernon Dursley. It shouldn't be too hard, it reasoned. Children were, after all, scared of the silliest things.

Shifting back in, the creature walked to the edge of the bed, looming over the sandy-haired boy sleeping in it. And, in one swift motion, its hand had shot out, grabbing the boy roughly by the throat. This solved two problems at once; waking the boy and ensuring that he wouldn't scream upon being ripped from his dreams.

"Boo." Hissed the creature, red mist once more seeping from its mouth.

The boy looked up at the creature through wide, horrified eyes. He tried to cry out, but with the creature's hand on his throat, the only thing that escaped was a gurgling whimper.

"I'm not here to harm you." The creature stated. "I suggest you don't look out into the back yard when morning comes."

Shortly after, the boy's eyes rolled up and he passed out. As soon as this happened, the creature immediately let go. Straightening up, it stared down at the boy for a moment before shifting and entering the second floor hallway again. The boy had been conscious enough to hear its warning. The creature really didn't care if the boy heeded it or not. If he didn't, there would be years of psychological damage done, to be sure. But it was of no concern to the creature. It only had business with Vernon Dursley. It didn't care what these replacements saw or did after it finished its goal. This had been a long time coming and nothing was going to stop it. And if a few innocents had to be traumatized after not listening to instructions, it was their own fault.

The creature paused outside the door to the master bedroom, hands clenching into fists briefly. Shifting through the door, it walked over to the large bed. Two people were sleeping soundly in it, as though a war wasn't going on in the world around them. The woman was thin and pretty. It wouldn't have been surprising if she turned out to be a model. It still raised the question of how Vernon had gotten her. But the creature's curiousity wasn't that great. It really didn't care.

Once again, it shifted in and hovered beside the bed for a moment before reaching out and gripping its target's throat. And, just as it had done with the boy, the creature did with the woman: it issued a warning before depriving enough oxygen to cause her to pass out. And though she had struggled quite fervently against it, she hadn't been able to wake Vernon up. Not surprising, as the man had shown himself capable of sleeping through ridiculous levels of noise in the past.

Walking around to Vernon's side of the bed, the creature stood there for awhile, watching the man sleep. He had gotten even fatter, somehow, in the time since they had last met. How the bed even supported Vernon's weight was confounding.

A dark grin split the creature's shadowed face as it brought its right hand up. Slowly, the fingers on his hand twisted and pointed until they were like claws. Then, a single finger outstretched, the creature brought its hand down to Vernon's forehead. It pushed gently, driving the tip of its clawed finger into Vernon's skin. The man woke up with a yelp, and quickly froze at the sight of the thing beside his bed. In that instant, the creature's grin grew and he quickly raked its finger down the center of Vernon's face. Vernon howled in pain and clutched his face, thrashing about in bed. And, through the wails of the man, the creature bowed low.

"Hello, Vernon."

"W-what are you?!" Vernon yelled, yanking one of the pillowcases off of his pillows and using that to mop the blood from his face.

"Don't you recognize your own nephew?" Asked the creature, looking at its bloodied finger in amusement. "Or was that erased with the rest of your memories?"

Vernon froze in the middle of wiping his forehead. Eyes wide, he looked back up at the creature. "Y-you...?"

"I'm surprised you remarried so soon, you know." Continued the creature in a conversational tone. "I don't appreciate it."

"It's my life!" Vernon snarled. "I'll do what I want with it! Anything to replace those... those wizard-loving traitors!"

The words had barely left Vernon's mouth when the creature shot a hand out, dragged Vernon out of bed, and slammed his head, face-first, into the wall. As Vernon collapsed to the ground and once again let out a wail of pain, the creature dropped into a crouch, drawing back its hood. The light that was encasing the rest of its body looked cracked and distorted around its head. Its red eyes narrowed to slits as it hissed, "Don't you dare insult them in front of me, you son of a bitch. Don't you dare speak of them that way! They were better humans than you'll ever be! They didn't deserve the fate they got!"

"It was you who brought it about!" Roared Vernon. "I did what I had to!"

"You remarried in under a year, you fat bastard!" Screamed the creature, its voice reverberating as it stood back up and kicked Vernon hard in the back. "You don't give a damn about anyone but yourself! You've never given a damn about anyone but yourself! You've made a life around making people miserable!" Its voice dropped to a low growl then as it finished, "And I think it's time for you to suffer for once."

"You'll never get away with it, whatever you're planning!" Vernon spat, backing up and slowly getting to his feet. "They'll lock you up if you kill me!"

"They'll never know it was me." Grinned the creature. "That's the beauty of it. Some might have suspicions... but they'll never be able to firmly place me here. Because the truth of the matter is... I'm not here."

"What the hell does that mean?!"

"Why should I answer? Planning to let them know when they come for you? You won't be in any condition to speak." The creature purred. "For every injury you gave me, I'll return tenfold. For every day of torment you provided me, I'll dig a mark into your flesh. I've warned these poor, stupid people living with you not to look out back come morning. Would you like to know why? Do you want to know what they'd see if they do?"

Vernon didn't answer, instead grabbing at the lamp on the nightstand and chucking at the creature, who simply sidestepped. Smirking, the creature took a step forward, the fingers on its other hands twisting into points. "You're going to beg for me to stop. You're going to scream for me to stop. You're going to apologize for every single thing you've ever done to me."

"And that will satisfy you, eh?" Vernon asked, glaring at the creature.

"No. Nothing short of killing you is going to satisfy me. So that's exactly what I'm going to do." The creature hissed softly, bringing its face just inches from Vernon's as more red mist escaped its mouth. "You'd better start praying to any god you believe in now. Because you're going to lose the ability to speak and think rationally in about one minute."

oOoOoOoOoOo

"So there George is, trying desperately to catch this poor, dumb kid who tried to steal one of the Bouncing Banana Berry Bogies, knocking over half the shelves in the store! And all I can do is stand there and laugh, because he's got the angriest look on his face ever. Anyway, he finally catches the kid and wrangles him through the door to the back room. I'm still out front trying to run damage control with the REST of the customers as he's working out a way to deflate the idiot in the back. Must've taken... what, about an hour?" Asked Fred, glancing across the dinner table.

"Something like that." Muttered George, who was blushing faintly.

"Yeah, about an hour later. We didn't fine the kid because looking back, it was too damn funny to!" Fred said.

"You didn't get 4-B vomited on you." George said, giving his twin the evil eye. "You wouldn't have thought it was so bloody hilarious if you had been getting hurled on."

"Can you two not discuss vomit at dinner?" Asked Pansy, who was rubbing at her temples.

"Yeah, tell us afterward or something." Tonks said, making a face. "That's gross, even for you two."

Harry just bit back a laugh as he picked at his dinner. The twins had dropped by a surprise visit, detailing a typical Monday afternoon at their store to their friends. People from the Order had been popping in and out through the entire meal. One time, Harry had noticed the headmaster, who was sitting at the far end of the table, go very still. That had to be the information. But that had been nearly fifteen minutes ago and Dumbledore had said nothing so far. He doubted that the man was going to. At least not in front of everyone.

Finally, Snape arrived, looking worn out. He handed Dumbledore a series of reports before collapsing into an empty chair.

"Busy night, Severus?" Asked Dumbledore.

"You have no idea." Snape said. "You do know the rumors going around, do you not?"

"I do." Dumbledore said, looking through the reports quickly. "And I believe it is not for us to discuss in polite company."

Harry closed his eyes and smiled, a different type of laugh trying to rise in his throat. He bit it back, however, and resumed poking at his food. People had been alternating cooking duties. And while he had offered to make tonight's meal, he had done so mainly to help provide himself with an alibi. It had taken a good part of the day to work on, with so many people potentially coming through. He hadn't wanted to shaft anyone a meal by being under-prepared.

"I think," Snape continued, ignoring Dumbledore's statement, "That it should be. Or do you really plan to let this go?"

"I think it is my decision to make as to when and where I bring it up, Severus." Dumbledore said, glancing over the top of his spectacles at Snape, who scowled and looked away.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, looking up finally.

"Nothing that concerns anyone here." Dumbledore said. "Severus has merely been pining for a break."

Snape looked incensed at this, but bit back any scathing replies he might have been working on.

"I see." Harry said. "Headmaster, if I may ask a question?"

"You may."

"Have they found Vernon?"

Dumbledore's eyes shot over to Harry, who was giving the headmaster a calculated smile. "I beg your pardon?"

Harry looked to Snape and, rather than answering Dumbledore, asked the Potions Master a question. "That is what you're speaking of, correct?"

"Correct." Snape stated.

"Severus!" Dumbledore snapped.

Harry laughed at this, setting his utensils down. "Ah, jolly good. Albus isn't wanting to say anything. What did we agree to? I would prove myself and you would acknowledge it. Or are you trying to say this doesn't count?"

"Anyone know what these three are going on about?" Asked George, who had been watching the back-and-forth in confusion. "Something happen to Harry's uncle?"

"No." Dumbledore said immediately.

And, at the exact same time, Snape replied with, "Yes." And, after glaring at Dumbledore for a moment, looked back to George and continued, "He was found dead, laying in a sizeable pool of blood in his back yard. And all signs to Potter being the one that did it."

"Prove it, you greasy-haired idiot." Harry said in a lazy tone.

"Who else would do it?" Asked Snape. "We've been keeping an eye on Vernon Dursley since the attack on his house. And nothing out of the ordinary has happened. All of a sudden, he is found dead. And who else but you would have the reason for doing so?"

"I was here all of last night and all of today." Harry said, smiling at Snape and reveling in how annoyed the man was getting. "How would I get over to Privet Drive, kill him, and then get back? With all of the people here and apparently the people monitoring his house, you'd think someone would have noticed me there, huh?"

"We have reports of a white thing stalking about." Snape said, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, a white thing. Well shit, I guess you have me there, Snivellus." Harry said, rolling his eyes.

"I'll ignore that this once." Snape said, looking for the world like he wanted to do anything but. "And don't try to act stupid, Potter. We all know what you look like when using the Patronus Armor."

"And yet you still have no way to put me at the scene, do you?" Asked Harry, steepling his fingers in front of himself as he leaned back. "As I said - I've been here. I was up late last night trying to beat Moony in chess again, I fell asleep in the library in the middle of a good book, and then I've been making food for dinner most of today. So tell me, Snape - when did I sneak away to kill him?"

"...I don't know." Said Snape through gritted teeth. "But you must admit, Potter - the evidence is rather damning."

"Indeed it is!" Harry said, grinning. "Too bad it can't be traced back to me, huh?"

"You asked if we 'found him,' Potter. Hence you had to have known what had transpired." Snape stated. "The way I see it, you can either tell us how you killed him or we can wrench it out of you with Veritaserum. By all means, feel free to subject yourself to the latter."

"Harry." Dumbledore said, finally speaking up again. "I have been trying to figure out how to prove your innocence since I was told of what had happened. And I cannot, save the fact that you were, in fact, in this house at the time that Vernon Dursley was estimated to have been killed. But clearly you were aware of his death. Is this your 'test,' Harry? Killing your uncle in such a way that no evidence can be traced back to you?"

"Secundus Tergum." Harry stated, closing his right eye.

"I beg your pardon?"

"That's what I've dubbed it. Secundus Tergum. Second Skin." Harry said, his voice quiet. "And yes. This was my proof to you, Albus. I eliminated the one thing remaining of my past that utterly deserved erasure. No one will miss him. Tell me, were the woman and boy alright?"

"I cannot believe you would murder him, Harry." Said Dumbledore, his tone disappointed. "I thought you were better than that." He let out a sigh before nodding. "They were quite fine. They seemed frightened that some kind of creature had choked them out after warning them to not look in the back yard when morning came."

"Good. I didn't really care about those replacements, but the less trauma spread around, the better." Harry said. "As for not believing me capable of it... why sound so disappointed, Albus? Do you think me to be some sort of saint? I'm a living weapon that's been forced to the brink of insanity more times than I'd care to remember. And given what Vernon Dursley has done to me in the past, I'd consider this more than justifiable. He deserved a far worse death than the one I granted him. I should have split his belly open and let him bleed out that way, desperately trying to put his insides back where they belonged."

"And you believe you're going to get away with this cold-blooded murder? What makes you think that's going to happen?" Snape asked.

Opening his right eye, which had a puddle of dark red substance moving about it, Harry replied, "You."

"Me? What about me?" Asked the Potions Master.

"You're allowed to murder to keep your place at Riddle's side." Harry said. "If you can kill the innocent to get by like the miserable lapdog you are, I should be allowed to kill a man who's tortured me for most of my life."

"That isn't the same and we both know it." Dumbledore stated, his voice taking on a dangerous tone. "What Severus does--"

"What 'Severus' does is kill for you." Harry said, closing his right eye again as the red substance started spreading throughout it. "The White King is asking that his Knight work for the Black King. How many Pawns has he taken so far? How many more will he have to before you're satisfied?"

"It was my decision to return to being a spy. I knew what that meant." Snape stated. "Do you think I enjoy what I must?"

"Do you think you're needed?" Asked Harry, grinning again. "You haven't been needed for a long time. But it was nice of Albus to let you think you are. So tell me, Snape - how many children have you cut down in front of their parents? How many parents have had to watch you kill their children? What's your personal body count up to these days?"

"Harry." Dumbledore said, warningly.

"Far more than I can ever make up for." Snape said, sneering at Harry. "What is your point, boy?"

"Don't you take that tone with me. I'll leave you worse than I left Vernon. Because unlike him, you don't deserve a single ounce of compassion. I spared Vernon a lengthy death because I knew Aunt Petunia wouldn't have wanted it to be prolonged. Right to the end, I believe she genuinely loved him. For what reasons will remain a mystery. But you? You're nothing more than a coward. You chose your side, then jumped ship after Voldemort attacked my parents. And Albus, ever the softy, gave you a place to exist. He gave you a reason to be. And you became his obedient little lapdog, doing exactly as he says for fear of being abandoned somewhere." Harry murmured.

"Harry!" Dumbledore repeated, the tone of his voice finally matching the look in his eyes.

"Losing Lily was one of the hardest things that's ever happened to me!" Growled Snape. "That sorry excuse for a wizard that she married wasn't fit to wipe the mud from her boots! And you're just like he was... you only care about yourself and what best suits your own goals."

"It would be in your best interests to stop speaking ill of my father, Snape." Harry said.

"And it would be in your best interests to stop being a rebellious little twit who thinks he can get away with anything he wishes! James thought the same way. And look where that got him!" Snape said.

"Shut your filthy mouth." Harry hissed.

"What's wrong, Potter? Can't handle the truth about your father? How he was so stupid that he was killed because his own friend betrayed him?! How he's the reason Lily is dead?! Surely you can't think that worthless man deserves anything but--"

But Snape was cut off. A creature of light, much like the one that had attacked Vernon Dursley, had appeared beside the Potions Master, a clawed finger jabbing into the man's throat. As the headmaster got to his feet, Harry did as well, opening his right eye again as the red in it began spilling into the left one. "Not a very smart man, are you? Apologize and I might let you live. Or don't. I have no problems in ripping your throat out."

"Harry, let him go!" Demanded Dumbledore, drawing his wand.

"Don't you threaten me." Harry said, looking aside at the headmaster. "Or do you want to join Snape? I thought we agreed - you start telling me everything or things would get complicated. Funny how you failed to mention Vernon on your own, huh?"

"Let him go." Dumbledore repeated, aiming at Harry.

"Why does no one ever LISTEN?!" Harry yelled. Four more creatures of light shifted in around Dumbledore. One grabbed his wand arm and jerked it upward. One had its claws at the headmaster's neck and one had its claws aimed for Dumbledore's heart. The last one plucked the wand out of Dumbledore's hand, tossing it over to Harry, who caught it and set it on the table in front of himself.

This action, of course, brought nearly everyone at the table into action. Most of the adults present were now aiming their wands at Harry, who made no motion to draw his own. Meanwhile, all of Harry's friends, along with the Weasley twins, were aiming back at those who were aiming at him.

"Look what being quiet gets you." Harry murmured. "In-fighting. Rebellion. Is this what you wanted, Albus?"

"Of course not." Dumbledore said, dimly aware of the claws digging into his skin. "But a part of me wanted to believe you were not willing to go this far. Does winning mean this much to you?"

"Winning no matter the cost. That's what I promised Leon. You're sitting idle while Voldemort does who-knows-what in Germany. How long do you plan to sit idle and wait for him to build another army, you doddering fool?! I know you want to be seen as the one who helped end Voldemort's reign for a second time, but I have bad news for you. I'm the one who caused him to vanish the first time. And I'll be the one who sends him away again this time. Whether it's with your help or not. I don't want to fight you. But I will if you stand in my way. Why the hell won't you just start telling me things? What is so god damned hard about letting me in so that I'm prepared?!" Harry yelled.

"I was merely trying to spare you the added stress of what was truly happening." Dumbledore stated. "As usual, it seems my decision has upset you."

Dismissing all of the light creatures, Harry sat down and threw Dumbledore his wand back. "You should let me decide if something's too stressful for me." He murmured, the red in his eyes slipping away. "So. What are you going to do with me?"

Looking over at Snape to ensure he wasn't going to kill Harry, Dumbledore put his wand away and sat down as well. "I do not know. The fact remains that you have killed in cold blood."

"So convict me and lock me away. And then watch as Voldemort's new army storms back into Britain." Harry said, crossing his arms. "Vernon Dursley being alive is something that's haunted me every day since my aunt and cousin were killed. He didn't deserve life. And really, it's only due to my attacking him and leaving him petrified on the floor that day that kept him from joining them. Maybe I was just finishing the job the Death Eaters started."

"What would you have me do, Harry?" Asked Dumbledore.

"Same thing you usually do as far as I'm concerned." Harry said, glaring at the headmaster.

"Which is?"

"Doing nothing at all."

Harry closed his eyes and blew out a sigh. "Now are you going to tell me what's going on in Germany? Or am I going to have to go there myself and hunt Riddle down on my own?"

"Albus, you cannot be thinking of allowing him to get away with actual murder!" Snape roared.

"Why not? He lets you do it." Muttered Harry. "I killed a man who had no qualms with beating a little kid to the verge of death. You just slaughter the innocent to keep your job. Bit of a difference, I'd say."

Snape was about to reply, but Dumbledore brought a hand up to stop him. "Severus, please do not make this any harder than it needs to be. You have both done things I am sure you wish you had not needed to do. The fact is that we are all on the same side and need to start acting as such."

"You are going to allow this. I can't believe what I'm hearing." Snape said.

"Oh shut up and stop your bloody whining, you greasy-haired bastard. Be glad I haven't lost my sanity to the point where 'good' and 'bad' have lost all meaning to me. My sense of justice has changed in the last few years, but I'm still working with you people, aren't I? You're no better than I am, Snape. So why don't you stop acting like you are?" Harry snapped.

"Because I am better than you, Potter. Do you understand what it takes to work as a spy for the Order?" Asked Snape.

"Apparently murdering without consequence." Replied Harry, his tone deadpan. "So what's the problem, jackass?"

Snape slammed his hands into the table as he got to his feet. "What's the PROBLEM?!"

"Severus!" Dumbledore yelled. "...Calm down. You have been under a lot of stress yourself as of late."

"Don't tell me how stressed I am, Albus! If I'm stressed out, it's because you allow Potter to get away with whatever he sees fit, including murder and threatening your own life!" Snape cried.

"He was merely trying to prove a point." Dumbledore said, brushing off the accusation. "We both know he is correct. He needs to know more."

"And I keep telling you that it's dangerous for him to know more!" Snape roared. "He went off and killed his uncle and none of us could peg him as the killer! What do you think he's going to do when he learns where the Dark Lord is and what he's up to?!"

"I think he will have the presence of mind to listen to what I have to say before making his decision." Dumbledore said, looking to Harry. "Am I correct in assuming this?"

"As long as you start letting me in, I'll do what you want." Harry said, shrugging. "But this hiding important information from me is going to end."

"Very well. Severus, go home and rest. Collect yourself. Let yourself get some sleep. Try not to think about this so much. Harry has been right about one thing, if nothing else." Dumbledore said, reaching out and putting a hand on Snape's shoulder.

"And what would that be?" Asked Snape, looking off.

"The sooner we can mobilize, the sooner we can rid the world of Tom Riddle. And the sooner that happens, the sooner you can stop putting yourself through the wringer for us." Dumbledore said.

"And become thoroughly useless." Snape added.

"Bawww, I'm Snape. I'm useless unless I'm a murdering spy! Bawww, I can't enjoy my job at Hogwarts because I'm bitter and can't let go of the past! Bawwww, why does Harry let a pass for killing? That's MY job!" Harry mocked.

"Harry, that is quite enough." Warned Dumbledore.

Snape got to his feet and leveled a tired glare at Harry, who just gave the man a bored look in return. "...Very well. But this isn't over, Potter. I've long since grown tired of seeing you get away with everything you want. Rest assured, that attitude will come back to bite you when you least expect it."

"Is that a threat, Snape?" Asked Harry.

"No, Potter. It's a promise." Snape said, eyes narrowing as he turned and slipped out of the room.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Author's Notes: Ahhhh, long chapters. This chapter was initially only going to be the bit starting from when the light clone appeared on Privet Drive. The whole radio station thing was spontaneous. But I didn't wanna split the chapter up like that. So I just made one really honkin' long one.

If this keeps up, my goal of topping Citadel's word count won't be tough to meet after all...

Harry's plans have been revealed - he's taking command of the situation as his birthday rapidly approaches. The question is whether Dumbledore and company plan to keep their word, or will Harry and his friends have to go it alone? The next chapter deals with the fallout from Harry's radio interview, including a visit from the Minister himself. The Weasleys and Hermione also finally arrive at Number Twelve. And, as one might expect, the Weasley matron is none too happy with what Harry's said. If you can't predict the outcome of that tangle-up, you need to go back and re-read a few bits of the last two books!

Seeya next time, kids.