Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Now leave me alone to sulk in the corner...

Author's Note: ...ok... I really mean it this time... now that the weekend is over, I probably won't be updating every day. So don't freak out on me or anything.

Harry appeared back in his room after Jonathan assured him that he would be back tomorrow in order to help him decide what to do. There were so many possibilities… of course his decision would be influenced by the fact that he still had Voldemort to worry about. Had that particular threat not hung over him, Harry thought he might like to try his hand at creating new spells. From what he saw earlier it looked like a lot of fun, and slightly dangerous as well… but what was life without a little danger.

The same portkey he'd used earlier this morning rested in his hand now, Jonathan had charmed it to take him back to his room. He flipped it over in his hand a couple of times, it resembled a galleon from farther away… but looking closer he could see that the inscription on it was different, 'Life Is an Enigma, Providing Infinite Questions and No Answers. We Do Not Seek Recognition, Only Illumination. Solving the Riddles of Life Since 923 A.D.', there was also a picture of the Greek Goddess, Athena, engraved into it. He hadn't realized that the Department of Mysteries had been around for so long… then again, he hadn't even known that it existed until recently.

After his long day, all Harry wanted to do was go to sleep. He pocketed the coin and began taking off his beat up shoes; he really needed to get some new ones. Not bothering to look, he tossed them off the bed… his room couldn't get much messier anyway.

But to his surprise, he heard an, 'Oof…' with a loud thump following.

He turned his head quickly… to find Albus Dumbledore smiling up at him from his floor whilst rubbing his forehead.

Before he could say anything, not that he would have been able to think of anything anyway, Dumbledore chuckled and began, "That will teach me to come in without knocking… Though I did figure that you would not mind as your door was already open."

Harry sat there stunned… He'd thumped Albus Dumbledore on the head with a shoe! He realized that he needed to say something at least, "err… sorry sir, I didn't see you there."

"It's quite alright my boy… believe it or not, this is not the first time," Dumbledore said as he stood up and dusted off his purple robes.

He was curious but decided not to ask. "Professor… why are you here exactly?"

"Ah, yes… well, I was sitting in my office eating lemon drops when one of my many trinkets started acting up, the one that monitors the wards around your home. I tried whacking it a few times to get it to work… I believe that muggles sometimes use the same technique on their tele-fissions. When it continued malfunctioning I decided that it might be prudent to check that you were o.k." Dumbledore reached up to straighten his glasses and scratch his beard, "when I arrived, I was surprised to find nobody home. So I immediately set the available Order members to the task of finding you… Then a short while ago Fawkes contacted me… well, he actually popped in and kidnapped me right out of a meeting with Severus." Dumbledore chuckled, "Oh, I bet he's a bit befuddled right now… ah yes, Fawkes took me to my office. The ward monitor was working correctly at that point so I figured that you may be back from wherever you had gone to… and here I am."

"Oh…" Harry didn't really expect such a thorough… or strange answer.

"Not that it's any of my business Harry, but I am immensely curious as to where you were." Dumbledore was scratching his head at the edge of his hat with one of his long fingers.

Harry didn't know how to answer, "Well sir, I'd like to tell you… but I'm not so sure that I can." Harry really did look confused.

"Hmm… how interesting, did you by chance swear some sort of secrecy oath, or were you unaware of where you were?"

Harry was about to tell him that he'd sworn an oath… but no sound came out of his mouth. He looked pleadingly up at Dumbledore, who just nodded in response.

"Yes, as I thought… I assume that this had nothing to do with Lord Voldemort, as I can't imagine him letting you go so soon… and I doubt that you wouldn't require a visit to St. Mungo's after being victim to his unique sort of hospitality." Harry didn't think that he'd ever seen the headmaster smirk before… it was definitely a strange sight.

"No sir, nothing to do with Voldemort."

"Well that leaves very few options… either you were abducted by aliens and subjected to various experimentations or… oh, maybe there is a girl?" Dumbledore raised his eyebrows suggestively and Harry… well, he choked.

After his coughing fit had subsided Harry corrected him, "Ah… no sir, not currently at least."

Dumledore furrowed his brow for a moment before a knowing look came over his face. "Ah well, I suppose it is unimportant now that you are here and safe. Do you foresee anymore of these… mysterious disappearances in the near future?"

"Umm… most likely sir."

"Ah, then I suppose that I will have to disregard any future instances such as this one… Tell me Harry, have you thought about what classes you plan to take next year?"

The twinkling in Dumbledore's eye was making Harry nervous… and the fact that he didn't really want to tell the headmaster that he didn't plan on going back to Hogwarts probably contributed as well, "I haven't really thought about it much yet Professor."

"Yes, well… I heard from Professor McGonagall that you aspire to one day become an auror, a worthy goal if I do say so myself."

Harry shook his head, "I'm not so sure anymore."

"I'm sure that your friends will support you no matter what course of action you undertake." Harry thought that this comment was overly dramatic for talking about which classes he would be taking, but marked it up to Dumbledore's insanity… He was a headmaster; maybe he really did see those sorts of decisions as spectacular.

They continued to talk about inconsequential things such as Harry's past adventures for a while, Dumbledore promised that he wouldn't get in trouble for telling him. Harry learned that the headmaster had been quite a troublemaker in his youth as well. "In fact," he said, "I held the record for most accumulative amount of time spent in detention, even more that the Weasly twins, until your father broke it… in his fourth year. I was a bit disappointed, but those were some very interesting years. I doubt that anybody will ever come close to breaking it again… maybe I should put up a plaque outside of Mr. Filch's office. I'm almost certain he would appreciate it." Dumbledore winked at Harry as he finished.

Harry confirmed his earlier thoughts of Dumbledore being touched in the head, but he was enjoying hearing more about his father… even if it was something he'd heard before.

Eventually Dumbledore got up from his chair… chair? Harry hadn't even noticed him conjuring one… Anyways, eventually Dumbledore got up from his chair and said that it was time for him to leave, "I'm not as young as I used to be… did I ever tell you about the time that I stayed up for two straight weeks?"

Harry shook his head.

"No? We'll save it for another time then," he said, "and now, if you will excuse me, I will be on my way."

Harry got up from where he was sitting on the bed, "Umm… goodbye Professor, I expect I'll see you soon."

Dumbledore nodded, "I expect you shall… You're parents would be very proud of you Harry, as should we all be… though I doubt you would ever hear Professor Snape say that." Dumbledore stood there and smiled down at the younger boy… and disappeared in a flash of fire.

Harry stared at the spot the old man had left from. His last words had really struck deep within him… his parents really would be proud of him… he was taking his destiny into his own hands, Merlin! He was being recruited by the Unspeakables… and he wasn't even done with school yet! He wished that he could talk to his parents, if only for a short while, to see if he was doing the right thing. He knew it was impossible however, and it was all because of Voldemort… Harry would stop him no matter what it took.

He sighed and sat back down on the bed.

Jonathan Lovegood was going to come by again tomorrow to take him back the Department of Mysteries. Harry had already decided that he would have to join the task force to get the kind of training he needed to beat Voldemort… he would need to ask what kind of specialized positions were available. One thing he knew is that he did not want to be part of a team… he could put his own life on the line, but anybody else would be a distraction. The training mission he'd participated in earlier in the day reinforced the thought.

Harry looked at the clock on his wall. It was already pretty late, Dumbledore had stayed over for much longer than it had seemed… but he'd enjoyed talking with the old man. As long as he wasn't spouting off prophecies or telling him to behave, he really was a cool guy… if a bit insane.

He lay back on the bed. This had been one of the craziest days he'd ever had, never in his wildest dreams would he have ever thought that he'd be an Unspeakable… or that the Quibbler had been telling the truth all along.

There was another bright flash of light and Harry sat up thinking that Dumledore must have forgotten something… to find a note… sitting on the latest issue of the Quibbler.

The note was from Dumbledore…

Harry,

It pleases me to see that you have become a part of something so great.

I also want you to know that your secret will always safe with me if you

ever need advice. I know that I said that your parents would be proud

of you, but I did not tell you that I am also proud of you. You have

grown into a fine young man.

Albus Dumbledore

p.s. In case you were not already aware, Hogwarts accepts visitors

on any day of the week.

p.p.s. I believe that your friends would not be adverse to the idea of

you visiting them as often as possible.

Harry smiled at the thinly veiled hints in the letter. Of course he would visit his friends whenever he could… he'd probably learn all kinds of new ways to prank people in the Department of Mysteries, and now he couldn't get in trouble because he wouldn't be a student. His smile grew as thoughts of causing Malfoy and Snape all kinds of problems ran through his head.

He put down the note and picked up the Quibbler. He flipped through it until an article caught his eye…

Toxic House Cat Ravages Thirteen Ministry Employees, Department under Quarantine Until a Cure Can Be Found

By, Edward Flangerabble

In a recent, freak incident, thirteen ministry employees were attacked by what seemed at first to be a common house cat. It turns out however that some which or wizard illegally altered the cat, causing it to fire high speed, toxic hairballs at anyone unlucky enough to come in close contact with it. The owner of the cat was not available for comment, being one of those under strict quarantine after the attack. The minister has not yet made any statement on the attack and it is our impression that he may be trying to keep the whole ordeal quiet by paying off the victims' families. An expert at St. Mungo's offered no explanation, claiming the she had, 'never heard of anything like it.' Until a cure is found, we can only hope that those involved in the tragic attack will hold on.

By the end of the article, Harry was in tears… If he hadn't known it to be true then he never would have believed it.