6
Harry's control was starting to return as he seemingly glided up to the trembling Snape. The glow that was surrounding Harry slowly faded to what appeared to be lightning crackling over his body. Slowly he sank down on his knees in front of the cowering man, "You will not be getting the revenge that you desire, my fight is with Voldemort as it was meant to be." Looking into the wide eyes of the Headmistress, he added. "He is yours to deal with, he is not worth losing control over."
With these words, the others within the room seemed to come out of their trances and stunned the remaining Death Eaters before they had a chance to recover. All in all 12 Death Eaters were taken into custody, including Severous Snape. Once the Ministry had been informed and the statements had been taken it was nearly Midnight.
As the last Death Eater was led out in shackles, the attention was again focused on Harry as he stood alone against the wall. McGonagall had asked Harry to come to her office in the morning and then had dismissed everyone to their common rooms. Nobody seemed to want to be the first to leave though, so Harry's friends hesitantly made their way over and led Harry towards the Gryffindore common room. This seemed to get everyone moving as they slowly headed to their perspective dorms, casting awed looks over at Harry as they passed.
Noting the looks, Harry kept his head down until everyone were safely in his dorm, as there had been a crowd waiting for him in the common room. Draco was the first to break the silence. "What happened to you? You look so different and that power was...well, I don't know...I've never heard or seen anything like it before."
Ginny cast an angry glare at Draco before she sat down next to Harry on the bed. "Harry, I know that you probably don't want to talk about anything right now so you can tell us in the morning. We deserve to know though, and we are still your friends no matter what."
Looking gratefully at her, he smiled at his friends before curling up in his bed and falling into an exhausted sleep. Smiling softly, Hermione and Ginny left for their own rooms as Ron and Draco stood watching Harry some more before heading over to their own beds.
"I knew that he would always be powerful, but that was something else entirely. Why do you suppose he looks so much older? I didn't even recognize him at first and I have known him for years." Ron muttered as he changed into his pajamas, Draco just shook his head in bewilderment and pulled his hanging closed.
The next morning, Harry woke to find his friend's beds empty. He quickly dressed and showered before heading down to Professor McGonagall's office for their scheduled meeting. The halls were silent and empty as he walked through, the only sign of life he had seen all morning was the small group of first years he had passed in the common room earlier. When he reached the gargoyle that guarded the Headmistresses office, he automatically began to think of what strange candy may be the password today. To his disappointment, the gargoyle leaped to the side before he even had a chance to speak.
Riding the revolving stone stairs to the top, he began to think of the best way to explain his appearance and his actions the other day. He only hoped that Mad Eye would be there to help take some of the heat. Stepping through the door once McGonagall beckoned him through, he started as he realized that nearly the entire Order was present as well as a few ministry officials and all of his friends plus Neville and Luna. At Harry's shocked face, McGonagall slowly smiled from behind her new desk as she beckoned him to sit amongst his friends.
"Harry, I'm afraid this may have come as a surprise to you, as you were no doubt expecting a one on one meeting with me. But as you can see, the Ministry as well as the Order of the Phoenix felt it was in their best interests as well to appear for an explanation first hand. I invited your friends to come to take some of the pressure off, as they deserve an explanation as well. Mad Eye should be here as well, but he seems to be running a little late this morning." McGonagall began.
Just as she finished, Mad Eye limped through the door behind Harry hauling a group of tied of Death Eaters behind him, making every care to bang their bruised bodies against every edge that he could as he passed. Spotting Harry, he smiled wickedly before pushing the unlucky group to the ground before everyone.
"It seems that you forgot a few of your practice dummies yesterday. I am assuming, mind you, that due to their state you have already dwelt with them. I found these idiots tied up in an abandoned classroom a few minutes ago." Moody grinned evilly down upon the quivering figures. At the sight of the gnarled grimace that he cast upon them, the group yelped in fear as they cowered together in a failed attempt to escape from the sight of the disfigured ex-auror.
"You did what! You left these deatheaters tied up in a classroom all night? What if they had escaped? They could have killed us all in our beds!" McGonagalls features had gone a pasty white as she yelled at Harry.
Harry just smiled serenely as he glared down at the black robed captives before speaking in a voice that left no argument.
"They would not have escaped. Only Voldemort himself could break the bonds I put on them." He replied slowly
"You seem sure of your self Potter, did your victory yesterday already go to your head?" Minister Scrimgeour hissed as he stepped forward.
Looking up, Harry coldly glared back at the Minister, inevitably sending chills down everyone's spine as he did so. "You have no idea what I have gone through the last couple of days. What has been merely days for you have been nearly two years of training for me."
The Minister backed down instantly as he stared into the chilling emerald eyes before him. No one else seemed to want to invoke Harry after that.
McGonagall sighed deeply as she watched the scene play out before her. "Harry, I believe it is time you told us what happened to you. What you did yesterday showed an amount of power that few have seen since Dumbledore was in his prime. And I have reason to believe that you were holding back as well. Would you mind enlightening us?"
The look that she gave Harry clearly stated that she expected the full story at a later time, for now she just wanted enough to keep the ministry happy.
"Very well, there is a dimensional gate that is known to only a select few. This gate acts as a form of the Room of Requirements, meaning, it will give the user what they desire at that time. For me, it was a place to train in a different time frame. I will not tell you where or how to access this room." Harry pointedly stared at the Minister at this point. "But what I can tell you is that I was able to train and strengthen my powers through this aid, I feel that I can now face Voldemort without having to rely on just luck. When he marked me with this scar on my forehead when I was a baby, he marked me as his equal. I think it is safe to say that with all of the times I have gone up against him; it is quite obvious that it will happen again. I am now nineteen years of age due to the time difference within that realm, and no longer fall under the underage category for the wizarding or muggle world."
To say that everyone was shocked was an understatement. The minister had gotten a greedy look about him before Harry had stated that he would in no way tell them how to access the gate.
It was clear to everyone present that Harry would not comment further as to the course of the last two years. But the gist of the story had been enough to satisfy most. At this point, a small whimper was heard from the ground. Looking down, everyone's attention was once again focused on the bound Deatheaters before them.
"You…your Harry!" Smith whispered in horror, realization still dawning on his pointed facial features as he and his companions once again attempted to scuttle across the floor. The pressure of facing the powerful being whom had destroyed his squad leader became to much for the small traitor, as his eyes rolled back into his head in a dead faint.
"I see that you have successfully broken him, good work Harry." Mad Eye said in obvious pride.
"Oh, did I forget to mention, Mad Eye Moody was the one that trained me during those two years?" Harry smiled slyly as he spoke, and he grinned maliciously at the groans this statement caused from the gathered audience.
Standing up from his chair, Harry turned to McGonagall. "If that is all, may I be excused?"
"Very well, thank you for your time Mr. Potter." McGonagall waved her hand distractedly as the Order and the gathered ministry officials began to bombard her and Mad Eye with questions.
Turning to leave, Harry glanced at his friends as a silent message passed between them. Striding to the door, his friends quickly followed creating a barrier against an irate Minister as he attempted to follow Harry out the door.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Following silently behind Harry, his friends followed him up to the seventh floor and waited patiently as he paced three times before the stretch of wall that housed the room of requirements. Following him inside, Hermione couldn't hold back any longer.
"Alright Harry, tell us everything, and no leaving a single detail out, or I swear…" Hermione trailed off with her fists clasped tightly around an invisible neck.
Harry's eyebrows threatened to disappear into his hairline as everyone stared at Hermione in surprise at the uncharacteristic show of aggression. Feeling that he had better explain everything quickly for the sake of his health, Harry ran through his training leaving nothing out, but downplaying his abilities to a point. He trusted is friends with his life, but there were some things that he didn't feel comfortable sharing with everyone.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Ginny starring at him pointedly. He knew she would be the one that he would tell everything to, she knew him better than even Ron and Hermione did.
Finally contented with his answers, Hermione grabbed Ron's hand and pulled him towards the exit as Luna and Neville got up to leave as well. Draco was still sitting on his beanbag chair lost in thought.
"Neville, Luna, I'm sorry that I haven't involved you as much as the others lately. But seeing you there for me in McGonagall's office reminded me of how much you two have been there for me as well. I am sorry for being so distant to you two lately." Harry sighed as he looked up into their blue eyes.
"It's ok Harry, we understand. Just know that we will always be there for you when you need us, through thick and thin." Neville answered with a smile as Luna agreed by nodding her head in a dreamy way.
Draco rose to his feet as well, but with a pensive look still in his eyes. "I have some more questions for you, but I'll ask them when I have had time to think over everything."
"Alright, I'll answer them the best that I can when you want me too. Ginny, can you stay behind for a while? I haven't really seen you for two years." Harry added shyly but with a small smile.
"Ha, you couldn't drag me away from you Mr. Potter, not after hearing about everything you have been through." Ginny replied haughtily throwing her nose up in the air in mock play, successfully breaking the tension that had built up in the room within the last half hour.
Laughing at her antics, the others went their separate ways as they passed through the door. Turning to Ginny, Harry smiled softly as he pulled her close and kissed her. A few minutes of making out put Harry in considerably better spirits. And he was able to tell Ginny exactly what happened over the last few days, or years depending on the view.
He had expected her to be upset, but not calm and collected up until the end. Although right after he finished with his narrative she had laid into him only to make him promise that he would let her know whenever he decided to do something like that again or let her come with him. He immediately agreed due to the fact that he didn't think that she would let him walk out of the room in one piece if he disagreed. Powerful or not, you do not mess with an angry Weasley woman if you know what's good for you.