Chapter 10
What happened after the Quidditch Match on Halloween spread like wildfire. Everybody had heard how the group found the deaths, the writings on the wall and how Dumbledore had lost control, accusing the least likeliest person there was, accusing Harry to be a murderer. More then half of the school believed in Dumbledore, especially since he had always been right. Still it was hard to make people believe that Dumbldore would think of anything of that sort to do with the Golden Boy.
Harry walked quickly towards Snape's office. He threw deadly glares at all the people who passed by him, whispering, talking and pointing.
"Scram all of you! I'm in a bloody foul mood now!" The people flinched, hurrying off, not daring to disappoint him. Ever since the deaths, which were more then 2 and a half months ago, people had been frightened of Harry, especially since they believed he was a murderer.
"I can't take this anymore! Being accused of a crime I didn't commit! Anymore of this, and I will become a murderer!" Harry had been enjoying this. He enjoyed the power he had over people.
Snape opened the office door.
"Come in Potter, I've been waiting." Harry nodded, entering the office, settleling himself comfortably on Snape's chair. Snape closed the door, placed on a silencing charm before turning towards Harry, bowing before him.
"What now Serveus? You do know that we should not be seeing each other so openly. May I remind you that I do know take Potions."
"I am aware of this." Snape said carefully. "But I just thought that young Master may be interested in some news."
"What sort?"
"Does young Master remember the fury Dumbldore had on Halloween?"
"Yes, how can I forget?"
"Well two days afterward, the Order had and emergency meeting…."
"Cruico!" Snape withered in pain. "Why wasn't I informed earlier?"
"Because….because…." no other words came out. Harry lifted the curse. "Because I, did not attend, I only heard Minerva and Molly talking about it yesterday, of course they don't know…"
Harry's brows rose.
"I think he's starting to become suspicious of me…. Albus"
"Is he?"
Snape nodded slowly. "I don't receive any information anymore or know about anything from the meetings. He's probably telling them to keep it away from me."
"This is definitely bad news, especially since there needs to be insider."
"I'm sorry young Master…."
Harry remained silent for a while.
"I'm highly disappointed….Cruico!!"
Snape cried out in pain, withering on the floor.
"Forgiveness young Master! I brought you the news, please forgive me…." He said between shouts of pain. Harry only laughed.
"You failed Snape, you failed an important task….lost trust…"
"I….I…"
"You will do better….?"
"Of course…."
Harry lifted the curse. "Very well, do not disappoint me again…." Snape bowed once more before leaving the classroom.
"Severus…" Snape stopped at being called by Dumbledore. Dumbledore studied his potions master from head to toe. "What happened to you?" he asked calmly. Snape looked at himself, he was indeed in horrible condition.
"Nothing…nothing…." Snape said backing away.
"Did Thomas do this?" The Headmaster asked suddenly.
"Who?" Snape asked innocently. "Sorry Albus no clue who that is." Dumbledore frowned.
"You know perfectly well."
Snape chose to ignore this and turned to leave.
"You better reconsider your loyalties Serverus. You do remember why you became spy for the Order?" Snape stopped.
"As a matter of fact I do. It was based on trust Dumbledore. What happened then I cannot deny and will always be in your debt. However things have changed. You do not trust me."
"I do."
"Then why was I uninformed of that Order meeting?"
"Because…."
"You do not trust me; you think I'm going to let information slip."
Dumbledore was speechless. "Of course I trust you. The only reason you were not informed about the Order meeting was because I thought you were busy trying to find inside sources…."
Snape snorted. "Then I will be there the next meeting? I will be informed?" The headmaster nodded, before walking away.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in…" Remus said. The door opened and in walked Harry.
"Hello Harry"
"Hey Moony…"
"Nice of you to drop by..."
"Actually I came to ask you something."
"Sure…."
"Do you mind talking somewhere private?"
"It's ok, we can talk here…" Lupin placed a silencing charm.
"Well um…I heard that there was an Order meeting after what happened last Halloween…."
Lupin's eyebrow rose. "Yes. Why? You know you're too young to know."
Harry gave him pleading eyes.
"Come on, Ron has his parents in the Order, he probably knows everything."
"I'm sure Arthur and Molly wouldn't say anything at all."
"You know very well that if dad and Sirius were alive, they won't keep anything from me." Lupin gripped onto Harry's shoulder. "Come on Moony, please. Please. You know very well that I'm the one who deserves to be in the Order. I've been through so much more then most of the adults."
"True…"
"It's not fair! I'm always in the dark. Everything happens to me, but I'm always the last to find out, sometimes when it's too late."
Lupin sighed. "Very well, but promise never to reveal any of this outside…."
"I swear…" Harry simply replied.
"Dumbledore has simply revealed to us that the new mark, the one we saw on Halloween, according to unknown sources belongs to Thomas Jerry Reapt Riddle…."
"Who's that?"
"He is believed to be Voldemort's son and his heir…."
So Dumbledore's told them…
"Did he mention me, embarrass both of us…."
"Well he mentioned that more people should watch over you, but left out the part about himself losing control…."
"Duh! He's making me look bad."
"Why would he do that?"
"Well maybe because I screwed his life last semester. After Sirius died…." Harry took in a deep breath, "I almost killed. I swear, I could have killed him. I wanted so badly to kill him. At first I thought it was because Voldemort possessed me, but then now I realize that it was because Sirius died."
"Harry…you wanted to kill Dumbledore?" Lupin asked softly, slightly surprised and disturbed. Harry nodded.
"Not only that, I screwed up his office."
Lupin sighed. "So you think he's saying that just to make you look bad, just to blame you for everything that's gone wrong?"
"Yes…"
"I see, if that is true, then I won't let it happen…."
"Thanks Moony…."
"Anyways, what else did Dumbledore talk about?"
"He said he's got a secret weapon, he says he's going to use it against Voldemort, but mainly Thomas."
"A secret weapon" asked Harry.
"Yes, he mentioned it, but did not mention what it was. Said, that the weapon would come in handy especially since Thomas really cares about whatever it is."
"So Dumbledore's planning to take something away from this Thomas and is going to use it against him?"
Lupin nodded. "That is all that I know…."
"I see…."
"I'll tell you more when I do have more information."
Harry nodded.
"Thanks, at least now I feel better, at least I know that Dumbledore has a plan to stop Thomas and Voldemort." Harry stood to leave.
"Harry" The boy turned to look at the werewolf. "This is just between the two of us alright?" Harry nodded.
"Of course, I'm not that stupid to get us both in trouble…."
Dumbledore sat behind his desk. He was deep in thought.
How am I supposed to stop him? How am I supposed to stop Thomas from committing another murderer? What can I do? It is my duty to protect Hogwarts. My duty to fight against Voldemort, to fight against Harry.
It brought pain to the old man, the pain of having to fight Harry.
True, Harry is Thomas and he is by far the next dark lord and most powerful wizard. However, it hurts to think I have failed; I had let Thomas walk the same path as his father. I had basically raised him, took him in since he was a small baby no older then 1. It hurts so much Harry, so much to see you turn dark.
"Professor…." Dumbledore pulled himself together surprised that Harry stood before him, surprised at how he had entered his office undetected.
"Harry, how did you enter? You've used dark magic again." he accused softly. Harry chuckled softly.
"You really think those small defensive spells are going to stop me?" Dumbledore shook his head.
"Not you or Tom, I doubt I can stop either of you now." his voice trailed off. "Yet those spells that I have put on are useful, it keeps unwanted visitors out so that I can have some solitude, solitude to think of happier times in the past." No one spoke for a while.
"Well, I suppose I'll come back later…."
"No!" Dumbledore replied immediately. "I don't mind having company; don't mind to be on speaking terms with you…."
"Then Professor…."
Why does he call me Professor again? Isn't he used to calling me Albus? What is it that Harry really wants?
Can I ask you a favor?" The headmaster seemed taken aback. "On Christmas…"
"What sort of favor?" "
Just yes or no, can you do me a favor, that is if I asked you a favor, would you do it?"
Dumbledore choose his words carefully.
"Depending on the favor, I will not step down from Hogwarts, I'll protect this place to the end, I will not cross over or doing anything of that sort."
Harry chuckled. "Alright…alright….Besides I didn't have anything of that sort in mind…."
The headmaster nodded slowly. "Very well…If it is to my ability…"
"Well you know um…Christmas, well Christmas is coming up…"
"and…"
"Well, I, well I was hoping if a ball could be set up."
"A Christmas Ball?"
"Yes…"
"Why…I thought you hate dancing, at least that is what Minerva told me. Thought you dreaded the Yule Ball…."
"Maybe, but can you please…please set one up…."
"You seem so eager…." He paused, and a thought crossed his mind. "Does this have anything to do with that fantastic seeker you saved the other day?"
Harry blushed. "Well Cho and I…Cho…Cho and I well we are…." Unable to put it into words, he nodded. To his surprise Dumbledore smiled.
"Very well Potter…" Harry's face darkened. "Very well Harry….very well…." Harry brightened up a bit.
"Thank you Professor…thank you…." With that Harry left the room, but before that, he heard the last line that Dumbledore spoke ever so softly.
"This is what sets you apart from Tom. It is what makes you strong, stronger then everyone else. Do me a favor Harry, don't put your love ones in danger for love is the strongest magic of all."
Dumbledore sat at his desk, his eyes followed Harry as he left. Suddenly, everything became clear. He had found his secret weapon, the weapon which would make Thomas think twice before trying to take over the wizarding world.
Harry, Ron and Hermione walked down to the Great Hall together.
"Guess what Harry?"
"What?"
"Next week is the beginning of the holidays."
"Yup, and so most of the school in leaving, we'll get to roam the school…."
"But you reckon its safe to stay that is with that attack on Halloween, what happens if there is another one?"
"Nah! There isn't going to be one Hermione. Besides the mud-muggles should be the ones who are afraid, I mean they are Voldemort's favorite target."
Hermione raised an eyebrow.. Ron pulled his sleeve.
"Um…Hermione is a muggle…"
"Whoops, forgot that. Sorry Hermione!" Harry said, as he patted her back.
"Yeah…yeah…whatever…"
Dumbledore stood up. The Great Hall fell silent.
"I have a special announcement" he looked directly at Harry. "It was by request from a certain Gryffindor Seeker…." All eyes darted onto Harry. "Who wanted celebrate Christmas with a certain Ravenclaw seeker….."
Thanks a lot Albus! Great, now the whole school knows because of you!
Harry turned pink. He looked at Cho who was staring at him. She turned away once her eyes met. Everyone looked from Dumbledore to Cho and then to Harry, who slumped slightly in his chair. Dumbledore himself continued.
"This year the first annual Christmas Ball will take place." The Hall went into a great uproar. Chattering sprouted everywhere.
"It is a time to spend time with love ones and a golden opportunity to interact with other houses .Similarly to the Yule Ball, this is only restricted to six and seven years." There was some booing, among the lower years, but stopped when Dumbledore waived his hand and food appeared. "Thank you…" he sat down to eat.
When everyone was done, Harry walked up to Dumbledore.
"Why the hell did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"You know, announce it that way! Now the whole school knows."
A hand patted his shoulder.
"So you going out with Cho.?" Lupin teased.
"I…I ….I…You see Dumbledore, now everyone knows! Thanks a lot!"
"Well you know Harry, that is how Albus is, he even announced James and Lily's wed…." Dumbledore coughed loudly.
"Remus!" he said sharply. Lupin ignored him.
"He totally embarrassed them in front of the whole school." Harry only nodded.
"Harry!" He turned to see Cho standing at the door, still red from blushing.
"Excuse me Professors…." Harry said as he and Cho left, hand in hand.
The staff stared at them in awe.
"So Dumbledore, why did you try to cut me off?" Remus asked.
"Because sometimes it is best that the past is not mentioned. Sometimes the past can be misleading. It is best not to be mentioned at all." he replied simply. "Harry's past is quite unpleasant. So why not just forget about it?"
"Maybe he had a rough past but…."
"Remus, don't linger on the past. It cannot be changed. What we must focus on is the present, and the future…."