"A Real Man Owes Up To His Mistakes"
February 1st, 1995
Hogwarts Castle, Scotland
Harry followed professor Snape who was leading him to Dumbledore's office. He was being called in for a disciplinary hearing regarding his actions the previous day. Harry was fully aware that he had stepped out of line, but then again, he wasn't the only one who had done so. The greasy–haired potionsmaster spoke the password to the gargoyle, and Harry followed him up the stairs. The two of them entered the round office, and Harry immediately noticed the people gathered.
What Harry assumed was the entirety of the Weasley family was there, with the matriarch, Molly if he remembered correctly, holding Ronald tightly. The girl, the twins, and two older boys were there as well, as was the patriarch, Arthur. Then there were a man and a woman, one on either side of Seamus Finnegan. There was a man sitting next to the third Gryffindor, Adam Bents as Harry had come to learn his name was, and finally, there was James Evans. Harry mused to himself internally. Even if they could have found his adopted mother, she couldn't have attended until the sun had set. Harry moved over towards James, but Snape held him back. Harry had a rising urge to swat the man's hand away, but he was in enough trouble as it was. His left hand's fading, purple swelling was proof of that.
"Harry, I must say, I am thoroughly disappointed in you," Albus said. "Not that I am only disappointed in you," he said as Harry opened his mouth to protest, and Albus sent strict, cold stares at each of the three Gryffindor culprits. "However, the parents of Amanda and Julie Newman have begged me to show you leniency. They have taken their twin daughters out of school for now, but asked me to extend you an invitation to their home at your leisure, so that they may thank you properly."
Harry gave the old man a stiff nod.
"That being said, the degree of your… physical punishment doled out to the three perpetrators is what is the most prominent issue. I will admit, if you had merely sent them running with minor bruises, I would have let you off without a slap on the wrist."
"Albus!" Molly Weasley hissed.
"Please let me speak, Molly," Dumbledore said calmly, yet there was the distinct element in his voice that told everyone that he would not tolerate interruptions again. "I am afraid that there is only one punishment that I can give you, Harry, and it is one that I am forced to give you with a heavy heart."
Harry already understood where this was going, and the apologetic look in the old man's eyes also told him that it wasn't Dumbledore's decision; it was the School Board's.
Albus stood and walked over to him and placed his hands on Harry's shoulders.
"Mr Harry James Potter," Dumbledore said tiredly. "It is with my utmost regret that I must inform you that you are expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Harry studied Dumbledore's eyes, but found only sorrow. No guilt. Harry nodded and placed a hand reassuringly on one of Dumbledore's.
"I understand, sir," Harry nodded.
There was no use in fighting it. If the School Board had called a vote to get him expelled, it was ironclad, and not even the headmaster could overturn their ruling. And it wasn't the end of the world. Now he could focus on his business, at least.
"There is also the matter of the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore said as he released the boy and took a few steps back. "Since you are still in the tournament by virtue of the Goblet of Fire, we will have to make you appear at the rest of the tasks, but you will be disqualified from them as soon as they start."
"Well, at least you finally found a way around my participation," Harry smirked.
Dumbledore smiled sadly.
"Finally, there is the matter of your wand."
Harry's heart skipped a beat, but he knew where this was headed.
"You want to destroy it," Harry muttered.
He caught Molly and Ronald's slightly victorious smirks, as well as those of Finnegan, Bents, and their parents.
"I have no such desire, my boy," Dumbledore shook his head, "but alas, it is my duty to make sure it is destroyed upon a student's expulsion. It pains my heart, Harry, but I have no choice."
Harry shot his wand into his hand, about to hand it over, but Dumbledore's surprised, wide eyes and his reflexive draw of his own wand made Harry react without the intent to. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore's was sailing through the air, and it was by sheer luck that Harry managed to catch it as he looked away, getting ready for it to hit him in the face. When he felt it land in his hand, he opened his eyes and saw, to his shock, surprise, and dread, the Elder Wand resting in his hand. He could feel the warm rush of the powerful artefact course up his arm and spread throughout his body, leaving him feeling pleasantly strong and mighty. His eyes flickered to Dumbledore, whom Harry could see carried the exact same feelings.
"Sir, I just reacted, please believe me!" Harry hurriedly apologised. "You drew your wand, and I–I–I–"
"Calm down, Harry," Dumbledore said with a strange resignation in his voice. "I reacted to your draw, too. It is equally my fault. Take good care of it."
Harry looked at him strangely.
"I need to destroy your ebony wand," Dumbledore said. "The board never mentioned my wand."
Harry took a deep breath of resignation, and then grabbed his ebony wand with both hands, one at each end. He looked at it longingly, and clenched his eyes shut as he tensed and he heard the audible snapping sound of the wooden stick. He took a deep breath before he opened his eyes again.
"May I at least keep the pieces?" Harry asked.
"Absolutely," Dumbledore nodded. "And you may keep my wand, as well. I have a spare," he said.
While everyone around them were shocked and surprised, the pieces that Dumbledore was telling only him fell into place.
The Elder Wand has a bloody history, and is usually gained from murder or theft, but I disarmed him… is it that easy to win the Wand's alliance?
Harry gently placed the Elder Wand in his holster, and stuffed the broken pieces of his old ebony wand with Rougarou hair in his pocket.
"But Albus!" Molly exclaimed loudly, clearly upset. "He still has a wand!"
"Which was never under discussion with the destruction of Harry Potter's wand," Dumbledore said calmly and walked around to sit back down in his chair. "Albus Dumbledore's wand was never mentioned."
Harry smiled inwardly, for he dare not make Dumbledore think he couldn't be trusted with the Wand. Truly, he had never considered taking it; he honestly had no interest in it. But if this was how things were going to go, then he wouldn't object to it. Especially since Dumbledore seemed to have conceded that Harry was fit to carry it.
"Harry, I wish you the best of luck in your future," Dumbledore said and nodded at him. "I hope to see you again under better circumstances."
"You as well, sir," Harry said with a nod of his own, and then looked at James.
James nodded and followed without a word as they left the office. Harry could hear Molly Weasley's disapproving ranting as the door closed behind them, but he just walked on, followed by his adopted father.
"Are you ready for more study–sessions?" Harry asked the man.
"Anytime," James replied. "I'll get the clock and meet you in your apartment tomorrow."
"Perfect," Harry said. "Thank you."
"What's the deal with that wand, anyway?" James asked. "You and Albus both looked like you would shit green pigs when you held it."
Harry looked at James with a surprised frown.
"Green pigs?"
"A Danish turn of phrase," James shrugged. "So, the wand?"
"Ever heard of the Elder Wand?"
"Yeah, it's the wand Death allegedly gave Antioch Peverell, right? The Deathstick, most powerful wand in the world, all that?"
"That's the one."
"What about it?"
Harry slipped the Elder Wand into his hand and showed it to James.
"It was in Dumbledore's possession?" James asked, curious.
"Indeed," Harry said. "He won it from Gellert Grindelwald in their famous duel in 1945."
"Interesting," James muttered. "Oh, well. In the end, it's just a wand, like any other."
"I think the whole moral of the story is that it isn't just any wand," Harry said with a chuckle.
"A wand is a wand," James said and grabbed Harry, stopping the boy and turning him to look at himself. "A great wand can't make a bad wizard great, nor can a great wizard make a poor wand great. Every wand is perfect for a small handful of people because they share characteristics and build off each other as they deepen their bond. There are wands good for charms, transfiguration, the Dark Arts, and many other things, just as there are wizards that are great at certain things. It's about striking the perfect balance, which might make it seem like a wand is particularly powerful, but only when used for that specific purpose; like attracts like. Can you think what kind of magic that makes the Elder Wand powerful? Why did the oldest brother in the story want the wand?"
Harry looked off in the distance, pondering the question.
"He wanted a wand that made him undefeatable," Harry finally concluded.
"Exactly," James said. "It's a duelling wand. Sure, it may generally empower magic, I've never wielded it. But the Elder Wand is said to make it's wielder unbeatable because it's a duelling wand and is sought after by duellers; again, like attracts like. But like I said, it's just a wand. How else could Dumbledore have defeated Grindelwald if the maniac had been undefeatable?"
"You've got a point," Harry muttered and nodded. He stuffed the Wand back in the sheath.
Harry and James walked across the courtyard and onto the bridge leading to the mainland, and they headed towards the gate, from where they would apparate away.
