Disclaimer: You know the deal: None of it is mine.

So, here we are again, at the beginning of another chapter. I enjoyed all of the feedback from the last chapter. (I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!) I am so glad that you all like my story! Indiegurl2008 is going to be beta reading my stories again, so they shouldn't have so many mistakes anymore (sorry about that).

I have no idea why I did that to Fred and George (dramatic effect really). But I couldn't resist putting a price on Sev's head. (Hehehe!) Sorry it is taking so long to update, but I'm back in school now, so I have loads of homework.

And if any of you want to talk to me on yahoo messenger, the address in on my author info. page It was created especially for you all. Feel free to use it; I really look forward to talking to you all.

To my wonderful reviewers:

The-Bass-Player312- That hurricane was a big washout. It didn't even rain here, can you believe it? It burned out mostly in Florida. Glad that you liked the story. Hope you don't like Fred and George too much. (Even though I do). Go figure. Try and guess to what that means.

Pure Black- Thank you for the wonderful assessment Mr. Black (guess where I got that from).

Shelly101- glad that you liked it. Here's more.

Texasjeanette- glad that you liked it so much.

Lady Lily 3- Here's more. I've been trying to make longer chapters. (In fact, I think that the last one was my longest one yet). Not sure though. I'll have to check on that.

Awen- Thank for the compliment. It's not going to end yet.

Indiegurl2000- you changed your name, didn't recognize it at first. I'll be sure to send you more of my story so you can check it for errors. Thanks so much.

Lady Zee- thanks. I will

Marauders Lover- glad that you like it so far.

Volleypickle16- thanks for another positive review.

Lyss33- so glad that you enjoyed it. Glad that you liked that I brought Sirius back, too.

ParanoiaIn2005- don't worry about the rambling (I tend to do that too). Thanks for the fun review, and the condolences.

And to anyone who didn't review: Thanks for reading this story. And even if you may have some critical words to say, feel free. Just don't be mean about it please!

Chapter 25: Speaking with Dumbledore

Harry was awake when the Headmaster came in the next morning. The rest of the house was still asleep, with Sirius still by his bedside. Harry didn't even notice that anyone had entered the room until he heard Sirius being shaken awake. He looked over and saw the kindly old headmaster, telling Sirius that he would like a word with Harry, privately. Sirius was too tired to protest, and got up and slowly made his way to his own room.

"Hello, Professor Dumbledore," Harry whispered hoarsely from his bed.

"Hello, Harry. Glad to see you are actually awake this time." Dumbledore sat down in the now unoccupied chair by Harry's bed. Harry struggled to sit upright in the bed, and the headmaster grabbed him gently around the shoulders, and helped him up.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Professor Dumbledore?"

"I felt it was time for another talk, Harry. You do not know how relieved I am to see you alive and recuperating. We caught Lucius Malfoy, if you are interested in knowing."

"Really? I'm glad. Too bad the dementors won't suck him dry of his soul."

"Harry, do you really think anyone deserves such a fate?"

"He does. While I was sleeping these past few days, I've had visions of what has happened at Death Eater meeting. It's terrible. He has no consideration for human life. To him, it's all a game. He doesn't deserve to live."

"Can we really decide that?" Dumbledore asked. "Is it our place? Maybe there is a higher power that judges these situations, and we should let the deciding be to that force."

"Or maybe we should take care of it ourselves, and finish him off. He'll only escape again, and then kill more people; more muggles who can't fight back, and those fighting against Voldemort."

"I know. We will decide what we will do to him at his trial."

"Fudge isn't still in charge, is he?"

"No, he's not. A new minister is going to be elected soon. Malfoy will be tried as soon as the minister is elected."

"I hope that this one has more common sense than Fudge."

"I am most certain they will be," Dumbledore said, a shimmer of a twinkle in his eyes, which had up until that minute been tired and sad.

"You know who will be elected, don't you?" Harry questioned anxiously. "Who is it?"

"I know who is running for the office, and I have every confidence in them that they will get elected. Until then, that is all I will say." But Dumbledore had a slight grin on his face. He would not change his mind, though; he would not tell Harry anything more of that subject.

"So, how are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked, changing the subject.

"Just peachy," Harry replied sarcastically. "Seriously, I feel better than I did yesterday."

"That's good. I'm very relieved. And how did you and Professor Snape manage during the time I left the two of you together? Was it truly as bad as you thought?"

"No, I suppose it wasn't."

"That's good. You must realize, Harry, that I would do nothing to intentionally harm you. That is another thing I would like to discuss with you. I am truly sorry for leaving you with the Dursleys all these years. I truly never knew."

"That is partially my fault. I never told."

"I should have kept a better eye on you and your household. If I had of, you never would have gone through years of toil at their hands." A tear formed in his eye.

"It's not as bad as you think it was. I survived. I'm stronger because of it." Dumbledore and Harry fell into silence for a while. "No one told me that Professor Snape was ever married," Harry commented.

"That's because no one really knows," Dumbledore said softly. "He lived in Dublin at the time that happened, and didn't tell anyone when he got married. I only learned about it when he visited England for a few days not long before she died. Have you seen her picture? She really was a lovely girl, very sweet too. I met her once."

"Why didn't he tell anyone?"

"He thought no one would care. At school, he hadn't been popular, and his family didn't really care about him. So, they had a small wedding and invited only her family and a few close friends of theirs. When she died, he turned to me to help him get his vengeance. I told him he could become a spy, since most of his old friends from school had become Death Eaters, and it would seem very likely that he would be one also. He agreed very willingly. At first, I think he wished that he would get caught and killed just so he could be with her once more. Eventually, though, he learned how much he was helping us by just being there at most of the meetings."

"Is that why he always acts as he does? Because the one person he really loved died?"

"Partially, He also has to distance himself because of his spy status. Well, at least he did."

"How did Voldemort react to my getting away again?"

Dumbledore looked at him very seriously. "He is very angry. Angry especially that Severus outsmarted him, and that he relied so heavily on our spy. He placed very high prices on both of your heads."

"Really? How much am I worth?"

"A few million galleons."

"Wow. Don't I feel special?"

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "Madame Pomfrey thinks you'll be up and around in a little over a week. Rest and I'll be back in to talk to you any time I can, and that you want me around."

"You're always welcome to come."

Dumbledore rose and left, leaving Harry temporarily alone. Harry felt tired, and weak, although he wouldn't admit it to anyone. He stood up on shaky legs, and leaned on the windowsill. The sun felt so good on his face. He couldn't help but pull the window open just a crack, and feel the breeze on his face. He looked down at his arms and saw how pale he had become because of his illness. He would need to work on a tan.

Being in bed was driving him crazy. 'I'll prove to them I am not as sick as they think,' he thought. He took two steps away from the window, and the world swam. He reached out for support, but found nothing. His breathing became more labored, and he couldn't seem to get the oxygen there quickly enough. His heart sped up, trying to get the oxygen to where it needed to be in his body. He felt a copper tasting liquid make its way into his throat, and realized it was blood. Darkness clouded his vision, and he fell into the darkness.

Downstairs, Snape heard a thud. Not telling anyone else, he ran upstairs and opened the door. Harry was lying unconscious on the wooden floor, blood leaking from his mouth. Snape rushed downstairs and got help, not knowing if it would be too late.

A/n: Sorry it is so short. I don't know what else to put in this particular chapter. Sorry it is taking so long to update, but I don't have much time lately. Please r/r.