Chapter 43 - Harry and Dumbledore argue...again.
"I am here" Harry groaned as he entered Dumbledore's office with McGonagall following behind him, he had been hoping to ignore the headmaster for the rest of the year but apparently the old man couldn't take the hint and even had McGonagall pull him out of potions class. Harry had just decided to finally go and get this over with. As he entered the room he saw Dumbledore behind his desk. "You know, I would not be suprised if you had some porn under your desk."
"Mr Potter!" McGonagall said.
"Alright, alright, jeez, it was a joke." Harry rolled his eyes "For god's sakes woman, calm down. I highly doubt the headmaster's had any in years, unless you really are the ass kisser I think you are."
"That will be enough Mr Potter" Dumbledore said, no twinkle in his eyes or humour on his face.
"I agree, a large amount of porn will probably kill you off at your age."
"I am not joking Mr Potter."
"I am," Harry smiled "this is fun, your turn."
"Professor McGonagall, perhaps it's best that you go" Dumbledore said to McGonagall who have a stiff nod to Dumbledore and a glare to the back of Harry's head before walking off "Mr Potter you murdered Dolores Umbridge in front of the whole wizarding world. What on Earth made you think that was a good idea?"
"Umbridge? You're still on that?" Harry asked with disbelief "I'm pretty sure even her family have stopped caring now, if she had any, if she did then I'd imagine that they probably lost their thank you card."
"You cannot claim that this was self-defence like all of your other killings."
"No, it wasn't, it was just revenge. She harmed one of my family and threatened the other, if we're being honest then she would still be alive if you did your job properly and kept your teachers in line."
"Mr Potter, you cannot blame this on me. She was here at the request of the minister and you did not inform the staff, neither did Miss Riddle."
"Yeah," Harry conceded the point "she was upset and I was pissed. I'm still going to blame you though...it's fun and I prefer it to blaming myself."
"If that's what you wish to do then fine, but perhaps you can also explain your decision to not fight Voldemort."
"It's simple enough, isn't it?" Harry asked. "He stays away from me and my family and I stay away from him. I have enough problems dealing with the crazy assassins, I don't really feel the need to add Voldemort to it."
"Mr Potter, he will kill and slaughter innocent people." Dumbledore reminded.
"Then stop him" Harry said as if Dumbledore was missing the answer to a very easy question.
"Mr Potter, only you can defeat Voldemort"
"Say's who? You?"
"No, before you were born a prophecy was made, it states that you're the only one capable of defeating Voldemort" Dumbledore said, he didn't want to reveal the prophecy so early but he was hoping that it was what was needed to get Harry to help.
"A prophecy? Really? Divination? You think a prophecy is..."
"It doesn't matter what I think" Dumbledore said, cutting off Harry "but Voldemort believes it to be true and he has heard the first part of the prophecy."
"Okay, I'll bite, how?"
"The prophecy was told to me when I was interviewing for the divination post," Dumbledore began explaining "I had a meeting at the Hogshead bar with a woman named Sybil Trelawny"
"You mean the drunk idiot who currently teaches the class?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. "Alright, let's pretend that I believe this woman made a prophecy, perhaps you can tell me it."
"Mr Potter, I am not entirely sure you are ready to..."
"Dumbledore" Harry cut him off "you will tell me the prophecy right now or I will bend you over this desk and kick you firmly in-between your old, skinny, chicken legs and then go over to the department of mysteries and listen to it there."
"Very well" Dumbledore sighed "the prophecy goes like this, 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...'. Voldemort has only heard the first two lines, I believe he is currently trying to break into the department of mysteries so he can hear the rest." Dumbledore became silent, waiting for Harry's answer, eventually he got it.
"Well that's some bullshit" Harry said "I mean really? Instead of preparing against him you're banking on a bloody prophecy of all things? You deserve whatever happens to you if that's the case."
"Mr Potter, you..."
"Who was the spy?" Harry asked suddenly.
"That is not important."
"That is bullshit." Harry replied. "If there was a spy then you would'#e tried to work out who it was. Who was the spy Dumbledore? Do not make me ask again."
"It was Snape" Dumbledore sighed.
"Of course it was" Harry let out a humourless laugh "I mean the dude joins the death eaters and tells Voldemort part of this 'important prophecy' and then you just let him join you and terrorise students for years until he ends up mind raping the wrong one. Bravo Dumbledore, you know with brains like yours I am surprised that Voldemort didn't already win the war before I was born."
"Voldemort believes in the prophecy, he will come after you."
"Look if he refuses my offer then I will fight him but until then he is not my problem." Harry responded "I have made it abundantly clear that I am not a hero."
"Mr Potter, I've understood that but until recently I didn't expect you to be a villain."
"A villain?" Harry laughed "You think I'm a villain?"
"What else should I call a boy who so easily kills people?" Dumbledore responded "Who so easily harms people? A boy who so easily harms and kills and sleeps the same day without a single hour of sleep lost?"
"You should call him a result of your stupidity." Harry replied "You had one job, make sure I was safe yet you fucked that up and I ended up with abusive muggles then Libra. I am what I am Dumbledore, I don't understand what you want from me. What were you expecting when I came to Hogwarts? A typical Gryffindor? A shy Hufflepuff? Perhaps an evil Slytherin?"
"I was expecting a kind boy." Dumbledore shot back, anger and disappointment on his face. "I expected a kind hearted boy who perhaps had his father's smile, perhaps his mother's kindness, perhaps a few faults but I was hoping for something better than what I've got! Even if you weren't a saviour, I wanted at least someone who didn't delight in cruelty! I know how you gladly shoved Mr Malfoy's face into a fire and laughed! I saw how you did not hesitate with killing at the world cup or using dark curses against Voldemort! Those spells are dark for a reason!"
"I think the fact that they kill people might be a factor" Harry commented but was ignored as Dumbledore's rant continued.
"As for Umbridge, she may have been evil, but she should have been taken to trial and sent to Azkaban!"
"Yeah but that wouldn't be as fun" Harry smirked.
"Fun?!" Dumbledore demanded "The pain and suffering of others is fun for you?!"
"Depends on who it is" Harry answered honestly.
"You are a cruel, evil boy!"
"Yep" Harry nodded before giving a small shrug "why do you think that is?"
"What?!"
"Why do you think I am the way I am? Do you think I was born with the love of hurting other people? I certainly didn't stab anyone when I was a baby...unless I did and my parents managed to cover it up...anyway, I didn't always enjoy violence. Look at animals, mother bear teaches her cubs to hunt, mother bird teaches her children to fly. I was taught to enjoy violence. That's what happens at Libra, you have options. You either become an emotionless drone or you learn to enjoy it or you die. They couldn't have defective products, I was rather attached to my emotions believe it or not. And, surprisingly, I didn't fancy dying. I enjoy it because it's what I was taught to enjoy.
I've been trained by fighters and killers to be a fighter and killer. I am what I am. Natural physical, mental and magical strength combined with the Libra environment made me what I am. That's one of the reasons I hate it here, I feel like a dragon forced to wear clothes and shoved into a pen with a flock of sheep. While they were off enjoying birthday parties, I was off either training or trying not to die."
"Mr Potter, I..."
"And don't you dare bring my parents into this." Harry cut him with a cold voice "My parents were funny and smart and kind because they didn't grow up somewhere where kindness would be considered a weakness only to escape and have the first person who is truly kind to them judged for something she had no control over. If my parents were in the same situation as me they'd either be dead or just like me. Even you, you can sit there and lecture me from high up in your ivory tower in your little office with your books and gadgets and magical phoenix, you can lecture me on how I live and how I act but I know damn well that you can only do so because you aren't in my position!
You have been sitting in this school enjoying the money and fame that is provided since you're Albus bloody Dumbledore, defeater of Grindelwald and headmaster and in possession of at least two important government positions. You know nothing about my life nor do you know anything about what I've done, what I've seen, what I've had to do and yet you act like you're better than me. If you were the same age as me, born in the exact same circumstances then I would bet that you'd be worse than me. You sound like a child. 'Oh, killing is bad' and 'that magic is dark', you're so old yet you're still so incredibly naïve.
If you were in my position then I bet that you'd be one of those Libra men that would kill and kill without any remorse because that's what you would've been taught. I bet you would enjoy it."
"You're wrong" Dumbledore said in a firm voice as he glared at Harry.
"And you can only say that because you aren't in my position." Harry glared back "What? You think that you're better than me just because you didn't kill when given the opportunity? I don't think you're better than me. Yeah I do bad shit to bad people but I never harm people I think don't deserve it, because if I did then I would've killed half the school by now. Even in Libra, I refused to kill sometimes and I got punished for it. If you were me then you would've just killed each and every time and sat down like a dog before waiting to be patted on the head. I might be evil depending on who you ask, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm just working with what I've got. What I've got is constantly telling me to go back to Libra and apologise and beg to rejoin their ranks and follow them. Everyday I have to battle against that part of myself!
Everyday I stop myself from giving into what they've planted in my mind and everyday I remind myself why I left, because I might be a monster but I am not their monster to use whenever they want and I am not your little warrior to throw at a dark lord just because of a goddamn prophecy! You act so high and mighty! Albus Dumbledore, leader of the light! You didn't suffer the punches and kicks I've received, you didn't go through the training, you didn't have a 'lovely' time being strapped to a chair as they plant whatever the fuck they want into your head and experiment on your body like you were some kind of toy! Get thrown into the darkness and have it grab and pull you down into against your will and then talk to me! You are not my equal! As far as I'm concerned, you're weaker. I think you either grew up on this whole 'light and good' bullshit and are now desperately trying to shove it around a world that's grown up or you did give into the darkness when you were younger and now you're just trying so desperately to prove something!"
"You do not know what you're talking about!" Dumbledore said, though Harry had hit a nerve. His words reminded him of his youth, as a child he had met Grindelwald and the two had become friends, lovers even. They had made various plans together, but then Dumbledore's little brother had confronted Grindelwald. Dumbledore, Grindelwald and Dumbledore's brother Aberforth had gotten into a three way duel and Dumbledore's poor little sister had suffered and died from a stray spell. Grindelwald escaped and would later become the most feared dark lord of all time, at least until Voldemort came.
"I think I do, because I can see my words affected you." Harrys said with a satisfied smile "It's easy to smile and look down on those below you when you've never been so low, but if you have and you still do it, you're a hypocrite. I don't know about your past and I don't care about it. Just leave me alone, if I fight Voldemort then it won't be for you. IF I fight Voldemort then I won't need your help and I sure as hell won't want you interfering. If you can't handle war then get the fuck out of the trenches and let those who can do their jobs. Harry Potter out bitch." Harry gave Dumbledore one last glare and stood up, he walked to the door when Dumbledore spoke again.
"Mr Potter, I cannot allow another dark lord to rise up" Dumbledore said as he stood up. His wand ready in his hand, it wasn't the elder wand but it would suffice. Harry turned around and raised an eyebrow at Dumbledore just as Fawkes flamed into the room and landed on his perch, clearly ready to help his master.
"Are you planning to fight me?" Harry asked with an amused voice just as Shadow entered through a shadow in the room and landed on Harry's shoulder.
"Just because I am not Voldemort does not mean that I cannot be a challenge" Dumbledore said just as Shadow began sizing up Fawkes.
"Just because I didn't kill Voldemort doesn't mean I can't kill you." Harry shot back. "Besides as much as I would enjoy a good fight, you haven't thought this through. Would you kill me? Do you have what's necessary to kill me?" Harry asked, Dumbledore didn't answer. "You're silence is telling. At best you can imprison me, the law won't help, you can imprison me illegally and then when I escape, make no mistake because I will escape, you will fight both Voldemort and me. Because at the moment you're not an enemy, just someone I hate, the second you become my enemy I will kill you and if necessary all of your friends. How fast would it take for the Hogwarts's staff to be replaced?"
"You wouldn't!" Dumbledore pointed his wand at Harry.
"Well not all of them," Harry said as he walked towards the desk, showing no fear on his face. "I don't have problems with most of them, though I do know that Professor McGonagall would gladly jump in front of a spell for you. Perhaps I should transfigure her into a cat and leave her in a cage with some starved dogs, perhaps I should just do a Voldemort and end it quickly with an unforgivable."
"You will not harm anyone!" Dumbledore roared just as Fawkes screeched at Harry.
"I will if you give me a reason to do so" Harry said just as the wand tip poked him in the chest and his legs leaned against the desk. "Go ahead Dumbledore, give me a reason. If you're going to take a shot then I would recommend it be a deadly one or I will escape from whatever prison you try to lock me up in and then once I've escaped I will tell everyone what you've done. You'll end up fighting the law and Voldemort while trying to avoid me assassinating you, plus you'll have Sirius and Bellatrix plus any other sympathisers we may get against you. Go ahead Dumbledore take a shot. Go on. GO ON!" Harry shouted at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore's wand remained on Harry's chest, decisions were floating through his mind and that was visible on his face no matter how much he tried to hide it. His hand started shaking and Harry started smiling.
"You see right now my words are registering in your head." Harry said "I don't need mind reading to understand what's going on in that brain of yours. You wondering if I could escape should you kidnap me? I escaped Libra and I escaped Voldemort in that graveyard, trust me I can escape you. You're thinking about all the positives of if you did it verses the negatives. You're thinking about how you know exactly what spell to use to kill me but now you're reminding yourself why you won't kill me." Dumbledore's hand shook some more before he eventually lowered his wand.
"You are right about one thing Harry" Dumbledore said "I will not kill you. I have not fallen that far."
"Oh please" Harry rolled his eyes, he pulled his wand out and brought it up, Dumbledore reacted and was a second away from putting up a shield when he saw that Harry wasn't aiming the wand at him, but rather at Fawkes. Dumbledore quickly moved and placed a shield in front of Fawkes and blocked Harry's first spell when he found his own face being attacked by Harry's familiar. Harry quickly shot a spell at Fawkes, it hit the bird, fortunately it was nothing more than a body bind.
Dumbledore tried to hit Shadow with a spell but he dodged at the last minute, Dumbledore then found his wand shot out of his hand by a well placed disarming spell and then found himself pushed into his chair, Harry waved his left arm and a wind attack sent Dumbledore's desk flying away and it was now no longer an obstacle between the two. Dumbledore tried to get up only to receive a left hook to the nose that shoved him back into his chair. Ropes wrapped Dumbledore's wrists and ankles, tying him to the chair.
"Hey" Harry said as he stopped in front of him "are you listening to me?"
"I don't know what you plan to do but..."
"Shut it" Harry cut him off with a slap followed by a silencing charm "and listen to me you old goat. There is a clear problem between you, me and Voldemort. You are so far on the light side that it's annoying while Voldemort is so far on the dark side and I have to suffer because I am between the two of you. You have a bird, a light creature, he has a snake which happens to be a dark creature. I have a raven, which is a bird but a dark one. You will only use light spells while he only uses dark spells, I use whichever ones I think I need. You don't kill at all, he kills for fun, I kill if I feel I need to or if the other person deserves it.
You care for the whole wide world, he cares for himself and I care for my family. He fights for blood and because he wants to rule, you fight for 'the greater good' I believe, I fight for survival and for my family. He makes people take his side or kills them, you make people take your side or declare them evil to the world if they don't, I don't make people take my side. There are plenty of differences between us three, he wants the world, you want him stopped and for everyone to live happily ever after like a fairy tale while I just want to be left alone by the both of you and your followers so I can enjoy life with the people I care about.
I will not be dragged into your little lover's quarrel or whatever bullshit this is, because if I am pulled into it then I want you to remember that I play for keeps. If I fight one side, then it's pretty much guaranteed that they'll kill me or I'll kill them all and when I do kill them all, I know that the other side will come after me. You'll come after me because 'big and bad Harry Potter' did bad things to stop the people that you couldn't and if I go after your side then I know that Voldemort will focus all of his efforts on me seeing as he doesn't have to worry about you.
Now I am not the mood to deal with this AND the world's best assassins, trust me when I say that neither you nor Voldemort want me in this war. You're both arrogant and egotistical idiots who think that they're the best. You and him are both duellist, you duel, only difference between the two of you is your spells and what you are willing to do. I can duel but I am not a duellist, I am a survivor. I don't care if I have to cut your throat with my wand or stomp your head into the ground with my foot. Do not fuck with me and don't fuck with my family and you just might have a natural death. If Voldemort's smart then he'll do the same." Harry turned and walked towards the door, his hand touched the door knob when he stopped and turned around.
"By the way, I wouldn't have killed Professor McGonagall," Harry said to Dumbledore "she annoys me but I wouldn't kill her. I kill and injure only if I feel like I have a good reason to do so. I mean look at your phoenix, while I probably couldn't kill it I could still send worse than a body bind. But I didn't, simply because he's just your bird, it's not his fault his master is an idiot. As long as you and your friends keep your wands pointed away from me, I'll keep my control on full power. Good night Professor" Harry smirked and walked out.
A.N: Hey guys, hope you liked the chapter. Quick few things, this is the last chapter involving Harry's fifth year, not counting the start/first half of the next chapter. Also I just want to thank everyone for the reviews and for reading. My next upload will be for my Raven story and it'll be followed up with a post for Dark lord potter. Thanks for reading.