A/N: I wished I owned Harry Potter. Alas, I do not. Ms. Rowling, I'd be happy to take it off your hands

A/N: What did you think of the increased action?

I really try to avoid it, but this takes some line directly from the book "Goblet of Fire" and movie adaption of "Goblet of Fire." So I'd like to make it really clear that I make no money from this. Literally nothing at all. But in this case a certain amount of similarity is unavoidable, for fairly obvious reasons. Sorry if the rhyming is pretty forced.

Chapter 41: Frustration and Worries

January, 1995

The egg was starting to drive them crazy. They had tried anything and everything. They had opened it in Hogsmeade. They had tried their best to understand what screaming might be. Krum was now cycling through different languages, Cedric was trying to break the egg, and Fleur was attempting to charm an inanimate object. But still everything was coming up with nothing.

Yet again, Krum found himself in the library, focusing on that stupid egg. He was beyond frustrated by this stupid tournament. He had taken a break from his book, knowing that the task could be extremely dangerous, and it would be hard to write a book if he was dead. But the Bulgarian seeker was starting to get short with his friends for no good reason, which worried people.

It was no real surprise that Luna had managed to avoid most of Krum's ire, and seemed to tolerate his occasional outbursts and mood swings. She often joined him in the library and when there were others the quirky Ravenclaw was usually able to divert his anger. But he was still becoming frustrated for what often seemed no good reason.

Krum thumbed through a book about conversing with centaurs. Despite their ability to speak to humans, he was thinking that perhaps their horse-like communication with each other might hold a clue. Luna sat next to him as she always did looking around through some colored glasses. Apparently her glasses made wrackspurts visible, and she was convinced some of them were in the library.

There was nothing useful about centaur dialogue, so Krum put the book down and started to tap his knee thoughtfully. He had gone through most books at least once but was still nowhere close. He was convinced that looking through books on magical creatures was the right idea. Krum resisted the urge to smash his head against the table in frustration.

"What's wrong Victor," Luna asked him, peering at him through the glasses. "You seem awfully worried recently? Are you still worried for Harry?"

"Worrying about Harry will not get me anywhere," Krum told her. "No. It is this stupid egg and the wailing."

"What wailing?" Luna asked, and Krum realized he had never show Luna the egg. He took it from his bag and opened it for a few seconds. The wailing caused all the students to look up and Krum hastily closed it. The librarian came over and reprimanded him, which Krum accepted stoically. Luna glanced at egg and took off her wrackspurt glasses.

"That wailing," Krum said. "It is burrowing into my skull and now it appears in my dreams."

"Why?" Luna asked. "It seems like an awful sound. Of course it would be awful, given that you are opening it in the library."

"We have tried opening it all over," Krum said.

"But you have to open it in the natural habitat," Luna told him.

"You recognize the language?" Krum was stunned.

"I think so, but I can't be sure until you submerge it," Luna explained.

"Submerge it as in put it underwater?" Krum asked. "Wouldn't that just make it hard to hear and muffle the sound?"

"Then you have to go underwater too, silly," Luna replied with a small laugh. "That way you can hear what the merpeople are saying."

"Merpeople!" Krum smacked his head in frustration. Merpeople speech was famous for being loud and undecipherable above water. "So I have to put this in the black lake to listen to it? Then I'll hear the clue?"

"You could, but the black lake looks awful cold," Luna said. "You could just do it in a bath. That seems much more reasonable." Krum sighed and nodded in agreement. Sometimes Luna saw to the heart of the matter in a way that made him envious. It was a weekend so he had free time. He definetly did not want to miss Charlie Weasley's dragon seminar so he had to hurry.

"Thank you Luna," Krum said, truly grateful. He glanced around but didn't see any fangirls. To be honest, the girls who followed him around laughing early in the year now tended to congregate around Harry, who, to his credit, seemed immune to anything and everything they said. It helped that he was almost never found alone and had a constant screen in the form of his friends but it seemed like Harry could ignore anyone he didn't already know and then disappear when you looked away for a second. But he and Luna were alone so he screwed up his courage and kissed her on the cheek.

"What was that for?" Luna asked him.

"It's to show affection," Krum tried to explain. "Because I like you."

"Do you like me like a friend, or a girl?" Luna asked him directly. Krum rubbed his temples. Luna and her directness were often charming and useful, but right now he really did not want to answer that question, both to himself and Luna. It would be easier if Luna was a 5th or 6th year, but she was 4 years younger than him, and Krum did not to say the wrong thing. Then Victor remembered what Fleur had told him when she talked about pursuing Harry.

"In the end, I don't want him to get the wrong idea," Fleur had said. "I want him to know that I don't want him to be a friend. Also, if I equivocate about my feelings, then someone else might steal him. I think almost every girl in Britain knows what an amazing guy he is, so my situation is slightly unusual. But I can promise that if he gets away from me and ends up with someone else, it won't be from lack of trying on my part." And despite the issues, Krum knew that in his heart of hearts, he did not want to be a friend with Luna in five years.

"A girl," Krum admitted. "Luna, I have never felt this way about anyone before."

"Well, that is a problem, because you are much older than me." Luna scrunched her brow. "But from what I understand from watching our friends, guys who like girls don't kiss them on the cheek." She turned towards him and attempted to bat her eyelashes, causing Krum to laugh a little. "I saw Lavender do this, and then Dean kissed her. Is it not magic?"

"No, it is magic for Lavender," Krum held back a second laugh.

"Well it should be magic for me too," Luna pouted. "So if you won't kiss me," Luna reached out and put her arms around Krum's neck and with a surprising amount of force pulled him towards her and planted her lips on him. Krum was so shocked that he didn't move, and slowly Luna withdrew her lips. "Well, that was quite pleasant Victor. We should do that again later."

"Um…" Krum tried to make his brain work, but it simply wouldn't function properly.

"Uh, Krum?" Krum turned to see Cedric standing behind him with a confused look on his face, but it slowly morphed into what could best be described as a cocky and amused grin.

"Cedric is here to tell you he solved the egg," Luna said. "I'll see you later Victor. We can practice kissing some more." Luna smiled at Cedric and skipped off. Cedric just raised an eyebrow and Krum rose from his seat.

"Not. A. Word."

"Of course not," Cedric said, punching Krum on the shoulder as they left the library, "lover boy."

"Cedric I swear I will hex you until you can't stand straight."

"I won't say anything," Cedric replied, though his crooked grin suggested otherwise.

"You better not," Krum threatened, "or I might have to tell Hermione that you discussed a potential marriage contract with your father over the Christmas break after he tried to set you up with a daughter of his friend on the Wizengamot. I wonder how the strong-willed Hermione Granger will react to that?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Cedric snapped.

"Oh, not so fun when the shoe is on the other foot?" Victor asked with a wicked smile. "So, we have an understanding?"

"Fine," Cedric conceded. "Now, do you want to hear about the clue?"

"You put it under water?" Krum asked. Cedric nodded.

"How did you figure it out?"

"Luna told me. How about you?"

"Actually, it was the strangest thing," Cedric replied. "Professor Moody gave me a big hint. He said I should take a bath with it. To be honest I never would have considered that. I guess Luna figured it out eventually, but still…"

"So what does it say?"

"No idea," Cedric said. "I figure we could all listen to it together."

"Wouldn't it be slightly suspicious if we all went into the lake together? I know people are aware we are cooperating, but it is still a competition during the tasks. I'm sure that Bagman and Crouch won't be a fan."

"That is an excellent point," Cedric said. "Which is why we are not going to the lake. It's freaking cold in the lake. We are going to the prefect's bathroom. We can grab Fleur and head in there. Water is nice and warm."

"The bathroom," Krum asked, a little nervous.

"We can wear swimsuits you ninny," Cedric told him with a laugh. "We don't need be enthralled by Fleur, or Harry might kill us when he gets back." There was a pervasive attitude among Harry's Hogwarts friends that Harry would pop up soon and be totally unharmed. Krum didn't share that opinion but made sure to not share his doubts. "Besides, if the task is underwater we will need to figure out how to deal with water anyways. Maybe a warming charm, and then figure out how to go underwater?"

"Why don't we see what the merpeople are saying first?" Krum suggested. Cedric nodded in agreement and 30 minutes later all three were standing in the prefect's bathroom in swimsuits.

"This is quite pleasant," Fleur said, dipping her toe in the water. "I'm a big fan. Does the password stay the same the entire year?"

"Yes but be careful. Sometimes prefect's come in starkers with no warming, and I can already feel your allure." Cedric explained. "Is it just me, or is your allure easier to resist? You aren't even wearing the necklace."

"That makes sense," Fleur said with a dour look. Cedric and Krum expected an explanation but Fleur opened her egg and threw it in the bath without another word. The two males shrugged at each other and tossed their eggs in as well and hopped into the warm water.

"It sounds quite melodious," Fleur said. "We have to go underwater to hear it?"

"That seems to be the most logical option." All three ducked their heads under water, and then resurfaced almost instantly. "Agh," Krum said. "I guess only one egg at once. Accio Golden egg." The egg didn't move and Krum suddenly started laughing.

"Something funny?" Cedric asked the usually stoic Bulgarian. Krum was laughing unreservedly, something that was quite uncommon.

"Yes, I was just thinking that if the summoning charm worked on the eggs, the first task would have been extremely easy." Both Cedric and Fleur ducked their heads in embarrassment. Neither of them had thought to try the summoning charm before going through their dangerous plans either." "Well, Cedric and I can go down."

"Ok, so now we go under." All three champions heads went underwater and stayed down for almost a minute. "Did anyone get that?" Fleur asked.

"Some of it," Cedric said. I got the second part. An hour long you'll have to find. And to recover what we something. But past an hour, the prospect's black. Then I forget the last line."

"We didn't bring any paper of quills," Krum noted. They returned twenty minutes later with the required instruments, divided up the song, and took notes. When they had the whole thing, they sat there mulling it over.

"Come seek us where our voices ring and find where we do sing. And while you are searching we wonder if, you know what you surely would miss. You will have to seek us out, to recover that which is precious we do not doubt. But past two circles, the prospect's black and it is too late, for in our possession we will not wait." The three champions looked at each other.

"Well, I figured once we heard the clue, it would be easy. If anything, this is worse than the screaming," Cedric commented.

"Nothing is worse than the screaming," Fleur replied, and Krum grunted in response. "But now we have something to work with."

"Ok, so is this where we split up, or do we solve the riddle together?" Cedric asked. All three of them looked at each other. "This is where we needed Harry. Is it weird that someone much younger than us is our default leader?"

"If it was anyone else, I would say yes. Even Hermione, though I understand she is leading your group defense lessons," Krum told him. "Which I am sure she does not like, and is without a doubt looking for a way to shift that burden to you."

"Why me?"

"Because you are a not only a champion, but also a senior student with a strong sense of responsibility."

"Oh." Cedric reluctantly had to agree. The twins were not responsible, and if he was being blunt he was stronger than the two 6th years from the Gryffindor quidditch team, both in spell repertoire and casting ability. He was at a stage where he could cast almost every spell he knew silently due to his one-on-one sessions with Akira, who had suggested that Cedric seriously consider a defense mastery after school.

"But back to both original questions," Krum continued, "Harry is not your typical 4th year. He would defeat each of us in a fight, and from you tell us Cedric he could defeat the three of us combined. Seeing his growth this year, he may beyond us in pure magic by years end. I don't find it at all unusual that he is our leader. I think he would be uncomfortable at that description, but the fact remains that he is without a doubt the primary decision maker. With that in mind, when discussing the riddle, we need to ask ourselves. What would Harry do?"

"What you surely must miss," Fleur said, looking at her paper. "Well, that could be bad. To be honest, I don't know if I have a possession that I would surely miss."

"I don't either," Cedric said. "Maybe my wand, but they wouldn't take that away, would they? Would be hard to complete the task with no wand."

"Well, I certainly don't own him, but I would miss Harry." Fleur had explained what happened with her and Harry to Cedric and Krum before he was kidnapped, thinking that the advice of two boys with a similar level of maturity might give good advice. Their advice had been simple: don't be afraid to act like a typical girl trying to ensnare a boy. Harry had very little experience despite his popularity, and he might fall "prey" to typical tactics: laughing at every attempted joke, making lots of eye contact and smiling, and the subtle touches of his arm that worked for every girl since the dawn of time. "It's crazy how much I miss him and it's only been a week."

"Oh Merlin," Cedric gasped. "What if you don't take it literally? When they say what, change it to who."

"Who you surely would miss?" Fleur asked. "They wouldn't risk people's lives, would they? That would be insane, and completely mad."

"And having to steal an egg from a nesting dragon wasn't?" Krum replied. "I wouldn't put it past them. But for all of us it would be a Hogwarts student wouldn't it? So perhaps we could prevail upon Dumbledore?"

"All of us?" Cedric asked.

"Luna," Krum pointed at himself, "Hermione or Jason," Krum pointed at Cedric, "Harry," he pointed at Fleur.

"But Harry will have to compete," Fleur countered.

"Good point," Krum said. "As much as he wouldn't admit it, if Dumbledore does not look deeper and acts on what he has seen, I suspect you would be Harry's person as well." Fleur tried to hide her blush. "You did have quite a romantic few days over the holidays, did you not?" Fleur managed to barely nod. "Since Cedric would get Hermione, that would leave you. But of course, you both must compete."

"I guess the only person left is… my sister Gabrielle. Oh, that would be horrible. My father would never allow that. She has not matured yet, and it would be so dangerous for her to be in water."

"Don't put it past the tournament organizers to do it anyways," Krum commented. "They seem rather cavalier about safety."

"So then it might be a member of Harry's family?" Fleur asked. Cedric started coughing. "Something wrong?"

"Well, Harry doesn't talk about his family to anyone, but I think Hermione knows a bit. Apparently when she was petrified in her second year, Harry went to talk to her every day for hours, and she remembered and heard everything. Harry's home life wasn't great. Actually that would be underselling it."

"What do you mean?" Fleur asked.

"You may have noticed that even though it is getting better, Harry has a bit of aversion to physical contact?" Cedric mentioned. Fleur nodded. Even though they had kissed, small gestured and small touches sometimes brought tiny flinches from him. "Well, I think that came from his home treatment. Occasionally we used to change clothes after training if we are sweaty, and you notice two things right away."

"One," Cedric continued, "Harry is shockingly well developed. He is not covered in muscles but he does not have an ounce of fat. I think that if you become physical with Harry, you will be quite pleased." This set Fleur into another fit of blushing. "Secondly is that his upper body is covered in scars, and I don't think he got them this summer with the Hayashi's or just during school."

"I don't want to try and push him on that, but I think his home life with his aunt, uncle, and cousin was not a good one. I heard that it was Dumbledore who placed him there from Akira, and from I can tell Akira and his father were furious when they learned how Harry was raised. Our old defense professor learned about his treatment this summer, and he was actually the one who took Harry from that house. I doubt he would open up to us, not at first."

"That's horrible," Fleur said as Cedric fell silent. "And he lived until school and spent two summers with them?" Cedric nodded. "He surprises me more every day. How did he become the caring and noble individual that we all look up to?"

"The mystery that is Harry and Harry Potter is one we could spend a lifetime trying to solve," Cedric said. "Hermione is probably the only person who is close to solving it. She knows what Harry went through, but she has not seen the scars. I think if she did, she would break down." Cedric ran his hand through his hair. "I can't imagine what would have happened this year if Hermione had not believed or supported Harry immediately. He would have been dangerous."

"So Harry's victim and hostage for our underwater adventure is an unknown," Krum summarized, bringing them back on point.

"It would seem so, Victor," Fleur said. "So now we prepare for the task on our own.

"I guess so," Cedric said. "Best of luck to you all." He looked down at his watch. "Charlie's class starts in five minutes!" He exclaimed. All three of them were eager participants who had never missed a class. "We have to go!" Despite the distance to cover to the classroom they managed to get there just before Charlie started his lecture.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O—O-O-O—O-O-O—O-O-O-

The lecture for the day was one of his best recieved yet. Charlie spent the two hours describing hunting patterns and how dragon handlers made sure that dragons in their respective sanctuaries were well fed despite the massive amount of food they conserved. The first hour covered the facts, and then the second hour detailed he would detail the facts were collected. Most of his lectures were broken up in similar ways.

The lectures on dragons were held on Saturdays or Sundays, but that didn't stop the students from attending en mass. The first few classes had been taught outside, with Charlie and a few other professors creating wonderful illusions. But as the weather turned the classes moved inside and Charlie quickly ran into a problem. The attendance ranged from 30 to 100 students, and the higher number was more and more frequent. Eventually Flitwick got involved and for the 2 hours he would cast an expansion charm on the classroom.

As the most recent class wrapped up and the students filed out the room, most of them excitedly talking, Charlie leaned back, exhausted. Teaching once a week was tiring enough. He had no idea how the real professors did it. He certainly didn't feel like a professor and made it very clear the first class that they should call him Charlie. It didn't help that he knew many of the older years because he went to school the same time of him and gave the class a surreal feel.

There was a staff meeting tonight that Charlie was really not looking forward too, but his old head of house made it clear that he was indeed a member of staff. While he was allowed to be informal in his class and had free reign of his curriculum and class environment, in other respects he was supposed to act as a professor. Unfortunately, that meant eating at staff table instead of with his family and attending meetings, as well as assigning detentions, awarding and taking points, and submitting progress reports. It was enough to drive anyone barmy.

After delaying it as much as possible, Charlie made his way to the headmaster's office for the staff meeting. While he truly hated these, there was a silver lining. Hopefully Akira or Dumbledore might be able to shed some light on Harry's abduction. Charlie felt horrible about it, since one of the secret reasons he had taken the job at Hogwarts was to stop something like the kidnapping from happening.

"Well, let's start with the metaphorical elephant in the room" Dumbledore said as he swept into his office, slamming the door to his private room behind him. "We still have no leads on Harry, or any information on who took him. Professor Hayashi, has your father shared any information about the investigation with you?"

"He actually has," Akira said. "It's very weird. He sent me an encoded message, a very complex code. I'm still working through it, but the first part of the message suggests that at the moment, we should stop searching for Harry."

"He said that?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"The exact words were 'Searching for the boy will not do.' If it was anyone but my father…"

"So what?" Professor Snape sneered. "He has probably run away. The tournament probably got to him since he cheated to get in."

"You say like this every meeting, Professor Snape," Akira commented, cracking his knuckles. "One of these days, I might take offense at the insults you continue to level at my blood brother. That is a closer bond than you have with anyone, so I wouldn't expect you to understand what it means to have real family." Snape sneered at Akira who stared him down.

"Now why don't we all calm down. Severus, please do not antagonize Professor Hayashi. Professor, I would appreciate it if you did not threaten and demean Severus." Both teachers glowered at each other for a moment, but then turned away. "Professor Hayashi, do you believe your father?"

"Once I decode the rest of the message, I will know for sure. But if my first reading is correct, we should put Harry out of our minds for the moment."

"I have some experience with languages and codes, if you would like assistance," McGonagall said. Akira recognized it as a lie from the subtle body language. He was surprised, as he did not know that she could conceal a lie so well. Almost everyone in the room would believe her. Akira suspected that she just wanted to be kept in the loop which he did not have a problem with. Of all the professors in the room, Harry's grandmother was the only one he could trust completely when it came to his brother.

"That would be much appreciated."

"While we are on the subject of Harry, he said something interesting a few weekends ago," Charlie said. "He was wondering if he could come visit me over the summer in Romania and see what the life of a dragon handler was like. I joked that I thought that Harry Potter had better things to do than become a dragon handler, but he was quite insistent."

"We have discussed this Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said. "You are correct that Harry has better things to do. He will return to the Dursleys this summer. It was only through considerable effort on my part that I was able to re-establish the wards on that house. Especially with the threat of Voldemort growing."

"What are you talking about?" Akira snapped.

"Severus?" Dumbledore asked. The potion master slid up the sleeve of his robe, and everyone saw the mark.

"We know that he's a death eater, but what does that prove?" Minerva snapped. Dumbledore looked at the deputy headmistress closely. She had never shown that much aggression towards Snape before. She had simply accepted Dumbledore's reasoning and rationale for a good many things. In fact, Minerva's behavior ever since the beginning of the year had been unusual.

For one, she was significantly more hostile towards Snape on every occasion, often challenging his detentions or point deductions. McGonagall had always been a stern disciplinarian, but she seemed softer and more relaxed with a few students, especially since her personal lessons with Harry. Dumbledore had always counted on her support, but she had cooled noticeably in her support, and while she did not openly attack him, she was not in his corner no matter the cause. In the past if would have been easy to figure out why as Minerva did not have the talent to become a strong Occlumens. But apparently someone had alerted her to his talent, and now she never looked him in the eye, even when she was irate.

"The mark is getting darker and more defined," Snape said. "The dark lord is regaining strength. I suspect soon he will return. He will seek out Potter as his first victim."

"Over my dead body," McGonagall snapped.

"Oh, that will be no problem for the Dark Lord," Snape said. "Do not forget that no one could stop him. If he returns with his full power, there are very few that could stand in his path."

"So Harry will return to the Dursleys," Dumbledore stated. Charlie snorted. "Is something wrong, Mr. Weasley?"

"I just remembered something from this summer. I met Harry on the night bus the day school ended. I thought it was weird that he was taking the night bus home. He was a simple third year then. With his skills now, you wouldn't have a chance at forcing him back to his home."

"I am the headmaster here," Dumbledore stated.

"Speaking of which, we never finished the discussion about whether or not that will remain a fact after this year," Akira said. "Don't make threats you can't back up, old man." Akira sneered at Dumbledore and stormed out of his office. To Dumbledore's surprise, his deputy headmistress was right behind the defense professor.

"Nevertheless, when Harry returns, and I suspect he will do so before the second task, you will discuss this fascination with dragons with him

"It's not surprising," Charlie Weasley said. "Seekers tend to be fairly independent people. Especially with all the scrutiny Harry is under from the media year after year, I understand his desire to disappear off the map for a few years. Dragon sanctuaries are as good a place to disappear as anywhere else."

"Mr. Weasley, this is not a discussion I will entertain."

"You have that discussion with Harry then. I'd bet he will shut you down the moment you mention the Dursleys though. Have fun with that." Charlie waltzed out the office, entirely unconcerned.

"Well then. To other business," Dumbledore said. Some of the other professors gave progress reports and noted students of natural talent and improvement and left. Soon the only people left were Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O—O-O-O—O-O-O—O-O-O-

"The boy will prove nothing but trouble Albus," Snape repeated insistently. "He is getting worse. The friends he are making are dangerous too. From what I hear his friends are all behind him, and his strength is becoming immeasurable. He may be too independent to control this summer. If he confronts the dark lord soon, he will certainly lose and everything will be lost."

"Have trust, Severus," Dumbledore. "I have plans to make sure Mr. Potter stays the course." Severus Snape nodded and swept out of the office, his cloak swirling behind him, leaving Dumbledore sitting there along. He stood and began to pace. The headmaster found that thought came to him easier when he was moving.

The year so far could only be qualified as a disaster. When Mr. Weasley had spurned Harry's friendship when he came out of the cup, Dumbledore had almost crowed in excitement. But then it all fell apart when Harry was bolstered by a new group of friends and a girlfriend, giving him confidence he had never felt before.

Every time it felt like Harry took a step back, he seemed to take two forward. His breakup with the overachieving Slytherin who made Dumbledore exceptionally nervous was followed by a close friendship with all three champions, all excellent students who would drive Harry to work stronger than ever.

Dumbledore cared for Harry and was amazed at the man the boy-who-lived was becoming despite the mistreatment of the Dursleys' of which he was acutely aware. It had taken a few obliviations of Poppy Pomfrey to make sure that this news didn't spread to people who might act on the litany of injuries Harry had suffered. But Harry was growing into a noble and righteous person who would sacrifice himself when the time was right. At times that thought kept Dumbledore up at night and cut him to the core. But it was necessary.

That one night at the Hogs Head all those years ago had changed everything. Lily and James had gone into hiding at his behest, and with Sirius as the secret keeper there was no chance they would be discovered. It was only to his horror that he had learned that Peter was the secret keeper but rescuing Sirius from Azkaban would cause Dumbledore to release too much information. An innocent Sirius Black was also certain to take Harry and potentially take him away from England entirely. Worse, he had more than enough power and resources if vindicated to vanish from sight and never be heard from again

More than a few of Harry's new friends worried him. The Diggory boy was smart, driven, and intensely loyal to his friends. The Bones girl had power through her family name and knew how to get what she wanted. His growing friendship with Granger made him work harder than ever before. And of course there was the blood tie to the Hayashi family that made any attack on Harry very dangerous.

Dumbledore had scanned the unprotected mind of Dean Thomas and Lavender Brown and had been stunned by what he saw. Harry's physical skills were remarkable, and the headmaster had no doubt that if push came to shove Harry Potter could put up a fight against any wizard in the castle. The thought that Harry might grow too powerful to contain, a concern that Severus consistently voiced was too terrible to imagine. That power combined with carefully controlled aggression was a dangerous combination.

Without the influence of Mr. Weasley, Harry's natural charisma was shining through, and all of those around him were drawn into his orbit. He had always been a naturally skilled wizard, but now Dumbledore was forced to come to terms with a harsh reality. If Harry Potter succumbed to some of his darker impulses, the impulses that caused him to break the French's boy jaw for fun, he might drag all of his friends along with him, and there would be a new dark lord who terrified Dumbledore more than Voldemort ever had.

The headmaster would make sure to find a way to get Harry back to Dursleys. If he was isolated for the summer, perhaps he would revert to the boy he was before. It would be hard on the boy, but it was crucial that Harry return to the noble, self-sacrificing boy he was before, with nothing stopping him from voluntarily dying when it was time.

It broke Dumbledore's heart that he had to do this to a student he had grown quite fond of. He saw a lot of himself in Harry, and if the boy could be steered onto the right path he could have a transformative impact on England if his fate was not already sealed and dipped in a future death. At the end of the day, Harry was a crucial piece in the war that was to come. He didn't have a choice. That thought was the one thing that allowed Dumbledore to justify any of his thoughts. But just barely. After all, it was all for the greater good.