The women led Harry and Ginny to Dumbledore's office, they ushered Harry inside, and told him that they were off to the Hospital Wing to be there for Professor Jackson when we woke up, as well as bring the still delirious Lockhart to receive medical attention. To Harry's surprise and relief, the headmaster was there and waiting. Ron and Hermione were there as well, sitting in chairs across from the headmaster. In one corner, huddled by the fire and looking far paler than he'd ever seen them, were Arthur and Molly Weasley. The moment they saw Ginny, Mrs. Weasley broke down into hysterical sobs, crushing Ginny in her arms in a bone-rattling hug, her husband joining her. Then, before Harry could think, Mrs. Weasley had gathered Harry up into her arms as well, and he was pressed into the hug. Mrs. Weasley's sobbing face drenched his robes, and Mr. Weasley had a grip on Harry's arms so tight they were beginning to lose feeling.
Eventually, Professor Dumbledore managed to calm them down enough, and after reassuring them that Ginny was in no trouble for what had happened, he escorted them to the door and advised them to take Ginny to the Hospital Wing. The door closed, leaving Harry, Hermione, and Ron alone with the headmaster.
"I believe," Professor Dumbledore began, steeling his long fingers as he sat at his desk, "That it would be easier to count the number of school rules that you have not broken." All three of them flinched, and Hermione looked as though she were on the verge of tears.
"By all rights, I should expel all three of you. Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, I remember distinctly telling you two that if you broke one more school rule, you would face the consequences," Dumbledore continued gravely, and Hermione really did start crying then. Ron reached out, and gently clasped onto her robes for comfort. Harry's insides knotted up, as thoughts of being forced to live out the rest of his life with Dursley's flashed through his imagination.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his spectacles, and there was a hint of a smile behind his beard,
"But, I believe, an alternative solution is in order." He said calmly, and all three of them looked up in shock,
"Sir?" Harry asked, his voice trembling slightly, barely daring to hope.
"I believe, that special awards for services to the school, is sufficient, for your acts of bravery," Dumbledore continued, not bothering to hide his amused smile, as Hermione gasped in relief, and Ron beamed.
"And," Professor Dumbledore continued, "Two hundred points to Gryffindor, each, I believe." He stood up, gathering a letter into his hands as he did so. Harry could barely believe it, and he couldn't keep the bright smile off of his face. Dumbledore swept around the desk, before handing the letter to Hermione, and placing gentle hands on her and Ron's shoulders.
"Will you two please send this off to Azkaban with an owl, I believe that it is time we had our Gamekeeper back. I will send Harry along shortly, I wish to have a word with him." Hermione nodded, and after giving Harry a beaming smile, she grabbed Ron around the wrist and dragged him from the room. When the door closed, Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry.
"You'll be happy to know, Harry," Dumbledore said, perching himself on his desk and looking down at Harry, "That Madam Pomfrey has begun administering Mandrake potion. As we speak those who were petrified are waking back up."
Harry smiled, relief washing over him at the knowledge that the others were going to be ok. "First of all, Harry, I want to thank you," said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again.
"You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you." He stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down onto his knee. Harry grinned awkwardly as Dumbledore watched him. "And so you met Tom Riddle," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "I imagine he was most interested in you, or rather, he was most interested in what you have managed to do." He gave Harry a thoughtful look, "Is there anything, you wish to ask me, Harry?" he asked.
There was. Something that Voldemort had said to him, had been sitting with Harry for several hours.
"Professor…when we were down in the Chamber, Voldemort said that I was…that I was like him,"
"Did he now?" said Dumbledore, looking thoughtfully at Harry from under his thick silver eyebrows. "And what do you think, Harry?"
"I don't think I'm anything like him!" Harry said, "He-he hurt all those people! He hates Muggle-borns, but I don't hate them! My own mother was Muggle-born - Hermione is Muggle-born. He likes to hurt people, I-I don't like to do that…" He trailed off, before he whispered, "But I'm scared,"
Dumbledore placed a calming hand on Harry's shoulder, and Harry looked up and met Dumbledore's gaze. His eyes were no longer twinkling, and he looked deadly serious,
"Harry, as you know, I was a professor when Tom Riddle was a student. I know him very well, dare I say, I know him better than anyone else. More importantly right now though, Harry, is that I know you." And Dumbledore gave Harry's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
"You and Tom share some shocking similarities yes, but you are most different where it counts the most. Tom, did not have friends. He had allies. Tom would only act in the defense of others, if it directly benefited him in some way. You, Harry, risked life and limb to rescue a friend from mortal peril. You put yourself in harms way, for those you care for. You show tremendous loyalty to your friends and loved ones. Harry, you could not more different to Tom Riddle if you tried."
Harry wasn't convinced though, "But I can speak parseltongue!" Harry said anxiously, "And the Sorting Hat said I should be in Slytherin,"
Dumbledore sighed, "The fallacy of our House system at work," He said softly, "Harry, surely you realize by now, that just because someone is in Gryffindor or Slytherin doesn't mean they are automatically good, or automatically evil. I had thought your interactions with Ms. Greengrass and Ms. Davis had shown you that."
Harry flushed, and ducked his head. Professor Dumbledore was right. Daphne had always been a little cold and aloof, but she was like that to everyone. To Harry, the girls had never been anything but cordial, and Daphne had even praised him for his teaching abilities.
"As for your ability to speak parseltongue," Dumbledore continued, and Harry looked up. "Do you not remember your discussion with Professor Jackson?" he asked, and Harry furrowed his brow as he thought,
"A person is not defined by the circumstances of their birth, or the gifts they've been given," Dumbledore quoted, "But rather, a person is defined by the choices they make, and the actions they take with the gifts they've been given. That is what defines their fate, not mere happenstance, or the abilities they were born or cursed with." Dumbledore added with a significant look at Harry.
"Sir?" Harry asked, uncertainly. Still bewildered how the headmaster had managed to hear about that conversation with Professor Jackson.
"Harry, I do not believe that you were born with the ability to speak to snakes. Rather, it is my belief that Voldemort - who is a true descendant of Salazar Slytherin - can speak to snakes, and the night he tried to kill you, he transferred some of his power to you."
Harry felt a swell of panic burble up inside of him, as thoughts of how Ginny had been taken advantage of flashed through his mind,
"Harry," Dumbledore said loudly, "I do not believe you are in any danger of experiencing what Ms. Weasley was put through." He reassured,
"You don't, sir?" Harry asked, hope surging through him,
"No I do not." Dumbledore said, "I believe-" Whatever Dumbledore was about to say was cut off, as the door to the office burst open, and Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury etched in his every feature. Cowering behind his legs, heavily wrapped in bandages, was Dobby.
"Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore pleasantly. Mr. Malfoy almost knocked Harry over as he swept into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, crouching at the hem of his cloak, a look of abject terror on his face.
"So!" Malfoy said, shaking in rage, "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."
"Ah," Dumbledore said happily, a serene smile on his face, "Well it's a rather fascinating story Lucius. You see, I received several letters this morning, from eleven of the school governors, and after informing me that I was being reinstated as headmaster, they told me the most interesting things."
What little color was in Lucius Malfoy's face drained away,
"Indeed, dear Lucius, several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me. Most curious, wouldn't you say?" Dumbledore smiled pleasantly.
Malfoy was breathing heavily, but maintained to control some of his composure, "So," He hissed, "Stopped the attacks then? Put an end to all of this have you?"
"We have," said Dumbledore, that kind smile still on his face.
"Well?" said Malfoy sharply. "Who was it?"
"The same person as last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary." He held up the small black book with the large hole through the center, watching Mr. Malfoy closely. Harry felt a tug on a bus sleeve, and looked down to see Dobby, who's eyes were darting toward Malfoy. Looking back at the diary, something clicked into place. Harry had seen that diary before, back in Diagon Alley when he'd first met Lucius Malfoy. He'd placed it in Ginny's cauldron when he was making fun of her books!
"I see…" Malfoy said carefully. He put on a show of looking unaffected, but Harry could see sweat dripping down his forehead,
"Indeed," Dumbledore said, his eyes growing hard, "Had it not been for Mr. Potter, and several devoted friends of Professor Jackson, the culprit may never have been discovered,"
"Well then," Malfoy said evenly, turning to look toward Harry. "Let us hope, that Mr. Potter, will always be around, to save the day…"
Harry met Malfoy's glare evenly, his hand unconsciously going to his pocket where he kept his wand,
"Don't worry, I will be,"
BREAK
Harry had been to many feasts at Hogwarts, but none had been quite like the one that morning. Everyone was still in their pajamas. Percy Weasley had informed Harry that they'd all been sitting on the Hogwarts Express for most of the night, but had been brought off the train earlier that morning. Harry couldn't decide what had been the best part. The look on Malfoy's dad's face when Harry had set Dobby free, Justin running over from the Hufflepuff table to apologize profusely for ever suspecting him, or Hagrid storming back into the castle, and pulling him into an enormous, bone-breaking hug.
But then Professor Jackson had come striding into the hall. His four friends were chattering happily at his side, Anna hovering beside him, her eyes darting around the Hall like a particularly protective attack dog. There was a squeal of happiness form the Slytherin table, as Daphne and Tracey slammed into Professor Jackson's middle, wrapping him up in an excited hug. Professor Jackson just laughed and hugged the girls back, before ushering them back to their table, telling them that they would be able to speak in his office at a later time.
Professor Jackson's eyes met his, and his smile grew even wider. Striding up to Harry, he knelt down beside him and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder,
"Hear that I have you to thank for finding the Chamber," He said, and then gave him wink, "Meet me at my office after the feast," and then he stood up and walked towards the head table. Greeting students, and receiving hugs along the way.
Once Professor Jackson and his friends were seated at the table, Professor Dumbledore stood up, quieting the hall at once. He announced that the end of term exams had been cancelled - several of the older students grumbled that they still had had to take their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s but their misery was drowned out by the cheers of the rest of the hall. Dumbledore then announced that Professor Lockhart was recovering from an unfortunate accident at St. Mungos, which Ron explained was a wizarding hospital.
Then, the Professor announced that, due to a last minute flurry of house points, Gryffindor had won the House Cup for the second year in a row. Ron told Harry that his father had told him that morning that apparently Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a governor for the school board, which had just been the icing on top.
After the feast had ended, Harry made his way up to Professor Jackson's office. As he approached the door, it opened, and Anna glided out. She gave Harry an appraising look, before nodding slightly, and gliding down the corridor.
"Come on in Harry," Came Professor Jackson's voice, and Harry stepped into the room. Professor Jackson was seated behind his large desk, a stack of papers in front of him. Harry could see Mrs. O'Leary's head was in his lap, panting happily as Professor Jackson absentmindedly scratched her behind the ears.
"You'd think that without any exams I wouldn't have to do any more paperwork," He grumbled good naturedly, "But nope, more than ever. Gods above, if I had known there would be this much writing involved I never would have," He mumbled, more to himself than to Harry, then he waved it off and gestured for Harry to close the door and have a seat. When Harry was perched in the familiar chair across from him, Professor Jackson looked up from an essay he'd been grading,
"How're you feeling, Professor?" Harry asked,
Professor Jackson shrugged, "Not bad, feel pretty good all things considered, though I'm still as stiff as a statue," He said with a smirk, then frowned when he saw Harry flinch, "Right," He said, awkwardly scratching behind his ear, "That was probably in bad taste; sorry about that,"
"It's, erm, fine, Professor" Harry said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, then he changed the subject, "What was Ms. Agopov doing in here?" Harry asked,
"Anna was just running me through what happened," Professor Jackson explained,
"Can-can I ask you something sir," Harry said, as something that had been bothering him for a while came to the forefront of his mind,
"Of course," Professor Jackson assured him, "What is it?"
"It's-it's Ms. Agopov, sir, what-what is she? Because she always seems to know where I am and she could see through my invisibility cloak and-" Harry cut off abruptly as Professor Jackson laughed,
"Sorry, Harry, I'm not laughing at you I promise." He said between chuckles. He kept laughing for a moment, as he removed his glasses and folded his hands on the table, "Anna can't see through your invisibility cloak Harry,"
"Then how-?"
"She could smell you," Professor Jackson explained,
"Um, what, sir?" Harry asked, unsure if he had heard correctly.
"She could smell you," Professor Jackson repeated,
"But-but how?" Harry asked, and lifted up his arm and sniffed it experimentally,
"Harry you don't stink any more than any other twelve-year-old," Professor Jackson
"But then," Harry stammered, "How could she-"
"Annas a vampire, Harry," Professor Jackson easily.
"She's a what?" Harry exclaimed, turning around in his seat as though he were expecting her to be right behind him, ready to sink her fangs in his neck,
"She'a vampire Harry. You know," Professor Jackson reiterated, and then hunched his back and bared his teeth exaggeratedly while speaking in a very poor Slavic accent, "I vant to suck your blood!" He dropped the act, "And she's one of my closest friends," He added seriously. Harry flinched, and then slouched in his chair feeling slightly ashamed. The woman had saved his life, he had absolutely no reason to be afraid of her. Besides, if Professor Jackson trusted her, then that was good enough for Harry.
"Relax Harry," Said Professor Jackson dismissively, "I understand the reaction. Vampires have, for the most part, earned their reputation. But Annas different," He reached out and picked up the photograph of his graduation, looking fondly at it for a moment, before replacing it,
"But I didn't ask you here to talk about Anna, as fascinating as her story is," Professor Jackson said, "I asked you here, to tell you how proud of you I am." He said with a smile,
"Sir?" Harry asked, bewildered. He had been certain that Professor Jackson was about to tell him off. He had after all, and rather explicitly, told Harry that, in no uncertain terms, Harry was not to try and find the Chamber.
"But, I didn't do as you asked," Harry said, "I went to the Chamber, I put Ron and Hermione in danger, I had to get rescued, I-"
"Harry, Harry," Professor Jackson said, waving at Harry, "Take a breath. Relax. It's ok." Harry got his breathing under control and Professor Jackson just smiled at him,
"Harry if I got mad at you for disobeying me, and going after Ginny, I would be the biggest hypocrite in the world." Said Professor Jackson,
"You would?" Harry asked,
"I would," Professor Jackson nodded, "Harry the number of times I disobeyed someones direct order, and put myself in unnecessary danger numbers in the triple digits. There's a running joke between my friends, that it's astonishing that of five of us, I'm the one who's in academia. I broke more rules in my two years at Ilvermorny, than anyone had in the entire history of the school." He leaned back in his chair, laughing lightly as he looked off into the distance, seemingly lost in memory. After a moments reflection, he turned his attention back to Harry,
"Regardless, I'm very proud of you Harry. You put yourself in mortal peril, all in an effort to save your friend. You risked your life to protect another's. There's a saying Harry, that you can tell more about a man from his actions than you can by his words. Do you know what your actions tell me, Harry?"
Harry shook his head, and Professor Jackson smiled at him, "They tell me that you're willing to put yourself at risk, if it means saving someone else. They tell me that you would do anything for the people you care for. They tell me, Harry Potter, that you will not be a good man, but a great one."
Harry was at a loss for words, nobody had ever said anything so kind to him before. There was a lump in his throat, and his mouth went a little dry.
"Thank you…sir," He said,
"Of course Harry." Professor Jackson said, before stretching his arms over his head, "So, got any fun summer plans?"
Harry's mind jumped to what was waiting for him the next day, and he slumped in his chair. Going to back to Number Four Privet Drive was what he looked forward to the least, every year. For everyone else, they were heading home, for Harry, he was heading back to where he didn't belong. Professor Jackson noticed the change in Harry's expression, and he stiffened slightly in his seat,
"Everything alright at home…Harry?" He asked cautiously, his eyes searching Harry's face, as his eyes twinkled slightly, just like Dumbledores sometimes did.
"Yeah…" Harry said, not wanting to meet his eyes, and not wanting to bother Professor Jackson with his troubles. But as he sat there, he thought of how Ginny had gone to Professor Jackson when she'd thought she was going mad. How Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis seemed to have a much closer relationship, how they said he'd listen to whatever they said, and how he hadn't breathed a word about what had been said. Harry trusted Professor Jackson, he was the only teacher in Harry's entire life, perhaps besides Dumbledore, he had never done anything but try and help him. He'd always been kind to Harry, approachable, and helpful. He'd done more for Harry in a single year, than most had done in their entire lives. Even the headmaster.
But Professor Jackson just felt more approachable than Dumbledore, Harry felt as though he could talk to Professor Jackson, confide in him. Tell him things…that he'd never even told Ron or Hermione.
Harry came to a decision,
"Everything is fine sir," Harry said, putting on his best smile,
"It's just not here,"
BREAK
Harry shut the door to Professor Jackson's office behind him, and let out a relieved sigh. His lie appeared to have worked. At least in so far as Professor Jackson hadn't asked any more uncomfortable questions about the Dursley's. It wasn't that Harry wanted to live with his relatives, far from it, in fact. But Harry would not bother Professor Jackson with his troubles, he'd already been enough of a problem in the past year, he'd burdened Professor Jackson too much. He wouldn't be the source of any more trouble for the man. The last thing he wanted was for Professor Jackson to think that Harry was more trouble than he was worth, that he was too much of hassle to deal with.
Shaking his head in order to clear it, he almost walked headlong into someone,
"Head in the clouds, Potter?" Asked an amused voice. Looking up, startled, Harry found himself in front of Daphne Greengrass and the source of the voice, Tracey Davis.
"Oh," Harry said, "Sorry about that…" He said uncomfortably, "It's-it's been a weird couple of days,"
Tracey snorted, "For you more than most I'd wager."
Harry froze. "W-what?" He asked,
Tracey just shrugged at him, and gave him a wink. Before skipping by him, and running into Professor Jackson's office, but Daphne stayed put. She was eyeing him, scrutinizing him closely. After a moment, she made a move to walk past him, but she drew even with him, "Is it dead?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Harry's feet were rooted to the floor, and for a few seconds he didn't say anything, before he nodded,
"Did you kill it?"
He shook his head no. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, before nodding.
"One last thing," She said, stopping him as he made to run away from the room. He didn't turn to look at her, but he didn't leave, "Next time you want to see the Slytherin Common Room, just ask." And with that, she strode into Professor Jackson's office, closing the door behind her.
For several moments, Harry didn't move. He didn't even breath. He just stood there, his heart hammering against his chest, and his mind racing. How could she possibly know? Was she bluffing, trying to throw him off balance and disorient him? But if she were, that would be a very odd thing to say. But how had she known? They had been so careful, and was she going to tell someone? If she told Snape, then no amount of Dumbledore's goodwill was likely to keep him from being expelled.
But it had been months, they had been to the Slytherin Common Room on Christmas, and it was June, if Daphne had wanted to tell someone, then she likely would have done it already. Unless she was waiting to use that information later. To hold it over Harry's head and blackmail him with it at a later date.
He started walking, his feet moving forward seemingly of their own accord. He tightened his hand into a fist, he couldn't worry about the possible implications of Daphne's little message at the moment. If it was true, and she really did know, he would simply have to hold out hope that she wouldn't tell anyone. And if she did…Harry would deal with that reality if it ever arrived.
BREAK
Harry stared miserably out the window of the Hogwarts Express as it thundered over the countryside. They were only minutes away from the station at that point, and Harry was quickly slipping into misery. His time at Hogwarts, was at an end. For the next two months he'd be stuck in the muggle world, at Number Four Privet Drive.
"Cheer up mate," Ron said, knowing just how much Harry hated living at his relatives, after all, he, Fred, and George had been the ones to rescue Harry from his relatives the previous summer.
"Won't they be proud of you?" Hermione asked, looking a little distressed, "All you accomplished this year, won't they take any measure of pride in that?"
Harry shared a look with Ron and the Twins, before he shook his head, "All those times I could have died and I didn't? Hermione they won't be proud of me…They'll be furious." The Hogwarts Express started slowing down before it came to a shuddering stop. Coming to a quick decision, Harry pulled out a quill and parchment before scribbling down a telephone number. He ripped two sets of the number off and handed them over to Ron and Hermione,
"Give me a call this summer, if I only have Dudley to talk to, I'll lose my mind."
"Too late for that mate," Fred said,
"Left that back in the Chamber," George added with a cheeky wink.
Harry rolled his eyes, but smiled good naturedly at their attempt to cheer him up. With their help, Harry pulled his trunk down from the top shelf, and joined the throngs of students leaving the train.
Harry spotted them immediately, it was hard to miss the immense bulk of his Uncle Vernon. Harry closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, steadying himself. He was about to step toward them, when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. Jumping slightly, he looked up and was surprised to see a stony-faced Professor Jackson, glaring in the direction of his family, who were looking back. Harry blinked, and then blinked again. He had to have been imagining things, because Vernon Dursley was looking at Harry as though he were a rabid dog, preparing to attack him. Uncle Vernon was shaking, slightly, and his Aunt Petunia looked as though she were about to faint at a given moment.
"Sir?" Harry asked in bewilderment, "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, just wanted to have a little word with your family is all," He said, patting Harry reassuringly on the shoulder, and smiling down at him, his expression, slightly wolfish, "Wanted to tell them how much you accomplished this year, how proud I was to be your teacher, and how if you arrived at Hogwarts next term, with a single hair on your head out of place, I'd do to them, exactly what I did to Gabe."
"Who's Gabe, sir?" Harry asked, quite confused by all that was happening,
"That, Harry, is a story for another time."
AN: And Second-Year comes to an end! Thanks to everyone who've been so supportive of this, and who've enjoyed the ride with me! I know I've neglected other stories for this, but when the muse catches you, you have to run with it or risk losing out something magical. I have a lot of fun plans for the future. The second-year was always planned to be the closest to the original plot, simply because it was so important for me to cement Percy as a role model for Harry, without taking care of all of his problems for him. Starting with the third-year, things really start to shake up! Hope you all stay tuned for what's to come! I think you're really going to enjoy the interactions I have cued up between Harry and Percy, as they start to more firmly cement their relationships. Third-year is very fundamental to Harry's development so I think have a solid mentor that's considerably less flakey than Lupin will be insurmountably beneficial to Harry as he starts to come into his own.