Chapter Five: Opening The Lock Boxes
Harry did not sleep well the following night. His mind was plagued with anxieties. Harry liked to compare his brain to Ron's trunk at the end of term, packed with rubbish, so very full; it surely wouldn't hold shut without the aid of magic. Harry felt stuffed up.
It was the final morning of the Hogwarts term for most of the students. Right now they were probably being shaken awake by their more diligent roommates, or panicking in a mad dash to find their favorite quill. It was around six thirty in the morning, 'Train leaves at eleven o'clock,' Harry kept thinking to himself.
Harry had always been an early riser, but today it seemed like the sun had been laying in wait for him to finally close his eyes and sleep before soaring high into the sky, attacking his eyelids. Harry, having nothing better to do and burning with anticipation started getting himself dressed and ready for the day.
Harry had quite a few things on his mind right now; the most pressing and pivotal however, was if he would be going back to the Dursley's on the train with the other students, or if he'd actually be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer. Though Harry had often prayed (And one time when he was very young, literally) for an escape from the Dursley's, now that it seemed so close, and so possible, it came with it's own new set of anxieties. Harry hadn't spoken with or seen Dumbledore since the long morning after they had saved Sirius. But Harry knew that today would be the day that the truth would find its way into the open, one way or another.
Just as Harry had finished tying his red and gold Gryffindor tie, Professor Lupin gently swung open the doors to the Hospital Wing. He already looked a world better than he had just two days prior.
"Harry, surprised to see you up. Good morning." Professor Lupin said to him in his usual calm and pleasant tone.
"Morning Professor," Harry replied as he pulled his black cloak over his shoulders. Harry did his normal routine; He looked down at his attire, patting his pocket to make sure he had his wand, he then smoothed his shirt, and pulled his glasses to the bridge of his nose for smudges. He took a bit of his robes, and cleaned them, before popping them back into his face. Finally, he double checked that his tie was righted. When everything was in order Harry looked up to see Professor Lupin looking at him quite curiously.
"What is it, sir?" Harry asked. Lupin smiled.
"You're so like him it's almost comical Harry. I shared a dorm with your father for seven years, with the exception of a few full moons here and there-" Lupin explained, waving his hand in a nonchalant sort of way. Harry cracked a grin.
"And I think I saw him give himself that same once over every single morning." Lupin said, as Harry smiled and ran a hand through his hair. "That!" Lupin exclaimed excitedly, "All the time! Except of course, James used to intentionally rough his hair up. Seemed to think it worked better on the ladies."
Harry laughed, and when he stopped, he still had a silly smile he couldn't wipe from his face. He'd heard things about his parents from others, Hagrid and Professor McGonogall, but nobody, bar Sirius, talked about them the way Lupin did. He knew all the little things about them. Harry felt sometimes when Lupin talked about them that they really were still alive, living a little bit through him.
"Sorry, sorry. I expect you tire of it." Lupin stated. Harry shook his head.
"Never, sir."
"Well, that's nice to hear, I've a lot to say about them. But Harry I'm actually here to escort you to up Dumbledore's office. He says needs to speak to you before the students go home for the summer." Lupin explained. "Shall we?"
Harry nodded, and together they exited the Hospital Wing.
The walk was short, and comfortably silent. They passed several students, at whom Professor Lupin smiled kindly. Some of them smiled back, but the majority simply ducked their heads and walked on a little quicker, Harry noticed. He scowled, and made a noise.
"It's okay," Lupin said to his left, startling him. Harry looked up at him. "I've had this affliction since I was a boy. I'm more than used to a few odd glances and pointed stares." Lupin expressed honestly. Harry opened his mouth, but the words 'Me too,' died on his lips as Lupin said, "Here we are." They had arrived at their destination.
"Jelly Baby." Lupin said at once, and the stone gargoyle hopped out of the way, granting them access. Harry followed Lupin up the spiraling stone staircase, and waited with him as Lupin knocked twice. "Please, come in."
They entered the office, and Harry glanced around. Harry loved Dumbledore's office. Several gadgets riddled the shelves, whirring and humming softly. One bronze instrument that resembled a sort of old time globe, rotated on it's axis idly. Shelf space where there were no gadgets consisted of book after book. The spines of these ancient tomes were well worn with age, tattered and torn in some places. Harry wondered, as his eyes traced the edges of the old frayed Sorting Hat, if even magic could not stop the effects of time. Time was on his mind a lot recently.
Finally, Harry's eyes landed on Dumbledore, who was half turned from them holding a small wooden lock box.
"Ah, thank you for fetching Harry for me, Professor." Dumbledore said, putting emphasis on the word Professor. Lupin smiled up at him. Harry noted that Lupin reacted to Dumbledore very similar to how the students did. Respect, and a little bit of nervous awe. "And quite a bit quicker than I anticipated too." He added, setting the box on his desk.
"No problem at all, Headmaster. Harry was actually already up and ready to go when I arrived." Lupin cleared his throat, "Anyway, I should be going now. You two have a fine morning. Harry. Professor." Lupin addressed with a nod, and with that Lupin left them. Harry watched him go, and when the door clicked shut, Harry turned back to Dumbledore. Dumbledore was staring at him.
Harry shrugged, "Early riser." Dumbledore chuckled, and made to go behind his desk.
"I'm much the same, Harry. Please, do join me." Dumbledore said, gesturing to the chair across from him. Harry plopped down into it comfortably. The chairs in Dumbledore's office were always so comfy.
"Harry," Dumbledore began, adjusting his position slightly, "I expect you know that I haven't been totally honest with you."
Harry had, but still, the out right admission shocked him a bit.
"I want you to understand that I did not keep these things from you out of malice, or with any intention of harming you. Protecting you has always been, and remains to be, my top priority." Dumbledore spoke softly, but firmly. Harry knew this tone to be the one Dumbledore took when he was going to be talking for awhile.
"I'm an old man Harry. I've seen and done many things in my years, travelled and researched and experimented with some of the brightest and best minds the wizarding world has to offer. There are several bits of knowledge that no wizard other than myself are privy to. Some of these bits of knowledge are old magic, spells forgotten by wizardkind. Some of these bits of magic are secrets, histories buried from many generations ago. Some of these bits of knowledge pertain to the downfall of Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore said, looking Harry in the eye. Harry felt unable to look away, or blink. "These are the bits of knowledge that I hold closest."
"Not out of want, but out of necessity. You see Harry I've spent years scouring for traces of Tom Riddle," Harry couldn't suppress an unexpected flinch. He was surprised by his own action. He had reacted to the name Tom Riddle much the way others reacted to the name Voldemort. He tried to level his features, sure that Dumbledore had noticed, he however continued without comment.
"Searching for ways to get inside his head, to understand him. To best him, finally. I've only a very few pieces of a large puzzle here, Harry, but last year, when you saved Ginny Weasley and slayed the Basilisk within the Chamber of Secrets you brought me another piece."
Dumbledore grabbed the box he had set down earlier, and Harry leaned forward in his cozy chair as Dumbledore pressed his wand to the lock. There were several complex clicks and scraping sounds from within, before it popped open. Dumbledore took out Tom Riddle's diary.
"Harry from the moment you brought me this I knew this was not normal magic at play. You could read every book in Hogwarts, twice, and still not have a proper grasp at the kind of sorcery at work here. Here I hold the key to defeating Voldemort."
Harry looked not at the diary, but through the gaping hole through which he had stabbed a Basilisk fang. His heart started to race a bit.
"I'm sorry sir- There was no other way to stop him... I had to save Ginny!" Harry expressed a bit frantically. Dumbledore smiled gently.
"No Harry, you performed beautifully," Dumbledore assured, and Harry let out a breath, "In destroying this you have destroyed a bit of Voldemort."
"And how exactly have I done that, sir?" Harry inquired. Dumbledore set down the diary and drew a long breath.
"Harry it is my belief that long before the night Voldemort attacked you, he had a contingency; A plan set in place in case he found himself in a predicament so unfortunate he was to lose his mortal body," Dumbledore slid the diary toward Harry, "This is his plan." Harry picked it up, and turned it over in his hands. He read the embroidered name, "Tom Marvolo Riddle," and suddenly felt a little sick. He tried to put it down slowly, but was sure the movement seemed skittish.
"I believe Voldemort planted bits of his soul, bits of himself in objects like this one. They are his anchors to this world. I do not now what objects, or how many, but last year after you brought me this I dedicated my summer to researching Tom Riddle for hints as to what they may be. If I could find these objects, and destroy them all, I could keep you safe. I could deal with this whole thing myself and not bring you anywhere close to harms way. That way of thinking quickly proved foolish."
Harry's world was spinning. It felt like it had been spinning more often than not these past few days. Harry eyed the diary, 'Destroy the objects, destroy Voldemort.'
"Harry I did not wish to tell you this, any of this. Alas, if I always had my way, you would be stepping off of the platform today to be greeted by James and Lily. Harry I am telling you now what I have kept from you all these years for the same one reason I have never told anyone else."
"I care about you. Immensely." Dumbledore said. The words seemed to pierce Harry. He felt an absent burning in his eye for a brief moment, but he attacked it with his sleeve.
"I care about you too Professor." Harry claimed, staring up at the man confidently. Dumbledore smiled, but it quickly faded.
"Harry on the night that Voldemort attacked you and your parents, your mother cast a protection over you. By refusing to stand aside, by refusing to let him get to you and sacrificing herself, she invoked a deep magic. Her love protects you, so long as her blood runs in your veins, it is my belief that Voldemort cannot fatally harm you. Not directly at least."
"The curse rebounded, his body was destroyed. But he was prepared," Dumbledore tapped the diary with one finger, "He did not die."
"Killing, Harry, it damages the soul. It is an act against nature, of pure evil. I think that when Voldemort raised his wand to James and Lily's only son, and his curse rebounded, his vulnerable soul was damaged even further. I think a bit of his soul was torn apart from the rest. And when it was, it latched itself onto the only living thing it could find." Dumbledore said, staring pointedly at Harry. Harry's heart dropped into his stomach. 'Destroy the objects, destroy Voldemort.'
"Me?" Harry asked. His world was not just spinning, his world was a top. Harry's mind was the point of the top touching the table, and the world around him spun faster and faster without end. He was even more thrown when Dumbledore smiled at him.
"And it's gone." Dumbledore said happily.
"I-It is?" Harry asked timidly. Dumbledore nodded.
"Harry what is it a Dementor does when they kiss a victim?" Dumbledore asked, leaning back and stroking his beard.
"They suck out their soul?" Harry said unconfidently. Dumbledore leaned forward, excited and pointing at Harry with both hands.
"Exactly my dear boy, exactly! And what was it you said to Miss Granger before you cast your Patronus?"
Harry tried to remember. They had been by the lake, watching their past selves, when one Dementor had retreated from the rest. Harry's eyes widened.
"I said it got me," Harry remembered, "But hold on! How did you-"
"Yes Harry, yes! It did get you, but it did not get you." Dumbledore explained, smiling wide under his white beard. Harry shook his head in confusion.
"I'm sorry, what?" Harry inquired, rather dumbfounded.
"Harry, where did that Dementor kiss you?"
Harry thought back, his eyes widened again.
"My scar!"
"Your scar."
Harry stared at Dumbledore in shock. He had so much to consider, so much information in his head. Surely he didn't have enough room to store all of this information. They sat in that silence for a long while. Harry tried to process the information, but the harder he tried, the blanker his mind became.
"I believe this is why your magic is reacting the way it is. You had a leech, Harry, but you ripped it off and now you're bleeding. All your life this bit of Voldemort has been feeding off of your magic, inhibiting you. And now you're free." Dumbledore laughed, "Now that the leech is gone, I expect we simply wait for the blood to clot. You're totally and completely free!" He said happily as his animated hands finally folded at his lap. He seemed overtly satisfied.
Harry wasn't sure what to say, there was so much in his head, and yet so little at the same time. He decided to just keep the conversation moving forward.
"About that sir," Harry began. Dumbledore's eyebrows perked up as he listened. "My magic, I mean. Am I going to be sent with the other students, the ones that are going home?"
"Of course I'm going to send you home Harry," Dumbledore explained nonchalantly. Harry deflated immediately back into his chair. "But not with the other students."
"Sir?" Harry asked, perplexed.
"No, your magic is far too unstable to be around muggles right now, let alone ones as unpleasant as the Dursley's," Dumbledore stared, "No offense intended of course, Harry." But Harry hadn't taken offense, his face contorting into a hopeful wide eyed stare.
"But I thought you said I'd be going home?" He asked breathlessly.
"You will be Harry. Though, I expect the dormitory might feel a bit empty without Mr. Weasley and your other dorm mates. I assure you we are more than capable of sustaining you for the summer holiday. Also, I'd be remiss to mention how irresponsible of me it would be to send back there, current events considered. Sirius Black is still at large, so I hear." Dumbledore finished with a wink.
"Seriously?" Harry asked, full of hope. "I can stay?"
"Quite serious." Dumbledore replied, smiling.
Harry vibrated with excitement, his hands found the arms of his chair, he was half tempted to launch himself out of it and dance around Dumbledore's office. There was one more thing on Harry's mind though.
"Sir?" Harry asked, squeezing the arms of the chair softly.
"Yes, Harry?" Dumbledore replied.
"Do you charm these chairs to make them more comfortable?"
Harry felt like a two ton weight had been listed off his chest.
Harry strolled up to the Gryffindor Common Room with a skip in his step. He had been feeling all sorts of things since his encounter with that Dementor. He had felt sadness, bitterness, anger, but he had also felt happy and hopeful. Harry felt like his dial was cranked up to eleven. He didn't initially understand what he had been feeling, though Harry now understood it all perfectly. He was feeling alive.
Harry entered through the portrait hole purposefully. His talk with Dumbledore had taken awhile, and he expected all of the students to be at breakfast right around now. There was one Gryffindor, however, who was not celebrating the end of term with her classmates.
Hermione Granger sat alone, at a table by one of the windows. She had several tomes stacked next to her, one open in her lap, and another particularly large one laying open on the table. Her fingers traced the words on the page as she read diligently.
Harry snuck over. He would pride himself on being light stepped, but everyone knew that getting Hermione Granger to look away from a book would be more difficult than walking loudly. Still, he crept up behind her, sneaking around her peripheral and crouching behind her. He held his breath, got right up next to her ear, and with the gruffest voice his thirteen year old vocal chords could muster whispered in her ear, "Hello Miss Granger..."
"Ah!" Hermione let out a small yelp, spinning around and swinging her hand at whoever had snuck up on her. Her hand came down with a mighty force on Harry's cheek, and the smack echoed off of the stone walls. He tumbled a few steps away from her.
"Blimey Hermione..." said Harry as he rubbed his cheek. His glasses were a bit askew.
"Harry!" Hermione said in surprise, hopping up from the table. She threw herself at him, and his vision was obscured by brown locks. She gave him a good squeeze, before stepping back.
"Oh I'm so sorry- Don't ever sneak up on me again!" Hermione reprimanded with a pointed finger. Harry righted his glasses.
"You must have really done in Malfoy," Harry said still rubbing his cheek, "How are you so small and still so strong?"
Hermione blushed bashfully in the same way she did when a professor would compliment her spell work.
"When did they let you out of the Hospital Wing? How is your magic doing? Have you spoken with Dumbledore?" Hermione asked in rapid fire as Harry planted himself on the couch.
"Would you like me to answer those sequentially or in order of importance?" Harry asked. Hermione plopped down next to him and said, "Shut up Harry."
"They let me out this morning. I'm a free elf." Harry said gleefully, doing a little gesture with his arms.
"And your magic?" Hermione pressed.
"Still wonky." Harry replied.
"And they're still keen on sending you back to the Dursley's? That seems rather irresponsible." Hermione admonished.
"Actually that's what my talk with Dumbledore was about. In part at least. They said I'm a threat to the statute of secrecy and muggles everywhere. I'm spending this summer in the shrieking shack, I'm to have my wand snapped and I've got these cool new handcuffs- ow! Stop hitting me!" Harry said, rubbing his arm where she had just punched him.
"Stop being an idiot!" Hermione exclaimed, "I already have to deal with Ronald's inability to take anything seriously." Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Now that you mention it, where is my favorite carrot top?" Harry asked, looking around. He even picked up one of the pillows and checked under it.
"If you mean Ron he's at breakfast. I told him we should be studying Dementors but he said, 'Oh piss off Hermione we've all summer,' and then when I said, 'Language Ron! And honestly, how do you plan on researching Dementors over the summer?' He said, 'Well I'll just ask Dad,' and I said, 'Has your father even been around Dementors for more than ten minutes?' And he said, 'No, but he did tell me to never do anything important on an empty stomach,' and then he went to get breakfast. You know Harry you've been acting awfully strange lately." Hermione finished finally. Harry blinked twice.
"Well Hermione you've been acting awfully strange your whole life- ow! Quit it!" Harry rubbed the same spot she had punched him before. "Oh, and you don't have to research Dementors anymore; Dumbledore thinks he has all the scar stuff figured out. My magic should be back to normal in a few weeks."
Hermione huffed, and looked like she was about to complain about something.
"But Hermione," Harry said before she could say anything, "Thank you."
"Well of course Harry. You're my best friend." She explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"No I mean... Thank you. For everything. For being my friend at all. You're the best one I could ask for," Harry pressed, "You're amazing Hermione." Harry said fondly. Hermione blushed and froze up. She was not used to getting these kinds of compliments, not at all.
"Right. Of course. I feel the same." She said after some time in a stilted sort of way. Harry smiled at her awkwardness.
"Breakfast?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded rigorously.
Harry and Hermione walked side by side into the Great Hall. Students were already digging in happily, trying to sneak in those last bits of conversation before being whisked away back home. Harry spotted a tight knit bunch of red heads, and made his way to it.
"Morning Weasleys," Harry said, throwing himself into a seat next to Ron.
"The prodigal son!" Fred exclaimed, fake fainting into George's waiting hands.
"He returns!" George said dramatically. Harry smirked at them, turning to his best mate.
"Hey mate, long time no see."
"They finally let you out then?" Ron asked rhetorically, "Thank Merlin. I won't have to keep listening to Fred and George argue about whether you're a hero or a prince-"
"Or a demigod!" Fred exclaimed, before fake dying in George's arms again, who gasped and shook him lightly. Harry laughed at their antics.
Harry had a perfectly normal, yet exceptional morning. It couldn't last forever, and in what seemed like no time at all, the students were shuffling out of the castle to await the carriages that would bring them to the train station. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked shoulder to shoulder.
"I'll write you every week!" Hermione said earnestly, as they waited. The day was beautiful, blue skies with several poofy white clouds drifting gently in the breeze.
"And I won't write you every week, but I'll definitely write you for the big stuff," Ron added, hauling his trunk to them. Harry ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't sure exactly what to say.
He wanted to thank them, for everything they'd done for him this year, and every year. He wanted to tell them about how much he was going to miss them; that Harry was very afraid Hogwarts might not feel like home without them. He wanted to tell them how much he loved them.
Instead he settled on, "Don't worry about me. You guys just have a happy holiday."
Hermione smiled at him, before launching herself at him characteristically. He caught her and returned her embrace. Harry hadn't ever been a hugging person, well, he had never even been hugged before arriving at Hogwarts, but Harry let himself be fully encompassed by the comfortable feeling, closing his eyes and hugging her tighter. He really was going to miss them terribly.
"I really will write you every week Harry, I promise!" Hermione said into his ear. Harry smiled into her hair.
The first carriage had rolled up from the pathway, with several others following in tow, being pulled by some invisible force. Hermione relinquished her grip on Harry.
"Well, that's us mate." Ron said, holding his fist out, which Harry bumped in return. "See you next year Harry." He said with a smile.
"Have a good summer Harry!" Hermione said happily, as Crookshanks strolled up to her. She knelt down to collect him, cooing, "Hello clever boy..." in his ear.
"Thanks guys." Harry said to them, "You'd better go or all the carriages will be full up."
Hermione and Ron said their final goodbyes, collected their things, and began to load up on one of the carriages as Harry watched them from afar. Ron waved one final time at Harry, before climbing inside. Hermione went to follow him but stopped when Harry called her name.
"Hermione!" He called, cupping his hands. She gave him an inquisitive look. "Every week?" Harry asked loudly. "You swear?" She beamed back at him.
"I swear!" Hermione called back, "Bye Harry!"
A/N: Right so, the first few chapters have been super dialogue heavy. I wanted to push us through the point where it's understood that Harry's horcrux is gone, and he's gonna be at Hogwarts. Don't worry, I have like four pretty okay ideas about how Harry is gonna spend his summer! Also, I know Dumbledore didn't mention the blood magic protecting Harry at the Dursley's, I think ****mini spoiler?**** I might save that information for next summer.****mini spoiler? over****
Thanks to the dude who reviewed, I love it lol
I'm gonna try to find some ways to write more action driven stuff(not strictly like, high octane action, just like, general characters doing things) so that you guys don't just have to read people talking at each other. Thanks for reading so far dudes :))
(Oh and also, I'm trying to make the chapters longer. I know Chapter 2 was ridiculously short. Lemme know what you guys think of this length, or if I should push it a lil further)