Chapter 9: Finally, Forgiveness

"So," Dumbledore said after a moment of silent tears, "I must now ask my final question before I let you ask yours." He looked to Harry then McGonagall. "Can I be forgiven?"

Harry seemed floored and McGonagall's brow furrowed. "I think that is something you will have to wait for to get an answer. I believe for now though, trying to fix your mistakes shall be enough."

He nodded as if expecting this. There was another moment of awkward silence then he clapped his hands together with a wide grin. Harry flinched, especially as McGonagall rested her hand on his shoulder. Dumbledore looked between the other professor and their student. "Now all we can do is move forward. I believe the first step would be to alert the Castle's other occupants that Harry's stay shall be indefinite until we can find a better solution. Shall we sojourn to the Great Hall then?"

McGonagall shook her head. "I believe it better we stay here. Send the information in a message. Have breakfast brought up here. Then we can talk about the logistics of having Harry in the castle over the summer. For all your planning, Albus, you sometimes forget the important details when it comes to a person's necessities."

McGonagall saw him hang his head in resignation. She was unsure if he picked up the real reason for her refusal to leave the Gryffindor common room to the Great Hall. For Harry. Such a sudden change, and confession from a man they both admired must be unnerving. He needed time to adjust. He needed a slow pace, time to accept what was happening. It would just be more stressful for him to be thrown in to the hall, eating a meal with all his professors, each at least twenty years his senior.

There was a lot to do if she wanted Harry to be properly cared for. She turned to address this to Dumbledore. He shook his head. In that one second, his mask slid back on. He seemed undisturbed, and it was as if the emotional conversation had not happened at all. The only sign was the missing twinkle in his eye.

Harry seemed to notice this too. He looked between the Professor's nervously. Dumbledore nodded again before pushing himself out of his chair. "Very well."

He took out his wand and waved it. Harry's eyes widened in amazement at the silver bird of smoke that emerged. Dumbledore spoke as if addressing an audience. "I have reached a decision. Mr. Potter will be staying for now. We will meet later so all of you may learn the details and what this change means. Until then, Minerva and I will be making a plan of action so this change goes well for all of us. We would appreciate if breakfast could be sent up for the three of us to the Gryffindor Common Room."

The bird flew out of the room, with Harry staring after it. Dumbledore smiled in satisfaction and sat down. He looked at Harry quite seriously. "The patronus will let the other staff present for the summer know of your stay. I would like the knowledge to stay between those few people. Students are not meant to stay at Hogwarts for the summer."

"Oh," Harry said as he felt a shrinking feeling come over him.

McGonagall glared at Dumbledore and turned to Harry. "Professor Dumbledore meant that this is unusual. You, however, as Professor Dumbledore explained, are a special case. I suppose we must keep this quiet so as not to attract attention, nor show any favoritism. In the past, Hogwarts has tried to help students in need."

The program she'd implemented with help from Pomona and Poppy had helped at least a dozen students. After seeing what became of Sirius Black, she'd started to watch closer for signs of things going wrong in a student's home. For the past decade, she'd managed to help students feel safe. It was not something she would fail in now.

Dumbledore interrupted. "Unlike them, you are not able to just go to a friend's home or to one we choose for you. Protections must be put in place. You are an object of interest to most of the Wizarding World, not just Voldemort. That is why we must keep this quiet."

It is not an easy thing to be at the center of attention of an entire society. Everyone has their own opinions of what you should be, and how you should act. They come to rely on that idea, and any disruption of it is disastrous. It is for that reason, and because I do not want anyone to pry much further into your already very public life, that this should be kept quiet."

Harry didn't move. Thinking about his fame was never fun, and it was a burden he didn't want to bare. Now it seemed, that fame made him a burden as well. He was to be hushed up. He wasn't there. It might not be better than the Dursley's, after all, there he was something they didn't want acknowledged, unseen by them and unknown to everyone else.

McGonagall looked down at him in an assuring manner, not realizing the problem. "Of course, I am sure you can write to Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley. Albus, perhaps you can inform the Weasleys, we could possibly arrange for them to help us?"

"A good idea. Both of your friends have proven more than trustworthy," Dumbledore agreed looking down at Harry. He smiled brightly. "I'm sure even now they are already waiting to hear from you."

Harry smiled a little, a shy and nervous smile but one nonetheless.

Dumbledore looked to McGonagall. "As you said, I tend to overlook necessities. What else is there that we need to discuss?"

She gave him an approving nod. "I'm sure Harry would like some time to settle in and get used to the castle."

"Hogwarts is to be your home this summer," Dumbledore agreed with a kind look toward Harry. His eyes had picked up their twinkle again and Harry thought the man winked as he continued. "You have already discovered some of the castle's secrets. I'm sure you will have no trouble making yourself at home."

McGonagall waved him off. "Yes. The point is that Harry feels comfortable. Be that staying in the common room for a while, or exploring the castle. It is your decision."

Harry's eyes widened momentarily. However much he would love to have the freedom to make his own decisions, she was still the adult. She could change what she'd said before. Before he could contemplate more on this, McGonagall continued with her talk.

"I do have a few rules though. There will be areas that access is restricted too, much like during the school year. You will be here in the common room by nine-thirty as well. Otherwise, we must know where you are at all times for your safety."

"A fair point," agreed Dumbledore. "The teachers are not used to checking in on children during the summer. However, you will need to tell one of them before you leave any supervision you maybe be under. That includes the use of your cloak as well."

He ignored McGonagall's questioning look to continue. "After all, from now on, I believe we both should try to be honest with each other. If I am to earn your forgiveness, I must earn your trust. However, this goes both ways. That means you still need to tell us if you intend to use the cloak."

Harry nodded and Dumbledore smiled. McGonagall took over again. "I'd like to set up some routine as well. You may work on your summer assignments from here, in the library, or join one of the professors in their office. I would say from around the hour of ten until lunch would be the time to do that work."

"That seems wise. It is still summer, we would not want to take away the free time you have," Dumbledore agreed conjuring up a parchment. "Perhaps, we could decide on who you will work with on your assignment, or where you will be? I believe many of the Professors will be all too happy to answer your questions."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said softly.

McGonagall nodded as if expecting this. "For today, and perhaps tomorrow, we shall just play things by ear. This is a change for all of us. We will not be doing anything you do not feel comfortable with."

Harry fidgeted nervously but nodded. Both their eyes one him, the attention of both adults made him really self-concious. McGonagall continued. "We'll make sure to set some meal times as well."

"And I would like to meet with Harry personally at least once a week. The whole reason this began was my wish to study his dreams," Dumbledore said as he raised a finger in the air to make a point. McGonagall nodded and grabbed the schedule from Dumbledore along with a quill and started to write.

She wasn't very surprised by the disruption seconds later. In fact, she barely looked up. Harry was the opposite. He crashed into the back of his seat with a startled jump. The house elf bowed to Dumbledore, McGonagall then Harry, who stared with wide eyes.

"Thank you," Dumbledore said kindly. He gestured to Harry. "Luly, this is Harry. If you would inform the others—"

"Others?" Harry interrupted. He blushed and looked down.

Dumbledore nodded. "Others. This is Luly, she is one of the many house elves that live and work in the castle. As magical as this building is, it does not clean itself, nor cook. The house elves do it all."

Harry watched the house elf curiously. Seeing them side by side, the Professor was reminded of McGonagall's comment when she'd informed him of Harry's plight. He'd lived like a house elf.

And it was true, both stood there in baggy clothes, not fitting quite properly. Hogwarts' house elves were well fed, getting room and board. Of course, he offered them pay for their work, which they refused. Harry had none of that, it seemed. The boy was as skinny as the elf, his limbs as bony, with little fleshy bits hanging near the joints.

He did not focus on this for long, sensing Harry's unasked question. "You are wondering why you didn't know of the house elves. Why you didn't see them."

Of course, it was because like all good house elves, and neglected children, they were never seen or heard. Dumbledore did not say this but explained that the house elves did not like any recognition for the things they'd done. They worked hard and were treated well at Hogwarts. Of course, that was not the case everywhere. Harry looked uncomfortable at that mention. Dumbledore moved on quickly. "Their quarters, and work space is in the kitchen. If you find yourself in need of anything, the house elves will be happy to help. There is a door in the entrance hall, to the side. If you take the stairs down to the corridor with food paintings and tickle the pear in the painting of the bowl of fruit it will transform into the entrance for you."

Harry nodded, still wide-eyed, startling once again as the house elf disappeared now that Dumbledore had given her the message for the other elves, and that the food and silverware had been set up.

"Now then. We should eat." Dumbledore said serving himself and gesturing for Harry to do the same. The boy did so with hesitation. The old man turned to the writing woman, "Minerva, you should eat as well. Afterwards, I think Harry might do well to show you what he has. Just in case he is lacking anything he needs. Clothes or otherwise."

McGonagall looked over Harry and nodded. "Yes."

They ate in companiable silence. From time to time, Harry glanced over at the professors with an almost wary look in his eyes. He finished quickly, only having a few servings of toast, jam, and some scrambled eggs.

The professors exchanged glances above the plate but did not say anything about it. Dumbledore wiped the crumbs off his face (and into his beard). He looked between his two companions. "Now, there is one more matter we must speak about before anything else. As stated before, Hogwarts is a school of magic. It is imbued within these walls. The sense of magic here is strong, and the sense of students learning magic is stronger. I tell you this because I wish you to know that the Degree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has loopholes. Those that I think one, such as yourself, might use to break the rules if they feel."

Harry looked at Dumbledore confusedly. "Are you saying I can do magic over the summer?"

"Yes. Indeed, I feel as long as a young magic user has supervision, there is little harm. The ministry cannot sense the use of underage magic in a home full of witches or wizards. If they wished to see if such things were happening, they would have to go to the home and spend time investigating, separating the threads of remnants of magic and spells. Even then, one cannot tell when the spell has been cast, unless they have access to the wand used. So, if the ministry came here to inspect your use of magic, it would be near impossible, seeing as it would be disguised among the other spells cast during the school year, especially your own."

"Albus, you are encouraging him to break the law," McGonagall chided with a surprised look. She'd finally turned the paper down to watch the conversation taking place.

"As I said before, Harry is a special circumstance. He has already faced Lord Voldemort once since returning to our world. I do not doubt he might find himself in such a situation again. Indeed, I feel it might be good for him to practice."

The older woman did not argue with Dumbledore's raised eyebrow. She sighed. "I suppose so."

"Good," Dumbledore grinned vanishing the end of their meal away. He turned to Harry and then McGonagall then back again. He looked straight into the young boy's eyes, and Harry fidgeted at the scrutinization. However, Dumbledore's voice and face were kind as he spoke.

"I believe our conversation is finished then. That is, unless you have anything to ask?"

Harry shook his head. Dumbledore stood. "Good. Then I shall be going, there is much to be done."