The Hero Hidden Beneath A Traitor's Clothing
Summary: Voldemort is at the height of his power once more, terrorizing both the Muggle and Wizarding World's he is considered unstoppable and ruthless. There is only one person left who can truly defeat him, a boy that the world has set on a pedestal. In his seventh year the boy is now a man and single handedly taking on the dark forces but are the people truly grateful to this mysterious warrior, or will he have to depend on another girl several years younger than him and a complete stranger to believe in him.
Rated: R (for adult content and some violence)
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the talented Ms. Rowling does, and the WB has some rights to the series. I just write for the hell of it all, so don't sue. I don't have anything worth taking me to court over.
-Chapter Two- Suspicion is thy enemy
"So what is this all about?" Smoke started off trying to get their little 'meeting' over with as fast as possible. He was a busy man after all.
Looking uneasily at each other everyone except Remus, Alastor Moody, and Harry started blabbering on about some kind of group. Harry could care less whether he heard a word or not, what they wanted was obvious.
Trying to regain some semblance Dumbledore shot red sparks from his wand and gave them a firm "Quite please!" before taking lead in the meeting.
"Now without further ado I shall explain why we have brought you here, you are no doubt curious about that I'm sure." The Headmaster asked him expecting a nod in return.
Shaking his head in a negative motion he shrugged uninterested. "No, actually I already know why you want me here." He answered confusing several in the room.
"I doubt it." Snape murmured from his position in the farthest chair from him. Turning to him and inwardly smirking Harry had waited a long way to tell the Potions Master off and here was his chance.
"You doubt it do you?" he asked playfully almost laughing. "Mr. Snape you must seriously under estimate me. Is it the fact that I'm actually making more progress than the Order of the Phoenix is put together the fact why you hate me already? Or it the fact that even though I never was a Death Eater I receive much more useful information from the inner circle than you do?" he teased having the other man sputter momentarily and glare at him. And if looks could kill Harry would have been dead ten times over and Snape would be subjected to the Dementor's Kiss by then.
"How do you know about the Order?" he growled and ground his teeth. Afraid that if the man clenched his teeth any harder he might break them Harry answered amused by the situation.
"Why Mr. Snape you'll soon learn I know a lot of things, after all like I've told other's walls have eyes and ears like the rest of us." He told him puzzling them all.
"So you spy on the Order as well as Voldemort?" he was clearly enraged, it didn't take much to agitate the Potions master, but to make him mad beyond mad was quite a feat. Of course Sirius could get him even more riled up but that came from years of grudges and hatred towards each other. But here Smoke sat barely knowing the man and already getting to him. The corner of Professor Snape's right eye started twitching madly and all he wanted to do was roll on the floor and laugh.
"Spying." he paused briefly to rethink what he was about to say. "Is such a harsh word. In order to spy on someone don't you have to pretend to be in league with them, or at least stick around long enough to get some juicy information?" Across the room he received several nods but the dark haired man stayed rigid in his seat. "Well I don't pretend to be loyal to either side neither do I stay around to make idol talk and pry into matters that don't concern me. I have other ways of getting my information." He answered and thought //Much, much better ways.\\
Thoroughly curious now the Headmaster looked pensive as if trying to figure something out. He cleared his throat lightly making sure barely anyone could hear him and did the strangest thing. Of course in a normal person's point of view it wouldn't be in the least unusual.
Smoke observed as the old man raised a hand motioning for Snape to stop his torrent of questions and nodded to him, out of the corner of his eye Snape nodded back with a strange gleam in his eye. //Their up to something and I don't like it.\\
Trying to end the ever-present tension in the room Dumbledore stood and waved his wand at the surface of his desk where a tray with a tea set materialized. "Would anyone care for tea, I sometimes find it soothes the nerves at times like these." Most everyone agreed while Harry wisely didn't comment but answered the Headmaster when he asked how he likes his tea.
"One lump of sugar and some lemon on the side if you'd please Headmaster." He said making sure the combination was different from what he really liked.
Surprisingly enough he asked Professor Snape to distribute the tea, which the man willingly did.
//Okay; now I know something fishy is going on here. Snape would never willingly wait on anyone.\\
Next to him Remus started fidgeting nervously and once Harry was handed his cup of tea, which seemed normal to the eye the other man nearly jumped biting his lip. Giving the werewolf an imploring look Smoke pretended to take a sip from his cup while actually swallowing excess saliva to make it look real and while nobody was looking he spilled a minimum amount of liquid into the flower pot sitting on a small coffee table next to him. All went unnoticed except by Remus who looked somewhat relieved.
Setting his tea down next to the flowerpot Smoke cleared his throat in preparation to address his issues. "Before we get to your concern I'd like to know if Gabrielle has any relatives she'll be staying with, perhaps her parents or grandparents? I'd like to pass my condolences onto them."
Marginally surprised the old man shook his head. "The Delacour's have been a big help in this war and it has cost the family their lives, I regret to say that Ms. Delacour's only family left was her older sister Fluer." He paused letting it sink in and Harry breathed a labored sigh.
//Another child orphaned by Voldemort, the fucking bastard! It seems this time I'm not the only one who survived, I'm sure Fluer had tried keeping Gabby alive as long as possible resulting in her own death.\\
"I'm sure once she finds out Fluer will come and claim her sister, I have no doubts that she'd be ecstatic to know that the child is alright." The old man continued and somewhere in the back of his mind Harry wanted to gag right there. They still didn't know how many were lost. How could they just sit there so calmly discussing affairs they know nothing about. //Some elite force they are!\\
"That's the problem Fluer was killed in the collapse of Beaxbatons, Gabrielle was the only one I found alive and she was barely alive at that." //Maybe I can take care of her, once I finish Hogwarts this year I'll be of age. The girl will never have to know what it's like to be an orphan. I don't want that for her and I owe her that much at least.\\
"If she has no other family then I'd like to take responsibility for her, she shouldn't know what it's like to have no family and while we're in a state of war I highly doubt you can find someone to take her in during the summers." He said surprising everyone.
After a few moments of silence when he was sure everyone in the room was wondering how a hero, but yet a killer could want to take care of a young girl without anything in return.
"Why would you want to take care of her? Have some ulterior motives?" the Potions Master sneered.
"Because," he answered repulsed by what the other man was accentuating. He was actually proposing that Smoke was a child molester! How absurd! "I feel responsible, I owe Fluer that much for not being there in time."
"Oh so you're some kind of boyfriend to the late Delacour." The greasy git actually dared to propose that he had sexual relations with the older Veela. If he weren't supposed to be working on the same side as Snape he would spit in his face. It seemed the man had no respect for the dead that at least was obvious just like the rest of the Slytherins don't.
"No, just a friend. I'd be willing to let Gabby stay with me over the summers between her Hogwarts years."
"I'm afraid," Dumbledore spoke. "That will not be possible Smoke, due to some legal basics." Smoke groaned almost beating himself on the head. Of course! They didn't even know who he was let alone his age, financial situation, if he was suitable enough to take care of another person.
"I understand the legalities here but considering the situation I figured that it would be alright especially if Voldemort found out not only was there a boy-who-lived that survived him but now there is a girl-who-lived and I'm sure that he'll be after her as well as Harry Potter. While he has practically a whole unit watching his every move she's left unprotected. And outside of Hogwarts she has no blood relatives to stay with. Who better to protect her than the one person who will stand up to the Dark Lord and fight him tooth and hair?"
Considering the situation Dumbledore nodded figuring somewhere in his mind that Smoke was right after all. Gabrielle would need protection. "That may be so but young Gabrielle did not survive from a deadly curse that she fought off on her own but was saved from inside a collapsed building." He didn't even want to mention how the man knew Harry Potter stayed with blood relatives over the summer with a number of charms protecting him because of them.
"No you're wrong, she survived while nobody else did. She fought to stay alive, fought with her own internal magic and with the help with her sister's last breath just like Potter's mother saved him with the boost of what little magic he had." He countered openly opposing the headmaster whom was considered the greatest wizard since Merlin.
"That is where you are wrong Smoke," the old man folded his hands before him placing them on his desk and leaning forward to address him. "Mr. Potter's mother didn't help him one bit she died before a single bead of magic could escape her wand. What he did was not only extraordinary but impossible in anyone else's rights." Harry was nearly sitting on the edge of his seat expecting further explanation but none came. After all these years the Headmaster still wouldn't tell him how he survived and why Voldemort wanted him dead. Sadly it was one of the few things he couldn't find out on his own and the next question that greeted him greatly surprised him.
"Now Smoke, I believe that it is about time to get to other things." Pause. "Like who you are, would you kindly state your name, birth date, occupation outside of your escapades."
Harry sat dumbfounded by the man's demand. Did he actually expect him to answer even if he asked nicely? What were they expecting? After staying silent for a few minutes he saw the Potions master furrow his eyebrows and stare at the cup of tea they all thought he drained earlier instead of pouring it out into the flowerpot where the small greenery in it was slowly dying.
"Was I supposed to answer that?" he blinked finally realizing what was going on. They tried to drug him with Veritaserum! Sneaky bastards. "I wasn't expecting to be drugged when I came here Professor, what kind of hospitality do you possess if any? Honestly just because I consume a potion doesn't mean it will take effect on me." He chuckled dryly feeling extremely lucky for the moment. In truth the Veritaserum would have taken effect and he probably would have ended up spilling his guts to them all. His luck had stepped in once again. Good thing he never ran out of it.
"It seems we have underestimated you and I greatly apologize you see it was a measure of security. You must understand that nobody is quite sure who's side you are on, you do not fight with either you just go solo. The Order of the Phoenix has been wondering a great deal about you as well as hoping you would fight alongside us."
Shaking his head ruefully, he couldn't believe this man. He wasn't even chagrinned at having been caught. At least Remus and Minerva were sympathetic to him. Moody was grinning a lopsidedly making his scarred face look all the more contorted. All the while his Constant Vigilance theory was coming in play again and he spoke up toward it.
"Good Lad!" he called loudly surprising them all. "Always remember CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" He yelled the last part loudly making everyone present jump and Snape to role his eyes. "Even in the hands of an ally maintain CONSTANT VIGILANCE." He barked the last word slamming his fist on Dumbledore's desk.
"Of course, after all you can hardly trust anyone these days even your closest friends and family." He answered.
"That's hardly true Smoke." Minerva Mcgonagal huffed from her position by Snape. "I doubt someone's closest friends let alone their immediate family would betray them."
Oh if she knew how wrong she was. "Always the trusting little Gryffindor, Professor Mcgonangal." He smirked and shook his head. "The world would be so much easier if we could all make assumptions like that, but unfortunately we can't. People are all different it is human nature to be scared, to turn to what seems like the winning side. But in reality there is no black and white. There is no good and evil. There is nothing but what you want, what you believe in and it all narrows down to power. I never thought I would say this but in some cases Voldemort it right. Slytherins can be right, we are all fools that can't see beyond what our mind wants us to and that's what causes destruction." He spoke softly but clearly putting vague disbelief into people's minds.
Remus, whom had known Harry for quite a while had always pictured him as a bright boy, a Gryffindor in all aspects but now to hear such words come out of the boy's mouth was disastrous. It was crushing to the heart to see what could have been a normal innocent boy become this steel like warrior. He was right though we only see what we want to. That is how Pettigrew ended up betraying them.
"Well I don't believe in such things, I believe in good and evil Smoke and I refuse to see things in gray." The woman answered pressing her lips together again.
"Like I said you believe that because you want. I happen to know you are a brilliant woman, Minerva," He said causing her cheeks to color some. "But you lack observation skills and common sense." Her expression changed visibly and she frowned in outrage.
"You see you can only view things in gray. Lets take Tom Riddle for example. I believe you remember Tom Riddle from school don't you Minerva?" he asked since the transfiguration teacher was in Hogwarts the same year as him.
"Yes he was in Slytherin and later became Head boy, unfortunately he disappeared after that." She said giving Harry something else to amuse himself with and to plant into their heads.
Looking toward the Headmaster he grinned seeing the old man focusing on him with his imperial gaze. "Tsk, tsk," he shook his finger at the old man. "I see that you haven't told them who Tom Riddle really is."
Dumbledore didn't answer, a good choice he thought and he went on. "Minerva if you put Tom Marvolo Riddle's name on a piece of paper and jumble the letters do you know what you will come out with?" he spoke as if to a small child trying to explain a complicated subject.
"No, why don't you inform us all Smoke." She urged him on albeit bewildered in her approach.
"You get the words I Am Lord Voldemort." Gasps were heard all around them, while Mad-eye grunted and Remus' eyes bugged out again. "You see Voldemort was not born evil after all, instead he was molded and sculpted into a Dark Lord by outside influences. Such as house rivalry, being an orphan, who knows what else but now you have to see that it's absolutely true."
"Albus is this true?" she implored receiving a single nonchalant nod from the old man.
"Then I have another example," he rushed on taking favor in humiliating the man that kept so much to himself. The man that to this day tried to manipulate him. //You may have been able to make me your pawn while I was younger but I'm onto you.\\ he thought.
"No need for another example Smoke." The Headmaster held up a hand haltingly trying to keep the torrent of stories from affecting his image any more.
"Drat!" he exclaimed sarcastically and beat his gloved hand against the arm of his chair. "I was hoping to tell them the story of how Peter Pettigrew betrayed the Potter's and framed Sirius Black for betrayal and murder. Quite an interesting story I assure you." He sneered at the man.
"I'm afraid we already know that story." Minerva answered briskly.
"Oh? Well did you know about the one where Potter's own friends are doubting his loyalty?" He said bitterly towards them. "To actually assume such a thing is more than ridiculous yet they still do it. Just because Ms. Granger needs to stick her nose into everything, the girl even believes she can find out who the mysterious Ninja Mage Smoke is." He laughed again and from Remus' point of observation it was a highly threatening laugh. It seemed eerie for someone without a face to laugh like that.
"Oh let me guess, you are another member of the Harry Potter fan club the Potions master sneered his way. What little respect the man was gathering for him was slowly diminishing with that assumption.
"No, there you go assuming things again. Just because I say something like that doesn't mean I worship the boy. Quite the contrary he is just a boy saved by his own mother from a gruesome monster and now possess' a highly disturbing level of luck. But like I said earlier I know a lot things and one of them is that he isn't a Death Eater. You should know that yourself Severus, but then again you'd hardly speak up in his defense. Am I correct in that?"
"It is probably so." The man smirked almost evilly then his face fell into a deep grimace at his next statement.
"See Professor we just may become best friends yet." He teased getting highly amused reactions all around the room all except for the man himself and Dumbledore whom was still brooding and most likely planning his murder or something along those lines.
"I highly doubt such a thing unless you have a high understanding of Potions and the Dark Arts." It seemed it was possible to get a positive reaction out of the former Death Eater because the corner of his mouth twitched slightly in a refrained smile.
"Well you're in luck on the Dark Arts part I'm just afraid I never had a real hang on Potions. You see my teacher was a brilliant Potions Master, not at all unlike yourself but unfortunately he didn't have the social or teaching skills to get anything through to anyone's head. Of course the fact that he hated my guts didn't help me any." He smiled ruefully behind the shadow spell that still continued to hide his face. He shook his head at the irony of talking to the Potions Master about the man's teaching habits while the other didn't even know it.
It had taken Harry just a few seconds to remember Gabrielle again and how they'd gotten off topic. "It seems that we've gotten far ahead of ourselves here when I wasn't even finished discussing Gabrielle's situation. If you won't give me custody over her then where will she stay? Surely not in some orphanage?!" He proclaimed.
"No not in an orphanage though I believe the Weasley's have been offering to take in a few children. They are a wonderful family and I'm sure Molly and Arthur Weasley will gladly allow a visit with young Gabrielle's permission of course." Harry nodded albeit sadly. The Weasley's were a wonderful family, they had taken him in as a surrogate son themselves and he had no doubt they would take care of Gabrielle, but they were never meant to care for her. It was his responsibility now. His fault he didn't get there in time for her sister as well.
"I see.and they will be able to take care of her without any hitches? I am aware they are lacking in some financial support, I'd be glad to pay for her expenses and help them out a little." That's what he'd been doing for the past two years. Adding to their account little by little. And since he'd gotten a job in the muggle world just that summer, which paid exquisitely and would take attention and suspicion off of him he was able to add even more and have plenty enough for himself. Of course his line of work was a little strange and unexpected he didn't exactly pick it himself.
"That would be appreciated but Molly tells me that someone has been adding to their account already. The Goblins at Gringotts explained that the person wishes to be anonymous and refuse to tell them anything further." He nodded smiling. Moody had no doubt figured out whom the anonymous donor was judging by his reaction, something akin to being proud.
"Well then I understand there is not much I can do, but with your permission I'd like to visit her while she's at Hogwarts. That is.assuming that she is allowed to stay here and continue her education."
"Of course, of course. I'll register her right away and a sorting will take place as soon as our resident medi-witch proclaims her healthy enough to leave the hospital wing." He answered and made a quick note on a piece of parchment on his desk. "Now I believe we got off on the wrong foot Smoke. Originally I was planning to invite you to the Order of the Phoenix, that invitation still stands."
Harry heaved a sigh and rubbed his weary eyes with the bottoms of his hands. If he joined then he could probably provide ample information to the Order thus preventing something like the Beaxbatons incident from happening again. Speaking of the Beaxbatons incident. "Why didn't you take heed of my warning about Beaxbatons? I've been sending you information with owls each one has turned out to be true yet you follow up on none of them." He accused them.
The Headmaster gave him a blank stare for a moment and what he said next drove Smoke's stomach down so much it felt like it was a puddle at the bottom of his boots. "We never received any warnings." There it was the hard truth. All this while he'd been mad at the Order for not taking action when they could but they never even knew of these events. So he was being deliberately harsh with a practically innocent man.
"What do you mean you never received them?! I made sure they were delivered here." It was true he put tracking spells on the letters and once they warned him they were at Hogwarts he took them off. But what if someone from the inside had stolen them before the Order could.
"Plainly saying we never received any means we never received any Smoke. Your owls must have been intercepted by someone." Snape said dryly and rolled his eyes proclaiming Smoke as a mere stain in his robes. Something irritating and that he needed to get rid of.
"I put tracking spells on them until they were here!" he said defending himself. "So if they were intercepted then they were intercepted by someone from the inside. It looks like I'll be personally delivering them from now on." He cut in.
Nobody said anything for those few seconds. And after a while Harry realized that they were waiting on Smoke's answer, whether or not he was going to take sides with the Order of if he would continue gallivanting around the country, acting hero. The only person that wasn't trying to hide how impatient they were becoming was Severus Snape but thankfully he had the grace not to push on the subject and embarrass him right away.
"I understand that you are waiting on my answer and I've decided with careful consideration towards my cause that I will not swear myself into the Order of the Phoenix," several disappointed and confused faces met him and Snape was just about to go gouge his eyes out with his wand that he was methodically twirling in his fingers. "But," he said making everyone glance back towards him. "But I will go to your meetings and supply you with information if the same is done for me."
"If you're going to show up then you might as well swear yourself in." Snape jumped at the fist chance he could to bark at him. And Harry decided that despite some rivalry and a million grudges between the two men, Sirius and Severus were both very alike men yet so different. They both had flaring tempers to send them to hell. Except Sirius wasn't nearly as biased and would never be deliberately cruel to anyone but an enemy.
"Because you'll soon learn I'm not one to follow others, I enjoy my freedom and I work better alone. But it would highly benefit my cause to have a whole group there to help out and prevent something like the Beaxbatons incident from happening once more. Face it we need each other but I'm not a loyal little Hufflepuff to anyone but my friends. I assure you I would not switch sides but I simply don't stick around all the times, I'm a busy man after all."
"That will do I suppose, we will have to go out on a limb right now and trust you as best as possible." The Headmaster adjourned.
"What is there not to trust?" Harry asked perplexed at the man's answer. "I've been fighting openly against Voldemort for a year now and secretly sabotaging his other operations for two years. You're making silly assumptions about me just because you can't see my face and don't know my name. I realize people fear the unknown but the only reason you have to fear me is if you cross me and even then I doubt I'll chop you to bits." He said chuckling a bit at their stricken faces when he mentioned chopping them to bits.
"Yes you are right but in these times we could not trust someone who appears to be on our side but keeps his face hidden because he is secretly a Death Eater who wishes to infiltrate our forces." Minerva answered him only to have Moody step in with an ear splitting "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
The transfiguration teacher nodded slightly rubbing at her temples. "Yes thank you for reminding us of that theory, Alastor."
Laughing cheerfully at them he slapped his knee lightly hearing the echo of the pads on his gloves hit his Dragon hide leather pants. "Aww come on Moody you can't be serious you know perfectly well you can trust me, as well does Remus so stop playing with the constant vigilance we already know what it's all about why don't you humor us with something else." He suggested and the retired auror surprisingly laughed dryly with him.
"Aye, you're one of the best lad's I've known in a long time but I figured that a bit of comic relief would do us all some good." And like a speeding bullet he whipped out his wand out of no where and shot a simple disarming spell at Smoke who like a bolt of lightening let his immediate reflexes take over as he took out his own and put up a fast shield before throwing a full body bind hex at the auror whom didn't have any time to move before he even realized Harry had his wand out and was hit square in the chest. His arms and legs locking to his rigid body as he watched Smoke looming over him with a derisive smirk.
"Yes Alastor you taught well, and I'll never forget constant vigilance." He said and let the man's body free of the hex before helping him up off the floor. Mad-eye Moody had actually been one of his favorite teachers next to Remus Lupin and he wasn't thinking about the time when Barty Crouch Jr. posed as him during his fourth year but when the retired auror came back during his fifth year to teach for real. With hesitation Harry had actually started to warm up to him as much as you could warm up to him at least and let the man tutor him privately. Actually he put him into a full boot camp, the schedule and material that he was given were meant for training real Aurors but they both decided it couldn't hurt. Dumbledore probably wouldn't have allowed it if he'd known but what Dumbledore didn't know couldn't hurt him.
"Good to know lad, you could be a great auror one day you know." Alastor gruffly replied and patted him on the back and walked back to his chair letting his wooden leg tap and scrape against the stone floor.
"Actually no offense but I don't fancy that kind of thing. Frankly the aurors aren't doing crap and I'd rather not follow some idiot Minister like Fudge thank you very much. Besides as soon as this whole war is over I plan to live quietly, get a low key job and live a next to normal life, nobody would even remember there was a Smoke in a few years and I'd be perfectly happy with it." He said once again stunning the recipients of the office.
"You mean to say you plan to be anonymous through this whole war and then just claim a peaceful life without any recognition." Snape asked bewildered. He obviously didn't know what it was like to be famous, to be in the spotlight, to be watched like a hawk, to be expected to do certain things, and to have your life on display to the whole world.
"Exactly. I want nothing in return. I don't want to be watched or chased my whole life. I don't want any money. I don't want the spotlight. I don't want to have my life out for the entire world to see. And I don't my friends and I to be hunted. You should understand that money and fame isn't everything. It can sometimes be more of a curse rather than a blessing."
No one spoke for that minute. They mostly all had guilty expressions on their faces. Everyone wants to be famous and rich at one point of their lives expecting it all to be glamour and fun but they all just received a decent dose of reality from him.
"You seem wise beyond your few years young Smoke." The headmaster smiled and his eyes twinkled momentarily.
"Well you don't really know how old I am Headmaster. For all you know I can be older than you yourself." He said and everyone gave him a doubting look. "After all you are only as old as you feel isn't that right?"
Receiving a nod in return he slowly got up from his position in a large cushioned burgundy chair and stretched his long limbs repressing a yawn. "I really must leave now."
"May I inquire how we will be able to contact you?" the old man asked.
"Pass my messages onto Remus he'll get them to me." He said and stood away from them a little ways. Looking towards the lyncanthrope he received an affirmation and he quickly added. "Oh and remember don't tell Sirius about this okay?"
"Why? I think he deserves to know." He quipped a little protectively.
"Because he'll piss his pants when he finds out." He laughed and within a black cloud of smoke he transported himself away leaving all the members in the room blinking at Remus who sat giggling helplessly and Mad-eye who seemed just as amused but hiding most of his laughter. Even Snape who didn't know what they were talking about smirked heartily at the mental image of Sirius Black soiling himself.
Once things had settled down and the tawny haired lyncanthrope with gray streaks in his hair finished wiping the tears of laughter off his face Dumbledore asked the question they all were wondering.
"So I'm assuming our mysterious Smoke is a friend of yours Mr. Lupin?"
"An old friend from school." The man answered and let them all keep wondering to the man's identity. He knew that the Professors were most likely going to dig out old yearbooks from the years in Hogwarts for any leads.
Seeing as Remus wasn't going to say another word on the subject Dumbledore then turned to Moody. "Anything more specific perhaps Alastor?"
"Aye," the old auror said and for a second Remus was afraid he would spill Harry's secret but was generally calmed when the man spoke. "An old student of mine. Would have been a fine auror. One of the few people worthy of recognition yet unwilling to take it."
Essentially neither men were lying and neither were exactly telling the truth. It was true Harry was a friend of Remus' from school because the werewolf had grown fond of his late friends son while teaching the boy in school. While Alastor really did take in Harry as a student the year before and did consider the boy brilliant and to know that the boy put his talents to real use was invigorating because the retired auror had made a big difference in history by teaching him so many things.
Sighing deeply the Headmaster leaned his head against the back of his chair and closed his eyes. He had summoned them to find out who the man was and just in case he even had Severus gather Veritaserum and slip it into Smoke's drink. It seemed though he was right back where he started with no lead to go on and practically no clues.
"Alright," he said. "I believe this meeting is adjourned. I will have the whole Order summoned tomorrow to report the damage done in Beaxbatons and any other information acquired. Remus make sure both Sirius and your friend Smoke get there." Pausing a minute to catch his breathe he continued. "I would also like to initiate some new members, I have some concerns about Mr. Potter and I believe that Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger can be useful in that field. Since they are of legal age I believe they could be admitted as for Harry I think I shall wait on him a bit."
Not for a minute in his life had Remus ever been mad at the Headmaster but now he was practically seeing fire. How could the man assume that a boy, no not a boy anymore but a young man like Harry could ever be a traitor especially if Voldemort killed his parents and left him orphaned to the muggle family, then later on started ruining his life bit by bit. It was an absurd and unnecessary deduction.
But he was not the first one to step into the situation, instead Severus was. "Don't be ridiculous Albus, the boy is as much a Death Eater as Neville Longbottom is a brilliant chemist." He huffed surprising them all.
It seemed that Severus Snape did have a bit of a conscience if not a heart. Remus thought and nodded as well followed by one from Moody. Mcgonagal stayed strangely silent then cut in.
"I wouldn't be so sure, he has been acting very strange and disappearing often ever since he started his fifth year. Not to mention his studies have improved tremendously. The boy rivals Ms. Granger's grades and I believe if he tried could rise high above them. If I'm not correct and I hate to admit such a thing but he reminds me strangely of Tom Riddle. Not only in their physical similarity but their power."
It was true to the untrained eye he was behaving just as Tom Riddle had and he looked oddly like him while he was in his youth. But Remus shook his head of the thought. So what if he was smart? So were James and Lily. So what if he looked like Riddle it may have been the connection between them that morphed him that way. Maybe he received a bit more of Voldemort when he received his scar. Either way he was still Harry Potter. Still the noble Gryffindor with a bit more caution added to the mix.
"No." he disagreed. "You don't see him Minerva, all you see is an image. You haven't known him well enough to see the person inside the image, the person inside the Boy-Who-Lived. None of you had, and truthfully I'm ashamed of you for thinking something like that. He may be disappearing more often but you don't know what he's doing really. He could be out flying somewhere. He could be studying; you yourself said his studies have improved. He could be out snogging his girlfriend or something. Or he could simply be getting away from you all watching him so closely. What if he just wants some privacy? It's unfair for you to just label him without having any proof to go by." He chastised them all heavily and the realization of how true Remus' statement could be registered in them.
Some hesitation in believing him was shown but all in all Remus was proud to say that he diverted suspicion from the boy when he received apologetic and guilty glances from them.
"You haven't convinced them you know." Mad-eye whispered to him on their way out of the office. Nodding lightly he replied. "I know, nobody but Harry himself could convince them but at least I helped."
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Up in Gryffindor Tower a cloud of Black Smoke issued in the Head boy's private room and with a swirl it disappeared to leave a tall figure clad completely in black standing in the middle of the room.
Quickly removing the shadow on his face he removed the cloth covering half his forehead and his hair letting shoulder length thick raven hair to cascade down and sway a little before settling smoothly. Harry had let his hair grow out over the past couple of years to keep it tamed and to his relief it had worked. Now even if it exposed his scar even more on his bare forehead he usually tied his dark tresses in a ponytail or kept it loose.
He slowly started taking off his battle gear wincing every once in a while when he stretched a sore muscle then used magic to soothe it. Once all of his whole uniform was hidden away in a secret compartment in his dresser and Harry now stood in his boxers he headed off to the adjoined bathroom the Head boy and Head girl shared. He realized he still had grime and blood on his face and hands so stripping he hopped into the shower and turned the water on to an almost scalding hot temperature letting it relax his tense and exhausted body.
The warm water soaked his hair and ran over his deeply tanned skin. He sighed resting his forehead against the cool tiles calming his mild headache. Grabbing a bar of soap that smelled of pine he started to lather his body with it. Running over each finely sculpted muscle then rinsing it off before taking the shampoo to wash his hair. The shampoo's smell really couldn't be described, it was not exactly a natural scent but it was pleasant still. After cleaning himself he leaned against the tiles again and looked heavenward tracing the cracks in the ceiling with his eyes.
He was able to clean himself of the physical evidence of battle, which was relieving to the eyes, but in his mind he would always hear the screams, see the anguish and blood. It would never go away but at least nobody else would have to know about those things. Nobody else would know the hatred he felt for Volemort and his followers, nobody would know his fear of losing his loved ones, nobody would know of the dreams that haunt him every night. Dreams of his parents dieing, dreams of his miserable life with the Dursley's, dreams of the third task in the Triwizard tournament, and dreams of the things he'd seen and heard for the past two years.
Sliding down to the floor of the shower cubical miserably he placed his head in his hands and let out an anguished sob, letting tears flow desolately down his face. It had been a long time since he cried but on occasion such as this he felt he deserved them. He deserved to mourn the many casualties lost in the battle and the many that would still be lost in the future. He mourned for Fluer and the others that died trapped inside the ruins of the French Academy of Magic.
The mourning brought forth images of Voldemort, his blood red eyes, his deep cackle and the wretched green light that he saw over and over again in his nightmares. Angrily he wiped the tears away and said a few murmured words cleansing away all evidence that he'd cried leaving only traces in his haunted eyes. He realized that Voldemort shouldn't be allowed the satisfaction of making people cry, of making him cry. Harry would find away to kill the bastard even if it took his own life in the process.
Turning the water off he grabbed a fluffy crimson towel off the towel rack and stepped out of the cubical. Wiping the foggy mirror above the sink up he took a look at himself to make sure that all evidence of his little cry had disappeared, which it had. Chucking his boxers into the laundry basket for the house elves to clean later he picked up the other towel he used to get the excess water out of his hair and did the same to it.
Scratching his chin to relieve himself of an annoying itch he nearly groaned when he felt the slight stubble on his face. He had to shave again, it was an aggravating ritual that took place every morning but he still did it and once done with he got ready to head down to the common room.
The chandeliers and the roaring fire lighted the common room nicely. Despite it being the second of September the castle was chilly much like the rest of the year. There were still plenty of people milling around, chatting, preparing for the school year and playing some kind of wizarding games.
In the far corner of the room he quickly spotted his two best friends, actually they weren't much of friends at the moment they probably thought he was a Death Eater. They were hunched over some kind of book and spoke in hushed tones. Ron was gesturing wildly with his hands while Hermione shook her head fervently. They didn't even notice him approach; of course for the rest of the Gryffindors it was much different. He had changed over the summer again, grew taller, let his hair get longer, grow broader and more muscular.
It took him nearly ten minutes to shake off some of the girl's as politely as possible that surrounded him. He came up silently behind the two wondering what they were talking about. When he got close enough to them not only did realize how dim the two were but that their mistrust towards him was much bigger than a bout of suspicion at the backs of their minds.
"I'm telling you Hermione, it's not like Harry to be Dark. Can't you understand that he would never be a Death Eater, after all the time we've spent fighting You-Know-Who he wouldn't turn to him." The redhead spoke harshly trying to make his friend understand.
"But it just doesn't make sense Ron!" she nearly yelled. "He's been drifting farther away from us ever since the Dark Lord was resurrected. He's been disappearing, his grades are skyrocketing and Jesus Christ, have you seen him duel before in Moody's class last year. And now we find this book on the Dark Arts." She complained and pointed to the green leather bound book with a runic title on it.
"Herm, you're the one with an open mind, you're the one who stuck by Harry when he needed you the most. Right now you are talking about the guy that convinced me to help him save you from the troll in our first year. You don't know who gave it to him; Dumbledore himself could have given Harry the book. We don't know all we could do is assume and that's not good enough. I won't be led to believe my best friend is a traitor."
Harry crouched behind the couch they were both sitting on feeling oddly touched with how much Ron was willing to believe in him. Even when there was a hill of evidence pointing against him, his best friend would never falter.
"Well I don't know Ron. Didn't Pettigrew betray the Potters and frame Sirius? It just doesn't add up, I can't figure out where he goes all the time, what he does and where he gets the powerful spells he uses in Dueling classes. Not to mention his appearance. He used to be a short skinny boy with messy black hair and glasses, have you seen him recently? What could have made him change so much and why does he have to leave us out of the loop?"
All the while Hermione's ranting was heart wrenching to Harry. He sat and cradled his head in his crossed arms that sat upon his knees, which he brought up close to his chest. //What have I done? One of my best friends is turning against me.\\ He thought rocking back and forth slightly. But they couldn't see the reason why he didn't tell them things, why he didn't confide in them, nobody knew. Because the more he shared with someone and let him or her in on his secrets, the more perpetual danger he put them in.
Shaking his head and deciding he couldn't take this sort of abuse from Hermione whether she knew he was listening or not, he stood towering over their seated positions and spoke.
"Some things Hermione," both of his former/best friends jumped about a foot in the air when they heard his voice and turned to face him with stricken and frightened expressions meeting his hard gaze. "Some things are not meant to be understood. If you would kindly hand me my book back."
Shakily the brown haired girl gulped and handed the heavy tome into his preferred hand.
"Thank you." He said blankly and added. "Next time I would appreciate it if you would ask me before looking through my things." And he stalked off back towards his room to put the book away and this time seal it with extra locking spells in the hidden compartment in his dresser.
As he walked up the stairs aware of the many sets of eyes watching his movements he mentally slapped himself for acting so coldly toward them. Ron didn't even deserve it and even for all the snooping she was doing neither did Hermione. She was after all curious and concerned about what's been happening to him. He didn't even care to clear up her accusations, he didn't care if they went and told Dumbledore. He'd still find a way out of the trouble it would cause.
Back in the common room both Hermione and Ron sat stunned in silence taking no account of the other Gryffindors ambling about the place.
Turning toward the redhead she addressed him quietly. "How much do you think he heard?"
"Judging by how angry he looked I think he just about heard everything. And you know what Hermione?" he answered her back.
"What Ron?" she asked dejectedly.
"I feel like crap right now for making him feel that way and I hope you feel just as rotten. That was horrible."
Stubbornly getting up she stood in front of him placing her hands on her hips and doing her best Mcgonagal expression. "You can't be serious Ronald Arthur Weasley! If he wasn't truly a Death Eater then he would have defended himself and explained what these past couple of years were all about."
The redheaded boy shook his head sadly in denial. "Hermione you can't always get straight answers and frankly I think you're just scared you don't know what's going on. And let me tell you another thing, if he was a Death Eater trying to stay undercover then he would have defended himself to get us to believe him instead of getting mad like he just did. And if he wasn't undercover but still a Death Eater he'd have called you a mudblood by now and probably hexed us into next year. Books can't tell you everything, sometimes you depend on life to experience these things." Ron finished surprised with himself for showing that much depth and knowledge. But the short brunet would not back down instead she started walking straight towards the portrait hole.
"I don't care what you think Ron, something fishy is going on and I plan to tell Dumbledore about it." She said briskly turning up her nose at him. "You can come if you want." She added fully expecting him to take up the invitation.
"Why do you have to go to Dumbledore for everything Herm? In a year we won't have him to run to, we'll be living our own lives so why not just start while we're ahead?" he offered and she seemed unfazed. Groaning deeply and growling at the back of his throat in frustration he got up and followed her through the halls to make sure she didn't make it sound like Harry just murdered someone and deserved to go to Azkaban.
On the way there he continued to try and convince her that their best friend was still on the light side, which turned out to be a harder task than he expected.
"Come on Herm, what happened to the girl with all the common sense? The girl that would never think one bad thought about our Harry? Sometimes I wonder by the way you're acting if you are the Death Eater under cover instead of Harry." He said getting her thoroughly mad earning him a sharp slap across the face. For a moment he stood perplexed and stunned by the stinging on his cheek until he brought his hand up to feel the red handprint it had left and faced the brunets fuming face.
"How dare you even think that Ron! I haven't been going around behind your and Harry's backs. I'm not the one with Dark Arts books lying around in my room. I'm not the one who's turned into some kind of buff." She rattled on not even aware Ron was tuning her out and thinking things through one more time.
"See how you felt when I told you I thought you were a Death Eater? Now imagine how Harry would have felt, while you have me he has no one. He has no family to support him like we do. No one really sees that, they just see a guy that puts on a brave front so that the people around him will feel safe. Can't you see that you're hurting him?"
"I'm not the one that's doing suspicious things and gallivanting around god knows where. He's absolutely detached himself from us!" she screamed in a rage heaving each and every breath. After several seconds she seemed to calm down and loosen up, walking right up to the redhead and hugging him. "I just want our Harry back, Ron. I'm worried about him. Why won't he open up to us?" she added in a smaller voice and buried her head against his chest letting him rub her back rhythmically. Soon she fell into a calm lull and they started to head back to the Tower.
"Hermione," Ron called softly rousing her from her almost hypnotic state causing her to jump slightly and look towards him imploringly asking what he wanted. "Promise me something." He said near the staircase that separated the boy's and girl's dorms.
"What is it Ron?" she asked stroking the red mark on his cheek and giving it a soft kiss.
"Promise you won't mention anything to Dumbledore without having sufficient evidence on Harry."
"Fine." She said sourly leaving the warmth of his arms and heading back to the Head girl's rooms at a fast pace without even saying goodnight to him.
Sighing Ron headed up to the seventh year boys dorms determined to get some sleep and get his mind off his best friend and girlfriend. It wasn't a secret that Ron felt lonely without Harry but in some ways he was glad to return his life to a norm. Whatever his best friend was doing must be important to be kept such a closely guarded secret and in some part of his mind he knew that he was only keeping it from them for their own good. Hermione on the other hand didn't understand what a secret was. But if you have a father that works at the ministry and often keeps important things from his own family, he usually knew the purpose of those secrets was to keep them all safe, so he relented.
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In his room Harry sat brooding. All of this was his doing anyways. This was the price of saving mankind. You are not appreciated. But right now he didn't want to be appreciated. He didn't want anyone to know. The fact that they all thought him a traitor would only add to his benefit, then nobody would dare suspect him to be Ninja Mage Smoke.
//Ninja Mage.\\ he snorted to himself and changed into his pajamas, which weren't really much considering he only slept in boxers and when it got colder in pajama pants. Around his neck he adjusted his lightening bolt pendant comfortably so it wouldn't press against his skin roughly.
Lying awake for around half an hour Harry contemplated what he would be doing the next day. He wanted to go visit Gabrielle as Harry instead of Smoke. After all not only would she soon figure out the truth from that dead give away about the lake and the symbol on the ring but he'd have to tell her eventually to ask her if she wanted him to take her in during the summers.
It wasn't that he wanted to put her in danger by having her know the truth it was just the girl needed someone there for her after her sister died, it would give her new hope.
A while after he let his thoughts drift to the back of his mind Harry let his eyelids close and the darkness of sleep envelope him to get him enough rest to get through the next day.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
Once again hello my devoted readers. How do you all like this chapter? Let me know what you think.
As for my other story I had some difficulty with chapter 9 but it will be up by end of the week. And just for my delay I promise to make it extra special and long with fluffy whipped cream and a yummy cherry on top!
Keep checking for updated chapters for the time being.
Summary: Voldemort is at the height of his power once more, terrorizing both the Muggle and Wizarding World's he is considered unstoppable and ruthless. There is only one person left who can truly defeat him, a boy that the world has set on a pedestal. In his seventh year the boy is now a man and single handedly taking on the dark forces but are the people truly grateful to this mysterious warrior, or will he have to depend on another girl several years younger than him and a complete stranger to believe in him.
Rated: R (for adult content and some violence)
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the talented Ms. Rowling does, and the WB has some rights to the series. I just write for the hell of it all, so don't sue. I don't have anything worth taking me to court over.
-Chapter Two- Suspicion is thy enemy
"So what is this all about?" Smoke started off trying to get their little 'meeting' over with as fast as possible. He was a busy man after all.
Looking uneasily at each other everyone except Remus, Alastor Moody, and Harry started blabbering on about some kind of group. Harry could care less whether he heard a word or not, what they wanted was obvious.
Trying to regain some semblance Dumbledore shot red sparks from his wand and gave them a firm "Quite please!" before taking lead in the meeting.
"Now without further ado I shall explain why we have brought you here, you are no doubt curious about that I'm sure." The Headmaster asked him expecting a nod in return.
Shaking his head in a negative motion he shrugged uninterested. "No, actually I already know why you want me here." He answered confusing several in the room.
"I doubt it." Snape murmured from his position in the farthest chair from him. Turning to him and inwardly smirking Harry had waited a long way to tell the Potions Master off and here was his chance.
"You doubt it do you?" he asked playfully almost laughing. "Mr. Snape you must seriously under estimate me. Is it the fact that I'm actually making more progress than the Order of the Phoenix is put together the fact why you hate me already? Or it the fact that even though I never was a Death Eater I receive much more useful information from the inner circle than you do?" he teased having the other man sputter momentarily and glare at him. And if looks could kill Harry would have been dead ten times over and Snape would be subjected to the Dementor's Kiss by then.
"How do you know about the Order?" he growled and ground his teeth. Afraid that if the man clenched his teeth any harder he might break them Harry answered amused by the situation.
"Why Mr. Snape you'll soon learn I know a lot of things, after all like I've told other's walls have eyes and ears like the rest of us." He told him puzzling them all.
"So you spy on the Order as well as Voldemort?" he was clearly enraged, it didn't take much to agitate the Potions master, but to make him mad beyond mad was quite a feat. Of course Sirius could get him even more riled up but that came from years of grudges and hatred towards each other. But here Smoke sat barely knowing the man and already getting to him. The corner of Professor Snape's right eye started twitching madly and all he wanted to do was roll on the floor and laugh.
"Spying." he paused briefly to rethink what he was about to say. "Is such a harsh word. In order to spy on someone don't you have to pretend to be in league with them, or at least stick around long enough to get some juicy information?" Across the room he received several nods but the dark haired man stayed rigid in his seat. "Well I don't pretend to be loyal to either side neither do I stay around to make idol talk and pry into matters that don't concern me. I have other ways of getting my information." He answered and thought //Much, much better ways.\\
Thoroughly curious now the Headmaster looked pensive as if trying to figure something out. He cleared his throat lightly making sure barely anyone could hear him and did the strangest thing. Of course in a normal person's point of view it wouldn't be in the least unusual.
Smoke observed as the old man raised a hand motioning for Snape to stop his torrent of questions and nodded to him, out of the corner of his eye Snape nodded back with a strange gleam in his eye. //Their up to something and I don't like it.\\
Trying to end the ever-present tension in the room Dumbledore stood and waved his wand at the surface of his desk where a tray with a tea set materialized. "Would anyone care for tea, I sometimes find it soothes the nerves at times like these." Most everyone agreed while Harry wisely didn't comment but answered the Headmaster when he asked how he likes his tea.
"One lump of sugar and some lemon on the side if you'd please Headmaster." He said making sure the combination was different from what he really liked.
Surprisingly enough he asked Professor Snape to distribute the tea, which the man willingly did.
//Okay; now I know something fishy is going on here. Snape would never willingly wait on anyone.\\
Next to him Remus started fidgeting nervously and once Harry was handed his cup of tea, which seemed normal to the eye the other man nearly jumped biting his lip. Giving the werewolf an imploring look Smoke pretended to take a sip from his cup while actually swallowing excess saliva to make it look real and while nobody was looking he spilled a minimum amount of liquid into the flower pot sitting on a small coffee table next to him. All went unnoticed except by Remus who looked somewhat relieved.
Setting his tea down next to the flowerpot Smoke cleared his throat in preparation to address his issues. "Before we get to your concern I'd like to know if Gabrielle has any relatives she'll be staying with, perhaps her parents or grandparents? I'd like to pass my condolences onto them."
Marginally surprised the old man shook his head. "The Delacour's have been a big help in this war and it has cost the family their lives, I regret to say that Ms. Delacour's only family left was her older sister Fluer." He paused letting it sink in and Harry breathed a labored sigh.
//Another child orphaned by Voldemort, the fucking bastard! It seems this time I'm not the only one who survived, I'm sure Fluer had tried keeping Gabby alive as long as possible resulting in her own death.\\
"I'm sure once she finds out Fluer will come and claim her sister, I have no doubts that she'd be ecstatic to know that the child is alright." The old man continued and somewhere in the back of his mind Harry wanted to gag right there. They still didn't know how many were lost. How could they just sit there so calmly discussing affairs they know nothing about. //Some elite force they are!\\
"That's the problem Fluer was killed in the collapse of Beaxbatons, Gabrielle was the only one I found alive and she was barely alive at that." //Maybe I can take care of her, once I finish Hogwarts this year I'll be of age. The girl will never have to know what it's like to be an orphan. I don't want that for her and I owe her that much at least.\\
"If she has no other family then I'd like to take responsibility for her, she shouldn't know what it's like to have no family and while we're in a state of war I highly doubt you can find someone to take her in during the summers." He said surprising everyone.
After a few moments of silence when he was sure everyone in the room was wondering how a hero, but yet a killer could want to take care of a young girl without anything in return.
"Why would you want to take care of her? Have some ulterior motives?" the Potions Master sneered.
"Because," he answered repulsed by what the other man was accentuating. He was actually proposing that Smoke was a child molester! How absurd! "I feel responsible, I owe Fluer that much for not being there in time."
"Oh so you're some kind of boyfriend to the late Delacour." The greasy git actually dared to propose that he had sexual relations with the older Veela. If he weren't supposed to be working on the same side as Snape he would spit in his face. It seemed the man had no respect for the dead that at least was obvious just like the rest of the Slytherins don't.
"No, just a friend. I'd be willing to let Gabby stay with me over the summers between her Hogwarts years."
"I'm afraid," Dumbledore spoke. "That will not be possible Smoke, due to some legal basics." Smoke groaned almost beating himself on the head. Of course! They didn't even know who he was let alone his age, financial situation, if he was suitable enough to take care of another person.
"I understand the legalities here but considering the situation I figured that it would be alright especially if Voldemort found out not only was there a boy-who-lived that survived him but now there is a girl-who-lived and I'm sure that he'll be after her as well as Harry Potter. While he has practically a whole unit watching his every move she's left unprotected. And outside of Hogwarts she has no blood relatives to stay with. Who better to protect her than the one person who will stand up to the Dark Lord and fight him tooth and hair?"
Considering the situation Dumbledore nodded figuring somewhere in his mind that Smoke was right after all. Gabrielle would need protection. "That may be so but young Gabrielle did not survive from a deadly curse that she fought off on her own but was saved from inside a collapsed building." He didn't even want to mention how the man knew Harry Potter stayed with blood relatives over the summer with a number of charms protecting him because of them.
"No you're wrong, she survived while nobody else did. She fought to stay alive, fought with her own internal magic and with the help with her sister's last breath just like Potter's mother saved him with the boost of what little magic he had." He countered openly opposing the headmaster whom was considered the greatest wizard since Merlin.
"That is where you are wrong Smoke," the old man folded his hands before him placing them on his desk and leaning forward to address him. "Mr. Potter's mother didn't help him one bit she died before a single bead of magic could escape her wand. What he did was not only extraordinary but impossible in anyone else's rights." Harry was nearly sitting on the edge of his seat expecting further explanation but none came. After all these years the Headmaster still wouldn't tell him how he survived and why Voldemort wanted him dead. Sadly it was one of the few things he couldn't find out on his own and the next question that greeted him greatly surprised him.
"Now Smoke, I believe that it is about time to get to other things." Pause. "Like who you are, would you kindly state your name, birth date, occupation outside of your escapades."
Harry sat dumbfounded by the man's demand. Did he actually expect him to answer even if he asked nicely? What were they expecting? After staying silent for a few minutes he saw the Potions master furrow his eyebrows and stare at the cup of tea they all thought he drained earlier instead of pouring it out into the flowerpot where the small greenery in it was slowly dying.
"Was I supposed to answer that?" he blinked finally realizing what was going on. They tried to drug him with Veritaserum! Sneaky bastards. "I wasn't expecting to be drugged when I came here Professor, what kind of hospitality do you possess if any? Honestly just because I consume a potion doesn't mean it will take effect on me." He chuckled dryly feeling extremely lucky for the moment. In truth the Veritaserum would have taken effect and he probably would have ended up spilling his guts to them all. His luck had stepped in once again. Good thing he never ran out of it.
"It seems we have underestimated you and I greatly apologize you see it was a measure of security. You must understand that nobody is quite sure who's side you are on, you do not fight with either you just go solo. The Order of the Phoenix has been wondering a great deal about you as well as hoping you would fight alongside us."
Shaking his head ruefully, he couldn't believe this man. He wasn't even chagrinned at having been caught. At least Remus and Minerva were sympathetic to him. Moody was grinning a lopsidedly making his scarred face look all the more contorted. All the while his Constant Vigilance theory was coming in play again and he spoke up toward it.
"Good Lad!" he called loudly surprising them all. "Always remember CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" He yelled the last part loudly making everyone present jump and Snape to role his eyes. "Even in the hands of an ally maintain CONSTANT VIGILANCE." He barked the last word slamming his fist on Dumbledore's desk.
"Of course, after all you can hardly trust anyone these days even your closest friends and family." He answered.
"That's hardly true Smoke." Minerva Mcgonagal huffed from her position by Snape. "I doubt someone's closest friends let alone their immediate family would betray them."
Oh if she knew how wrong she was. "Always the trusting little Gryffindor, Professor Mcgonangal." He smirked and shook his head. "The world would be so much easier if we could all make assumptions like that, but unfortunately we can't. People are all different it is human nature to be scared, to turn to what seems like the winning side. But in reality there is no black and white. There is no good and evil. There is nothing but what you want, what you believe in and it all narrows down to power. I never thought I would say this but in some cases Voldemort it right. Slytherins can be right, we are all fools that can't see beyond what our mind wants us to and that's what causes destruction." He spoke softly but clearly putting vague disbelief into people's minds.
Remus, whom had known Harry for quite a while had always pictured him as a bright boy, a Gryffindor in all aspects but now to hear such words come out of the boy's mouth was disastrous. It was crushing to the heart to see what could have been a normal innocent boy become this steel like warrior. He was right though we only see what we want to. That is how Pettigrew ended up betraying them.
"Well I don't believe in such things, I believe in good and evil Smoke and I refuse to see things in gray." The woman answered pressing her lips together again.
"Like I said you believe that because you want. I happen to know you are a brilliant woman, Minerva," He said causing her cheeks to color some. "But you lack observation skills and common sense." Her expression changed visibly and she frowned in outrage.
"You see you can only view things in gray. Lets take Tom Riddle for example. I believe you remember Tom Riddle from school don't you Minerva?" he asked since the transfiguration teacher was in Hogwarts the same year as him.
"Yes he was in Slytherin and later became Head boy, unfortunately he disappeared after that." She said giving Harry something else to amuse himself with and to plant into their heads.
Looking toward the Headmaster he grinned seeing the old man focusing on him with his imperial gaze. "Tsk, tsk," he shook his finger at the old man. "I see that you haven't told them who Tom Riddle really is."
Dumbledore didn't answer, a good choice he thought and he went on. "Minerva if you put Tom Marvolo Riddle's name on a piece of paper and jumble the letters do you know what you will come out with?" he spoke as if to a small child trying to explain a complicated subject.
"No, why don't you inform us all Smoke." She urged him on albeit bewildered in her approach.
"You get the words I Am Lord Voldemort." Gasps were heard all around them, while Mad-eye grunted and Remus' eyes bugged out again. "You see Voldemort was not born evil after all, instead he was molded and sculpted into a Dark Lord by outside influences. Such as house rivalry, being an orphan, who knows what else but now you have to see that it's absolutely true."
"Albus is this true?" she implored receiving a single nonchalant nod from the old man.
"Then I have another example," he rushed on taking favor in humiliating the man that kept so much to himself. The man that to this day tried to manipulate him. //You may have been able to make me your pawn while I was younger but I'm onto you.\\ he thought.
"No need for another example Smoke." The Headmaster held up a hand haltingly trying to keep the torrent of stories from affecting his image any more.
"Drat!" he exclaimed sarcastically and beat his gloved hand against the arm of his chair. "I was hoping to tell them the story of how Peter Pettigrew betrayed the Potter's and framed Sirius Black for betrayal and murder. Quite an interesting story I assure you." He sneered at the man.
"I'm afraid we already know that story." Minerva answered briskly.
"Oh? Well did you know about the one where Potter's own friends are doubting his loyalty?" He said bitterly towards them. "To actually assume such a thing is more than ridiculous yet they still do it. Just because Ms. Granger needs to stick her nose into everything, the girl even believes she can find out who the mysterious Ninja Mage Smoke is." He laughed again and from Remus' point of observation it was a highly threatening laugh. It seemed eerie for someone without a face to laugh like that.
"Oh let me guess, you are another member of the Harry Potter fan club the Potions master sneered his way. What little respect the man was gathering for him was slowly diminishing with that assumption.
"No, there you go assuming things again. Just because I say something like that doesn't mean I worship the boy. Quite the contrary he is just a boy saved by his own mother from a gruesome monster and now possess' a highly disturbing level of luck. But like I said earlier I know a lot things and one of them is that he isn't a Death Eater. You should know that yourself Severus, but then again you'd hardly speak up in his defense. Am I correct in that?"
"It is probably so." The man smirked almost evilly then his face fell into a deep grimace at his next statement.
"See Professor we just may become best friends yet." He teased getting highly amused reactions all around the room all except for the man himself and Dumbledore whom was still brooding and most likely planning his murder or something along those lines.
"I highly doubt such a thing unless you have a high understanding of Potions and the Dark Arts." It seemed it was possible to get a positive reaction out of the former Death Eater because the corner of his mouth twitched slightly in a refrained smile.
"Well you're in luck on the Dark Arts part I'm just afraid I never had a real hang on Potions. You see my teacher was a brilliant Potions Master, not at all unlike yourself but unfortunately he didn't have the social or teaching skills to get anything through to anyone's head. Of course the fact that he hated my guts didn't help me any." He smiled ruefully behind the shadow spell that still continued to hide his face. He shook his head at the irony of talking to the Potions Master about the man's teaching habits while the other didn't even know it.
It had taken Harry just a few seconds to remember Gabrielle again and how they'd gotten off topic. "It seems that we've gotten far ahead of ourselves here when I wasn't even finished discussing Gabrielle's situation. If you won't give me custody over her then where will she stay? Surely not in some orphanage?!" He proclaimed.
"No not in an orphanage though I believe the Weasley's have been offering to take in a few children. They are a wonderful family and I'm sure Molly and Arthur Weasley will gladly allow a visit with young Gabrielle's permission of course." Harry nodded albeit sadly. The Weasley's were a wonderful family, they had taken him in as a surrogate son themselves and he had no doubt they would take care of Gabrielle, but they were never meant to care for her. It was his responsibility now. His fault he didn't get there in time for her sister as well.
"I see.and they will be able to take care of her without any hitches? I am aware they are lacking in some financial support, I'd be glad to pay for her expenses and help them out a little." That's what he'd been doing for the past two years. Adding to their account little by little. And since he'd gotten a job in the muggle world just that summer, which paid exquisitely and would take attention and suspicion off of him he was able to add even more and have plenty enough for himself. Of course his line of work was a little strange and unexpected he didn't exactly pick it himself.
"That would be appreciated but Molly tells me that someone has been adding to their account already. The Goblins at Gringotts explained that the person wishes to be anonymous and refuse to tell them anything further." He nodded smiling. Moody had no doubt figured out whom the anonymous donor was judging by his reaction, something akin to being proud.
"Well then I understand there is not much I can do, but with your permission I'd like to visit her while she's at Hogwarts. That is.assuming that she is allowed to stay here and continue her education."
"Of course, of course. I'll register her right away and a sorting will take place as soon as our resident medi-witch proclaims her healthy enough to leave the hospital wing." He answered and made a quick note on a piece of parchment on his desk. "Now I believe we got off on the wrong foot Smoke. Originally I was planning to invite you to the Order of the Phoenix, that invitation still stands."
Harry heaved a sigh and rubbed his weary eyes with the bottoms of his hands. If he joined then he could probably provide ample information to the Order thus preventing something like the Beaxbatons incident from happening again. Speaking of the Beaxbatons incident. "Why didn't you take heed of my warning about Beaxbatons? I've been sending you information with owls each one has turned out to be true yet you follow up on none of them." He accused them.
The Headmaster gave him a blank stare for a moment and what he said next drove Smoke's stomach down so much it felt like it was a puddle at the bottom of his boots. "We never received any warnings." There it was the hard truth. All this while he'd been mad at the Order for not taking action when they could but they never even knew of these events. So he was being deliberately harsh with a practically innocent man.
"What do you mean you never received them?! I made sure they were delivered here." It was true he put tracking spells on the letters and once they warned him they were at Hogwarts he took them off. But what if someone from the inside had stolen them before the Order could.
"Plainly saying we never received any means we never received any Smoke. Your owls must have been intercepted by someone." Snape said dryly and rolled his eyes proclaiming Smoke as a mere stain in his robes. Something irritating and that he needed to get rid of.
"I put tracking spells on them until they were here!" he said defending himself. "So if they were intercepted then they were intercepted by someone from the inside. It looks like I'll be personally delivering them from now on." He cut in.
Nobody said anything for those few seconds. And after a while Harry realized that they were waiting on Smoke's answer, whether or not he was going to take sides with the Order of if he would continue gallivanting around the country, acting hero. The only person that wasn't trying to hide how impatient they were becoming was Severus Snape but thankfully he had the grace not to push on the subject and embarrass him right away.
"I understand that you are waiting on my answer and I've decided with careful consideration towards my cause that I will not swear myself into the Order of the Phoenix," several disappointed and confused faces met him and Snape was just about to go gouge his eyes out with his wand that he was methodically twirling in his fingers. "But," he said making everyone glance back towards him. "But I will go to your meetings and supply you with information if the same is done for me."
"If you're going to show up then you might as well swear yourself in." Snape jumped at the fist chance he could to bark at him. And Harry decided that despite some rivalry and a million grudges between the two men, Sirius and Severus were both very alike men yet so different. They both had flaring tempers to send them to hell. Except Sirius wasn't nearly as biased and would never be deliberately cruel to anyone but an enemy.
"Because you'll soon learn I'm not one to follow others, I enjoy my freedom and I work better alone. But it would highly benefit my cause to have a whole group there to help out and prevent something like the Beaxbatons incident from happening once more. Face it we need each other but I'm not a loyal little Hufflepuff to anyone but my friends. I assure you I would not switch sides but I simply don't stick around all the times, I'm a busy man after all."
"That will do I suppose, we will have to go out on a limb right now and trust you as best as possible." The Headmaster adjourned.
"What is there not to trust?" Harry asked perplexed at the man's answer. "I've been fighting openly against Voldemort for a year now and secretly sabotaging his other operations for two years. You're making silly assumptions about me just because you can't see my face and don't know my name. I realize people fear the unknown but the only reason you have to fear me is if you cross me and even then I doubt I'll chop you to bits." He said chuckling a bit at their stricken faces when he mentioned chopping them to bits.
"Yes you are right but in these times we could not trust someone who appears to be on our side but keeps his face hidden because he is secretly a Death Eater who wishes to infiltrate our forces." Minerva answered him only to have Moody step in with an ear splitting "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
The transfiguration teacher nodded slightly rubbing at her temples. "Yes thank you for reminding us of that theory, Alastor."
Laughing cheerfully at them he slapped his knee lightly hearing the echo of the pads on his gloves hit his Dragon hide leather pants. "Aww come on Moody you can't be serious you know perfectly well you can trust me, as well does Remus so stop playing with the constant vigilance we already know what it's all about why don't you humor us with something else." He suggested and the retired auror surprisingly laughed dryly with him.
"Aye, you're one of the best lad's I've known in a long time but I figured that a bit of comic relief would do us all some good." And like a speeding bullet he whipped out his wand out of no where and shot a simple disarming spell at Smoke who like a bolt of lightening let his immediate reflexes take over as he took out his own and put up a fast shield before throwing a full body bind hex at the auror whom didn't have any time to move before he even realized Harry had his wand out and was hit square in the chest. His arms and legs locking to his rigid body as he watched Smoke looming over him with a derisive smirk.
"Yes Alastor you taught well, and I'll never forget constant vigilance." He said and let the man's body free of the hex before helping him up off the floor. Mad-eye Moody had actually been one of his favorite teachers next to Remus Lupin and he wasn't thinking about the time when Barty Crouch Jr. posed as him during his fourth year but when the retired auror came back during his fifth year to teach for real. With hesitation Harry had actually started to warm up to him as much as you could warm up to him at least and let the man tutor him privately. Actually he put him into a full boot camp, the schedule and material that he was given were meant for training real Aurors but they both decided it couldn't hurt. Dumbledore probably wouldn't have allowed it if he'd known but what Dumbledore didn't know couldn't hurt him.
"Good to know lad, you could be a great auror one day you know." Alastor gruffly replied and patted him on the back and walked back to his chair letting his wooden leg tap and scrape against the stone floor.
"Actually no offense but I don't fancy that kind of thing. Frankly the aurors aren't doing crap and I'd rather not follow some idiot Minister like Fudge thank you very much. Besides as soon as this whole war is over I plan to live quietly, get a low key job and live a next to normal life, nobody would even remember there was a Smoke in a few years and I'd be perfectly happy with it." He said once again stunning the recipients of the office.
"You mean to say you plan to be anonymous through this whole war and then just claim a peaceful life without any recognition." Snape asked bewildered. He obviously didn't know what it was like to be famous, to be in the spotlight, to be watched like a hawk, to be expected to do certain things, and to have your life on display to the whole world.
"Exactly. I want nothing in return. I don't want to be watched or chased my whole life. I don't want any money. I don't want the spotlight. I don't want to have my life out for the entire world to see. And I don't my friends and I to be hunted. You should understand that money and fame isn't everything. It can sometimes be more of a curse rather than a blessing."
No one spoke for that minute. They mostly all had guilty expressions on their faces. Everyone wants to be famous and rich at one point of their lives expecting it all to be glamour and fun but they all just received a decent dose of reality from him.
"You seem wise beyond your few years young Smoke." The headmaster smiled and his eyes twinkled momentarily.
"Well you don't really know how old I am Headmaster. For all you know I can be older than you yourself." He said and everyone gave him a doubting look. "After all you are only as old as you feel isn't that right?"
Receiving a nod in return he slowly got up from his position in a large cushioned burgundy chair and stretched his long limbs repressing a yawn. "I really must leave now."
"May I inquire how we will be able to contact you?" the old man asked.
"Pass my messages onto Remus he'll get them to me." He said and stood away from them a little ways. Looking towards the lyncanthrope he received an affirmation and he quickly added. "Oh and remember don't tell Sirius about this okay?"
"Why? I think he deserves to know." He quipped a little protectively.
"Because he'll piss his pants when he finds out." He laughed and within a black cloud of smoke he transported himself away leaving all the members in the room blinking at Remus who sat giggling helplessly and Mad-eye who seemed just as amused but hiding most of his laughter. Even Snape who didn't know what they were talking about smirked heartily at the mental image of Sirius Black soiling himself.
Once things had settled down and the tawny haired lyncanthrope with gray streaks in his hair finished wiping the tears of laughter off his face Dumbledore asked the question they all were wondering.
"So I'm assuming our mysterious Smoke is a friend of yours Mr. Lupin?"
"An old friend from school." The man answered and let them all keep wondering to the man's identity. He knew that the Professors were most likely going to dig out old yearbooks from the years in Hogwarts for any leads.
Seeing as Remus wasn't going to say another word on the subject Dumbledore then turned to Moody. "Anything more specific perhaps Alastor?"
"Aye," the old auror said and for a second Remus was afraid he would spill Harry's secret but was generally calmed when the man spoke. "An old student of mine. Would have been a fine auror. One of the few people worthy of recognition yet unwilling to take it."
Essentially neither men were lying and neither were exactly telling the truth. It was true Harry was a friend of Remus' from school because the werewolf had grown fond of his late friends son while teaching the boy in school. While Alastor really did take in Harry as a student the year before and did consider the boy brilliant and to know that the boy put his talents to real use was invigorating because the retired auror had made a big difference in history by teaching him so many things.
Sighing deeply the Headmaster leaned his head against the back of his chair and closed his eyes. He had summoned them to find out who the man was and just in case he even had Severus gather Veritaserum and slip it into Smoke's drink. It seemed though he was right back where he started with no lead to go on and practically no clues.
"Alright," he said. "I believe this meeting is adjourned. I will have the whole Order summoned tomorrow to report the damage done in Beaxbatons and any other information acquired. Remus make sure both Sirius and your friend Smoke get there." Pausing a minute to catch his breathe he continued. "I would also like to initiate some new members, I have some concerns about Mr. Potter and I believe that Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger can be useful in that field. Since they are of legal age I believe they could be admitted as for Harry I think I shall wait on him a bit."
Not for a minute in his life had Remus ever been mad at the Headmaster but now he was practically seeing fire. How could the man assume that a boy, no not a boy anymore but a young man like Harry could ever be a traitor especially if Voldemort killed his parents and left him orphaned to the muggle family, then later on started ruining his life bit by bit. It was an absurd and unnecessary deduction.
But he was not the first one to step into the situation, instead Severus was. "Don't be ridiculous Albus, the boy is as much a Death Eater as Neville Longbottom is a brilliant chemist." He huffed surprising them all.
It seemed that Severus Snape did have a bit of a conscience if not a heart. Remus thought and nodded as well followed by one from Moody. Mcgonagal stayed strangely silent then cut in.
"I wouldn't be so sure, he has been acting very strange and disappearing often ever since he started his fifth year. Not to mention his studies have improved tremendously. The boy rivals Ms. Granger's grades and I believe if he tried could rise high above them. If I'm not correct and I hate to admit such a thing but he reminds me strangely of Tom Riddle. Not only in their physical similarity but their power."
It was true to the untrained eye he was behaving just as Tom Riddle had and he looked oddly like him while he was in his youth. But Remus shook his head of the thought. So what if he was smart? So were James and Lily. So what if he looked like Riddle it may have been the connection between them that morphed him that way. Maybe he received a bit more of Voldemort when he received his scar. Either way he was still Harry Potter. Still the noble Gryffindor with a bit more caution added to the mix.
"No." he disagreed. "You don't see him Minerva, all you see is an image. You haven't known him well enough to see the person inside the image, the person inside the Boy-Who-Lived. None of you had, and truthfully I'm ashamed of you for thinking something like that. He may be disappearing more often but you don't know what he's doing really. He could be out flying somewhere. He could be studying; you yourself said his studies have improved. He could be out snogging his girlfriend or something. Or he could simply be getting away from you all watching him so closely. What if he just wants some privacy? It's unfair for you to just label him without having any proof to go by." He chastised them all heavily and the realization of how true Remus' statement could be registered in them.
Some hesitation in believing him was shown but all in all Remus was proud to say that he diverted suspicion from the boy when he received apologetic and guilty glances from them.
"You haven't convinced them you know." Mad-eye whispered to him on their way out of the office. Nodding lightly he replied. "I know, nobody but Harry himself could convince them but at least I helped."
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Up in Gryffindor Tower a cloud of Black Smoke issued in the Head boy's private room and with a swirl it disappeared to leave a tall figure clad completely in black standing in the middle of the room.
Quickly removing the shadow on his face he removed the cloth covering half his forehead and his hair letting shoulder length thick raven hair to cascade down and sway a little before settling smoothly. Harry had let his hair grow out over the past couple of years to keep it tamed and to his relief it had worked. Now even if it exposed his scar even more on his bare forehead he usually tied his dark tresses in a ponytail or kept it loose.
He slowly started taking off his battle gear wincing every once in a while when he stretched a sore muscle then used magic to soothe it. Once all of his whole uniform was hidden away in a secret compartment in his dresser and Harry now stood in his boxers he headed off to the adjoined bathroom the Head boy and Head girl shared. He realized he still had grime and blood on his face and hands so stripping he hopped into the shower and turned the water on to an almost scalding hot temperature letting it relax his tense and exhausted body.
The warm water soaked his hair and ran over his deeply tanned skin. He sighed resting his forehead against the cool tiles calming his mild headache. Grabbing a bar of soap that smelled of pine he started to lather his body with it. Running over each finely sculpted muscle then rinsing it off before taking the shampoo to wash his hair. The shampoo's smell really couldn't be described, it was not exactly a natural scent but it was pleasant still. After cleaning himself he leaned against the tiles again and looked heavenward tracing the cracks in the ceiling with his eyes.
He was able to clean himself of the physical evidence of battle, which was relieving to the eyes, but in his mind he would always hear the screams, see the anguish and blood. It would never go away but at least nobody else would have to know about those things. Nobody else would know the hatred he felt for Volemort and his followers, nobody would know his fear of losing his loved ones, nobody would know of the dreams that haunt him every night. Dreams of his parents dieing, dreams of his miserable life with the Dursley's, dreams of the third task in the Triwizard tournament, and dreams of the things he'd seen and heard for the past two years.
Sliding down to the floor of the shower cubical miserably he placed his head in his hands and let out an anguished sob, letting tears flow desolately down his face. It had been a long time since he cried but on occasion such as this he felt he deserved them. He deserved to mourn the many casualties lost in the battle and the many that would still be lost in the future. He mourned for Fluer and the others that died trapped inside the ruins of the French Academy of Magic.
The mourning brought forth images of Voldemort, his blood red eyes, his deep cackle and the wretched green light that he saw over and over again in his nightmares. Angrily he wiped the tears away and said a few murmured words cleansing away all evidence that he'd cried leaving only traces in his haunted eyes. He realized that Voldemort shouldn't be allowed the satisfaction of making people cry, of making him cry. Harry would find away to kill the bastard even if it took his own life in the process.
Turning the water off he grabbed a fluffy crimson towel off the towel rack and stepped out of the cubical. Wiping the foggy mirror above the sink up he took a look at himself to make sure that all evidence of his little cry had disappeared, which it had. Chucking his boxers into the laundry basket for the house elves to clean later he picked up the other towel he used to get the excess water out of his hair and did the same to it.
Scratching his chin to relieve himself of an annoying itch he nearly groaned when he felt the slight stubble on his face. He had to shave again, it was an aggravating ritual that took place every morning but he still did it and once done with he got ready to head down to the common room.
The chandeliers and the roaring fire lighted the common room nicely. Despite it being the second of September the castle was chilly much like the rest of the year. There were still plenty of people milling around, chatting, preparing for the school year and playing some kind of wizarding games.
In the far corner of the room he quickly spotted his two best friends, actually they weren't much of friends at the moment they probably thought he was a Death Eater. They were hunched over some kind of book and spoke in hushed tones. Ron was gesturing wildly with his hands while Hermione shook her head fervently. They didn't even notice him approach; of course for the rest of the Gryffindors it was much different. He had changed over the summer again, grew taller, let his hair get longer, grow broader and more muscular.
It took him nearly ten minutes to shake off some of the girl's as politely as possible that surrounded him. He came up silently behind the two wondering what they were talking about. When he got close enough to them not only did realize how dim the two were but that their mistrust towards him was much bigger than a bout of suspicion at the backs of their minds.
"I'm telling you Hermione, it's not like Harry to be Dark. Can't you understand that he would never be a Death Eater, after all the time we've spent fighting You-Know-Who he wouldn't turn to him." The redhead spoke harshly trying to make his friend understand.
"But it just doesn't make sense Ron!" she nearly yelled. "He's been drifting farther away from us ever since the Dark Lord was resurrected. He's been disappearing, his grades are skyrocketing and Jesus Christ, have you seen him duel before in Moody's class last year. And now we find this book on the Dark Arts." She complained and pointed to the green leather bound book with a runic title on it.
"Herm, you're the one with an open mind, you're the one who stuck by Harry when he needed you the most. Right now you are talking about the guy that convinced me to help him save you from the troll in our first year. You don't know who gave it to him; Dumbledore himself could have given Harry the book. We don't know all we could do is assume and that's not good enough. I won't be led to believe my best friend is a traitor."
Harry crouched behind the couch they were both sitting on feeling oddly touched with how much Ron was willing to believe in him. Even when there was a hill of evidence pointing against him, his best friend would never falter.
"Well I don't know Ron. Didn't Pettigrew betray the Potters and frame Sirius? It just doesn't add up, I can't figure out where he goes all the time, what he does and where he gets the powerful spells he uses in Dueling classes. Not to mention his appearance. He used to be a short skinny boy with messy black hair and glasses, have you seen him recently? What could have made him change so much and why does he have to leave us out of the loop?"
All the while Hermione's ranting was heart wrenching to Harry. He sat and cradled his head in his crossed arms that sat upon his knees, which he brought up close to his chest. //What have I done? One of my best friends is turning against me.\\ He thought rocking back and forth slightly. But they couldn't see the reason why he didn't tell them things, why he didn't confide in them, nobody knew. Because the more he shared with someone and let him or her in on his secrets, the more perpetual danger he put them in.
Shaking his head and deciding he couldn't take this sort of abuse from Hermione whether she knew he was listening or not, he stood towering over their seated positions and spoke.
"Some things Hermione," both of his former/best friends jumped about a foot in the air when they heard his voice and turned to face him with stricken and frightened expressions meeting his hard gaze. "Some things are not meant to be understood. If you would kindly hand me my book back."
Shakily the brown haired girl gulped and handed the heavy tome into his preferred hand.
"Thank you." He said blankly and added. "Next time I would appreciate it if you would ask me before looking through my things." And he stalked off back towards his room to put the book away and this time seal it with extra locking spells in the hidden compartment in his dresser.
As he walked up the stairs aware of the many sets of eyes watching his movements he mentally slapped himself for acting so coldly toward them. Ron didn't even deserve it and even for all the snooping she was doing neither did Hermione. She was after all curious and concerned about what's been happening to him. He didn't even care to clear up her accusations, he didn't care if they went and told Dumbledore. He'd still find a way out of the trouble it would cause.
Back in the common room both Hermione and Ron sat stunned in silence taking no account of the other Gryffindors ambling about the place.
Turning toward the redhead she addressed him quietly. "How much do you think he heard?"
"Judging by how angry he looked I think he just about heard everything. And you know what Hermione?" he answered her back.
"What Ron?" she asked dejectedly.
"I feel like crap right now for making him feel that way and I hope you feel just as rotten. That was horrible."
Stubbornly getting up she stood in front of him placing her hands on her hips and doing her best Mcgonagal expression. "You can't be serious Ronald Arthur Weasley! If he wasn't truly a Death Eater then he would have defended himself and explained what these past couple of years were all about."
The redheaded boy shook his head sadly in denial. "Hermione you can't always get straight answers and frankly I think you're just scared you don't know what's going on. And let me tell you another thing, if he was a Death Eater trying to stay undercover then he would have defended himself to get us to believe him instead of getting mad like he just did. And if he wasn't undercover but still a Death Eater he'd have called you a mudblood by now and probably hexed us into next year. Books can't tell you everything, sometimes you depend on life to experience these things." Ron finished surprised with himself for showing that much depth and knowledge. But the short brunet would not back down instead she started walking straight towards the portrait hole.
"I don't care what you think Ron, something fishy is going on and I plan to tell Dumbledore about it." She said briskly turning up her nose at him. "You can come if you want." She added fully expecting him to take up the invitation.
"Why do you have to go to Dumbledore for everything Herm? In a year we won't have him to run to, we'll be living our own lives so why not just start while we're ahead?" he offered and she seemed unfazed. Groaning deeply and growling at the back of his throat in frustration he got up and followed her through the halls to make sure she didn't make it sound like Harry just murdered someone and deserved to go to Azkaban.
On the way there he continued to try and convince her that their best friend was still on the light side, which turned out to be a harder task than he expected.
"Come on Herm, what happened to the girl with all the common sense? The girl that would never think one bad thought about our Harry? Sometimes I wonder by the way you're acting if you are the Death Eater under cover instead of Harry." He said getting her thoroughly mad earning him a sharp slap across the face. For a moment he stood perplexed and stunned by the stinging on his cheek until he brought his hand up to feel the red handprint it had left and faced the brunets fuming face.
"How dare you even think that Ron! I haven't been going around behind your and Harry's backs. I'm not the one with Dark Arts books lying around in my room. I'm not the one who's turned into some kind of buff." She rattled on not even aware Ron was tuning her out and thinking things through one more time.
"See how you felt when I told you I thought you were a Death Eater? Now imagine how Harry would have felt, while you have me he has no one. He has no family to support him like we do. No one really sees that, they just see a guy that puts on a brave front so that the people around him will feel safe. Can't you see that you're hurting him?"
"I'm not the one that's doing suspicious things and gallivanting around god knows where. He's absolutely detached himself from us!" she screamed in a rage heaving each and every breath. After several seconds she seemed to calm down and loosen up, walking right up to the redhead and hugging him. "I just want our Harry back, Ron. I'm worried about him. Why won't he open up to us?" she added in a smaller voice and buried her head against his chest letting him rub her back rhythmically. Soon she fell into a calm lull and they started to head back to the Tower.
"Hermione," Ron called softly rousing her from her almost hypnotic state causing her to jump slightly and look towards him imploringly asking what he wanted. "Promise me something." He said near the staircase that separated the boy's and girl's dorms.
"What is it Ron?" she asked stroking the red mark on his cheek and giving it a soft kiss.
"Promise you won't mention anything to Dumbledore without having sufficient evidence on Harry."
"Fine." She said sourly leaving the warmth of his arms and heading back to the Head girl's rooms at a fast pace without even saying goodnight to him.
Sighing Ron headed up to the seventh year boys dorms determined to get some sleep and get his mind off his best friend and girlfriend. It wasn't a secret that Ron felt lonely without Harry but in some ways he was glad to return his life to a norm. Whatever his best friend was doing must be important to be kept such a closely guarded secret and in some part of his mind he knew that he was only keeping it from them for their own good. Hermione on the other hand didn't understand what a secret was. But if you have a father that works at the ministry and often keeps important things from his own family, he usually knew the purpose of those secrets was to keep them all safe, so he relented.
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In his room Harry sat brooding. All of this was his doing anyways. This was the price of saving mankind. You are not appreciated. But right now he didn't want to be appreciated. He didn't want anyone to know. The fact that they all thought him a traitor would only add to his benefit, then nobody would dare suspect him to be Ninja Mage Smoke.
//Ninja Mage.\\ he snorted to himself and changed into his pajamas, which weren't really much considering he only slept in boxers and when it got colder in pajama pants. Around his neck he adjusted his lightening bolt pendant comfortably so it wouldn't press against his skin roughly.
Lying awake for around half an hour Harry contemplated what he would be doing the next day. He wanted to go visit Gabrielle as Harry instead of Smoke. After all not only would she soon figure out the truth from that dead give away about the lake and the symbol on the ring but he'd have to tell her eventually to ask her if she wanted him to take her in during the summers.
It wasn't that he wanted to put her in danger by having her know the truth it was just the girl needed someone there for her after her sister died, it would give her new hope.
A while after he let his thoughts drift to the back of his mind Harry let his eyelids close and the darkness of sleep envelope him to get him enough rest to get through the next day.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
Once again hello my devoted readers. How do you all like this chapter? Let me know what you think.
As for my other story I had some difficulty with chapter 9 but it will be up by end of the week. And just for my delay I promise to make it extra special and long with fluffy whipped cream and a yummy cherry on top!
Keep checking for updated chapters for the time being.