Let Slip the Dogs of War
(A sequel to "The Wisdom to Know the Difference")
by Balizabeth
Disclaimer- I am making no profit whatsoever from this fic, and I own none of the characters. I have borrowed the term "Istari" from the infamous J.R.R Tolkein, but that's about it. Suing me is a waste of your money and my time. Besides, you'll not get a cent out of me! I work at a daycare! I'm poor!
"With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial."
-William Shakespeare,
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
Act III, scene I
See if you can spot the little quote/line that I have in here- it's from the book Dune, by Frank Herbert.
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Albus Dumbledore's office was a sight to behold. One of the reasons that he didn't usually have students come up here was that they were so often distracted by the mysterious and beautiful objects that surrounded them. There were shelves stuffed with books and potions, as well as a number of unidentifiable magical artifacts. When someone stepped inside, they didn't know where to rest their eyes. Things glittered and twinkled, some shone, some talked. One of the most prominent displays was a huge sword with rubies on the hilt. It read, 'Godric Gryffindor'. Only a few people knew how that sword came to be in the Headmaster's office.
Out of everything in that formidable room, the one that always seemed to grab the most attention was a bird. A phoenix, to be precise. His name was Fawkes, and he had the most beautiful, radiant feathers to be found on the earth. He seemed to sparkle as if there were diamonds nestled among his wings, and his eyes were bright and deep. He stared at you as if he knew exactly what you were talking about, and he understood what you meant. And at the moment, he was looking right at Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
The Headmaster looked back into those onyx eyes and sighed. Wearily, he reached a hand up to massage his temple. He had just gotten back from the feast, and was exhausted. His summer holiday had been filled with secret preparations and meetings and plans, getting ready as best he could for Voldemort's inevitable first attack. No matter how hard he tried to prevent it, no matter how long he and his comrades worked at it, it would come. They were so few, there was only so much they could do as long as they Ministry and their blindness restrained them.
'Fudge may destroy us yet,' he thought bitterly, 'He will deny and hide until the last moment when it is all too late. His naivete magnifies whatever damage Voldemort and his minions manage to do.' For, despite Dumbledore's best efforts, he was still unable to convince Fudge of the Dark Lord's rebirth. Throughout the summer, he had been silently gathering allies, making alliances and drawing together forces. He had sent Hagrid on a successful voyage to the Giants, and he could now count them on their side. The hour of war was drawing near, but Dumbledore still had hope that Fudge may reconcile himself. It was a vain hope, perhaps, but a hope. 'And where are we if we do not have our hopes? Then we are truly lost.' Dumbledore learned long ago that a man that had no hopes could not survive.
Snape had been taken back into the Death Eater fold, after some convincing. Albus had a feeling that Severus had left out a great deal of what this 'convincing" was. Snape did not have the trust he once had, as it had been reported to Voldemort that he had been spying for Dumbledore all those years ago. Voldemort was still suspicious, but he had taken Snape back, which worried Albus a little. It was value beyond measure to have a spy in the Death Eater ranks, but Severus had been taken back a little *too* easy. Voldemort was not known for his forgiveness, yet he had taken Snape back with comparatively little punishment.
'Voldemort is plotting, too' Albus whispered to himself, and to Fawkes, 'He has tricks. He has tricks within tricks within tricks. Plans within plans within plans...' Dumbledore was interrupted by his musings by a sharp rap on his door. Startled, he looked up. No one usually came by his office at this time, unless there was trouble.
"Come in," he called out, while he reached for his wand. One could never be too careful...
In strode Severus Snape, his black robes billowing behind him. His face was a stark white compared to the dark robes, and his eyes sparkled with a look Albus knew all too well...
"Harry," the weary Headmaster said, pulling his hand away from his wand. He knew from Snape's face that he had come here to talk about the young Mr. Potter. "What has happened now? Do sit down, Severus, I have a feeling this discussion may last a while."
"It has come to my attention," Snape said as he lowered himself onto a chair, "That Potter has once again gotten himself into trouble. It seems that he attacked Mr. Malfoy, sending him flying against a wall."
Albus sighed and opened his mouth to respond, but the Potions Master cut him off, saying,
"That is not all. I was informed, by a prefect, that Potter managed to do this without his wand, without even *touching* Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy is currently unconscious in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey has cured his concussion and bruised back, but she thought it best to let him sleep through the night." Snape leaned forward, and said, "I have said it before, and I will say it again- Potter is dangerous, and a no-good troublemaker. Normally, an action such as this would call for suspension, perhaps even expulsion." At the word 'normally', Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. Surely *Snape* was not taking Harry's side in this... before he had a chance to voice these questions, Severus continued, "I say 'normally' not because I believe Potter, or think he deserves another chance. The boy is on his tenth at least. I say it because Potter managed to knock out Malfoy without even touching him. Without using his wand. He did *wandless* magic, Albus. Surely you know what this means. If we do not take the proper steps in this matter Potter will be sure to create more havoc- and I will *not* be so lenient with him again."
Severus looked intently into the Headmaster's eyes. Surely he had to know what this meant...Potter did wandless magic...a thing like this at such a young age hadn't happened for centuries...the prophecy was coming true... As he stared at Albus, Snape realized that he *did* know what it meant.
"I see," Albus said, rather hoarsely. "I am aware of what this means, and I will approach Mr. Potter about it. I thank you, Severus, for bringing this to my attention." Dumbledore stood up and walked Snape to the door. "Would you mind asking Minerva to send Harry up to my office? Immediately, please." Snape gave a curt nod and walked out the door. Dumbledore could hear his shoes clicking on the stone steps as he went to fetch Professor McGonagall.
The Headmaster paced his office. He felt as if a great burden had just been laid on his soldiers. He had hoped that this day would not come for a few more years...this, on top of everything that had been happening. But he had known that it was inevitable. The moment of truth had come, when past mysteries would be revealed and ancient prophecies, long forgotten, would be brought to light. Albus abruptly shook his head, and turned around. Sleeping in his chamber was a certain dog that would need to be informed of these new developments.
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Although Sirius Black lay with his eyes closed on the floor of Albus Dumbledore's chamber, he was not asleep. He had arrived at the castle only a day prior, and Harry did not yet know that he was here. Albus had felt that the fewer people that knew, the easier his traveling and arrival would be. Only after repeated promises that Sirius would get to see and talk with Harry later had convinced Sirius to not inform his godson of his arrival.
He was curled up in his dog form, listening intently for approaching footsteps. Albus had said that he would join him later so they could discuss the attacks, the gathering of the 'old crowd', and more importantly, Harry. Although they had exchanged a few owls before school started, Sirius had not seen him since that emotional day at Arabella Figg's house, and he was anxious to hear how he was doing. The first day back, a full immersion into the wizarding world must have been stressful for him. Before the Sorting, he had bombarded Albus with instructions, telling him to pay attention to Harry, to makes sure he was looking well, see if he ate enough food at the feast, note if anyone taunted or harassed him. And, if they did so, make sure they were punished, and then to give their names to him so he could deal with them himself. Although Albus had not agreed to every single one of his demands, he had promised to keep an eye on Harry, and he would speak to Sirius later in the evening and inform him of all the night's happenings.
At the sound of someone approaching, Sirius perked his ears and sat up alertly. He tensed himself to spring in case it was anyone besides the Headmaster outside of that door. The door opened, and Albus walked in, looking much more haggard than he had a few hours prior. Dumbledore glanced down at Sirius and said briskly,
"You may transform now, Sirius, and please join me in my office. There is a matter of dire importance that we need to discuss. Young Harry shall be joining us shortly."
With a soft pop, Sirius transformed and Followed Albus as he briskly led the way into his office. Sirius' mind was reeling. What had happened? Why was Harry joining them? Oh, no...something had happened to Harry. What was it? He had to find out.
As they reached the luxurious office, Sirius reached out and gripped the Headmaster's shoulder.
"Albus," he said hoarsely, "what has happened? What is wrong with Harry? Why is he coming up here?" If Harry was hurt, Sirius didn't think he would be able to take it. No one should dare to hurt Harry while he was here...Sirius began to eye Dumbledore's office for breakable objects in case his temper escaped him, as it so often did. 'Not again," Sirius thought to himself mournfully, 'we can't go through this again...'
Dumbledore sighed audibly and his shoulders drooped almost imperceptibly. Sirius felt an unnamed panic sweep through him. If Albus was this upset, this worried...Sirius almost didn't want to know what had happened. Dumbledore turned around, and looked at Sirius. He motioned for Sirius to sit down as he took his place behind his desk. He paused for a moment after Sirius was seated, collecting his thoughts and trying to phrase what he wanted to say, in a way that would not disturb and panic his former students too greatly.
"I want you to listen carefully to what I have to say, Sirius," Dumbledore said, "and I ask you not to interrupt until I am through." Numbly, Sirius nodded. His anticipation and dread was growing with each passing moment.
"Severus has just informed me that Harry has performed wandless magic, attacking Mr. Malfoy. I do not believe," Albus continued, as he saw Sirius drop his mouth in disbelief, "that he meant to do this, or seriously injure Mr. Malfoy in any way. But that is almost beside the point. If Harry has performed wandless magic at such a young age, it could have serious repercussions on the wizarding world if it is not controlled and harnessed properly. In performing this act, Harry has fulfilled part of the prophecy. You know of what I speak." Sirius swallowed roughly a few times, and nodded. He was at a loss for words...as if there wasn't enough Harry had to worry about, now there was this...wandless magic use was not a thing to be taken lightly. And the prophecy...Sirius had known about ever since Harry was born, but he hadn't been sure if he totally believed it. Up until now...and since it did seem to be true, total and chaotic war was about to break out. Sirius realized something and gasped,
"We have to tell him, Albus! We have to tell him everything. If he is to survive, he must know what is going on. He needs our help! He cannot do this alone!"
Dumbledore opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment there was a tentative knock on the door. Albus rose swiftly to go and answer it. As he pulled the door open he saw Harry standing there, looking bewildered, apprehensive, guilty all at the same time. It was clear that Professor McGonagall had not allowed him much time to get ready before he came up. He had his Hogwarts robes on, with his pajamas still underneath. His hair, although always messy, was sticking up a bit more than usual. His eyes were alert and wary but Dumbledore could still detect some sleepiness in them. He looked very much like a boy who was dragged out of bed at a very late hour to go discuss something with his Headmaster.
After a brief moment of observing Harry's appearance, Albus stepped back a little to let Harry in, saying,
"Please come in, Harry. Forgive me for asking you up here at such a later hour, but there is something important we need to discuss, and I am afraid it cannot be put off." Harry gave a slight nod as he walked in and said,
"Er- it's okay, Professor. I was just-" He broke off as he caught sight of his godfather, Sirius Black standing in front of him. "Sirius! When did you get here? Are you all right? Nobody saw you, did they?" Interrupting his own barrage of questions, Harry took timid, awkward, step forward towards his godfather. Sirius beat him to it. Reaching down and bestowing a tight hug on Harry, Sirius whispered in his ear,
"I'm okay, don't worry. I have only been here for a day or so. I *wish* I could have told you Harry, but it just wasn't safe- but I am here now, and we have some things that we need to talk about."
Harry nodded, pulling out of the hug. He looked up at his godfather, and gave his such a look of trust and affection that Sirius felt his heart tug. 'He trusts me,' he berated himself silently, 'and he's about to find out that he's been lied to all his life...his world is about to come crashing down upon his shoulders...'
"I understand," Harry was saying, "I'm just happy to see you." Turning to the Headmaster, he added, "What was it you wanted to talk about, sir?" Harry had a look in his eyes that showed all to clear what he thought the Headmaster wanted to talk about.
"Before I begin, please sit down, Harry. This may take quite a while. Now, Professor Snape has brought to my attention that you attacked Mr. Malfoy after the Great Feast today." Harry opened his mouth to explain, looking thoroughly miserable.
"Sir, I swear, I don't know what happened- I didn't mean to hurt him so much. I didn't even touch, I have no idea what happened, you have to believe-" Albus held up a hand, stopping Harry's pleas.
"I understand what has happened, Harry, and we are not here to discuss your punishment. I am sure you are anxious to know how you attacked Mr. Malfoy in such a manner, and that is what I want to talk to you about. Harry," Albus said, very seriously, "have you ever performed wandless magic before? Anywhere?" Harry looked startled and then answered,
"No, sir- I didn't even know it was called wandless magic. This is the first time I have ever done anything like- anything like *that*". Dumbledore could tell he was telling the truth. Now, came the hard part.
"Harry, what you performed was what we call wandless magic- clearly, it means you managed to do magic without your wand. Very, very few people have ever managed to do this, let alone at such a young age as you. You performing wandless magic has confirmed what we already know- Harry, you are a very powerful wizard. So powerful, that Voldemort wanted to kill you when you were just a baby. You are what wizards call an Istari." Albus looked at Harry, waiting for his reaction. Harry looked numb, and shocked. He opened and closed his mouth several times, and then looked wildly at Sirius to confirm what he had just been told. As Sirius nodded, Harry felt a roaring in his ears. He leaned back heavily into his chair. He couldn't believe it- he was an Istari? He didn't even know what that meant- and that was why Voldemort wanted to kill him as a baby? Sirius broke into his thoughts,
"It's true Harry. You are one of the Istari, a wizard with power beyond belief. You *must* listen to Albus now, there is much more you need to know." Harry turned to his Headmaster, who was looking at him with sympathy.
"How? How? And what is an Istari- I don't understand!" Harry whispered. He couldn't understand any of this- and why were they just telling him now?
"An Istari, Harry, is a witch or wizard who is capable of almost anything. They have extreme power, and few of them are ever able to tap into all of their potential. Istari wizards are rare, so rare that there have only been four born in this century. One of them is Voldemort, and one of them is you. Voldemort knew of your extreme power before your birth, and he immediately sought out to destroy you. He was already after your father, so if he found him, he would find you. Voldemort feared you, Harry. He knew of what you would be capable of, a wizard with more power than even him. And with a family like the Potters, how could you not work for the Light Side? You were a threat, a danger to his existence. In you, Harry, Voldemort saw his end, his death. He saw it in your strength, your will, and your desire to do good. That is why he hunted down your family so many years ago, and that is why he hunts you now. You have just performed your first step into tapping your Istari powers, and you are becoming more of a threat daily."
Harry sat quietly. He could not believe this. Voldemort had tried to kill him because he would be more powerful than he would? Because he would eventually kill him? And who were the other two Istari? No, this wasn't possible, no no no...
"No," he said, jumping out of his seat, "no, no, no, no- it is not possible- I don't believe you! No! Sirius!" He cried out, turning to his godfather, looking to him to deny what Dumbledore had just told him, "Tell him he's wrong! Tell him it's not the truth! Tell him Sirius." Harry's voice fell to a broken whisper, "Tell him." Sirius looked up at his godson. In his pity, desperation, and resignation, Harry saw the truth, written in his eyes. Before Sirius could say anything, Harry walked to the door. Now, he wasn't just shocked. He was angry, and hurt. They had lied to him, they hadn't told him about his past, and now they dump this on him and expect him to believe and accept it!
"I won't!" He said, his voice still tinged with the frenzy edge, "it's not possible. I'm not that powerful. I can't be an Istari! I can't kill Voldemort- it's not true!" Then, before Sirius or Dumbledore could stop him, he walked out the door, and ran down the stone steps. Sirius and Albus were left alone in the room. They were silent for a moment. Then, massaging his temple wearily, Sirius turned to Albus and said,
"We should have known that would happen. Who wouldn't react like that? We'll have to talk to him, later, when he has calmed down." Suddenly, another thought occurred to him. Dumbledore had said there were four Istari born this century, but he had only named two. Who were the other? "Albus- who are the other two Istari? The ones besides Harry and Voldemort?"
"Ah," Albus said, "I was wondering when you would ask me that. One of them is I. The other, I cannot name. I do not think even he is aware of it yet. Do not say anything, Sirius. That is a discussion for another day." Sirius nodded. He knew Albus wouldn't say anything if he didn't want to. He got up and walked to the door.
"Where are you going, Sirius? You cannot roam the halls at night, someone will see you."
Sirius turned around and said,
"I am going to find my godson. He needs someone to talk to right now. I will transform, and I think I can manage to hide from Filch. I did so for my seven years here, didn't I?" At that, a big black dog replaced where Sirius Black once stood. The dog gave a slight nod to the Headmaster, and then padded down the stairs, searching for his godson.
Albus looked around his empty office. He sighed and then headed to his chamber. Tomorrow was a day, and there were many things that would need to be dealt with. For now, the only important thing was that he got sleep, and he would deal with everything else in the morning.
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Well! That was my longest chapter I think! I am so sorry for the delay, but such is the life of a school student! I had the worst writer's block while doing this- I couldn't think of a thing! I think part of it shows in this chapter, it seems a bit forced.
So, we finally find out about the Istari! And who is the other one? You'll find out, hehehehe....
More Sirius! Yay! I really love that guy, and I thought he should be there when Harry 'gets the news'. More of him next chapter, but God knows when that will be...
Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers! You guys keep me going! And if you haven't reviewed, do so now, please! I need motivation!
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Giesbrecht- Here's more! Rabid is definitely the word I would use to describe my passion for the books- they have their own little place of honor in my room! Thought you'd like that password- put it in just for you!
WhetherRose- my old friend! My apologies for the delay- I made this one longer to make up for it. Don't worry, there will be more stuff about Hermione being a prefect, Harry was just too distracted to say anything, but I guess it sounded like I was writing it off! Sorry! Thanks!
Moonlight- it will get more creepy, I promise
JaimeyKay- aw, I could never get sick of you! Devoted reviewers are my most favorite people in the world! Quidditch is back, but it won't make its appearance until later, unfortunately! Don't hate Malfoy too much, he will be around later...and that's all I'm saying...
ginny5- thanks for reviewing!
Amidalasky Snape- glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks you all! Keep reviewing, and tell me where I need help! Please!
Cheers!
Balizabeth
(A sequel to "The Wisdom to Know the Difference")
by Balizabeth
Disclaimer- I am making no profit whatsoever from this fic, and I own none of the characters. I have borrowed the term "Istari" from the infamous J.R.R Tolkein, but that's about it. Suing me is a waste of your money and my time. Besides, you'll not get a cent out of me! I work at a daycare! I'm poor!
"With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial."
-William Shakespeare,
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
Act III, scene I
See if you can spot the little quote/line that I have in here- it's from the book Dune, by Frank Herbert.
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Albus Dumbledore's office was a sight to behold. One of the reasons that he didn't usually have students come up here was that they were so often distracted by the mysterious and beautiful objects that surrounded them. There were shelves stuffed with books and potions, as well as a number of unidentifiable magical artifacts. When someone stepped inside, they didn't know where to rest their eyes. Things glittered and twinkled, some shone, some talked. One of the most prominent displays was a huge sword with rubies on the hilt. It read, 'Godric Gryffindor'. Only a few people knew how that sword came to be in the Headmaster's office.
Out of everything in that formidable room, the one that always seemed to grab the most attention was a bird. A phoenix, to be precise. His name was Fawkes, and he had the most beautiful, radiant feathers to be found on the earth. He seemed to sparkle as if there were diamonds nestled among his wings, and his eyes were bright and deep. He stared at you as if he knew exactly what you were talking about, and he understood what you meant. And at the moment, he was looking right at Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
The Headmaster looked back into those onyx eyes and sighed. Wearily, he reached a hand up to massage his temple. He had just gotten back from the feast, and was exhausted. His summer holiday had been filled with secret preparations and meetings and plans, getting ready as best he could for Voldemort's inevitable first attack. No matter how hard he tried to prevent it, no matter how long he and his comrades worked at it, it would come. They were so few, there was only so much they could do as long as they Ministry and their blindness restrained them.
'Fudge may destroy us yet,' he thought bitterly, 'He will deny and hide until the last moment when it is all too late. His naivete magnifies whatever damage Voldemort and his minions manage to do.' For, despite Dumbledore's best efforts, he was still unable to convince Fudge of the Dark Lord's rebirth. Throughout the summer, he had been silently gathering allies, making alliances and drawing together forces. He had sent Hagrid on a successful voyage to the Giants, and he could now count them on their side. The hour of war was drawing near, but Dumbledore still had hope that Fudge may reconcile himself. It was a vain hope, perhaps, but a hope. 'And where are we if we do not have our hopes? Then we are truly lost.' Dumbledore learned long ago that a man that had no hopes could not survive.
Snape had been taken back into the Death Eater fold, after some convincing. Albus had a feeling that Severus had left out a great deal of what this 'convincing" was. Snape did not have the trust he once had, as it had been reported to Voldemort that he had been spying for Dumbledore all those years ago. Voldemort was still suspicious, but he had taken Snape back, which worried Albus a little. It was value beyond measure to have a spy in the Death Eater ranks, but Severus had been taken back a little *too* easy. Voldemort was not known for his forgiveness, yet he had taken Snape back with comparatively little punishment.
'Voldemort is plotting, too' Albus whispered to himself, and to Fawkes, 'He has tricks. He has tricks within tricks within tricks. Plans within plans within plans...' Dumbledore was interrupted by his musings by a sharp rap on his door. Startled, he looked up. No one usually came by his office at this time, unless there was trouble.
"Come in," he called out, while he reached for his wand. One could never be too careful...
In strode Severus Snape, his black robes billowing behind him. His face was a stark white compared to the dark robes, and his eyes sparkled with a look Albus knew all too well...
"Harry," the weary Headmaster said, pulling his hand away from his wand. He knew from Snape's face that he had come here to talk about the young Mr. Potter. "What has happened now? Do sit down, Severus, I have a feeling this discussion may last a while."
"It has come to my attention," Snape said as he lowered himself onto a chair, "That Potter has once again gotten himself into trouble. It seems that he attacked Mr. Malfoy, sending him flying against a wall."
Albus sighed and opened his mouth to respond, but the Potions Master cut him off, saying,
"That is not all. I was informed, by a prefect, that Potter managed to do this without his wand, without even *touching* Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy is currently unconscious in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey has cured his concussion and bruised back, but she thought it best to let him sleep through the night." Snape leaned forward, and said, "I have said it before, and I will say it again- Potter is dangerous, and a no-good troublemaker. Normally, an action such as this would call for suspension, perhaps even expulsion." At the word 'normally', Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. Surely *Snape* was not taking Harry's side in this... before he had a chance to voice these questions, Severus continued, "I say 'normally' not because I believe Potter, or think he deserves another chance. The boy is on his tenth at least. I say it because Potter managed to knock out Malfoy without even touching him. Without using his wand. He did *wandless* magic, Albus. Surely you know what this means. If we do not take the proper steps in this matter Potter will be sure to create more havoc- and I will *not* be so lenient with him again."
Severus looked intently into the Headmaster's eyes. Surely he had to know what this meant...Potter did wandless magic...a thing like this at such a young age hadn't happened for centuries...the prophecy was coming true... As he stared at Albus, Snape realized that he *did* know what it meant.
"I see," Albus said, rather hoarsely. "I am aware of what this means, and I will approach Mr. Potter about it. I thank you, Severus, for bringing this to my attention." Dumbledore stood up and walked Snape to the door. "Would you mind asking Minerva to send Harry up to my office? Immediately, please." Snape gave a curt nod and walked out the door. Dumbledore could hear his shoes clicking on the stone steps as he went to fetch Professor McGonagall.
The Headmaster paced his office. He felt as if a great burden had just been laid on his soldiers. He had hoped that this day would not come for a few more years...this, on top of everything that had been happening. But he had known that it was inevitable. The moment of truth had come, when past mysteries would be revealed and ancient prophecies, long forgotten, would be brought to light. Albus abruptly shook his head, and turned around. Sleeping in his chamber was a certain dog that would need to be informed of these new developments.
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Although Sirius Black lay with his eyes closed on the floor of Albus Dumbledore's chamber, he was not asleep. He had arrived at the castle only a day prior, and Harry did not yet know that he was here. Albus had felt that the fewer people that knew, the easier his traveling and arrival would be. Only after repeated promises that Sirius would get to see and talk with Harry later had convinced Sirius to not inform his godson of his arrival.
He was curled up in his dog form, listening intently for approaching footsteps. Albus had said that he would join him later so they could discuss the attacks, the gathering of the 'old crowd', and more importantly, Harry. Although they had exchanged a few owls before school started, Sirius had not seen him since that emotional day at Arabella Figg's house, and he was anxious to hear how he was doing. The first day back, a full immersion into the wizarding world must have been stressful for him. Before the Sorting, he had bombarded Albus with instructions, telling him to pay attention to Harry, to makes sure he was looking well, see if he ate enough food at the feast, note if anyone taunted or harassed him. And, if they did so, make sure they were punished, and then to give their names to him so he could deal with them himself. Although Albus had not agreed to every single one of his demands, he had promised to keep an eye on Harry, and he would speak to Sirius later in the evening and inform him of all the night's happenings.
At the sound of someone approaching, Sirius perked his ears and sat up alertly. He tensed himself to spring in case it was anyone besides the Headmaster outside of that door. The door opened, and Albus walked in, looking much more haggard than he had a few hours prior. Dumbledore glanced down at Sirius and said briskly,
"You may transform now, Sirius, and please join me in my office. There is a matter of dire importance that we need to discuss. Young Harry shall be joining us shortly."
With a soft pop, Sirius transformed and Followed Albus as he briskly led the way into his office. Sirius' mind was reeling. What had happened? Why was Harry joining them? Oh, no...something had happened to Harry. What was it? He had to find out.
As they reached the luxurious office, Sirius reached out and gripped the Headmaster's shoulder.
"Albus," he said hoarsely, "what has happened? What is wrong with Harry? Why is he coming up here?" If Harry was hurt, Sirius didn't think he would be able to take it. No one should dare to hurt Harry while he was here...Sirius began to eye Dumbledore's office for breakable objects in case his temper escaped him, as it so often did. 'Not again," Sirius thought to himself mournfully, 'we can't go through this again...'
Dumbledore sighed audibly and his shoulders drooped almost imperceptibly. Sirius felt an unnamed panic sweep through him. If Albus was this upset, this worried...Sirius almost didn't want to know what had happened. Dumbledore turned around, and looked at Sirius. He motioned for Sirius to sit down as he took his place behind his desk. He paused for a moment after Sirius was seated, collecting his thoughts and trying to phrase what he wanted to say, in a way that would not disturb and panic his former students too greatly.
"I want you to listen carefully to what I have to say, Sirius," Dumbledore said, "and I ask you not to interrupt until I am through." Numbly, Sirius nodded. His anticipation and dread was growing with each passing moment.
"Severus has just informed me that Harry has performed wandless magic, attacking Mr. Malfoy. I do not believe," Albus continued, as he saw Sirius drop his mouth in disbelief, "that he meant to do this, or seriously injure Mr. Malfoy in any way. But that is almost beside the point. If Harry has performed wandless magic at such a young age, it could have serious repercussions on the wizarding world if it is not controlled and harnessed properly. In performing this act, Harry has fulfilled part of the prophecy. You know of what I speak." Sirius swallowed roughly a few times, and nodded. He was at a loss for words...as if there wasn't enough Harry had to worry about, now there was this...wandless magic use was not a thing to be taken lightly. And the prophecy...Sirius had known about ever since Harry was born, but he hadn't been sure if he totally believed it. Up until now...and since it did seem to be true, total and chaotic war was about to break out. Sirius realized something and gasped,
"We have to tell him, Albus! We have to tell him everything. If he is to survive, he must know what is going on. He needs our help! He cannot do this alone!"
Dumbledore opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment there was a tentative knock on the door. Albus rose swiftly to go and answer it. As he pulled the door open he saw Harry standing there, looking bewildered, apprehensive, guilty all at the same time. It was clear that Professor McGonagall had not allowed him much time to get ready before he came up. He had his Hogwarts robes on, with his pajamas still underneath. His hair, although always messy, was sticking up a bit more than usual. His eyes were alert and wary but Dumbledore could still detect some sleepiness in them. He looked very much like a boy who was dragged out of bed at a very late hour to go discuss something with his Headmaster.
After a brief moment of observing Harry's appearance, Albus stepped back a little to let Harry in, saying,
"Please come in, Harry. Forgive me for asking you up here at such a later hour, but there is something important we need to discuss, and I am afraid it cannot be put off." Harry gave a slight nod as he walked in and said,
"Er- it's okay, Professor. I was just-" He broke off as he caught sight of his godfather, Sirius Black standing in front of him. "Sirius! When did you get here? Are you all right? Nobody saw you, did they?" Interrupting his own barrage of questions, Harry took timid, awkward, step forward towards his godfather. Sirius beat him to it. Reaching down and bestowing a tight hug on Harry, Sirius whispered in his ear,
"I'm okay, don't worry. I have only been here for a day or so. I *wish* I could have told you Harry, but it just wasn't safe- but I am here now, and we have some things that we need to talk about."
Harry nodded, pulling out of the hug. He looked up at his godfather, and gave his such a look of trust and affection that Sirius felt his heart tug. 'He trusts me,' he berated himself silently, 'and he's about to find out that he's been lied to all his life...his world is about to come crashing down upon his shoulders...'
"I understand," Harry was saying, "I'm just happy to see you." Turning to the Headmaster, he added, "What was it you wanted to talk about, sir?" Harry had a look in his eyes that showed all to clear what he thought the Headmaster wanted to talk about.
"Before I begin, please sit down, Harry. This may take quite a while. Now, Professor Snape has brought to my attention that you attacked Mr. Malfoy after the Great Feast today." Harry opened his mouth to explain, looking thoroughly miserable.
"Sir, I swear, I don't know what happened- I didn't mean to hurt him so much. I didn't even touch, I have no idea what happened, you have to believe-" Albus held up a hand, stopping Harry's pleas.
"I understand what has happened, Harry, and we are not here to discuss your punishment. I am sure you are anxious to know how you attacked Mr. Malfoy in such a manner, and that is what I want to talk to you about. Harry," Albus said, very seriously, "have you ever performed wandless magic before? Anywhere?" Harry looked startled and then answered,
"No, sir- I didn't even know it was called wandless magic. This is the first time I have ever done anything like- anything like *that*". Dumbledore could tell he was telling the truth. Now, came the hard part.
"Harry, what you performed was what we call wandless magic- clearly, it means you managed to do magic without your wand. Very, very few people have ever managed to do this, let alone at such a young age as you. You performing wandless magic has confirmed what we already know- Harry, you are a very powerful wizard. So powerful, that Voldemort wanted to kill you when you were just a baby. You are what wizards call an Istari." Albus looked at Harry, waiting for his reaction. Harry looked numb, and shocked. He opened and closed his mouth several times, and then looked wildly at Sirius to confirm what he had just been told. As Sirius nodded, Harry felt a roaring in his ears. He leaned back heavily into his chair. He couldn't believe it- he was an Istari? He didn't even know what that meant- and that was why Voldemort wanted to kill him as a baby? Sirius broke into his thoughts,
"It's true Harry. You are one of the Istari, a wizard with power beyond belief. You *must* listen to Albus now, there is much more you need to know." Harry turned to his Headmaster, who was looking at him with sympathy.
"How? How? And what is an Istari- I don't understand!" Harry whispered. He couldn't understand any of this- and why were they just telling him now?
"An Istari, Harry, is a witch or wizard who is capable of almost anything. They have extreme power, and few of them are ever able to tap into all of their potential. Istari wizards are rare, so rare that there have only been four born in this century. One of them is Voldemort, and one of them is you. Voldemort knew of your extreme power before your birth, and he immediately sought out to destroy you. He was already after your father, so if he found him, he would find you. Voldemort feared you, Harry. He knew of what you would be capable of, a wizard with more power than even him. And with a family like the Potters, how could you not work for the Light Side? You were a threat, a danger to his existence. In you, Harry, Voldemort saw his end, his death. He saw it in your strength, your will, and your desire to do good. That is why he hunted down your family so many years ago, and that is why he hunts you now. You have just performed your first step into tapping your Istari powers, and you are becoming more of a threat daily."
Harry sat quietly. He could not believe this. Voldemort had tried to kill him because he would be more powerful than he would? Because he would eventually kill him? And who were the other two Istari? No, this wasn't possible, no no no...
"No," he said, jumping out of his seat, "no, no, no, no- it is not possible- I don't believe you! No! Sirius!" He cried out, turning to his godfather, looking to him to deny what Dumbledore had just told him, "Tell him he's wrong! Tell him it's not the truth! Tell him Sirius." Harry's voice fell to a broken whisper, "Tell him." Sirius looked up at his godson. In his pity, desperation, and resignation, Harry saw the truth, written in his eyes. Before Sirius could say anything, Harry walked to the door. Now, he wasn't just shocked. He was angry, and hurt. They had lied to him, they hadn't told him about his past, and now they dump this on him and expect him to believe and accept it!
"I won't!" He said, his voice still tinged with the frenzy edge, "it's not possible. I'm not that powerful. I can't be an Istari! I can't kill Voldemort- it's not true!" Then, before Sirius or Dumbledore could stop him, he walked out the door, and ran down the stone steps. Sirius and Albus were left alone in the room. They were silent for a moment. Then, massaging his temple wearily, Sirius turned to Albus and said,
"We should have known that would happen. Who wouldn't react like that? We'll have to talk to him, later, when he has calmed down." Suddenly, another thought occurred to him. Dumbledore had said there were four Istari born this century, but he had only named two. Who were the other? "Albus- who are the other two Istari? The ones besides Harry and Voldemort?"
"Ah," Albus said, "I was wondering when you would ask me that. One of them is I. The other, I cannot name. I do not think even he is aware of it yet. Do not say anything, Sirius. That is a discussion for another day." Sirius nodded. He knew Albus wouldn't say anything if he didn't want to. He got up and walked to the door.
"Where are you going, Sirius? You cannot roam the halls at night, someone will see you."
Sirius turned around and said,
"I am going to find my godson. He needs someone to talk to right now. I will transform, and I think I can manage to hide from Filch. I did so for my seven years here, didn't I?" At that, a big black dog replaced where Sirius Black once stood. The dog gave a slight nod to the Headmaster, and then padded down the stairs, searching for his godson.
Albus looked around his empty office. He sighed and then headed to his chamber. Tomorrow was a day, and there were many things that would need to be dealt with. For now, the only important thing was that he got sleep, and he would deal with everything else in the morning.
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Well! That was my longest chapter I think! I am so sorry for the delay, but such is the life of a school student! I had the worst writer's block while doing this- I couldn't think of a thing! I think part of it shows in this chapter, it seems a bit forced.
So, we finally find out about the Istari! And who is the other one? You'll find out, hehehehe....
More Sirius! Yay! I really love that guy, and I thought he should be there when Harry 'gets the news'. More of him next chapter, but God knows when that will be...
Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers! You guys keep me going! And if you haven't reviewed, do so now, please! I need motivation!
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Giesbrecht- Here's more! Rabid is definitely the word I would use to describe my passion for the books- they have their own little place of honor in my room! Thought you'd like that password- put it in just for you!
WhetherRose- my old friend! My apologies for the delay- I made this one longer to make up for it. Don't worry, there will be more stuff about Hermione being a prefect, Harry was just too distracted to say anything, but I guess it sounded like I was writing it off! Sorry! Thanks!
Moonlight- it will get more creepy, I promise
JaimeyKay- aw, I could never get sick of you! Devoted reviewers are my most favorite people in the world! Quidditch is back, but it won't make its appearance until later, unfortunately! Don't hate Malfoy too much, he will be around later...and that's all I'm saying...
ginny5- thanks for reviewing!
Amidalasky Snape- glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks you all! Keep reviewing, and tell me where I need help! Please!
Cheers!
Balizabeth