Harry walked into Dumbledore's office, again, to find that the table and chairs had been removed and that the office looked normal. Harry walked over behind Dumbledore, stopping on the opposite side of the desk. Once Dumbledore was seated, Harry sat down.
"What's wrong professor?" Harry said.
"Please Harry, as you are now my equal in the Order, in private, please call me Albus." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.
"Ummm, Okay." Harry said uncertainly. "What's wrong Albus?"
"Well there is nothing wrong, yet." Dumbledore said.
"So why am I here?" Harry asked, indicating the office.
"Well, because there is nothing wrong, and we have a lull in action packed times, knock on wood of course, I felt that this is a good time to begin your training as the leader of the Order." Dumbledore said.
"What do u mean?" Harry asked.
"Well, not only do u have to train with the rest of the group, but a leader has certain responsibilies that they must be able to uphold no matter what the cost." Dumledore said, the light fading from his eyes.
Harry didn't like the look in Dumbledore's eyes, "What do you mean?"
Dumbledore took a moment to reply, "Well Harry You need to ask yourself some questions really."
"What would those question's be?" Harry said.
"Well," Dumbledore began. "Could you send one of the other members to die, if it meant saving the world? Could you sacrifice yourself for the world? If another member being controlled by a curse, could u stop them? These are questions you must ask yourself."
There was silence for several minutes. Inside Harry's mind was doing double time. He thought to himself, 'Could I sacrifice Hermoine? Could I sacrifice Ron? Could I kill them if I had to? Even if it was for the greater good?'
After a few more minutes Dumbledore asked Harry sofly, "Harry, can you answer those questions?"
"Yes." Harry replied. "And my answer is no. I would not send one of my friends to die. I would go myself. If one of my friends were under a controlling curse, I would stop them, yes, but I would not kill them, I would fix it. And I would most certainly give my life to help save the world."
Harry had expected Dumbledore to be dissappointed, angry, or at least look like he was shock, but all Dumbledore did was smile and say, "Very good Harry."
Harry just breathed a sigh of relief. Then asked Dumbledore, "So is that all I have to do?"
"No." Dumbledore said, "There are things that you must do. You must go away, alone, and train. You will be put through a series of tests. And just so you know I am not the one putting these tests together, the person, or entity, whatever you want to call it, decided thousands of years ago that the elected leader of a new chapter of The Order of Light must go through these to make sure he or she is worthy."
"Where will I be going?" Harry asked.
"So I take it that you are willing to go?" Dumbledore said knowingly.
"Yes." Harry responded.
"Well I can't tell you where you will be going. But you will be leaving tonight. And do not worry about your classes, everything has been taken care of. I'm sure you would like to tell your friends, so get retrieve a few items of clothing, your broomstick, and you may wish to take that wonderfuly sneaky invisiblity cloak." Dumledore said with a smile.
"What about my anigmus training?" Harry asked.
"That will be taken care of in your training."
"Allright." A dazed Harry said as he got up to leave Dumbledore's office.
Before exiting the door Harry turned to Dumbledore and asked, "When will I be back?"
"Not sure really," Dumbledore replied, "It depends on the person. It took me 2 weeks, and I was told that the person before me took 2 months. So I guess it just depends on the person."
"Allright then." Harry said as he exited Dumbledore's office.
Harry walked down the corridor in a daze.
He wasn't even walking where he was going and his feet just lead him to the Gryffindor common room.
First he found Ron and Michlle sitting and talking quietly by the fire. He walked over and told them what was going on.
Ron got up and gave him a small hug and said, "Good Luck Harry, and hurry back."
Harry said, "thanks." he then turned to Michelle and said, "Goodbye Michelle." She smiled and returned the goodbye.
Harry began walking off and then turned and said, "Where are James and Hermoine?"
Ron replied, "James is in our room. Sleeping I think."
"And Hermoine is in our room. She hasn't came out since we got back from Dumlbedore's office."
Michelle replied.
"Allright, thanks." Harry said as he walked toward his room.
He found James asleep on his bead, listening to music, of course.
Harry packed quickly, and James didn't even notice.
"Hey James." Harry said poking James in the head slightly.
James opened his eyes and looked up, then removed his headphones, "yeah man?"
He then told James where he was going.
"Damn man. Well good luck dude." James shook Harry's hand.
Harry turned to leave, the looking as if he had just remebered something, "hey James?"
"Yeah?" James said.
"Take care of Hermoine." Harry said.
"No problem man." James said, then quickly, "And I don't mean in any way beside a friend."
He said the last part with a smile. Harry returned the smile.
Down in the common room Michelle and Ron were still talking.
"So where do u think Harry is going?" Michelle asked Ron.
"No clue, but you can be sure of one thing, He will succed." Ron said very confidently.
"You know, I have a secret." Michelle said with a sly smile on her face.
"And what would that be?" Ron asked.
"Can't tell." Michelle said, blatenly flirting.
"And why is that?" Ron said, flirting back.
"Cuase I made a promise." Michell said simply.
"A promise to whom?" Ron asked.
"To Hermoine." Michelle said back.
Ron then said, "Please tell me? Please Please Please????" He put on the puppy dog eyes to go with the begging.
"Well if you are going to look at me like that I might as well tell you." Michelle said.
"What is it?" Ron said captivated.
"I know whom Hermoine likes." Michelle said with a smile.
"And who is that?" Ron said.
"Betcha can't guess." Michelle said.
Ron looked heartbroken, "Don't do that, just tell me."
At that moment Harry came down the steps. He immediatly turned up the steps to the girls dormitoies.
Michelle turned to Ron with a huge smile on her face.
Ron suddenly began understanding, "Your kidding." Ron said.
"No, I'm not." Michelle said.
"Well I'll be damned." Ron said dumbfounded.
"No, I have a feeling that in the end, none of us will be damned.' Michelle said.
Upstairs Harry knocked on the door to the 7th years dormitories.
"Who is it?" Hermoine's muffeled voice came from behind the door.
"It's Harry. Please let me in. I really need to tell you something."
Without another word from Hermoine, the door opened.
Harry walked inside to a mirror of the boys dormitories. But of course this room was a lot cleaner, and the beds were all made.
"Hermoine?" asked Harry
"I'm over here." came a sad little voice from a bed in the corner.
Harry walked over to the bed to find Hermoine under the covers, with her head barely sticking out, her pillow wet with tears.
'How did one little argument hurt her so bad?' Harry thought.
"What do you want?" Hermoine said, coldly.
"Well I just came to tell you something." Harry said softly.
"OH did you forget to say something hurtful and run back up here to tell me?" Hermoine angrily said sitting up.
Harry just looked shocked at her. "No." he said very quickly and quietly.
"Or did you come up here to tell me stay away from James?" She asked with acid in her voice, and tears in her eyes.
Before Harry could say anything she continued, "I dont' know what in this world makes you think you have the right to tell me who I can and who I cannot talk to. But I forgot, you are the great Harry Potter, you controll all. I'm sorry I forgot I was just a little muggle girl you took pity on."
Harry opened his mouth to correct her, but she interrupted him, "Don't even argue with me Harry." Her voice was shaking and rising then, "I don't know why you care that I was even becoming friends with James, you were probably glad that you didn't have to go through the hassle of talking to me. You probably didn't even miss me."
"No." Harry said very quietly, but sternly. "you know what Hermoine? You want me to tell you what my life has been like ever since we quit talking? Well I'll tell you." Harry stopped and thought for a minute.
Just as Hermoine was opening her mouth to say something Harry began talking, "You know that feeling when you just into a pool? You know, when you go all the way down to the bottom? When you are kicking and trying as hard as you can to get to the top? You want and need to get to the top, to breathe, but you just can't? It's right there but you just can't get to it? That's what not talking to you feels like, it feels like I can't breathe."
Hermoine was so shocked she couldn't even speak.
After a moment Harry said, "The reason I came up here was to tell you that I have to go away. Since the order selected me as the leader I have to go away by myself to train. To make sure i'm worthy. So i'll be leaving tonight. I don't know how long i'll be gone. Maybe two weeks, maybe 6 months, I don't know. But just know this Hermoine," Harry leaned down a mere inchs from her face, "the whole time i'm gone, the only thing I will think of is the girl that I love." After Hermoine got a look of questioning on her face, Harry softly and quickly said, "You."
With that Harry turned and left the girls dormitories.
After he left, Hermoine began crying.
Hermoine had small thought to go after him. To go after him and tell him she loved him. But after all the hurtful things she had said and all the the pain she knew she had caused him, he probably wouldn't even talk to her.
Then another voice said, 'But you shouldn't care if he's leaving. He said awful things to you. He was mean to you. What kind of friend is he? He was jealous because you were talking to another guy."
Somewhere, deep deep down, down in her soul, a small voice answered her. 'He did all those things because he loves you.'
But Hermoine didn't care at that time.
She just cried and cried. Until finally she cried herself to sleep.
"What's wrong professor?" Harry said.
"Please Harry, as you are now my equal in the Order, in private, please call me Albus." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.
"Ummm, Okay." Harry said uncertainly. "What's wrong Albus?"
"Well there is nothing wrong, yet." Dumbledore said.
"So why am I here?" Harry asked, indicating the office.
"Well, because there is nothing wrong, and we have a lull in action packed times, knock on wood of course, I felt that this is a good time to begin your training as the leader of the Order." Dumbledore said.
"What do u mean?" Harry asked.
"Well, not only do u have to train with the rest of the group, but a leader has certain responsibilies that they must be able to uphold no matter what the cost." Dumledore said, the light fading from his eyes.
Harry didn't like the look in Dumbledore's eyes, "What do you mean?"
Dumbledore took a moment to reply, "Well Harry You need to ask yourself some questions really."
"What would those question's be?" Harry said.
"Well," Dumbledore began. "Could you send one of the other members to die, if it meant saving the world? Could you sacrifice yourself for the world? If another member being controlled by a curse, could u stop them? These are questions you must ask yourself."
There was silence for several minutes. Inside Harry's mind was doing double time. He thought to himself, 'Could I sacrifice Hermoine? Could I sacrifice Ron? Could I kill them if I had to? Even if it was for the greater good?'
After a few more minutes Dumbledore asked Harry sofly, "Harry, can you answer those questions?"
"Yes." Harry replied. "And my answer is no. I would not send one of my friends to die. I would go myself. If one of my friends were under a controlling curse, I would stop them, yes, but I would not kill them, I would fix it. And I would most certainly give my life to help save the world."
Harry had expected Dumbledore to be dissappointed, angry, or at least look like he was shock, but all Dumbledore did was smile and say, "Very good Harry."
Harry just breathed a sigh of relief. Then asked Dumbledore, "So is that all I have to do?"
"No." Dumbledore said, "There are things that you must do. You must go away, alone, and train. You will be put through a series of tests. And just so you know I am not the one putting these tests together, the person, or entity, whatever you want to call it, decided thousands of years ago that the elected leader of a new chapter of The Order of Light must go through these to make sure he or she is worthy."
"Where will I be going?" Harry asked.
"So I take it that you are willing to go?" Dumbledore said knowingly.
"Yes." Harry responded.
"Well I can't tell you where you will be going. But you will be leaving tonight. And do not worry about your classes, everything has been taken care of. I'm sure you would like to tell your friends, so get retrieve a few items of clothing, your broomstick, and you may wish to take that wonderfuly sneaky invisiblity cloak." Dumledore said with a smile.
"What about my anigmus training?" Harry asked.
"That will be taken care of in your training."
"Allright." A dazed Harry said as he got up to leave Dumbledore's office.
Before exiting the door Harry turned to Dumbledore and asked, "When will I be back?"
"Not sure really," Dumbledore replied, "It depends on the person. It took me 2 weeks, and I was told that the person before me took 2 months. So I guess it just depends on the person."
"Allright then." Harry said as he exited Dumbledore's office.
Harry walked down the corridor in a daze.
He wasn't even walking where he was going and his feet just lead him to the Gryffindor common room.
First he found Ron and Michlle sitting and talking quietly by the fire. He walked over and told them what was going on.
Ron got up and gave him a small hug and said, "Good Luck Harry, and hurry back."
Harry said, "thanks." he then turned to Michelle and said, "Goodbye Michelle." She smiled and returned the goodbye.
Harry began walking off and then turned and said, "Where are James and Hermoine?"
Ron replied, "James is in our room. Sleeping I think."
"And Hermoine is in our room. She hasn't came out since we got back from Dumlbedore's office."
Michelle replied.
"Allright, thanks." Harry said as he walked toward his room.
He found James asleep on his bead, listening to music, of course.
Harry packed quickly, and James didn't even notice.
"Hey James." Harry said poking James in the head slightly.
James opened his eyes and looked up, then removed his headphones, "yeah man?"
He then told James where he was going.
"Damn man. Well good luck dude." James shook Harry's hand.
Harry turned to leave, the looking as if he had just remebered something, "hey James?"
"Yeah?" James said.
"Take care of Hermoine." Harry said.
"No problem man." James said, then quickly, "And I don't mean in any way beside a friend."
He said the last part with a smile. Harry returned the smile.
Down in the common room Michelle and Ron were still talking.
"So where do u think Harry is going?" Michelle asked Ron.
"No clue, but you can be sure of one thing, He will succed." Ron said very confidently.
"You know, I have a secret." Michelle said with a sly smile on her face.
"And what would that be?" Ron asked.
"Can't tell." Michelle said, blatenly flirting.
"And why is that?" Ron said, flirting back.
"Cuase I made a promise." Michell said simply.
"A promise to whom?" Ron asked.
"To Hermoine." Michelle said back.
Ron then said, "Please tell me? Please Please Please????" He put on the puppy dog eyes to go with the begging.
"Well if you are going to look at me like that I might as well tell you." Michelle said.
"What is it?" Ron said captivated.
"I know whom Hermoine likes." Michelle said with a smile.
"And who is that?" Ron said.
"Betcha can't guess." Michelle said.
Ron looked heartbroken, "Don't do that, just tell me."
At that moment Harry came down the steps. He immediatly turned up the steps to the girls dormitoies.
Michelle turned to Ron with a huge smile on her face.
Ron suddenly began understanding, "Your kidding." Ron said.
"No, I'm not." Michelle said.
"Well I'll be damned." Ron said dumbfounded.
"No, I have a feeling that in the end, none of us will be damned.' Michelle said.
Upstairs Harry knocked on the door to the 7th years dormitories.
"Who is it?" Hermoine's muffeled voice came from behind the door.
"It's Harry. Please let me in. I really need to tell you something."
Without another word from Hermoine, the door opened.
Harry walked inside to a mirror of the boys dormitories. But of course this room was a lot cleaner, and the beds were all made.
"Hermoine?" asked Harry
"I'm over here." came a sad little voice from a bed in the corner.
Harry walked over to the bed to find Hermoine under the covers, with her head barely sticking out, her pillow wet with tears.
'How did one little argument hurt her so bad?' Harry thought.
"What do you want?" Hermoine said, coldly.
"Well I just came to tell you something." Harry said softly.
"OH did you forget to say something hurtful and run back up here to tell me?" Hermoine angrily said sitting up.
Harry just looked shocked at her. "No." he said very quickly and quietly.
"Or did you come up here to tell me stay away from James?" She asked with acid in her voice, and tears in her eyes.
Before Harry could say anything she continued, "I dont' know what in this world makes you think you have the right to tell me who I can and who I cannot talk to. But I forgot, you are the great Harry Potter, you controll all. I'm sorry I forgot I was just a little muggle girl you took pity on."
Harry opened his mouth to correct her, but she interrupted him, "Don't even argue with me Harry." Her voice was shaking and rising then, "I don't know why you care that I was even becoming friends with James, you were probably glad that you didn't have to go through the hassle of talking to me. You probably didn't even miss me."
"No." Harry said very quietly, but sternly. "you know what Hermoine? You want me to tell you what my life has been like ever since we quit talking? Well I'll tell you." Harry stopped and thought for a minute.
Just as Hermoine was opening her mouth to say something Harry began talking, "You know that feeling when you just into a pool? You know, when you go all the way down to the bottom? When you are kicking and trying as hard as you can to get to the top? You want and need to get to the top, to breathe, but you just can't? It's right there but you just can't get to it? That's what not talking to you feels like, it feels like I can't breathe."
Hermoine was so shocked she couldn't even speak.
After a moment Harry said, "The reason I came up here was to tell you that I have to go away. Since the order selected me as the leader I have to go away by myself to train. To make sure i'm worthy. So i'll be leaving tonight. I don't know how long i'll be gone. Maybe two weeks, maybe 6 months, I don't know. But just know this Hermoine," Harry leaned down a mere inchs from her face, "the whole time i'm gone, the only thing I will think of is the girl that I love." After Hermoine got a look of questioning on her face, Harry softly and quickly said, "You."
With that Harry turned and left the girls dormitories.
After he left, Hermoine began crying.
Hermoine had small thought to go after him. To go after him and tell him she loved him. But after all the hurtful things she had said and all the the pain she knew she had caused him, he probably wouldn't even talk to her.
Then another voice said, 'But you shouldn't care if he's leaving. He said awful things to you. He was mean to you. What kind of friend is he? He was jealous because you were talking to another guy."
Somewhere, deep deep down, down in her soul, a small voice answered her. 'He did all those things because he loves you.'
But Hermoine didn't care at that time.
She just cried and cried. Until finally she cried herself to sleep.