'You called for me, Professor?' he asked.
'Yes, please sit down Harry.' Dumbledore said, gesturing with his arm to the seat across his table.
'Thank you sir.' replied Harry.
As Harry sat down, he looked about the room, gaping at everything, yet again. It wasn't the first time that Harry had gone into the Headmaster's office, but each time seemed to be the first. It was as elegant as ever, with bookcases lining around the circular room, ending shortly before the entrance, leaving room for a mahogany cabinet to settle snuggly beside the entrance, one on each side of it. While sitting, he could see the staircases, one on each side of the desk, leading up to more rooms. If he had gone to the left staircase, he would have found himself in Dumbledore's bedchamber. Going up from the right side, he would have landed on the deck of Dumbledore's observation deck. On there, there is an ancient telescope that depicts more than the stars in the sky. After staring at the telescope for a while, Harry looked at Dumbledore.
'Professor, you called for me?' Harry asked, feeling a bit uneasy in the silence of the office.
'Yes, I did.'
'Is something wrong? Did Voldermort attack?'
'Harry, please be quiet, and let me tell you what happened.'
Harry calmed down in his chair, and waited. Dumbledore looked at him, and that was when Harry noticed the difference in the professor. The usual glitter in Dumbledore's eyes was not present at this moment, and this terrified Harry even more.
'Sir?' Harry asked, not liking the silence at all.
Dumbledore came out of his trance, upon hearing Harry's voice. 'Oh yes, as I was saying.' he trailed off.
'Yes?'
'I am a carrier of dreadful news today.'
'What happened, did Voldermort take over the wizarding world without my knowing it?'
'Thankfully, no he did not, but this news could possibly be worse then that one.'
'What news could possibly be worse than Voldermort taking over the world?'
'Harry, dear boy,' Dumbledore said. 'Please just calm down, and then I'll tell you what it is.'
'Sorry Professor,' Harry began, 'it's just that I'm curious as to what could be worse than Voldermort.'
'Well, could losing a family member .' Dumbledore started. He was really hesitant in telling Harry. All hell could break lose with the information he had.
'My family is dead, Professor. Or at least they were, the last time I checked.' 'Think Harry, who else is close to you, like family?'
'You can't mean Sirius, do you? It can't be him! I just got an owl from him yesterday!'
In truth, Dumbledore didn't want to tell the boy what had happened. He feared for the wizarding world, if he told the truth.
'I'm sorry to say, but it is true, I received an owl just a few minutes before you came here.'
'But I don't understand Professor!' Harry pleaded.
He still couldn't believe that his godfather was dead. How could that even be possible? Sirius had just told him last night, that he was in a secure location, and that he would be save until school was over for the year. But now he was dead? Impossible! Harry was so confused, but didn't dare be rude. 'I swear he just owled me last night!'
Dumbledore shook his head dejectedly. He knew Harry's outburst would get worse when he knew who had killed his godfather. The thing that Dumbledore was worried about was not just the mere boy, but also the power that the boy had within. Every professor in the school knew that Harry was the heir of Gryffindor, and the power that he could muster, if only he knew about it.
'Harry, please.' He began, wishing it were the end as well. 'If you will just calm down, then I will be able to tell you how it happened, and how it is actually possible.'
Harry didn't believe that he could calm down. How could he? Something worse than Voldermort had just happened! Harry hadn't believed that something worse than Voldermort attacking the world, was possible. But since it was Dumbledore talking, he took a deep breath in, and tried to calm down the emotions that were urging to burst out of him. He needed to hear the story, before he would let it sink in. He was just too dumbfounded to believe.
'I received an owl from the Ministry of Magic,' began Dumbledore. 'It was from Arthur Weasley.'
'Are any of the Weasley's hurt as well? Please don't let it be true.'
'No, they are all well.'
'At least I still have one family.' Harry whispered. He began to stare off into the distance, wondering what exactly family was to him. He didn't really know how to explain what family truly was, since he never really had one. The Dursleys were never much of a family, but more of some sort of muggles who had graciously let him stay in a cupboard. So much for family. As far as the world describes family, it means a mother, father and children. They have conflicts, happy times and sad times. Each and every person in the family helps one another out, when one calls out in distress. Harry snorted at that thought. As if the Dursleys would have actually even cared about the well being of himself. Even if he was about to die from some unknown disease, they wouldn't have cared.
Dumbledore thought about what Harry said, and sighed. He didn't think that Harry would think of the Weasley family, as his own family soon enough. 'I'm afraid I need to contradict what you just said.' 'I don't understand Professor. How could you contradict me? They are the only family I have left, and yet you sound like you don't want me to think they are!' As he exclaimed, his hands, while waving them about, knocked off the objects that were on the Professor's desk, scattering them all over the office. 'Harry, don't get me wrong, I want you to think they are a family to you. The circumstances make me believe you won't want them to be though.' 'You couldn't be suggesting that one of them killed Sirius?' Harry looked at Dumbledore suspiciously as he asked this question. Dumbledore looked uneasily around the room. That was when Harry realized what the Professor had meant. 'Are you mad Professor? How could they be the ones who killed Sirius? They are his friend!' 'Harry, you must understand that the only way that I will ever be able to explain anything to you, is if you would please be quiet for a few minutes.' Harry, still looking incredulously at the Professor, sat back down. He hadn't noticed that he had gotten up in the process of talking to the Professor. As he sat down, he thought of a lake, a calm lake. He had read it in a book once. What was that book called again? Oh yea, 'First Trial'. In the book, there was this girl named Keladry who went to the land of Tortall to become a Knight. Only problem was, she was a girl. She was the first known female who would attempt to become a Knight, never hiding her true appearance, the way the Lioness had done when she had gone to become a Knight. In the book, Keladry was always teased and picked on. She learned ways to keep her features calm, and her body relaxed, showing no emotions at all. I think I'll try to be like her. I'll make myself be like a calm lake. My emotions like stone. Thought Harry. So he closed his eyes, and took a deep breath in, and slowly let it all out. When he thought that his emotions had become like a calm lake, he looked expectantly at the Professor. 'As I was saying, Harry, I received an owl from Arthur today. It carried the distressing news of the passing away of Sirius Black.' Dumbledore gave the letter to Harry, letting him read the letter himself. Harry took the letter, and read it out loud:
Dear Dumbledore,
I am sending this letter to you, with the deepest of regrets. As you
know, Sirius Black came to our house for shelter last night. I am
regretful to say, that I did something quite horrible. After he had
sent an owl to Harry, I made sure he was comfortable in his room. When
I went downstairs after that, I don't remember what happened, but an
unknown hatred filled my heart, and I went back upstairs. I knocked on
Sirius' door, and waited for him to open it. I didn't want to make my
mood suspicious to him. Then when he opened the door, I killed him.
Yes, I know. I, Arthur Weasley, killed Sirius Black. Why? I don't even
know myself. I never hated him, I still don't. Something came over me
last night, and I am ashamed at myself, for what I have done. I can't
bear to think what Harry would say, if I told him. So please,
Headmaster Dumbledore, may you tell Harry? I hope he will forgive me,
and that I may repay him someway, anyway.
Hoping you are well,
Yours sincerely,
Arthur Weasley
Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office
Ministry of Magic As Harry finished reading the letter, he was already fuming inside with fury. How could Mr. Weasley do that? He angrily thought. It was not humanly possible for any of the Weasleys to kill. Or at least that's what he had thought before. Dumbledore looked at Harry while he was having his inner conflict. The anger was radiating out of Harry's eyes, and Dumbledore was waiting for the worst to come. No moral reasoning would be possible, with him in this state, so he waited for the inevitable. Right as he thought of it, the windows of the office began to shriek. 'Harry, please try to calm down' Oblivious to the Headmaster's request, Harry kept on building up his anger inside. He just couldn't understand how it was possible that one, who was so close to him, would have been able to kill someone who was like family to him. He just would not allow himself to understand it! Just as he began to see red, he heard glass shattering, then felt a tingling feeling, as shards of glass cut his skin. 'What.?' Harry started to ask. 'Let go of the anger Harry.' 'How can I calm down, when my best friend's father killed my godfather!' As Harry said this, he began to glow with this reddish tinge. Then everything went red, then blackness reigned in Harry's heart and soul. He couldn't see things straight anymore. Everything was in red, and he was in a rage that wouldn't let up. How could Mr. Weasley have killed Sirius? The question still popped into Harry's head. It still seemed impossible to him, but he didn't care about whether anything made sense anymore. All that Harry needed now was the revenge that was needed for his godfather. With power he did not know he had, he somehow apparated onto the lane to the Burrow. Without any hesitation, he stomped his way to the door. As he reached it, he saw a man standing outside the door, in a "guard" pose. "Who goes there?" a masculine voice barked. "I am here to grovel at your feet." Harry drawled. "Actually, I'm here to Avada Kadavra you, then take myself up to dear old Arthur Weasley." As he was saying the killing curse, the man who had spoken, fell to the floor, not knowing what had hit him, before he had died. Now Harry stepped over the man, not really caring about who the man was, or why the spell had worked so easily. Hate seemed to have engulfed Harry Potter, the-boy- who-lived, and make him oblivious to the sanity that was in him. He barged into the Burrow, and bellowed out, "Arthur Weasley, got down here right now!' He heard feet stomping down the stairs, but it was not Arthur Weasley who emerged, instead his two oldest sons, Bill and Charlie. They came with wands drawn. 'Harry, don't do anything rash!' called out Charlie. 'Come on Harry! Think about it, before you do something stupid!' Bill said right after. 'Me, do something stupid? Ha! I think not. I know what I'm doing.' And before either man could realize what Harry was doing, they were on the floor, dead from the killing curse. That done, Harry yelled up the stairs, 'Is that all you got Weasley? Come on, you can do better then that!' Without any warning, an animal cry was heard, before something red hurtled down and landed on Harry. He was knocked onto his back, and severely punched. When he grabbed the fist, he realized that his attacker was none other than his ex-best friend. 'Why hello there Weasel. I didn't know you were skipping school. Tsk tsk tsk.' And with that, he threw Ron across the room. As the redhead fell off from the far wall, a piercing scream erupted. 'RON! No! Harry, you will pay for what you have done to my son!' Harry turned around, and saw Mrs. Weasley charging towards him, fury in her eyes. She was just about to curse him, when he did a quick Avada Kadavra. She fell limp to the floor, shock still being emitted from her eyes. 'I'm getting sick of these games Weasley. Come out and fight like a real man. Oh wait, you aren't a man, you're a weasel.' At that comment, a growl was heard behind him. Harry quickly turned around, but was instantly hit by the imperious curse. 'I am not sorry for what I have just done to you, because you have just killed off my family.' Arthur closed in on Harry, with murder in his eyes. While that was going on, in Harry's mind, everything seemed to be perfect, and life was just beautiful. 'Give me your wand, Harry.' Harry started to bring his wand up, when he realized what the weasel was doing, and quickly shook off the curse. He snarled at Arthur, and quickly bound him up, with a quick 'Petrificus Totalus'. 'Did you honestly think you could put me under a full imperious curse, Weasley? I guess your dear old son, the weasel, never told you I could break from that curse, very easily.' As he said this, Mr. Weasley's eyes bugged out. Harry took this as a no. He laughed evilly, and produced a knife out of nowhere. With Mr. Weasley's eyes watching his every move, he slowly started to cut deep gashes into his body. 'How does that feel, Weasley?' cackled Harry Mr. Weasley just moaned, not being able to talk or do anything about it. Harry enjoyed looking at the pain Weasley was in. He wanted to inflict as many injuries to Weasley, before he actually killed him. After a while, Harry decided that Mr. Weasley had lost enough blood. 'This is goodbye, and good riddance, Mr. Weasley. Avada Kadavra.' Mr. Weasley's life sucked out of him, and his body went completely limp. Harry looked at the body, and saw a wisp of something, grey? He didn't care much about it, and started to leave. All of a sudden, he could hear a cackling in his head, and new who it was. 'Hello, Tom Riddle, what makes you feel like inhabiting my mind?' 'Well, I would just like to say, well done. I couldn't have done better myself. Secondly, how stupid of a boy you have been. You have just killed innocent people. You were under the Imperious curse, but you didn't stop to think that maybe others were as well. You were the perfect pawn Potter. Have a wonderful life!' Harry felt the empty in his head, and suddenly realized what he had done. He crashed to the floor, knocking his head against the floor. The lat thing he thought of, was: Why had I not been reasonable? I have just ruined my life, and others. Then blackness engulfed him, and he welcomed it willingly.
'Yes, please sit down Harry.' Dumbledore said, gesturing with his arm to the seat across his table.
'Thank you sir.' replied Harry.
As Harry sat down, he looked about the room, gaping at everything, yet again. It wasn't the first time that Harry had gone into the Headmaster's office, but each time seemed to be the first. It was as elegant as ever, with bookcases lining around the circular room, ending shortly before the entrance, leaving room for a mahogany cabinet to settle snuggly beside the entrance, one on each side of it. While sitting, he could see the staircases, one on each side of the desk, leading up to more rooms. If he had gone to the left staircase, he would have found himself in Dumbledore's bedchamber. Going up from the right side, he would have landed on the deck of Dumbledore's observation deck. On there, there is an ancient telescope that depicts more than the stars in the sky. After staring at the telescope for a while, Harry looked at Dumbledore.
'Professor, you called for me?' Harry asked, feeling a bit uneasy in the silence of the office.
'Yes, I did.'
'Is something wrong? Did Voldermort attack?'
'Harry, please be quiet, and let me tell you what happened.'
Harry calmed down in his chair, and waited. Dumbledore looked at him, and that was when Harry noticed the difference in the professor. The usual glitter in Dumbledore's eyes was not present at this moment, and this terrified Harry even more.
'Sir?' Harry asked, not liking the silence at all.
Dumbledore came out of his trance, upon hearing Harry's voice. 'Oh yes, as I was saying.' he trailed off.
'Yes?'
'I am a carrier of dreadful news today.'
'What happened, did Voldermort take over the wizarding world without my knowing it?'
'Thankfully, no he did not, but this news could possibly be worse then that one.'
'What news could possibly be worse than Voldermort taking over the world?'
'Harry, dear boy,' Dumbledore said. 'Please just calm down, and then I'll tell you what it is.'
'Sorry Professor,' Harry began, 'it's just that I'm curious as to what could be worse than Voldermort.'
'Well, could losing a family member .' Dumbledore started. He was really hesitant in telling Harry. All hell could break lose with the information he had.
'My family is dead, Professor. Or at least they were, the last time I checked.' 'Think Harry, who else is close to you, like family?'
'You can't mean Sirius, do you? It can't be him! I just got an owl from him yesterday!'
In truth, Dumbledore didn't want to tell the boy what had happened. He feared for the wizarding world, if he told the truth.
'I'm sorry to say, but it is true, I received an owl just a few minutes before you came here.'
'But I don't understand Professor!' Harry pleaded.
He still couldn't believe that his godfather was dead. How could that even be possible? Sirius had just told him last night, that he was in a secure location, and that he would be save until school was over for the year. But now he was dead? Impossible! Harry was so confused, but didn't dare be rude. 'I swear he just owled me last night!'
Dumbledore shook his head dejectedly. He knew Harry's outburst would get worse when he knew who had killed his godfather. The thing that Dumbledore was worried about was not just the mere boy, but also the power that the boy had within. Every professor in the school knew that Harry was the heir of Gryffindor, and the power that he could muster, if only he knew about it.
'Harry, please.' He began, wishing it were the end as well. 'If you will just calm down, then I will be able to tell you how it happened, and how it is actually possible.'
Harry didn't believe that he could calm down. How could he? Something worse than Voldermort had just happened! Harry hadn't believed that something worse than Voldermort attacking the world, was possible. But since it was Dumbledore talking, he took a deep breath in, and tried to calm down the emotions that were urging to burst out of him. He needed to hear the story, before he would let it sink in. He was just too dumbfounded to believe.
'I received an owl from the Ministry of Magic,' began Dumbledore. 'It was from Arthur Weasley.'
'Are any of the Weasley's hurt as well? Please don't let it be true.'
'No, they are all well.'
'At least I still have one family.' Harry whispered. He began to stare off into the distance, wondering what exactly family was to him. He didn't really know how to explain what family truly was, since he never really had one. The Dursleys were never much of a family, but more of some sort of muggles who had graciously let him stay in a cupboard. So much for family. As far as the world describes family, it means a mother, father and children. They have conflicts, happy times and sad times. Each and every person in the family helps one another out, when one calls out in distress. Harry snorted at that thought. As if the Dursleys would have actually even cared about the well being of himself. Even if he was about to die from some unknown disease, they wouldn't have cared.
Dumbledore thought about what Harry said, and sighed. He didn't think that Harry would think of the Weasley family, as his own family soon enough. 'I'm afraid I need to contradict what you just said.' 'I don't understand Professor. How could you contradict me? They are the only family I have left, and yet you sound like you don't want me to think they are!' As he exclaimed, his hands, while waving them about, knocked off the objects that were on the Professor's desk, scattering them all over the office. 'Harry, don't get me wrong, I want you to think they are a family to you. The circumstances make me believe you won't want them to be though.' 'You couldn't be suggesting that one of them killed Sirius?' Harry looked at Dumbledore suspiciously as he asked this question. Dumbledore looked uneasily around the room. That was when Harry realized what the Professor had meant. 'Are you mad Professor? How could they be the ones who killed Sirius? They are his friend!' 'Harry, you must understand that the only way that I will ever be able to explain anything to you, is if you would please be quiet for a few minutes.' Harry, still looking incredulously at the Professor, sat back down. He hadn't noticed that he had gotten up in the process of talking to the Professor. As he sat down, he thought of a lake, a calm lake. He had read it in a book once. What was that book called again? Oh yea, 'First Trial'. In the book, there was this girl named Keladry who went to the land of Tortall to become a Knight. Only problem was, she was a girl. She was the first known female who would attempt to become a Knight, never hiding her true appearance, the way the Lioness had done when she had gone to become a Knight. In the book, Keladry was always teased and picked on. She learned ways to keep her features calm, and her body relaxed, showing no emotions at all. I think I'll try to be like her. I'll make myself be like a calm lake. My emotions like stone. Thought Harry. So he closed his eyes, and took a deep breath in, and slowly let it all out. When he thought that his emotions had become like a calm lake, he looked expectantly at the Professor. 'As I was saying, Harry, I received an owl from Arthur today. It carried the distressing news of the passing away of Sirius Black.' Dumbledore gave the letter to Harry, letting him read the letter himself. Harry took the letter, and read it out loud:
Dear Dumbledore,
I am sending this letter to you, with the deepest of regrets. As you
know, Sirius Black came to our house for shelter last night. I am
regretful to say, that I did something quite horrible. After he had
sent an owl to Harry, I made sure he was comfortable in his room. When
I went downstairs after that, I don't remember what happened, but an
unknown hatred filled my heart, and I went back upstairs. I knocked on
Sirius' door, and waited for him to open it. I didn't want to make my
mood suspicious to him. Then when he opened the door, I killed him.
Yes, I know. I, Arthur Weasley, killed Sirius Black. Why? I don't even
know myself. I never hated him, I still don't. Something came over me
last night, and I am ashamed at myself, for what I have done. I can't
bear to think what Harry would say, if I told him. So please,
Headmaster Dumbledore, may you tell Harry? I hope he will forgive me,
and that I may repay him someway, anyway.
Hoping you are well,
Yours sincerely,
Arthur Weasley
Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office
Ministry of Magic As Harry finished reading the letter, he was already fuming inside with fury. How could Mr. Weasley do that? He angrily thought. It was not humanly possible for any of the Weasleys to kill. Or at least that's what he had thought before. Dumbledore looked at Harry while he was having his inner conflict. The anger was radiating out of Harry's eyes, and Dumbledore was waiting for the worst to come. No moral reasoning would be possible, with him in this state, so he waited for the inevitable. Right as he thought of it, the windows of the office began to shriek. 'Harry, please try to calm down' Oblivious to the Headmaster's request, Harry kept on building up his anger inside. He just couldn't understand how it was possible that one, who was so close to him, would have been able to kill someone who was like family to him. He just would not allow himself to understand it! Just as he began to see red, he heard glass shattering, then felt a tingling feeling, as shards of glass cut his skin. 'What.?' Harry started to ask. 'Let go of the anger Harry.' 'How can I calm down, when my best friend's father killed my godfather!' As Harry said this, he began to glow with this reddish tinge. Then everything went red, then blackness reigned in Harry's heart and soul. He couldn't see things straight anymore. Everything was in red, and he was in a rage that wouldn't let up. How could Mr. Weasley have killed Sirius? The question still popped into Harry's head. It still seemed impossible to him, but he didn't care about whether anything made sense anymore. All that Harry needed now was the revenge that was needed for his godfather. With power he did not know he had, he somehow apparated onto the lane to the Burrow. Without any hesitation, he stomped his way to the door. As he reached it, he saw a man standing outside the door, in a "guard" pose. "Who goes there?" a masculine voice barked. "I am here to grovel at your feet." Harry drawled. "Actually, I'm here to Avada Kadavra you, then take myself up to dear old Arthur Weasley." As he was saying the killing curse, the man who had spoken, fell to the floor, not knowing what had hit him, before he had died. Now Harry stepped over the man, not really caring about who the man was, or why the spell had worked so easily. Hate seemed to have engulfed Harry Potter, the-boy- who-lived, and make him oblivious to the sanity that was in him. He barged into the Burrow, and bellowed out, "Arthur Weasley, got down here right now!' He heard feet stomping down the stairs, but it was not Arthur Weasley who emerged, instead his two oldest sons, Bill and Charlie. They came with wands drawn. 'Harry, don't do anything rash!' called out Charlie. 'Come on Harry! Think about it, before you do something stupid!' Bill said right after. 'Me, do something stupid? Ha! I think not. I know what I'm doing.' And before either man could realize what Harry was doing, they were on the floor, dead from the killing curse. That done, Harry yelled up the stairs, 'Is that all you got Weasley? Come on, you can do better then that!' Without any warning, an animal cry was heard, before something red hurtled down and landed on Harry. He was knocked onto his back, and severely punched. When he grabbed the fist, he realized that his attacker was none other than his ex-best friend. 'Why hello there Weasel. I didn't know you were skipping school. Tsk tsk tsk.' And with that, he threw Ron across the room. As the redhead fell off from the far wall, a piercing scream erupted. 'RON! No! Harry, you will pay for what you have done to my son!' Harry turned around, and saw Mrs. Weasley charging towards him, fury in her eyes. She was just about to curse him, when he did a quick Avada Kadavra. She fell limp to the floor, shock still being emitted from her eyes. 'I'm getting sick of these games Weasley. Come out and fight like a real man. Oh wait, you aren't a man, you're a weasel.' At that comment, a growl was heard behind him. Harry quickly turned around, but was instantly hit by the imperious curse. 'I am not sorry for what I have just done to you, because you have just killed off my family.' Arthur closed in on Harry, with murder in his eyes. While that was going on, in Harry's mind, everything seemed to be perfect, and life was just beautiful. 'Give me your wand, Harry.' Harry started to bring his wand up, when he realized what the weasel was doing, and quickly shook off the curse. He snarled at Arthur, and quickly bound him up, with a quick 'Petrificus Totalus'. 'Did you honestly think you could put me under a full imperious curse, Weasley? I guess your dear old son, the weasel, never told you I could break from that curse, very easily.' As he said this, Mr. Weasley's eyes bugged out. Harry took this as a no. He laughed evilly, and produced a knife out of nowhere. With Mr. Weasley's eyes watching his every move, he slowly started to cut deep gashes into his body. 'How does that feel, Weasley?' cackled Harry Mr. Weasley just moaned, not being able to talk or do anything about it. Harry enjoyed looking at the pain Weasley was in. He wanted to inflict as many injuries to Weasley, before he actually killed him. After a while, Harry decided that Mr. Weasley had lost enough blood. 'This is goodbye, and good riddance, Mr. Weasley. Avada Kadavra.' Mr. Weasley's life sucked out of him, and his body went completely limp. Harry looked at the body, and saw a wisp of something, grey? He didn't care much about it, and started to leave. All of a sudden, he could hear a cackling in his head, and new who it was. 'Hello, Tom Riddle, what makes you feel like inhabiting my mind?' 'Well, I would just like to say, well done. I couldn't have done better myself. Secondly, how stupid of a boy you have been. You have just killed innocent people. You were under the Imperious curse, but you didn't stop to think that maybe others were as well. You were the perfect pawn Potter. Have a wonderful life!' Harry felt the empty in his head, and suddenly realized what he had done. He crashed to the floor, knocking his head against the floor. The lat thing he thought of, was: Why had I not been reasonable? I have just ruined my life, and others. Then blackness engulfed him, and he welcomed it willingly.
