Harry Potter and the Light of Darkness
Here's the rest of chapter one. Although I didn't get as much as a response as I would have liked for the trial, I was on a roll writing and decided to post the rest anyway. It's my little gift. Enjoy!
Fudge's Big Speech
"Honestly, Albus. You must reconsider."
"My mind is made up, Minerva."
"Sir, if you`d just allow me to –"
"No, Severus. You are needed where you are."
Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall stood in front of the desk of Albus Dumbledore, all three of whom were under the intense stares of previous Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses, all listening intently. The current headmaster, however, held his head in his hands and didn`t seem to be paying much attention at all. In fact he seemed to be examining a long scratch on his desk made by one of his many small metal objects that had been thrown at ahigh speed not too long ago.
"I`ve already decided," Dumbledore said, still not looking up, "and the two of you won`t convince me otherwise."
"What about the Order?" McGonagall asked.
"As you recall, I am not the only member," he said. "I`m sure you and the others can manage. Besides I am not leaving, I am merely taking on another responsibility."
"But why?" Snape asked.
"As I have already explained to you," Dumbledore said "I am determined not to make the same foolish mistake of delegating tasks I know very well I should perform myself."
At this Snape shifted a little and looked at the floor. Dumbledore finally looked up at the pair of teachers standing in front of him.
"Now if the pair of you are finished," he said standing up. Snape and McGonagall exchanged glances and turned to leave.
When the door of his office closed, Dumbledore walked over and opened the doors of a cabinet. Reaching inside, he pulled out a shallow basin with runes around the edges. Sitting back down, he placed the Pensieve on the desk before him. He touched his wand to his temple, pulled away a thin silvery strand of memory, and dropped it into the Pensieve. The contents swirled momentarily before some raised up and took the form of what was distinctly a man falling through a veiled archway...
Harry woke with a start. The sunlight streaming in through his window had shifted so it was now shining directly on his face. He had laid down on his bed earlier and, out of sheer boredom, had fallen asleep.
He ground his knuckles against his eyes trying to rid himself of the image of his godfather falling through the archway in the Death Room. The dream he had been having of Dumbledore didn't seem like a normal dream at all. In fact, it was similar to the ones he had had of Voldemort last year.
This wasn't the first occurence however. Harry had dreamt a couple of weeks ago about some members of the Order of the Phoenix, including Remus Lupin, Tonks, Mundungus Fletcher, and Mr and Mrs Weasley. Also there were his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Lupin had been explaining to Ron and Hermione that Dumbledore thought it best that Harry remain with the Dursleys for the entire summer.
Sure enough, no sooner had Harry awoke, that an owl from Lupin arrived explaining the situation, followed soon after by one from Ron and Hermione telling him they did everything they could to change Dumbledore's mind and they'd make it up to him at Hogwarts. Harry glanced at his desk where the two letters sat.
And so it was that Harry was stuck at the Dursleys' on August 30th, two days before he was expected at Platform 9 ¾, for the first time since he had started at Hogwarts.
It wasn't all bad though, except for being unbearably lonely. Aunt Petunia wasn't as nasty as usual. She was fairly close to treating him like a normal human being. Something in Dumbledore's Howler last year seemed to have got through to her.
Uncle Vernon was a different matter altogether. He seemed to be treating Harry ten times worse, if it was possible. Convinced Harry was a threat to his family, Uncle Vernon had made it his personal mission to ensure that every person in Little Whinging thought that his 'juvinile delinquint nephew' was no longer living with them. As a result, Harry wasn't allowed to leave the house and all the curtains were kept drawn.
As if any of that will help, Harry thought. I'm sure Voldemort knows I'm here, but if Dumbledore was right, he can't touch me.
Harry made his way down to the Dursleys' living room. He settled himself down in a chair in the corner to watch the evening news. Uncle Vernon gave him a look when he entered but didn't say anything. Harry turned his attention to the reporter.
"...feel safe now that mass-murderer, Sirius Black, is confirmed to be dead. Families of the victims can now rest easy knowing..."
Uncle Vernon turned back to look at Harry with a grin spreading across his face. "So, he's dead is he?" he said. "Not going to use that 'my godfather's a mass-murderer' trick anywmore, eh?"
Harry couldn't bring himself to tell his uncle that he already knew, or that he was there when it happened. In fact, it was a minute before said anything at all.
"He wasn't."
"He wasn't what, boy?"
"he wasn't a murderer. He was innocent," Harry said slowly. "Besides, you heard what all those people at the train station in June said. You lost one and gained the whole Order of the Phoenix. I bet you're thrilled."
"The Order of the what?" his uncle demanded. "What is this nonsense? Explain yourself!" But Harry just ignored him.
"I'm going to bed," Harry said. He suddenly had no appetite left. He paused by the door long enough to catch some of the reporter's final story.
"The Prime Minister has issued a nationwide alert concerning a group of potentially dangerous individuals calling themselves 'Death Eaters.' The public is warned..."
Harry quickly left for his bedroom.
* * *
Harry was awoken from a restless sleep the next morning by the sound of the Dursleys' doorbell. However, it wasn't until he heard Aunt Petunia's startled scream that he got out of bed. He grabbed his glasses and bolted down the stairs, still in his pyjamas.
The scene before Harry was unexpected. Dudley was standing frozen at attention in the doorway to the kitchen. Uncle Vernon was backed agianst the wall, his face the purplest Harry had ever seen it. Aunt Petunia was cowering in her husband's arms, her bony hands over her mouth.
Harry's eyes travelled to the open door, where there stood the profile of a man. Harry couldn't believe it. It couldn't be...
Albus Dumbledore stepped over the threshold, closing the front door behind him. Dumbledore was dressed in his Muggle best, a light blue jumper and a pair of pinstriped trousers.
Dumbledore beamed at the four people standing in shock around him. "Good morning, Harry," he said.
"Er...good morning...er...Professor," Harry said, slowly getting over the shock that his headmaster was standing in his front hallway.
Dumbledore then turned to the Dursleys and held out his hand. "It is a pleasure to finally meet face to face, Petunia," he said.
Aunt Petunia stared in shock at Dumbledore's outstretched hand, but she slowly, reluctantly, grasped it. However, she let go of it almost immediately. Something seemed to have clicked in Uncle Vernon's brain though.
"Wiat a minute," Harry's uncle said. "I recognize that voice. You sent that screaming letter last summer. Petunia, dear, who is this old coot?"
"Dumbledore," she said in barely more than a whisper. Her eyes had yet to leave the wizard standing in her doorway.
"Dumbly-what?" Uncle Vernon said, clearly confused.
"My name is Albus Dumbledore," Dumbledore said, breaking in. "I am the headmaster of Harry's school."
"Well, what are you doing in my house?" Uncle Vernon demanded.
"I am here to pick up Harry," Dumbledore said. "The Ministar for Magic wishes he attend a special conference in his honour."
"Fudge wants to see me?" Harry asked.
"Yes, and we mustn't be late," Dumbledore said. "So hurry up and get dressed and we'll leave right away."
Harry nodded and dashed upsatirs to his room, got dressed, and turned to leave when a thought occured to him. He ran around his room, throwing all his belongings into his trunk. He closed it with a snap. He then approached Hedwig.
"I'm going to see Fudge with Dumbledore," he told her. "You might as well meet me at Hogwarts since term starts tomorrow." With that Hedwig gave a hoot and took off through the window.
He then grabbed one end of his trunk and dragged it downstairs and into the front hall.
On his way he passed his cousin, who still had not moved. His hands, which, in the presence of a fully grown wizard, were usually clamped onto his oversized bottom, were glued to his sides. Harry allowed himself a small grin.
"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said, catching sight of Harry's trunk. All of a sudden Dumbledore had his wand in his hand, as if it had appeared out of nowhere. All three Dursleys jumped back.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick and Harry's trunk and Hedwig's empty cage diappeared.
"Your possesions will be waiting for you at Hogwarts," Dumbledore told Harry. "Now, we really must be going. It has been a pleasure meeting you all," he said to the Dursleys. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a scrap piece of parchment. "If you would just take hold, Harry. That's it."
Harry grabbed ontoa corner of the piece of parchment. He turned and gave the Dursleys a little wave then turned back to face Dumbkedore.
"Ready?" Dumbledore asked. "One...two...three..."
Harry felt the familar tug behind his navel as the Portkey took effect. The ride wasn't a long one and when they stopped, Harry realized they were behind a dumpster in the same alleyway that held the visitors' entrance to the Ministry of Magic.
Dumbledore pocketed the used Portkey and led the way to the broken down telephone booth that served as entrance to the Ministry.
"Professor, why does Fudge want to see me for?" Harry asked.
"I can assure you I have no idea," Dumbledore said, ushering Harry into the booth. "Iwas simply imformed that the Minister was holding a conference and that he requested the two of us attend."
Dumbledore had begun to dial the number into the broken down phone. A cool female voice sounded in the booth as soon as Dumbledore was finished dialing.
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."
Dumbledore spoke up. "Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter. Here to attend a conference with Cornelius Fudge."
"Thank you," said the voice. "Please attach the badge to the front of your robes."
There was a rattle and two badges appeared in the coin return slot. Harry picked them up and handed one to Dumbledore.
"You are required to submit to a seaech and present your wand for regestration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."
The booth gave a lurch and began to move down. Soon they were completely covered in earth and Harry wasn't able to see anything.
Shortly, golden light began to fill the phone booth from the bottom up. When he could see properly again, Harry noticed that Dumbledore's shirt and pants had disappeared, only to be replaced with long, aquamarine robes.
"Intriguing, Muggle clothing, but very uncomfortable," Dumbledore said with a smile.
When the phone booth stopped moving they both got out. As soon as he did, Harry froze.
In the centre of the Atrium stood a new fountain. But this one was much different. Compared to the old fountain, this one was huge.
Harry moved forward to get a better look, but didn't have to go far as the fountain took up much of the floor space of the Atrium.
Directly in the middle stood the same witch and wizard, but they now stood back-to-back with their wands out. All around them were creatures; it looked to Harry like every magical creature known to wizard-kind was represented in this new fountain. And every single creature, except for the houseelf, located closest to the two humans, had a look of pure defiance.
"I convinced the Minister to have a more accurate depiction of 'magical bretheren,'" Dumbledore said.
After throwing in a sickle, Harry followed Dumbledore to the left of the fountain, heading for a door Harry had not noticed before.
"Er...Professor," Harry said. "Aren't we supposed to go to the security desk?"
"Don't worry, Harry," Dumbledore said, without breaking stride. "I`m sure the Minister won't mind."
Harry wasn't too sure about that, but then agian, Dumbledore had always done things his own way.
So Harry followed Dumbledore through the door and they found themselves in a small room with a curtain hanging at the other end and from what Harry could hear, there were a lot of people behind it. With a jolt, he was once again reminded of his godfather.
Then the curtains began to rustle and from behind them emerged none other then Cornelius Fidge himself.
"Ah! Dumbledore," he said. "We were beginning to get worried." He then turned his gaze to Harry. "What's this? We can't have him go out in that Muggle garbage. I'll have Weasley fetch him something decent."
"That wil be unneccesary, Cornelius," Dumbledore said. He tapped his wand on Harry's shoulder and Harry was suddenly standing there in his dress robes from the Yule Ball.
"Very well. Now come along," Fudge said.
But Dumbledore didn't move. "I don't suppose you would like to inform us why you asked us here, Cornelius?"
Fudge paused. "You'll see soon enough." Fudge pulled aside the curtains and motioned them through.
Harry went in after Dumbledore and found that they were standing on the stage in front of a large crowd of people. Harry followed Dumbledore to a pair of chairs on the stage and sat down. Fudge approached the podium and immediately the crowd fell silent.
Fudge cleared his throat and began to speak. "I have called this conference for a very specific reason," he said. "As I am sure many of you have heard by now, He Who Must Not Be Named has indeed returned." There was a collective shudder around the room. "I know that there have been many of you who have been asking how this can be when the Ministry of Magic had been continuing to tell you that this was a mere rumour. I am sorry to say that during the past year there have been many..." he paused, searching for the right word. "...insinuations made against the two wizards who are here with me." At this he gestured to harry and Dumbledore.
Harry glanced to his left where Dumbledore sat with his hands in his lap and staring absentmindedly at the ceiling. Fudge continued with his speech.
"I am here today to tell you that these were false. The account given by Harry Potter of the events of the final task of the Triwizard Tournament last year is true. Abd as appreciation for their efforts, the Ministry of Magic would like to make a special presentation. First, to Mr Albus Dumbledore, we would like to reinstate his Order of Merlin, First Class that had been stripped of him."
There was a great deal of applause as Dumbledore was presented with his medal.
"Second to Mr Harry Potter, the Ministry would like to present him with an Order of Merlin, Third Class."
So? What do you think? What a way to end a chapter. I wonder how things will turn out. Has anybody else noticed that all three of my fics have started with the main character having some sort of dream. Wierd huh? Review and tell me what you think. The more reviews, the faster the next chapter will come out.
Kero.