OMEGANA, Chapter 2 - Back to Hogwarts
As Harry prepared to board the train to Hogwarts, he recalled his brief conversation with Sirius about the tapestry, and that name that now swirled in his head..Omegana Potter. A thousand questions ran through his mind, questions he desperately needed answered. Yet no one seemed to want to tell Harry anything. He only just mentioned the name to Mrs. Weasley, and she appeared shocked, fumbled about rather agitated and very quickly changed the subject. Harry knew by her reaction that Mrs. Weasley knew at least something about Omegana. But she obviously wasn't talking. What was it that everyone else seemed to know, and why were they so secretive about her?
All through the trip on the Hogwarts Express, Harry sat and thought, and the more he thought, the angrier he became. After all, this was HIS aunt, wasn't it? His only living wizarding relative? Why was it that no one would tell him anything about her. Sirius was the only one that would even acknowledge her, and she was his wife! Why, Harry wondered. Was there something about her that people were afraid of? By the time the train reached Hogwarts, Harry was resolved. He would simply go to Dumbledore as Sirius had said, and demand to know the truth. He wasn't entirely sure that he would get any further with Dumbledore than he had with anyone else, but he knew for sure that Dumbledore knew something, and he was determined to find out what it was.
After the traditional sorting ceremony for the first years, and following the great feast, as the other students headed to their dorms, Harry felt a strong hand upon his shoulder.
"Come with me, Harry. We have much to discuss". Harry turned and followed Dumbledore to his office, his heart pounding, and his mind racing. He could not believe that Dumbledore had come to him before he could ask anything of Dumbledore. Dumbledore obviously knew that Harry knew of Omegana's existence. He wondered if Sirius had told Dumbledore of their conversation, though he suspected that it was another one of those things that Dumbledore just seemed to know. Somehow he doubted that Sirius would have been in any hurry to admit to Dumbledore what he had told Harry.
The entire walk to the entrance of Dumbledore's office, and the ride up the winding staircase was conducted in complete silence. Harry glanced at Dumbledore several times, but Dumbledore stared straight ahead, as though contemplating what he would say to Harry upon their arrival at his office. Harry waited most impatiently for the staircase to finally reach Dumbledore's wondrous office. Dumbledore walked over to his great armchair and sat down. Harry approached the chair in front of the desk and did the same, simply waiting for Dumbledore to speak.
"Harry, " Dumbledore finally began, "you must understand one thing before we begin. I will tell you all I am able to right now, and it will answer many of your questions, but under no circumstances will I reveal the whereabouts of Omegana. By the time we are finished our conversation tonight, you will understand why." Harry was certain he would have to be content with whatever information he got from Dumbledore tonight, but he could not understand what on earth would cause Dumbledore to keep his aunt's location a secret, even from him. Surely he knew how desperately Harry wanted to meet her, how important it was for him. Why would he deliberately withhold her whereabouts, when he so obviously knew where she was, just as Sirius had. He was beginning to wonder whether Sirius and Dumbledore cared for him as he had originally thought they did. Perhaps they did not trust him. Perhaps they shouldn't trust him. Or, perhaps, he should not trust them.
As Harry prepared to board the train to Hogwarts, he recalled his brief conversation with Sirius about the tapestry, and that name that now swirled in his head..Omegana Potter. A thousand questions ran through his mind, questions he desperately needed answered. Yet no one seemed to want to tell Harry anything. He only just mentioned the name to Mrs. Weasley, and she appeared shocked, fumbled about rather agitated and very quickly changed the subject. Harry knew by her reaction that Mrs. Weasley knew at least something about Omegana. But she obviously wasn't talking. What was it that everyone else seemed to know, and why were they so secretive about her?
All through the trip on the Hogwarts Express, Harry sat and thought, and the more he thought, the angrier he became. After all, this was HIS aunt, wasn't it? His only living wizarding relative? Why was it that no one would tell him anything about her. Sirius was the only one that would even acknowledge her, and she was his wife! Why, Harry wondered. Was there something about her that people were afraid of? By the time the train reached Hogwarts, Harry was resolved. He would simply go to Dumbledore as Sirius had said, and demand to know the truth. He wasn't entirely sure that he would get any further with Dumbledore than he had with anyone else, but he knew for sure that Dumbledore knew something, and he was determined to find out what it was.
After the traditional sorting ceremony for the first years, and following the great feast, as the other students headed to their dorms, Harry felt a strong hand upon his shoulder.
"Come with me, Harry. We have much to discuss". Harry turned and followed Dumbledore to his office, his heart pounding, and his mind racing. He could not believe that Dumbledore had come to him before he could ask anything of Dumbledore. Dumbledore obviously knew that Harry knew of Omegana's existence. He wondered if Sirius had told Dumbledore of their conversation, though he suspected that it was another one of those things that Dumbledore just seemed to know. Somehow he doubted that Sirius would have been in any hurry to admit to Dumbledore what he had told Harry.
The entire walk to the entrance of Dumbledore's office, and the ride up the winding staircase was conducted in complete silence. Harry glanced at Dumbledore several times, but Dumbledore stared straight ahead, as though contemplating what he would say to Harry upon their arrival at his office. Harry waited most impatiently for the staircase to finally reach Dumbledore's wondrous office. Dumbledore walked over to his great armchair and sat down. Harry approached the chair in front of the desk and did the same, simply waiting for Dumbledore to speak.
"Harry, " Dumbledore finally began, "you must understand one thing before we begin. I will tell you all I am able to right now, and it will answer many of your questions, but under no circumstances will I reveal the whereabouts of Omegana. By the time we are finished our conversation tonight, you will understand why." Harry was certain he would have to be content with whatever information he got from Dumbledore tonight, but he could not understand what on earth would cause Dumbledore to keep his aunt's location a secret, even from him. Surely he knew how desperately Harry wanted to meet her, how important it was for him. Why would he deliberately withhold her whereabouts, when he so obviously knew where she was, just as Sirius had. He was beginning to wonder whether Sirius and Dumbledore cared for him as he had originally thought they did. Perhaps they did not trust him. Perhaps they shouldn't trust him. Or, perhaps, he should not trust them.
