"In you go, Harry," Mrs Weasly said as she muttered a spell quietly and the
door to the kitchen flew open.
Harry stepped forward into the now, massive, magically expanded room. There was roughly sixty people seated at one big long semi-circle table, with one chair in the middle of the table. All eyes shot to Harry as he stepped into the room. Harry quickly found Remus Lupin sitting at the table, next to Mr Weasly, and grinned, feeling better after his day at Diagon Ally. The grin was wiped off his face when Remus didn't grin back, instead his eyes quickly looked away from his and started staring at the table, as if it was an engrossing movie. Before he could even think Dumbledore addressed Harry, as if right on cue.
"Harry, take a seat and we will get started," he said while indicating that he wanted Harry to sit at the chair in the middle of the semi-circle table everyone else was sitting at.
Without saying anything, Harry slowly made his way forward and clumsily sat in his chair. Then, out of the corner of his eye he noticed a group of wizards, maybe ten or more, advancing on Harry with their wands pointed at him.
Harry, not thinking, was quick to act, he immediately sprung out of his chair, his senses alert, ready for anything, then spun around to face the wizards. By the time he had spun around he had his wand trained on one of the group, who all looked quite taken-aback by his sharpness and speed. He stood facing them all, glaring into their eyes, as if daring them to attack first.
But, it seemed that Harry's actions had started a chain reaction and before he knew it, every wand in the room, minus Dumbledore's, was trained onto Harry. Dumbledore slowly stood from his chair, positioned in the middle of the long table, causing Harry to spin and face him.
"Aurors, Harry, they're just Aurors," Dumbledore in a calm voice, the usual twinkle in his eye.
Harry, still clutching his wand tight, spun back around to face the group of 'Aurors', and after careful study, since he had seen many Aurors at the Ministry of Magic last year, he came to the conclusion Dumbledore was telling the truth and lowered his wand, then remembering they had tried to attack him, and raised it again. Then shouted over his back, "They tried to attack me! They had they're wands pointed!"
"Harry, they're just a precaution. They're just here to protect us if anything. were to get out of hand," Dumbledore said, choosing his last words carefully. Harry looked hard at Dumbledore taking in what he heard.
A precaution? To protect.. them? He thought as he, slowly, stared around the room. There had to be just over 60, full-grown wizards in this very room, sitting before his very eyes, with their wands still out, although not pointing at Harry. And they. needed protection?
"Protection." Harry said, knowing Dumbledore was talking about the rest of the order. For a second he thought it was one big joke, but then looked into several of the wizards eyes and noticed they looked dead- serious. He turned back to Dumbledore, thinking hard, racking his brain for something 60 wizards would need protection from, "Protection from what?"
The room now sat in complete silence, all eyes wandering back and forth between Harry and Dumbledore, who had sat back down at Harry's question. Harry looked into Dumbledore's eyes and noticed that he looked to be in deep thought, carefully pondering how to answer Harry's question.
"They are here to protect us from." Dumbledore slowly said, his gaze piercing into Harry's emerald green eyes, "You."
"W-W-What!?" Harry blurted out automatically, he felt like he had been slapped in the face hard, with a metal glove. Every eye in the room was trained on Harry as if he were some fascinating animal on display in the zoo, and he felt a fury and anger surface that Harry had never experienced before and didn't know how all of a sudden he was this angry.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT!!" he screamed at everyone. They all jumped, minus Dumbledore of course, who had now developed quite a trend of taking no notice any of the unusual things Harry did. He turned his attention to Dumbledore as if he didn't just yell at everyone in the room, which held some of the best wizards of all-time, and the Minister of Magic himself. "EXPLAIN! WHY WOULD THEY NEED PROTECTION FROM. ME?" he boomed at Dumbledore, they stared into each others eyes.
"Tomorrow, when you've had time to cool down," Dumbledore half- ordered, his eyes never leaving Harry's. Harry needed this explained. now, if it was the last thing he did.
"EXPLAIN NOW!" Harry shouted in fury as he raised his wand at. Dumbledore, who still acted like he was having a cup of tea while catching up on life with one of his dearest friends.
Harry knew what was about to happen. But before it did he felt a familiar feeling come to him, he felt just like he did when he had been trapped in his body five days ago, as if he were under the Imperius curse again. The feeling had left him when he was eating breakfast earlier that day, but now was back worse than ever before. He felt as if he were being controlled, but still in control. It was an odd feeling, but comforted him. Harry was ready. Not sure how he was ready but he knew he was.
Then, just on cue, every wand raised into the air, directed at Harry, and in one massive, synchronized movement their owners all yelled a wide variety of spells, hexes, curses and more all at the same time.
"Expelliarmus! Imperio! Stupefy! Petrificus Totalus! Incendio! Impendia! Furnunculus! Rictusempra!" were just some of the spells cast. They burst out of their wands in an impressive show and were now all on their way to meet Harry.
Harry just had time to act and in one, aggressive swish of his wand a massive, red glowing barrier surrounded him. The wave of spells Harry's attackers sent at him hit the barrier with such force that everyone had to shield their eyes from the blinding light. The barrier seemed to absorb all the spells sent at it and in one huge blast a wave of energy exploded out from Harry. Everyone it hit collapsed to the ground immediately.
Dumbledore and Harry were the only ones left standing, with two huge barriers surrounded them both.
"Tom," Dumbledore said in one of his calmest voices, as the barriers surrounding them both disintegrated into thin air, "I had a feeling you would be joining us."
"Dumbledore," Harry heard himself growl with a tone and voice filled with hatred, very much unlike his own. Harry felt himself flick his wand and a green flash of light erupted from its tip, directed at Dumbledore.
In a flash and a whirl of his cloak, Dumbledore was now standing behind Harry. "Foolish, Tom, foolish." Dumbledore continued calmly as he dodged another killing curse that flew at him by disappearing and reappearing with another twirl of his cloak. "Did you honestly think I would not notice what was happening, Tom?" Dumbledore calmly continued.
"It matters not, Dumbledore! For soon you will be dead!" Harry spat at Dumbledore.
What? Harry tried to open his mouth to apologize but found he couldn't move. he was trapped again. Not in control of his own actions, but simply an observer, inside his own body. He sent another flash of green light towards Dumbledore, who again, with a swish of his cloak, was out of its path and standing behind Harry again.
"Tom, either leave his body or I will force you."
"Dumbledore not even you and your silly order will be a problem to me now! I am the most powerful wizard in the world!" Harry exclaimed madly with a triumphant grin on his face.
"Powerful you are Tom. But I feel you still have a lot to learn before that day comes. Leave him! I have grown quite tired of this game."
Dumbledore advanced on Harry and with an aggressive flick of his wand he sent a massive, flaming, red fireball shooting towards him. It caught him unprepared and hit Harry in the chest, it hit with such force that he was thrown across the room and his back crashed into the stone wall, crumbling it in the process. He fell onto his face with a great crash, as small bits of the stone wall fell onto of him. Pain coursed through his entire body, his scar on fire, threatening to rip open his head. Dumbledore stepped over Harry, his wand pointed at Harry.
"Legilimens!"
Harry knew this feeling all to well and in an instant the cold, hard, floor, along with all the pain, vanished and pictures of his past were swimming through his mind. He was six, Dudley was chasing him through school with his gang. he was being yelled at by Uncle Vernon because his uncle was bored... he was laying on the ground, his face bloody and beaten and someone was yelling at him. That's not me, Harry's head yelled, but before he could think more pictures flashed in his mind. he was nine and one of Aunt Marge's bulldogs was chasing him up a tree. the boy that was being yelled at was now being teased and thrown around by a gang of people that reminded Harry of Dudely and his gang. he now watched his uncle hammering the letterbox closed. the other boy was now being called a freak by what Harry assumed, was his Dad, it reminded Harry so much of himself.
Then, without warning, Harry's scar burst into a pain he had never felt before, he felt like he was dead. No, this pain must be worse than death, he told himself. Then he plunged backwards in his mind, pain coursing through his body. He felt himself being pulled hard along him mind, as if someone wanted him to get out.
'What's happening.' he asked himself. Then another voice spoke, and the pain from his scar lifted.
'I have to go now, Harry, sorry we couldn't get to know each other better.'
The voice in his head was familiar, then he remembered the boy in his memories and asked the other voice, 'Your that boy aren't you? The one in my memories.'
'Yes,' the voice answered simply.
'Who are you?' Harry automatically asked.
'I'm someone that understands you, Harry. I'm someone who never had real parents, someone who was teased and bullied for their entire childhood, someone who was called a freak when he found out he was a wizard. I'm just like you. I'm someone who doesn't see you for the famous Harry Potter, I'm someone who doesn't see you as 'The Boy Who Lived.' I'm just someone who understands you, not as the 'Boy Who Lived' or as Harry Potter, but just as a boy, just as Harry. But I have to go now, back to my own mind. Sorry we couldn't talk more.'
'NO! Don't go! Stay here, stay with me! Please!' Harry pleaded desperately, he had finally found someone who knew what he had been through, someone who understood him. Because that someone had been through it too.
'I have little choice, if I don't go back now I wont survive. Goodbye, Harry."
'No, take me with you!' Harry pleaded.
'Sure, if you wish. just concentrate on leaving this body and it will happen. Concentrate hard.'
Harry started to concentrate all his thoughts on leaving, then he heard Dumbledore's voice in his head.
'Harry, the voice lies to you, its Voldemort!' Harry could hear the urgency when he spoke in his mind. Dumbledore knew time was running out, and soon Harry would be no more than a memory.
'No. Dumbledore you're wrong, the person in here is just like me! He isn't Voldemort! He understands what I've been through!' Harry tried to convince Dumbledore.
'Harry, I've never lied to you, I'm telling you the truth! You belong here with us, The people who love you! WE are the ones who truly understand you!' Dumbledore exclaimed, trying to convince him a rushed voice, knowing any second it could be over. Harry just realized how stupid he had been.
'I'm sorry, Dumbledore... Okay... How do I get out of here?' Wasting no time, Dumbledore went straight into explaining.
'When I break contact of the spell, Voldemort will be thrown from your mind. What you must realise is he will try to take yours with his. Harry, you MUST NOT let that happen, for if you do, Voldemort will be more powerful than ever before and you will be no more than a memory. I know this may seem an inappropriate time to be telling you this, I know its a big burden Harry, but right now, right here, I feel you need to know,' Dumbledore quickly told him with earnest in his voice.
'I don't know if I can do this, Dumbledore. I'm... so sorry,' Harry answered as he thought about all the people he would be letting down if he failed, his voice was full of worry and doubt.
'Harry, I believe in you. Everyone else is beside me, they all believe in you, Harry. They're all waiting for you. I'm sure Sirius still believes in you! Your parents still believe in you! Ron and Hermione believe in you!' Dumbledore reassured Harry, his voice was a mix of caring and understanding, 'they also said they cant believe that they're going to have to cancel your surprise birthday party tomorrow.' Dumbledore finished with amusement in his voice. Harry was overwhelmed with emotion, he couldn't stop the tears from coming, he started to cry, on both the inside and the outside. He knew he would never see everyone again, it was over.
Suddenly it stopped.
He snapped open his eyes and an unimaginable pain coursed through his teenage body, coming from his scar.
"AAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Harry screamed, tears dripping down his face. He arched his back due to the pain, it was on the brink of snapping when he felt four pairs of strong hands restrain his body so he couldn't thrash about.
"MAKE IT STOP!!!" he cried as another wave of immense pain shot through his body.
"Legilimens!"
The pain stopped.
'Harry, I'm going to try break the spell again. Ready?'
'I think so." Harry said with uncertainty. Dumbledore broke the spell.
"AAARGGGGHHHH-"
"Legilimens!"
'Dumbledore, what's happening? Why cant I get out of my mind?'
'It seems,' Dumbledore continued with a triumphant tone of amusement in his voice, 'that Voldemort is a bit on the angry side, that's what caused the pain. I think its best we had a chat in here while we wait for him to calm himself, and from what I heard out of you, we might be in here awhile. So I think I might as well make us comfortable.'
In a flash, the nothingness of his mind was filled with light, sound and life. He was standing in Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore was sitting in his chair. Amused at Harry's state of confusion.
'This is merely a visual representation of my office, to help us talk more openly and comfortably, it's compiled from both our memories of this place. This also applies to our physical appearance, but you will find that our own minds govern the way our physical appearances differ, the emotions in our eyes, the tone in our voices also becomes clearer. So to put it into simple terms, it's just like we are back at Hogwarts, in my office. You will not know the difference. Please, sit down.'
'Er. Okay,' Harry said still unsure of what was happening, even after Dumbledore's explanation. He slowly made his way over to the chair facing Dumbledore's desk and sat himself down, trying to steady his breathing, that was now ragged and dry.
'Dumbledore. I don't know what's happening anymore. I'm confused... Can you explain what's going on?'
'Of course, Harry. But to do that, its best to start from the beginning,' he said, his voice now serious and calm, 'the beginning. When do you think this all started?'
'Uhm. I remember this bright green light, just before Remus stunned me. I kind of thought that the green light had something to do with it.'
'Yes. Yes, that helped it, but it did not cause it. It really all started when you allowed yourself to become angry that morning, at the Dursley's I presume.'
'Oh. you know about that do you? How?' Harry asked as guilt slowly crept into him.
'Well, naturally, I had to go to your Aunt and Uncles house to pick up your things. How else did you have your wand when you woke up?'
'Oh.' was all Harry could manage, feeling stupid.
'Back to the matter at hand, when I arrived I found the kitchen, well. the half kitchen you left behind before you walked out,' Dumbledore joked.
'I don't find that funny, Sir,' Harry quickly told him, gazing into his twinkling eyes.
'Ahh. Precisely my point, Harry!' Dumbledore said in a faraway and mystical voice, that reminded him of Professor Trelawney's. Harry couldn't help but wonder if he had gone nuts.
'Y-Y-Your point, Sir? Have I missed something?'
'Yes, Five days ago you were missing something. Which brings us back to the beginning, the Dursley's kitchen. Do you know what it is you were missing yet?'
Harry thought hard while staring out the window of Dumbledore's office, it looked so real. 'Well you said I was missing something that day that allowed myself to become angry quicker than usual?' Dumbledore gave Harry a slight nod as he examined him over his half-moon glasses. Harry continued, 'The only thing I was really missing was my friends and joking around with them, but I don't see how that had anything to do with Voldemort.'
'Harry, you just said it. You missed your friends, you missed joking around with them, laughing with them, just being yourself. Something that simple. and yet so complex. When was the last time you had laughed, when was the last time you just sat and joked around, and enjoyed yourself and simply express emotion of any kind,' he inquired, though Harry was sure Dumbledore knew what the answer was.
Harry had to think hard and when the answer hit him he had a sudden urge to do something, to demolish Dumbledore's office as he had done not too long ago, but surprisingly, he simply replied, 'Since before the day that Sirius died.'
'Right you are again, Harry. You hadn't expressed your emotions for weeks, it may not seem like long. But after such a terrible loss, two weeks stretches to years, months to decades, years to lifetimes. It was not healthy for someone, you of all people, to keep your feelings bottled up, to mourn is one of the very things that makes us human. But you did not let yourself accept it, instead, taking the easy option and placing the blame on yourself, after everything I had told you.'
'The EASY option, you have no idea-' Harry began but Dumbledore interrupted.
'Yes, the easy option. Blame, Denial. It is the most predictable of all human responses, you will find that to move on, you will have to accept, and to accept, you must not blame yourself for what you did not do.' Dumbledore said all this with his usual calm voice, but the twinkle in his eyes gone, his eyes now unreadable.
'But I DID do it, it IS all my fault. If I wasn't so stupid to blindly run into Voldemort's trap he would still be here!' Harry yelled.
But then, what's stopping me from saying I was the one that caused it. I was the one who didn't tell you Voldemort might try to lure you to the department of mysteries, so I'm to blame. But then, what's stopping me from placing the blame on Kreacher for lying about Sirius? Or perhaps we could blame Professor Snape for letting his past get in the way of the matter at hand?'
'What's your point, Sir?' Harry found himself getting agitated.
'My point, Harry, is that what happened, happened, and could of happened any number of ways. But what happened, can not be changed, not be me, nor by you. The only thing we can do is either choose to accept it, or deny it. To move on, or to suffer needlessly. You chose to deny it, and by doing so bottling up your feelings, your emotions, which eventually led to here. THAT, Harry, is what started this past five days.'
'All that, just to explain why I got angry so easily at the Dursley's?' Harry asked, not sure what to think.
'As I said before, an emotion is something so simple, yet something so complex.' Dumbledore replied simply. 'Would you like me to explain the past five days now?' Harry simply nodded.
All of a sudden Dumbledore's office disintegrated and Harry thought they were going back into the real world, but the office was quickly replaced with the Dursley's kitchen, he looked around and saw Dudley, his piggy eyes trained on the TV, Vernon was reading the news paper while Petuina was spying on the neighbors through the window. And then he saw himself, preparing the Dursley's breakfast.
'This is my memory of five days ago.' Harry stated, Dumbledore just nodded and continued.
'So again, we find ourselves in the Dursley's kitchen, you are making breakfast for your relatives, nothing unusual. You found yourself thinking about what your friends would be doing. they were probably off playing quidditch, having a magical breakfast with their family or laughing and joking with other friends. and there you were, making breakfast for your relatives. You became jealous,' Dumbledore timed his speaking perfectly, for when he said jealous Harry saw himself shove the cutlery draw closed harder than he normally would of, 'angry,' he saw himself slam the bacon onto the table, 'and desperate.' He saw himself cutting off the bacon fat extremely hard, leaving marks in the breadboard.
'So then,' Dumbledore continued, 'you said something, anything, to get your mind off what you were thinking of.'
"Unusual weather, it's so hot this summer," Harry saw himself say, trying to make conversation. Then Harry saw Vernon's head snap to Harry, he had to admit, it was funnier this time around. Vernon yelled at Harry now as Dumbledore continued.
'When your uncle called you and your kind freaks, you just snapped. He was cursing the very things you would rather be doing that moment, if thinking of them made you jealous and angry, imagine how you reacted when he cursed them, referring to them, to you, as a disease more terrible than cancer.'
But Harry didn't need to imagine, he saw himself snap. He was now yelling in rage as he kicked the bin into the door, smashed the plates then toppled the fridge.
'This is the very moment where it all started,' Dumbledore said calmly as the picture froze, 'you were in a rage beyond anything you had ever been in, and of course, Voldemort felt this rage through your scar, he acted immediately. He could easily slip into the back of your mind undetected, you were in such a state of hate, rage, anger and desperation that Voldemort just fueled them. You welcomed any new thoughts, you didn't know what to do. But then, all of a sudden you knew exactly what to do.'
'I did?' Harry asked, engrossed in Dumbledore's explanation. Harry found himself now sitting back in Dumbledore's office.
'Yes. don't you remember it? The little voice in the back of your mind, telling you what to do, where to go, who to go to?'
Harry opened his eyes wide as something in the back of his mind connected, 'Yes,' he simply said.
'And what did this voice tell you, who did it tell you to go to?'
'It told me to go to.It told me to go to, you.' Harry said in realization.
'Yes.' The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes had now returned, ' It was the perfect plan, an absolutely perfect plan, no real flaws, no real problems. The perfect plan, that wasn't planned. It just happened.'
'Dumbledore, I'm lost again. How was this a perfect plan?' Harry asked, trying hard to grasp everything Dumbledore was telling him.
'I, too, did not grasp what was happening at first, but then, just tonight, in the meeting, it became so obvious I wanted to curse my stupidity, I had handed him the opportunity, and a perfect means in doing it easily.'
'So what was happening?' Harry asked, clinging to every word, this had to be good. Even Dumbledore had been fooled.
'Well, I should explain some other things first. Do you still remember the flash of light you saw at Mrs Figgs house?' Harry was quick to nod. 'That was Remus but-'
'Remus?' Harry asked in disbelief.
'As I was saying, The flash of light was conjured by Remus BUT he was being controlled by Voldemort.'
'Controlling two minds at once? That's impossible,' Harry stated confidently, remembering Hermione lecturing him on Occlumency when he had been asked to start lessons last year.
'Ahh.,' Dumbledore started with deep admiration in his tone, 'If it were any other wizard in you at the time I bet they would of thought the same thing, but Voldemort is probably the smartest wizard alive, it doesn't matter what side your on, you have to admit it. He knew that technically he wasn't possessing you, simply finding room for himself inside your mind, but he still didn't want to posses Remus to achieve his goal because he didn't want to loose any of his grip on your mind. So he temporarily poured his mind into yours, giving you his powers and yours to him.'
'But I didn't even use my wand, so he couldn't of possessed Remus through me, you're missing something.' Harry pointed out Dumbledore's flaw in his explanation quickly.
'Harry. Did you know there is such a thing as wand-less magic?' Dumbledore inquired. Harry simply shook his head. 'Of course you do, although most forms of it are rare and take a great deal of concentration and a powerful mind behind it, there is one kind most grown wizards and witches use daily.' Something clicked in Harry's mind.
'Apparation.' Dumbledore beamed at him and continued.
'There are many other kinds of wand-less magic, Animagi are one of them. But the most rare of all these is the ability to perform all magic without a wand. You have seen this and not noticed it because wizards and witches who use wand-less magic will find if they use wand-less magic in conjunction with their wands that it greatly amplifies the effectiveness of the spell cast, and the person casting the spell needs not say the spell aloud, simply in their head.' Harry gasped.
'You and Voldemort. both?'
Dumbledore nodded and continued his explanation, 'So, as I was saying, Voldemort possessed Remus through you, as they turned around with their wands at the ready the Harry in you screamed no while the Voldemort in you used it as a perfect cover to flick your hand, quickly posses Remus and cast a dark, powerful spell that weakened your mind greatly. But the spell was too powerful for its own good and almost wiped Voldemort out of your mind, but he thought fast and put Remus to good use, but since his wand was knocked out of his hand when he cast the powerful dark magic he could only yell.'
Then Harry remembered Remus yelling, "STUN HIM! STUN HIM!", and another broken link clicked in his mind, 'He wanted the other wizard to stun me so he could posses me totally!' Dumbledore nodded his head and went on.
'But again things didn't go as planned, because of the dark spell being more powerful than he expected he could only posses half of you, he was then sharing your body with you. But at that time he was in control of you, but he didn't realize it. So for four days you simply couldn't control yourself, Voldemort, somehow still hadn't realized he was in control of you, or hadn't figured out how. You were bordering upon control but still couldn't, you were trapped. I had some idea of what was happening at that time, so I wanted to let Hermione and Ron in to see you, hoping they would bring you back to reality. But I had told the other members of the order, that with Voldemort possessing you. you would be powerful beyond reason, although I did not tell them the rest of what I assumed, so, naturally they feared you might wake up and kill Hermione and Ron. It took me a great deal of persuasion, but they finally let them in, and it appeared I was right.'
'About what?' Harry quickly asked before Dumbledore could continue, it was hard to take it all in and make sense of it at the same time.
'Right about them being able to give you control of your body. And when Hermione began to cry on your shoulder while squeezing your hand-'
'How did you know about that?' Harry asked feeling his cheeks turn red, he didn't know why though.
'You think we didn't have people watching you under invisibility cloaks? I was there myself.' Dumbledore answered, amused at Harry's embarrassment.
'Oh, yeah.' Harry said feeling stupid again, as he had done so many times today.
'So, when Hermione began to cry on your shoulder while she squeezed your hand you wanted to make her stop crying, to comfort her, you couldn't bear to see both her and Ron in such pain. And Voldemort couldn't bear to be in a body full of such emotion and love, so he eased off his control on you, though not completely. Then when you woke up later that day you now had control, but I could sense you could be back to the way you were before soon. So I quickly got you into bed to rest and organized for today to be as fun as possible, hoping to drive Voldemort from you completely. But he was one step ahead of me this time, somehow, he learnt to shut himself off from you when you felt happy emotions. But return just as in control when he needed to.'
'So, everything, this 'Perfect Plan', all lead down to tonight? I don't get it, what did he have to gain?' Harry queried, still confused.
'He had everything to gain, yet nothing to loose. In the one room, there was over sixty highly important wizards, if he killed them his death eater army would have no trouble taking control of the wizarding world. The minister of magic was also in the room, as was I, the only known person Voldemort has ever taken caution to. Harry imagine it, the terror, the chaos. The Minister of Magic, gone, The Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort's only resistance, gone, the only person Voldemort feared, gone and you take all that fear, chaos, death and destruction. then you multiply it by one hundred, because to add to all that, Harry Potter, 'The Boy Who Lived', the only hope there is at ever being free from his reign, was now in Lord Voldemort's possession. And still, if his plan were to fail, he could take your wand and turn it on yourself, killing you in the process and fleeing. Harry, if that happened, if that happens, Voldemort will never be truly defeated. We also need to act quickly, I fear he will try to posses you again and finish off what he started.'
'So.' Harry started, his head spinning fast in one big blur, he clearly remembered Dumbledore tell him, just a few weeks ago, that only he could defeat Lord Voldemort, but it had just started to sink in what he must do and was sure that if he wasn't in his own mind right now he would be spewing onto the floor at the prospect, ' What now?' He was shaking now.
'For now, we start your training.' Dumbledore stated as he eyed Harry curiously over his half moon glasses.
'And then?' Harry asked looking into Dumbledore's eyes.
'And then,' Dumbledore repeated, staring right back into Harry's emerald green eyes, 'The rest is up to you.'
*
When Harry and Dumbledore had emerged from Harry's mind when his scar had stopped hurting, they had been pelted questions from everyone in the room. Harry had forgotten that they still didn't know what had happened that night, or for the previous five days. Dumbledore had tried to get Harry into his room so he could be alone, but everyone had demanded to be told the truth, there and then.
Harry was forced to sit through another one of Dumbledore's long explanations about the past five days events, he really wanted to be alone so he could think about things but instead, he was pelted with question upon question until he found himself snapping back angrily at everyone. Then, finally, he had been allowed to go up to his room, which now housed an extra bed for Ron to sleep in.
Great. Harry thought angrily as he breathed a relaxed sigh as he lay onto his comfortable bed. He didn't want anyone's company right now and thought about going into the spare room when he heard a nervous knock on his door. With a frustrated sigh, Harry slowly hauled himself off his bed and walked across the room to the door. When he opened it he found a nervous Ron staring at him.
"Uh.. I just wanted to let you know that.. I- Uhm. That I will be staying downstairs tonight."
"Good!" Harry spat out in anger, he didn't need this useless interruption. But he immediately regretted it when Ron, looking hurt, turned back around and started to walk. Harry screwed up his face, cursing himself for being so stupid. Before Ron could get more than a few feet away he said, in his most sorry voice, "I'm sorry Ron, I just need to be alone right now. Talk tomorrow?"
Ron looked instantly better and a smile spread to his lips, "Yeah. tomorrow." Harry knew he was hiding something, but couldn't be bothered thinking about it now, he had his own problems. With a great sigh he turned back into his room and collapsed onto his bed with a satisfied sigh. I could sleep for years, he thought, relaxing into the soft mattress.
Harry soon found himself thinking about Voldemort and what he must do. The whole wizarding world- no, Voldemort would not stop there, the whole world was in Harry's hands, and Harry's alone, it was up to him to vanquish Voldemort. What do they expect me to do!? Harry yelled at himself silently as he ran his hands through his messy hair. I'm no super hero! How am I, a stupid boy, meant to stop him! They act as if I can just wave my wand and make everybody's problems disappear! Why does it have it be me!
Harry wanted to run away, to hide and never come back. All he ever wanted was to live a normal life, he didn't want to be the famous Harry Potter anymore, he didn't want to be the 'Boy Who Lived'. He was sick of it, sick of everything, sick of being gawked at and asked questions wherever he went, sick of being followed, of being watched. He was sick with being compared with his father at everything he did, sick of the way people assumed he was a spoilt little rich kid before they even got to know him. He was sick of the way people favored Harry over some other person, sick of being treated differently and given special privileges just because of something that happened when he was a baby, something he didn't even do. He was just sick of being Harry Potter.
Why does it have to be me, why not Hermione! She is a better wizard than me! He yelled at his mind, hoping it would change something. Why me!! Then, as if it was an automated response his mind started replaying what Dumbledore had told him the night his godfather died.
'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. born to those who have thri-'
"I KNOW WHAT THE STUPID PROPHECY SAYS!" Harry screamed out-loud as he sat up in his bed, in fury, no one seemed to notice his out burst of rage, apart from the painting of an ugly old witch, Julia Namingway.
"Calm down, dear, you shouldn't be taking your feelings out on-"
"SHUT UP!"
Julia just managed to escape from her portrait before a flash of red light reduced it to a pile of warm ash and coal, Harry didn't rush to put it out as he knew the house was charmed to repel fire. Harry felt a lot better after he let the anger out of his system.
"Ahhh," He yawned as he put his wand back down and laid back in his bed, now feeling both comfortable and warm, "Who says bottling up your feelings doesn't come in handy?"
*
Harry suppressed a yawn as he stepped into the empty hallway of Grimmauld Place in a sleepy daze. It was eerily quiet compared to his other times here. But Harry came to the conclusion that it was just quieter because he wasn't being yelled at by the paintings on the wall, this time, they were all snoozing quietly in their portraits. Harry also noticed that there was no nice smells of breakfast to greet his senses this time, unlike yesterday. Harry's stomach gave a loud grumble, he was so hungry. Harry decided to make his way down to the kitchen to see if anyone was there to make him breakfast, or if there was any leftovers.
Harry turned the knob and opened the door to the kitchen, only, he found he was not standing in the small kitchen of Grimmauld Place. He now found himself standing in a massive room, much bigger than the great hall at Hogwarts. It was decorated splendidly, decorations hanging from the walls and floating magically around in the air. The hall was bursting with color, from wall to wall. The only decorations Harry had seen better than this were the decorations for the Yule Ball, in Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and that was only because of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The room was frighteningly quiet, empty although emanating a feeling that it was full. Thats weird. he thought and turned around, thinking that maybe he had gone through the wrong door, just as he reached for the doorknob he heard a deafening roar.
"SUPRRIIIIISSSEEEE!!!"
Harry quickly turned around, and what greeted him made his heart jump. The hall was no longer empty. far from it. Now, where there had been nothing just moments ago, stood roughly two thousand wizards and witches, children and adults, all beaming at him happily.
Harry saw lots of familiar faces, Neville Longbottom, a fellow member of 'Dumbledore's Army', was smiling widely at him. Harry also saw Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who he shared his dormitories with, smiling and waving madly at him. On his quick scan of the hall he also noticed two of his fellow Gryffindor's waving at him, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, who were also highly addicted to Divination. He also spotted Justin Finch- Fletchley, a Hufflepuff smiling broadly at him. Then his eyes spotted a familiar bunch of people, all standing at the front of the hall.
The group consisted of Mr Weasly, who was trying to restrain a teary- eyed Mrs Weasly from running over and hugging Harry to death. He laughed to himself when he saw two huge, mischievous grins, that belonged to Fred and George Weasly, he saw a beaming, watery eyed Ginny who was also waving at him. He smiled when he saw Remus Lupin, 'Mad-Eye' Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, and an unusual looking wizard dressed in festive and colorful robes, whom Harry quickly remembered as Mundungus Fletcher, who all smiled warmly at him. Standing next to the oddly dressed Mundungus, was Dumbledore, dressed in sparkling blue robes that suited the twinkle in his eye, he, also smiled warmly at Harry. Then standing in front of Dumbledore was a madly grinning Ron and a teary eyed Hermione.
Harry was lost for words, he didn't know what was happening, but yet, there was a hall full of hundreds and hundreds of people, all smiling at him, they had also yelled 'Surprise!', he was puzzled. Then, just as if Dumbledore had read his thoughts, which he probably can, Harry thought quickly, he flicked his wand and a massive banner appeared at the top of the hall. Harry looked up and gasped as he read the massive words written on it, and just as he read the words, the whole hall bellowed them at him.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARRY!!!"
Tears of joy rushed to Harry's, brilliant green eyes at these words, he had forgotten his birthday, but it did not matter, for nearly two thousand people didn't, and this made all the difference to Harry.
Harry set off at a run towards the only two people that mattered to him at that moment, his only true friends, the people he was sure had organized all this. They met him halfway and the whole hall watched as Harry, Ron and Hermione were all immersed in one huge hug, full of emotion and love, as if nothing else mattered in the world to them, as if they were the world.
Dumbledore, slowly and steadily started to clap, breaking the silence. Soon the Weaslys, Remus, Tonks, Moody and Mundungus followed suit. Then slowly the whole hall burst into a thunderous applause, getting louder and quicker.
Harry reluctantly pulled up from the hug with his two best friends and flung an arm around both of their shoulders and led them both to the party.
The rest of the day was spent talking, laughing and joking with his friends and, to him, his family. And that day, even for just for a little while, Harry felt all his fears and worries disappear. For one lucky day he had been just a normal boy, not Harry Potter or the 'Boy Who Lived', just Harry. And to Harry, it was the best birthday present a person could ever hope for.
Harry stepped forward into the now, massive, magically expanded room. There was roughly sixty people seated at one big long semi-circle table, with one chair in the middle of the table. All eyes shot to Harry as he stepped into the room. Harry quickly found Remus Lupin sitting at the table, next to Mr Weasly, and grinned, feeling better after his day at Diagon Ally. The grin was wiped off his face when Remus didn't grin back, instead his eyes quickly looked away from his and started staring at the table, as if it was an engrossing movie. Before he could even think Dumbledore addressed Harry, as if right on cue.
"Harry, take a seat and we will get started," he said while indicating that he wanted Harry to sit at the chair in the middle of the semi-circle table everyone else was sitting at.
Without saying anything, Harry slowly made his way forward and clumsily sat in his chair. Then, out of the corner of his eye he noticed a group of wizards, maybe ten or more, advancing on Harry with their wands pointed at him.
Harry, not thinking, was quick to act, he immediately sprung out of his chair, his senses alert, ready for anything, then spun around to face the wizards. By the time he had spun around he had his wand trained on one of the group, who all looked quite taken-aback by his sharpness and speed. He stood facing them all, glaring into their eyes, as if daring them to attack first.
But, it seemed that Harry's actions had started a chain reaction and before he knew it, every wand in the room, minus Dumbledore's, was trained onto Harry. Dumbledore slowly stood from his chair, positioned in the middle of the long table, causing Harry to spin and face him.
"Aurors, Harry, they're just Aurors," Dumbledore in a calm voice, the usual twinkle in his eye.
Harry, still clutching his wand tight, spun back around to face the group of 'Aurors', and after careful study, since he had seen many Aurors at the Ministry of Magic last year, he came to the conclusion Dumbledore was telling the truth and lowered his wand, then remembering they had tried to attack him, and raised it again. Then shouted over his back, "They tried to attack me! They had they're wands pointed!"
"Harry, they're just a precaution. They're just here to protect us if anything. were to get out of hand," Dumbledore said, choosing his last words carefully. Harry looked hard at Dumbledore taking in what he heard.
A precaution? To protect.. them? He thought as he, slowly, stared around the room. There had to be just over 60, full-grown wizards in this very room, sitting before his very eyes, with their wands still out, although not pointing at Harry. And they. needed protection?
"Protection." Harry said, knowing Dumbledore was talking about the rest of the order. For a second he thought it was one big joke, but then looked into several of the wizards eyes and noticed they looked dead- serious. He turned back to Dumbledore, thinking hard, racking his brain for something 60 wizards would need protection from, "Protection from what?"
The room now sat in complete silence, all eyes wandering back and forth between Harry and Dumbledore, who had sat back down at Harry's question. Harry looked into Dumbledore's eyes and noticed that he looked to be in deep thought, carefully pondering how to answer Harry's question.
"They are here to protect us from." Dumbledore slowly said, his gaze piercing into Harry's emerald green eyes, "You."
"W-W-What!?" Harry blurted out automatically, he felt like he had been slapped in the face hard, with a metal glove. Every eye in the room was trained on Harry as if he were some fascinating animal on display in the zoo, and he felt a fury and anger surface that Harry had never experienced before and didn't know how all of a sudden he was this angry.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT!!" he screamed at everyone. They all jumped, minus Dumbledore of course, who had now developed quite a trend of taking no notice any of the unusual things Harry did. He turned his attention to Dumbledore as if he didn't just yell at everyone in the room, which held some of the best wizards of all-time, and the Minister of Magic himself. "EXPLAIN! WHY WOULD THEY NEED PROTECTION FROM. ME?" he boomed at Dumbledore, they stared into each others eyes.
"Tomorrow, when you've had time to cool down," Dumbledore half- ordered, his eyes never leaving Harry's. Harry needed this explained. now, if it was the last thing he did.
"EXPLAIN NOW!" Harry shouted in fury as he raised his wand at. Dumbledore, who still acted like he was having a cup of tea while catching up on life with one of his dearest friends.
Harry knew what was about to happen. But before it did he felt a familiar feeling come to him, he felt just like he did when he had been trapped in his body five days ago, as if he were under the Imperius curse again. The feeling had left him when he was eating breakfast earlier that day, but now was back worse than ever before. He felt as if he were being controlled, but still in control. It was an odd feeling, but comforted him. Harry was ready. Not sure how he was ready but he knew he was.
Then, just on cue, every wand raised into the air, directed at Harry, and in one massive, synchronized movement their owners all yelled a wide variety of spells, hexes, curses and more all at the same time.
"Expelliarmus! Imperio! Stupefy! Petrificus Totalus! Incendio! Impendia! Furnunculus! Rictusempra!" were just some of the spells cast. They burst out of their wands in an impressive show and were now all on their way to meet Harry.
Harry just had time to act and in one, aggressive swish of his wand a massive, red glowing barrier surrounded him. The wave of spells Harry's attackers sent at him hit the barrier with such force that everyone had to shield their eyes from the blinding light. The barrier seemed to absorb all the spells sent at it and in one huge blast a wave of energy exploded out from Harry. Everyone it hit collapsed to the ground immediately.
Dumbledore and Harry were the only ones left standing, with two huge barriers surrounded them both.
"Tom," Dumbledore said in one of his calmest voices, as the barriers surrounding them both disintegrated into thin air, "I had a feeling you would be joining us."
"Dumbledore," Harry heard himself growl with a tone and voice filled with hatred, very much unlike his own. Harry felt himself flick his wand and a green flash of light erupted from its tip, directed at Dumbledore.
In a flash and a whirl of his cloak, Dumbledore was now standing behind Harry. "Foolish, Tom, foolish." Dumbledore continued calmly as he dodged another killing curse that flew at him by disappearing and reappearing with another twirl of his cloak. "Did you honestly think I would not notice what was happening, Tom?" Dumbledore calmly continued.
"It matters not, Dumbledore! For soon you will be dead!" Harry spat at Dumbledore.
What? Harry tried to open his mouth to apologize but found he couldn't move. he was trapped again. Not in control of his own actions, but simply an observer, inside his own body. He sent another flash of green light towards Dumbledore, who again, with a swish of his cloak, was out of its path and standing behind Harry again.
"Tom, either leave his body or I will force you."
"Dumbledore not even you and your silly order will be a problem to me now! I am the most powerful wizard in the world!" Harry exclaimed madly with a triumphant grin on his face.
"Powerful you are Tom. But I feel you still have a lot to learn before that day comes. Leave him! I have grown quite tired of this game."
Dumbledore advanced on Harry and with an aggressive flick of his wand he sent a massive, flaming, red fireball shooting towards him. It caught him unprepared and hit Harry in the chest, it hit with such force that he was thrown across the room and his back crashed into the stone wall, crumbling it in the process. He fell onto his face with a great crash, as small bits of the stone wall fell onto of him. Pain coursed through his entire body, his scar on fire, threatening to rip open his head. Dumbledore stepped over Harry, his wand pointed at Harry.
"Legilimens!"
Harry knew this feeling all to well and in an instant the cold, hard, floor, along with all the pain, vanished and pictures of his past were swimming through his mind. He was six, Dudley was chasing him through school with his gang. he was being yelled at by Uncle Vernon because his uncle was bored... he was laying on the ground, his face bloody and beaten and someone was yelling at him. That's not me, Harry's head yelled, but before he could think more pictures flashed in his mind. he was nine and one of Aunt Marge's bulldogs was chasing him up a tree. the boy that was being yelled at was now being teased and thrown around by a gang of people that reminded Harry of Dudely and his gang. he now watched his uncle hammering the letterbox closed. the other boy was now being called a freak by what Harry assumed, was his Dad, it reminded Harry so much of himself.
Then, without warning, Harry's scar burst into a pain he had never felt before, he felt like he was dead. No, this pain must be worse than death, he told himself. Then he plunged backwards in his mind, pain coursing through his body. He felt himself being pulled hard along him mind, as if someone wanted him to get out.
'What's happening.' he asked himself. Then another voice spoke, and the pain from his scar lifted.
'I have to go now, Harry, sorry we couldn't get to know each other better.'
The voice in his head was familiar, then he remembered the boy in his memories and asked the other voice, 'Your that boy aren't you? The one in my memories.'
'Yes,' the voice answered simply.
'Who are you?' Harry automatically asked.
'I'm someone that understands you, Harry. I'm someone who never had real parents, someone who was teased and bullied for their entire childhood, someone who was called a freak when he found out he was a wizard. I'm just like you. I'm someone who doesn't see you for the famous Harry Potter, I'm someone who doesn't see you as 'The Boy Who Lived.' I'm just someone who understands you, not as the 'Boy Who Lived' or as Harry Potter, but just as a boy, just as Harry. But I have to go now, back to my own mind. Sorry we couldn't talk more.'
'NO! Don't go! Stay here, stay with me! Please!' Harry pleaded desperately, he had finally found someone who knew what he had been through, someone who understood him. Because that someone had been through it too.
'I have little choice, if I don't go back now I wont survive. Goodbye, Harry."
'No, take me with you!' Harry pleaded.
'Sure, if you wish. just concentrate on leaving this body and it will happen. Concentrate hard.'
Harry started to concentrate all his thoughts on leaving, then he heard Dumbledore's voice in his head.
'Harry, the voice lies to you, its Voldemort!' Harry could hear the urgency when he spoke in his mind. Dumbledore knew time was running out, and soon Harry would be no more than a memory.
'No. Dumbledore you're wrong, the person in here is just like me! He isn't Voldemort! He understands what I've been through!' Harry tried to convince Dumbledore.
'Harry, I've never lied to you, I'm telling you the truth! You belong here with us, The people who love you! WE are the ones who truly understand you!' Dumbledore exclaimed, trying to convince him a rushed voice, knowing any second it could be over. Harry just realized how stupid he had been.
'I'm sorry, Dumbledore... Okay... How do I get out of here?' Wasting no time, Dumbledore went straight into explaining.
'When I break contact of the spell, Voldemort will be thrown from your mind. What you must realise is he will try to take yours with his. Harry, you MUST NOT let that happen, for if you do, Voldemort will be more powerful than ever before and you will be no more than a memory. I know this may seem an inappropriate time to be telling you this, I know its a big burden Harry, but right now, right here, I feel you need to know,' Dumbledore quickly told him with earnest in his voice.
'I don't know if I can do this, Dumbledore. I'm... so sorry,' Harry answered as he thought about all the people he would be letting down if he failed, his voice was full of worry and doubt.
'Harry, I believe in you. Everyone else is beside me, they all believe in you, Harry. They're all waiting for you. I'm sure Sirius still believes in you! Your parents still believe in you! Ron and Hermione believe in you!' Dumbledore reassured Harry, his voice was a mix of caring and understanding, 'they also said they cant believe that they're going to have to cancel your surprise birthday party tomorrow.' Dumbledore finished with amusement in his voice. Harry was overwhelmed with emotion, he couldn't stop the tears from coming, he started to cry, on both the inside and the outside. He knew he would never see everyone again, it was over.
Suddenly it stopped.
He snapped open his eyes and an unimaginable pain coursed through his teenage body, coming from his scar.
"AAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Harry screamed, tears dripping down his face. He arched his back due to the pain, it was on the brink of snapping when he felt four pairs of strong hands restrain his body so he couldn't thrash about.
"MAKE IT STOP!!!" he cried as another wave of immense pain shot through his body.
"Legilimens!"
The pain stopped.
'Harry, I'm going to try break the spell again. Ready?'
'I think so." Harry said with uncertainty. Dumbledore broke the spell.
"AAARGGGGHHHH-"
"Legilimens!"
'Dumbledore, what's happening? Why cant I get out of my mind?'
'It seems,' Dumbledore continued with a triumphant tone of amusement in his voice, 'that Voldemort is a bit on the angry side, that's what caused the pain. I think its best we had a chat in here while we wait for him to calm himself, and from what I heard out of you, we might be in here awhile. So I think I might as well make us comfortable.'
In a flash, the nothingness of his mind was filled with light, sound and life. He was standing in Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore was sitting in his chair. Amused at Harry's state of confusion.
'This is merely a visual representation of my office, to help us talk more openly and comfortably, it's compiled from both our memories of this place. This also applies to our physical appearance, but you will find that our own minds govern the way our physical appearances differ, the emotions in our eyes, the tone in our voices also becomes clearer. So to put it into simple terms, it's just like we are back at Hogwarts, in my office. You will not know the difference. Please, sit down.'
'Er. Okay,' Harry said still unsure of what was happening, even after Dumbledore's explanation. He slowly made his way over to the chair facing Dumbledore's desk and sat himself down, trying to steady his breathing, that was now ragged and dry.
'Dumbledore. I don't know what's happening anymore. I'm confused... Can you explain what's going on?'
'Of course, Harry. But to do that, its best to start from the beginning,' he said, his voice now serious and calm, 'the beginning. When do you think this all started?'
'Uhm. I remember this bright green light, just before Remus stunned me. I kind of thought that the green light had something to do with it.'
'Yes. Yes, that helped it, but it did not cause it. It really all started when you allowed yourself to become angry that morning, at the Dursley's I presume.'
'Oh. you know about that do you? How?' Harry asked as guilt slowly crept into him.
'Well, naturally, I had to go to your Aunt and Uncles house to pick up your things. How else did you have your wand when you woke up?'
'Oh.' was all Harry could manage, feeling stupid.
'Back to the matter at hand, when I arrived I found the kitchen, well. the half kitchen you left behind before you walked out,' Dumbledore joked.
'I don't find that funny, Sir,' Harry quickly told him, gazing into his twinkling eyes.
'Ahh. Precisely my point, Harry!' Dumbledore said in a faraway and mystical voice, that reminded him of Professor Trelawney's. Harry couldn't help but wonder if he had gone nuts.
'Y-Y-Your point, Sir? Have I missed something?'
'Yes, Five days ago you were missing something. Which brings us back to the beginning, the Dursley's kitchen. Do you know what it is you were missing yet?'
Harry thought hard while staring out the window of Dumbledore's office, it looked so real. 'Well you said I was missing something that day that allowed myself to become angry quicker than usual?' Dumbledore gave Harry a slight nod as he examined him over his half-moon glasses. Harry continued, 'The only thing I was really missing was my friends and joking around with them, but I don't see how that had anything to do with Voldemort.'
'Harry, you just said it. You missed your friends, you missed joking around with them, laughing with them, just being yourself. Something that simple. and yet so complex. When was the last time you had laughed, when was the last time you just sat and joked around, and enjoyed yourself and simply express emotion of any kind,' he inquired, though Harry was sure Dumbledore knew what the answer was.
Harry had to think hard and when the answer hit him he had a sudden urge to do something, to demolish Dumbledore's office as he had done not too long ago, but surprisingly, he simply replied, 'Since before the day that Sirius died.'
'Right you are again, Harry. You hadn't expressed your emotions for weeks, it may not seem like long. But after such a terrible loss, two weeks stretches to years, months to decades, years to lifetimes. It was not healthy for someone, you of all people, to keep your feelings bottled up, to mourn is one of the very things that makes us human. But you did not let yourself accept it, instead, taking the easy option and placing the blame on yourself, after everything I had told you.'
'The EASY option, you have no idea-' Harry began but Dumbledore interrupted.
'Yes, the easy option. Blame, Denial. It is the most predictable of all human responses, you will find that to move on, you will have to accept, and to accept, you must not blame yourself for what you did not do.' Dumbledore said all this with his usual calm voice, but the twinkle in his eyes gone, his eyes now unreadable.
'But I DID do it, it IS all my fault. If I wasn't so stupid to blindly run into Voldemort's trap he would still be here!' Harry yelled.
But then, what's stopping me from saying I was the one that caused it. I was the one who didn't tell you Voldemort might try to lure you to the department of mysteries, so I'm to blame. But then, what's stopping me from placing the blame on Kreacher for lying about Sirius? Or perhaps we could blame Professor Snape for letting his past get in the way of the matter at hand?'
'What's your point, Sir?' Harry found himself getting agitated.
'My point, Harry, is that what happened, happened, and could of happened any number of ways. But what happened, can not be changed, not be me, nor by you. The only thing we can do is either choose to accept it, or deny it. To move on, or to suffer needlessly. You chose to deny it, and by doing so bottling up your feelings, your emotions, which eventually led to here. THAT, Harry, is what started this past five days.'
'All that, just to explain why I got angry so easily at the Dursley's?' Harry asked, not sure what to think.
'As I said before, an emotion is something so simple, yet something so complex.' Dumbledore replied simply. 'Would you like me to explain the past five days now?' Harry simply nodded.
All of a sudden Dumbledore's office disintegrated and Harry thought they were going back into the real world, but the office was quickly replaced with the Dursley's kitchen, he looked around and saw Dudley, his piggy eyes trained on the TV, Vernon was reading the news paper while Petuina was spying on the neighbors through the window. And then he saw himself, preparing the Dursley's breakfast.
'This is my memory of five days ago.' Harry stated, Dumbledore just nodded and continued.
'So again, we find ourselves in the Dursley's kitchen, you are making breakfast for your relatives, nothing unusual. You found yourself thinking about what your friends would be doing. they were probably off playing quidditch, having a magical breakfast with their family or laughing and joking with other friends. and there you were, making breakfast for your relatives. You became jealous,' Dumbledore timed his speaking perfectly, for when he said jealous Harry saw himself shove the cutlery draw closed harder than he normally would of, 'angry,' he saw himself slam the bacon onto the table, 'and desperate.' He saw himself cutting off the bacon fat extremely hard, leaving marks in the breadboard.
'So then,' Dumbledore continued, 'you said something, anything, to get your mind off what you were thinking of.'
"Unusual weather, it's so hot this summer," Harry saw himself say, trying to make conversation. Then Harry saw Vernon's head snap to Harry, he had to admit, it was funnier this time around. Vernon yelled at Harry now as Dumbledore continued.
'When your uncle called you and your kind freaks, you just snapped. He was cursing the very things you would rather be doing that moment, if thinking of them made you jealous and angry, imagine how you reacted when he cursed them, referring to them, to you, as a disease more terrible than cancer.'
But Harry didn't need to imagine, he saw himself snap. He was now yelling in rage as he kicked the bin into the door, smashed the plates then toppled the fridge.
'This is the very moment where it all started,' Dumbledore said calmly as the picture froze, 'you were in a rage beyond anything you had ever been in, and of course, Voldemort felt this rage through your scar, he acted immediately. He could easily slip into the back of your mind undetected, you were in such a state of hate, rage, anger and desperation that Voldemort just fueled them. You welcomed any new thoughts, you didn't know what to do. But then, all of a sudden you knew exactly what to do.'
'I did?' Harry asked, engrossed in Dumbledore's explanation. Harry found himself now sitting back in Dumbledore's office.
'Yes. don't you remember it? The little voice in the back of your mind, telling you what to do, where to go, who to go to?'
Harry opened his eyes wide as something in the back of his mind connected, 'Yes,' he simply said.
'And what did this voice tell you, who did it tell you to go to?'
'It told me to go to.It told me to go to, you.' Harry said in realization.
'Yes.' The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes had now returned, ' It was the perfect plan, an absolutely perfect plan, no real flaws, no real problems. The perfect plan, that wasn't planned. It just happened.'
'Dumbledore, I'm lost again. How was this a perfect plan?' Harry asked, trying hard to grasp everything Dumbledore was telling him.
'I, too, did not grasp what was happening at first, but then, just tonight, in the meeting, it became so obvious I wanted to curse my stupidity, I had handed him the opportunity, and a perfect means in doing it easily.'
'So what was happening?' Harry asked, clinging to every word, this had to be good. Even Dumbledore had been fooled.
'Well, I should explain some other things first. Do you still remember the flash of light you saw at Mrs Figgs house?' Harry was quick to nod. 'That was Remus but-'
'Remus?' Harry asked in disbelief.
'As I was saying, The flash of light was conjured by Remus BUT he was being controlled by Voldemort.'
'Controlling two minds at once? That's impossible,' Harry stated confidently, remembering Hermione lecturing him on Occlumency when he had been asked to start lessons last year.
'Ahh.,' Dumbledore started with deep admiration in his tone, 'If it were any other wizard in you at the time I bet they would of thought the same thing, but Voldemort is probably the smartest wizard alive, it doesn't matter what side your on, you have to admit it. He knew that technically he wasn't possessing you, simply finding room for himself inside your mind, but he still didn't want to posses Remus to achieve his goal because he didn't want to loose any of his grip on your mind. So he temporarily poured his mind into yours, giving you his powers and yours to him.'
'But I didn't even use my wand, so he couldn't of possessed Remus through me, you're missing something.' Harry pointed out Dumbledore's flaw in his explanation quickly.
'Harry. Did you know there is such a thing as wand-less magic?' Dumbledore inquired. Harry simply shook his head. 'Of course you do, although most forms of it are rare and take a great deal of concentration and a powerful mind behind it, there is one kind most grown wizards and witches use daily.' Something clicked in Harry's mind.
'Apparation.' Dumbledore beamed at him and continued.
'There are many other kinds of wand-less magic, Animagi are one of them. But the most rare of all these is the ability to perform all magic without a wand. You have seen this and not noticed it because wizards and witches who use wand-less magic will find if they use wand-less magic in conjunction with their wands that it greatly amplifies the effectiveness of the spell cast, and the person casting the spell needs not say the spell aloud, simply in their head.' Harry gasped.
'You and Voldemort. both?'
Dumbledore nodded and continued his explanation, 'So, as I was saying, Voldemort possessed Remus through you, as they turned around with their wands at the ready the Harry in you screamed no while the Voldemort in you used it as a perfect cover to flick your hand, quickly posses Remus and cast a dark, powerful spell that weakened your mind greatly. But the spell was too powerful for its own good and almost wiped Voldemort out of your mind, but he thought fast and put Remus to good use, but since his wand was knocked out of his hand when he cast the powerful dark magic he could only yell.'
Then Harry remembered Remus yelling, "STUN HIM! STUN HIM!", and another broken link clicked in his mind, 'He wanted the other wizard to stun me so he could posses me totally!' Dumbledore nodded his head and went on.
'But again things didn't go as planned, because of the dark spell being more powerful than he expected he could only posses half of you, he was then sharing your body with you. But at that time he was in control of you, but he didn't realize it. So for four days you simply couldn't control yourself, Voldemort, somehow still hadn't realized he was in control of you, or hadn't figured out how. You were bordering upon control but still couldn't, you were trapped. I had some idea of what was happening at that time, so I wanted to let Hermione and Ron in to see you, hoping they would bring you back to reality. But I had told the other members of the order, that with Voldemort possessing you. you would be powerful beyond reason, although I did not tell them the rest of what I assumed, so, naturally they feared you might wake up and kill Hermione and Ron. It took me a great deal of persuasion, but they finally let them in, and it appeared I was right.'
'About what?' Harry quickly asked before Dumbledore could continue, it was hard to take it all in and make sense of it at the same time.
'Right about them being able to give you control of your body. And when Hermione began to cry on your shoulder while squeezing your hand-'
'How did you know about that?' Harry asked feeling his cheeks turn red, he didn't know why though.
'You think we didn't have people watching you under invisibility cloaks? I was there myself.' Dumbledore answered, amused at Harry's embarrassment.
'Oh, yeah.' Harry said feeling stupid again, as he had done so many times today.
'So, when Hermione began to cry on your shoulder while she squeezed your hand you wanted to make her stop crying, to comfort her, you couldn't bear to see both her and Ron in such pain. And Voldemort couldn't bear to be in a body full of such emotion and love, so he eased off his control on you, though not completely. Then when you woke up later that day you now had control, but I could sense you could be back to the way you were before soon. So I quickly got you into bed to rest and organized for today to be as fun as possible, hoping to drive Voldemort from you completely. But he was one step ahead of me this time, somehow, he learnt to shut himself off from you when you felt happy emotions. But return just as in control when he needed to.'
'So, everything, this 'Perfect Plan', all lead down to tonight? I don't get it, what did he have to gain?' Harry queried, still confused.
'He had everything to gain, yet nothing to loose. In the one room, there was over sixty highly important wizards, if he killed them his death eater army would have no trouble taking control of the wizarding world. The minister of magic was also in the room, as was I, the only known person Voldemort has ever taken caution to. Harry imagine it, the terror, the chaos. The Minister of Magic, gone, The Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort's only resistance, gone, the only person Voldemort feared, gone and you take all that fear, chaos, death and destruction. then you multiply it by one hundred, because to add to all that, Harry Potter, 'The Boy Who Lived', the only hope there is at ever being free from his reign, was now in Lord Voldemort's possession. And still, if his plan were to fail, he could take your wand and turn it on yourself, killing you in the process and fleeing. Harry, if that happened, if that happens, Voldemort will never be truly defeated. We also need to act quickly, I fear he will try to posses you again and finish off what he started.'
'So.' Harry started, his head spinning fast in one big blur, he clearly remembered Dumbledore tell him, just a few weeks ago, that only he could defeat Lord Voldemort, but it had just started to sink in what he must do and was sure that if he wasn't in his own mind right now he would be spewing onto the floor at the prospect, ' What now?' He was shaking now.
'For now, we start your training.' Dumbledore stated as he eyed Harry curiously over his half moon glasses.
'And then?' Harry asked looking into Dumbledore's eyes.
'And then,' Dumbledore repeated, staring right back into Harry's emerald green eyes, 'The rest is up to you.'
*
When Harry and Dumbledore had emerged from Harry's mind when his scar had stopped hurting, they had been pelted questions from everyone in the room. Harry had forgotten that they still didn't know what had happened that night, or for the previous five days. Dumbledore had tried to get Harry into his room so he could be alone, but everyone had demanded to be told the truth, there and then.
Harry was forced to sit through another one of Dumbledore's long explanations about the past five days events, he really wanted to be alone so he could think about things but instead, he was pelted with question upon question until he found himself snapping back angrily at everyone. Then, finally, he had been allowed to go up to his room, which now housed an extra bed for Ron to sleep in.
Great. Harry thought angrily as he breathed a relaxed sigh as he lay onto his comfortable bed. He didn't want anyone's company right now and thought about going into the spare room when he heard a nervous knock on his door. With a frustrated sigh, Harry slowly hauled himself off his bed and walked across the room to the door. When he opened it he found a nervous Ron staring at him.
"Uh.. I just wanted to let you know that.. I- Uhm. That I will be staying downstairs tonight."
"Good!" Harry spat out in anger, he didn't need this useless interruption. But he immediately regretted it when Ron, looking hurt, turned back around and started to walk. Harry screwed up his face, cursing himself for being so stupid. Before Ron could get more than a few feet away he said, in his most sorry voice, "I'm sorry Ron, I just need to be alone right now. Talk tomorrow?"
Ron looked instantly better and a smile spread to his lips, "Yeah. tomorrow." Harry knew he was hiding something, but couldn't be bothered thinking about it now, he had his own problems. With a great sigh he turned back into his room and collapsed onto his bed with a satisfied sigh. I could sleep for years, he thought, relaxing into the soft mattress.
Harry soon found himself thinking about Voldemort and what he must do. The whole wizarding world- no, Voldemort would not stop there, the whole world was in Harry's hands, and Harry's alone, it was up to him to vanquish Voldemort. What do they expect me to do!? Harry yelled at himself silently as he ran his hands through his messy hair. I'm no super hero! How am I, a stupid boy, meant to stop him! They act as if I can just wave my wand and make everybody's problems disappear! Why does it have it be me!
Harry wanted to run away, to hide and never come back. All he ever wanted was to live a normal life, he didn't want to be the famous Harry Potter anymore, he didn't want to be the 'Boy Who Lived'. He was sick of it, sick of everything, sick of being gawked at and asked questions wherever he went, sick of being followed, of being watched. He was sick with being compared with his father at everything he did, sick of the way people assumed he was a spoilt little rich kid before they even got to know him. He was sick of the way people favored Harry over some other person, sick of being treated differently and given special privileges just because of something that happened when he was a baby, something he didn't even do. He was just sick of being Harry Potter.
Why does it have to be me, why not Hermione! She is a better wizard than me! He yelled at his mind, hoping it would change something. Why me!! Then, as if it was an automated response his mind started replaying what Dumbledore had told him the night his godfather died.
'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. born to those who have thri-'
"I KNOW WHAT THE STUPID PROPHECY SAYS!" Harry screamed out-loud as he sat up in his bed, in fury, no one seemed to notice his out burst of rage, apart from the painting of an ugly old witch, Julia Namingway.
"Calm down, dear, you shouldn't be taking your feelings out on-"
"SHUT UP!"
Julia just managed to escape from her portrait before a flash of red light reduced it to a pile of warm ash and coal, Harry didn't rush to put it out as he knew the house was charmed to repel fire. Harry felt a lot better after he let the anger out of his system.
"Ahhh," He yawned as he put his wand back down and laid back in his bed, now feeling both comfortable and warm, "Who says bottling up your feelings doesn't come in handy?"
*
Harry suppressed a yawn as he stepped into the empty hallway of Grimmauld Place in a sleepy daze. It was eerily quiet compared to his other times here. But Harry came to the conclusion that it was just quieter because he wasn't being yelled at by the paintings on the wall, this time, they were all snoozing quietly in their portraits. Harry also noticed that there was no nice smells of breakfast to greet his senses this time, unlike yesterday. Harry's stomach gave a loud grumble, he was so hungry. Harry decided to make his way down to the kitchen to see if anyone was there to make him breakfast, or if there was any leftovers.
Harry turned the knob and opened the door to the kitchen, only, he found he was not standing in the small kitchen of Grimmauld Place. He now found himself standing in a massive room, much bigger than the great hall at Hogwarts. It was decorated splendidly, decorations hanging from the walls and floating magically around in the air. The hall was bursting with color, from wall to wall. The only decorations Harry had seen better than this were the decorations for the Yule Ball, in Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and that was only because of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The room was frighteningly quiet, empty although emanating a feeling that it was full. Thats weird. he thought and turned around, thinking that maybe he had gone through the wrong door, just as he reached for the doorknob he heard a deafening roar.
"SUPRRIIIIISSSEEEE!!!"
Harry quickly turned around, and what greeted him made his heart jump. The hall was no longer empty. far from it. Now, where there had been nothing just moments ago, stood roughly two thousand wizards and witches, children and adults, all beaming at him happily.
Harry saw lots of familiar faces, Neville Longbottom, a fellow member of 'Dumbledore's Army', was smiling widely at him. Harry also saw Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who he shared his dormitories with, smiling and waving madly at him. On his quick scan of the hall he also noticed two of his fellow Gryffindor's waving at him, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, who were also highly addicted to Divination. He also spotted Justin Finch- Fletchley, a Hufflepuff smiling broadly at him. Then his eyes spotted a familiar bunch of people, all standing at the front of the hall.
The group consisted of Mr Weasly, who was trying to restrain a teary- eyed Mrs Weasly from running over and hugging Harry to death. He laughed to himself when he saw two huge, mischievous grins, that belonged to Fred and George Weasly, he saw a beaming, watery eyed Ginny who was also waving at him. He smiled when he saw Remus Lupin, 'Mad-Eye' Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, and an unusual looking wizard dressed in festive and colorful robes, whom Harry quickly remembered as Mundungus Fletcher, who all smiled warmly at him. Standing next to the oddly dressed Mundungus, was Dumbledore, dressed in sparkling blue robes that suited the twinkle in his eye, he, also smiled warmly at Harry. Then standing in front of Dumbledore was a madly grinning Ron and a teary eyed Hermione.
Harry was lost for words, he didn't know what was happening, but yet, there was a hall full of hundreds and hundreds of people, all smiling at him, they had also yelled 'Surprise!', he was puzzled. Then, just as if Dumbledore had read his thoughts, which he probably can, Harry thought quickly, he flicked his wand and a massive banner appeared at the top of the hall. Harry looked up and gasped as he read the massive words written on it, and just as he read the words, the whole hall bellowed them at him.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARRY!!!"
Tears of joy rushed to Harry's, brilliant green eyes at these words, he had forgotten his birthday, but it did not matter, for nearly two thousand people didn't, and this made all the difference to Harry.
Harry set off at a run towards the only two people that mattered to him at that moment, his only true friends, the people he was sure had organized all this. They met him halfway and the whole hall watched as Harry, Ron and Hermione were all immersed in one huge hug, full of emotion and love, as if nothing else mattered in the world to them, as if they were the world.
Dumbledore, slowly and steadily started to clap, breaking the silence. Soon the Weaslys, Remus, Tonks, Moody and Mundungus followed suit. Then slowly the whole hall burst into a thunderous applause, getting louder and quicker.
Harry reluctantly pulled up from the hug with his two best friends and flung an arm around both of their shoulders and led them both to the party.
The rest of the day was spent talking, laughing and joking with his friends and, to him, his family. And that day, even for just for a little while, Harry felt all his fears and worries disappear. For one lucky day he had been just a normal boy, not Harry Potter or the 'Boy Who Lived', just Harry. And to Harry, it was the best birthday present a person could ever hope for.