Warning: Mild Language. JKR and WB full credit. One more chapter to go.
Because I Said
Chapter 6 Worry
By Tracev
Harry sat in Dumbledore's office looking at Fawkes perched upon the back of the Headmaster chair. The bird watched him with a mild interest. His golden eyes gleamed at him in a questioning way. Harry sat there restlessly, cocking his head to one side to look at the bird again. But the bird had already gone back to pruning several untidy feathers. Harry sighed and went back to staring off into space while he waited for professor Dumbledore to arrive.
After sometime had passed Harry shifted in his seat again, he was growing mildly impatient waiting. It gave him time to think but at this moment that isn't what he really wanted. He wanted answers. Straightforward honest answers.
He tried to focus his mind on other items of the day, like how strange it was to be back at school with out the other students and teachers. It had been eerily quiet when he had arrived this morning on the train alone, Dobby his old friend had meet him at the door to help with luggage and such to be deposited in the dorms. Even that had been a strange sight, the common room empty, the sleeping quarters themselves looked near haunted and pale. He hadn't actually seen anyone else in the school besides Dobby who had spent most of the morning rambling on about his summer as he helped Harry get situated in his room.
Harry hadn't actually been listening when Dobby was speaking, he had been to absorbed with thoughts of Voldemort. He had so many questions that he hoped Dumbledore could answer, so many things left unsaid. He had an equal amount of questions for Voldemort, which he realized, he was unlikely to get answers to. Still that moment in the graveyard earlier this summer seemed unreal and he couldn't stop thinking about it. He went over every little detail in his mind, he then went over the thoughts the Dementors had given him this last time around.
It had been a longer version than he had the first time in his third year, a version where his father died, his mother shielding him, Voldemort killing her, trying to pick him up, calling him son, a smile on his lips. Harry shifted again glancing at his watch. Only ten minutes had passed but it seemed a lifetime. He went through random questions he was going to throw at Dumbledore when he arrived. He was prepared to get a little short with the man if he couldn't get straight answers. He felt the time was well due. He had to know about Voldemort.
Harry sank back in the chair, shutting his eyes he was just about to doze off when a thought occurred to him. The sorting hat knew, had known, had tried to force him in to Slytherin where Tom Riddle had been.... Is this Where he rightly should have been placed?
Harry fidgeted, sat up and crossed to where the sorting hat lie behind Dumbledore's desk. He held the ratty old hat limply in his hand, it only came alive once placed upon a persons head. Stray strings and fray littered the edges, several patches looked new. With a tremble in his hand Harry place the hat upon his head. There was calm silence, then a hum, "Harry Potter you've come to visit again." A joyful voice welcomed him.
Harry nodded curtly, "You are the only student who visits with some regularity", the hat continued.
Harry nodded, he would hardly call it regularity, yes it had been two years since he had last tried on the hat during his second year here, then of course his first year with his original sorting. Harry nodded again.
"You still question if you choose correctly? Slytherin Vs' Gryffindor?" The Sorting Hat whispered, sensing it was not a social call.
Harry wanted to silently curse the hat, but there was little silence when you wore the hat, thoughts and emotions, troubles of the world all weighted upon your shoulders or head for that matter. Harry nodded again gulping hard.
"I stand by what I said before Harry Potter you would have done well in Slytherin."
Last time the hat had stated this fact the young wizard had torn the hat off without waiting for an explanation, Harry cleared his throat trying to find his voice, "Why" he whispered.
"Well your father was in Slytherin" the hat stated matter of fact, "son's usually follow their fathers footsteps" he added hastily feeling Harry's emotions.
Harry felt his knees go week, "and his name" he whispered.
"Tom Riddle, great grandson of Zalen Everett, your paternal grandmother side mind you, uncle to Ellis Szal, cousin to Xiana Qins, who was..." Harry held up his hand.
"Salzar Slytherin was a pioneer Harry Potter. One of four founders of this great school, powerful wizard." The sorting Hat spoke up quickly "You look just like him Harry Potter you do," he added proudly. "You question again whether you made the right decision Harry Potter, perhaps I made a mistake in mine," the hat said mournfully.
Harry plucked the hat off his head dropping it to the floor. So it was true, Lord Voldemort was his father. Harry stumbled back to the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk.
His head swam with every doubt he ever had since starting at this school. His whole life had revolved around Voldemort and now it revolved around him for a different reason. Had Voldemort known he was his father back in Harry's first year when he asked him to join him?
Was that why Voldemort tried to kill him during the tri-wizard tournament, because he thought he was betraying his father?
Harry cringed at the thought, if he had known Voldemort was his father would he had made this same choice. He was only against Voldemort because he thought he had killed his parents. Harry curled up in his chair, resting his head on his knees. He was suddenly scared, this is what he had wanted his whole life, family. He had dreamed of family, a parent for so long. A tie to a life, to a history, a closeness to someone who was the same as him. Could Voldemort give that to him? Was he so evil, so hell bent on destroying the wizard world that he wouldn't want a son? Harry sat up, because he, Harry, wanted a father more than anything.
Harry had to get out of here he didn't want to wait for Dumbledore anymore, he wanted to speak to Voldemort. He had to contact him some how. Harry stumbled down the flight of stairs back to the main hallway, the gargoyle jumped aside. Harry was near a crazed frantic state, he had to reconnect with the only family he had left. He had wanted this moment for so long, family. Dreamed of this as a child, wanted, need a parent, a lineage link to the ancestry of who he was, what he was made of.
He looked down the corridor that would take him back into the main castle. A chill made him look the other way, Harry brushed a stray strand of hair from his eyes, narrowing his eyes in the darken hall. Professor Snape stood there, a dry smirk on his face, he looked as if he was trying to make up his mind about something,
Harry took a step toward him, Snape turned the hall filled with his billowing cape, he hastened down a set of side stairs, Harry took off at a run after him.
TBC
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