Harry blinked. He turned to look at Sirius and Remus, who stared their grave faces back at him. Harry blinked at Dumbledore again. "What?" he asked. "…Wh…what?"

          Dumbledore did indeed look serious. "You want me to what?" Harry repeated, a sense of bewilderment flooding through his body. They wanted him to help them defeat Voldemort…he was only 17! Harry frowned at Dumbledore, waiting for him to speak.

          "Harry, we realise you are young. We realise you still have much to learn. And we realise that as your…guardians, as you might say, our job is to protect you. But Harry, you know as much as we finally do that you are different. There is a reason beyond strength to why you are Head Boy, Harry. A reason beyond that to why you in particular are sitting in my office today, with myself, your godfather, and an old friend almost begging you to risk your life to help us."

          Harry slowly leant back in his chair and frowned. Why was… He was confused. Why were they asking him to help? Why not one of the hundred year old guys up at the Ministry with…a hundred years experience?

          "Harry…" Harry turned to face Sirius looking down on him almost pleadingly. "I know we're asking a lot, and I know we have no right to ask. But we need you. The more help we have in this the better, you of all people know that. You have experience with…V…Voldemort," Harry nearly smiled at how Sirius found it hard saying Voldemort's name, but kept it back; "and that is very precious to us."

          Harry sat back, this new piece of information sinking in. "Is that all I am?" Harry asked slowly. "A precious valuable piece of information to help you find Voldemort, kill Voldemort, then dump the kid?"

          The faces around him turned worried, and all began to speak at once. Harry stood up and cut them off. "No. I'm sorry, but I can't help you. You were right in your first instinct; protect me and leave me be. I'm 17. My biggest worry right now is not to have another breakdown, and to pass my NEWTs. Voldemort killed my parents, he killed Cedric Diggory, he killed Hermione, he came very close to killing me several times…" Harry stopped and breathed deeply. "I'm not a coward. If Voldemort burst through this door right now, I'd be ready for him. But I am not about to prepare myself for death when my parents and Hermione both died to save me!"

          Silence penetrated the room like a dog realising he's without his bone. "I'm sorry," Harry said again, looking especially to Sirius, and then left the room.

          Harry didn't eat that night. None of the Griffindors said anything about it as they filled the room with their laughter and talks of the up and coming Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Griffindor. Occasionally, Harry's eyes flickered to the teacher's table, and he noticed Dumbledore and Snape deep in conversation. At one time, Snape turned his head to catch Harry's eye purposefully. Snape's eyes looked meaningfully into his and Harry turned away, Snape nodding to Dumbledore as he did so.

          "You gonna eat anything?" Dean asked Harry, prodding him with his fork.

          "No," said Harry, not bothering to lie.

          "Well, you've got to eat something," Lavender said from across the table. Harry looked up at her, then back at his food.

          "I'm not hungry."

          "What about the Quidditch match on Saturday?" said Seamus. "You need your strength! You of all people should know this is a bloody important game!"

          Harry breathed deeply and clenched his fists on the table. "I know it's an important game," he said tightly, through clenched teeth. "I don't care." Everyone within six or so seats of Harry shut up immediately. This was not good. Harry Potter no longer cared about Quidditch? The one word that got his attention in lessons? The one thing he'd had a special skill at from an extraordinarily young age? The game he happened to be captain and an all-important seeker for?

          Seamus raised his eyebrows. "What did you say?" he asked, voicing everyone's astonishment.

          Harry unclenched his fists and tried to calm his anger. "Well…well, don't you think there are more important things in life?" he asked calmly.

          "Like…what?" Seamus asked frowning.

          "You can't possibly tell me that the one thing you love most in life is Quidditch." Harry was gob smacked. How could one person be so hollow of feelings?

          Seamus looked confused, so Dean spoke instead. "Family and friends are. I always miss my family when I'm here, but then I always miss my friends when I'm at home."

          "Exactly!" Harry said.

          "So…you're telling us, you…wanna go home?" said Seamus frowning.

          "No!" Harry sighed. "Never mind."

          They ate in silence for a while when Neville spoke. "I love Trevor. He's more important to me than Quidditch."

          Harry smiled at Neville gratefully.

          Ron, who had been quiet up until now, said in a hushed voice to Harry, "So what did Dumbledore want?"

          Harry thought quickly. How much could he tell Ron? Not much, he realised. But there was one thing he could tell him. "Sirius is here," he whispered into Ron's ear.

          "Really!" Ron exclaimed quietly, happiness spreading across in a smile over his face.

          Harry grinned. "Yeah, I know. I haven't seen him for a while. I only saw him once in the summer, near the start."

          "I still don't understand why you can't go and live with him," Ron asked, shaking his head. Harry shrugged. He'd asked both Dumbledore and Sirius that question several times, but he'd never had a clear answer. The most he ever got was, "You're safe where you are," and things like that.

          "Can I see him later?" Ron asked.

          Harry opened his mouth to say "Yes of course"…and then closed it again. Taking Ron to Dumbledore's office to ask to see Sirius would be…uncomfortable. And besides, Harry didn't know how long he was here for. For all he knew, Sirius had left already. Unfortunately, just at that thought, a side door near the teacher's table opened, and Sirius and Remus walked through it. Remus stood at the door while Sirius went and knelt by Snape and Dumbledore's sides, telling them something. Dumbledore nodded to Snape and Professor Sprout, the herbology teacher, who was sitting further along the table, listening intently. Professor Sprout and Snape stood and followed Sirius out of the Great Hall. Harry frowned curiously, but then remembered it was nothing to do with him.

          "Did you see that?" Ron asked looking towards the teachers, a deep frown shadowing his eyes.

          "What? Sirius?"

          "Well, yeah, but… What's going on? Something's going on."

          "Why?" Harry asked, trying to sound completely normal and succeeding.

          "Well, for starters, Sirius and professor Lupin don't normally hang out at the castle together, at the same time. And secondly…Snape hates Sirius' guts, and he just followed him out of here."

          Harry sighed. Ron was good at this. He'd be hard to lie to. "Maybe they're just here to see Dumbledore or something…and…you remember in our fifth year, how Dumbledore made Sirius and Snape shake hands?"

          Ron nodded, but Harry could tell he still wasn't convinced. "I'm gonna follow them," Ron said, standing up. Harry stood up as well. "Why?"

          "I wanna know what's going on! Don't you?" Ron started to look suspicious of Harry.

          Harry sighed. He had no choice. "Fine, come on then."

A/N: a long chapter followed by an incredibly short one! lol. Sorry about that. I'll try and get the next chapter up soon. You know the drill: review review review!!!!

~rowan

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