Chapter 2

The Book of Magic

Professor Dumbledore was sat at his desk surrounded by dozens and dozens of trinkets and gadgets, pictures of old headmasters and other such things that make his office one that you could get distracted by for days, if not weeks. However, Professor Dumbledore was not distracted by his office. He was sat behind his desk in deep thought which you could only tell by the far away look in his eyes, in fact he didn't hear the first knock on his door, or the second one, nor did he notice most of the Order and Harry walking into his room. In fact the only time that he realised that he had company was when Harry simply said "Voldemort" out loud. Harry smiled at the response. Professor Dumbledore was obviously trying to make sense of Voldemort's actions, so he could second guess him, and then thwart him before he did some damage.

"Ah, I'm sorry about that, I was thinking. Now what can I help you with Alastor?" Dumbledore asked Moody who was standing at the front of the group.

"Potter has some news for you about Voldemort, Albus." Moody motioned for Harry to move forwards.

Dumbledore's eyes focussed on Harry. "You know Harry, Voldemort has been sighted at several muggle locations: Chester, London, Edinburgh. But the most worrying one is that he was quite close to you – he was also seen at Greater Whinging last night. Now as for why he was seen in muggle public places and not killing anyone, I have no idea."

"Well Professor, I can shed some light on that, but first I have a question. What sort of dangerous magic can be cast with snakes?"

"Snakes? Well, practically all other Parselmouth's were dark wizards; most of the spells that we know of are dark or somewhat dubious. So yes, snake magic can be extremely dangerous."

"I went to Greater Whinging zoo, and now you have told me about the other locations that he has been sighted. They are making sense. Okay, what damage could be caused with an army of snakes?"

"Voldemort is gathering a snake army?"

"Only trying to. The snakes are discussing it as of now. So what could happen if Voldemort has a snake army?"

Professor Dumbledore sighed, got up and walked to his bookshelves. "To be honest Harry, I haven't the foggiest idea, there haven't been any war's with serpents as far as I know. I do have a few small books that I have managed to gain hold of that discusses snake magic. However, this book," Dumbledore pulled a slim book off the bookcase before returning to his desk, "is not a normal book. This is a Parselmouth book, and I obviously cannot understand it. All it is is a table of contents. You tap with your wand over an entry and then what I assume is a lesson, starts."

Dumbledore withdrew his wand, tapped with his wand over the book. A robed figure grew out of the book, and started to speak. "Welcome to the Book of Magic. This book will teach you about magic and how to use them, from charms, curses, potions, divination. This book will also give you the history of the magic, such as how the first wizard discovered magic to actually become wizards as we know today. I will cover elemental, wild, staff and wand magic of both bound and unbound types." Finishing the summary of the book, the figure melted away.

"Harry?" asked Professor Dumbledore gently.

Harry's eyes were wide open. Everyone was looking at him expectantly. "Um, right, Professor, do you have any knowledge of the first wizard ever?"

"The first wizard? Not really, I do know that he was somehow guided into creating a wand and then focussing his wild magic into something that we teach today, but not much is known about him or how he did it. Why?"

"That book is a book of lessons of everything that magic has to offer, including the History of Magic, such as how the first wizard discovered magic, through to modern magic."

Now everyone's eyes were wide open. Murmurs of "That's incredible!" or "That'll cover Dark Magic!" could be heard. Professor Dumbledore with a frown of concentration finally spoke, "Harry, what do you do during the day? Normally?"

"Not a lot, as there was no homework set due to the OWLs, I generally go out training my perception and stealth thanks to Moody here."

Dumbledore turned to Moody, "Alastor, how well is his stealth?"

The old Auror growled, "Good, but not as good as his perception. He needs extra practise at that."

"Harry," said Dumbledore seriously, "in a few days you will be getting your OWL results." Harry face split into a huge grin. "As such, I would like to give you a task for the order that you are in charge of." There were a few voices raised against the decision, but Dumbledore waved them into silence. "Take this book and learn everything in it. This book may have the answer that we are looking for. However, I want you to do your research in public, as stealthily as possible. Alastor may give you a few hints on how to do this later on."

Just then, the Snake on Harry's arm slithered forwards into view, startling him a little. "Issss thisss the alleged dangerous crackpot old fool that the Dark Lord talked about?" the snake asked looking intently at Professor Dumbledore. Harry sniggered at the remark until he realised that people wanted a translation. When Harry told them, some of the order sniggered, Moody guffawed, and the Professors tired face broke into a broad smile bringing back decades onto his life. "Yes I am, thank you for your directness, it was needed to lighten the mood of the atmosphere."

The snake nodded, before turning to Harry saying, "he is very powerful and wise, although you have the potential to be beyond any of your kind, including the Light Lord and the Dark Lord."

"The Light Lord?"

"This man here is the Light Lord, he stands for all that is good. Even his decisions when flawed are decided to give people as much light as possible."

Harry sobered up, before answering softly, "You are right about that, he gave me my childhood innocence however brief it lasted, he did it to shine light into my life." A couple of tears shed from Harry eyes, remembering just how he had lost his innocence, before catching himself, wiping his eyes, and apologising to Dumbledore, "I'm sorry about that Professor, or should I say the Light Lord?" Professor Dumbledore's eyes widened in shock, "I was just reminded just how you shine light into peoples lives, even if you have a flawed decision, it is only flawed to keep light shining into peoples lives and give them hope and peace. You gave me four years of childhood innocence that no one can take away from me, and I just remembered just how it was snatched away from me."

Dumbledore looked joyful, his eyes glistening, "Harry, thank you, that means more to me than you can imagine. However, I would like to know just how you knew that I'm the Light Lord."

"Don't tell him yet, you musssst learn to be your own Lord, and only releassse information when it is nesssssecary." The snake whispered, sliding back onto his arm, out of sight.

Harry winced, but realised that it was only fair, but how could he tell a lie? Then it struck him, to just avoid the question like Dumbledore had done with him after he stopped Voldemort getting the Philosophers Stone. "Alas, Professor, it pains me, but I cannot tell you just yet, but you will know when you are ready to hear it, however, it is safe that only I know how I know. No one else."

Dumbledore smiled back at Harry before getting up, and walking over to Harry, placing his arm on Harry's shoulder. "A very good answer. That was a completely honest answer, which stopped me from asking anymore questions, and it holds a promise of telling me at the time you deem fit."

The Professor pulled out a gold ring with a Phoenix engraved on it. "Now, in case you need help with research this summer, for your task that I have given you, I have a portkey that will transport you from your home to my office, as I have quite a number of rare books, plus there is the library that you can have unlimited access to for this project. To activate the portkey, you tap it twice with your finger and say traicio porcus‑verruca to come to here, and traicio domus for you to return home."

Harry took the ring and slipped it on his ring finger on his right hand and Tonks took hold of Harry's shoulder, being his escort for the way home. Pressing it twice he then said, "Traicio Porcus-verruca!" and Harry disappeared. A moment later there was a crash followed by a few choice expletives that made the member orders wince, then there was some pounding footsteps coming up the office and Harry entered the room, followed by Tonks who was rubbing her nose. "Well, it takes me to the bottom of the stairwell. I assume that it is so that I don't interrupt any meetings that may be going on and I can just slip straight out to the library?"

Professor Dumbledore nodded, and Harry took his leave, taking the book, putting a firm arm around Tonks to keep her from falling on arrival, which gained a few raised eyebrows that Harry ignored; if Tonks fell at Privet Drive and caught peoples attention there would be hell to pay with the Dursleys. Harry tapped the ring twice before saying "Traicio Domus" and then feeling that familiar hook behind his navel tugging him and Tonks away.

Harry stumbled, catching hold of a falling Tonks, only to be dragged down with her, and landing roughly on the floor in a heap.

"You okay Tonks?" Harry asked.

"Um… yeah, but I find this position a bit compromising… not that I mind of course." She replied with a glint in her eye.

Harry realised that she had landed on her back, with himself lying on top of her, and their groins pressed closely together. At that thought, Harry's groin twitched causing him to jump back up as if scalded. "Sorry about that Tonks, I didn't mean-"

"Don't worry about it Harry, I know that you were trying to keep me from falling, it's my own fault for falling." She waved off, but looking disappointed at the same time. Harry looked around him. He wasn't in his bedroom. He wasn't in Four Privet Drive. He wasn't anywhere near Surrey. He was in his dorm. Shaking his head, he went and transported himself back to Dumbledore. The headmaster either had done something wrong, or he was going to be very very lucky this summer. Harry was betting on the former option.

"Come on Tonks," said Harry, reaching out for the ring, "we're in the wrong place."

"Do we have to use the portkey? I hate portkeys!" she asked, reluctantly grabbing hold of Harry, and Harry keeping a firm hold on her.

Harry activated the portkey, and landed at the base of the stairwell, this time managing to just stumble while keeping hold of Tonks. Harry was about to say something when he heard a lot of people shouting in Dumbledore's office. So instead of just going up, they waited. And they eavesdropped.

"Albus, what if he gets corrupted by the book? We can't deal with another Voldemort!"

"He isn't old enough yet, he can't even cast magic out of school!"

"He isn't part of the Order!"

"SILENCE!" Albus Dumbledore roared above the objections, quieting down the rabble. "I do realize that I am taking a risk. He may well come back to Hogwarts knowing a lot more than most people, especially in the dark arts. However, I trust Harry with my life. I trust him as much as I trust Hagrid. Harry has been through a lot, he has faced Voldemort four times. Five times if you include his encounter in the Chamber of Secrets. Each time, he has never wavered.

"Well all know of his first encounter with Voldemort. The second time was him trying to stop Voldemort getting the philosophers stone. The third time was in the chamber of secrets, rescuing Virginia Weasley. The fourth time was at the end of the fourth task, when he made it his mission to return with Cedric's dead body, so the parents to grieve properly. Finally, Harry's last encounter with Voldemort was caused out of love of his late godfather, to go and rescue him. Do you see what I'm getting at?

"If we keep pushing him away, he will turn against us. He was very close to that point after Sirius's death, and I have been working to remedy that. This task is just one of the things that only Harry can perform. I know that you may not like it, but please learn something from last year? Without us letting him help us, he will go and do his own thing against Voldemort. His raid on the Ministry was a case in point. He has a band of twenty plus members in his DA class, all sworn to secrecy. Some of them were around him and went with him directly to the Ministry, not even arguing his orders that kept his team alive. Harry has taught them how to fight death eaters, and that was in less than a year. Harry will undoubtedly be carrying on his DA class, especially now that there are another five members that have stood up to death eaters and survived against the odds

"My point is, if Harry turns against us, he will have followers. He has students who could take most of you on, and may even win. We have a choice, either let him help us and thereby bringing down Voldemort sooner, or we can have him work against us, making our lives difficult, if not impossible."

"But they are just students!"

Harry had heard enough, it was time to back up Dumbledore, because everything he had said was true. Harry opened the door, and slipped in. No one except Moody noticed them coming in. Then again Moody was right next to the door waiting for them. "I was wondering how long it was gonna take you to make an entrance." He muttered in Harry's ear.

Dumbledore continued, "Yes, I know that they are still students, and they still have a lot to learn, however, they are our next generation. Harry in the space eight months taught his students to fight. There is a reason why they call themselves an army. They are training to fight. That is what we are up against."

"Just what have they been learning that could make them so dangerous – surely not the Unforgivables?"

Professor Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, but Harry got there before him, "Of course I haven't taught them the Unforgivables! Do you think I'm stupid? I haven't a clue how to use them, so how could I teach them?"

Everyone spun around, just to see Harry leaning against the door with a wry grin on his face, and an angry looking Tonks. "Of course, I started off with the simple disarming charm, and from that they needed a lot of work and tempering to get them into shape. They have of course progressed rapidly, and a lot of them can do a Patronus now, although I would prefer to test them against a Dementor.

"They know how to cast the spells, but this coming year they will need to learn just how to use the spells, where and when. At the ministry we were fine when we were altogether and I could guide them, but once we were split up, they were sitting ducks. The only person who was okay till the end was Neville Longbottom because he was with me, and that gave him confidence. Even when he couldn't pronounce the spells anymore due to a broken nose he never gave up. That is the extent of the loyalty of the DA. Are you sure that you want them against you? If not, then you have to treat us like adults. We are here to stop Voldemort, and if you will not do the job, then we will. Even if it kills us."

"Well sssspoken." a voice voiced whispered up.

"But you should let us adults deal with it-" said a man who was obviously an Auror; Harry could see several vials of potions attached to his belt. Harry cut him off before he could continue. "Shut up. You will do no better than last time. If anything you will do worse, because Voldemort is coming back even more terrible than before."

"We will do better!"

"Really? As far as I know, you were no further stopping Voldemort last time than you are now – if anything you are in a worse position, all you are doing is not stopping him, you are simply trying to limit the damage he can cause. Oh yeah, and just how do you intend to stop him? I believe that you must have a grandmaster plan to stop him then. Hmmm?"

The Auror muttered quietly to himself, which Harry leapt on immediate, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "What's that you say? Oh you mean that I am the master plan, it is I who is to go up against Voldemort." Harry's tone then changed to fury, his emerald eyes ablaze. "Just how do you think I can stand up to Voldemort? At the moment I can't face him down, I don't know enough, but I am learning. However, if you think you can defeat him, be my guest, go ahead, it's not something that I want to do… What, no volunteers? Then I would suggest that you keep me on your side. If I have nothing to do, then I will work myself against Voldemort, then I will kill him, and then I will turn against you and make your lives miserable. If I can beat Voldemort, and you can't, then what hope will you have against me?"

The Auror muttered apologetically a "sorry", as were quite a few others. Harry continued, "I think you should be as well. Now, if you actually have something against me doing something for you, then think again. Raise your hands all those who speak parseltongue." Harry raise his own hand, his features turning into a smirk again. "What no one else is a parselmouth? What a surprise! The only other person that I know of who is a parselmouth is Voldemort himself. Shall I ask him to learn about this book for us?"

Now everyone who had objected to Harry helping the order looked embarrassed. They had completely overlooked the fact that only Harry could help them in this respect.

"Any more objections? No? Thank you." Harry turned to Professor Dumbledore who was smiling at Harry, his eyes twinkling merrily, "Thank you Harry, you did quite a good job of that, if I say so myself. Now I assume that the reason that you are here is that something is wrong?"

"Yes Professor, when I said traicio domus it took me to my dorm, not the Dursley's."

"Ah, then I was mistaken. You classify Hogwarts as your home, not the Dursley's. Pass me the ring please, I'll make the necessary adjustments." Harry handed Dumbledore the ring, and he held his wand against the ring muttered a few incantations. The ring glowed brightly for a few seconds, and then Dumbledore handed the ring back to Harry.

"There you go Harry, all done. Good luck with the book."

"Thank you Professor, come on Tonks." said Harry as he slipped the ring back on to his finger, grabbing Tonks firmly, tapped the ring twice and then said the words "traicio domus!" and Harry disappeared.