'To what do I owe this pleasure, Sirius?' enquired Professor Dumbledore,
surveying his ex-pupil over his half-moon spectacles, 'I was not expecting
to see you back at Hogwarts for a long time.'
Sirius, who had apparated into Hogsmeade and trudged all the way up to the school, sat down in the chair Dumbledore had pointed to, and stared at his old headmaster, wondering whether he would take him seriously or not. 'I've just been to see my family, Professor', he began.
Dumbledore smiled slightly. 'Was young Regulus complaining about me again? Honestly, I never appointed such a contrary, argumentative prefect before.'
'He's a prefect?' Sirius repeated incredulously.
'Yes', Dumbledore sounded amused by Sirius' reaction, 'even Slytherin must have prefects, Sirius. And he is a responsible young man.'
Although this remark stung Sirius' pride, he ignored it. 'Anyway', he continued, 'Mother invited me over because she had a proposal for me. She wanted me to...to support this wizard, Voldemort-at least, that's what he calls himself. Lord Voldemort. Do you know anything about him, Professor Dumbledore?'
Dumbledore sighed and stood up. 'I know more about him than anyone else, I am afraid to say. He was a pupil here, many years ago.'
'Is he dangerous, d'you think?' Sirius asked curiously.
Dumbledore paced around his study three times, went to a cabinet in the corner, pulled out a Pensieve, and began to extract thoughts from his brain. When he was finished, he turned to face Sirius again. 'Many things are dangerous, Sirius', he remarked, 'danger is in the eye of the beholder, as I always say. For example, some people may think that a werewolf is dangerous, but I can think of three who do not think so. Some people may think the Whomping Willow is the epitome of danger, while others know that it only needs to be handled correctly, to be as gentle as a lamb. Someone else might think that having me as headmaster of Hogwarts is dangerous, as I will poison their children's minds against the dark arts. A muggle might think a magic wand is dangerous, as it gives the wielder-if he or she is a wizard or witch-tremendous power. So to answer your question', he concluded, smiling benignly at a thoroughly confused Sirius, 'Voldemort poses no more of a threat than many others have in the past. But you did not come all this way to ask me that.'
'No', Sirius admitted, 'I wanted to tell you...all those witches and wizards who've been disappearing...they've been going to join him. He has a lot of supporters now. They think purebloods should rule the world. They're against you.'
For the first time since Sirius had known him, Dumbledore looked surprised, when he heard about the reality behind the disappearances of witches and wizards in recent times. 'Then the situation is more advanced than I had thought', he murmured, 'I must act quickly.'
'Let me held', Sirius jumped in eagerly, 'whatever you're going to do, let me help you, Professor!'
Dumbledore's blue eyes pierced him. 'You are too young and irresponsible to become involved in such a situation, Sirius', he said calmly.
Sirius felt the old anger building up in him once more. A few pranks at school seemed to have destroyed his reputation permanently. 'Sir, I'm not a kid', he retorted, 'I'm training to be a Hit Wizard with James and Remus. I want to help stop Voldemort!'
'No, Sirius', Dumbledore corrected gently, 'you want a career that allows you to be a hero and lap up the glory and praise when you save someone. You want a career that makes you famous, and popular. Of course, you will be delighted to be saving people's lives as well, but this Voldemort...he is not a man to be underestimated, and some schoolboy tricks, sarcastic wit, entertaining gadgets and fancy charms will not put a stop to him. Now if you'll excuse me, Sirius, I really must be going...'
Sirius placed a firm hand on Dumbledore's arm as his headmaster swept past him towards the door. Dumbledore turned to face him, an eyebrow raised. 'Please, Professor', Sirius requested gravely, 'let me prove you wrong. Let me do this.'
For several seconds, teacher and pupil observed each other. At last, Dumbledore exhaled loudly, then nodded.
'I will give you this one chance, Sirius', he said, sitting down again, 'Now, here is what I want you to do.'
Sirius, who had apparated into Hogsmeade and trudged all the way up to the school, sat down in the chair Dumbledore had pointed to, and stared at his old headmaster, wondering whether he would take him seriously or not. 'I've just been to see my family, Professor', he began.
Dumbledore smiled slightly. 'Was young Regulus complaining about me again? Honestly, I never appointed such a contrary, argumentative prefect before.'
'He's a prefect?' Sirius repeated incredulously.
'Yes', Dumbledore sounded amused by Sirius' reaction, 'even Slytherin must have prefects, Sirius. And he is a responsible young man.'
Although this remark stung Sirius' pride, he ignored it. 'Anyway', he continued, 'Mother invited me over because she had a proposal for me. She wanted me to...to support this wizard, Voldemort-at least, that's what he calls himself. Lord Voldemort. Do you know anything about him, Professor Dumbledore?'
Dumbledore sighed and stood up. 'I know more about him than anyone else, I am afraid to say. He was a pupil here, many years ago.'
'Is he dangerous, d'you think?' Sirius asked curiously.
Dumbledore paced around his study three times, went to a cabinet in the corner, pulled out a Pensieve, and began to extract thoughts from his brain. When he was finished, he turned to face Sirius again. 'Many things are dangerous, Sirius', he remarked, 'danger is in the eye of the beholder, as I always say. For example, some people may think that a werewolf is dangerous, but I can think of three who do not think so. Some people may think the Whomping Willow is the epitome of danger, while others know that it only needs to be handled correctly, to be as gentle as a lamb. Someone else might think that having me as headmaster of Hogwarts is dangerous, as I will poison their children's minds against the dark arts. A muggle might think a magic wand is dangerous, as it gives the wielder-if he or she is a wizard or witch-tremendous power. So to answer your question', he concluded, smiling benignly at a thoroughly confused Sirius, 'Voldemort poses no more of a threat than many others have in the past. But you did not come all this way to ask me that.'
'No', Sirius admitted, 'I wanted to tell you...all those witches and wizards who've been disappearing...they've been going to join him. He has a lot of supporters now. They think purebloods should rule the world. They're against you.'
For the first time since Sirius had known him, Dumbledore looked surprised, when he heard about the reality behind the disappearances of witches and wizards in recent times. 'Then the situation is more advanced than I had thought', he murmured, 'I must act quickly.'
'Let me held', Sirius jumped in eagerly, 'whatever you're going to do, let me help you, Professor!'
Dumbledore's blue eyes pierced him. 'You are too young and irresponsible to become involved in such a situation, Sirius', he said calmly.
Sirius felt the old anger building up in him once more. A few pranks at school seemed to have destroyed his reputation permanently. 'Sir, I'm not a kid', he retorted, 'I'm training to be a Hit Wizard with James and Remus. I want to help stop Voldemort!'
'No, Sirius', Dumbledore corrected gently, 'you want a career that allows you to be a hero and lap up the glory and praise when you save someone. You want a career that makes you famous, and popular. Of course, you will be delighted to be saving people's lives as well, but this Voldemort...he is not a man to be underestimated, and some schoolboy tricks, sarcastic wit, entertaining gadgets and fancy charms will not put a stop to him. Now if you'll excuse me, Sirius, I really must be going...'
Sirius placed a firm hand on Dumbledore's arm as his headmaster swept past him towards the door. Dumbledore turned to face him, an eyebrow raised. 'Please, Professor', Sirius requested gravely, 'let me prove you wrong. Let me do this.'
For several seconds, teacher and pupil observed each other. At last, Dumbledore exhaled loudly, then nodded.
'I will give you this one chance, Sirius', he said, sitting down again, 'Now, here is what I want you to do.'