Disclaimer: I own nothing but the computer I am writing this on. Everything you recognize is J.K. Rowling's, unless you recognize it from the previous chapters, then I suppose it belongs to me!

Harry eyes snapped open. The minute the light hit them, he groaned and immediately closed them. His head pounded. His stomach swirled. He knew if he sat up he was going to vomit. But where the hell was he? Harry ran through the events of the evening before, of drinking at Salley's with that woman - What was her name? - and of Dumbledore.

With that thought Harry opened his eyes again and recognition settled in the pit of his already upset stomach. He was lying on a cot in the headmaster's office. He was back at Hogwarts.

He sighed inwardly and steeled himself for his ascent into an upright position. As he swung his legs over the cot and sat up he saw Fawkes sitting on his perch. Harry ignored him even as he began to sing. "Shut up," he growled as he put his head in his hands. With his eyes closed and resting in his head he did not see Dumbledore come into the office.

When Harry heard the door snap shut he jerked his head up. Once he saw who the person that had entered was, his face set in a stony glare.

"Good morning, Harry. I trust you slept alright." Dumbledore walked behind his desk and sat down, folding his hands on his desk.

Harry said nothing, but did not break eye contact with the headmaster.

"I suppose you wonder why you're here." Dumbledore played along with Harry's defiance, staring at him evenly with no sign of distress. After a moment though, his eyes softened. "I've missed you Harry. I wish you hadn't--"

"Disappeared?" Harry ignored his raging hangover and stood up. He began to pace in front of Dumbledore's desk. "Why's that? Missed having vital information that you choose to keep from me? Missed having me regard you as a father?" Harry all but spat the last word.

Dumbledore's eyes betrayed nothing of what he was thinking. Seven years had not served to diminish the frustration Harry felt when looking into Dumbledore's eyes. He decided to try another tactic.

"Still headmaster?" Harry sneered. "I would have thought they would have booted you out of here." Still nothing. Giving up, Harry huffed his way over to one of two chairs that sat opposite of Dumbledore's desk. "Just tell me what you want," he sighed.

Dumbledore regarded him carefully before speaking. "People were worried about you Harry. We just wanted to be sure you were safe."

"So why didn't you just let your spies watch me, talk to me, get me drunk? Oh wait, you did! And besides all that, you just had to come and fetch me home. I am fine. I do not need you, nor any of your little minions watching over me." Harry crossed his arms defiantly, much as he would have done were he thirteen years old again.

Dumbledore sighed. "They are not my minions, Harry. They are my friends, and yours. You seem to have forgotten that."

Harry snorted. "I have forgotten nothing. It's you who have all forgotten. Forgotten that you left me on my own, every last one of you!"

"We had to Harry. It was not our fight."

"That's all fine and well, but you could have at least supported me. Been there for me. Anything." Harry could feel tears prickling at the back of his eyes, but he hadn't cried for seven years and he would not begin now, not in front of Dumbeldore anyways.

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "If I could change it, Harry, I would. What's done is done. What I am asking from you now is to come back. To make peace with us. You cannot let the past determine your future. You were a bright boy, and I am certain you've become an even more intelligent man."

Harry looked darkly at Dumbledore. "What do you mean you want me to return? That's bullshit, I'm sorry for the language, but it is. There is no way in hell I will ever be able to live a normal life here, and you know it."

Dumbledore smiled. "Harry, having people congratulate you or even admire is not a bad thing. In fact, in your case it is more than amply called for."

Harry ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. "I'm not qualified for any jobs, I never received any formal training for anything."

"As far as I can tell, you are not very qualified for any jobs in the Muggle realm, either."

Harry knew this to be the truth. But at least when he was among Muggles he was able to retreat within himself and was never forced to recount what had happened seven years ago to anyone but his inner monologue.

Harry Potter was incredibly stubborn, but he knew when he was beat. "What are you suggesting, Dumbledore?"

A wide smile broke out upon Dumbledore's face. "Ah, I am so happy you've finally asked. I would like you to join us here."

"Here? At Hogwarts? Doing what?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Anything you wish, Harry. I'm not picky."

Harry stared at Dumbledore quizzically. "Then why in the hell do you want me here if you've nothing for me to do?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Well, there's actually plenty you could do Harry. We've been in the process of rebuilding ever since the end of the war. As you are well aware, we lost several teachers in battles. We have not yet had an entirely full class, of the amount of students you would recall from your days here, so we have not yet had the need for a full teaching staff. However, this fall we will be reopening to our original capacity, meaning plainly, we need professors."

Harry's mouth opened wide. Then shut. Then opened again. "No."

Dumbledore shook his head at Harry. "Alas, I thought you were a true Gryffindor. Feeling a bit faint of heart? Is it the headache or the upset stomach that is answering for you at this moment?"

Harry felt venom in his mouth as he pursed it shut. "Neither."

Dumbledore smiled. "Now Harry, don't retreat into yourself again. I must say, you've never been able to pull off anger very effectively."

Harry stood up and balled his hands into fists. "Are you trying to upset me?"

Dumbledore also stood. "Only as much as you're trying to irritate me. You are not a child any longer, Harry. Gone with your youth is the also the right to throw a tantrum. You are a man, but you are not just any man. It is time that you fully realized and accepted that."

Harry said nothing. He merely spun on his foot and strode to the door. However, when he reached it he found it locked. He pulled out his wand. "Alohomora." Nothing. Harry was about to try a larger spell when Dumbledore quietly said, "Accio wand." Harry's wand flew from his hand into Dumbledore's. He turned and stared at Dumbledore for a minute. He then turned back to the door and thought, Fine, I'll do it the Muggle way. He threw his entire body weight into the door. It did not even slight against the massive movement. After three more times of physically abusing himself, Harry gave up. He turned to Dumbledore.

"Fine, whatever you want. Just let me the hell out of here."

Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that just yet. We are awaiting a guest."

Harry said nothing, but went meekly back to the seat he had vacated earlier. Dumbledore went back to his seat behind his desk, still firmly grasping Harry's wand in one hand and his own in the other.

They sat like that for ten minutes with Harry staring off into space and Dumbledore smiling placidly at Harry. When a knock came at the door, Dumbledore pointed his wand and muttered a charm so imperceptibly that Harry could not discern it. When the door opened, Remus Lupin walked in.

The second Harry had seen the Marauder's face he immediately turned away. The fact that Remus looked as haggard as ever and the events of Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts, Harry found he could not even look at him. Torn between pity and anger, Harry kept his eyes focused on a wall in the opposite direction.

"Hello Harry," Lupin said quietly. Harry grunted in response.

"Have a seat Remus." Dumbledore gestured towards the empty seat next to Harry. "Harry and I have just been discussing the concept you and I had discussed a few months ago."

Lupin sat down and turn towards Harry who still refused to look at Lupin. "What do you think, Harry?" Harry said nothing. Lupin gave up and turned his attention towards the headmaster. "What has he decided?"

Harry scoffed. "I've decided nothing, but it would appear as though the amazing Albus Dumbledore has decided it for me." He had not moved his focus from the wall.

Lupin looked at Harry with even more sadness than usual lining his eyes. "Well Harry, if you'd like, you still own half of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. You could stay there until the fall term. If you like," he added this last part to stress the fact that Harry did not need to do anything he did not want to.

Dumbledore jumped in. "That sounds like an excellent idea. You can maintain your hermit status perfectly there, Harry."

Harry finally tore his eyes away from the wall. He stared at Dumbledore for a moment before speaking. "You can manipulate me, you can take my wand, you can spy on me; but do not assume to know anything about the life I keep, alright?"

Dumbledore fingered Harry's wand absentmindedly. Then he placed at the very edge of the desk, right in front of Harry. "I trust you implicitly Harry. And I assume to know nothing of which you suffer, nor will I until the day you decide to discuss with me."

"If I were you, I would not waste my time waiting for it." Harry snatched his wand back and stood. "Alright. I'll go to Grimmauld Place and think about your offer for one month. That is all I can promise you at this point in time. I hope it is enough."

Dumbledore nodded, pleased. Lupin also stood. "Do you still know how to Apparate, Harry?"

"Of course I do," Harry snapped. "I may have lived as a Muggle for the past seven years but it's not as though I haven't used magic. How do you think I stayed so well concealed?"

Lupin nodded acquiescingly. "We'll have to go down to Hogsmeade."

Harry nodded curtly and left the office. Lupin stayed behind only for a moment. "Was he this difficult the entire time?"

Dumbledore smiled, the twinkle in his eye restored. "Even more so when under the influence. If you had only seen him last night."

Lupin shook his head. "Something tells me I'm happy I'm not. You'll tell Tonks we convinced him to stay? And tell her thank you for me. I never thought I would see him again. This would not have been possible without her."

Dumbledore patted Lupin's arm. "Of course, I'll make sure she knows. I wouldn't be surprised if she stopped by Grimmauld Place just to make sure he has no hard feelings."

"Does he know it was her?"

"That all depends on how much he remembers from last night. However, judging by the state I found him in, I would imagine that he does not know. I doubt that will stop our dear Tonks though."

"He won't be happy if anyone comes to visit." Lupin headed towards the door. "I'll keep you informed of anything worth noting."

"And I'll be stopping by in the next week. Goodbye Remus." Dumbledore stopped at a shelf on his way back to his desk. He pulled his Pensieve off of the shelf and sat down at his desk to delve into his thoughts.
Author's Notes: Thanks again to anyone and everyone who reviewed (all one of you since the second chapter went up!) I really appreciate it! Your reviews make me want to write more, as evidenced by the posting of two chapters in one day! Also, I'm really sorry that I've been leaving you all with many questions, but it's just the way I write. I like to leave things open until later, but trust me EVERYTHING will be understood eventually, if not soon!