Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J.K. Rowling and her assorted publishers, not to me.
Spoilers: All five HP novels.
PRELUDE TO WAR--ARRIVALS & MEETINGSI.Arrivals
The party from Privet Drive arrived at the Headmaster's Office in good order. Dumbledore then summoned some House Elves to take Harry's trunk and cage to a guest room, and more to set a small dinner in the Headmaster's private meeting room.
While the others went to sit in the meeting room, Harry remained, and looked around the office. There were fewer, and some different, trinkets around; but the furniture appeared to have been repaired. Several of the portraits of past Heads looked at him with disapproval, remembering his last, destructive visit. He looked back, gulped a little, and spoke up.
"Sirs and Madams, I am really sorry for the trouble I caused in June. I was truly angry with grief at seeing my Godfather…killed before my eyes, and almost totally lost control. Headmaster Black, I am truly sorry that the last Black is now gone; there is little I would not do to get him back, if I only could. But I don't know how to get anyone back through the Veil, or if it's even possible." He took another deep breath. "I have promised Headmaster Dumbledore to try to manage my temper a little better; it's just that the situation that night was really bad."
Headmistress Dilys Derwent smiled. "We understand, now; Albus spoke to us about it. You were not in your right mind, and you could have done far worse. For our part, we forgive you."
Headmaster Armando Dippet also smiled. "This was a very gracious thing to do, to apologize to portraits! Too many young people give us no credit for feelings."
Harry smiled back. "I don't believe in hurting anyone's feelings, if I don't have to. None of this is your fault, and even if you can't suffer as mortals do, it's still not right. I'm glad you're not still mad at me."
Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black glared a little, but it wasn't a harsh glare. "So long as you realize that your behavior was abominable, despite the provocation. You seem to have done so, and for our part it is past and done. For my own part, I regret the pain you suffered at losing my descendant." His painted visage looked the other way. "I suggest you go into the other room; dinner awaits you, and your Professors should not be kept waiting."
"Thank you, Sir," Harry replied, and headed into the meeting room, where a generous spread awaited the diners.
Half an hour later, all four Wizards were feeling much better. "Thanks," Harry sighed. "I thought for certain I'd be ordering in food for us, or having you conjure some, at the house." He toyed with the last bite of cake.
"What kind of host would I be if I starved my guests?" Dumbledore inquired mildly. "In any case, it is getting late; Professor Snape and I have a Heads of House meeting tomorrow morning, and we could all do with a good sleep." He stood. "Off you go, then; you will be in Remus' suite for now. An additional bedroom has been installed for you." His guests all left; Snape toward the dungeons, Lupin and Harry in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. On the same level as the Common Room entrance, they went around the corner the other way, and down a corridor Harry had rarely used, as it didn't go anywhere he normally went.
The two stopped before a painting of a forest scene. Only a pair of gold eyes appeared in the shadows of a tree. "Ho lukos, brother," Remus said quietly. The eyes blinked, and the painting swung back to reveal a comfortable sitting room.
"'Ho lukos, brother'?" Harry inquired.
"It's Greek, Harry," Lupin replied. "It simply means 'the wolf'; that is a wolf hiding in the shadows. I thought that would be enough for the summer." The two proceeded in further, to a short hallway with two doors on one side and one on the end.
"Here is yours, Harry," Remus said, indicating the first door. "Mine is on the end and the bath is between us. Your things should already be here."
Harry was now completely exhausted, pleasantly full of good food, and happy to be with one of his favorite people. He had also managed to vent some of the terrible pressure earlier in his room; after Snape had left, Lupin had simply held him until the tears would no longer stay in. The fact that the older man had started crying first had been the final push to set Harry's tears flowing. Somehow, it had managed to relieve some of the stress with which the day's events had overloaded him. When he saw the comfortable bed awaiting him, he fell into it and was asleep almost instantly. For once, the nightmares left him alone.
II.Meetings--Heads of House
After breakfast the next day, Lupin and Harry went back to their rooms to sort through Harry's things and determine what he would need to replace. During the packing at Privet Drive, Lupin had gotten a serious look at Harry's clothes, and had decided that the oversized hand-me-downs were fit only for rags and exercise clothes. A trip to Gladrags in Hogsmeade seemed to be called for, so that Harry could have decent clothes for once in his life that weren't Weasley jumpers or school uniforms. Also, their morning was free because Dumbledore and the House Heads were meeting right after breakfast.
"Thank you for coming, as Severus said, so early in the summer," Dumbledore addressed the four House Heads. They were gathered in his office, with plates of snacks and cups of tea within easy reach. Fawkes dozed on his perch. The portraits of the past Heads were watching or dozing quietly.
Transfiguration Professor Minerva McGonagall of Gryffindor replied first. "You're welcome—or you will be, when you tell us why."
Dumbledore nodded. "As I told Severus on Friday, these are not usual times, and the usual procedures will not be adequate to our needs. We are now at war, Ministry or no, like it or not; and the war will impinge on us here at Hogwarts. I know that most of Tom Riddle's Inner Circle is now in custody; I believe that he will succeed in breaking them out again, now that the Dementors have left Azkaban. When he does, he will start planning raids and other actions. It will not be instantly; the events at the Ministry last month have delayed his plans. But act he will, sooner or later."
He looked from one to another. "We have a short respite. We must make use of it to strengthen this school so that it is in fact as well as legend the safest place in the Wizarding world. Our first mandate is the safety and security of the children entrusted to us. They are our future; without them to follow us, the Wizarding world will decay to nothing. At the same time, however, some of them are already fighting in this war, and more will be; we must strengthen them as well as this institution. We must be a place of refuge and support for all who need us. We cannot personally defend each and every student; but we can teach them, as we have already done, to defend themselves or others. More: we must give them choices, and give them every means to make choices that are good for them, even if they go against family wishes or other expectations.
"I have several ideas in mind, which I would like to discuss with you. The first involves the perennial problem of the Defense post. This year, I thought to try something different: I will give in, at least in part, to Severus' apparent craving for the post; I will let him take the three upper years; they are used to him after four or more years with him in Potions, and can take his training. For the four lower forms, I have rehired the best and most popular Defense teacher we have had in the last eight years: Remus Lupin. I have guaranteed that his special needs will be met, and that competent substitutes will be found for the Full Moon days. For that matter, we could likely get student teachers for the First and Second Years; they did a more than adequate job with the extra Defense groups."
"And just how are you going to convince the Board of Governors to let him back in with his lycanthropy?" asked Herbology Professor Pomona Sprout of Hufflepuff. "Don't get me wrong: I adore Remus, he's a real gentleman and does well with the young ones. And he really is the best of what we've had lately."
"Easily: I have had more letters, including from some of the Governors, asking me to rehire him than I had demanding that he be fired last time. As he resigned rather than be fired, it will not be difficult. After the Umbridge fiasco, I find my ability to get concessions from the Ministry and Governors to be quite good right now; I do not intend to waste it. No one wants a repeat of last year!"
Charms Professor Filius Flitwick of Ravenclaw nodded. "I have no argument there. I honestly don't see how anyone could be worse than that creature, short of You-Know-Who himself, and he would at least know the subject. After her, Remus looks positively golden! However, that still leaves Potions. Who will take those classes, if Severus is sharing the Defense post?"
"I intend to let Severus continue with the upper-level Potions classes as well as the upper-level Defense classes. There simply is no one better. For both subjects, he will also have independent study mentoring as and with whom he sees fit. For the lower forms, I have asked Severus to look for a suitable person: either a new Master or Journeyman, or a retiree, who will be willing to be his subordinate. Severus will still be the Potions Master. This new hire will also help with the extra routine supply brewing, perhaps with the aid of suitable advanced students; for some time, I have thought it unfair that Severus should have the entire burden alone. I wish, this year, to use him where his greater talents are most needed, including specialty brews such as Remus' Wolfsbane Potion, and let the routine matters be handled by those with adequate competence."
"What do you mean about 'extra' routine supply brewing?" Sprout asked. "I know that he brews most of my fertilizers and nutrient potions, as well as most of Poppy's supplies; this saves us I don't know how many Galleons in supply costs, to say nothing of the fact that his are better than the commercial grades."
"Why, thank you, Pomona, I do believe you are trying to flatter me! Just what are you trying to wheedle out of me this term?" Severus Snape turned a slightly wicked smirk in Sprout's direction. The others laughed at the sight of the dour Slytherin actually almost flirting.
"Oh dear, Severus--no more than you already give me every year," she smiled back, almost coquettishly. "The best of everything, of course--what more could a Witch possibly want?" That response drew more chortles from the others; it was not often that Sprout met Snape on equal terms in a battle of wits!
Dumbledore smiled, waited until the chuckles had died down, and then said, "In answer to your question, I intend to be fully stocked with everything we may need for emergencies. I do not consider it out of the question that we could be attacked, and I do not intend to lose anyone to inadequate medical supplies. As Pomona said, Severus' brews are far better than those we can get on the open market. I also intend that the student supplies for the Potions classes be fully stocked, well before the beginning of term; we may be having a Potions review course this summer for those who need it. Severus will take that, if we do, and if the student brews are useful, we will keep them.
"Next, I intend to add further to the courses and the staff. I have had many comments over the years about how we have courses in Muggle Studies, but not an equivalent in Wizarding Culture. This is especially needed for the Muggle-born and Muggle-raised students who are still hitting gaps in their knowledge that their Wizard-raised fellows take for granted. I intend to fill that gap with a required course for the lower forms, and an elective for the upper forms. In all forms of both Wizarding Culture and Muggle Studies, a student may opt to test out of it if they already have adequate knowledge of the subject. I will ask for your recommendations for a professor for that subject; please let me know by the end of next week, so that I may start asking around.
"I also intend to strengthen the staff chain of responsibility. To that end, I intend to appoint a Deputy Head for each House. For Minerva, this will free her for more of her duties as Deputy of Hogwarts; for Severus, this will give his students someone to be there when he is away on Order business, as he will be. For Gryffindor, and I do realize that giving it to a new hire is not usual, I intend to appoint Remus Lupin; for Slytherin, Serena Sinistra; for Hufflepuff, Rolanda Hooch, who will be adding to her duties the added subject of Physical Health and Training; and for Ravenclaw, Anna Vector. If any of you objects, say so now, so that I may select someone else."
Flitwick nodded. "I think they are all good choices, personally. There are more students from my House in Anna's classes than from any other, so they already know her fairly well." The others assented.
"That was indeed one factor in my selection. I tried to select someone who would be a good fit for each House," Dumbledore replied.
Sprout looked thoughtful. "Albus, just what are you worried about?" she asked. "I don't see how He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named could possibly free his Inner Circle a second time, even allowing for having no Dementors at Azkaban any more."
"He will," Snape said. "He must, if he is to start any major action this year. There are only three of the Inner Circle left free, and they are not enough to train sufficient recruits." And I truly dread having to conduct training missions for him. He shook off the what-ifs there; too many possibilities, most of them bleak, and none of them to do with the current point of discussion.
"I wasn't arguing that; I was just wondering how he could, when it's finally obvious that he's back and even Fudge can see it," Sprout replied.
Snape sighed. This year was not going to be a good one, he knew. "That, you are going to have to ask him, as he has not told me. But enough money in the right places can do far more damage than all the spells we know. Fudge must act quickly to execute the ones who had already been convicted, such as the Lestrange brothers, so that if an escape is made, it will not be of as many. But I highly doubt that he will."
He looked from one fellow House Head to another. "I will tell you this, so that you will not be shocked: the Dark Lord will be recruiting here, and not just in my House, or just in the relatives of his followers; there will be Sixth-Years who come of age as well as the Seventh-Years. Do not discount the possibilities of the Fifth-Years; and any student of any age can at least give information. There is also a faction that will be recruiting here that is not beholden to the Dark Lord, but despises Albus and his support of and by Harry Potter; that is the Ministry faction from which Umbridge came. This last may be even more dangerous, as they are law-abiding citizens who are against the Dark Lord—but don't want Albus in charge, or with any influence: they just want to rule for their own benefit, and that benefit is for Wizards and Witches only. If you thought Umbridge and her Werewolf laws were bad, this would be more of the same and worse."
A silence fell over the group. All of them remembered the First War; all of them could imagine a Ministry full of the likes of Umbridge as well. No, all was not well in the world, and it was they who would have to arm their precious students for it.
Dumbledore broke the silence. "The next item I wish to bring up for consideration is the state of the Castle itself. I have been here as Professor or Headmaster for over fifty years, and there is still much that I do not know about Hogwarts itself. You four are next in the line of responsibility, and you know even less. For this reason, I intend to do a serious remapping of the entire castle, with a view to plugging security gaps. Having secret escape tunnels is not bad, but not if your enemy knows of them too. At the very least, we are going to have to block the tunnel from the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack; it is known to at least one Inner Circle Death Eater. Then, there is the Chamber of Secrets. It is possible, verging on probability, that Tom knows far more than is good for us about it. I intend to have it explored thoroughly."
""But how can we get in?" asked Sprout.
"Unless we use Fawkes to gain entry, the only entrance that I personally know of is only accessible to a Parselmouth. Fortunately, we have one available to us who is loyal to the Light, and that is Harry Potter. He can get us in; we can deal with the rest. I do not wish to discover too late that there is another entrance."
"How are we to do this during the school year?" This was from Flitwick.
"I do not so intend; secrets are harder to keep with the school full of students. He will be available this summer whenever we need him," replied Dumbledore calmly.
"But surely he is now at home at his relatives' place?" inquired McGonagall.
"He was," Snape corrected. "He is now here at Hogwarts, or rather was; he and Remus Lupin are out in Hogsmeade shopping."
"When? And why didn't you tell me?" McGonagall was surprised, and not pleased that Snape knew of it before her; she was Harry's Head of House after all.
Snape glanced at Dumbledore, who nodded a fraction; he was to continue. "Since last night. Friday, both the Headmaster and I received long and highly interesting letters from Mr. Potter, which practically demanded that they be discussed in person. We went to his Muggle home, with Remus Lupin, yesterday morning. However, in the midst of our discussions, an incident in his house occurred involving the Muggle police; in the course of managing that, Mr. Potter not only showed uncommon ability, he also evoked some responses from his relatives that showed us that his home situation was not…all that we had believed it to be. We decided, with Mr. Potter's consent, to remove him from there permanently."
McGonagall glared at him. "That is not very specific, Severus. I take it he is not severely ill or injured?" At her colleague's headshake, she added suspiciously, "And since when did you take an interest in his well-being?" McGonagall was very protective of her Lion Cubs; Harry's feud with, and mistreatment in classes by Snape were legendary.
Snape was not intimidated in the least; his voice crackled in one of his more pointed classroom lecture tones. "Since, first, he wrote me a letter that was more intelligent, coherent and to the point than most of the essays he has written for me in five years, and was done without the assistance of Miss Granger. Since, second, that he realizes just what his part in the War truly is, and realizes that he needs help to do it: he not only asked me for help, he understands what I am doing, gives it more importance than I thought him capable of, and appears even to actually give a damn about whether or not I will be able to continue. Since, third, I saw, with Albus and Remus, just how little support he was getting from his relatives—not, mind you, that he asked for any, only to be left alone—at a very difficult time for him, when he is finally resolving to seriously study and learn, to the level you have told me he is capable of. Since, fourth, he has voluntarily offered, for good reasons, to settle the family issues between the two of us in a manner befitting an adult Wizard, and I have accepted. Is that enough to go on with?"
McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout were all stunned. The unresolved feud between James Potter and Snape had colored Harry's entire scholastic career. To see it come to such an abrupt termination, without their having to scrape either Harry or the Professor—or both—off the floor and walls, was shocking.
Meanwhile Dumbledore sat back, his eyes twinkling with much amusement. For once, it was Snape getting one over on the other three, and being righteous besides. At the same time, however, the Slytherin was actually revealing much more of himself—his real self, not his snarky-bastard image--than he realized. Oh, things were moving in very interesting patterns! When the others turned as one to him for an explanation, he was ready and willing to give it. All four of his House Heads were in the Order now, after all; he had inducted Flitwick and Sprout just two weeks ago.
"It is exactly as Severus has told you. We three--he, Remus and I--went to visit Mr. Potter in answer to the letters that Severus has mentioned. Whilst we were discussing the various points therein, his Uncle entered and obliged him to come down and talk to the Muggle police about some matters for which Harry was being blamed. In the course of the subsequent discussion—which of course, we listened to in secret—we discovered that his relatives had been treating him rather worse than we had been led to believe; this included lying to their neighbors that Harry had been attending a school for criminal delinquents, as a cover for his Hogwarts attendance."
McGonagall was now angry; she and Dumbledore had argued this very point many years before, and sometimes since then. "I was right! Did I not tell you, that night when we left him there, that those were the worst sort of Muggles, not fit to raise their own son, let alone Harry?"
Dumbledore was unmoved. "And I agree that you were right; I also reiterate what I told you that night: that it was the best of several poor choices we had, ranging from mediocre to dangerous." He took a deep breath, and continued. "One of the points that Mr. Potter raised in his letter was asking for more training and study opportunities for which his relatives cannot possibly support him; he had also badly underestimated how well he was forcing down the pain of his very recent loss. I do not say 'coping with'; he was not doing that at all. That he managed a difficult situation with the Muggles as well as he did, under these conditions, impressed all three of us. But it became obvious to us that having to endure the conditions of his home life would soon outweigh the protections of the Blood Charm. Therefore we removed him from there last night and brought him here, where he shall remain for a time." Dumbledore paused for a moment, then continued. "His aunt and uncle have also signed over their guardianship to me; I intend for him to have a new guardian soon, hopefully before his sixteenth birthday at the end of the month."
"So, where do you intend to place him?"
"I have not decided yet. I cannot keep him myself, although I would be honored to; I have too many conflicting obligations. Remus cannot, owing to the Werewolf laws, although any guardian Harry has must accept him as part of Harry's family."
"Arthur and Molly would take him in a heartbeat!" McGonagall pointed out.
"And they would be the best for him, if this were peacetime. Unfortunately, the Weasleys and their home are much too obvious targets as it is. Besides, while they love him dearly, and Molly would certainly give Harry the mothering he has so sadly lacked in his life, she would overdo it and try to smother him. She has not yet come to grips with the fact that he is not a child any more and cannot be protected from the responsibility that awaits him. It is here, and no amount of protection will make it go away. I do intend to discuss this with Arthur and Molly, so that Harry will have someone to turn to other than his new guardian. Harry is also in too much pain--which he is trying, and failing to entirely push away--to go to Headquarters yet. I have thought of a better plan, however, and will discuss it with the principal later this week. Until then, he will be staying here, in a room in Remus' quarters. Needless to say, the fewer who know of this, the better." All four nodded in agreement.
Dumbledore took off his glasses, polished them with his sleeve, and then put them back on. "The fact of his removal from Surrey makes possible another idea. For some time now, Argus Filch has been complaining that he is overworked. The new precautions, mappings, and preparations will give him even more to do. Therefore, I thought to add another Caretaker, and bring in Arabella Figg and her cats."
"Why 'Bella?" asked Snape.
"Four reasons." Dumbledore ticked them off on his fingers. "First, she is also a Squib, and therefore would not breed the resentment in Argus that a Witch or Wizard caretaker would. Second, she is in the Order, as he is not, and can go places and do things to which he would not be privy. Third, her cats can patrol where we cannot go, much as Mrs. Norris does now; they may even make good company for her, and there are more of them—somewhere between ten and fifteen, last I asked. One of our dire War-related concerns is the spying capabilities of a certain illegal rat Animagus with a silver paw; they can sniff him out better than we can." He had no idea of how oddly right he would later prove to be. "And fourth, she is far more humane than Argus is. While he does present a fear factor that can prove useful, he can go too far; I am quite concerned about how willingly he supported Umbridge, alone of nearly everyone on staff here. On the other hand, his knowledge of the castle easily matches my own, and that of very few others alive; we need it."
Flitwick shrugged. "Well, Albus, you are Headmaster. Can you simply not order him to help us with the mapping project?"
"I fully intend to, but I do not intend him to be my sole source of information. I also intend to borrow a remarkable artifact that was created by students here, twenty or so years ago, in the hopes of being able to make another, better one."
"And that is?" Flitwick encouraged.
"The 'Marauders' Map'. If I can borrow it from its current owner, I think we can make use of it to create another. We will have one of its creators on staff, after all."
"You mean that's real?" Sprout's eyes were wide.
"Indeed it is," Snape replied dryly. "I have seen it for myself. Unfortunately, it will not work properly for anyone except its creators and those to whom they gave the password--and I am not one of those."
Dumbledore smiled. "I think I can persuade the current owner to let us make use of it for the greater good of Hogwarts." Only Snape did not look a little puzzled; he knew who owned the Map, and who had made it.
McGonagall was thoughtful. "Albus," she said quietly, "you seem more than usually concerned with castle security."
"I am. There have been several recent events, as I mentioned, that make me concerned that Tom's setback in the Ministry--and it was a setback, make no mistake--is only temporary. Sooner or later, he will come here. We must be ready."
"Why here, and not the Ministry?" asked Sprout. "Seems to me that the Ministry is what he needs to beat if he really wants to rule Wizarding Britain."
"For several reasons," Snape put in. He leaned forward and laced his fingers together. "Besides the fact that much of the core of the resistance to him is here, he wants Albus and Harry Potter dead, and the rest of the students as either recruits or hostages. While he believes me to be an entry point here, he will not depend solely on me; after all, I am mortal and I can be killed or turned. He will cultivate other agents; and he will use all the knowledge that he acquired as a student here, including the Chamber of Secrets, as Albus mentioned, which he likely knows too well for our safety."
"Indeed, Severus is totally correct," Dumbledore said quietly. His voice then intensified, as if he were back in the classroom. "In order for Tom to attain the rule of Wizarding Britain, he must do two things: he must take, suborn or neutralize the Ministry, and he must take or suborn Hogwarts; we will be too much of a thorn in his side if we hold out. He cannot take Hogwarts while I live, and I intend to see to it that he cannot even if I am dead. He is also determined to destroy Harry; the events of this last month will have only made him that much more determined. This is why Harry has decided to advance his training; he knows all this, and he also knows that he is the one destined to destroy Tom; he wishes to do so as soon as he can be made strong and skilled enough to do so."
A silence fell over the room. "Albus, is this to do with that prophecy about the seventh-month child?" asked McGonagall.
"Yes. That prophecy is what Tom spent so much effort to obtain. He knows the first part that the Order knows; he wanted the rest. It was destroyed that night. However, I did tell Harry the rest of it then; this is part of what has crystallized his resolve. Unless Tom takes either Harry or me alive, he cannot find out the rest. I will not tell it all, but Harry is the one who must destroy him; unfortunately, the reverse is not ruled out. If we of the Order are to defeat Tom's forces, Harry must be enabled to destroy Tom, then do so, and as soon as may be; or else the Second War will last far longer and cost many more lives than the First." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and was still for a few minutes.
Pomona Sprout finally broke the silence. "What do you wish of us, Albus? You know we will support you in anything you need for this school and our children."
Dumbledore's eyes opened, and he sat back up. "First above all, to continue to do your best, as you four have always done. Pomona, I wish you to look into easily-triggered plant-based ground defenses, such as a quickly-growing Strangle Vine, that can be triggered by any student over Third Year. No one younger than that should be in any battle line unless we are all dead. Minerva, I would like you to find out if there are any other secrets of the Founders we should know; surely, Salazar Slytherin was not the only one to leave something behind. Filius, I would like you to refresh both your flying skills and your dueling skills; while Madam Hooch is a superb flyer, she is an indifferent dueler. Perhaps you can work with those of the staff whose skills are poor, and bring them up to speed at least enough to fight and get away; I think they will take training from you better than from any student, no matter how good. Severus, you already know what is asked of you; I have every confidence that you will exceed my expectations, as usual." Snape bowed his head a fraction, and then nodded.
Sprout shook her head sadly. "We should not have to treat the finest school in Wizarding Britain as a castle preparing for siege. These are children, Albus, and we should be teaching them to live, not preparing them for war!"
" 'Si vis pacem, para bellum,' Snape said quietly. " 'If you wish for peace, prepare for war.' The Muggle Roman general Vegetius said that, and it became the motto of their Legions. Granger and Potter had a good idea, but all four Houses must be involved, and students down to the First-Years. There are too few of us on staff to defend them all. We must make this school impossible to take, or we will lose this entire generation, as we lost so much of mine." A thought struck him. "Albus, if you wish, perhaps we should renew our Oaths as House Heads? Would that help?"
"Actually," Flitwick picked up the idea, "there are many rituals and bindings that have fallen into disuse in these easier times, some of which date back to the Four Founders. I think that would be a worthy research project."
"In our copious spare time," McGonagall added dryly.
"Indeed," Dumbledore returned. "This is why I intend to take up another of Mr. Potter's suggestions: to form a Junior Order, for students not yet of age but already committed to the effort, for whatever reason, and who have skills we can use. Arguably, the finest researcher in the current crop of students is Miss Hermione Granger; this particular topic would certainly fascinate the biggest fan we have of Hogwarts: A History. She is certainly one to be a member of such a Junior Order anyway, for several reasons: she is Muggleborn and therefore in danger already; she is a close friend of Harry Potter; and she was one of the six in the Department of Mysteries. If we can have her here doing research, she will be far better protected."
McGonagall was intrigued. "Just what other ideas that you thought good did Mr. Potter present to you? And for that matter, why did he write to you in the first place?"
"I'm curious about that as well, but more curious as to why he wrote to you, Severus," Flitwick interjected. "It's common knowledge that you two loathe each other!"
Snape replied first. "It would seem that the recent Ministry events, combined with the knowledge of his true role in this War, has fired his determination to mend his slacker ways and to do his part. He has also realized that he cannot prepare alone; that he must have help, without which he cannot do what he must; and that I have knowledge and skills that he needs and can use. His letter acknowledged our…past differences, and offered an acceptable means of getting past those differences, so that we may work together without destroying the school in the process, but still upholding my mask."
"And you accepted this." McGonagall's statement wasn't a question.
"I did, and he did," Snape replied calmly. "Suffice it to say that he gave me good reason to do so. While we will still appear to be at odds in public--and some of it will be real, as we will still have points of difference, and trust takes time to build--much of it will be for the same audience I must please." He did not elaborate further, and his expression did not invite questions.
"As for me," Dumbledore took up the discussion, "he asked several things of me, and made several quite sensible suggestions. One was to continue the DA—he did not know at the time that I had rehired Remus—but open it to all ages and Houses. This would be separate from his other suggestion of a junior Order, which would be much more exclusive, and subject to many of the same bindings, but be designed to handle such tasks as are within the capabilities of students, and thus free up the adults for more active duty." He gave a sad sigh.
"As Pomona said, we should be preparing our children to live, not having to prepare them for war. But too many of them are already involved, on both sides. They will not truly have the full lives that they deserve until we get past this War, and to me that is the greatest evil that Tom is committing."
His voice rose and intensified as he spoke. "If we do not arm them with all that they need to survive, then we as teachers will be failing our duty to them. I, for one, refuse to so fail. If the Second Voldemort War is not to be as long, cruel and bloody as the First, we must use every resource we have. If that means student teachers, fighters, and researchers in the Dark Arts, so be it. If we must hire more staff and teach courses not usually offered, then we do so." He looked from one House Head to another. "If I must ask renewed Oaths and bindings from the staff, then I shall. If this means that I, personally, must go back into combat training, and stand in the front lines myself to defend Hogwarts with my own life, then that is what I shall do. In fact, I would suggest to all of you to work to improve your physical and combat skills. All of us must be at our physical, mental and magical best; nothing less will do."
"What about those of us on the staff who have little or no combat expertise?" Sprout asked.
"As I suggested before, Filius can train you, in the course of refreshing his own skills. If the students can do this, then certainly we can! However, we will also find places for those who will not be the front-line fighters; there are many uses for everyone's skills. Nothing and no one will be considered useless. When I said that every resource will be used, I meant exactly that: from myself to the House Elves, including the ghosts, portraits and other non-human residents of Hogwarts." A thought struck him. "And speaking of those, it is also long past time that we had an accurate census of Hogwarts. We need to know who and what else lives here, and how they can help, or if not, at least what is needed to prevent them from harming us."
"Then I believe we all have our work cut out for us," replied Sprout. "There are a lot of non-human residents of the castle and grounds."
A voice came from behind her. "This is where we may help," said the portrait of Dilys Derwent, a former Headmistress who had also been a Healer. "We speak to each other, and we can help with areas seldom visited, so long as there is a portrait there."
Dumbledore smiled. "Thank you, Dilys," he replied. "I will procure some Dicta-Quills, so that we can record what you say without having to assign scribes."
McGonagall sighed. "Well, that was a short summer holiday," she commented dryly.
"True," replied Snape. "But the more we do this summer, the more of us are likely to survive to see next summer and have a holiday."
"Severus is right," Dumbledore agreed. "We cannot afford to waste time. And on that note, let us adjourn; I think I have talked more than enough today." He rose. "Thank you, all of you; I cannot run this school without all four of you."
After the usual handshakes, the four Professors headed for the stairs. However, before she could get far, Dumbledore touched McGonagall's arm.
"Minerva, stay a moment, if you would?" he asked. She sat back down, and waited until the others were gone.
III. Meetings—Albus and Minerva
(Directly afterwards)
"All right, Albus, tell me the truth. What really happened?" asked McGonagall. "I seem to have missed a clue: but something has thoroughly shaken up Severus; I have never seen him less snarky, more co-operative, or more honest in a House Heads meeting."
Before answering, Dumbledore went to a cabinet, took out the good brandy, and poured a generous tot into McGonagall's tea. He then sat back down, and told her everything that had happened from the arrival of Harry's letter. All that he withheld was the full contents of Snape's letter; some details were private to him and Harry.
After he finished, there was a long silence while they sipped their tea. McGonagall spoke first.
"Albus, what I don't understand is why a letter from Harry should so affect Severus. He has let his hatred of James Potter color his entire relationship with the boy, whom he should be protecting and guiding, not belittling and insulting. He could never get along with Sirius—although to be fair, Sirius never made any kind of effort either—and has been barely civil to Remus. Now, they've actually made up?"
"Yes, Minerva, they have, and believe me I was as surprised as you were at how much Severus was affected," Dumbledore replied. "I am also pleased about that for an entirely different reason."
"That being?"
"Severus himself. You know what he is and has been, and the role he must play in all this. For years, and even more since Tom rose again, he has been fully expecting to be caught and tortured to death as a traitor—and he still went back, time after time, playing one of the finest acting roles imaginable. This is the price he has willingly accepted, to pay for his own youthful error in taking Tom's Mark. However, the additional cost is as you have seen: he has been cold, bitter, untrusting, and unwilling to be at all social in public, lest his façade crack even the slightest. He has no hope for himself, that he can even survive the war, let alone have a life afterwards; he will not allow himself that luxury, and begrudges it to anyone else. But now that he knows the truth about Tom and Harry, he seems to feel the same urgency I do, and that Harry apparently does. In the interest of not wasting either further time—as the feuds with the dead were doing—or more lives, he is now willing to throw his entire effort into his part: this includes helping more with training the students, especially those who will be in the Junior Order, and in a manner that does not leave them either terrified or mortified. He is willing to let himself be civil in private at least. I was very pleased that he and Remus have called a truce—and it was Severus who made the first move, not Remus. He mentioned that he and Remus spoke at length about his letter. And you saw him today: I think we have seen more of the real Severus Snape today than we have in a very long time, and I for one am exceedingly glad for it."
Dumbledore refreshed his tea, and continued. "He saw in Harry's letter that Harry was willing to put aside everything but the necessities to further the Order's main goal. This is no less than what he himself has been doing all these years. I think part of what his problem with Harry was, aside from the unnerving resemblance to the despised James Potter, was that he was deeply envious of the fact that Harry was actually living a life in between crises, as Severus could or would not. Part of that belief has been destroyed, now that he knows the truth about Harry's home life. They have more in common than either of them realizes, and they are both capable of great single-mindedness; for them to work together will help not only all of us, but both of them."
McGonagall considered that. "What set off Harry, though? I too expected him to still be in mourning."
"The very same thing that has been his underlying motivation all along: the great desire he has to lose no more friends and family. Truly, Minerva, if he could, he would place himself between his friends and all harm—and he now knows he cannot do that; apart from its sheer impossibility, his friends insist on doing their share. Or he would want to call Tom out in Wizard's Duel, and do all he could to take him down, even at the cost of his own life."
"But he's not even sixteen yet, and Tom would make short work of him!"
"He knows that. If nothing else, seeing Tom and me fight in the Ministry showed him that he is not nearly ready to fight at our level. Hence, the desire for more training, and a new resolve to work at it until that goal can be achieved, and sooner rather than later. As he said in his letter to me, he knows that he cannot personally protect every single person he cares for; the only way he can is to learn what he needs to know to face Tom. He knows that he cannot do it now; but he is willing to wait and train until he at least has a chance. He does not want to lose, for to do so would be to fail everyone he loves—and that is unacceptable to him." Dumbledore's eyes seemed to unfocus for a minute, then they widened ever so slightly; a realization came into them, and sadness.
McGonagall saw that; after all the years she had worked with this man she knew his expressions very well. "Albus, what is it?" she asked softly.
"I think I have realized just what is truly motivating Harry. A moment…" He got up, went to the cabinet, and drew out his Pensieve. "I do not intend to make this general knowledge, even in the Order; but you are my Deputy, and you will be the Headmistress if I perish or am incapacitated in this war; you and Alastor will be leading the Order. You need to know more than the others do; so far, only Harry and I have heard all of this. This is the Prophecy, in full, of the Seventh-Month Child, that Tom was after last month; it is as Sibyll told it to me, years ago, when she applied for her post here. This is one of her two real ones, and I wish it were not so." He activated the Pensieve, and sat back with bowed head.
McGonagall listened to the part she already knew--then froze as she heard the part she did not know: "…And the Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hands of the other for neither can live while the other survives…"
When the miniature figure of Sibyll Trelawney faded away, Dumbledore raised his bent head. "I think Harry has made his own interpretation of the Prophecy: so long as Tom walks the earth, Harry cannot live the normal life of a nearly-sixteen-year-old Wizard; he will always be looking over his shoulder for Tom and his followers and worrying about his loved ones. Tom cannot attain the power and the rule he wants until Harry is dead; he does not know that yet." His eyes widened a little in surprise, then thoughtfulness. "And I have come to my own realization: Harry's geas is only to kill Tom, or be killed by him. Nowhere does it say that others may not have a hand in hurting Tom, and having Harry give him the final coup only; again, the reverse is also true. It will not be as dramatic as their first meeting, nor as heroic-sounding as having them go at it in a one-on-one duel—but it will work, and much sooner than waiting for Harry to come into his full power and skill." His eyes lit with a small gleam of hope.
McGonagall was silent for a moment, and then asked, "Do you know what this 'power that the Dark Lord knows not' is?"
"I believe so—it is what saved Harry the first time, and this latest time in the Ministry," Dumbledore replied quietly. "It is love; it has defended Harry several times already. Tom cannot bear it and has none of his own. But how an offensive weapon may be made of it, I have no idea as yet."
IV. Meetings--Harry and Remus
(Concurrent with the House Heads' meeting)
"Are you certain that three will do?" asked Lupin.
"Yes, three everyday robes will do; I will probably have to go to Diagon Alley for at least one set of battle robes, as they don't have such things here. My dress robes still fit, and haven't had much use; I'll keep those. I'm just glad that they had enough socks, shirts and underwear; I really needed replacements. Now you, on the other hand, do need more; you are a Professor again and should look like one, not like a tramp!" Harry insisted. "If you won't buy them for yourself, I will. Now, get up there on the fitting stand and hold still!"
Smiling, Lupin obligingly took his place on the fitting stand. After his measurements were taken, and fabrics selected, he made the necessary arrangements for delivery, and asked Harry, "Where to, next?"
"Lunch at the Three Broomsticks," Harry decided. "I think Madam Rosmerta will give us one of her private rooms if we ask her."
Lupin agreed. While Harry's trademark messy black hair, green eyes and scar were hidden under a Glamour Charm, much of what they might discuss over lunch did not bear being overheard—and Lupin knew that Harry would have many questions, now that he had had a night to sleep on yesterday's events.
"All right, Moony," Harry began, after both Wizards had gotten outside of some decent food and some Butterbeers. "What got you into this? I wrote the Headmaster and Professor Snape, but I didn't figure on you as well. Not that I'm unhappy, mind—it was just a surprise!"
Lupin smiled a bit wryly. "You would ask the hard one first. Let's see—your letters were sent, and arrived, Friday. That evening, Professor Snape came to Headquarters to ask me about the one you sent him."
"Why you? I thought he detested you! I'm not surprised that he went to Professor Dumbledore; they probably compared notes."
"He wanted a second opinion from someone who knew you well, before he went to the Headmaster. In his opinion, the only adults who qualified who were in the Order were the elder Weasleys and I, and I'm the only one apart from the Headmaster who knew about some of the things you mentioned. He had no choice, if he was to get the honest evaluation he wanted."
"Why?"
Lupin grinned. "Because you gobsmacked him, Harry."
Harry blinked. "I did what?"
"You totally surprised him, and that is truly rare; he was definitely not prepared. More than that, and even rarer, you made him think; you showed him that you wanted what he wanted, and as badly, and was willing to do your share—and that he did not expect, not from you, and not so soon after the Ministry battle. He was expecting you to be in the same condition that you were in at the end of the year, not swallowing your pride and grief and asking for help from a man whom you loathed." Lupin shook his head. "For that matter, you shocked me, too. I can't begin to tell you how proud of you I was, for being so generous to a man who has given you nothing but grief in public—no matter how much help he has given you in private."
"So you read the letter?"
"Yes, I did; actually, I read both of them. Severus surprised me, too; he came to me on his own, and asked me nicely—well, nicely for him—to read it, so that I could tell him if you were, in his words, 'serious and sane'. I told you why he picked me. But it's odder than that; something you said about wanting not to waste time hit him hard, for some reason. He was sincere, and willing to help—and he was the one who offered the truce, not I."
Harry stared at the older man. "He did?"
"He did, indeed. You convinced him that you were sincere, and you also managed to crystallize some of his own uneasiness. Afterwards, we both went to Albus; I think we surprised him, too, at seeing us together without fighting. We all read both your letters, decided that your ideas were worth the discussion you asked for, and came to see you; the rest you know."
Lupin then gave Harry a compassionate look. "I also know now, having seen it—and I know Albus and Severus know this, too—that you were trying to do too much, too fast; but we might not have realized it, had it not been for the incident with your relatives."
Harry shrugged. "I think I would have been all right, if Aunt Marge hadn't been there. She has always hated me, for what reason I have no idea. But I just wasn't ready to deal with her comments right then. The policeman wasn't a problem; I mean, after the Dark Lord and the Wizengamot, he was nothing. But the main problem is that he exposed the Dursleys for liars to the whole neighborhood—and for that they will never forgive me. You probably saved me a major scolding."
"Albus and Severus thought it would be worse than that; it was your reaction they were worried about. They were afraid you were going to completely lose it and blow up the house and all of us with it. That you handled yourself as well as you did impressed both of them immensely—you have no idea how much." Lupin smiled. "And you should have seen Severus giving your relatives the full Snape treatment—then Albus laid into them! I hardly had to say anything!"
Harry tried to imagine such a scene; it was unnerving. However, given two unpleasant people to choose from, he would rather deal with Snape rather than Uncle Vernon. "So, what happens to me now?" he asked.
"Albus has temporary custody; he will get you a new guardian. It can't be me because of the laws; but I will have a say, and your guardian must accept me as part of your family. It likely won't be the Weasleys, as they are targets already; but they must also be acceptable to any guardian of yours. If it were peacetime, I think they'd be his first choice. Severus is out of the question, for what should be obvious reasons. Minerva is your Head of House, and Albus' Deputy; there are responsibility conflicts there. And I think you understand why Albus can't keep you himself; he simply has too many obligations as it is, and dares not make you even more of a target than you already are."
Harry nodded. "I know he cares, in his own way. But he has to see the big picture, and I'm one part only. I don't think I would want to be in his place, to have to run a war, and care so much—and this isn't even the first time for him. If I can do my part, I'll be happy; the other result is just not acceptable."
Lupin nodded. "That was what Severus saw in your letter. To him, the other result is not acceptable either. You are correct, by the way, about his loyalties; whatever other differences we have, we agree on one thing: Riddle and his crew must be brought down and destroyed. Severus has never said so in so many words, least of all to me; but I think his decision to take the Mark was one of the biggest regrets of his life. Then again, many of his House year-mates did so as well, so he wasn't alone. But no matter his attitudes, no matter how bitter he is—he will stand by Dumbledore to the end, no matter the cost. He owes Albus more than a Life-Debt, it's more of a soul-debt; and he will pay and keep paying until either he dies or Riddle does."
Harry shook his head sadly. "As I said, it isn't me he has to convince. It's Ron who doesn't trust him not to betray us."
Lupin considered that. "I think that once we get the Junior Order up and running, Severus will be working with it. Remember it won't be just combat skills you'll be learning: you young people will be using your other skills as well. You've intrigued Severus with your ideas about Peter; I think he will be using the Juniors as researchers on that, at least. If he can show the face to them, at least in private, that he has shown to us this weekend, and hold down his usual sneering, I think Ron will come around, once he realizes that there really is a human being under the snarky bastard of a Slytherin Potions Master—and one who has made unimaginable sacrifices."
Harry nodded; he knew what went on at Death Eater meetings, and he was certain that Snape took his turn under Riddle's tortures.
Lupin decided it was time to change the subject. "There is one other subject we haven't gotten to, that you asked Albus about: and that is Sirius' estate."
Harry looked up, startled. "I thought that we couldn't even acknowledge that we knew him, let alone knew he was alive or dead?"
"Not any more," Lupin replied. "Albus has managed to convince Fudge that one of the things he was wrong about was Sirius. The fact that Sirius fell at the hands of a known Death Eater in front of witnesses, rather than fighting on their side, helped convince the Minister. We may not get a public acquittal for Sirius yet, but neither will we have to hide that we knew him any more. Albus is waiting on the Gringotts Goblins to get back to him on the will, but it looks as if you and I will be the major beneficiaries, with Albus as executor and trustee in case you're still a minor, as you are. Siri disinherited all the Death Eater relatives, and as the last male Black of the direct line, he had somewhat more freedom to will things that otherwise would have to go to a Black; Andromeda and Tonks will get any of that they may want. The house will still be for the Order's use for the duration, but we can live there; I have lifetime residence rights either there, or if Siri owned any other houses; we'll get the details later. You will not be going back to the Dursleys' ever again, unless you want to visit."
"But I thought…I thought this was temporary? What about the blood protections?" Harry was confused.
"Right, I forgot you were asleep when we laid into your relatives, and half asleep when you signed the paperwork. Well, first you have to remember that all three of us saw and heard the entire thing: not only the general meeting, but also your private conference with DC Markham. I didn't hear Albus' conference with him, but he and Severus are satisfied that Markham won't cause any problems. He's convinced that you aren't the problem, and will do what he can for your cousin; the rest he doesn't care about as it isn't a local matter. But the gist of what we three agreed on was that in order to give you what you not only want, but need, you have to get away from that place; the Blood Charm is of little use if your own family hurts you even worse, even through inaction and neglect. You told us that you were in for a major tantrum from them when they got back; oddly enough, Markham warned Albus about that as well, and he doesn't even know the whole story." Lupin sighed. "We would be unfit to be your teachers and guardians if we had deliberately left you there: we feared that you would level the house when you finally snapped, with maybe us, yourself and the Dursleys in it."
"I'm not that strong!" protested Harry. "That's why I left my wand with you--so I wouldn't be tempted to hex anyone!"
"Oh, yes you are—especially if it all comes out at once, pointing in one direction—everything you've been holding back for years, on top of everything you were holding back yesterday to keep your cover with the constables and your neighbors." Remus gave Harry a measuring look. "Harry, I don't need the wolf sense to tell me that you have not told us all of the truth about your home life, not by half. What you have told me, and what I have seen and heard there, tells me that something should have been done much sooner than this. How you lived there is part of what made you as strong as you are: it has also hurt you in that you cannot properly express yourself to other people; you do not trust adults, or else you want to protect the ones who should be protecting you, as you did this last term; you have only the vaguest idea of a normal family relationship; and you have a very poor opinion of yourself as a worthy human being in your own right, not just for what you can do. Having too poor of a self-image can be as bad as having too inflated a one. Worse yet, you have no clear sense of when you are not only allowed to ask for help, but need to, as you never had any. Worst of all, you feel as if you must hold everything in, lest you appear weak—and that is what your main problem was yesterday: it was trying to get out at last. Everyone has a limit, and you were very near yours. You do have great power, and to have it all explode at once would have had bitter consequences. So, you are effectively injured, at a time when you can least afford to be; you need time and a place to heal, and your relatives will not give you that. Believe it or not, Severus is actually the one who saw it most clearly; he deals discreetly with problem children in his House fairly often, and he's seen that happen more than once. He and Albus agreed it was past time they got you out of there, and to where you can rest and heal before you begin the demanding training you want."
Harry bowed his head. "I just want to get on with it, so that I can do what I have to, and finally get back to living," he said miserably.
"That you will—but you must be in condition to do so, and right now you are not. No one will think the less of you if you take a few more days to rest, recover, and mourn; I think Albus is also planning a memorial soon for Sirius, and that will help."
"But I've already had time—" Harry looked up in impatience.
"You were isolated, unable to open up and let the pain out properly. It's festered, and needs to be drained before you can move on." Lupin's eyes met Harry's; they glistened with unshed tears. "I at least had that much: that I had solitude when I wanted it, that no one put me down for crying at night, and I had people who cared to be with me when I needed it most. You've had almost none of that, and you deserve it. I know that you don't want to waste more time; I say that it will be more time wasted, if you try to begin without healing first, and we have to patch you up worse later." His voice intensified. "And don't you dare tell me that you don't deserve a respite, or you do deserve the pain. You've at least gotten past the blame cycle, and that's good. That you managed such well-reasoned, intelligent letters impressed the hell out of both Albus and Severus, to say nothing of me! But you have to deal with things in their proper order."
Harry looked back down. "Do they understand why I must do this? That I don't want any more lives lost that I could have prevented? That I have to, if you insist, heal as fast as possible so that I can get started?"
"You were quite clear about it in both letters," Lupin replied quietly. "We do indeed understand. What you don't understand is this: we are a community at war. It isn't only you and Riddle; some of his followers would quite happily pick up where he leaves off when he is killed. On the other hand, you realize that there are other people to help you deal with the followers, and that they need training too. In war, there are casualties. All one can do is try to minimize those on your own side, and cause the maximum on the other. I know it is not your part to handle the overall picture. As you yourself said, that's Albus', and frankly, I don't envy him any more than you do. But neither you nor he can prevent all losses, and if you can realize that, it will help."
V. Meetings--Albus, Remus and Severus
(Still later that day, in the Headmaster's office)
"How did the shopping go?" inquired the Headmaster of Remus Lupin.
"Well enough," replied Lupin. "Harry insisted that I buy new clothes too. After all, I should look like a Professor again."
The other two men smiled. "I do not recall that you ever had any fashion sense," Snape commented dryly.
"I really don't," Lupin admitted with a smile. "When you don't have money, you can't afford fashion. But in this case, Harry threatened me that he'd buy the robes if I didn't. So, what could I do? I shut up and let myself get fitted."
Dumbledore leaned forward a bit. "And how well did the Glamour charm work?"
"Very," Lupin replied. "No one paid Harry the least attention. A few people recognized me, but not many." His smile faded as he recalled the rest of the day. "After that, we went to the Three Broomsticks for lunch in a private room—and made very certain that we were not interrupted or overheard. Harry is now caught up on the basics of what happened when he was asleep. I also told him you were working on the will, and will let us know the details when the Goblins get back with you."
"That I expect to happen this week," Dumbledore replied. "For your part, I would not be concerned about the price of your robes; you will have enough."
Lupin's head dropped. "You know that I would trade all of it to get Sirius back. So would Harry." He raised his head back up. "But I think Harry is finally starting to really believe what he wrote to you two: that what happened is now past, and he cannot change it. I think that your plan for the memorial should go forward as soon as possible; we here are not the only ones who need the closure."
"I intend to bring that up this Friday, at the full Order meeting," Dumbledore agreed. "At the same meeting, I also intend to bring up his idea of a Junior Order for those who are not of age, but able to assist."
"Do you plan to tell the Order that it is Potter's idea?" Snape asked, with a slight tone of his usual skepticism.
Dumbledore was unmoved. "Yes, I do; I intend to tell them several of his ideas, with the thought that they need to see him as more than a child, and more than an Order asset to be safeguarded closely. We failed in that; the other method may work better." He looked from Lupin to Snape. "Will I have your support, or will we argue about it?"
Lupin answered first. "You know you have mine, Albus. The best hope I have of seeing that Harry has a chance of surviving the war is to get him the training he needs. Afterwards, we can consider schooling and careers."
The Headmaster nodded. "In turn, I will do all in my power to aid him in this goal." He turned to Snape. "And you, Severus?"
"I will, but not for the reason you may think," Snape replied quietly. "If Potter is indeed what is required to win the war, then he needs the training. His friends will not abandon him, and too many of them know what I am; therefore, I will need to train them as well. And, before you ask, I will do my part as best I can." He raised his head and met Dumbledore's eyes. "I believe I now have another report of my spying to make."
"Should I leave?" Lupin asked.
"Not for this," Snape replied. "If you will remember, Albus, I took each of the Dursleys away and did the Memory Charms. I also performed Legilimency on them."
"Oh? In addition to the Memory Charms?" Dumbledore asked. "To which ones did you do this, why, and what did you learn?"
"On all three, and since Dudley is sixteen that includes committing it on a minor; in order to discover their true attitudes that we suspected, and the information about Potter's home life that he has not been willing to tell us; and more than I ever wanted to know."
"Meaning?"
Snape gave a sigh and leaned back in his chair. "Potter was right, and so was Markham; had we not intervened Harry would have been verbally abused, and probably worse. He has continually understated the poor treatment he received there. From Vernon, I discovered a deep-seated resentment that we kept him from 'thrashing the freakiness out of him', and apparently, he had been trying to do just that before Harry's first letter. From Petunia, there is much bitterness that goes back from before Harry was born: this started with jealousy of Lily who became the family's favorite after she got her Hogwarts letter. It didn't help that Lily was also the prettier of the two girls. This was expressed in part by indulging and fattening Dudley while working and starving Harry, to the point of keeping him in a cupboard until he received his first letter—and that he didn't get until Hagrid gave it to him. Vernon was intending to get physical this time; with the Underage Restrictions, Potter didn't stand much of a chance against someone that much bigger. If he had used any magic, the Ministry could not have failed to notice, and our visit would have been exposed. From Dudley, I saw many instances of physical abuse: pushing, shoving, and striking with a short baton he has as part of his school uniform; had Harry not learned to run and hide, he would have been beaten many more times for the pleasure of Dudley and his friends. However, this current incident has shaken Dudley so much, that I think if someone can get him out of that house and away from Vernon, he can maybe reform. Last summer's lesson with the Dementors was not wasted on him. However, he will not be able to do it alone against his parents; he needs outside help, and I think that Markham is willing to do it. You did mention it to Markham; and I did manage to drop a tiny hint to the boy to ask for police assistance."
Dumbledore nodded. "In this case, you were acting in Harry's interests, and actually in Dudley's; I see no need for this to go any further, as I suppose the memory of what you did is part of what you removed." At Snape's brief nod, he continued, but a sad note crept into his voice, and his eyes dimmed a little. "This only confirms that what we did was indeed the right thing to do. I only wish that we could have done it sooner, or that there had been a better choice in the first place."
"So, now what happens?" asked Lupin quietly.
"Harry will stay here at least a few days, until a number of matters are sorted out. I will speak to the person I have in mind as a guardian this week to determine if there is interest." The Headmaster looked at both the men before him. "Either of you would be far better, and neither of you is possible. I only wish it were not so."
Snape's face took on its usual scowl. "Really, Albus, how could I possibly be considered at all?"
"I did not say you were being considered; I know it would be impossible," Dumbledore replied calmly. "But you at your worst would have been better than those Muggles. That is one error of many that will haunt me for life: that I let any child under my watch endure such conditions. I know Harry is not the only one, nor the worst, and that we have done what we could when we could; but I know that some will not be discovered."
"There is one fault in your reasoning: if Harry were my ward, in order for him to be allowed to live at all, it would be expected for him to be trained in the Dark Arts, and to take the Mark as soon as he became of age. Tell me the Muggles were worse than that!" Snape's voice, even at first, ended in a snap.
"I am not speaking of then, Severus," Dumbledore replied, still calmly. "I am speaking of now. As we have all been reminded several times this week, the past is done and over with; we must go forward and do what we can with what we have. What we have, fortunately, is a living Harry Potter, who is not so crippled that he cannot heal; and who, furthermore, is willing, if not yet able, to take his place in the War. What we must do is simple: everything we can, which includes getting him a guardian who understands what Harry must do, and will support him instead of trying to hold him back. You at least could have been that, were the circumstances different. But as they are not, then the most I can ask of you is to do as you have been doing: silent support and watchfulness in the background, training as possible, and giving him a place he knows he can turn to in an emergency, so that what happened last month will be less likely to be repeated. Forgetting that you were Order and that you could be trusted was one of the errors Harry made that he bitterly regrets."
"And that is at least part of the horrific guilt-load he has over Black," the Potions Master replied tiredly. "I am certain that he has blamed me in part for Black's demise; I know he did not really trust me then, and I have barely won any of his trust now." He looked over at the brooding Werewolf. "Remus, I know I will have to work with him, in order to fulfill his requests of me. Do you believe that he will hold to his resolve to work with me as well?"
Lupin thought for a few moments, then nodded. "I think so. It won't be smooth or easy for either of you, because you are both immensely stubborn; but if you both can at least start out with an effort to be civil in private, then maybe things will go as we wish for a change." He managed a slight smile. "And I'll be here—well, at least most of the time—for Harry to rant about you to, and I promise not to tear you to shreds if the training proves to be a little bruising."
"It will be," Snape promised grimly. "If we are running short on time, as we all seem to agree on, then I must push him as hard and fast as he and I can manage. He must be shielded, at the minimum, from false visions, so that we are not misled again. We are both going to be bruised from this."
"You are both strong enough to endure it," Dumbledore encouraged. "And with Remus to act as a backup and a safe place to vent, I think Harry will do well." He smiled at both men. "I am also immensely proud of both of you, that you are starting to work together to help attain our goal. I can only hope, when all this is over, that we can continue as we have begun, and not find more reasons to hurt each other." He stood and stretched. "I have sat in too many meetings today, and I am old enough to admit when I am tired. I suggest we all get dinner, and then a decent night's sleep, so that we may begin anew in the morning with clear heads." This was a dismissal, and both of the younger men knew it.