Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anyone else in this chapter.
Sorry about the wait. Finals week. Tomorrow's my last one. Math. Eww. And then winter formal! Weeee! Fun. *grin* And then babysitting Saturday, sleepover Monday, then CHRISTMAS! And Hanukah and Ramadan, right? Happy Holidays!
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Chapter 52: An Unlikely Source of Answers
Harry questioned the teachers that day. He knew that Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Delano were his best choices. Snape went to school with his parents and probably knew as much as anyone, but Harry wasn't even going to try and ask him. Harry's next thought was Dumbledore, but the Headmaster was absent at breakfast (and later at lunch). Harry decided Flitwick might possibly be easier to manipulate than McGonagall.
"Professor Flitwick?"
"Oh, hello, Harry!"
"I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment."
"Why, yes. Of course. What is it?"
"I want to write a paper on the ghosts of this school and I was wondering if I could talk to you about them. Some of them seem a little reluctant to tell me things."
"Really?" Harry thought he heard a catch in Flitwick's squeaky voice.
"Yes. Like how the Bloody Baron died."
Flitwick shook his head. "I don't know. I think the Headmaster knows."
"Oh, okay then. Well what about Professor Binns?"
"He might know how the Baron died," he said thoughtfully.
"Thanks, that's a good suggestion. But I was wondering if you could tell me how he died?"
"I'm sorry, Harry, perhaps we can finish our chat later?" He scurried off.
Harry moved on to McGonagall's office. "Professor—"
"Harry, I know you would like to learn about how Professor Binns died, but right now, that is privileged information."
"Professor, I'm sure you and the Headmaster and everybody else involved have very good reasons for not wanting me to know this, but let's look at this logically, shall we? We're both rational people. I'm going to find out, that's a given. I always find out. So why not save us both some time and trouble and tell me now?"
"Mr. Potter!" she said sternly.
"Professor, how long have we known each other?" he asked patiently.
"Well, I knew you as an infant and I've known you well these last six years. What's your point?"
"My point is that you know somewhere along the line, somebody always slips up or I hear things not meant for my ears and I found out what I want to know anyway. You know me well enough to know that I will find out, Professor. I'm resourceful enough to learn anything I set my mind to."
"Then why don't you set your mind on learning that spell in class to transfigure yourself into a reptile, hmm?" She seemed on the brink of telling him what he wanted to know, but changed her mind. "This little conference is over, Potter. The door is behind you."
He shrugged. "That's okay, Professor. I'm going to find out anyway. I've got people working on this all over the school. Something's bound to come up, isn't it?" He smiled placidly and walked out, knowing that his transfiguration teacher was glaring at him. Hmmm, he thought. Maybe that's why Luna smiles so much! 'Cause she knows it annoys people! He laughed and went down to Hagrid's hut and found Hagrid outside, gardening.
"Hey, Hagrid," he said cheerily.
" 'Ello, 'Arry! Whatcha up ter?"
"Oh, not much. Just thought I'd come pay my buddy a visit."
"Where're Ron an' Hermione?"
"Up in the library doing some research. I'm so glad I'm not taking history of magic anymore. Research and essays for that class took hours and hours."
"Never liked that one much meself. Though Binns was a little less borin' when he was alive."
Harry almost grinned, could Hagrid make this any easier? "You knew him when he was alive?"
"Sure did. He only passed on about twenty years ago. Give or take about 4. Maybe a little more. Never paid much attention to him meself."
"So how did he die?"
"Oh, die? Hmm . . . lemme think . . . I remember it was odd . . ." He frowned in thought.
Unfortunately for Harry, just then Flitwick, McGonagall, and Snape reached Hagrid's hut, all somewhat out of breath. "HAGRID! Don't tell him anything!"
"What? You don' even know what he asked about."
"Yes, we do. Don't say a word. The Headmaster has asked us to tell you so."
"Sorry, 'Arry. If it's Dumbledore's orders . . ."
"I understand." Harry almost glared at his teachers, but decided instead to smile, which earned him a glare from the three of them. He waved cheery goodbyes and went back to the castle. Who else was there? Delano. She'd never really seemed to get along with McGonagall very well. Maybe they hadn't gotten to her yet. He went as quickly as he could to her office and knocked.
"Come in, Harry!"
Harry hesitated. How did she know it was him?
"I said come in, I haven't got all day, boy." She pulled the door open. "I know what you're hear to talk about and I see no reason not to tell you when, how, or why Professor Binns died. I see know reason not to tell you his relationship with your parents."
"Really?" This is was something of a shock.
"Sit." She pointed to a comfortable sofa and the stepped behind her desk to sit in a cushy armchair. "Professor Binns died 18 years ago. He was a member of the Order that myself, your Headmaster, and others we both know, belong to. He was poisoned. He received a letter one night and opened it. When he opened it he inhaled deadly spores. Some of the students didn't want to believe this and started to spread the story that he had merely died of his old age, that there was no sinister plot."
"What about him and my parents?"
"Well, your mother was his favorite student and he often did encourage her to spend time with your father often. He nearly always paired them up for when James needed tutoring in his class. As for your father's relationship to him, perhaps he would be so kind as to explain it to you. Bernard!"
"Yes, Jenny? What did you do to land yourself in the office of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor? This is the third time I've seen you here this week, if you're not careful you'll get detention." He caught sight of Harry. "James! How's my favorite nephew doing? We never got to finish that little chat about your last test score."
Harry's jaw dropped wide. He hadn't expected this. He hadn't expected this at all. Nephew? Or rather, his dad was his nephew. Which would make him Binns's great-nephew. But then what about the last name? Shouldn't it be Potter? he thought.
"The names are not the same because he was your father's mother's brother, not your father's father's brother."
"Oh." That explained it. "But why doesn't McGonagall want me to know?"
"Because, I didn't think you needed anymore tragedy in your life. You've already got plenty of dead relatives, I didn't think you wanted one more," came a voice from the doorway.
"Minerva, I've asked you to knock before entering my office," she said icily. "I am not a student here. I am your colleague."
"And you are mine, so as such you must respect my right to keep information from certain students without interfering." Her nostrils flared. "Potter, you are dismissed."
"I have not finished talking to him. I'd like to discuss his grade in my class," she smirked.
"Potter, you are dismissed," repeated Professor McGonagall.
"Go, Harry. We'll finish our little chat later, shall we?" said Delano.
Harry nodded and left. Another case of old people trying to shelter him. He went to the library to tell his friends they could stop searching through books now.