A/N and other bits are at the end. Please enjoy, and review!!!!
Disclaimer: I'm not JK, so I can only stake my claim on the characters that escape into this from my (warped) imagination. The plot is mine too, however, if reviewers ( Hint, Hint!!!) suggest things and they get included, they will be properly acknowledged.
Behind the Façade
By Ammarine
Chapter 2 – Unwilling Parties
He was stunned. It almost seemed like some huge joke or a really bad dream. Harry had spent the past 20 minutes having Dumbledore tell him he was unable to stay at the Dursley's, the Granger's, Hogwarts or the Burrow. Not to mention the fact that the only way he would go back to Grimmauld Place was if he were dead, stupefied or placed in a full body-bind. Harry didn't mind the prospect of living with an Order member, most of them he thought were ok. But Harry hadn't been prepared for Dumbledore's last piece of information, not at all.
"Is this some sort of cruel joke? I've had to put up with Sirius, the closest thing I remember to ever having a parent, dying, and now this?" His raspy voice asked his professors incredulously. Judging by the stony seriousness on the Headmaster's face, it wasn't. But it couldn't be. In desperation, he turned to Professor McGonagall, silently pleading her to say something like "Surprise!", or "You're on candid camera!", an utterly ridiculous muggle show. A short shake of her head drained all of the air out his lungs. Turning back around, Harry sank into his armchair in defeat, his eyes fixed on the chair's slightly battered wooden armrest.
Dumbledore glanced at Professor McGonagall. She was looking at the Potter boy with a mixture of pity, regret and relief on her face. Dumbledore pushed his own chair back and stood, walking around to the young boy. Harry didn't move. The Headmaster moved around his desk and conjured another armchair, his own directly facing Harry's and sat down.
"Harry." The boy didn't respond, but continued to study the particularly uninteresting armrest. "Harry, ignoring me won't make the situation any better, you know that." Harry looked up at Dumbledore and straight into his Headmaster's eyes. He remembered one of the last times he had looked into Dumbledore's eyes. He remembered because at the time he felt like a snake, from possessed by Voldemort, wanting to strike the Headmaster when they had made eye contact. This time, the only thing he felt was a mix of grudging defeat, hopelessness and disappointment.
"There is absolutely nowhere else I could stay over the summer?" Harry asked his Headmaster hopefully, already fearing he knew the answer.
"I'm very sorry, Harry, but we are completely serious in this matter. I am more than adequately aware of the relationship between the two of you, however we have no other option." Dumbledore said all of this rather softly, trying to be considerate, but remaining calm at the same time. In response, Harry resumed his study of the scratched armrest. "Had there been an alternative location, Harry, any alternative location, this conversation would be vastly different, but it is not the case. You must be able to understand that. There is one advantage out of all this, though. I believe that Voldemort will be looking everywhere for you, and no one, not even Voldemort will suspect your hiding place." McGonagall flinched at the Dark Lord being addressed as Voldemort, but otherwise remained out of the conversation.
The room was devoid of noise, except for a faint tune being emitted from Fawkes. Harry used these few moments of relative silence to compose himself. It seemed that nobody was willing to let him have a normal life, let alone a normal summer. He tried to mask his feelings before pushing himself up from the squashy armchair.
"Sir, can I return to my dormitory. If I'm no longer needed, that is. I thank you for telling me, but will I ever be able to decide for myself where I want to go and what I want to do?" Unaware of it, Harry's voice steadily rose through this last part to where he was almost shouting and he had an insane urge to throw things, again. However, he felt guilty enough about ruining the Headmaster's items, so he resisted. As if suddenly realising his actions, the boy's cheeks flushed a deep red, and a mumbled "Sorry, sir," could be heard.
"You are free to return to your dormitory whenever you please, Harry," the Headmaster calmly replied as he resumed his seat behind his desk, as if he had students yelling at him on a daily basis. "Whatever anyone asks you, you cannot tell a soul. I am the secret-keeper for this secret, and only I am capable of telling disclosing the information to anyone.I know you will want to share this with your friends, but I have made arrangements for Mr Longbottom, Miss Granger and Mr and Miss Weasleys to be told tomorrow morning. Once they know, you will be able to discuss it amongst yourselves, but only in the utmost secrecy. Minerva, please escort Mr Potter back to the Fat Lady. Goodnight Harry." At that, McGonagall escorted Harry out of the office and back to the portrait, desperately hoping that Dumbledore knew what he was doing.
From a distance, Harry vaguely heard someone voice the password, 'Lion-Heart', to the Fat Lady's portrait, opening the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. Bringing him out of his reverie, Harry glanced over his shoulder before climbing through the portrait hole, muttering "Night, Professor," to McGonagall before the portrait door swung shut.
The Common Room had become rather noisy at night, now that exams had been completed, so Harry was greeted by the sight of games of exploding snap, laughter and other students having loud conversations. Ignoring it all in his foul mood, he headed towards the corner near the fire, where 4 people were seated, obviously not joining in the end-of-year cheer. As he approached, Ron looked up at Harry from his chess game against his sister, Ginny and saw the evident hopelessness on his face
"Gee, what happened, mate? What did McGonagall say?" Ron asked, clearly concerned for his best friend. Before Harry could reply, however, he thought back to something that Dumbledore had stressed to him; Whatever anyone asks you, you cannot tell a soul. I am the secret-keeper for this secret, and only I am capable of telling disclosing the information to anyone. Dumbledore had let Harry think about that for a moment, before continuing with I know you will want to share this with your friends, but I have made arrangements for Mr Longbottom, Miss Granger and Mr and Miss Weasleys to be told tomorrow morning. Once they know, you will be able to discuss it amongst yourselves, but only in the utmost secrecy.
"McGonagall didn't say much, Dumbledore did most of the talking. I don't want to talk about it, Ron. You'll find out tomorrow." Before Hermione, who had stopped reading at Harry's comment, or any on the others could begin to speak, Harry continued. "Look, I'm not feeling all that well, I might head for bed now, I think. 'Night."
Professor Dumbledore watched over his steepled hands as Harry and Minerva McGonagall left his office. As Minerva stepped out over the threshold, she looked back at Albus before closing the door, the questioning look on her face the only betrayal of her true emotion on this matter that Albus. The aging Headmaster rose from behind his desk, and made his way towards the large windows that allowed him to look out over the grounds. He sat down on the stone ledge, his favourite spot, and took in the scene before him on the grounds. A moment later, Fawkes fluttered onto the ledge next to him and he absently began to stroke Fawkes' feathers. A number of students had decided to take advantage of the late sunset, by having a swim with the giant squid or with a friendly game of Quidditch.
This is what Harry should be doing. He should be having fun with friends and enjoying what's left of his youth, instead of saving us time and time again," Albus sadly thought aloud. "We take him so easily for granted, and he worth so much more. I would be upset, I guess, but not at all surprised if he now despises me as much or more than his relatives, and he has every right to be."
Turning to face Fawkes, he continued, though almost speaking to Fawkes now, instead of himself. "I think I may be starting to believe Minerva. Perhaps I don't what I'm doing. Perhaps I am just some barmy old codger, making matters worse through my having to intervene in everything." Fawkes looked at Dumbledore and replied with a long, steady note that suddenly made the old man feel a lot more reassured. "Thank you, my friend," Dumbledore said softly to the phoenix. "Your faith in me will not go to waste, I promise that to both you ... and Harry."
As the Headmaster turned back to gazing out the window, another soft sigh escaped from him. He wasn't to expecting to receive such a strong reaction from the boy, it reminded him of another encounter, one that had, in fact, occurred earlier that very same day.
The older man had been sitting at his desk, writing in a handsome leather-bound book, when he heard footsteps approaching the door. The door opened a moment later, allowing a professor, wearing a very hard expression on his face, to enter the office. "Good evening, Professor. Would you like some tea? I was just thinking of some for myself, actually." The younger man shook his head. "Very well, please, do sit down." The younger professor took the nearest chair and sat stiffly, obviously not wanting to be there, whilst Dumbledore conjured some tea and cucumber sandwiches.
The Headmaster looked across at the professor sitting with him and explained his reasons for their impromptu meeting, repeating almost word-for-word what he said to Harry. The reaction he gained from the professor, though including shouting like Harry's, was the opposite in many more ways.
"You want, no, you expect me to baby-sit the boy for 3 months, giving up my own plans and sanity, because everyone else is too busy?" The professor spat, eyes blazing and jumped out of the seat. How could Dumbledore do this, especially on the second last day of term? The old man knew of the plans for the summer. Hell, half of the plans were made by the damned man! "I have been coerced into doing so much for you and your bloody precious language, and I did it without complaint! Now, you expect me to do this for you? Well, screw you, go find someone else to play baby-sitter! I have better things to do than waste my time like that. Plainly and simply, bugger off."
Albus waited silently until the Professor's ranting had reduced to the occasional assumedly incoherent muttering, before starting to speak.
"I'm very sorry, but you, in particular, know, this situation, is a last resort. It is the only safe, feasible place. The boy will be safe with you, I know it. I know you." Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the tide of protests ready to spill from the professor. "I know you, and I know that you have some... reservations, and I completely understand. However, I have a couple of ideas to get around the problems that will arise." In the meantime, maybe the two of you will learn enough about each other to understand and, as such, respect each other a bit more, the Headmaster silently continued to himself.
The professor, whose scowl was now much more pronounced, grudgingly replied, "As you wish, Albus. I must return to my duties."
"Until dinner, then Professor," Dumbledore muttered to the retreating back of the professor who was now striding purposefully out of the Headmaster's office.
The raven-haired boy dragged himself up the spiral staircase that led to his dormitory, the one he shared with his fellow 5th year Gryffindors. He entered the circular dormitory to find it empty, finding the pleasant, welcoming silence drawing him in. Out the windows, he could see the sun had nearly set on the horizon, giving the impression it was not as late as it really was. Harry crossed the dormitory to his bed and spotted Hedwig, sitting on the headboard with her head tucked under her wing, fast asleep. Harry smiled slightly, in spite of his despondent mood. It was simple, peaceful things, like watching his owl sleep that raised his spirits, however slight these improvements were.
As he slowly sat on the edge of his bed, Hedwig awoke, her dark brown eyes opened and were immediately alert. "Sorry girl," Harry said, as he swung his legs onto the bed and made himself more comfortable. He continued softly, "Didn't mean to wake you. I'll see you tomorrow, if you want to sleep in the Owlery?" Hedwig responded with a soft hoot and an affectionate nip on Harry's finger. "Ok, then, 'Night Hedwig," He said as she spread her wings and took flight. After she soared out of the window into the warm summer evening, Harry drew his bed hangings and lost himself in his thoughts.
A/N: Thanks to Ophelia Eternal, Catti, Cheley, DraginLover, Lady Lestrange and Kemenran for reviewing Chapter 1. To the rest of you, Review, Review, Review!!! Pretty please!!
If you haven't guessed who Harry's host for the summer could be, then stay tuned for chapter 3, where the 'mystery host' is revealed!! Even if you think you know, stay tuned anyway!! :-) Chapter 3 is on it's way, it's not as interesting as this chapter, but hope you like it. If you find anything you think isn't quite right, like spelling (my spelling is Australian English), grammar, or I've screwed up my plot line somehow, please let me know in your review. I am currently beta-less. If anyone is willing, feel free to let me know.
"barmy old codger" : GoF, pp 332 ; Dobby tells Harry what Dumbledore said he could be called to Dobby when Dobby was hired.
I thought that Neville and Ginny have made the Golden Trio the Golden Quintet, especially after the MoM incident, which brought the 5 of them together. Luna could be included, but I thought that as she's a Ravenclaw, she probably wouldn't spend heaps of time with the others, so she wouldn't be as close as the others are.
Also, I made Dumbledore into a bit of a self-doubting old fart 'cos of the 'big talk' he had with Harry after MoM. He seemed to me that because of that big mistake he made, that maybe he's lost some of that confidence in himself and his plans that's been present in past books.
Let me know what you think and if you have any questions, please ask!!! Now review!!!! Please!!!!