Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix
Chapter 2 - Journals, Essays, and Dumbledore
A couple of weeks later, with only one week to go until his promised rescues from Dumbledore, Harry had just finished yet another essay, this time for his NEWT DADA class, and it was an easy one: "Describe how to produce a patronous, who it affects and why, and the after-effects on the caster." Harry found that he was able to get at least one essay done a day, maybe even a little more, and he only had about three or four left.
Harry sighed, pulled out a journal. A week ago Harry had owled the Order with an order for a journal from Diagon Alley. He had been writing down the many thoughts running around in his head ever since that fateful night in the Department of Mysteries where he saw his godfather be murdered by one of Voldemort's henchwomen, his cousin nonetheless.
"August 23rd
I am still just so frustrated at myself that I let Voldemort manipulate me that way, and it cost Sirius his life. Never again can I let anyone manipulate me in a malevolent way. Dumbledore told me that it was all his fault, but he was just saying that to make me feel better I'm sure…I know its my fault because I let Voldemort use me like that.
I miss Sirius. I miss Sirius. I MISS SIRIUS. Why couldn't have been me? Its that damn prophecy's fault…I couldn't go with Sirius and finally go to my true family because Voldemort wouldn't have killed me. He died because of a stupid prophecy made my a stupider person…if I hadn't heard Trelawny's prophecy back in my third year then I wouldn't have believed all of this.
It seems like I am just never allowed to make any decisions for myself. I choose to respect the Order's decisions at the moment because now that I know Voldemort has to kill me, or me kill him, that I need protection until I can learn enough to be a match for him. A prophecy given by someone who I have no real respect for turns out to be the guiding force in my life, responsible for my parents death, my godfathers death…why me? Why couldn't have been Neville for once, only happening to me?
Its all my fault…its all my fault…ITS ALL MY FAULT! Why couldn't have I been stronger and overcome my curiosity and overcome Voldemort's manipulations? Why did I have to let five of my school friends be injured, not to mention members of the Order…and Sirius...none of them would have been harmed or killed if it weren't for my weakness and stupidity.
It also seems like I am not allowed to live my own life anymore…Dumbledore and the Order made all the decisions about the classes for my next year…although I am not terribly upset at that. I can understand why the Order wants to protect me for as long as they can, because in the end I have to kill Voldemort or he has to kill me, and in order to have any sort of chance I need to train up. When we were by the fountain in the Ministry of Magic I froze up…I couldn't do anything when I had the chance. I have to overcome my weakness this upcoming year, for the quicker I can the less amount of people can die. And to top it all off, the guiding force of my life is a stupid prophecy given by someone who I have no respect for! I wonder when an if I will ever be able to make my own decisions."
Harry felt like he should stop there, because he was beginning to get frustrated at what appears to be a hopeless future. He decided to do the only thing that he could do in order to stop these thoughts from running rampant in his mind: "NEWT DADA: Describe the three unforgivable curses in detail and any means of countering them, and if you could make one more spell unforgivable, which would it be and why?" At the rate he was having all of these depressing and frustrated thoughts, he would become even more Hermioney than Hermione.
"Well," whispered Harry to no one in particular, "the first part of this essay seems to be easy enough, especially with The Unforgivables and You and for the second part I'll have to use that spell I learned earlier, Odium."
Odium, a spell he read about in Spells that Should be Considered Dark but Aren't by Johanna Osmitilion, causes the target to hate itself to the point that it wants to cause physical harm to the subject. The target then proceeds to mutilate itself, either with magic or muggle means, to the point of incapacitating itself. Granted, Harry decided to teach himself the spell, because he couldn't think of any legal spell better to use on one Bellatrix Lestrange, but it was Dark magic, and Dark enough that his logical, less vengeful side said it SHOULD be an unforgivable, but its not for some reason.
As Harry began to wrap up this essay, a familiar tapping on the window demanded his attention: Hedwig, his owl, wanted in. Harry got up, let the owl in, and took the parchment attached to her leg.
"Dear Mr. Potter
Miss Hermione Granger and myself will be arriving in one week's time to depart for Hogwarts School via portkey in order to discuss the planning of "Dueling and the DA: Highly Advanced DADA." Please be ready on the 30th at 9:00am, with some preliminary plans. The class enrollment is currently only allowed to those who were members of the D.A. last year, but can be expanded after one term has passes based off of yours and Miss Grangers recommendations.
See you on the 30th. You will not be arriving via the Hogwarts Express on September 1st, but will instead remain at Hogwarts.
-Albus Dumbledore"
Harry sighed, looked at the clock with read 11:34, and decided to fall into a nightmare filled, troubled sleep, which he was used to as every night of the summer it has been the same restless sleep.
During the next week Harry had a lot that he needed to finish. He had to finish three more essays, all for NEWT Charms, read the main textbook for Dueling and the DA: Highly Advanced DADA, keep writing in his journal in order to save his sanity, think about what on Earth he will be having the DA do for lessons, make sure everything was packed properly in his trunk, and read as much as he can in his textbooks.
Finally the day Harry had been looking forward to since the beginning of July: it was time to leave Number Four Privet Drive and head back to the only place he ever considered home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Harry had managed to inform his relatives, the Dursleys, he would be leaving on the thirtieth at 9:00am by leaving a note on his breakfast tray the other day. Harry wasn't quite sure how Dumbledore would be arriving, so Harry cased a levitation charm in the trunk and brought it downstairs. Periodically, Harry would hear Uncle Vernon burst out "Why haven't the bobbies found these dratted terrorists yet? There was another attack last night, not too far from here." The Dursleys, who were in the kitchen enjoying breakfast, were purposefully ignoring Harry's presence in the living room.
That was, ignoring them until a loud "whoosh" sound came from the living room, and Prof. Dumbledore and Hermione appeared holding an old newspaper. Well, that explains the question of how they would be arriving; they portkeyed.
"HARRY!!!!!!!!" yelled an overly-excited Hermione. She ran over to Harry and grabbed him into a big bear hug.
"Um, hi Hermione…you've grown a little over the summer"
"NOTHING compared to you Harry! You must be nearly six feet tall now! You are still way to skinny, but I'm sure it's those dratted relatives of yours…"
Hermione was interrupted by a loud coughing sound from behind her. She turned around, and was face to face with Vernon Dursely.
"Those 'dratted relatives' didn't need to give him any more then he needed to survive Miss. Now I suggest you get out of my house before I begin to act rashly."
"Now now Vernon, there is no need to act rashly. We are on our way out as we speak. Harry, please shrink your trunk so you may hold it on our Portkey to Hogwarts" the commanding voice of one Albus Dumbledore said.
Harry did as such, much to the surprise of all the Dursleys.
"I thought you weren't allowed to do magic outside of your…your freak school" said an astounded Petunia.
"No Petunia, did Harry not tell you? That rule was lifted this summer in response to the dark times we are in. Harry, Hermione, would each of you please touch the newspaper? That's it, there you go, and here we go, on 1, 2..." spoke Dumbledore.
"Bye!" Harry told the Dursleys cheerfully.
"Three!" and they were off, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
A/N : I decided to end chapter two here as it seemed obvious this was where to end it. Thanks for the reviews! I wasn't expecting any and it did motivate me to get the second installment out today…Ill try to have the third chapter posted by tomorrow! Thanks!