Disclaimer: Peter Gabriel own Solsbury hill. Lucky Bastard.
"Well Severus?" Dumbledore asked, looking at him directly. Snape tried not to fidget under his piercing stare.
"It's seems we just got lucky, Headmaster." Snape sneered. Bill was the only one who thought it amusing.
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at him in a silent chastisement, and waited. Snape inclined his head in an equally silent apology.
"This is a tracing orb, every student at Hogwarts has one. I was owled this particular sphere this morning by a most frantic Ms. Hopkirk, who was doing her annual rounds and found that Harry was in a most unfortunate state.
It takes a considerable amount of power to fool this type of magical item." His bright blue eyes swept the office. Snape and Lupin exchanged glances and looked almost conspiratorial.
Snape cleared his throat. "May I sir?" He asked, extending a pale hand. Dumbledore handed him the orb solemnly, watching Snape's face closely. The Potions Master held the sphere in deft fingers, turning idly, as if a certain angle would give up its secrets. Finally, he handed it to Lupin, who examined it with the detached air of someone who melted more potions cauldrons in school than not, and did not want to be reminded of the fact, so, he tossed it to Bill, thus starting an impromptu game of catch.
"I haven't the faintest clue, Headmaster." Snape said, and everyone knew he was lying. "Indeed." Said Dumbledore, twinkling softly, and swept form the room.
Silence descended, and Bill's quill was once more lodged in the ceiling. McGonagall sighed.
"Harrrryyy."
"Harrrrrrryyyyyyy…."
"Harr-omph!"
Harry moaned something about Dutch muffins, and a bludger foul, rolled over, and pushed Gekko off his bed. Gekko glared up at him in annoyance, rubbing his backside. "Oh, fine, I see how it is. I go through the trouble of waking you up, and all I get is thankless violence. Do I look like a bloody Dentist?" He twittered, clambering back onto the bed, and Harry opened one eye up at him. "Wha' d'you wannn'?" Was the whiney reply.
Gekko snorted, "It's time to get up you lazy arse, s' breakfast time, and there are waffles." He grabbed the pillow that Harry was trying to hide under and smacked him with it.
"Geroff!" He moaned and rolled out of bed, trailing after Gekko who bounded in front of him in joyful waffle anticipation.
"Hello Mister Potter."
Harry paused in mid yawn and peered into the small common room. Mr. Ollivanders, an old and thin wizard stared back at him unblinkingly, a fine ash wand twirling in his fingers.
"Erm, Hello, Sir…Dawn, What-?" Harry stared at his mentor, who was leaning against a chair and looking very amused.
"Mister Ollivanders came to visit in hopes of speaking to you, and maybe answering a few of you questions, along with an interestin proposition." She said cheerfully, straightening up and gesturing to the table, where Gekko was already stuffing his face with Belgium waffles. "I'm going to-er- discuss some issues with the esteemed Headmaster." Her mouth twitched and she swept happily from the room.
Harry stared at the closing passage door in shock. 'She really is the strangest person,' Harry thought as he rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully.
"Mister Potter."
Oh.
Right.
Harry turned to the old wizard, who was regarding him thoughtfully.
"Please, sit." He gestured to the worn chair next to him. Harry gave a mental shrug and sat, accepting a plate of waffles from Gekko.
"How is your wand?" He asked softly, his pale eyes blinking from behind his glasses.
"Er...good?"
"Indeed." Ollivander murmured, steepling his fingers in front of him, and Harry had the mad urge to hiss "eeexcccelennntt".
"I want you to be my successor."
Harry stared. "I beg your pardon?"
Gekko snickered.
"You will, of course, need to cut your hair-"
"Successor to what, exactly?" Harry blurted, blatantly ignoring Gekko.
Ollivander smiled slightly, his spectacles catching the morning light, fazing out his piercing eyes.
"Ollivanders Wands, of course."
There was a small crash, as Harry's mouth fell open, and Gekko spilt his milk.
"Are you serious?" Harry asked incredulously, leaning forward in his chair. Ollivanders chuckled, taking a sip of tea that appeared in his withered hands. "Oh, very serious, young Master. You see, I am quite old, and do not have any children to carry on my shop."
"Yes, but-"
"-Why you? One of the most important abilities of a good wand maker is not just how to pick a hair safely from a Unicorns tail, but to also have large amounts of raw, untainted magic."
Harry scratched the side of his neck distractedly, "You thinks that's me? Why not ask Dumbledore? He's powerful."
The old wizard sipped his cooling tea. "I said nothing of power, young man, I said magic. The amount of your magic does not predict how you use it, or what you seek to obtain, It is what holds you together. You are powerful in you own ways of course, but your magic is essentially pure. I thought so when I witnessed your actions in the tri-wizard tournament, nearing two years ago."
Harry sighed, and bit into a waffle. "I didn't do anything different than anyone else." He said after swallowing.
"Ah, but you did. When you were challenged by the dragon, you chose not to attack it but be on the offence, and wait for you chance to grab the egg."
"Of course I didn't attack!" Harry said in horrified surprise. "That was a-a bloody massive dragon and I'm a very little boy in comparison. Was. Little."
Height was still a sore spot for Harry.
The Wizard smiled "You had the advantage of being in the air, and it would have been beneficial for you to stun the creature. Why didn't you?"
Harry felt his face turn hot. "I didn't actually think of it." He muttered in the direction of the maple syrup. Gekko snickered.
"At any rate, Mister Potter, you do have a large amount of magic, whether you chose to believe me or not. I came here to ask you if you would consider being my apprentice." Ollivanders stated patiently.
Harry shook his head in bemusement " I-I'm sorry, but I'm already Dawn's Apprentice, and I-I don't think I'll be finishing my education at Hogwarts…" Harry trailed off, looking confused.
Ollivanders sighed and stood, wander to a large window behind Harry's chair. "The Dawn will follow the sunrise, and fade into day, Master Potter." He murmured so softly, that Harry wondered if the aged man was even addressing him. Harry opened his mouth to ask what he meant, when Snape burst into the room, pale face a sickly white, and out of breath.
"It's starting." He breathed, then collapsed.
Hogwarts was a massive castle, where if one knew his way about, he would be impossible to find. One of Dumbledore's favourite places was the Highest tower, north of the owlery. It was a quiet place of contemplation, and, he thought, the view was bloody spectacular.
"I was wondering where you went." Said a voice behind him. Dumbledore didn't turn to greet the blonde ancient, but leaned his forearms against the railing. "We've being seeing some cloudy mornings." He said, as Dawn stood by his side. "Aye" she said. "Things have been too busy for a bright sunrise." and then, smiling, "You remember then!"
Dumbledore chuckled, "It took me a while to recognize you as the same angel from my youth, Fawkes gives his regards, by the way." Dawn laughed softly, "He would, and he already has mine, of course."
Dumbledore nodded. "The last time a saw you, Grindelwald was at the height of his power, and I was barely able to fight." he looked out to the cloudy morning, watch a flock of birds soar over the forbidden forest. " And now you are here for Harry, I presume?"
Dawn shrugged, and followed Dumbledore's gaze to the sky. "I am here because I'm a horrible meddler, as my Brother would say." She grinned, "Sometimes an outside view is the best way to find an outcome. Harry needed to step back. Just as you did…It's time to let him go, Albus."
Dumbledore nodded, his eyes sad, "I suppose your right…I won't be hear much longer."
Dawn nodded, and tipped her head to the sky as a beam of sunlight coasted over the forest. "Red sky at morn…" She murmured. Dumbledore smiled.
"It's time."
Climbing up on Solsbury Hill
I could see the city light
Wind was blowing, time stood still
Eagle flew out of the night
He was something to observe
Came in close, I heard a voice
Standing stretching every nerve
Had to listen had no choice
I did not believe the information
I just had to trust imagination
My heart going boom boom boom
"Son," he said "Grab your things,
I've come to take you home.
Peter Gabriel.
All right! Things are rolling, sorry about the wait, my life has simmered down enough for me to start typing again. On another note, If anyone wants news bout my fanfics, Check out my live journal, I'll post progress reports every once in a while.
Thank-you for for all your reviews, They rock!
And the Tally from last chapter :
Good But Still a Bastard Draco: 7 votes, Bad Draco: 2 votes (Good/Bastard Draco it is)
Snupin :Five yea's, two Nea's (Compromise: How bout I make them tolerate each other, and practice my subtext…I don't want to terrify any young readers, so if I feel like it, I'll write cut stories and post them up separately, and you don't have to read if ya don't want to.)
Bring Black Back: tie…so…er….I know! I'll bring him back Star Wars style! "Use your wand Harry…USE YOUR WAND!" (Just Kidding)
Annd….umm, SPOILER: I figured out what Dawn is. Heh.
Until next time (Possibly within two weeks, I PROMISE), Ta for now!