CH17: Choices

~"How many people live in Godric's Hollow?"

"There is no way you are going to - "

"How many?"

"No, Harry, I won't let you - "

"Minister, Newmon, someone? Anyone know?"

"About 30,000," Andrew answered hesitantly.

Harry turned to look the Headmaster right in the eyes, a resigned look on his face. "Then you know what I have to do."~

You don't have to do this, Harry," Dumbledore said quietly.

"Yes, I do." He sighed. "Does anyone have a quill and some parchment I could use?"

"Right here." Fudge handed the items over. "What for? What's going on?"

Harry ignored him. "Can I have a couple minutes please?"

"What is going on?"

"I just have a few things I need to write."

"What is going on!" Fudge demanded.

"Their hostages, Fudge. Voldemort already controls the town." The occupants of the room gasped.

"What?!?"

"He's going to kill them if I don't .... "

"He won't touch them," Dumbledore said firmly.

"Professor, - "

"No. We'll get in somehow."

"Do you know that for certain?" asked Harry, a pleading look in his eyes. "Can you honestly tell me that you will save each and every one of those people." Their was silence. "I thought not."

"But what's this have to do with you?" Andrew asked.

"A trade," replied Harry. "He's offering them for me."

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An hour later, Harry emerged from Andrew's office, letters clutched in one hand. He walked up to Dumbledore.

"Can you make sure these letters get to who they're written for?"

Dumbledore nodded, unable to make a sound.

"There are a few things I need to get from Hogwarts."

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Harry packed up his bag: some clothes, a few books, his photo album, letters people had sent him, and his journal. On the way back out of the Gryffindor portrait hole, he bumped straight into Hermione.

"Harry, where have you been?!? I've been so worried!" Hermione threw her arms around his neck and Harry felt tears come to his eyes. She pulled back. "What's wrong?"

"I - I - I'm going to be gone for awhile," he replied quietly.

"What? Where are you going?"

"It doesn't matter right now. Just - I'm going to miss you."

"What aren't you telling me?

"I'll see you when I can, Hermione." And with that, he left.

"Harry!?!"

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Harry sat silently back in Andrew's office, thinking about what he was going to do. The department was silent - nobody dared to make noise. Nobody had anything to say.

Finally, Dumbledore entered the small room.

The pair sat staring at each other for a long time before the professor broke the silence.

"You don't have to go."

"Yes, I do."

"There are other ways - "

"You know I can't sit around while he ..... "

Dumbledore opened his mouth again, but Harry cut him off.

"Why me, Professor? Why does he want me?"

He was silent for a minute, collecting his thoughts. "Harry, you are one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Even when you were a child, it was clear you would grow to be powerful, but .... it's not just that. You have a determination and strength that I have never seen before. Voldemort sees this, too.

"You're meant for great things. Being Gryffindor's heir, Voldemort studied you closely. And he saw what I see now. He knew that you must be eliminated.

"But, as you know, it didn't work. And it hasn't worked. Voldemort is an intelligent wizard - he knows when to give up. So he stopped trying to kill you. And now he wants your power.

"You're a good person, Harry. You won't join him. You won't willingly surrender. It's making him insane. He can't destroy you and he can't use you. You're the one thing he can't have."

"And he always gets what he wants," said Harry bitterly.

Dumbledore sighed. "Voldemort uses his power to instill fear and pain. He likes to control people. So he hits them where it will hurt the most - their hearts. Everything he sets his mind out to do, he accomplishes. Except for this.

"You're stopping him, Harry. And he hates that."

Fudge stuck his head into the office. "Another letter just arrived."

Harry went out and picked up the note from the table, aware that everyone's eyes were on him.

Harry,

Floo to "Rictorman's Pub, Godric's Hollow".

L.V.

"It's time to go."

"Are you sure you have to do this?" Harry turned around to face the speaker ... and was shocked to find it was Fudge.

"Yes." Harry threw the powder into the fireplace, eyed it warily, and shrugged. "Oh well, you only live once."

"He's not going to kill you, Harry," Dumbledore pointed out.

"That's where you're wrong." He turned to look Dumbledore straight in the eyes. "If I ever join Voldemort, willingly or not, Harry Potter will be dead." He gave a feeble smile as he step towards the emerald flames. "See ya, Professor. If I can."

"Wait, Harry." He turned back to the old wizard. "Call me Albus."

Harry nodded. "Rictorman's Pub, Godric's Hollow!"