Chapter three - Recovery and Preparation
Harry smiled at Remus as he absorbed the warmth and affection from his friends and family. It was a feeling he was not quite accustomed to and not entirely prepared for after weeks of loneliness, anger, and depression. Harry couldn't quite believe how close he had come to locking these people out, and realized how fortunate he was to have everyone in this room in his life.
Shaking his head to himself, vowing not to let something like what he'd been through over the past few weeks separate him from them again, Harry realized that there was something else he needed to tell his friends. He set his shoulders and walked over to Professor Dumbledore.
"Professor? Can I have a minute?" he asked.
"Of course, Harry. What is it?" Professor Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Well, I was thinking about what we talked about in your office and I realized that I need to talk about it with my friends. I can't afford to keep it bottled up and they need to know about it. I realized tonight that I'll always be stronger with my friends than I can be alone and I need to share this with them."
Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry for several moments. His clear blue eyes gazing intently at Harry before a fond twinkle appeared in them.
"Of course Harry, of course you can tell Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley."
Harry interrupted. "Ginny, too, she has that right as well."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled even more. "Ms. Weasley as well. I daresay that I would have anticipated that you'd have shared this with them already, so I see no need to keep it from them. You will, of course, impress on them the need for discretion on this matter? It must not become common knowledge, else Voldemort will learn of it."
"I think we can trust the three of them to hold this close, Professor. Thanks. I guess I'll see you tomorrow night."
Taking his leave of Professor Dumbledore, Harry gathered his best friends and Ginny and asked them to join him upstairs. Seeing the serious look on his face, they quickly agreed and followed him upstairs.
"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked as Harry pulled the door closed behind them.
Squaring his shoulders he looked at Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Ginny still had a small smile on her face after reading her letter from Sirius and Harry was definitely intrigued as to what his godfather had left her in his will. Shaking his head, he sat down in the nearest chair and motioned for his three friends to do the same.
"Well, I have to tell you about the reason Voldemort wanted the prophecy so badly. I need to tell you what it said and what it means. You have to understand that you can't repeat this to anyone, ever, unless Professor Dumbledore or I tell you it is okay. And I'll also understand if you don't want to talk to me after you hear it, it's pretty awful."
Ron, who had blanched when Harry said Voldemort's name looked at his friend indignantly. "That's a load of rubbish Harry. No stupid prophecy would make us want to stop talking to you. It can't be that bad."
Nodding their heads in agreement Hermione and Ginny stated their agreement with Ron's assessment. Sighing, Harry leaned back and cleared his head. He then stared at the floor in the middle of the room and repeated the prophecy that Professor Dumbledore had shared with him the night of his godfather's death.
All three of his friends stared wordlessly at Harry, astounded at what they had heard, pondering its impact, and worried for Harry. As Harry watched each of them he saw that Ron had gone completely pale with worry or fear and was slowly shaking his head back and forth. Hermione had an intense look on her face and as Harry looked at her he saw that she was silently mouthing the words of the prophecy to herself, storing them in her memory and analyzing every word. Ginny was staring straight at Harry, no obvious emotion running across her face, but for some strange reason Harry couldn't quite return her gaze. He avoided her eyes by looking at her hair, her chin, and then her hands. Blushing he looked away from her and sighed.
"Well, you see, what it really ends up meaning is that I have to kill or be killed. Since I don't want to die, well, obviously that means I have to become a murderer. So I can see why you might want to avoid me from now on."
Harry's eyes again dropped to the carpet and he refused to look at his friends, fearing that he might see them agree with his assessment.
"Harry, that's about the stupidest thing you've ever said, including all the homework you made up for Divination." Ginny stated this quite calmly as she reached over and grabbed his hand. "Killing You-Know-Voldemort is a good thing, not a bad thing. It doesn't make you a murderer, it doesn't make you evil."
"Yeah, Harry," Ron chimed in. "Isn't that what heroes do? Kill the bad guy? I mean, Dumbledore killed Grindelwald and he got an Order of Merlin, not a life sentence in Azkaban. Some people just need killing and He's a first class candidate."
Harry's anger flared up, and his head snapped up at his friends.
"It's easy for you to say, but I'm the one who has to kill him. I'm the one who has to actually murder him. How could I do that? How could I kill someone? I could never kill someone."
"But Harry, you already have." Hermione looked shocked that she had said this, and was afraid of Harry's reaction. Seeing the stunned look on his face, she quickly continued.
"I mean, well, you killed Professor Quirrell in our first year. I, well, I know that you didn't set out to do it, and it was kind of an accident, but he did, well, um, die."
Her statement shocked Harry. He couldn't believe what she was saying to him. Memories of his first year came rushing back to his head as he recalled that frantic night as he, Ron, and Hermione has rushed to save the Philosopher's stone. Their defeat of Fluffy, the flying keys, the potions, the chess pieces, and finally his horrible confrontation with Voldemort and Professor Quirrell.
Harry hadn't really ever thought about the implications of that confrontation in some time. He had killed Quirrell, hadn't he? And, despite Hermione's suggestion, Harry knew, deep down, that he had intended to kill Quirrell. When Harry figured out that his touch caused such pain for Quirrell, Harry grabbed on to Quirrell, intent on destroying him. A faint beacon of hope entered Harry's awareness as he started to realize that all hope was not lost.
The sound of Ginny's voice snapped him back to awareness.
"Harry, in a way, you've kind of already killed Him twice. What's the muggle saying "third times the charm?"
"What do you mean Ginny?" Harry asked quietly.
"Well, the first time was when you were a baby. He tried to kill you but it backfired, and you kind of killed him. His body at least. And then my first year, down in the Chamber. When you confronted Tom. You knew who he was. You knew that his connection to the diary, to me, was killing me. So you used the basilisk fang to destroy the diary, to kill Tom's soul. This time all you have to do is kill his body and soul at the same time and it will finally be over."
"Yeah, that's all." Ron interrupted dryly, shaking his head. "If only Harry did it right the first two times we wouldn't be in this bloody mess."
Harry glared at his best friend as he slowly realized that Ginny was right. He did intentionally try to kill the memory of Tom Riddle. He knew the basilisk fang would destroy the diary, destroy Tom, and restore Ginny. Once he knew that he deliberately set out to kill Tom Riddle, knowing he was Voldemort. He had wanted to kill Voldemort.
The sense of hope that had sparked with Hermione's words erupted brightly in the aftermath of Ginny's statement. A warm feeling swarmed through Harry's body as he recognized that he would be able to defeat Voldemort, and that he needn't feel shame or guilt about the actions foretold by the prophecy. Harry suddenly felt more confident, more sure, more powerful than he had ever felt, and knew that with his friends at his side he would be able to do what he must.
He would kill Voldemort.
---
Harry awoke the next morning in his bedroom at number 4, Privet Drive. He was still exhausted from the previous day's events and groaned into his pillow as he heard his Aunt and Uncle arguing in the kitchen.
Recognizing the futility of trying to ignore the commotion from downstairs, Harry threw his feet over his bed and slowly started getting dressed for another day working at the park. Making his way down the stair case he paused to listen to the ranting of his Uncle.
"Petunia I don't understand why we have to suffer through his intolerable behavior any more! Why you insist on providing that ungrateful brat with shelter and food is beyond me. He's a lunatic, those friends of his are lunatics, and I am sick and tired of sheltering that nonsense in my house. He absolutely must go away from here, he must."
"Vernon, be reasonable. You know my thoughts on this matter, and you know I would like to be rid of him as well. But his safety, his very life, depends on his ability to stay here. I cannot disregard that obligation, no matter how tempting it is. It's only for a few more weeks, and then he'll be back to that wretched school again."
Harry was uncertain if he appreciated his Aunt's rationale for opening her home to him, but he did realize that she was concerned for his safety at least. There was some small comfort in that fact. With a sigh he made his way into the kitchen, prepared for the argument that seemed inevitable.
As he walked through the kitchen, he was surprised that the argument ceased as soon as he walked in. His Uncle returned his attention to the newspaper in front of him and his Aunt made herself busy with the breakfast. Wordlessly Harry walked over to the stove and took over for his Aunt.
Harry was stunned when Aunt Petunia gave him a grateful look, and she quietly sat down at the kitchen table, stirring her tea. Harry made quick work of the breakfast and quietly served eggs and bacon to his Aunt and Uncle, once again noticing that his cousin was still asleep.
Uncle Vernon quickly swallowed his meal and angrily pushed away from the table. Glaring at his nephew, he stomped out the house and left for work. With a sigh Aunt Petunia pushed her eggs around the plate for several minutes as Harry finished his breakfast.
"I'm sorry Aunt Petunia," Harry said quietly. "I do appreciate what you've done for me."
Quickly looking up at her nephew, Aunt Petunia silently stared at Harry, unsure of what to say.
"Is there- - Can I do anything to make this better?" Harry was confused by the emotions running through him, he was surprised that he was actually concerned about his Aunt.
"No," she sighed bitterly. "I just have to live with the consequences of this. Just make sure your friends don't show up in the middle of the night anymore, and you had better not stay out late again like last night."
Aunt Petunia pushed her plate away and angrily stomped out of the kitchen as well. Harry sighed, angry at his Uncle for causing such a problem this morning, and annoyed that his Aunt wasn't more sympathetic. Knowing he couldn't change them, he piled all the plates in the sink and began to wash the dishes.
As he filled the sink with hot water his thoughts wandered aimlessly. He thought of the night's events at Sirius' house - now Harry's house - and while he still deeply missed his godfather, Harry knew that the evening had provided him with some necessary closure. He was now able to think about Sirius without the agonizing guilt that had overwhelmed him for weeks. Harry also realized that he was able to think about the stupid prophecy without anguish either. He chuckled to himself as he realized how right Hermione was. And Ginny.
Surprisingly his stomach lurched when he thought of Ginny. As he dazedly scrubbed the plate over and over again he pondered the sensation that thoughts of Ginny had brought to him. He wasn't really sure what it meant, but he knew it meant something. Shaking his head, he finished the last plate and dried his hands.
"Maybe it's just a delayed reaction to being slapped," he muttered to himself. "That's got to be it." Immensely satisfied with this explanation, he headed to the park to start another day at his summer job.
---
Mr. Smith greeted Harry with a hearty slap to the back and suggested that Harry looked like he could use some rest. When Harry didn't protest that statement, Mr. Smith marched him down to the pond and sat him down in a lush shaded spot near a big weeping willow.
"Today I want you to watch how many different types of birds come by our little pond. That's it. I'll stop by again at lunch."
Harry gratefully said his thanks to Mr. Smith and settled in for the morning. He was amazed at the serenity the park offered and watched with pleasure as dozens of birds flew lazily overhead. The variety of birds in this little park was quite fascinating, though Harry was quite unconcerned about their proper names or types. Only when he saw a dark brown owl float silently through the air did Harry pay any particular attention to the birds. He watched as the owl slowly circled over the pond and headed directly for him. As the owl slowly landed by Harry's side, Harry saw the letter tied to the owl's leg. Untying the letter, he gave the owl a friendly pat on the head and it immediately flew off, ignoring the squawks of the other birds, unused to seeing an owl in daylight.
Harry Potter
Under the Weeping Willow
Little Whinging Park
Little Whinging, Surrey
Dear Mr. Potter:
We have been informed by your counsel, Mrs. Chetum, that you have been
officially certified as the heir to the Black Family trust. In case
you are not aware, the Black Family trust is one of the largest
shareholders of our company, and as such you would normally be granted
an automatic seat on our Board of Directors.
Unfortunately, due to the fact that you are a minor, and due to the
objections of the Minister of Magic, we have no choice but to call for
a shareholders meeting to seek a vote on whether to offer you a seat
on the Board, or wait until you reach your majority.
You should note that the majority of the board has recently been
replaced, as has the editorial staff. The shareholders have been
particularly displeased with the performance over the past year,
including the previous Chief's position on the events over the past
year.
Please be advised that, as the newly installed Wizard in Chief, I can
not take a position on this matter publicly as I must always seek to
benefit the company as a whole. However, were we to speak personally,
you would find that my opinion does not necessarily coincide with the
Minister.
After receiving a letter from a mutual friend, his bird sings quite
the pretty song, I have arranged to have the shareholder meeting take
place ten days from now on Saturday, August 5. You will receive
another letter with a portkey that will take you to the location of
the meeting. Obviously security is an important consideration in
these trying times, yours especially.
Please owl if you have any questions for me prior to the meeting.
Sincerely,
Walter Scrivener
Wizard in Chief
The Daily Prophet
Harry couldn't quite believe what he was reading. Sirius had never mentioned anything about the extent of his family's holdings, and he certainly never mentioned any relationship with the Daily Prophet. It was amazing, and Harry wasn't sure what to think.
For the past year he had been made a laughing stock in the wizarding world, largely due to the abuse and mistreatment of the Daily Prophet. Their editors, and writers, were scoundrels and lackeys of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and had twisted everything Harry had experienced to destroy his reputation. And now, due to his godfather's death, Harry would have a say in the operation of that newspaper. He couldn't quite believe it, and stared at the letter, pondering the implications of this recent development.
As he sat under the tree, a few random thoughts began formulating into a plan of action and a curiously mischievous smile played across his face. If he played his cards right, he'd be able to make a few necessary, and important changes, to both the Daily Prophet, and the wizarding world. Satisfied that this was the right thing to do, Harry continued to plot out his thinking, and started mentally preparing his speech to the shareholders before the vote.
Harry realized that he'd need to talk with a few people first, so he mentally prepared a list of those with whom he would need to discuss his plan. But he decided that no one, not even Ron or Hermione, would know all of the details until he had implemented it. As much as he trusted them, he wasn't sure if Ron would be able to contain the secrets Harry was formulating, and he wasn't sure if Hermione would be able to keep it from Ron.
Laughing to himself, he looked across the pond once more and settled back down for a short nap before lunch.
---
When Mr. Smith came to eat lunch with Harry, he found Harry fast asleep and for the first time since they had met, Harry seemed at peace and to have relaxed. Mr. Smith was reluctant to wake the young boy, but knew that Harry needed to eat, to try to restore some strength to his body. It was obvious to Mr. Smith that Harry had not had an easy summer, or indeed and easy life, and he was committed to providing Harry with the opportunity to savor what was left of the summer.
As he gently shook Harry's arm, trying to wake him up, he was startled when Harry's eyes snapped open and he saw a flash of panic race across Harry's face. Harry was reaching quickly for his pocket, as if prepared to produce some form of weapon when Mr. Smith hastily tried to calm him down.
"Easy there lad, it's just me. It's lunch time, I thought you might want to eat a bit. No need to get alarmed." Mr. Smith was very curious as to the poor boy's reaction to being awoken, trying to figure out how a young boy of only fifteen could react with such panic. He decided that poor Harry must have indeed seen some dark things in his youth.
Harry quickly relaxed, sheepishly smiled up at Mr. Smith, and stood up to walk back to where they kept their lunches. As they sat down at the table and quietly ate their lunch, Harry listened to the gentle breeze as it whirled around the park. In the distance he saw an elderly couple slowly throwing out nuts to a gathering of squirrels, and he smiled at the peaceful setting.
"Well, I guess you really needed that nap, Harry. You look loads better than when you showed up this morning. You must have had a hard night." Mr. Smith casually looked over at Harry to watch the boy's reaction, and was troubled when he saw a flash of pain float across his face.
"Yeah, well, I had to go to a will reading last night, and it was difficult."
"Oh, I'm sorry kiddo. Was it someone close to you?" Seeing Harry's nod, he sighed. "Yeah, those are always tough. I've lost a lot of people in my life, war, disease, old age. It's never easy, and always painful. Especially when they're close. And in these dark times, well, we can just hope that we won't lose too many more before their time. But enough of that, let's think about the positives. If you were at a will reading, maybe that means you were left something to remember that person by? Some money maybe or something they wanted you to do?"
Harry nodded again, reluctant to start talking.
"Well, let's see. No offense to you, or your Aunt, but you obviously don't have a bloody clue about clothing. What you've got on is just dreadful, too big for you, and I can't imagine it's something you picked out for yourself. Why don't we go into town and do a little shopping?"
Harry surprised himself by eagerly nodding his agreement, but then realized he didn't actually have any money on him. It was all still in his vaults at Gringott's. As he opened his mouth to say this, Mr. Smith laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry about the money, I'm sure you don't have any of your inheritance on you, those things always take time. Lawyers, bankers, the whole lot of them, make me sick. I'll pay for what you buy today, and take it out of your wages. Any difference you can make up to me when you get all the paperwork resolved."
Harry was stunned by the man's generosity, and thanked him profusely. As they drove out of the park, Harry realized that he had never actually been to the stores in Little Whinging, and had no idea what to expect.
As they found a place to park, Mr. Smith guided Harry to some of the more fashionable stores on the block, explaining to Harry that his grandson normally liked to shop in these stores and since he was about Harry's age, that he'd probably be able to find something suitable.
Walking in to a store, Harry was amazed at the variety of clothing. Reluctant to try anything that looked too unusual or bizarre to his mundane tastes, he found himself looking in the back of the store at relatively conservative clothing. Finding several things to his liking, he brought the pile of clothing to the clerk and asked how much everything would cost.
Looking over the pile, the clerk tabulated everything and told Harry and Mr. Smith that the total was 200 pounds. Amazed, Harry started to pick through the pile to remove some items, but Mr. Smith stopped him.
"Harry, don't worry about it. Having you work for me over the past three weeks, I'm aware that you need a whole new wardrobe. This is only the beginning of what you'll need." As Mr. Smith saw Harry struggle with the unexpected generosity, Mr. Smith continued. "Look, so far you've spent everything I'd have paid you and we're about even. You've got a few more weeks of work, and I know you're a hard worker, you'll earn it. And like I said, you can pay me back when your inheritance comes in. Now, let's move on, there are several more stores we need to hit and I insist."
Harry gave him a small smile and thanked Mr. Smith profusely. Taking the bags from the clerk as Mr. Smith signed the receipt, Harry began to think of other necessities that he needed. Realizing his good fortune to have Mr. Smith looking out for him, Harry prepared himself for an afternoon of shopping.
---
Mr. Smith dropped him off at number 4, Privet Drive in the early evening. It took Harry three trips to bring in all of his bags of clothing and personal items, and his tiny bedroom was filled with all of his packages. Smiling to himself, Harry opened his trunk and began creating a pile of all of Dudley's old hand-me-downs so that he could throw them out.
Having successfully purged his belongings of all his old clothing, Harry began unpacking his new clothing and found that he was very satisfied with his new wardrobe. Pulling on a new, sharp outfit, he shoved the pile of old clothes into a few bags to bring downstairs. Remembering his appointment with Professor Dumbledore, he walked down the stairs and brought the bags out to the waste bins in the back yard.
As he turned to walk back into the house, he was startled by the quiet crack of a wizard Apparating. Professor Dumbledore appeared in front of him, dressed impeccably in a three piece suit of muggle fashion. Harry was astounded by his headmaster's appearance, he had never seen Professor Dumbledore dressed as a muggle, and Harry couldn't get over how odd the older wizard looked.
"Greetings Harry, I hope you are prepared for our dinner appointment? I see that you have found yourself some, ah, more appropriate clothing. Very good, very good. I must compliment you on your choices. If you are ready, I suggest we head out straightaway as I have a reservation for us at a fine little restaurant not too far from here." Professor Dumbledore was smiling broadly at Harry and his eyes were twinkling vividly. He was genuinely happy to see Harry, and Harry found that his anger and animosity towards the headmaster had diminished quite a bit over the past twenty-four hours.
"Sure, Professor, I'm ready. But will we be able to talk, erm, privately? I don't want to have any muggles listen in on our conversation, anyone really." Harry was mentally preparing himself for a lengthy conversation with Professor Dumbledore and didn't want to resort to having to talk around the subjects he intended to bring up.
"Oh, of course Harry. It is a cozy little restaurant in the center of town, we'll have a private room and I will take appropriate precautions to ensure the privacy of our conversation. I have eaten there on several occasions with Ms. Figg to thank her for her work in protecting you, so I am quite familiar with the location."
Satisfied, Harry walked into the house, left a short note for his Aunt, and joined Professor Dumbledore for the walk into town.
As they walked Harry watched his headmaster who was gleefully taking in his surroundings of the muggle town. Harry wondered how Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley ever managed to get any work done when together, they must love talking with each other about the things muggles create to make their lives easier. With a grin Harry pointed out various objects of interest and was surprised by his headmaster's obvious interest in the daily lives of the muggles.
"It's just fascinating Harry. The things they come up with. It is truly marvelous." His eyes were twinkling quite merrily as they walked to a small establishment that looked quite well kept and had a small sign proclaiming it to be "The Stormy Cauldron."
Professor Dumbledore opened the front door and ushered Harry in. Harry was amused to see that the entire restaurant was decorated in a nautical theme with anchors and paintings of seascapes hung throughout, portholes instead of windows, and the staff were dressed as if they were preparing to set sail. He was startled when passing by the bar to see a bubbling cauldron being stirred by the bartender, the cauldron would not have looked out of place at Hogwarts.
"Um, Professor, is there anything unusual about this restaurant?" he asked, pointing to the cauldron.
Chuckling, Dumbledore smiled and patted Harry's shoulder. "Not at all, just a curious affectation of the owner. Don't worry, this establishment is entirely muggle. That's one of the reasons why I enjoy it so thoroughly."
The owner of the restaurant greeted Professor Dumbledore like an old friend and quickly showed them to their private room. Murmuring his thanks, Professor Dumbledore asked for a few minutes before the staff returned. After the owner left Dumbledore pulled out his wand and cast several spells on the room. Satisfied he sat down across from Harry and reached for his menu.
"I have taken care of security, nothing can be overheard now, and the staff will find themselves curiously eager to serve us promptly and then remove themselves from here."
As if summoned by his words, the waiter appeared to welcome them, described the specials, and took their drink order. As he left Dumbledore suggested that Harry try the second special as it was one of his favorites, and sat back to review the menu. The waiter promptly returned with their drinks and the two wizards ordered their meals.
"Well, Harry, while we wait for our meals to arrive, I believe we have much to discuss. I am greatly pleased to see that your spirits have improved and that your friends have helped you through this tough time. I do want you to know that I too grieve for Sirius and lament his passing. He was a remarkable man and a wonderful friend to many. I will never forget him, and I hope that you can remember him with some peace as time moves on." As Professor Dumbledore's eyes misted a bit, he coughed slightly, and continued.
"So, let me lay out my agenda of what I need to discuss with you this evening. First, we must discuss your need for continued Occlumency training. Second, we have several trials coming up where your testimony will be vital. Malfoy and Pettigrew are first, as they are the most dangerous and most deserving of punishment, and, perhaps more importantly, the trial to restore your godfather's name. Third, I would like to discuss your continued involvement in the DA, as you call it. Finally, we need to discuss the Order of the Phoenix. That is my agenda for the evening. However, I believe that you also indicated that you had an agenda of your own?"
"Yes, Professor," Harry confirmed. He was pleased that Dumbledore was talking with him, as opposed to at him. Harry knew that he was still a teenager, but he'd suffered through enough pain and misery to be afforded the courtesy of being included in discussions and decisions that impacted his life.
"I also want to discuss the DA, so perhaps we can start there. I also want to talk with you about the Daily Prophet, though I suspect you know a great deal about that," he said. When Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, Harry grinned. "Then we need to discuss the Ministry. I have a few thoughts, a few plans, on how to improve our situation, and I'd like your advice."
Professor Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully to his favorite student.
"Absolutely. Well, let's begin. As I said in my letter, I would like you, Ms. Granger, and Mr. Weasley to continue your efforts with the DA. As I indicated, events are moving quite rapidly and I fear we will need a large coterie of fully trained and prepared individuals to join us in the fight against Voldemort. While I have managed to find a suitable candidate for our Defense teacher this year - -"
"Who?" Harry interrupted.
"All in good time," Dumbledore chuckled. "I would like to save some things as a surprise, if you don't mind. Suffice it to say, you will not be plagued by another incompetent instructor this coming year. But, as I was saying, though we have a good teacher this year, I do not want to focus all of his efforts just on the battles ahead. And several of your classmates may not want to participate in the struggle. I will not force their hand, they have the right to remain innocent as long as possible, that is after all, why we will fight.
"Thus, I believe that your DA offers the best of all opportunities. You demonstrated remarkable leadership last year Harry, bringing your friends together, training them throughout the year, and overcoming the many obstacles that hag put in place. Plus, when you refused to seek help from myself or Professor McGonnagal, you demonstrated a tenacity that has not been matched by a student in years. Plus then we should recall your valiant efforts at the Ministry. You and your small group of friends managed to hold off many older, experienced, and ruthless Deatheaters, a feat even fully trained wizards would have had some difficulty in matching.
"Accordingly, I would like you to continue your efforts. Recruit others to your cause, train them for the dangers that lie ahead, give them the opportunity to learn about the choices they must make, and help them make the right choice. I would like you to expand the group in whatever way you see fit. Develop a training regimen that you can implement. As I stated in my letter, any and all of the resources of the school and staff will be available to you and your efforts. I want nothing to stand in the way of your success. I do not seek to control it, but I would be more than happy to advise you in whatever manner you deem necessary."
Harry was overwhelmed by the sincerity in his headmaster's voice. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, recipient of the Order of Merlin, the most powerful wizard on the planet, was asking Harry to develop and prepare an entire army to follow Harry, and he trusted Harry to set up the whole thing. It was a very reassuring vote of confidence, and Harry was humbled that Dumbledore was truly asking, almost pleading, for Harry to do this.
"Professor, I don't have any real choice in this. I have to accept your offer. What you've suggested is largely along the lines of what I was going to ask of you, but I do want to reassure you that I'm not looking for my own army or for more power. I just want my friends to be ready, and I want to make sure they survive. I will need help and guidance, and suggestions on what to do with the DA."
Dumbledore's heart was about to burst. He was incredibly proud of this sturdy young wizard.
"Harry, of course I realize you are doing this for selfless reasons, and for love. As I have said, it is your greatest gift, your greatest strength, this capacity you have to love. We face dark times and you offer a fantastic beacon of hope. To your friends, your fellow students, and the entire world. I appreciate your acceptance of this challenge, and you will get all the support you need.
"Next, let us discuss the various trials we have readied. While we were able to capture several Deatheaters at the Ministry, none are as significant as Lucius Malfoy. As you are aware he was able to escape punishment after your previous defeat of Voldemort by claiming he was under the Imperius Curse. Undoubtedly he will try to make the same argument during this trial as well. While I have several tricks up my sleeve to refute that argument, the wizarding world is still uneasy about the revelation that Voldemort has returned. Your testimony would be crucial to securing his conviction and I hope you will find the strength to testify."
"Professor, you don't even need to ask. I will do anything to make sure that he gets locked away for the rest of his life. I only wish we had managed to cause him as much harm as he's caused before you subdued him." Harry was fervent with his desire to incarcerate Malfoy, and relished the opportunity to flaunt that when he next met up with Draco.
"Good, good. I had assumed as much, but wanted to present you with the opportunity to refuse in a private setting. Also, we will have a trial for Mr. Pettigrew- -"
"I will GLADLY testify to send that rat to jail," seethed Harry. "Couldn't we just give him another opportunity to curse me while I'm staying with my Aunt? That would be a better justice."
Harry was surprised to see his headmaster nodding his head.
"I agree Harry, but unfortunately we need his conviction to clear Sirius. Once Peter is convicted, I think the trial of Sirius will be a quick affair. I can guarantee that since I'll be running the show." The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes was fierce and Harry sensed the conviction behind the powerful man.
"Next, your training for Occlumency must continue. I deeply regret the training you received last year did not suffice, and we suffered a great loss due to my errors. I must make amends. Accordingly, I have secured a commitment from an accomplished expert in the field of Occlumency and Legilimency, and your training will resume when you return to school, if you agree.
"I regret that I did not do a better job of informing you of the reasons and necessity for your training in this area, but I assure you I will no longer attempt to keep vital information from you. But if I am to include you in this information, I must know that Voldemort will not be able to manipulate your mind again."
"I understand," Harry said with a twinge of guilt. "I know how important it is, and I will train, so long as it is not with Snape. I can't trust him and won't let him near my mind again."
With a sad sigh, Dumbledore nodded.
"No, Harry, I understand. Professor Snape will not be your instructor. You will meet up with your instructor when you return to school, and I assure you he will do a superior job.
"And so we come to the final topic. The Order of the Phoenix. You will understand that I do not bring this up lightly, but I believe it is time for you to join the Order, if you are interested. You will understand, I hope, my rationale for not bringing you into the Order previously, but I find that I feel at a loss for reasons to keep you out at this point, despite your age. I want to share the burden of the Order with you Harry, a burden you will carry throughout your life. But it is also a blessing.
"By joining the Order you align yourself against the forces of the Dark. You set yourself up as a champion of your age. You will be blessed by the support and love of those in the Order, and you be burdened by the lasting enmity of Dark wizards and witches. You will have access to knowledge and resources beyond your imagining, and you will be at the forefront of battles against evil for your entire life."
As Harry started to speak, Dumbledore motioned for him to stay silent.
"I do not ask for an answer tonight, for there is much you must contemplate. You are not an ordinary individual, Harry, you are a remarkable wizard. Asking you to join the Order is not the same as asking Arthur or Remus to join. For them the consequences, though potentially dire, were not as life-altering. They are able to remove themselves from the Order, to live more normal lives, to avoid the battle against evil, if they choose.
"If you accept, if you join, you will become my heir, my successor. You will be the next Head of the Order, and the focal point of calamity throughout your life. I do not ask this lightly, and I want you to think about this before you make a decision.
"Also, I must inform you that I am unable to ask young Mr. Weasley to join the Order at this time. Molly has made it clear that she will not allow it. She worries about her children, understandably, and thus I am prevented from approaching him since he is not of age. I have not made a decision about Ms. Granger, for I would naturally need to approach her parents before doing so. I will await your decision before I decide whether to approach her."
The wait staff silently entered the room at that point, bringing in the array of dishes that Dumbledore and Harry had ordered. After checking that everything was sufficient, the staff left.
"Professor, I promise I will think about this. Obviously I want to do what I can to help, and I'm convinced that joining the Order will help. But I will think about it."
"Excellent, Harry. I am very pleased. Now, while we eat, why don't you cover your agenda. I have a few other things I want to share with you before we finish, but they are not as important as what I've already covered this evening."
"Okay, well, first, as I gather you are aware, Sirius left me a large share in the Daily Prophet. Normally I'd be given a seat on the board, but apparently Fudge has interfered again. I have to attend a meeting to make my case for being on the board. I would like you to attend as a visible reminder of what we are facing, but I have prepared some thoughts about what I'd like to say and I would value your opinion.
"I fully intend to take my rightful spot on the board so that I can influence that paper, make sure that the news is less biased and more helpful for our efforts. We need to change public opinion and change it fast. I can do that if the Daily Prophet can speak more freely than it has, and report the truth, not the drudge the Ministry has made them address.
"Also, this neatly coincides with my concerns about the Ministry. I'm tired of Fudge's interference. I'm sick of the stupid actions by the Ministry. We need some changes there or we're doomed. I know you have refrained from attempting to interfere with the Ministry too much, and have relied on your influence over former students and friends, but I think we need to take more concrete steps to ensure continued Ministry support. I also think we need to change the way that things work, and I have a few plans."
Dumbledore slowly nodded his head and encouraged Harry to continue. Harry laid out his planned speech to the shareholders, causing Dumbledore's eyebrows to shoot up on several occasions, but eventually the headmaster started chuckling. As Harry finished his explanation of what he intended, Professor Dumbledore nodded his head in agreement and sighed.
"Harry, I am impressed. I have avoided trying to take such a public position, fearing that it would lead to a backlash by Voldemort's forces, but I see now that we have little choice. We must band together as many as we can in order to win. Your plan has many advantages. If you do not mind I will think about this and let you know if I have any suggestions for changes or modifications."
Harry nodded his agreement. Then he continued to explain how his strategy for the Daily Prophet fit into his plans for dealing with the Ministry. As his plan unfolded, Dumbledore shifted from interest to awe.
"Harry, I do not know what to say. You have obviously given this much thought, but have you realized the impact this is bound to have on those you plan to involve? You must think through carefully before you begin. I agree that change is necessary, but I do not know if what you are proposing is the best course."
"I have thought about it Professor. If we are to win, if we are to defeat Voldemort, if I am to stay alive, we have to do this. You know that, you know I'm right. Think about it. Suggest an alternative. But if you have no other option, please support me. Otherwise we're doomed."
Dumbledore nodded his head and sighed. "It appears we both have much to think about Harry. I am pleased that we are working together on this. Our success depends on your survival, never doubt that. It is not worth the victory if we lose you. If that means we must follow your plans, well, I will do my most to help them succeed."
The two wizards quickly finished the rest of their meal, both contemplating the plans they had discussed. Shortly the staff returned with the dessert cart and Dumbledore's eyes were alight with glee.
"Oh, let's just leave the entire cart, if you don't mind." With a bright smile, Dumbledore reached for the first confection. "These are simply marvelous, and I have to try each one."
Smiling Harry took a serving of an apple crisp while he watched as his diner companion carefully sampled each of the various desserts that had been left by the staff.
"Professor, you mentioned some other things you wanted to discuss. What were they?" Harry inquired.
"Oh, yes," Dumbledore replied as he took a bite of a strawberry filled cream puff. "Just a few mundane matters. First, I realized that I needed to break with tradition a little and have decided to appoint three prefects from the sixth year class in Gryffindor. A little oversight on my part as I obviously should have done that last year."
Harry's grin matched the one on Dumbledore's. Both were pleased with this turn of events.
"Secondly, I have realized that several of my prospective prefects would need greater latitude than we have given them in the past. I have decided that they will need permanent access to Hogsmeade so that they can relax whenever they feel necessary. It will be a difficult year for them, and I feel they deserve some small reward for their tireless effort."
Harry's grin grew even larger, if possible, as he thought about the possibilities of being able to go to Hogsmeade whenever he wanted.
Dumbledore smiled at the obvious pleasure this gave to Harry, greatly pleased to see his young student happy and content. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful meal, and Dumbledore felt a surge of triumph as he thought about Harry's plans.
Harry had hope, Dumbledore realized. Harry wanted to survive, to win.
And their path to war was set.
Harry smiled at Remus as he absorbed the warmth and affection from his friends and family. It was a feeling he was not quite accustomed to and not entirely prepared for after weeks of loneliness, anger, and depression. Harry couldn't quite believe how close he had come to locking these people out, and realized how fortunate he was to have everyone in this room in his life.
Shaking his head to himself, vowing not to let something like what he'd been through over the past few weeks separate him from them again, Harry realized that there was something else he needed to tell his friends. He set his shoulders and walked over to Professor Dumbledore.
"Professor? Can I have a minute?" he asked.
"Of course, Harry. What is it?" Professor Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Well, I was thinking about what we talked about in your office and I realized that I need to talk about it with my friends. I can't afford to keep it bottled up and they need to know about it. I realized tonight that I'll always be stronger with my friends than I can be alone and I need to share this with them."
Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry for several moments. His clear blue eyes gazing intently at Harry before a fond twinkle appeared in them.
"Of course Harry, of course you can tell Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley."
Harry interrupted. "Ginny, too, she has that right as well."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled even more. "Ms. Weasley as well. I daresay that I would have anticipated that you'd have shared this with them already, so I see no need to keep it from them. You will, of course, impress on them the need for discretion on this matter? It must not become common knowledge, else Voldemort will learn of it."
"I think we can trust the three of them to hold this close, Professor. Thanks. I guess I'll see you tomorrow night."
Taking his leave of Professor Dumbledore, Harry gathered his best friends and Ginny and asked them to join him upstairs. Seeing the serious look on his face, they quickly agreed and followed him upstairs.
"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked as Harry pulled the door closed behind them.
Squaring his shoulders he looked at Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Ginny still had a small smile on her face after reading her letter from Sirius and Harry was definitely intrigued as to what his godfather had left her in his will. Shaking his head, he sat down in the nearest chair and motioned for his three friends to do the same.
"Well, I have to tell you about the reason Voldemort wanted the prophecy so badly. I need to tell you what it said and what it means. You have to understand that you can't repeat this to anyone, ever, unless Professor Dumbledore or I tell you it is okay. And I'll also understand if you don't want to talk to me after you hear it, it's pretty awful."
Ron, who had blanched when Harry said Voldemort's name looked at his friend indignantly. "That's a load of rubbish Harry. No stupid prophecy would make us want to stop talking to you. It can't be that bad."
Nodding their heads in agreement Hermione and Ginny stated their agreement with Ron's assessment. Sighing, Harry leaned back and cleared his head. He then stared at the floor in the middle of the room and repeated the prophecy that Professor Dumbledore had shared with him the night of his godfather's death.
All three of his friends stared wordlessly at Harry, astounded at what they had heard, pondering its impact, and worried for Harry. As Harry watched each of them he saw that Ron had gone completely pale with worry or fear and was slowly shaking his head back and forth. Hermione had an intense look on her face and as Harry looked at her he saw that she was silently mouthing the words of the prophecy to herself, storing them in her memory and analyzing every word. Ginny was staring straight at Harry, no obvious emotion running across her face, but for some strange reason Harry couldn't quite return her gaze. He avoided her eyes by looking at her hair, her chin, and then her hands. Blushing he looked away from her and sighed.
"Well, you see, what it really ends up meaning is that I have to kill or be killed. Since I don't want to die, well, obviously that means I have to become a murderer. So I can see why you might want to avoid me from now on."
Harry's eyes again dropped to the carpet and he refused to look at his friends, fearing that he might see them agree with his assessment.
"Harry, that's about the stupidest thing you've ever said, including all the homework you made up for Divination." Ginny stated this quite calmly as she reached over and grabbed his hand. "Killing You-Know-Voldemort is a good thing, not a bad thing. It doesn't make you a murderer, it doesn't make you evil."
"Yeah, Harry," Ron chimed in. "Isn't that what heroes do? Kill the bad guy? I mean, Dumbledore killed Grindelwald and he got an Order of Merlin, not a life sentence in Azkaban. Some people just need killing and He's a first class candidate."
Harry's anger flared up, and his head snapped up at his friends.
"It's easy for you to say, but I'm the one who has to kill him. I'm the one who has to actually murder him. How could I do that? How could I kill someone? I could never kill someone."
"But Harry, you already have." Hermione looked shocked that she had said this, and was afraid of Harry's reaction. Seeing the stunned look on his face, she quickly continued.
"I mean, well, you killed Professor Quirrell in our first year. I, well, I know that you didn't set out to do it, and it was kind of an accident, but he did, well, um, die."
Her statement shocked Harry. He couldn't believe what she was saying to him. Memories of his first year came rushing back to his head as he recalled that frantic night as he, Ron, and Hermione has rushed to save the Philosopher's stone. Their defeat of Fluffy, the flying keys, the potions, the chess pieces, and finally his horrible confrontation with Voldemort and Professor Quirrell.
Harry hadn't really ever thought about the implications of that confrontation in some time. He had killed Quirrell, hadn't he? And, despite Hermione's suggestion, Harry knew, deep down, that he had intended to kill Quirrell. When Harry figured out that his touch caused such pain for Quirrell, Harry grabbed on to Quirrell, intent on destroying him. A faint beacon of hope entered Harry's awareness as he started to realize that all hope was not lost.
The sound of Ginny's voice snapped him back to awareness.
"Harry, in a way, you've kind of already killed Him twice. What's the muggle saying "third times the charm?"
"What do you mean Ginny?" Harry asked quietly.
"Well, the first time was when you were a baby. He tried to kill you but it backfired, and you kind of killed him. His body at least. And then my first year, down in the Chamber. When you confronted Tom. You knew who he was. You knew that his connection to the diary, to me, was killing me. So you used the basilisk fang to destroy the diary, to kill Tom's soul. This time all you have to do is kill his body and soul at the same time and it will finally be over."
"Yeah, that's all." Ron interrupted dryly, shaking his head. "If only Harry did it right the first two times we wouldn't be in this bloody mess."
Harry glared at his best friend as he slowly realized that Ginny was right. He did intentionally try to kill the memory of Tom Riddle. He knew the basilisk fang would destroy the diary, destroy Tom, and restore Ginny. Once he knew that he deliberately set out to kill Tom Riddle, knowing he was Voldemort. He had wanted to kill Voldemort.
The sense of hope that had sparked with Hermione's words erupted brightly in the aftermath of Ginny's statement. A warm feeling swarmed through Harry's body as he recognized that he would be able to defeat Voldemort, and that he needn't feel shame or guilt about the actions foretold by the prophecy. Harry suddenly felt more confident, more sure, more powerful than he had ever felt, and knew that with his friends at his side he would be able to do what he must.
He would kill Voldemort.
---
Harry awoke the next morning in his bedroom at number 4, Privet Drive. He was still exhausted from the previous day's events and groaned into his pillow as he heard his Aunt and Uncle arguing in the kitchen.
Recognizing the futility of trying to ignore the commotion from downstairs, Harry threw his feet over his bed and slowly started getting dressed for another day working at the park. Making his way down the stair case he paused to listen to the ranting of his Uncle.
"Petunia I don't understand why we have to suffer through his intolerable behavior any more! Why you insist on providing that ungrateful brat with shelter and food is beyond me. He's a lunatic, those friends of his are lunatics, and I am sick and tired of sheltering that nonsense in my house. He absolutely must go away from here, he must."
"Vernon, be reasonable. You know my thoughts on this matter, and you know I would like to be rid of him as well. But his safety, his very life, depends on his ability to stay here. I cannot disregard that obligation, no matter how tempting it is. It's only for a few more weeks, and then he'll be back to that wretched school again."
Harry was uncertain if he appreciated his Aunt's rationale for opening her home to him, but he did realize that she was concerned for his safety at least. There was some small comfort in that fact. With a sigh he made his way into the kitchen, prepared for the argument that seemed inevitable.
As he walked through the kitchen, he was surprised that the argument ceased as soon as he walked in. His Uncle returned his attention to the newspaper in front of him and his Aunt made herself busy with the breakfast. Wordlessly Harry walked over to the stove and took over for his Aunt.
Harry was stunned when Aunt Petunia gave him a grateful look, and she quietly sat down at the kitchen table, stirring her tea. Harry made quick work of the breakfast and quietly served eggs and bacon to his Aunt and Uncle, once again noticing that his cousin was still asleep.
Uncle Vernon quickly swallowed his meal and angrily pushed away from the table. Glaring at his nephew, he stomped out the house and left for work. With a sigh Aunt Petunia pushed her eggs around the plate for several minutes as Harry finished his breakfast.
"I'm sorry Aunt Petunia," Harry said quietly. "I do appreciate what you've done for me."
Quickly looking up at her nephew, Aunt Petunia silently stared at Harry, unsure of what to say.
"Is there- - Can I do anything to make this better?" Harry was confused by the emotions running through him, he was surprised that he was actually concerned about his Aunt.
"No," she sighed bitterly. "I just have to live with the consequences of this. Just make sure your friends don't show up in the middle of the night anymore, and you had better not stay out late again like last night."
Aunt Petunia pushed her plate away and angrily stomped out of the kitchen as well. Harry sighed, angry at his Uncle for causing such a problem this morning, and annoyed that his Aunt wasn't more sympathetic. Knowing he couldn't change them, he piled all the plates in the sink and began to wash the dishes.
As he filled the sink with hot water his thoughts wandered aimlessly. He thought of the night's events at Sirius' house - now Harry's house - and while he still deeply missed his godfather, Harry knew that the evening had provided him with some necessary closure. He was now able to think about Sirius without the agonizing guilt that had overwhelmed him for weeks. Harry also realized that he was able to think about the stupid prophecy without anguish either. He chuckled to himself as he realized how right Hermione was. And Ginny.
Surprisingly his stomach lurched when he thought of Ginny. As he dazedly scrubbed the plate over and over again he pondered the sensation that thoughts of Ginny had brought to him. He wasn't really sure what it meant, but he knew it meant something. Shaking his head, he finished the last plate and dried his hands.
"Maybe it's just a delayed reaction to being slapped," he muttered to himself. "That's got to be it." Immensely satisfied with this explanation, he headed to the park to start another day at his summer job.
---
Mr. Smith greeted Harry with a hearty slap to the back and suggested that Harry looked like he could use some rest. When Harry didn't protest that statement, Mr. Smith marched him down to the pond and sat him down in a lush shaded spot near a big weeping willow.
"Today I want you to watch how many different types of birds come by our little pond. That's it. I'll stop by again at lunch."
Harry gratefully said his thanks to Mr. Smith and settled in for the morning. He was amazed at the serenity the park offered and watched with pleasure as dozens of birds flew lazily overhead. The variety of birds in this little park was quite fascinating, though Harry was quite unconcerned about their proper names or types. Only when he saw a dark brown owl float silently through the air did Harry pay any particular attention to the birds. He watched as the owl slowly circled over the pond and headed directly for him. As the owl slowly landed by Harry's side, Harry saw the letter tied to the owl's leg. Untying the letter, he gave the owl a friendly pat on the head and it immediately flew off, ignoring the squawks of the other birds, unused to seeing an owl in daylight.
Harry Potter
Under the Weeping Willow
Little Whinging Park
Little Whinging, Surrey
Dear Mr. Potter:
We have been informed by your counsel, Mrs. Chetum, that you have been
officially certified as the heir to the Black Family trust. In case
you are not aware, the Black Family trust is one of the largest
shareholders of our company, and as such you would normally be granted
an automatic seat on our Board of Directors.
Unfortunately, due to the fact that you are a minor, and due to the
objections of the Minister of Magic, we have no choice but to call for
a shareholders meeting to seek a vote on whether to offer you a seat
on the Board, or wait until you reach your majority.
You should note that the majority of the board has recently been
replaced, as has the editorial staff. The shareholders have been
particularly displeased with the performance over the past year,
including the previous Chief's position on the events over the past
year.
Please be advised that, as the newly installed Wizard in Chief, I can
not take a position on this matter publicly as I must always seek to
benefit the company as a whole. However, were we to speak personally,
you would find that my opinion does not necessarily coincide with the
Minister.
After receiving a letter from a mutual friend, his bird sings quite
the pretty song, I have arranged to have the shareholder meeting take
place ten days from now on Saturday, August 5. You will receive
another letter with a portkey that will take you to the location of
the meeting. Obviously security is an important consideration in
these trying times, yours especially.
Please owl if you have any questions for me prior to the meeting.
Sincerely,
Walter Scrivener
Wizard in Chief
The Daily Prophet
Harry couldn't quite believe what he was reading. Sirius had never mentioned anything about the extent of his family's holdings, and he certainly never mentioned any relationship with the Daily Prophet. It was amazing, and Harry wasn't sure what to think.
For the past year he had been made a laughing stock in the wizarding world, largely due to the abuse and mistreatment of the Daily Prophet. Their editors, and writers, were scoundrels and lackeys of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and had twisted everything Harry had experienced to destroy his reputation. And now, due to his godfather's death, Harry would have a say in the operation of that newspaper. He couldn't quite believe it, and stared at the letter, pondering the implications of this recent development.
As he sat under the tree, a few random thoughts began formulating into a plan of action and a curiously mischievous smile played across his face. If he played his cards right, he'd be able to make a few necessary, and important changes, to both the Daily Prophet, and the wizarding world. Satisfied that this was the right thing to do, Harry continued to plot out his thinking, and started mentally preparing his speech to the shareholders before the vote.
Harry realized that he'd need to talk with a few people first, so he mentally prepared a list of those with whom he would need to discuss his plan. But he decided that no one, not even Ron or Hermione, would know all of the details until he had implemented it. As much as he trusted them, he wasn't sure if Ron would be able to contain the secrets Harry was formulating, and he wasn't sure if Hermione would be able to keep it from Ron.
Laughing to himself, he looked across the pond once more and settled back down for a short nap before lunch.
---
When Mr. Smith came to eat lunch with Harry, he found Harry fast asleep and for the first time since they had met, Harry seemed at peace and to have relaxed. Mr. Smith was reluctant to wake the young boy, but knew that Harry needed to eat, to try to restore some strength to his body. It was obvious to Mr. Smith that Harry had not had an easy summer, or indeed and easy life, and he was committed to providing Harry with the opportunity to savor what was left of the summer.
As he gently shook Harry's arm, trying to wake him up, he was startled when Harry's eyes snapped open and he saw a flash of panic race across Harry's face. Harry was reaching quickly for his pocket, as if prepared to produce some form of weapon when Mr. Smith hastily tried to calm him down.
"Easy there lad, it's just me. It's lunch time, I thought you might want to eat a bit. No need to get alarmed." Mr. Smith was very curious as to the poor boy's reaction to being awoken, trying to figure out how a young boy of only fifteen could react with such panic. He decided that poor Harry must have indeed seen some dark things in his youth.
Harry quickly relaxed, sheepishly smiled up at Mr. Smith, and stood up to walk back to where they kept their lunches. As they sat down at the table and quietly ate their lunch, Harry listened to the gentle breeze as it whirled around the park. In the distance he saw an elderly couple slowly throwing out nuts to a gathering of squirrels, and he smiled at the peaceful setting.
"Well, I guess you really needed that nap, Harry. You look loads better than when you showed up this morning. You must have had a hard night." Mr. Smith casually looked over at Harry to watch the boy's reaction, and was troubled when he saw a flash of pain float across his face.
"Yeah, well, I had to go to a will reading last night, and it was difficult."
"Oh, I'm sorry kiddo. Was it someone close to you?" Seeing Harry's nod, he sighed. "Yeah, those are always tough. I've lost a lot of people in my life, war, disease, old age. It's never easy, and always painful. Especially when they're close. And in these dark times, well, we can just hope that we won't lose too many more before their time. But enough of that, let's think about the positives. If you were at a will reading, maybe that means you were left something to remember that person by? Some money maybe or something they wanted you to do?"
Harry nodded again, reluctant to start talking.
"Well, let's see. No offense to you, or your Aunt, but you obviously don't have a bloody clue about clothing. What you've got on is just dreadful, too big for you, and I can't imagine it's something you picked out for yourself. Why don't we go into town and do a little shopping?"
Harry surprised himself by eagerly nodding his agreement, but then realized he didn't actually have any money on him. It was all still in his vaults at Gringott's. As he opened his mouth to say this, Mr. Smith laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry about the money, I'm sure you don't have any of your inheritance on you, those things always take time. Lawyers, bankers, the whole lot of them, make me sick. I'll pay for what you buy today, and take it out of your wages. Any difference you can make up to me when you get all the paperwork resolved."
Harry was stunned by the man's generosity, and thanked him profusely. As they drove out of the park, Harry realized that he had never actually been to the stores in Little Whinging, and had no idea what to expect.
As they found a place to park, Mr. Smith guided Harry to some of the more fashionable stores on the block, explaining to Harry that his grandson normally liked to shop in these stores and since he was about Harry's age, that he'd probably be able to find something suitable.
Walking in to a store, Harry was amazed at the variety of clothing. Reluctant to try anything that looked too unusual or bizarre to his mundane tastes, he found himself looking in the back of the store at relatively conservative clothing. Finding several things to his liking, he brought the pile of clothing to the clerk and asked how much everything would cost.
Looking over the pile, the clerk tabulated everything and told Harry and Mr. Smith that the total was 200 pounds. Amazed, Harry started to pick through the pile to remove some items, but Mr. Smith stopped him.
"Harry, don't worry about it. Having you work for me over the past three weeks, I'm aware that you need a whole new wardrobe. This is only the beginning of what you'll need." As Mr. Smith saw Harry struggle with the unexpected generosity, Mr. Smith continued. "Look, so far you've spent everything I'd have paid you and we're about even. You've got a few more weeks of work, and I know you're a hard worker, you'll earn it. And like I said, you can pay me back when your inheritance comes in. Now, let's move on, there are several more stores we need to hit and I insist."
Harry gave him a small smile and thanked Mr. Smith profusely. Taking the bags from the clerk as Mr. Smith signed the receipt, Harry began to think of other necessities that he needed. Realizing his good fortune to have Mr. Smith looking out for him, Harry prepared himself for an afternoon of shopping.
---
Mr. Smith dropped him off at number 4, Privet Drive in the early evening. It took Harry three trips to bring in all of his bags of clothing and personal items, and his tiny bedroom was filled with all of his packages. Smiling to himself, Harry opened his trunk and began creating a pile of all of Dudley's old hand-me-downs so that he could throw them out.
Having successfully purged his belongings of all his old clothing, Harry began unpacking his new clothing and found that he was very satisfied with his new wardrobe. Pulling on a new, sharp outfit, he shoved the pile of old clothes into a few bags to bring downstairs. Remembering his appointment with Professor Dumbledore, he walked down the stairs and brought the bags out to the waste bins in the back yard.
As he turned to walk back into the house, he was startled by the quiet crack of a wizard Apparating. Professor Dumbledore appeared in front of him, dressed impeccably in a three piece suit of muggle fashion. Harry was astounded by his headmaster's appearance, he had never seen Professor Dumbledore dressed as a muggle, and Harry couldn't get over how odd the older wizard looked.
"Greetings Harry, I hope you are prepared for our dinner appointment? I see that you have found yourself some, ah, more appropriate clothing. Very good, very good. I must compliment you on your choices. If you are ready, I suggest we head out straightaway as I have a reservation for us at a fine little restaurant not too far from here." Professor Dumbledore was smiling broadly at Harry and his eyes were twinkling vividly. He was genuinely happy to see Harry, and Harry found that his anger and animosity towards the headmaster had diminished quite a bit over the past twenty-four hours.
"Sure, Professor, I'm ready. But will we be able to talk, erm, privately? I don't want to have any muggles listen in on our conversation, anyone really." Harry was mentally preparing himself for a lengthy conversation with Professor Dumbledore and didn't want to resort to having to talk around the subjects he intended to bring up.
"Oh, of course Harry. It is a cozy little restaurant in the center of town, we'll have a private room and I will take appropriate precautions to ensure the privacy of our conversation. I have eaten there on several occasions with Ms. Figg to thank her for her work in protecting you, so I am quite familiar with the location."
Satisfied, Harry walked into the house, left a short note for his Aunt, and joined Professor Dumbledore for the walk into town.
As they walked Harry watched his headmaster who was gleefully taking in his surroundings of the muggle town. Harry wondered how Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley ever managed to get any work done when together, they must love talking with each other about the things muggles create to make their lives easier. With a grin Harry pointed out various objects of interest and was surprised by his headmaster's obvious interest in the daily lives of the muggles.
"It's just fascinating Harry. The things they come up with. It is truly marvelous." His eyes were twinkling quite merrily as they walked to a small establishment that looked quite well kept and had a small sign proclaiming it to be "The Stormy Cauldron."
Professor Dumbledore opened the front door and ushered Harry in. Harry was amused to see that the entire restaurant was decorated in a nautical theme with anchors and paintings of seascapes hung throughout, portholes instead of windows, and the staff were dressed as if they were preparing to set sail. He was startled when passing by the bar to see a bubbling cauldron being stirred by the bartender, the cauldron would not have looked out of place at Hogwarts.
"Um, Professor, is there anything unusual about this restaurant?" he asked, pointing to the cauldron.
Chuckling, Dumbledore smiled and patted Harry's shoulder. "Not at all, just a curious affectation of the owner. Don't worry, this establishment is entirely muggle. That's one of the reasons why I enjoy it so thoroughly."
The owner of the restaurant greeted Professor Dumbledore like an old friend and quickly showed them to their private room. Murmuring his thanks, Professor Dumbledore asked for a few minutes before the staff returned. After the owner left Dumbledore pulled out his wand and cast several spells on the room. Satisfied he sat down across from Harry and reached for his menu.
"I have taken care of security, nothing can be overheard now, and the staff will find themselves curiously eager to serve us promptly and then remove themselves from here."
As if summoned by his words, the waiter appeared to welcome them, described the specials, and took their drink order. As he left Dumbledore suggested that Harry try the second special as it was one of his favorites, and sat back to review the menu. The waiter promptly returned with their drinks and the two wizards ordered their meals.
"Well, Harry, while we wait for our meals to arrive, I believe we have much to discuss. I am greatly pleased to see that your spirits have improved and that your friends have helped you through this tough time. I do want you to know that I too grieve for Sirius and lament his passing. He was a remarkable man and a wonderful friend to many. I will never forget him, and I hope that you can remember him with some peace as time moves on." As Professor Dumbledore's eyes misted a bit, he coughed slightly, and continued.
"So, let me lay out my agenda of what I need to discuss with you this evening. First, we must discuss your need for continued Occlumency training. Second, we have several trials coming up where your testimony will be vital. Malfoy and Pettigrew are first, as they are the most dangerous and most deserving of punishment, and, perhaps more importantly, the trial to restore your godfather's name. Third, I would like to discuss your continued involvement in the DA, as you call it. Finally, we need to discuss the Order of the Phoenix. That is my agenda for the evening. However, I believe that you also indicated that you had an agenda of your own?"
"Yes, Professor," Harry confirmed. He was pleased that Dumbledore was talking with him, as opposed to at him. Harry knew that he was still a teenager, but he'd suffered through enough pain and misery to be afforded the courtesy of being included in discussions and decisions that impacted his life.
"I also want to discuss the DA, so perhaps we can start there. I also want to talk with you about the Daily Prophet, though I suspect you know a great deal about that," he said. When Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, Harry grinned. "Then we need to discuss the Ministry. I have a few thoughts, a few plans, on how to improve our situation, and I'd like your advice."
Professor Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully to his favorite student.
"Absolutely. Well, let's begin. As I said in my letter, I would like you, Ms. Granger, and Mr. Weasley to continue your efforts with the DA. As I indicated, events are moving quite rapidly and I fear we will need a large coterie of fully trained and prepared individuals to join us in the fight against Voldemort. While I have managed to find a suitable candidate for our Defense teacher this year - -"
"Who?" Harry interrupted.
"All in good time," Dumbledore chuckled. "I would like to save some things as a surprise, if you don't mind. Suffice it to say, you will not be plagued by another incompetent instructor this coming year. But, as I was saying, though we have a good teacher this year, I do not want to focus all of his efforts just on the battles ahead. And several of your classmates may not want to participate in the struggle. I will not force their hand, they have the right to remain innocent as long as possible, that is after all, why we will fight.
"Thus, I believe that your DA offers the best of all opportunities. You demonstrated remarkable leadership last year Harry, bringing your friends together, training them throughout the year, and overcoming the many obstacles that hag put in place. Plus, when you refused to seek help from myself or Professor McGonnagal, you demonstrated a tenacity that has not been matched by a student in years. Plus then we should recall your valiant efforts at the Ministry. You and your small group of friends managed to hold off many older, experienced, and ruthless Deatheaters, a feat even fully trained wizards would have had some difficulty in matching.
"Accordingly, I would like you to continue your efforts. Recruit others to your cause, train them for the dangers that lie ahead, give them the opportunity to learn about the choices they must make, and help them make the right choice. I would like you to expand the group in whatever way you see fit. Develop a training regimen that you can implement. As I stated in my letter, any and all of the resources of the school and staff will be available to you and your efforts. I want nothing to stand in the way of your success. I do not seek to control it, but I would be more than happy to advise you in whatever manner you deem necessary."
Harry was overwhelmed by the sincerity in his headmaster's voice. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, recipient of the Order of Merlin, the most powerful wizard on the planet, was asking Harry to develop and prepare an entire army to follow Harry, and he trusted Harry to set up the whole thing. It was a very reassuring vote of confidence, and Harry was humbled that Dumbledore was truly asking, almost pleading, for Harry to do this.
"Professor, I don't have any real choice in this. I have to accept your offer. What you've suggested is largely along the lines of what I was going to ask of you, but I do want to reassure you that I'm not looking for my own army or for more power. I just want my friends to be ready, and I want to make sure they survive. I will need help and guidance, and suggestions on what to do with the DA."
Dumbledore's heart was about to burst. He was incredibly proud of this sturdy young wizard.
"Harry, of course I realize you are doing this for selfless reasons, and for love. As I have said, it is your greatest gift, your greatest strength, this capacity you have to love. We face dark times and you offer a fantastic beacon of hope. To your friends, your fellow students, and the entire world. I appreciate your acceptance of this challenge, and you will get all the support you need.
"Next, let us discuss the various trials we have readied. While we were able to capture several Deatheaters at the Ministry, none are as significant as Lucius Malfoy. As you are aware he was able to escape punishment after your previous defeat of Voldemort by claiming he was under the Imperius Curse. Undoubtedly he will try to make the same argument during this trial as well. While I have several tricks up my sleeve to refute that argument, the wizarding world is still uneasy about the revelation that Voldemort has returned. Your testimony would be crucial to securing his conviction and I hope you will find the strength to testify."
"Professor, you don't even need to ask. I will do anything to make sure that he gets locked away for the rest of his life. I only wish we had managed to cause him as much harm as he's caused before you subdued him." Harry was fervent with his desire to incarcerate Malfoy, and relished the opportunity to flaunt that when he next met up with Draco.
"Good, good. I had assumed as much, but wanted to present you with the opportunity to refuse in a private setting. Also, we will have a trial for Mr. Pettigrew- -"
"I will GLADLY testify to send that rat to jail," seethed Harry. "Couldn't we just give him another opportunity to curse me while I'm staying with my Aunt? That would be a better justice."
Harry was surprised to see his headmaster nodding his head.
"I agree Harry, but unfortunately we need his conviction to clear Sirius. Once Peter is convicted, I think the trial of Sirius will be a quick affair. I can guarantee that since I'll be running the show." The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes was fierce and Harry sensed the conviction behind the powerful man.
"Next, your training for Occlumency must continue. I deeply regret the training you received last year did not suffice, and we suffered a great loss due to my errors. I must make amends. Accordingly, I have secured a commitment from an accomplished expert in the field of Occlumency and Legilimency, and your training will resume when you return to school, if you agree.
"I regret that I did not do a better job of informing you of the reasons and necessity for your training in this area, but I assure you I will no longer attempt to keep vital information from you. But if I am to include you in this information, I must know that Voldemort will not be able to manipulate your mind again."
"I understand," Harry said with a twinge of guilt. "I know how important it is, and I will train, so long as it is not with Snape. I can't trust him and won't let him near my mind again."
With a sad sigh, Dumbledore nodded.
"No, Harry, I understand. Professor Snape will not be your instructor. You will meet up with your instructor when you return to school, and I assure you he will do a superior job.
"And so we come to the final topic. The Order of the Phoenix. You will understand that I do not bring this up lightly, but I believe it is time for you to join the Order, if you are interested. You will understand, I hope, my rationale for not bringing you into the Order previously, but I find that I feel at a loss for reasons to keep you out at this point, despite your age. I want to share the burden of the Order with you Harry, a burden you will carry throughout your life. But it is also a blessing.
"By joining the Order you align yourself against the forces of the Dark. You set yourself up as a champion of your age. You will be blessed by the support and love of those in the Order, and you be burdened by the lasting enmity of Dark wizards and witches. You will have access to knowledge and resources beyond your imagining, and you will be at the forefront of battles against evil for your entire life."
As Harry started to speak, Dumbledore motioned for him to stay silent.
"I do not ask for an answer tonight, for there is much you must contemplate. You are not an ordinary individual, Harry, you are a remarkable wizard. Asking you to join the Order is not the same as asking Arthur or Remus to join. For them the consequences, though potentially dire, were not as life-altering. They are able to remove themselves from the Order, to live more normal lives, to avoid the battle against evil, if they choose.
"If you accept, if you join, you will become my heir, my successor. You will be the next Head of the Order, and the focal point of calamity throughout your life. I do not ask this lightly, and I want you to think about this before you make a decision.
"Also, I must inform you that I am unable to ask young Mr. Weasley to join the Order at this time. Molly has made it clear that she will not allow it. She worries about her children, understandably, and thus I am prevented from approaching him since he is not of age. I have not made a decision about Ms. Granger, for I would naturally need to approach her parents before doing so. I will await your decision before I decide whether to approach her."
The wait staff silently entered the room at that point, bringing in the array of dishes that Dumbledore and Harry had ordered. After checking that everything was sufficient, the staff left.
"Professor, I promise I will think about this. Obviously I want to do what I can to help, and I'm convinced that joining the Order will help. But I will think about it."
"Excellent, Harry. I am very pleased. Now, while we eat, why don't you cover your agenda. I have a few other things I want to share with you before we finish, but they are not as important as what I've already covered this evening."
"Okay, well, first, as I gather you are aware, Sirius left me a large share in the Daily Prophet. Normally I'd be given a seat on the board, but apparently Fudge has interfered again. I have to attend a meeting to make my case for being on the board. I would like you to attend as a visible reminder of what we are facing, but I have prepared some thoughts about what I'd like to say and I would value your opinion.
"I fully intend to take my rightful spot on the board so that I can influence that paper, make sure that the news is less biased and more helpful for our efforts. We need to change public opinion and change it fast. I can do that if the Daily Prophet can speak more freely than it has, and report the truth, not the drudge the Ministry has made them address.
"Also, this neatly coincides with my concerns about the Ministry. I'm tired of Fudge's interference. I'm sick of the stupid actions by the Ministry. We need some changes there or we're doomed. I know you have refrained from attempting to interfere with the Ministry too much, and have relied on your influence over former students and friends, but I think we need to take more concrete steps to ensure continued Ministry support. I also think we need to change the way that things work, and I have a few plans."
Dumbledore slowly nodded his head and encouraged Harry to continue. Harry laid out his planned speech to the shareholders, causing Dumbledore's eyebrows to shoot up on several occasions, but eventually the headmaster started chuckling. As Harry finished his explanation of what he intended, Professor Dumbledore nodded his head in agreement and sighed.
"Harry, I am impressed. I have avoided trying to take such a public position, fearing that it would lead to a backlash by Voldemort's forces, but I see now that we have little choice. We must band together as many as we can in order to win. Your plan has many advantages. If you do not mind I will think about this and let you know if I have any suggestions for changes or modifications."
Harry nodded his agreement. Then he continued to explain how his strategy for the Daily Prophet fit into his plans for dealing with the Ministry. As his plan unfolded, Dumbledore shifted from interest to awe.
"Harry, I do not know what to say. You have obviously given this much thought, but have you realized the impact this is bound to have on those you plan to involve? You must think through carefully before you begin. I agree that change is necessary, but I do not know if what you are proposing is the best course."
"I have thought about it Professor. If we are to win, if we are to defeat Voldemort, if I am to stay alive, we have to do this. You know that, you know I'm right. Think about it. Suggest an alternative. But if you have no other option, please support me. Otherwise we're doomed."
Dumbledore nodded his head and sighed. "It appears we both have much to think about Harry. I am pleased that we are working together on this. Our success depends on your survival, never doubt that. It is not worth the victory if we lose you. If that means we must follow your plans, well, I will do my most to help them succeed."
The two wizards quickly finished the rest of their meal, both contemplating the plans they had discussed. Shortly the staff returned with the dessert cart and Dumbledore's eyes were alight with glee.
"Oh, let's just leave the entire cart, if you don't mind." With a bright smile, Dumbledore reached for the first confection. "These are simply marvelous, and I have to try each one."
Smiling Harry took a serving of an apple crisp while he watched as his diner companion carefully sampled each of the various desserts that had been left by the staff.
"Professor, you mentioned some other things you wanted to discuss. What were they?" Harry inquired.
"Oh, yes," Dumbledore replied as he took a bite of a strawberry filled cream puff. "Just a few mundane matters. First, I realized that I needed to break with tradition a little and have decided to appoint three prefects from the sixth year class in Gryffindor. A little oversight on my part as I obviously should have done that last year."
Harry's grin matched the one on Dumbledore's. Both were pleased with this turn of events.
"Secondly, I have realized that several of my prospective prefects would need greater latitude than we have given them in the past. I have decided that they will need permanent access to Hogsmeade so that they can relax whenever they feel necessary. It will be a difficult year for them, and I feel they deserve some small reward for their tireless effort."
Harry's grin grew even larger, if possible, as he thought about the possibilities of being able to go to Hogsmeade whenever he wanted.
Dumbledore smiled at the obvious pleasure this gave to Harry, greatly pleased to see his young student happy and content. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful meal, and Dumbledore felt a surge of triumph as he thought about Harry's plans.
Harry had hope, Dumbledore realized. Harry wanted to survive, to win.
And their path to war was set.