Chapter 10
All heads turned immediately towards the speaker, as they were all curious to find out who would so boldly and outwardly agree with Lupin. The speech that Remus had made took a lot out of the old man. It took courage, boldness and pride to be able to stand out and voice the very thing that everyone was opposed to speaking of.
No one wanted to talk about Harry Potter, no one wanted to be reminded, yet it was this very thought that had captured everyone's mind. What was said was an undeniable truth that would harm more then help the speaker. To be able to say such words was equivalent to saying 'I support Harry Potter' in front of his worst enemy. No one was keen on remembering the old Potter, the Prince had done too much harm to for his past, the good deeds to balance it. Who the world saw was the Dark Prince, and as far as they were concerned, Harry Potter was dead. No one could or would draw a connection between Voldemort and the head boy, top Hogwarts student Tom Riddle. The same was true for the Half-blooded Prince.
Thus if it was such a difficult task for Remus, Harry's only legal family to stand up and to publicly speak his heart on the matter, people wondered who the lone applauder was. Harry wasn't related to anyone, or had any close friends that would do such a thing. The whole world was against the Prince, and if they weren't then they wouldn't be at Hogwarts where everyone would despise them. So it was indeed a surprise to find some other supporter of Harry out there.
"Though I shall correct a small part. Funny you mention family because I have none. I have no family."
The soft words cut Remus, like no blade could. Inwardly his emotions flared at the voice that he could barely recognize, which he was sure no one else could.
"I do not recall Slytherin being a part of Gryffindor traits. They were always bold and prideful of their words and actions. Only a coward would attack behind a turned back. Only a coward would betray the world. Only a coward would lash out from the shadows. You are no Rat. Face me like the man that you claim to be my Prince…."
There was a short laugh, and indeed from his watching place, stepped out Harry Potter. He was dressed in traditional Hogwarts robes. The school seal was still intact, however, where there use to be the house symbol was not.
Before anyone could recover, Harry pointed his wand at Albus Dumbledore, though the man was still half the Great Hall away.
"Anyone moves and he dies," he spoke softly. "I swear, give me a reason, and I'll do it." He paused. "Don't you dare underestimate me either."
Remus stared into the piercing, cold, emotionless, Avada Kedavra orbs that seem to burn a hole through him. It was filled with intense hatred and revenge that had caused the older man to wonder the amount of self control that the other had. It was obvious that the younger one had been here for some time, without being noticed. If that was the case, then he could have just attacked silently and swiftly without leaving any marks.
"Let him be." Remus spoke sharply as some of the Aurors' ignored the threat and was about to launch attacks at the intruder. "How long have you been present?"
"Since the beginning." Harry replied in a monotone. "I do not attack any unarmed man. I do not attack behind someone's back either. If I wanted to do that, half of the people would be dead before any of you knew what was going on."
Remus nodded.
"You know very well, I know this school by heart, inside and out."
"Yes…"
"Tell me then Remus, how many entrances and exits are located into and out of this Hall?" Remus thought a bit, surprised by the question. The others just stared at them, blankly, surprised that a causal like conversation could exist between those two. Lupin mentally counted 5 that were located around the Hall, surrounding it.
"Now what if I told you, that there was only one accessible route, that the others were all temporality blockade, by traps?" Lupin's eyes widened. "Now what if I told you that you were all surrounded, would you quietly surrender?"
Everyone was quiet, now all eyes on Harry with the exception of the few who knew the secret passageways and were instead studying the calculating look on Lupin.
"What would you do if the rest of the school was held as hostages, prisoners, while this group here can do nothing but wait and watch! What do you do Remus?" Harry asked softly. "What do you do when an insane maniac comes and threatens your very existence?"
Lupin said nothing.
Seeing that he was taken lightly, Harry waived his free hand. Instantly, the Grand doors swung open to reveal Death Eaters. The secret passageways also were blasted open, revealing more cloaked figures.
"I do not boast. I do not lie. Whatever I say goes." Harry watched with a smug smile as horrified looks took over the faces of those in the room. A quick glance at the headmaster revealed fury sapphire twinkleless eyes. He seemed even more furious that Harry only paid attention to Lupin and not him, although the wand was directed at him.
"Choice one, defeat me in a duel. If you win you may do whatever you please with me. If I win, everyone who will not surrender dies. Choice 2 is to attack and lead a fruitless rebellion for survival, which I assure you I will slaughter all. Choice 3, heed the note you found against the headmaster's office, the night Cho's owl" Harry took a fast glance at her on the staff table "died, under my bare hands." He turned to the previous headmaster. "You knew very well that I was there that night. The only reason I spared him was once again because of your little speech."
Harry heaved a deep breath before reciting word for word what Lupin had said that night.
"He may be a Potter to the world. Deep within he's my son. No father would let his child be consumed within darkness." Harry repeated, noting the stunned expression that Dumbledore tried to hide.
"So this does mean something to you. So you aren't as heartless as I thought. You do get affected more then you will ever show." Remus interrupted, but Harry ignored it.
"My reply to that was simple. I swear, if you get in between me and my target, you will die." As if Lupin didn't hear him, he repeated. "You will die."
"I know you better then that Harry. You will never be able to kill me. I am a part of you that you can't rid of. I am the very reason why you haven't blasted away the castle yet. Admit it Harry. You want to kill me because you still care. I'm the reason, the only reason that stands between you and insanity. You want to kill me so that you can cut all ties with the past, a past that haunts you torments you to no end. Admit it my boy. Looking at me you see all the happier years, the innocent years, the all the 'what if' years!
You're not evil Harry, not Dark, nor are you truly seeking revenge. You're seeking a way out of this world. You've experience things that we" Lupin waived at the people in the Hall, "can never come close to. You've snapped at the breaking point. You only wish to destroy this world and the ones that you care the most so that we won't feel your pain. Right? So that you won't be reminded of the happier years! You think that as long as I died, you'll have no problem in discarding the past, the entire past. With the death of me, and the rest of the other people whom you've tried desperately to care for, your heart, your soul, your humanity would die as well. By slaughtering the ones you care the most, you can seek that revenge yourself.
However, are we truly the ones who oppose you? We've raised you, taught you! You don't seek revenge against us. You're ridding us, me in particular because I now contradict your present morals and beliefs! I represent all that you have lost. By ridding us, you can freely seek revenge. Revenge against those" Remus gestured at the Death Eaters. "People who have actually hurt you. Those who you now side with! Those who have killed your parents, Sirius, and who will kill you!
Killing only creates more killing. It becomes a hunger that cannot cease. The more you kill, the more hallow, lifeless you become. The more you kill, the more you hate yourself, the more you try to rid of that feeling, but cannot do so. The only way you know how to fill that space for the briefest moment is to kill, and killing creates more and more empty space. Soon you won't be seeking revenge, but a way to feed that hunger. Tom Riddle became the monster he was, became Voldemort." Even now people flinched. "because of this. He started out just like you, but soon lost control!
Harry please, I know you! We've always been there to help you through your roughest hours. We've been supportive…."
This time Harry couldn't take it anymore, he burst out yelling, screaming. He was not angry, but furious. He was furious that what the man said was inches away from the truth, his real reason behind his motives.
"You were never there when I needed you! You weren't there that night my parents died! You didn't help fend Voldmort off! Though what Sirius did landed him in prison, at least he tried! At least he tried to kill that traitor, at least he went after Pettigrew!! Where were you then? Where were you when my parents needed you! When I needed you!
You weren't there to pick me up that night! I ended up spending 10 miserable years at my relatives, with those Mudbloods! Sirius was in prison, of course he couldn't come for me! You! Where were you! We could have met earlier, but you deicide not to! You let those Mudbloods raise me!
Then at Hogwarts…
Where were you when Voldmort was stuck behind Quirrell's head! Where were you when people found out I was a paraslmouth? Where were you when I was rumored to be Slytherin's heir?
Then you decide to show up as my Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, not because of me, but because of some other reason right? Sirius broke out of Azkaban that year, being the first one to do so, for my sake! He had seen Wormtail in disguise and felt the obligation to protect me! How about you? What did you do that year that was worthwhile? I didn't need your help to learn the Patronus Spell. I could have learned it on my own!
Then forth year! Where the hell were you when I was entered as a Champion? I could understand Sirius not being there, he was after all running against the Ministry! You, though, you could have at least showed up and been supportive! Where were you when Rita Skeeter criticized me, called me "insane"? Where were you that year night when Cedric died, when Voldmort was reborn.
Where were you after Sirius' death? Where were you then when I needed you the most! If you weren't there for anything else, you could have been there for that! Where were you the two years following that!
Truthfully, many times I have hoped for you to come to save me. Each time you let me down Remus! You did nothing for me! You were never there during my hardest, roughest, darkest years. I trusted you Moony. I've looked up to you! You let me down! You disappointed me!
Remus John Lupin, how dare you call yourself friend of Lily and James Potter? How dare you call yourself friend of Sirius Black! How dare you try to rank yourselves amongst them! You are no better then Peter Pettigrew! He may have betrayal my parents under force, under fear. You had everything, and every moment in life to come and shed light, yet you did nothing! You did nothing! You choose to ignore and now when I turn against everyone, you regret it.
Don't you dare talk bullshit about being family! We have no ties. Family look out for each other, are always there for the other. You meet neither so therefore how can we be family? You've hurt me more then you can ever hope to heal. You've left scars that will never heal.
You had many chances, but now its too late." He paused. "If there is one person I despise more then Dumbledore, its you. You Remus Lupin."
Remus' hurt expression looked worst then anyone could ever imagine. They all knew that it wasn't the old man's fault, but no one knew what to say.
Harry let silence reign for a while before picking up.
"Ah yes, where were we?" He seemed to think. "So what is your choice Remus?" Lupin didn't answer, he seemed to be somewhere far, far away, unreachable.
"You say you hate me? You hate me that much?" Lupin whispered.
"I loath you…."
"Then kill me…" That seemed to take everyone by surprise.
"The killing curse, must be meant in order to work. .If you hate me as much as you claim, then use it, just to prove this hatred, this loath. If it works, then you do despise me, and I would have thoroughly deserved it, for then it means that I have indeed harm you in the way that you have said I have." A pause. "However, if you can't it means that I'm correct. You are human, and you don't lack emotions. I will not blame you for the former."
Harry seemed to ponder this. Here was the chance that he had always wanted, here it was where he could freely get rid of the man that had plagued his decision making since he began his kill.
Slowly, the Prince swayed his wand toward Remus. The two stared at each other, neither blinking. Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into eternity. Finally the lips on the young man's mouth twitched, as the words began to form.