CHAPTER 14: Felix Felicis

After Pettigrew left the office Harry stayed, staring at his headmaster, as if trying to read his mind.

"You wish to ask me something, Harry." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, Professor. I was just wondering about the prophesy. It said that I would have powers that Voldemort didn't know about. Now you told me that it was the power of love, but now it seems like it's the power to do wandless magic. Which is it?"

"Both, Harry." Dumbledore suddenly looked very old, he removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "But before I tell you anything, there is something I would like to know." Harry wanted to tell him no, to learn what it was like to be kept in the dark, but he knew it wouldn't get him anywhere. Harry nodded and the old man continued. "Do you really plan to kill Peter?"

Harry laughed quietly to himself. "Yes…and no." The headmaster looked at him curiously; Harry had the brief thought that he held a power over Dumbledore, but the thought went as quick as it came. "I mean that there is someone who wants Pettigrew dead more than I do. You actually gave me the idea. But if he doesn't want to kill the rat, yes I will."

"I cannot, of course, speak for either Remus or you, but I want to impress upon you the gravity of this action. If you kill someone there is no going back."

"I know, Professor. And I don't pretend to justify the action by saying he killed my parents. In truth he is a danger to the people, and killing him and the rest of the death eaters is a means to an end. I will get them before they can get my friends, and Voldemort will realize that he cannot stop me."

Dumbledore stared at him, Harry wasn't sure if he was mad, impressed, or scared. "I would rather you not have to become a killer before you have to, Harry. But it is time I let you make some of your own decisions. I will continue to counsel you in any way I can, but it is ultimately your decision." Harry didn't know how to respond, he never thought Albus Dumbledore would allow his student to become a killer. "I guess I owe you an explanation. I guess you could say that I have recently remembered what it was like to be young." He paused. "Do you remember how you found out about Nicholas Flamel?"

"Of course, it was on your frog card." He told Dumbledore, wondering where this was going.

"Do you remember what else was on that card?"

"Well—wait. You defeated Grindelwald-"

"That's right, Harry. I tell you this because I had to make some decisions that I was not really proud of, but they were quite necessary. I will not tell you all of these actions, because I believe a man has the right to hide certain things, which I should tell you is the reason I have never tried to read your thoughts before, I chose to allow you to reveal things at your own pace." Harry had the fleeting thought that their was more to this, but he chose to allow the man to continue. "However, these decisions culminated in a final battle with Grindelwald. Grindelwald was a dark wizard much like Voldemort, but he did not have the power that Riddle possesses. For example, he did not have nearly the following that Tom has built, he had a few loyal wizards, and I must say none of them were as dangerous as the death eaters. I killed Grindelwald, I probably could have spared his life, but I had decided that the man needed to die. I do not regret my decision, but I will always remember it."

Harry stared, wide eyed at his headmaster. He knew he had defeated Grindelwald, but he had never really considered what this meant. He sat their, not moving for a few minutes. He was staring at the wall, but not really seeing anything at all. "I believe you had a question of me?" Dumbledore prompted, snapping him out of his trance.

"What? Oh—yea. I-I wanted to know about the powers I had."

"Ah, right. As I said, you possess both the power of love, and the ability to perform wandless magic. However, unless I am mistaken, the latter stems from your love and emotions. When you feel very powerful about someone you love, your powers increase enough to be able to bypass your wand."

"I know that, both you and Professor McClaggan explained it to me, but I don't get it."

"I believe you are referring to the room I pointed out last year in the Department of Mysteries, the room where wizards study the power of the heart. Not much is known about this power, but I will do my best to fill you in. The first wizard to attempt to harness this power was Felix Summerbee, he was able to harness this power in a very small way. He invented the cheering charm. He took all of the love and happiness he could handle and molded it into a spell that would make others feel loved and happy. It is believed that it is possible, dangerous and rare, but possible for a wizard to harness even more power, the notion is referred to as Felix Felicis. It would allow a wizard to send such quantities of love and happiness that it could utterly destroy an evil being."

What does this have to do with me?" Harry asked. He was so curious that he was nearly falling off his seat awaiting the point of the story.

"Don't you remember learning that Dementors were indestructible?"

"Yea…"

"What I think, mind you it is just a theory, is that you possess the ability to harness this power in such quantities that you can channel it and destroy a dark creature."

"Are you saying that I could invent a spell that could kill Voldemort or a dementor?"

"You've been told that it wasn't your sword that killed the dementor on the train, but your emotions. I am just telling you the possible roots of this power. If I am right, you will not need a spell."

"Dumbledore," Harry's head snapped towards the portrait of Phineas Nigellus. Harry remembered that Phineas, a relative of Sirius, had another portrait in Grimmauld Place. "You have a message from Remus Lupin. He says that he has just spoken to Kingsley Shacklebolt, who told him that you and Harry Potter are wanted at the Ministry with regards to your prisoner." He finished lazily.

"Is that all, Phineas?"

"He says he will meet you in the lobby, he wishes to speak to both of you." His sleepy looking eyes found Harry, but he just walked out of his portrait without saying anything.

"Harry, I believe, since you haven't started your apparition lessons yet, it would be safest to floo."

Harry walked over to the fire place and grabbed a bit of floo powder out of the pouch. He briefly thought about his trip to knockturn alley in his second year. "Ministry of Magic!" He yelled, throwing the powder into the fire. He felt a swirling sensation and found that when he opened his eyes he saw that he was passing many fireplaces, but each time he tried to see the room outside the fireplace he was past it and another one had taken its place. It wasn't long before Harry stepped out of the fireplace in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic. He looked around and saw Remus Lupin and Albus Dumbledore smiling at him.

"How did you-" Harry started at his headmaster.

"I told you, Harry. A man has a right to keep some of his secrets." The twinkle had returned to his blue eyes.

"A word, Harry?" asked the werewolf, stepping in between the two. He looked around nervously before continuing in a hushed voice. "Are you really thinking about killing Pettigrew?"

"Yes, but I thought you have more of a right to kill him then me. If you would rather than he's yours." Lupin's mouth dropped wide open. "Well, you did try to kill him in my third year, I'm just giving you the opportunity to finish what I stopped you from doing."

"Harry, I don't think it'd be wise to kill Voldemort's followers like this, it could put you in danger."

"I'm already in danger, Remus. I'm in more danger than anyone else, and if Voldemort ever finds out about the prophesy I'll be in even more danger. Killing his servants will hurt him more than anything, it could make him make a mistake."

"Then I'll do it. Not because I have a right to him, but because like you said a few years ago. I don't think your father would want you to become a killer."

"I appreciate that, Remus. But I'll have to become a killer sooner or later."

Lupin was about to respond but Dumbledore interrupted. "This is neither the time nor place to discuss such matters, but for your information, Harry. Remus doesn't know the entire prophesy."

"I'll fill you in. But Remus, it's your call."

"Yea, I'll do it." Harry's old professor said quietly. He turned and led them out of the atrium. Harry realized where they were going before they reached the door. They were headed to the Department of Mysteries. "Its in courtroom 10, where you had your hearing last year, Harry." They walked inside the courtroom to see Peter Pettigrew stretched out on a white hospital bed, he looked unconscious.

Harry looked up to see many of the same faces that were present at his trial the previous year, the only people missing were Fudge and Umbridge. Harry had no idea where Umbridge could be, maybe she was still being questioned by Aurors.

Amelia Bones stood up and walked towards the prisoner. "Administer the veritaserum." An elderly looking wizard hustled over to Peter's side, forced his mouth open, and squeezed three drops of the clear liquid out of its container and down his throat.

"Are you Peter Pettigrew?" She asked forcefully. Wormtail's eyes snapped open.

"Yes."

"Would you care to explain how you escaped the day Sirius Black killed those people?"

"Black didn't kill anyone. He cornered me, but before he could curse me I blew the street apart, cut off my finger, and transformed into a rat and ran away."

"You are an animagus?"

"Yes, but unregistered."

"Why did Black corner you that day?" Harry could tell that Madame Bones was unsure of herself, but was following the line of questioning nonetheless.

"Because of the Potters-"

"But he killed the Potters!"

"No, he didn't. Voldemort killed the Potters, I gave them to him. Sirius thought it would be a perfect bluff, Voldemort would surely come after him, nobody would ever suspect me. His plan backfired, nobody did believe it was me, but I was the Potter's secret keeper." Amelia Bones looked around nervously. Dumbledore stood up, catching her attention.

"Peter, why did you do it?" He asked, causing a few murmurs through the wizengamot.

"Because the Dark Lord was more powerful than you could imagine. He alone was able to make me a more powerful wizard. It was a matter of sheer luck that he was defeated that night. But now Voldemort has returned, more powerful than ever." Bones seemed to be recovering from the initial shock of the news, so Dumbledore sat down.

"Name names, Pettigrew."

"Malfoy"

"We know of him."

"Lestrange." Madame Bones replied the same way.

"Dolohov."

"Peter, I want names of death eaters that have not yet been caught." But Pettigrew couldn't hear her, he had passed out.

Everyone in the room began to whisper to each other as Madame Bones slammed her fist on the table in frustration.

"Can't they just re-question him when he wakes up?" Harry asked his headmaster.

"Unfortunately, no. It would take quite a long time for it to be safe to question him again. Safe not only for him, but because we may not get the right information out of him."

"Does that mean Remus and I can have a chat with him?"

Dumbledore surveyed him over his half moon spectacles. "I believe we can work something out for you to meet with him when he wakes up."

Harry waited as patiently as he could for his meeting. He was getting very nervous, not because he was getting second thoughts about his plan, but because he had never done anything like it before. He didn't know how it would feel, would he regret it later? Would he be glad? He felt a sudden rush of gratitude towards Remus for taking the responsibility himself. It wasn't that Harry didn't think he could kill the man, he was just nervous that he would hate himself for it afterwards.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Lupin, you may see him now." Harry and Remus followed the same wizard who had administered the veritaserum back into the courtroom, where Peter Pettigrew stood alone. After being assured that he was unarmed the two proceeded into the courtroom and closed the door behind them, it was just the three of them.

"Peter, I never thought we'd be in this situation again."

"Wh-what do you mean, Remus o-old friend?"

"Last time I was alone in a room with you, Harry here stopped me from killing you. He doesn't have any qualms this time." Lupin said, taking a step forward. "Good-bye, Peter." Lupin raised his wand, but Pettigrew was already moving. He tore his hand out of his pocket and reached towards the werewolf. It was a second before Harry registered what was about to happen.

Wormtail reached out and grabbed Lupin with his silver hand. He pulled the werewolf towards him as a shield against Harry.

"If you move, I will run my silver hand straight through him and you will lose your last connection to your parents."

Harry didn't move, than he smiled. "What are you smiling about, you fool? You want me to kill your guardian?" Harry narrowed his eyes. "Nobody told you, Harry? Sirius left a letter to old Lupin here in his will. If anything happened to him he wanted Lupin to take care of you."

"How do you know that?" Hissed the werewolf.

"The Dark Lord has his sources."

"Wormtail!" Harry said suddenly, calling the prisoner's attention back to him.

"You are in no position to be insulting me, Potter."

"You forget, rat, that you still owe me a favor. Yes, Dumbledore explained everything to me. I saved your life, and you are in debt to me. I am calling that debt in now, let Lupin go."

"NO! I will n-" But Pettigrew couldn't finish the sentence, his face was turning red with the effort he was expending trying to hold onto the werewolf. It was as if an invisible force was tearing him away. Suddenly the prisoner screamed and flew away from Lupin, landing hard on his back. "You can't stop me, Potter!" He yelled, running towards Remus, his silver hand stretched out in front of him like a dagger. Harry reacted quickly, his training taking over. His sword was pulled and he was in front of his old professor before he even knew what he was doing. Pettigrew's eyes went wide with shock as the blade ran through his stomach, fatally wounding him. Harry pushed the death eater away, pulling the sword from his body. Pettigrew didn't fall over right away, he stood in shock, staring into Harry's eyes, which seemed to have flames in them.

"Yes, Peter, I can." Harry said simply as Pettigrew fell to the floor, dead.