Harry Potter and All There is Left To Do Is Love
by: wish on a muggle at yahoo dot com
Chapter 5: The Portrait
Harry stared at the Dumbledore in the frame. "Please, Harry, sit down."
Harry didn't want sit, but he did. "Why did you trust Snape? He just turned around and killed you!" Harry shouted, "He used an UNFORGIVEABLE Curse on you!"
Dumbledore twiddled his thumbs. "Harry, there is something you must know about portraits." He paused, then went on, "We don't get ALL of our memories. The subject of the portraits gets to pick what memories we are allowed to have."
"What?" Harry said, confusion sinking in.
"Well, I decided that I would allow myself to remember my death and who killed me but not why I trusted him." He added, "And I still do trust him."
Harry glared at the portrait, "So I've come here for answers you can't give me?"
"I guess you can say that," Dumbledore said, "I prefer to say that you came here for answers you needed to get."
Harry sighed and looked down at his hands and remembered, "Sir, why was your hand all black and dead looking?"
Dumbledore sighed, "That is yet another thing I wished not to confide in myself," he said, holding up two very healthy looking hands.
"The Horcrux," Harry started. "It wasn't a Horcrux."
"What was it, then Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
"I don't know. There was a note," Harry said, "Something like: To the Dark Lord," Harry paused, "I remember it said Dark Lord because I thought it must be from a Death Eater."
"A wise assumption," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in his frame.
"They said something about being dead before Voldermort would get a chance to read the note. Said something about discovering a secret, I'm guessing it was about Voldermort's many Horcruxes."
Dumbledore nodded.
"Said that they had stolen the REAL Horcrux and that they intended to destroy it," Harry paused again, "I remember they said intended because it made me think that maybe they meant to destroy it but got killed before they could get a chance."
Dumbledore nodded and make acknowledging sounds.
"Then they said, 'I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more.' Then they signed it R.A.B." Harry finished looking into those half-moon glasses.
"Yes, yes, it would make him mortal." Dumbledore said aloud. "If he did find this Horcrux, yes...which he did, for that is a fake one we found, if he did destroy it...yes..."
"Sir?" Harry asked, "You said 'he'? Is R.A.B. a he?"
Dumbledore looked up from his hands, "Well, I have a feeling, I may not be right about this, of course, but I believe it may have been Regulus Black."
"Sirius's brother?" Harry asked dumbfounded. "Didn't the Death Eater's kill him?"
"Yes, I never knew why but they did say that the first to find him, kill him." Dumbledore said softly. "They must have wanted to kill him incase he had the Horcrux on him, but the letter made it sound as though Voldermort might not know Regulus had them. He was a smart young man, though. He would have it hidden."
"Sir?" Harry asked, "I thought that Sirius said that his brother wanted to be a Death Eater."
"Yes, but do also remember that he said Regulus wanted out, he found out what Voldermort was doing, Harry and decided that it was wrong."
"They found him within days." Harry remembered. "Isn't that right?"
"Yes, Harry."
Harry look over at the window next to Dumbledore's desk and remembered something else, "Professor Slughorn mentioned him. Last summer when you took me to try and convince him to come back to Hogwarts."
"Yes, Regulus was one of Horace's favorites. You may want to ask him if he remembers anything about him."
"Yes sir." Harry said. He looked down slightly, "Professor Slughorn said I have my mother's talents."
"I may have heard that from him."
"But I cheated," Harry told him.
"I assumed as much," Dumbledore said with a smile and small wink.
"Last year, I wasn't sure if I could take potions so I didn't buy the text book. Professor Slughorn let me barrow one but it was covered in writing. I followed the written instructions instead." Harry said, "They were by the Half-Blood Prince."
"And did you discover who the Half-Blood Prince is, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, Snape." It was the first time Dumbledore didn't correct him.
"Severus is a very talented Potions master. He was very good in school." Dumbledore said with a smile. "Even though," Dumbledore added, "he wasn't a very fair teacher."
"When he thought I had it, I hid it." Harry told him.
"Where?" Dumbledore asked curiously.
"In the Room of Requirement." Harry told him.
"Well, Harry," Dumbledore began slyly. "If you feel like you need a little tutoring in Potions class, it would be all right if you just go and get the book. Though I can not allow you to use any of the spells Severus had written in it in this school."
"Thank you, Professor." Harry smiled.
"There is something I would like to ask you, however, Harry."
"Yes sir?"
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his half-moon glasses, "Why is it that you called off your relationship with you very charming girlfriend, Miss Weasley, as my funeral?"
Harry blushed. "I...er, well, you see...er...I..."
Dumbledore smiled, "She told me you two, um...made up the other day when she came in so kindly to talk to me."
"Yes." Harry's face was burning and he looked determinedly at his hands.
"What I was wondering, Harry is why you forced her away when she could help you the most!" Harry looked up. "What is the one thing I keep telling you, the thing that you possess that Voldermort does not?"
"Love," Harry whispered.
"That is right, Harry. Love." He paused. "Your ability to love people and allow them to love you in return is the most important thing you have. The thing that Voldermort does not, can not, and will never understand is the power of love, in all of its forms." Harry nodded. "Therefore, Harry, surround yourself with those who love you the most, and you will have an edge on Voldermort."
Harry nodded.
"I believe," Dumbledore said smiling, "that it is almost time for your next class."
Harry nodded again and stood up.
"So you just make your way so I can do something I've wanted to do for a very long time."
"What is that Professor?" Harry asked politely.
"Explore the castle now that I am the subject of a painting." Dumbledore smiled. "There are plenty of things I can do now!"
"Like what?"
"Well," said Dumbledore smiling widely, "I hear the Fat Lady is a wonderful dancer."
Harry told Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all about his interview with Dumbledore that evening in the common room. Ginny's head laid lazily on his shoulder.
"He didn't leave any memory about why he trusts Snape?" Ron asked for the hundredth time.
"NO!" Ginny yelled, fed up with brother.
Hermione's head was stuck in a book and she whispered, "Well, you understand why he didn't want his portrait to know, right?"
Harry looked at her, "No. Why?"
"Because he doesn't want you to know. He thinks you are ready the way you are." She flipped a page in her book, "That's why I don't think we are going to be here much longer."
Ron and Ginny turned to her as well. "What do you mean?" Ron asked.
"Well, Voldermort is not going to wait much longer now that Dumbledore is out of the picture." She placed a page marker in her book before looking up. "I think he is going to make his move soon. Dumbledore put some protection on the castle for us and now that we have it, we have to go."
"Not yet," Harry said. "I still need to talk to Slughorn."
"Maybe you can ask him if he has any Felix Felicis left," Hermione said, "just incase. Any sign of a fight we can take a quick sip and be safe." Hermione paused and looked Harry directly in the eye, "That was really smart of you to lend it to us. I really do believe it saved our lives."
Harry shrugged, causing Ginny's head to bob up and down. "I'll go to him tomorrow. I promise."
The next morning they all went down to breakfast just as the mail owls were coming in. Hermione's copy of the Daily Prophet had barely landed when they heard a gasp, she picked it up quickly and then placed it flat out on the table before they could ask her what it was.
Harry looked at an upside down picture of a muggle man Harry noticed was the Prime Minister then above it in large black letters was written, "MINISTER OF THE MUGGLES KILLED BY YOU-KNOW-WHO HIMSELF"
Harry looked up at the staff table. All of the teachers were frowning. "I'll ask Slughorn at break." Harry told them, getting up. "I just need to run upstairs for a second."
Ginny got up as well, "I'll go with you." Harry looked sideways at her and nodded. They made their way upstairs and Ginny said, "Are you going to get the Half-Blood Prince book?"
"Yes." Harry said.
"I thought so." Ginny and Harry walked across that familiar stretch of wall three times thinking they wanted the room that hid things. A door appeared and Harry ran in and grabbed his book, tucking it carefully into his bag with a disgusted look on his face.
"I thought the Half-Blood Price would have been someone..." he trailed off.
Ginny smiled, "I know. It must have been a big shock when you found out it was Snape...but, Harry," she glanced around to make sure no one was listening, "I'm not sure you should kill him."
"What?" Harry asked appalled.
"I didn't want to say it in front of Ron and Hermione but," she paused, "neither can live while the other survives? I think you should take care of Voldermort first."
"And what if I have to go through Snape to get to him?"
"We'll see to it when we get there." Ginny said.
"What do you mean? You are going to kill for me?" Harry asked.
"Harry, I am willing to kill for you, but," Ginny paused, "why kill those who we don't NEED to kill?"
"I NEED to kill him." Harry said, "He killed Dumbledore."
"How are you going to kill him? Use an Unforgivable Curse?" Ginny said lamely.
The bell rang to signal for first class so Harry didn't have to answer as they ran down to the dungeons.
"Hello class," Professor Slughorn greeted as they all sat down. Ernie Macmillan had to sit with the Slytherins because Ginny had taken the spot next to Harry in a rush. Slughorn had them work on the Blood-Replenishing Potion. "If it is perfect, we shall send it to the Hospital Wing, just incase," he added.
Harry opened his book and looked at what Snape had written as a 16-year-old boy. There was another spell he had made up on the page but Harry just went on to make the potion. When the hour was over, Harry's, Ron's, Hermione's, and Ginny's potions were all the deep blood red it was supposed to be. Harry told them all to just copy what he was doing, which Hermione didn't approve of but Harry still caught her checking.
"Wonderful!" Slughorn beamed, "You have been tutoring your friends!" Hermione growled under her breath but when the bell rang for the end of lesson she got up without hesitation and left with everyone else. Harry said goodbye to Ginny and turned to Slughorn when there was no one else in the room.
"Sir? I want to ask you a question," Harry began.
"Does this have anything to do with the Prime Minister's death?" Slughorn asked in return.
"Sort of. Sir, can you tell me about Regulus Black?" Harry tried to search his face but Slughorn merely motioned for Harry to sit back down. Harry took his usual seat and Slughorn took Hermione's.
"Regulus. Bright boy. Member of the Slug Club." The potions master said.
Harry, himself had been an unwilling member of the Slug Club.
"You knew his brother?" Slughorn asked. "Sirius? Dumbledore told me he was your godfather." Harry nodded. "Yes, James and him were inseparable." He paused, "But you are not here to hear about James and Sirius, you are here about Regulus."
"Yes, sir."
"Well, he was very smart. Hated his brother but most siblings that close in age don't get along." Slughorn said knowledgeably. "They had very different views, those two. Regulus was pureblood at heart and only liked purebloods, his parents favored him over Sirius."
Harry felt a pang of hatred toward Sirius's parents, even though he knew the portrait of Sirius mother wasn't that nice he never gave her a second thought, until now.
"Regulus joined the Death Eaters right out of Hogwarts. Knew a lot about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Slughorn informed him. "Figured out almost everything and then realized that he didn't agree with You-Know-Who's fight for immortality. Regulus always believed that when it was your time to go, it was your time to go. Wasn't a afraid of death, that one."
"So," Harry said slowly, "what you're saying is that Regulus was very close with Voldermort," Slughorn flinched, "but I heard that Death Eaters killed him."
"Yes," said Slughorn, dropping his head in respect, "You-Know-Who sent out the order. Regulus had a fight with one of the Death Eaters, I can't remember his name, Lewis something-or other, I just remember him dying in Azkaban. Anyway, he was saying something about how he found religion and that he would do anything to make sure that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would be mortal once more."
Harry jumped up.
"Did I say something?" Slughorn looked up at him.
"Yes, that settles it. Thank you Professor," Harry turned around and was half-way across the room when he stopped. "Er, Professor?"
"Yes, Harry?" Slughorn had walked over to his desk.
"Would you happen to have any Felix Felicis left?" Harry was trying not to sound like a greedy school boy.
"I'll have a new batch finished tomorrow. Why?" Slughorn asked, his eyes searching Harry.
"Well, see, last year when the Death Eaters came to the school and I was out with Dumbledore, I gave mine to my friends and when the Death Eaters tried to hit them with spells, they always missed."
"I believe it saved their lives." Slughorn said.
"Yes, I think that too and well, we are getting in very dark times and since Voldermort," Slughorn flinched again, "is after my friends and I, I was just hoping you can give us a slight edge."
Slughorn seemed to be searching him up and down and then said, "Come to me after class tomorrow and I will give you a vial."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, a vial would be enough for a sip each.
The next morning at breakfast the owls came again and Harry nervously looked over at Hermione as she laid the paper out once again and it showed a large picture of Gilbert Whimple, a man with two large horns on top of his head who worked for the Committee of Experimental Charms. He had been murdered by 3 Death Eaters.
Harry looked back up at the staff table. Two murders in two days. A muggle and a wizard. Harry glanced at Slughorn whose eyes were halfway out of his head. He looked extremely pale and was pulling little tuffs of hair out of his walrus mustache.
"I saw him," Harry said, "That day of my hearing. He was in the lift with your dad and I." Harry told Ron.
"Yeah, I knew him too," Ron said. "Saw him when dad took me to work with him." Ginny nodded as well.
"Maybe I can get two vials out of Slughorn." Harry said looking back at the picture of the man, swaying slightly because of his horns.
When Harry arrived in Slughorn's office that evening, Slughorn had more than one vial ready, he had about 8.
"I figure that you can use some extra luck." He had told him. "Anything for Lily's son."
Harry put all the vials in his bag and walked carefully up to the almost empty Gryffindor common room where Ron, Hermione and Ginny were waiting for him. He showed them the many bottles and asked Hermione, "Do you think we could put a re-enforcement charm on them?"
"I think we could do better than that!" She smiled picking up one of the vials, "We can bewitch them only to be opened by us. To remember our voice, maybe!" Hermione examined the bottle, "Put them on chains so that we can carry a few around with us at all times."
"You're brilliant." Ron told her. She smiled.
Hermione ran upstairs to grab some spell books while Harry laid down on the sofa, resting his head in Ginny's lap. "I can't believe you got 8 vials out of him," she said sounding proud.
"I think he got scared this morning about that Whimple guy, maybe he was in the Slug Club." Harry said.
Ginny ran her fingers through his hair and he could think of nothing else for the next hour as Hermione began bewitching bottles, she was explaining what she was doing but Harry's eyes were closed and his body humming at Ginny's touch.
"Harry? HARRY?" Hermione yelled.
"Huh?" Harry said, opening his eyes and turning to face her. Ginny was giggling and Ron's face split into a lopsided grin.
"I need you to say your name loudly and clearly so that the bottles will only open for you." Hermione informed him.
Harry sat up reluctantly and when Hermione waved her wand Harry said, "Harry Potter."
Hermione picked up one of the bottles and tried to open it. No luck, she passed it to Ron who couldn't open it either. His face turned purple before he gave up and tossed it to Harry who opened it normally.
"Good job, Hermione!" Ron said, astounded by his own girlfriend's talents. Harry gave her back the vial and she did the spell again for each herself, Ron, and Ginny.
It was after midnight before they all got up to go to bed. Harry and Ginny shared a kiss before going up to bed. As did Ron and Hermione but Ron didn't turn up until 10 minutes after Harry had climbed into bed.
The next morning, Harry was afraid to look for the mail but it came and Hermione once again laid out the newspaper. The cover, this time held several wizards and witches, Harry recognized them as the Death Eaters from the Department of Mysteries.
"They have been broken out. Voldermort killed all the guards!" Ginny said reading a passage.
"They don't have wands," Harry reminded their worried faces. "The Ministry broke them after they were caught."
"Yeah, but Ollivander is still missing, isn't he? If they've got him, it will be bad news for us." Ginny looked worried. Harry put a hand on her's and laced their fingers together.
Harry looked up at the staff table for the third time this week. Lupin and Hagrid were in a deep, dark, conversation. Their eyes were hidden and they looked like their were whispering. Professor McGonagall was reading the paper with a stony expression. Slughorn had set the paper down and was now trying to eat with shaking hands.
Harry looked at Hermione, "You were right. I think we are going to leave here soon."
Hermione sighed, "I didn't want to be right," she said looking around the place like she was about to say goodbye to a dear friend.
Harry knew what she was feeling, Hogwarts was more of a home that anywhere else, only the Burrow coming second.
"When do you think we are going to leave, then?" Ron asked, not to anyone in particular.
Harry looked back down at the paper, Lucius Malfoy was looking smugly at the enchanted ceiling. He shrugged. "Like Hermione said," he paused, "soon."
Ginny shivered next to him but when he looked over at her, he could see pure loathing in her eyes as she glared at Malfoy's picture.
A/N: Soon...yesss...ssssoooooooooownnnnn.
I am sure that Dumbledore and Snape worked out an agreement. I read this really good editorial on it on MuggleNet, but I still have a feeling that Snape is on Voldermort's side...so in conclusion, I have no idea what to think. I have a feeling, though, that Harry will come face to face with Snape in this fic. I'm not sure if it will be before or after he meets with Voldermort.
I love these reviews I get. I laugh at all the ones that say they arn't flames and the ones saying MORE SEX and then the ones that said "NO! Stop the sex!" LOL! I love it!