Chapter 5: Over the river and through the woods, to Hogwarts School we go!

Disclaimer: Nothing… I own nothing

"Harry… I want you to promise me." The twinkling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore stared into Harry's emerald ones.

"I can't!" said Harry sadly. "Dumbledore… Professor, they're my friends. I led them in to this… I can't just stand here."

" I know that this is hurting you, Harry, and that you have your own freedom of opinion, but this is not your fault."

"If I wasn't the chosen one… I should never have made friends." He turned away.

"Harry, friends are what you need most. I know what you are going through…"

Harry cut the elderly wizard off.

"You… understand… nothing." He hissed, in a voice quite unlike his own. Dumbledore stared at him, and as Harry realized how cruel that was, he begged forgiveness. "Dumbledore, I'm sorry… I don't know what… What happened? What's happening to me?" He met Dumbledore's gaze with tired and sad eyes, full of worry.

"Why is it me?" he whispered. "What did I ever do?"

"Harry… " he walked over and placed his hand on the young man's shoulder. Harry glanced down, fixing his gaze on his hands, which were lying palms up on his lap. "Look at me." He waited as Harry reluctantly did as he was told. The eyes held concern and innocence, pure truth came from his lips. "You have done nothing… you of all people don't deserve many of the things that happen to you. All of the worst things that have happened are the fault of Voldemort, if anyone. Not you."

"But if I hadn't…"

"Harry, do you think they would have let you stop being their friend?" Harry pondered this, playing the last 6 years over in his mind.

"..no, sir." He finally said.

"Exactly."

"but if I hadn't asked to sit with them that first day…"

"No one can stop fate Harry. Not even the most powerful of us."

"Yes, professor."

"So… we have an understanding?"

"Yes, sir."

"Will you promise me you will come to Hogwarts and not go after Ron and Hermione?"

"… yes… Headmaster." He replied sadly.

"Thank you, Harry. I know I can trust you."

"Yes, sir." Dumbledore left the room, and Harry put his head on the table and cried tears of anger and of hate, toward the man who had taken away everything…

Harry Potter stood before Ron and Hermione as he watched her start to sob and the foolish boy gape. Imbeciles… they actually believed that he, Lord Voldemort, was Harry Potter.

"How are you, Hermione? And you, Ron? I hope your accommodations are to your liking?" They both stared at him, wondering what he was doing.

He crouched by the cell, so that he was closer to their faces. "Are you ok? Listen, Sirius and Remus know where we are, they've got Dumbledore and their on their way." He lied. This was his vantage point. He knew who Harry's friends were, and where they would be, because of the Death Eater/ spies. Ron managed to free himself of his gag, as did Hermione.

"Harry!" he whispered. "Get us out of here!" Hermione nodded agreement.

"I can't… Voldemort's got the keys." He put on a look of pity, trying to fool them. "I hear someone coming…" he said suddenly.

"Go, Harry! You can't let You- Know- Who get you!" he nodded, and with a final glance ran out of sight before stopping and beginning to walk. Transfiguration was a wonderful thing, he thought as he chuckled to himself.

Harry sat next to Nevillle in a compartment on the Hogwarts express. He barely spoke a word.

On their arrival to Hogwarts, they ran into Draco Malfoy.

"Hey, Potty… Where's Mudblood and Weasel? I was so looking forward to seeing them." His drawiling voice echoed through the entrance hall.

"I'm warning you, Malfoy…" Harry took a menacing step forward. Everyone else spread out, giving the to a large area of empty space.

"What're you going to do? Hex me?" he sniggered. Harry reached for his wand, but felt something white and hot hit his face across the cheek, leaving a large burn.

As Harry thought of a curse, He heard a harsh voice.

"That is enough!" It was Dumbledore. "Harry, come with me… Fifty points from Slytherin." Harry followed Dumbledore down a few corridors to the large stone gargoyle, where Dumbledore said, "Lollipops." And entered… Harry followed.

"I will be right back." Said Dumbledore, taking a small handful of powder and throwing into the fire, yelling, "The Burrow."

'Oh great…' Harry thought. 'I'm dead.' Dumbledore returned, Sirius and Lupin behind him.