Chapter Four

A Request

Harry didn't know what to say. In the past hour he had been told that he now was the owner of a house, apparated for the first time in his life, climbed to the top of an upside down house and had met a girl who had a split personality; it was a lot to absorb. The girl must have noticed this because she didn't wait for a response from Harry, who was still staring at her, mouth as open as could be, but instead continued her conversation with Dumbledore.

"I've asked you here tonight Professor, to arrange for a post at Hogwarts," the girl asked most seriously, causing a look of surprise to cross Dumbledore's face.

"You wish to teach at Hogwarts," he said, running his hand through his beard, "surely there must be a good reason."

"I have a most ominous feeling that we are on the brink of destruction Albus," she said, her face suddenly becoming very pale, "the balance of power is about to shift." Harry suddenly felt cold, even though the blaze in the fireplace now burned brighter than before. Dumbledore merely nodded before responding.

"I have noticed the signs as well Cagja, I will not deny it. I also know that this threat is inevitable; there must be a shift in the balance to bring change. I have already begun preparing accordingly."

"You will allow me to teach then I suspect?"

Dumbledore stood up and started towards the window.

"You believe this disaster is imminent," He asked, glancing up at the night sky. Harry could see the reflection of the moon in his spectacles.

"I do," the girl answered.

She then pointed towards a television that was perched above a dusty bookshelf the corner of the room, which turned on immediately. The nightly news was airing. A rather large, middle-aged man was standing in front of a building Harry recognized to be the museum the Dursleys had dragged him to earlier that day.

I am standing outside the London Museum of Science which has just become the scene of a burglary. It appears that the perpetrators broke into the museum, but decided not to take anything. Police arrived on the scene but found nothing to be missing from the museum. The head of the museum should be out in a few minutes to make an official statement regarding-

The girl waved her hand and the television turned off.

"Sir, that's the place where the Crusader's heart was!" Harry blurted out before he even realized it. The young girl gave him a nervous glance and Dumbledore merely continued to gaze out the window. "Y-you don't think the thief might've been after it, do you?"

"The thief didn't attempt to steal it Harry, they succeeded," the girl whispered, leaning forward in her seat so that she now sat only a few inches from Harry's face. He could see she was trembling. "This means that it will soon be arriving at Hogwarts. Albus, we must prepare-"

"I have preparations in place already Cagja, or should I say Professor," Dumbledore said with a hint of anger, "You will be filling the potions master position that has recently come up, and I shall see you on the first of September." He quickly grabbed Harry by the arm and pulled him to his feet.

"Sir-"

"I will answer your questions in due time Harry, but now we must be going. I bid you farewell for now Cagja." And with that, Dumbledore led Harry out of the living room, back through the odd looking kitchen with the bewitched ceiling, and out of the house.

A few minutes and another apparition later, Harry was standing in front of the Burrow with an angry look on his face and a troubled looking Dumbledore was directing him towards an old broom shed a few yards south of the Weasley's house.

"Sir, I don't see why we had to leave Cagja like that," Harry said with a spiteful tone, "I had some questions I wanted to ask her."

"You will address her as Professor Yewdine from now on Harry and I am sorry for that rather rude exit, but she has brought up some interesting points that I need to take into account before long." Dumbledore explained as they reached the shed that after a second glance, Harry realized was in very poor shape. "However, there are a few things I need to discuss with you before I go." Harry nodded as he brushed a cobweb from his hair.

"As you know, Professor Yewdine has been researching the Crusader's Heart. I believe that you should weary that although she is knowledgeable, she may have other motives. I want you to be most cautious around her." Harry shuffled a few shabby looking clean sweeps.

"What is Snape doing that he cannot teach potions anymore professor?"

"Professor Snape is working on a very special task this year," Dumbledore said, with an emphasis on his first word, "he has been reassigned on my request."

"Reassigned, what does that mean?" Harry questioned, unsure of whether he wanted Dumbledore to answer.

The headmaster gave Harry a stern look as he said "I have given him the Defense against the Dark Arts position-and I will not need to explain my reasons for trusting him with this task again," he finished, stopping Harry, who was clearly showing objection to this decision, from speaking.

A silence surfaced between the two, in which Harry took the time to notice a disgusting amount of spiders crawling along the beams of the shed roof. Ron must dread coming to this place, Harry thought, as he squashed a spider that had drifted to the floor on its own thread of silk. The thought surfaced another question; something Harry was full of tonight.

"Sir," he said quietly, shifting his gaze back to the professor who rather anxious to leave, "are Ron and Hermione allowed to know about what has happened tonight?"

"Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger are trustworthy companions Harry, they proven this on many occasions. I believe it is their right to know what's going on in your life."

It was true. Ron and Hermione had always been there for Harry; in a way, they were the closest thing to family he had, now that Sirius was gone. A saddened look appeared on his face, to which Dumbledore replied "You mustn't dwell too much on what you have lost Harry, he wouldn't have wanted that for you. Your godfather was a good friend of mine, and I know that he wouldn't want to see you going through something like this alone." A smile crossed Harry's face. Dumbledore always seemed to know what he was thinking.

"You're right professor," he said, looking down at his feet to hide his face, which he was sure, was now quite red. "Thanks." Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and led him out of the shed.

They walked back towards the house and stopped just shy of the front door.

"There's one last thing," Dumbledore said quickly, "I wish to conduct some private lessons with you this year, if you would be willing." Harry had to stop himself from gasping. When he regained control of his voice, he looked up at Dumbledore.

"I-of course professor," He stammered, still feeling very honoured, "What will you be teaching me though?"

"Oh, a little of this and a little of that," Dumbledore replied with a slight grin. He knocked on the door. "Let us not keep Molly worrying any longer. I told her that I would have you here long before now."

Before Harry could say anything, the door swung open, and he was greeted by a frantic looking Molly Weasley who pulled him into a gigantic hug.