ON TWO LORDS AND A PRINCE
CHAPTER 22: RECOGNITION OF NATURAL DARKNESS
It wasn't until he sat down that anybody reacted to his presence – they had not expected him to be listening to their conversation.
"How long have you been there?" Hermione demanded aggressively, appearing to be even more hostile to Harry than before the prank he had played on Malfoy just a few minutes previously.
"Not long, someone was talking about me defending Malfoy as I came in. I didn't want to disrupt the conversation so I hid," Harry replied nonchalantly, not caring how people reacted to his eavesdropping. He knew who his friends were and who he could trust now, that was all that mattered.
It was an answer that satisfied Hermione who instead turned her attention to another issue that had obviously been bothering the bushy-haired girl, "Where were you last night?" she demanded. It seemed to Harry as though Hermione believed she had a right to know where he was at all times, although he wasn't sure whether that was simple nosiness or her trying to prove that he was friends with Malfoy.
"None of your business," Harry responded testily, "But if you must know I was having wandless magic lessons with Prince Drakonmire, ask him if you don't believe me." Technically, it wasn't a lie, as channelling was a form of wandless magic. Before Hermione could respond by asking whether Dumbledore knew about Harry's channelling lessons, Harry changed the subject, by reminding the Gryffindors that it was time to go to their afternoon lessons, which in Harry's case was Care for Magical Creatures with Hagrid.
Harry had been nervous about seeing Hagrid, in case the half-giant decided to reprimand him about his attitudes towards Professor Dumbledore, but no mention was made of the issue, at least to Harry. After greeting Harry and Ron and setting the class to work, Hagrid spent at least ten minutes trying to persuade Hermione that she had make up with Harry and pouring scorn on Hermione's tales of the friendship between Harry and Malfoy, although Hagrid refrained from insulting the Slytherin, presumably because he could see him out of the corner of his eye.
Harry stayed behind after class to thank Hagrid for his efforts in trying to repair the friendship between Harry and Hermione, to which Hagrid responded with a defeated sigh and a resigned comment of "I don't know what's gotten into her. She won't listen to sense. I know you've changed, 'arry, but if you listen to her anyone would think you're a dark wizard."
"I know, she even accused me of being a death eater to my face over the summer and I don't think she's changed her opinion, even if she says otherwise. What's worse is I don't even understand why she's so convinced that I'm a traitor." Harry replied, failing to hide his anger at Hermione's accusations.
"She don't accept that you've a right to be angry at Professor Dumbledore because he left you at the muggles. She won't accept that even great wizards make mistakes. Professor McGonagall tried to persuade Professor Dumbledore to give you to your Grandfather not the muggles, but he wouldn't listen, said you'd be better off growing up not knowing of your fame." Hagrid replied.
"You don't mind me disobeying Dumbledore then?" Harry queried. He had been genuinely concerned about Hagrid's reaction to his fierce criticism of Dumbledore especially as he hadn't received a letter from the half giant since his birthday.
"I don't like what you've been saying and I think you're wrong about Professor Dumbledore, but you've got your reasons. 'sides, you're better off with your family than with the muggles," Hagrid responded. "I knew your grandpa when he was at school, nice bloke, bit like Riddle 'cept his niceness wasn't an act. Of course 'e went on to become an unspeakable and a damn good one, famous for his work on wards. Reckon 'e'll be minister one day." It wasn't the first time Harry had heard of his grandfather's achievements or the widespread belief that he would rise to the top, but it did help resolve an issue that had been bugging him since the Order meeting, namely who to replace Fudge with. However, his reply to Hagrid focused on another issue.
"I just wish Hermione and the others thought like you do. She even accused me of being a death eater in the holidays and has yet to apologise for it. Secretly, I bet she believes that she still believes me to be a traitor and I don't know why. Does she hate Malfoy so much or love Dumbledore so much that she would end our friendship because I'm treating Malfoy decently and being critical of Dumbledore?" It was a question that Harry had been constantly asking since his trip to Rome, especially since Hermione normally gave people the benefit of the doubt – something she hadn't done in that instance.
Hagrid's answer was the same unsatisfactory one that Harry had come up with. "Yer know 'ermione," he responded, noticing the signs of distress that had peaked through Harry's emotionless mask, "Too stubborn for her own good and an unhealthy respect for authority. She'll come round eventually." Neither Harry nor Hagrid really believed that Hermione, who refused to listen to reason on house elf rights, would alter her opinion on Harry, but the half giant said it anyway in an effort to be comforting. Not that Harry particularly wanted to hear it. If Hermione did come round he wouldn't forgive her, it was far too late for that.
Despite Hagrid's talk with Hermione, the relationship between Harry and the most pro-Dumbledore of his housemates, including the bushy haired girl, continued to deteriorate, particularly after Ron was chosen as the new Gryffindor keeper, prompting the second year he had narrowly beaten to accuse the existing team members of bias in their selection. The accusation was groundless, but that didn't stop Harry's detractors and the twins' suprisingly numerous enemies believing her. However, the weirdest thing was that as Harry's relationship with his pro-Dumbledore housemates worsened his relationship with Dumbledore himself actually got better. Following the agreement that had taken place after the welcome feast, Harry and Dumbledore had a long conciliatory conversation on Saturday evening after Harry and Slinker's return from his day long channelling lesson and the tour of the Potter family ancestral home that had preceded it.
Upon being told by Professor McGonagall that the headmaster wanted to see him, Harry feared that Dumbledore had called him to his office to reassert control. Fortunately such fears proved groundless the moment the meeting began. Dumbledore handed Harry a small square of parchment the moment the young Gryffindor entered the headmaster's office and waited for Harry to read what was written on it before speaking. There was a long pause whilst Harry digested the fact that the headmaster had given him permanent exemption from curfew and permission to leave school grounds whenever he wanted.
"Thank you," Harry responded gratefully. He was extremely surprised and a little worried that the headmaster had discovered his secret channelling lessons. Unable to think of anything more meaningful to say he waited for Dumbledore to say something.
Dumbledore smiled all knowingly, when he realised that Harry was waiting for a question or explanation and responded with that annoying twinkle in his eyes. "It would be unwise for you to illegally learn tightly regulated magics in a place where someone could eavesdrop on you. We could, of course, licence your tuition in such magics but that would remove the element of surprise and make Voldemort aware of your true capabilities. I have decided that it is best if your licence application is not submitted until Voldemort discovers what your uncle is teaching you." Harry really shouldn't have been surprised that Dumbledore knew about his supposedly secret lessons, not only did the old man have a habit of knowing things he shouldn't but he was also on the governing council of the International Confederation of Wizards, the organisation that handled licences to practice regulated magics such as channelling.
What shocked Harry even more though was that the headmaster seemed to approve of Harry's study of something that was widely considered a dark art, so much so that he asked for confirmation, "You approve of my lessons?" he queried curiously.
"I do not disapprove because dark magic is part of your nature," Dumbledore responded seriously, "You have proved yourself to be capable of handling the burdens that dark magic places on the soul and sensible enough not to misuse it. So long as you continue to maintain the necessary control and avoid the inherently evil aspects of the dark arts there is no danger in your studies."
Harry showed no emotion, he was glad that Dumbledore was supporting his choices but wanted to know why, if only to assess the likelihood of the old man changing his mind, "My grandfather taught me Occlumency over the summer so there should me no control problem. Besides, I have already chosen my loyalties and do not what insanity or anything else to alter that choice." Without the necessary control – gained most easily through the mental arts – dark magic could drive people insane. This was particularly true of the unforgivables and the darkest aspects of dark magic, which required unhealthy degrees of hate to cast. It is unsurprising therefore that dark magic is often associated with evil and evil wizards, a myth propagated by the prejudices that many witches and wizards have against dark magic. Harry was somewhat wary of Dumbledore, precisely because he believed that the old man shared the general bias against dark magic common on the light side.
He was surprised therefore by the headmaster's obvious insinuation that he had did not share such prejudices, unlike most of his followers. He was certainly pleased with the determination hidden within Harry's reassurances, but it was his reference to Harry as an example that most caught the Gryffindor's ear, "As long as your grandfather and your uncle is satisfied then I shall not oppose your lessons. I had hoped that you would not be exposed to the dangers of dark magic, but it appears that you have chosen to become the much needed example of a wizard who uses dark magic as it should be used."
"How is dark magic supposed to be used then?" Harry queried, trying to convince himself that the question was asked out of necessity of knowing Dumbledore's views of the dark arts rather than the weakness that was his insatiable curiosity.
"I believe that your dark spells are fuelled by your hatred of the injustices committed against you by Voldemort and myself. The darkness within you is that of righteous anger not fear. It compels you to fight to punish these past injustices and prevent them reoccurring. Victory will heal the anger within you and push back the darkness within you. So long as you aim not to kill Voldemort but not to punish him for his crimes this will remain the case." Dumbledore explained. Harry wasn't entirely sure what the difference between killing and punishing Voldemort was, given that the only worthy punishment for the dark lord's crimes was death. It seemed a somewhat artificial and meaningless distinction to him probably designed to justify killing dark wizards within the headmaster's moral scheme. He didn't argue the point, not wanting to get into debate about something as meaningless as the morality of war. It was only several days later that he realised the value of the distinction that Dumbledore had outlined, not that it had any relevance to channelling, which relied on completely different methods of control to the rest of the dark arts, a point he made clear to the headmaster.
"But, I'm not learning any dark spells, Slinker is teaching me channelling." He protested, hoping that Dumbledore knew the difference between the two forms of magic. He had actually considered taking a few books from the restricted section to learn the dark arts but his rather busy timetable had put paid to that idea.
"That is why I requested that you be admitted into the advanced defence class, all the spells that you shall be learning there are dark magic, that is why parental permission is required for it," Dumbledore replied, shocking Harry. He would never have expected the headmaster to institute a class in dark magic, but as Slinker would explain during the class' first meeting, such a class had also existed during the last war.
This first meeting took place three days later in the defence classroom after dinner. Given that only sixth and seventh years were allowed to take it and that it was technically a class in the dark arts the turn out was surprisingly good. The twins were the only other Gryffindors there, but most of the Ravenclaws from the upper two years were there as were half a dozen Hufflepuffs. The biggest surprise – that only three Slytherins had been admitted to the course – was explained in Slinker's rather long winded introductory speech, namely that for some unfathomable reason Dumbledore had demanded that no-one potentially loyal to Voldemort was to be allowed into the class. Aside from the lack of brevity what annoyed and bored Harry about his uncle's speech was that he'd heard all before, virtually word for word, the day before when he had asked Slinker what they'd be learning in the class after his channelling lesson. The brief answer to that question was the they'd learning the same dark spells that the aurors were taught during auror training, the extended version was a hour long lecture on how to use the dark arts properly. Harry had already mastered the art of powering spells using emotion in his third year whilst learning the Patronus Charm, and the dark spells used much the same method except with a different emotion. The only difference being that mastering the Patronus Charm was generally regarded as being far more difficult than mastering the dark arts and that the overwhelming hatred needed to power the more advanced dark spells could, supposedly, drive away positive emotions, turning the caster to the dark side. Not that Harry truly believed such claims, although he was well aware of the fact that dwelling on one's anger was unhealthy. The most annoying thing about the advanced defence class was that the second hour of the class was devoted to learning a spell that Harry managed on the second attempt, but which several others still hadn't mastered by the end of the class. That these strugglers didn't turn up to the next advanced defence session two days later surprised no-one, not that Harry was able to attend either as he was needed at the Ministry to testify at the trial of Vernon Dursley.
Thank You for you patience. This fic has been on hiatus whilst I have worked on Snake Healer. Not only is Snake Healer is now complete but I now have the time to update regualarly. Admittedly, I have also writer's block problems with this chapter. I wrote most of the Harry/Hagrid conversation about a year ago, but I had no idea what should come next. The Harry/Dumbledore discussion on the nature of the dark arts only came to me a week ago, whilst I was thinking about a different fic.
Secondly, don't be fooled by Dumbledore's concilitary attitude in this chapter. He's still being maniplulative by trying to keep Harry onside by compromising with him. His opinions on dark magic are genuine, although are also flawed as anyone who has read OotP will realise. Righteous anger cannot fuel dark magic as this Dumbledore believes. I do think though that Dumbledore is somewhat nicer than many Manipulative! Dumbledore fics make him out to be.
Finally in response to AnnF - I haven't outlined much of what you want partly due to the limitations of my writing style but also because the details of Harry's life with his grandparents are not really relevant to the story so are only alluded to in the relevant chapters or mentionned in passing. Harry's guardianship shall be discussed in the next few chapters. Harry's relationship with Sirius and his opinion of his parents shall become relevant eventually too. As for why Harry wasn't angry with Sirius, let's just say he was but I forgot to mention it. Finally you ask why James wasn't dark, the answer is that his father wasn't dark. Why James' dad wasn't dark is different question entirely and one which Harry has only heard part of the answer.
Thank You to all those who reviewed Chapter 21. The reviews were much appreciated. If you want me to e-mail you when I update this fic leave your e-mail address in your review.