Chapter 9
Out of Sanctuary
For the next two weeks, Harry fell into the pattern of training, reading, talking with his guardians, training, talking with his friends, reading, and, finally, sleeping. His strength had returned allowing his training to increase a few levels but it still remained easier than what he was capable of. The topic of returning to school hadn't been brought up often and Sirius had made an effort of being less hostile when it had been. It was now more of a reluctant acceptance. The three of them knew Harry would have to return to Hogwarts they just didn't voice their thoughts.
Remus' recovery was still slow but he was now able to stay awake for nearly an entire day without needed sleep. Any sort of physical activity still drained him though, which was frustrating since Remus insisted on being present for Harry's training sessions. Harry didn't mind. Remus always seemed to notice the little things and point them out rather than let Sirius have Harry learn through trial and error, something that annoyed Sirius to no end.
Everything had seemed to fall back to normal which was odd considering everything that had happened. Harry knew he was grounded but, so far, nothing had been said to what the grounding would entail. He wasn't allowed to go anywhere but that wasn't anything new. That was the way it had been last summer and it was more for his protection than punishment. His friends were allowed to visit every few days which kept Harry up-to-date with all of the happenings at the Burrow. Harry was also informed on the happenings at the Ministry from Ron and Hermione who had a tendency to eavesdrop on Mr. and Mrs. Weasley late at night. Evidently, the Minister still desperately wanted to meet with Harry which wasn't anything new. From what he had learned about Rufus Scrimgeour, Harry knew the man only wanted to use him for the Ministry's gain and he wasn't going to be a part of that.
Harry had also learned quite a bit about wartime in the wizarding world. He had learned about Inferi which were corpses that had been bewitched to do a Dark wizard's bidding. Voldemort had used them in the last war and was bound to use them in this one. He had also learned that the Dementors had left Azkaban, joined Voldemort and were currently breeding, something he really could have lived without knowing. That was just disgusting to even think about. Harry had also been given a purple leaflet which was the Ministry's guide to protection against dark forces although it should have been called: 'Wartime for Dummies'. There was really nothing helpful in the leaflet. It could have been summarized on one page by saying 'if you notice something isn't right, run for your life and call for help'.
Sirius and Remus had a good laugh when Harry voiced his opinion. They didn't think the leaflet was helpful either. That had been one of the more humorous of discussions. Truthfully, Harry didn't know what he would have done without Sirius and Remus insisting he talk about everything on his mind, including the Prophecy. It had been those talks with Sirius and Remus that had helped Harry the most. His self doubt was slowly fading, which was noticed by everyone. He was slowly turning back to the Harry Potter that they had known before the end of the previous term.
With only ten days until the start of the term, the entire wizarding world was growing anxious. There were articles everyday in the 'Daily Prophet' concerning 'The Chosen One's' recovery and his the reasoning for his seclusion from the public eye. Some claimed that Voldemort had tortured Harry into insanity while others believed that Harry had been physically disfigured and was too ashamed to show his face. Sirius and Remus did what they could to keep Harry from reading the 'Daily Prophet' but that didn't stop Harry from overhearing Sirius ranting about nosy reporters and selfish politicians.
The time the three of them had been dreading came that evening at dinner when Professor Dumbledore arrived. No one had to say anything. They just shared a look and knew it was no use debating it. However, Sirius and Remus had a few requests to ensure Harry's safety. To start off, Harry wouldn't be riding on the Hogwarts Express on September 1st and the public would know that to avoid another attack on the train. Second, until Remus recovered completely, Sirius would take Remus' place as Hogwarts councilor and Remus would come to Hogwarts since he was still under Madam Pomfrey's care. Thirdly, if danger were to arise, Harry would have means to escape. Harry's legacy pendants would be made into a portkey that was password activated to bring Harry to Black Manor. Dumbledore agreed to provide an additional portkey that would transport Harry to the Headmaster's office. Lastly, Sirius and Remus were to be consulted regarding any decision that involved Harry whether it involved a punishment, the Ministry, or the press.
Professor Dumbledore agreed to all of the demands and assured the three wizards that a portkey would be delivered on August 31st to take them to Hogwarts. He also asked if he could take a more active role in Harry's education with some extra lessons. Sirius was hesitant while Remus said it was all right as long as they knew what was going to be covered in order to help if Harry needed it. Dumbledore agreed once again.
When Dumbledore left, silence filled the kitchen before Sirius looked at Harry with a stern gaze. "You do realize you're still grounded, right?' he asked as the corner of his mouth twitched.
Harry bit his lower lip nervously. He knew that his punishment was going to be addressed.
Sirius glanced at Remus before returning his attention to Harry. "When we go to Hogwarts, you will be restricted to the grounds," he said firmly. "The evenings you don't have Quidditch you will spend in the Marauder Quarters, working on schoolwork or whatever we give you to study unless you need to be somewhere else. Also, there will be no Hogsmeade visits until we say otherwise."
Harry nodded in acceptance. He had actually expected worse. It would probably be better for him to spend his free time in the Marauder Quarters anyways to avoid the staring and whispers. He could also live without going to Hogsmeade since that was Rita Skeeter's favorite place to hide out and wait for him.
"Sirius, I think it also wouldn't hurt for Harry to spend sometime helping Poppy in the hospital wing as repayment for everything she had done for him," Remus added with a grin. "I'm sure she would welcome Harry's assistance and maybe even give him a few pointers."
"An excellent idea, Moony!" Sirius exclaimed. "We can speak to her during her next visit!"
And so it was decided. Tonks was a little disappointed that Harry, Sirius and Remus were going to Hogwarts since Viktor had returned to Bulgaria and Charlie had returned to Romania. With the high demand on the Aurors, Tonks had been working so hard she really hadn't spent much time at Black Manor lately. She visited every few days, usually bringing something she had picked out for Harry at a clothing store. Harry was actually grateful for the new attire. He had grown over the past year and any clothes he had purchased were either at Dr. Rolands' home, the hospital or destroyed in the explosion.
Harry had tentatively asked if it would be possible for him to visit Dr. Rolands and the hospital to say goodbye but Sirius and Remus said it was too dangerous. Instead, Tonks had gone to the hospital with several letters from Harry to hand out and to collect his things. She had returned with quite a few letters and two bags of belongings, including his brown tinted contacts. Sirius, Remus and Tonks had been amazed at the difference when Harry had put them in however Tonks demanded they be transfigured to clear contacts since it was a crime for Harry to hide his bright green eyes (something Sirius did immediately just to shut her up).
Reading through the letters had been difficult. Dr. Rolands had scolded 'Orion' for running off and demanded to know what happened, how 'Orion' was being treated and if 'Orion' was taking care of himself. Dr. Rolands also wanted to know why 'Orion' was now in protective custody. 'I knew you had been hiding something from me but if I had known it was this serious I would have kept a closer eye on you.' That statement left Harry a little nervous. Dr. Rolands knew and still took him in? Why? Why hadn't he said anything?
J.J.'s letter had been completely different. J.J. had expressed his sympathies that 'Orion' had to miss out on all the fun during the graveyard shifts and the hallway games that came with them. J.J. also scolded 'Orion' for leaving because now he was stuck working with a middle-aged man who had no sense of humor and even less tolerance for young, adventure seeking individuals such as themselves. 'He actually wants me to work! Can you believe it? Why couldn't they assign someone close to our age that would appreciate the effort I put into enjoying my job?
The children's letters had been the most painful to read. Most of them sent drawings of characters from Harry's stories with the words 'miss you Ori' written at the bottom. According to Tonks, all of the children had spent an hour making up their pictures while asking questions about 'Ori'. The older children seemed to understand that there was a bad man who wanted to hurt 'Ori' so 'Ori' had to go away but the younger ones just wanted to know when 'Ori' would be back.
Harry didn't say much for the rest of the night. As much as he didn't want to admit it to Sirius and Remus, his missed Dr. Rolands, J.J. and the kids he saw every night. Dr. Rolands and J.J. had done so much for him and the children had relied on him for a moment of joy in their difficult lives. He wondered if David was still having problems sleeping with his heart monitor on, if Emma was still so weak, if Jack's spine was any better, and if Bonnie's kidney transplant was still going smoothly. Those children had faced so much at such a young age and they never gave up. I'll never give up either. It's the least I can do for them. They don't deserve to be victims of Voldemort's madness.
From that day on, Harry wore his contacts rather than glasses. It took some time to get used to putting them in again since he had never really been able to put them in on the first couple of tries. Ron was horrified to hear what Muggles would do to avoid wearing glasses without the aide of magic while Hermione and Ginny approved of the change, claiming that the contacts made Harry's eyes appear even brighter than they usually were.
With a week left of the holidays, Sirius finally allowed for Order meetings to resume at Black Manor which meant that a lot of people were seeing Harry for he first time since the events at the Ministry in June. Many were relieved to see for themselves that the rumors weren't true and that other than a scar on his neck, Harry had escaped relatively unscathed. The meeting had centered mainly on the security at Hogwarts which, according to Sirius, would be a long one since Sirius and Remus wanted to make sure that Harry would be safe.
After the meeting, Professor Dumbledore had given Harry a small box, instructing Harry that it was to be worn at all times. Harry opened the box to see a gold ring with a phoenix engraved into it. "This is my emergency portkey for you, Harry," Dumbledore said as he took the ring and slid it onto the fourth finger of Harry's right hand. "It will bring you directly to my office." He pulled his hands away and smiled. "The activation word is 'Refuge'. If you are ever in any danger, don't hesitate to use it."
Harry nodded as he stared at the ring that had resized itself to fit his finger. It looked more like a family heirloom than a portkey. The phoenix's body wrapped around the ring, its wings spread wide as if it were in flight. Harry slowly looked up only to see Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes. "Sir, this is too much," he said. "I can't accept—"
"—I really must insist, Harry," Professor Dumbledore said pleasantly. "This ring has been in the Dumbledore family for generations and only passed down to one who shows the rare qualities of a phoenix. It was passed on to me by my grandfather and I am passing it on to you. You may not be my grandchild, Harry, but I can't think of anyone else who has shown more bravery, loyalty, strength, desire to help those who are in need. Please accept this…for me."
Harry let out a long sigh before he nodded. He really didn't think he deserved such a gift but he knew it was pointless to argue. "Thank you, sir," he said sincerely. "I'll take care of it, I promise."
Dumbledore smiled. "I wouldn't expect anything less," he said. "Now, my boy, Sirius asked me to make your second portkey so, if you wouldn't mind…" Harry pulled out the legacy pendants still attached to the chain around his neck. He watched at Professor Dumbledore took out his wand gently tapped the pendants with his wand while saying, "Portus." After a moment, Dumbledore put his wand away and smiled reassuringly as he sat back in his chair. "This portkey will bring you here in the rare chance that the environment at Hogwarts is too dangerous for you to remain there. The activation word is 'Sanctuary'."
"Thank you, sir," Harry said as he tucked the pendants underneath his shirt. Looking at the Headmaster, Harry could see that although Dumbledore appeared to be his natural pleasant self, there just seemed to be something different. He reached out and could sense waves of protectiveness, anxiety and regret. Harry knew something was going on but he really didn't know what to say, if he should say anything. "I really appreciate everything you've done for me, Professor. I know I've really made your life difficult lately."
Dumbledore raised a hand to silence Harry. "Nonsense, my boy," he said with a smile. "I can not imagine having to face what you did when I was your age. If I had, I imagine I would have reacted the same way. Family is important, Harry. It keeps us going, fighting when we would normally give up. However, I do hope that in the future you will talk to someone if you are feeling…overwhelmed. I realize you have spoken to Sirius and Remus about your exploits. Am I correct to assume you have discussed your imprisonment?"
Harry shrugged. "There really wasn't much to say," he said truthfully. "You all saw my memories. I was unconscious for most of the time. It could have been worse." Harry closed his eyes and let out a long breath as he turned his face away. That was the small fact that helped him sleep at night. Those days had been a nightmare but most of it had been his thoughts and fears getting the better of him. Voldemort had known Harry's greatest fear and had used it against him.
"Yes," Dumbledore said slowly. "It could have been worse although that doesn't change the traumatic events you had to experience. Having one's magic suppressed is a traumatizing experience but I suspect it was even more for you than any normal wizard. You had something other than the ability to cast spells ripped away without warning. I must admit that I have never actually experienced something like that for myself but I would be willing to listen if you needed someone to confide in."
Harry looked at Professor Dumbledore nervously. He understood that Dumbledore was believed Harry was simply ignoring what happened like he had with so many other problems in the past. "Sir, I appreciate the offer but I just want to move on," Harry said softly. "It's over with. Was I scared? Yes. Did I panic? Of course. Do I want to relive it again? Of course not."
"Harry—"
"Professor," Harry interrupted calmly as he rubbed his forehead subconsciously. "I know you're just trying to help but I would rather focus on what I need to do so something like that doesn't happen again. I don't want to be used like that ever again."
Dumbledore stared at Harry for a long moment before he nodded. "Very well," he said. "I won't pressure you, my boy, but if you need to talk about anything—anything at all—and can not speak to your guardians about it, you know where my office is."
Harry smiled softly as Dumbledore rose to his feet and bid farewell. As he watched the Headmaster leave, Harry couldn't stop himself from thinking that this was going to be another difficult year. It seemed that everyone was determined to make Harry talk about his past horrors now more than ever before. Every time Harry was lost in his thoughts, he was asked what was troubling him. Sometimes Harry just wanted to scream at them to leave him alone and let him have some privacy but he didn't want to upset everyone. They were just trying to help. He knew that. He accepted it…but why, then, did it feel like he was being smothered?
The end of the summer holidays brought both relief and dread to Harry. He was relieved for the change of scenery and a break from the never ending questions from his guardians but was worried about the fact that he was leaving one headache only to enter another. At home, he could lock himself in his room if he were frustrated. At school, sanctuary was nearly impossible since so many knew his normal hideouts. His friends and the entire D.A. knew about the Room of Requirement, the Quidditch pitch and the Astronomy Tower. Sirius and Remus knew about the kitchens and the Marauder Quarters. It also didn't help that Sirius, Remus, Ron and Hermione knew about the Marauder's Map.
Sirius and Remus had discusses the 'Hogwarts situation' repeatedly with Harry over the past few days. They had talked about what to say in order to stop people from asking uncomfortable questions and the solution had ended up relying on Ron, Hermione and Ginny. Since Harry wasn't going to be riding on the train, his friends would pass on that Harry has recovered from his injuries but wasn't allowed to talk about it, something that Ron, Hermione and Ginny were more than willing to do.
The topic of classes had also been brought up along with whether Harry should bring the Advanced Potions book Tonks had picked up for him. Harry was hesitant to bring it along since he knew it was pointless to even bother asking Professor Snape if he could enroll in the class. He also didn't want to cause problems by studying Potions privately right under Snape's nose. He had always been against receiving special treatment yet here he was doing just that. In the end, Harry decided to put the Advanced Potions textbook in the bottom of his new trunk. Maybe he would read it at nights he couldn't sleep.
The Order's present had ended up being a lifesaver. He had more clothes than he had ever owned in his life thanks to Tonks (who had insisted that it was better to bring too many clothes rather than not enough). He also had his invisibility cloak, the Marauder's Map, his textbooks, extra Defense and Quidditch books, his contact supplies, quilt from Mrs. Weasley, Pensieve, robes, journal, and his Firebolt which had shrunken to fit and protected from harm. He wore his belt containing his shrunken and hidden sai and his new charmed wand holster that hid his repaired wand perfectly. Harry actually felt like a weapon's chest. In addition to his hidden sai and wand, he had two portkeys with one of them being a link to his guardians so they would still know if Harry was ever in any sort of duress.
On the night of August 31st, Harry had once again been pulled into a lengthy discussion with Sirius and Remus (who was finally able to walk unassisted for short periods of time). The topic had once again been Hogwarts but this time it had been concerning what would be happening the following day and the days after that. The portkey was scheduled to activate at ten in the morning and take them directly to the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey would be waiting for Remus. While Remus was going over his recovery with the medi-witch, Sirius and Harry would be meeting with Professor Dumbledore, the staff members who weren't riding on the train and the Aurors who would be protecting the school.
After lunch, Harry would help Sirius and Remus settle in and then would meet with Madam Pomfrey to discuss his 'punishment' that was to be served in the hospital wing. When the evening arrived, Harry and Sirius would be assisting the Aurors at the Hogsmeade Station to ensure there were no problems. It wasn't that Dumbledore was expecting anything to happen. Sirius grudgingly told Harry that Dumbledore had asked for Harry's assistance to 'feel out' which students could pose a possible threat. Personally, Harry thought the request made sense but it was clear that Sirius and Remus were uneasy about Harry being any place that was vulnerable for an attack.
The following morning arrived quickly. Harry and Sirius were out of bed early finishing some last minute packing, cleaning and securing the house from possible intruders. Sirius had increased the wards to keep any unwelcomed relatives out along with anyone else who might try to enter (especially Mundungus Fletcher who eyes always seemed to browse over the expensive Black heirlooms that he could possibly sell). Dobby returned to Hogwarts with their trunks leaving a gloomy looking Kreacher who kept mumbling how it wasn't safe for Young Master to leave his Mistress' house. Harry tried to reassure Kreacher that he would be fine at Hogwarts but the elderly house elf wouldn't listen. Kreacher just vanished with a pop, leaving Harry and Sirius to helplessly shrug at each other.
Everyone was ready and everything was secure with minutes to spare. Standing in front of the fireplace (which Sirius had once again closed off to require a password for entry), Sirius, Remus and Harry each had at least a finger resting on the old shoe that Dumbledore had sent as the portkey, waiting patiently until they all felt a tug behind their navel and saw a swirl of colors before they landed shakily in the bright Hogwarts hospital wing.
Waves of joy and relief bombarded Harry before he had time to even regain his footing. Falling to all fours, Harry tried to push away the overpowering sensations that wrapped around him like a glove. He couldn't think. He couldn't breathe. The emotions were meant to be soothing but the intensity was making them maddening. Grabbing his throbbing head, Harry could feel his entire body shaking as he silently begged for the pain to stop.
It stopped.
Dizziness flooded in as Harry collapsed. The overwhelming emotions had diminished to their normal peaceful waves. Harry suddenly felt extremely exhausted as he was carefully rolled onto his back and propped up so a few horrible tasting potions could be poured down his throat. The dizziness vanished allowing Harry to actually focus on the worried faces of Sirius, Remus and Madam Pomfrey.
"What happened, kiddo?" Sirius asked anxiously.
Harry slowly sat up and shook any remaining weariness out of his head. "I think Hogwarts was a little overexcited to see me," he said candidly. "She's pulled back so it isn't so overwhelming anymore." Soft waves of remorse washed over Harry, making him smile. Perhaps this year would be an adventure after all. "You're forgiven," he said softly and smiled when the waves of remorse were replaced with waves of relief.
"Mr. Potter!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed in shock. "Are you telling me you can actually feel Hogwarts?"
Sirius glared at her as he helped Harry to his feet. "It's happened before Poppy," he said firmly. "You know that." Sirius looked at Harry critically, resting a hand on Harry's forehead to check for fever and even checking Harry's pulse. "Is everything back to normal, Harry?"
Harry nodded as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Er—we really should get moving," he said uncomfortably. He really didn't want to be stuck in the hospital wing any longer than necessary at the moment. "Dumbledore's waiting for us."
"Harry's right," Remus said calmly as he sat down on the nearest bed. "You two have a meeting to attend. If this happens again, think of something and come back here. We don't need any Aurors to witness this and pass the information on to Scrimgeour."
Sirius winced at the thought. "Good point, Moony," he said. "We'll be back before lunch to fill you in. Come on, Pronglet. It's time for the most boring two hours you've ever experienced in your entire life."
Harry waved farewell to Remus before turning and walking with Sirius out of the hospital wing. He really didn't think it could be that bad, could it? It wasn't like it was going to be a History class with Professor Binns who tended to drone on and on about the goblin wars. This was actually something of importance. This was the security of Hogwarts and the safety of her students. Maybe it was just that Harry was excited about being included in actually doing something rather than being left behind with the rest of the teenagers. Maybe, once again, there was something else going on that Harry wasn't aware of.
They reached the gargoyle entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office in no time. Thankfully Sirius already knew the password so they didn't have to waste any time guessing what sweet Dumbledore had recently discovered. The gargoyle sprang to life and moved out of the way. The wall split to reveal a stone staircase that was moving upward in a spiral motion. Harry and Sirius shared a glance before they began walking up the stairs. Neither of them said a word. They didn't need to. They had talked enough about this already to know that Harry should remain silent unless he was directly asked a question. There was no need to draw anymore attention to him than there already was.
They reached the polished wood door with a griffin brass knocker on it. Harry let out a long, calming breath as Sirius rapped the knocker three times. They didn't have to wait long before hearing Dumbledore's voice say "Enter." Sirius placed a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder and squeezed before he opened the door and walked into the room with Harry following him, closing the door behind him. Harry took the opportunity to quickly scan the room as well as the inhabitants.
Nothing had changed. The portraits of the former Headmasters and Headmistresses decorated the walls, Fawkes was on his perch and let out a soft trill when he saw Harry, and all the baubles were just as shiny and attention grabbing as they always were. As far as the people present, Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, a pleasant smile on his face. Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick and Sprout were present and sitting in front of Dumbledore's desk. McGonagall smiled at him, Flitwick and Sprout stared at Harry with raised eyebrows while Snape had his ever present sneer firmly in place. Standing behind the heads of houses were four Aurors and Tonks was one of them. She smiled widely and waved at Harry and Sirius, forgetting any sort of professionalism or just ignoring it.
Harry also took the opportunity to reach out and the waves of emotions that were just out of grasp. He could sense nervousness, impatience, devotion and a slight hint of fear. None of the emotions he felt surprised him. With the current state of the wizarding world, who would be nervous or afraid for the safety of all the children coming here today? He could also understand the impatience since everyone had probably been waiting for them and the devotion most likely came from the members of the staff since they were faithful to Dumbledore.
"Ah," Professor Dumbledore said pleasantly. "The final two participants have arrived. We were just discussing any final steps that would make the school as secure as possible. Argus has already searched through the school for any dark objects and the heads of houses have checked their respectable houses thoroughly. Extra wards have been placed around the school and the grounds—"
"—what about the secret passages out of the castle?" Sirius interrupted. "If I remember correctly there are seven in total and Peter Pettigrew knows about most of them."
"Then they should be sealed immediately," Dumbledore said firmly. "As soon as this meeting is over, I will leave the task up to you, Sirius. I am certain Auror Tonks and Harry will be able to provide all the help you need."
Harry didn't miss the annoyed looks that passed on the faces of the three male Aurors. With the announcement that Harry Potter would not be on the Hogwarts Express, the chance to actually speak to the-boy-who-lived about recent events was becoming more and more difficult. Sirius and Remus had known what they were doing when they requested that Harry come directly to Hogwarts. Dumbledore also knew what he was doing by keeping Harry away from the three Aurors who were not members of the Order.
The meeting had lasted just over an hour and focused on the arrival of the students this evening. Harry and Sirius would not be interfering with the Aurors' duty but would offer assistance and even information if it was needed. Harry and Sirius would also be present to keep the students from panicking since the majority of the students were fond of the two of them. On the other hand, if there were any problems involving Harry's safety, Sirius was instructed to remove Harry from the situation while the Aurors focused on the problem. Harry was not allowed to participate.
Harry and Sirius would be positioned by the Thestral drawn carriages while the Aurors were more widely spread out. Hagrid would be helping the first years into the boats and the new teacher, Professor Slughorn, would also be there if it was necessary. Harry's attention had peeked at the first mention of the latest attempt at a Defense teacher but nothing else had been said about him. He wanted to know if Slughorn could be trusted or not and, more importantly, if he was a decent teacher. With the war, having a teacher who would actually teach Defense like Sirius did last year was more important than ever.
When the meeting was over, Harry, Sirius and Tonks were off to seal the secret passages. Harry tried to find out more about Professor Slughorn but all he found out was that Slughorn's first name was Horace and that he was a former teacher who Dumbledore had coaxed out of retirement. Well, at least he knows what he's teaching. That was a little reassuring. Let's just hope this new teacher isn't a spy for the Ministry or for Voldemort.
Sirius and Tonks preformed most of the charms on the secret passages while explaining exactly what they were doing for Harry's sake. Each secret passage was sealed on both ends and charmed to emit an alarm if anything breached the barriers. Different charms were used depending on how accessible the secret passage was. Those that weren't blocked had significantly stronger and more complicated charms. Just by watching his godfather and 'aunt', Harry realized that there was so much more he needed to learn.
Once everything was sealed, Harry and Sirius met up with Remus who was still in his hospital wing. Tonks grudgingly had to return to her fellow Aurors to check the grounds once again. She made no effort to hide her dislike of her coworkers and the fact that Scrimgeour had asked them to find out whatever they could about Harry. "Scrimgeour doesn't trust me, of course, because I refuse to tell him anything," Tonks had said. "The only reason I actually know is because I overheard them plotting on how to get you alone, Harry. The only reason I'm here is because Dumbledore asked for me."
Remus had listened carefully to everything Sirius and Harry had told him what they had learned. None of it surprised him although Tonks' revelation that she wasn't trusted unsettled him. At the moment, there weren't many Aurors that were willing to stand against the Ministry. Tonks and Shacklebolt were really the only Aurors that the Order trusted completely. The problem was Shacklebolt was currently away on assignment for the Ministry making it nearly impossible for the Order to learn anything.
After a quiet lunch, Harry met with Madam Pomfrey and scheduled training with her for Sunday mornings with the possibility of adding a day during the week if his schedule allowed it. They would be covering basic remedies and antidotes to start off with. Harry wouldn't necessarily be given any homework but he would be given research materials that would be beneficial if he read them. Madam Pomfrey was aware that Harry already had a busy schedule and wasn't about to push him to exhaustion.
With the conclusion of all business in the hospital wing, Harry helped Sirius and Remus settle in. There was a lot of rearranging that needed to be done to make the place more accessible for Remus. Rooms needed to be swapped so Remus was the closest to the bathroom, furniture needed to be moved and precautions needed to be set in case Remus needed help. Sirius wanted to be prepared for anything and he told Remus as much. "I lost you two once," he said in his defense. "I'm not going to lose you two again."
They were nearly finished when a knock at the door caused all three of them to jump. "Open up, Sirius!" Tonks called out. "We need to talk!"
Sirius let out a groan as he opened the door and stepped aside for Tonks to enter with Professor Dumbledore following her. "Is there a problem?" he asked guardedly as he closed the door.
"Not a problem," Professor Dumbledore said pleasantly. "I just wanted to clarify a few details concerning tonight and concerning Harry in general."
Sirius glanced over at Harry who was sitting beside Remus before returning his gaze to Dumbledore. Nervousness and protectiveness filled the air. Harry instantly knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant discussion. Sirius was already taking the defensive position which meant he wasn't going to listen to anything Dumbledore had to say. An arm wrapped around his shoulders, causing Harry to jump and look into Remus' understanding gaze. It seemed he wasn't the only one to see the upcoming argument.
Professor Dumbledore looked at Sirius for a long moment before he let out a tired sigh. "Sirius, I know you are still uncomfortable with Harry being at the train station this evening. I give you my word. Harry will be protected. I just didn't want the Aurors to focus on anything other than their duty to protect the students."
Sirius blinked at Dumbledore in surprise. "You thought they would use tonight to question Harry?" he asked.
"I know they will do whatever they need to do in order to follow through with their orders," Dumbledore said gravely then looked directly at Harry. "This is why, Harry, I want you to carry your invisibility cloak with you at all times. It also wouldn't hurt to refrain from walking around alone."
Sirius ran a hand over his face as he sat down in a nearby chair. All of the tension had suddenly vanished and was replaced with a quiet acceptance. The four adults in the room clearly wanted the same thing and were willing to do whatever was necessary to make sure it happened. "Is there anyone we can trust besides Tonks?" Sirius asked.
"Not with what we know now, Sirius," Professor Dumbledore said evenly then looked back at Harry. "That is the reason I suggest you keep any discoveries to yourself, Harry. If you learn anything, come to my office after the feast. If you sense something that can not wait, please do not hesitate to tell Sirius."
Harry nodded. It was all really self explanatory. If he wanted to keep this a secret, drawing attention was the last thing he could afford to do. The only problem he could think of would be if his empathy were to act up like it had earlier. "Do you really expect a problem tonight, sir?" asked Harry.
"It does not hurt to be prepared, Harry," Professor Dumbledore said evasively. "The students are bound to be nervous coming to school with the wizarding world at war. With the presence of Aurors, hopefully they will feel reassured that they are indeed safe at Hogwarts." With a smile, Dumbledore turned to address the entire group. "And now on to the other matter that brought me here. I believe something should be said to the staff to prepare them if Harry's empathy were to overpower him."
"Absolutely not!" Sirius exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.
"Sirius, don't!" Remus said strongly as he shakily stood up. "Dumbledore didn't say we had to tell them Harry's empathic. If Slughorn found out, the entire Ministry would know within a day. Everyone knows Voldemort had Harry's magic suppressed. All we have to say is Harry is still experiencing magical fluctuations. The only person who would possibly question it excuse would be Severus and he won't say anything. Sirius, you saw what happened this morning. It could happen."
Sirius rubbed his eyes as he shook his head, clearly not liking the idea. "Harry, go change into your robes," he said tiredly.
With a nervous glance, Harry left for his room. He really hated that he was causing so much trouble but Dumbledore and Remus had a point. He couldn't afford the questions that would be asked if his empathy was to act up again. He couldn't bear the looks that would come with the revelations. Ron and Hermione had accepted him but that didn't mean everyone else would. Even in the wizarding world, people don't always accept those who are different.
Harry had always kept a set of everything in his room just in case, including school robes. Once he had changed, Harry subconsciously checked to make sure the legacy pendants were still around his neck and Dumbledore's phoenix ring was still on his finger. His wand was still hidden in his wand holster and his sai were secure in his belt. Harry could only think of one thing that was missing. "Dobby?" he called out.
There was a loud crack and Dobby appeared in front of Harry. "Harry Potter, sir, call Dobby?" Dobby asked eagerly.
Harry nodded. "I need my trunk, Dobby," he said patiently. "Could you—" Dobby snapped his fingers and the trunk was in front of Harry's feet. "Er—thanks," he said opening the trunk and pulling out his invisibility cloak. The question now was where to put it? With a flick of the wrist, Harry had his wand in hand and created a pocket in his cloak that would hold the invisibility cloak safely. He closed the trunk and before he could say anything to Dobby, the trunk was gone.
"Dobby do anything more for Harry Potter, sir?" Dobby asked eagerly.
Harry couldn't help smiling at the house elf as he re-holstered his wand. Dobby was just so eager to please. "That'll be all, Dobby," he said. "Thanks. I don't know what I'd do without you." Dobby stared at Harry with wide eyes that began to fill with tears before he vanished with a loud crack. Harry could only let out a sigh before leaving his room. Any sort of compliment always left the house elf in tears. Sometimes Harry wondered what the Malfoys had actually done to Dobby when he had still been their servant.
Entering the common room, Harry quickly noticed that Dumbledore was gone. Remus was back to sitting on the sofa couch in front of the fireplace while Sirius and Tonks were standing off to the side, as if they were impatiently waiting. Harry desperately wanted to ask what had happened but fought to keep his mouth shut. The tension in the room was back and the frustration he was currently senses only strengthened his decision. He knew Sirius and Remus wouldn't hide anything important from him. They had promised and they never broke their promises. They just need to calm down. That has to be it.
"We should go," Sirius said as he turned to the door. "We don't want to be late."
"Just a moment, Sirius" Remus said firmly. "Harry deserves to know why he was sent out of the room." He turned to face Harry with a compassionate look on his face. "We're not trying to hide anything from you, cub. Right now all we have are a bunch of suspicions but as soon as anything is confirmed we'll let you know, all right?"
That was understandable. It had been the same reasoning Sirius and Remus had used last year. They didn't want to worry Harry on matters that may turn out to be false. The only problem with that reasoning was the fact that they still felt that Harry couldn't determine for himself what he should worry about or not. Probably because I usually worry about everything. "You do realize that in a year I will be old enough to make my own decisions, right?" Harry asked with a sigh. "I know you want to protect me but the truth of it all is that you won't always be there to tell me what to do."
Remus reached out and took hold of Harry's hand. "We know that, cub," he said gently. "We know you're not a little boy anymore but we also know that assumptions and rumors can create a lot of problems or even create a false sense of security. It is better if you were not put in that position. Just stay on guard and tell someone if you sense anything out of the ordinary, all right?"
Harry let out a long breath and nodded. How could he argue with that? With a grateful smile, Harry bid farewell and left with Sirius and Tonks. Not much was said the entire way to the Entrance Hall where the other three Aurors were waiting for them. All three men were tall and lean, giving off waves of impatience and anger as they scowled at Harry. Clearly they weren't happy about a teenager accompanying them. This is going to be a long night. I can just feel it.
Sirius must have noticed the looks because he placed a protective hand on Harry's shoulder and steered him out of the Entrance Hall, down the stairs and to the waiting carriage that was being pulled by a thestral. The strange horse-like creatures were still intimidating. They were incredibly thin with heads that resembled ones that belonged to dragons, pupil-less eyes, and black, leathery wings that resembled ones found on bats. This was the first time Harry had actually seen the creatures pulling the carriages, bringing back the reason why Harry could see them. Only those who had seen death could actually see the creatures.
The murder of Cedric Diggory after the third task of the Triwizard Tournament had been the start of it all in so many ways. Letting out a sigh, Harry stepped up into the carriage that smelled of mold and straw. That night felt like an entire lifetime ago when it was actually just over a year ago. So much had happened since then. So much had changed since then.
Harry barely noticed everyone else climbing into the carriage and squeezing to fit. He stared out at the lake which was reflecting the sun in its final stage in setting. The purple and red sky would soon be replaced with darkness. Closing his eyes, Harry reached out and still felt the waves of impatience and anger but there were waves of concern, nervousness and protectiveness with it. He could only imagine the glares Sirius was giving the Aurors at the moment. The thought made Harry smile. Even though he didn't want to be shielded from everything, it was still nice to have someone who was always willing to stick up for you.
When they finally reached the Hogsmeade Station, darkness had fallen completely and the faint sound of a train approaching could be heard. Tonks gave Harry a wink as she climbed out of the carriage and followed her fellow Aurors by spreading out along the platform. Harry and Sirius followed suit and took their positions near the first couple of carriages. Looking to his right, Harry could see Hagrid waiting by the boats with his lantern in hand. The giant of a man looked exactly the same with his long, shaggy main of hair and wild, tangled beard. He was intimidating at first sight but he was actually one of the nicest people Harry knew. Hagrid noticed Harry and waved, earning a wave from Harry in return.
"So what were you and Remus arguing about?" Harry asked softly as he looked at his godfather.
Sirius suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Ah—well—you know—just an old topic that we differ on opinion," he said pinching the bridge of his nose. "Moony thinks I'm overreacting but he wasn't there when you were missing. He wasn't there when you had been taken to Voldemort. You were there for three days having Merlin knows what done to you while—"
"—this is about Snape, isn't it?" Harry interrupted in a hushed voice so the Aurors wouldn't overhear.
Sirius quickly looked at Harry with a protective gaze. "He could have gotten you out," he said just as quietly. "He could have given you a portkey, placed a tracking spell on you or even snuck you out himself. But no. He had to leave you there and tell us in excruciating detail what Voldemort was doing to you. I don't trust him, Harry. I never have."
Harry couldn't block the strong waves of protectiveness that were rushing over him. He could tell there was more to Sirius' defense but wondered whether it related to the present or the past. Sirius could certainly hold a grudge better than anyone Harry knew. He had seen it with Kreacher, Professor Dumbledore, the Ministry, and now Professor Snape. "He's a spy, Sirius," Harry said at last. "Did you really expect him to sacrifice everything because of my thick-headedness? He healed me. I'm glad he was there rather than someone else who wouldn't have been as honorable as he had been."
Sirius winced at the comment and looked away. They had never discussed what could have happened to Harry. It had been one of those forbidden topics that no one could gather the courage to bring up. "But he left you there completely defenseless," he said softly.
"Yet I still escaped," Harry countered. The light from the train could be seen clearly now. They only had a few minutes before the platform was filled with students. "Look, we all have our opinions on Snape. Would I be willing to spend my free time with him? Not unless I had no other choice. Do I trust him not to kill me? Yes. He was the one who taught me Occlumency last term. Can you imagine what would have happened if I fell for Voldemort's trap and believed those dreams he was giving me? We all know what happened when I believed he was my father."
Sirius let out a long sigh and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders. "I know, Pronglet," he said wearily. "I know. Dumbledore trusts him, Moony trusts him and even you trust him…to an extent. I just can't. There's too much history between us. The way he's treated you because of James…"
Harry leaned into the one armed embrace and grinned. "Well, I never said he wasn't a bitter old git now did I?" he asked.
Sirius let out a bark like laugh and pulled Harry closer. "No you didn't," he said with a large smile. "At least I'm not alone in that aspect. We just won't tell Moony, all right?"
Harry nodded, relieved that he had steered the conversation away from the ghosts of the past. They had a job to do and they needed to focus on the present. Regardless of what Sirius believed, Harry knew he should be grateful for what Snape had done for him when he was prisoner. If Snape hadn't acted when he did, Harry knew he would have more scars than the one on his neck. Snape had no choice. He couldn't risk his position to do anything else. He couldn't let Voldemort suspect anything.
The sound of the train whistle pulled Harry out of his thoughts. Sirius pulled away and lost his smile. He stood tall looking like the rest of the Aurors, serious and professional. Harry suddenly realized this was what Sirius' life had been before Azkaban. This was what Sirius' life would be like if the Ministry had given him a trial all those years ago. Sirius would be an Auror but would he be faithful to the Ministry or to Dumbledore? Dumbledore. Sirius was a part of the Order and still is.
Harry watched as the scarlet steam engine slowly came to a stop at the platform. Closing his eyes, he focused on his breathing while reminding himself to focus. He could do this. It was just like the hospital. Concentrate and follow your instincts. The doors on the train slid open. Harry watched as students started to exit the train. Chatter broke out as students started to walk towards the carriages. Relaxing, Harry reached out and felt subtle waves of excitement mixed with fear and nervousness. Nothing out of the ordinary.
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Hagrid called out, his voice thundering over all of the chatter.
First years students separated from the rest and walked towards Hagrid. Harry reached out once again and felt an overabundance of nervousness. He could relate. He remembered how nervous he had been when he had arrived here six years ago, afraid that he would be sent home. "Harry!"
Before Harry could respond, he felt something run into him and arms wrap around him. His vision was blurred by bushy hair, alerting Harry that Hermione was currently hugging him. He returned the embrace before gently pushing her away. "Hermione, we saw each other a few days ago," he said with a smile. "There's no way you could have missed me that much."
Hermione blushed as Ron and Ginny approached with the rest of the Gryffindor sixth years following them, all of them trying to get a good look at Harry. "Well, the train ride wasn't the same without you," she said. "Oh! Just to warn you, Professor Slughorn is apparently looking for you."
"He kept asking about you during his little lunch date," Ginny said as she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "He wanted to know everything about you."
Harry sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to push away the annoyance that was rising in him. Great. Just great. "Thanks for the warning," he said sincerely. "You better get moving. You're holding up the line."
Ron and Hermione looked at Harry for a moment before they both nodded. Hermione stepped into the carriage followed by Ginny and Dean while Ron took a step closer to Harry. "Be careful," he said quietly. "Malfoy's been talking about avenging his father by making you pay."
Not that I expected anything else from Malfoy. "I'll keep my guard up," Harry said just as softly. "Thanks for the warning."
With a nod, Ron stepped into the carriage and it took off for Hogwarts. Neville and Seamus gave Harry a smile as they passed and entered the next carriage which Harry returned. Waves of relief and admiration rolled off them leaving Harry slightly uncomfortable. He didn't want to be admired. He really hadn't done anything that could be considered admirable, at least in his opinion. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil winked and giggled at Harry as they passed him to step into the carriage. Harry couldn't describe the emotion he felt when they passed but it did make him extremely uncomfortable.
For the next half hour, Harry was hit by a wide variety of emotions along with several bone crunching embraces. Cho Chang, Luna Lovegood and Hannah Abbot (who had been members of the Council for the D.A.) could barely hide their excitement for seeing Harry alive and healthy. Most of the students had been surprised to see Harry without his glasses and some had even walked past him without a second glance. There were others, though, who Harry wished hadn't noticed him. A group of fourth year Gryffindor girls were nearly drooling when they caught sight of Harry who had been helping a small second year into the carriage at the time. Once again Harry had been hit with a strong wave of an indescribable emotion that made him feel extremely uncomfortable. He had been extremely relieved when their carriage was out of sight.
Just like he promised Ron, Harry kept himself alert for any sign of danger from Malfoy. When he had finally caught sight of the sixth year Slytherin, he wasn't surprised to see him surrounded by his fellow Slytherins. Intense anger and hate pushed away every other emotion as the Slytherins passed him for the carriages but additional feelings poked in when Malfoy passed. Waves of dread, nervousness and intense fear nearly blew Harry off his feet. These weren't emotions he was expecting from Draco Malfoy. What could have possibly happened to Malfoy over the summer to cause such a change?
Harry also met Professor Slughorn who seemed almost gleeful to finally meet the-boy-who-lived. The enormously fat, bald, old man with a shiny bald head and great silvery mustache reminded Harry of a walrus. The new teacher wore a velvet robes that seemed to make his large belly stand out all the more. It had taken every ounce of self control for Harry not to hex the man who sprouted off question after question. Sirius, however, was not as controlled and nearly growled when he ordered Slughorn to get in a carriage since he was holding everyone up.
When the final group of students had entered their carriage, Harry turned to Sirius who finally relaxed and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders. "You did well, kiddo. I'm proud of you," he said softly. "Did you sense anything?" Harry nodded. "All right. I'll tell Dumbledore we'll meet with him after the feast."
"No problems on our end," Tonks said as she approached. "You two better get up to the castle. The sorting is probably going to start soon. We'll finish up with a final sweep."
Sirius nodded as he ushered Harry to a waiting carriage. "Don't let them give you a hard time, Tonks," he said with a grin. "A few hexes could also shut them up real quick."
Tonks rolled her eyes. "I would but I prefer to be employed in the morning," she said dryly.
Sirius shrugged his shoulders and followed Harry into the carriage. The carriage moved quickly to the gates which were slowly closing. Harry watched as the gate slowly moved, creaking loudly every time it moved. The carriage continued at its pace, not caring that the gates were nearly closed. Harry quickly looked at Sirius only to see his godfather looking at him amusingly.
Sirius grinned as he ruffled Harry's hair. "Don't worry, Pronglet," he said. "We'll get there."
Harry tried to relax as the carriage passed the gates just before they closed. The carriage continued on its brisk pace towards the castle. The lake was lost in the darkness now along with the rest of the grounds. All that could be seen were the lights from the castle herself. The darkness seemed to be everywhere, except Hogwarts, but this darkness was different from any normal darkness. This darkness was calming, soothing. Closing his eyes, Harry let his worries leave him. He didn't know if it was Hogwarts reaching out to him again or not. All he knew was he felt at peace, at home.
The carriage pulled up to the front doors that were completely absent of people. Sirius jumped out and waited as Harry climbed out carefully. Together, they walked up the stairs into the castle, not stopping as they passed Argus Filch, the caretaker. They hurried up the stairs to the partially opened doors and slid into the Great Hall. The four house tables were filled with students. Silence filled the hall as the Sorting Hat was placed on the head of a nervous dark haired boy. Harry and Sirius remained by the doors, in the shadows. Neither of them wanted to interrupt.
"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted.
Cheers broke out at the Gryffindor table as the final first year jumped off the stool and ran to his house table. Chatter broke out as Professor McGonagall put the stool and Sorting Hat aside. Sirius and Harry took the opportunity to move to their designated spots. Sirius walked briskly to the Head Table while Harry moved to the open spot between Ron and Hermione. Ron and Hermione opened their mouths to say something but stopped when the chatter suddenly died. Everyone turned to the Head Table as Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet. No one missed Sirius stopping at Dumbledore's side, whispering a few words before moving to his seat next to Hagrid.
It surprised Harry to see that the Professor Trelawney, the Divination teacher, was sitting on Sirius' other side. She rarely attended any of the meals before. Why now? The eccentric woman looked just as odd as Harry remembered her. She seemed to be covered with beads and trailing shawls. Her eyes were magnified to an enormous size by her large spectacles. Remembering the number of times she had predicted his death, Harry was glad he had no intention of continuing Divination.
Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat as he looked out at the students and smiled, showing no sign of whether Sirius' news was upsetting or relieving. "To our newcomers," he said as he stretched his arms out wide, "welcome! To our returning students, welcome back! Now, I know all of you are famished so tuck in!"
There was an outbreak of applause as Dumbledore sat down. Food appeared out of nowhere on the five long tables which were now groaning under the weight. Everyone instantly started piling food onto their plates. Taking a quick glance around, Harry was glad that his entrance hadn't caused as much of a distraction as Sirius'. No one seemed to be paying any attention to him. Cautiously reaching out, Harry picked up soft hints of excitement, eagerness and contentment. That was reassuring. At least no one would be causing problems during dinner.
A nudge at Harry's right snapped him out of his thoughts as he quickly turned to see Hermione looking at him. "Is everything all right, Harry?" she asked as quietly as she could but loud enough for Harry to hear her. "Did something happen on the platform?"
Harry leaned in and smiled. "Everything's fine," he said sincerely. "Just a quick check." Hermione's worry changed to understanding. Harry had told her and Ron in one of their long discussions how dependent he had become with his empathy to check for danger nearby. "You know me. I'm nearly as paranoid as Moody."
Hermione smiled as she patted his arm. "I really don't think that's possible, Harry," she said. "You still trust the house elves not to poison you."
"That's because I have Dobby looking out for me," Harry said with a shrug. "He's nearly as overprotective as Sirius and Remus, maybe even more so considering the amount of fights he and Kreacher were in the past month."
"So Harry," Seamus said from across the table. "What were you and Professor Black doing on the Platform? Did Dumbledore really expect an attack?"
The conversation around them quickly ceased as everyone awaited Harry to answer. Harry let out a long breath. This is going to be a really long night. "No, Seamus," Harry said truthfully. "Professor Dumbledore didn't expect an attack but it doesn't hurt to be prepared. Sirius and I have a better knowledge of the students than the Aurors. We knew who to keep an eye on to prevent any problems."
Seamus' eyes widened in understanding. "Oh!" he said thoughtfully. "That makes sense once you think about it."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Harry held back a sigh of relief. It hadn't exactly been a lie but it certainly hadn't been the truth either. He had to wonder how often he would have to rely on half-truths this year to prevent everyone from finding out the truth. Looks like nothing's changed. Harry quickly banished the thought. It was different this time. Ron and Hermione knew. They promised they would help when they could.
"How are you, Harry?" asked Parvati with a dreamy smile. "Ron and Hermione wouldn't tell us much." Hermione moved to say something. "We're only worried, Hermione," Parvati insisted. "Harry's our friend too. All we know is what's been published in the 'Daily Prophet'."
"Which is normally rubbish," Harry said firmly. "Yes, I was Voldemort's—" Harry had to bite back his frustration when people around him gasped and flinched—"prisoner and yes, he suppressed my magic so I couldn't fight back magically. What I went through is really no one's business but my own. Having your magic suppressed isn't a picnic and having it restored is even worse. That's all I'll tell you."
Harry felt a hand on his right shoulder and another on his left arm. He knew Ron and Hermione were reminding him that they were there if he needed them. Waves of sympathy, concern and protectiveness wrapped around him. No one spoke for a long time but slowly, they all returned to eating their dinner. When it was clear that everyone would really leave Harry alone, Ron and Hermione returned to their dinner. Nothing was really said throughout the rest of the meal except for when Nearly Headless Nick floated by for a visit, asking how Harry was doing. Harry was polite and friendly but it was obvious that Nearly Headless Nick also wanted to know if the rumors were true.
When the conversations suddenly diminished, Harry looked towards the Head Table to see Professor Dumbledore standing. "Now that everyone is fed and watered," he said pleasantly, "the very best of evenings to you all! A few start of the term notices. Mr. Filch, out caretaker, has asked me to inform you all that there is a complete ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Those of you who wish to play for your House Quidditch teams should give your name to your Head of House as usual. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators, who should also do likewise."
A wave of chatter filled the room only to die as quickly as it began. "We are pleased to welcome a new member to our staff this year," Professor Dumbledore continued. "Professor Slughorn,—" Slughorn rose to his feet, smiling proudly, "—a former colleague of mine has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."
Harry's eyes widened at the statement as another round of chatter broke out. Potions? But that meant…no…it wasn't possible. Dumbledore wouldn't! Would he?
Dumbledore raised his hands and the chatter died once again. "Professor Snape, meanwhile, will be taking the positions of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," he said then paused as gasps and chatter once again broke out.
He would. Harry didn't know what he was feeling at the moment. Why didn't someone tell him? Why didn't Sirius or Remus warn him? At least I know why Sirius is so reluctant to believe that Snape is anything but evil.
"I can't believe this," Ron muttered in disgust. "Just when I thought I didn't have to deal with the greasy git again—"
"Well, at least we know it's his final year here," said Dean causing everyone to look at him in confusion. "The job's jinxed! No ones lasted more than a year! But if Snape's the Defense teacher than what's Professor Black doing up there?"
Dumbledore cleared his throat once again and the loud chatter slowly decreased, although there were people still whispering to each other. "One other change," he said pleasantly. "Many of you recognize the presence of Sirius Black, the Defense instructor for the second half of last year. Due to injuries sustained recently, Remus Lupin is currently unable to continue as your advisor. Sirius Black has agreed to substitute in his absence. For those of you new to Hogwarts, the student advisor is here to listen to any concerns or problems you may have whether it is personal or school related. Anything you say to Mr. Black is completely confidential."
A round of applause erupted for Sirius smiled and waved. Once the applause ended, Dumbledore continued. "Now, as everyone is aware, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large," he said seriously. "They are gaining strength by the day so I cannot stress enough how dangerous the current situation is. We all must remain vigilant for our safety and the safety of those around us. The castle's magical defenses have been strengthened over the summer however we all must refrain from carelessness. There are new security restrictions which I urge all of you to abide—in particular, the rule that you are not to be out after hours. If you notice anything strange or suspicions, report it to a member of the staff immediately. I implore you all to conduct yourselves with the utmost regard for your own safety and the safety of others."
There was a deafening silence that filled the hall. After giving everyone a moment to digest the warnings, Dumbledore continued once again. "Now, however, your beds await you," he said pleasantly. "I am aware that a good night's rest is a top priority for the majority of you for your lessons tomorrow. Therefore, let us say good night."
Everyone slowly rose to their feet and made their way out of the Great Hall. Harry hesitated. Staring at the Head Table, he met Sirius' stare and caught a discreet nod, Harry's signal to do what they had arranged rather than what Professor Dumbledore had told everyone to do.
"Harry, are you coming?" Hermione asked, causing everyone around them to stop and listen.
Harry shook his head. "I have a meeting with Professor Dumbledore and Sirius," he said. "I won't be long, I promise."
Hermione nodded reluctantly and gave Harry the password to the Gryffindor Tower before leaving with the first years. Ron seemed to be a little more hesitant but eventually left with Neville and Seamus, clearly trying to stay away from Ginny and Dean who were holding hands. Once the crowd had lessened somewhat, Harry made his way to the Head Table where Sirius was waiting for them. Sirius didn't waste any time before wrapping an arm about Harry's shoulders and pulling Harry close.
"I knew I should have warned you," Sirius said sincerely as he steered Harry out of the teacher's exit. "I'm sorry, kiddo. I was shocked to hear it too."
Harry barely paid attention as Sirius took the quickest route to Dumbledore's office. "You realize that people are already saying Snape won't last more than a year, right?" he asked quietly. "What are we going to do? What about the D.A.? Professor Snape never approved of it—"
"—slow down, Harry," Sirius said reassuringly. "I've already talked to Dumbledore about your training. He agrees that we should continue and promised to talk to Snape about it. As far as the D.A. goes, were you actually planning on continuing?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't talked about it with the Council or any of the other members but I wanted to keep the option open," he said truthfully. "I mean, no one else really has done what you and Moony have done over the years. We're at war and the entire school is filled with children who would be killed in a heartbeat because they can't defend themselves properly. They think of a duel with rules. You've taught me to think outside the box, to use whatever I can to win. That was what saved me that night at the Ministry."
Sirius abruptly stopped walking and turned Harry so they were face to face. Blue eyes met green. "No Harry," Sirius said firmly. "You saved yourself that night. No amount of skill can help you if your heart isn't in it. I watched that duel. Believe me when I tell you, I can see why Scrimgeour is interested in you. You could be an amazing Auror if that was what you wanted. Very few Aurors focus as much as we have on Muggle fighting. Your duel with Voldemort proved what an asset it could be."
Harry shrugged his shoulders, not really knowing what to say. "Sirius, it's really not that big of a deal," he said uncomfortably. "I didn't even think about what I was doing. I never do. I always react and just do what I can to stay alive."
Sirius smiled and ruffled Harry's hair. "I know, kiddo, I know," he said then looked over Harry's shoulder. "Come on. Dumbledore's waiting for us."
Harry nodded and followed Sirius the rest of the way to Professor Dumbledore's office. He was starting to feel the affects of the long day and hoped that the meeting wouldn't be a long one. They reached the gargoyle statue in no time with Sirius saying the password as they approached. The statue moved to reveal the revolving staircase which allowed Harry and Sirius to step on and walk up the stairs without stopping. Soon enough, they reached the door to Dumbledore's office. Sirius knocked three times and barely waiting for Dumbledore's voice saying "Enter" before he opened the door and stepped inside.
"Ah," Dumbledore said pleasantly from behind his desk. "Just the two I was expecting. Please, have a seat." Harry and Sirius sat down in the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. "I understand that you were successful tonight, Harry. Would you please tell me what you felt?"
Harry rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He really hoped that he wasn't about to cause a lot of problems. "Well, there were a few people that caught my attention," he said carefully. "Malfoy was certainly the most overwhelming. I've never felt such fear, dread, nervousness, anger…you name it. There wasn't one good emotion coming off of him. It was almost like he's projecting every bad emotion out there."
Dumbledore sat back in his chair and looked at Harry thoughtfully. "I see," he said softly. "That is most unsettling. I will speak to Professor Snape. I highly doubt Draco will seek you out, Sirius, considering what has happened recently. I have no doubt Draco has quite a bit of anger towards you, Harry, so I must insist that you keep your distance for the time being."
Harry nodded in acceptance. He had no problem staying far away from Malfoy. It was usually Malfoy that had a problem staying away from him. In the past, it had been Malfoy's jealousy that had driven him to numerous detentions and even being suspended from the Slytherin Quidditch team. The only thing Malfoy had left was his Prefect status. Was he really willing to risk that too because of a stupid rivalry?
"Very well," Professor Dumbledore said with a smile. "Was there anyone else, Harry?"
Harry thought for a moment. How much did Dumbledore really want to know? "Well, the Slytherins who were with Malfoy were projecting a lot of hate and anger but I don't know if it was just because I was there or not," he said uncertainly. "That's probably the biggest problem. I can sense what people are feeling but I don't know what they're feeling the emotion towards."
Dumbledore smiled as he leaned forward and enfolded his long fingers. "Exactly Harry," he said proudly. "As far as you know those students may have been thinking about Voldemort or even me. It is imperative not to make assumptions. Many people assume you are 'The Chosen One' because of one article the 'Daily Prophet' published and because what you have survived. These emotions you are sensing are disconcerting but not surprising. Anything else?"
Harry shrugged helplessly. "There really wasn't anything else," he said uncomfortably. Nothing worth mentioning anyways.
Unfortunately his unconvincing tone was noticed by both Dumbledore and Sirius. "Harry," Sirius warned. "If you felt something it would be better if you told us."
Harry could feel his face heat as he covered his face with his hands, trying to cover his embarrassment. This would only happen to me. "There were just several groups of girls who gave me a weird feeling" he said his voice partially muffed through his hands. Slowly, Harry lowered his hands to see twinkling in Dumbledore's eyes and Sirius trying to keep himself from laughing. Anger quickly pushed any embarrassment away. "I didn't like it all right!" Harry said defensively. "Whatever they were projecting, it made me feel…uncomfortable."
Sirius couldn't hold it in any longer and busted out laughing. Harry couldn't believe it. His hands balled into tight fists as his anger increased. How could Sirius find this funny? How could Sirius be laughing at him? Not wanting to start a fight in front of Dumbledore, Harry stood up and went for the door. He knew he never should have said anything.
Sirius' laughter died at the sight of Harry's tense stature. "Harry, wait!" he called out as Harry reached for the doorknob. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. I just—"
"—save it!" Harry said through his teeth as he turned around and glared at Sirius. "I know I'm hopeless! You don't have to rub it in! I'm sorry if I'm completely clueless but let me remind you of something: I grew up with the Dursleys who taught me I was nothing more than an ungrateful freak! I have an insane murderer after me because of some Prophecy some crackpot made years ago! My life is constantly in danger so excuse me for not finding the time to understand anything that a normal teenager would understand! I am telling you what I felt from some stupid ability that I never asked for and never wanted! If you think you can do any better, you're welcome to try!"
Without waiting for a response, Harry turned, opened the door and left. He didn't care that Sirius was calling for him to come back. He didn't care that he was walking alone, something he had been told not to do. At the moment, Harry was too angry to think about anything other than getting as far from Sirius as possible. It was another one of the forbidden topics that Sirius refused to discuss so how could he be expected to know anything?
Subtle waves of compassion and sympathy washed over Harry, nearly making him lose his footing. As he walked up the moving staircases, Harry brushed his hand against the walls, only to have the feelings intensify. Soothing waves slowly calmed him with each step. By the time Harry reached the Fat Lady portrait to the Gryffindor Tower, his anger had faded but the hurt of Sirius' actions remained. He knew he probably overreacted but the long day in addition to his own frustration and irritation forced him to take offense that Sirius didn't understand this was something no one had ever talked to him about. What was the point of learning about relationships when Voldemort was trying to kill you?
Harry told the Fat Lady the password and watched as the portrait swung open. Closing his eyes, Harry sent his thanks to Hogwarts for calming him before he entered the Gryffindor Tower. He wasn't going to think about it anymore tonight. He knew Sirius would probably corner him tomorrow, apologize and make a joke so that all was forgotten. It still didn't change the fact that Harry was sixteen-years-old and had absolutely no idea what he should and shouldn't be feeling from people.