Harry's lesson is strongly based from 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' which is not mine.
Chapter 11
Stepping Into the Past
The first week of school had been one exhausting day after another. Harry had become so overwhelmed with his hectic schedule that Remus had taken up deciphering the notes left by the Half-Blood Prince during the day and explaining them to Harry at night after homework was completed. Some of the deviations had been so detailed that Harry had found it necessary to order a Potions journal to write everything down. So far, Remus had found nothing wrong with the Prince's notes other than a few spells that could be considered dark. Harry had made note of the spells, what they did and possible ways to counter them so he knew what to do if they had been used against him.
Potions class had been a struggle. Harry had been careful not to use too many of the Prince's changes so he didn't draw too much attention to himself. There was also the problem of Professor Slughorn who had a habit of signaling Harry out in class whether Harry deserved it or not. It was becoming a challenge avoiding the man but Harry was determined not to be caught alone with him. According to Ginny and Neville, Slughorn had created a little group he liked to call the 'Slug Club' that consisted of people who had connections to important people. Members of the group included Cormac McLaggen, Marcus Belby, Blaise Zambini, in addition to Ginny and Neville. The moment Harry heard about the group he knew he wanted nothing to do with it. That was exactly the time of attention he wanted to avoid no matter what.
Harry had finally read the scroll Hermione had given him only to realize it was a message from Professor Dumbledore, requesting his presence at eight o'clock on Saturday evening for their first lesson. After showing the message to Sirius and Remus, Harry had told Neville and Ginny that he would talk to Dumbledore about the D.A. on Saturday and asked them to pass it on to the rest of the Council. He didn't think the D.A. would start up for a few weeks yet since all of the Quidditch teams needed to hold tryouts and everyone was still settling in.
Speaking to Ron and Hermione about Dumbledore's request had been slightly awkward but from that moment on they had done everything in their power to stay by Harry's side. Ron had become incredibly defensive, especially around people who were whispering and pointing at Harry. In a way, Harry was grateful for the punishment Sirius had given him. The evenings in the Marauder Quarters quickly became the only place he could work on his schoolwork and even think in peace. Everyone wanted to know about Quidditch tryouts, the rumored Defense Association, and whether he was indeed 'The Chosen One'. The fourth year Gryffindors were the worst of them, especially the girls. It had quickly become habit for the sixth year Gryffindors to discretely hex any fourth year Gryffindor who appeared to be approaching Harry. The sixth year boys thought it was hilarious, of course, claiming that Harry had his own stalkers now. Harry didn't find the situation so amusing. He just wanted to be left alone. Why couldn't anyone else see that?
Harry had been extremely careful with his empathy through the week and had begun working on trying to sense only one person's emotions rather than everyone around him. So far it had been an 'all or nothing' sort of ability except when he had been standing almost next to the person. Harry desperately wanted to change that for a number of reasons but the most important was to prevent himself from being distracted. Now that he understood what certain individuals were feeling, Harry wanted to avoid feeling that again at all costs. He didn't like people thinking that way about him, particularly for the wrong reasons.
When eight o'clock on Saturday night finally arrived, Harry flooed to Professor Dumbledore's office from the Marauder Quarters 'for his own safety'. The mantra had become so redundant the past week that Harry was starting to think everyone was taking the 'keeping Harry safe' mission too seriously. Aurors were still stationed at the school, the Slytherins were keeping their distance and teachers were constantly patrolling the halls to stop any skirmish that may occur. Hogwarts had never been so protected but it clearly wasn't enough for Harry Potter to walk the halls alone.
Stumbling out of the fireplace and into the waiting arms of Professor Dumbledore, Harry was instantly surrounded by waves of relief and concern. He pulled himself upright and looked into the twinkling blue eyes and smiling face of the Headmaster. "Er—sorry, sir," Harry said in embarrassment. "I've never been able to floo anywhere without nearly falling over."
"Quite all right, my boy," Professor Dumbledore said pleasantly. "None of us are perfect." He gestured for Harry to sit down in front of the desk. "There are just a few matters we should discuss before we start our lesson. Professor Snape has spoken to me about the continuation of the Defense Association. I must say I was pleased to hear that you are willing to work with Professor Snape. I would like to see the Defense Association continue and grow, if it were a possibility."
Harry ran a hand through his hair as he sat down. He really didn't think he could handle it if the group was to get any bigger than it already was. Yes, a few students had graduated but the majority of the group remained. "I—I don't know if it is a possibility, sir," Harry said politely. "Bringing in new people would mean starting over and that really isn't fair to those who took the risk to learn last year with Umbridge here. There would have to be two separate groups and I don't know if I can handle it once Quidditch starts up. I barely have time to finish my schoolwork as it is and I haven't even started my sessions with Madam Pomfrey yet."
Professor Dumbledore sat down at his desk and looked at Harry thoughtfully. "I can understand your concerns, Harry," he said sincerely. "I can also understand that you would prefer to keep the Defense Association to people you trust. I can not imagine how difficult it would be if your empathy were to act up and overwhelm you with those emotions that made you feel so uncomfortable."
Harry wince at the comment. "About that, sir," he said uncomfortably. "I apologize for being out of line—"
Dumbledore raised his hand to silence Harry. "Your reaction was completely understandable," he said patiently. "No apology is necessary. I do hope that if the situation were to rise again you would speak to someone. I am here for you, Harry, if you need me. This ability you have is a remarkable gift but with any gift, there usually comes a price to pay. I believe we saw some of that when the students returned. You now have the means to know what those around you are feeling, the good and the bad. The problem with that is that not all emotions are meant to be known. Your friend, Ron, was jealous when you were entered in the Triwizard Tournament. Can you imagine actually sensing that from your best friend?"
Harry rubbed his face wearily. "It's already happened," he admitted. "When I told them about this I felt their fear. It turned out that Ron was afraid of what would happen if the Ministry found out about me. I've learned not to jump to conclusions when it comes to what I sense. Just because someone's feeling an emotion doesn't mean their feeling it about me."
A soft trill filled Harry's ears causing him to turn his head and see Fawkes standing on his perch. Harry smiled and held out his arm. The phoenix let out a happy trill before taking flight and landing on the new perch. Soothing waves of protectiveness and compassion filled him. Fawkes let out a soft trill and nudged his head towards Dumbledore reminding Harry that he was in the middle of a conversation. Harry nodded in understanding and laughed when Fawkes nudged him affectionately before taking off for his original perch.
Returning his attention to Dumbledore, Harry was surprised to see an amused look on the Headmaster's face. "Er—sorry about that, sir," Harry said.
Dumbledore smiled as he enfolded his long fingers. "Not a problem, my boy," he said pleasantly. "It still amazes me how close you and Fawkes are. I suppose being able to sense his emotions makes it easier to communicate."
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I really can't explain it," he said truthfully. "Maybe it has something to do with being able to sense Hogwarts. Ever since that night I can understand what he's basically trying to say. He can be extremely stubborn when he wants to be, sir. No offense."
"None taken," Professor Dumbledore said with a laugh. "But we have gotten slightly off track. The other matter I wished to discuss with you is that I have spoken with the staff about you 'magical fluctuations'. They have been instructed to remove you from class and firecall Poppy immediately should you show any signs of duress. I will admit that I had to reveal more about your recovery than I would have liked to get my point across but I believe your instructors now understand how difficult this has been for you. I have also requested that they refrain from discussing the topic with you. This will hopefully avoid any awkward conversations."
Harry pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded. He was beginning to hate all of the complications and half-truths. It was a little unnerving that Professor Dumbledore was keeping this from the entire staff instead of confiding in Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape like he had in the past. This made Harry wonder whether Dumbledore was keeping this a secret because he felt it was for the best or because Sirius and Remus didn't want anyone knowing the truth.
After a moment of silence, Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat and leaned forward. "Now, the actual reason you are here," he said in a businesslike tone. "I believe it is time you were given certain information concerning Lord Voldemort. I will warn you that much will be based on guesswork from memories but I believe that I am currently on the right track." Dumbledore rose to his feet, walked around the desk and continued on to the cabinet beside the door. When he turned around, Harry saw a familiar shallow stone basin with odd markings around the rim of it. Dumbledore returned to his desk and placed the Pensieve down on it.
Professor Dumbledore turned to face Harry and smiled. "I believe this will actually be your first time entering a Pensieve," he said pleasantly. "There's nothing to worry about, Harry. I will be with you every step of the way and these memories won't be anything like the ones you have placed in here. We will be visiting one of Bob Ogden's memories. Bob Odgen worked for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Dumbledore pulled a crystal bottle that contained a swirling silvery-white substance out of his pocket. "I managed to convince him to confide these recollections to me before he died. If you would stand…"
Harry rose to his feet, still slightly apprehensive about actually entering a Pensieve. Despite Dumbledore's reassurances, Harry still felt a little uneasy about jumping into someone else's memories. He watched as Dumbledore pulled out the stopper of the crystal bottle and tipped the silvery contents into the Pensieve where they shimmered and swirled. Professor Dumbledore then looked at Harry with a reassuring and understanding smile.
"It is perfectly natural to fear the unknown, Harry, but I assure you this is just a memory," Professor Dumbledore said as he extended his hand.
Harry nodded and took Dumbledore's hand. He didn't know why he was so nervous. He had witnessed quite a bit in the past few years, most of it he wanted to forget as quickly as possible. He even had his own Pensieve that he would have to use in a similar fashion. But those would be my memories. Not someone else's. Harry stepped closer and watched as Professor Dumbledore lowered their joined hands to the Pensieve. After a moment's hesitation, Dumbledore submerged their hands into the liquid and Harry quickly found his feet leaving the office floor. He was falling through spiraling darkness only to find himself on his feet in blinding sunlight a moment later with Professor Dumbledore beside him. Instincts took over. Harry quickly tensed as he looked around the country scenery.
The country lane was surrounded by large, tangled hedgerows. The sky was bright and blue, no cloud anywhere within sight. Harry quickly spotted a short and plump man with large thick glasses standing ten feet in front of them, reading a wooden signpost on the left-hand side of the road. The man had quite a strange attire on, signifying that he had no idea of how to dress like a Muggle. Harry instinctively reached out for the waves of emotion around him but could only sense soft waves of concern and protectiveness coming off of Dumbledore. He could sense nothing from the man who didn't even notice they were there.
"Is something wrong, Harry?" Professor Dumbledore asked softly.
Harry looked at Dumbledore worriedly. "I can't sense him, sir," he said just as quietly.
Professor Dumbledore rested a hand on Harry's shoulder. "That is to be expected, my boy," he said with a gentle smile. "Remember, this is a memory. This is what Bob Ogden saw, not what he felt." At that moment Ogden started to walk down the lane. "We must be going, Harry. We don't want to be left behind."
Harry walked beside Dumbledore at a brisk pace. As they passed the sign, Harry noticed what was written on its two arms. The one pointing to where they were going read Little Hangleton, 1 mile while the one pointing in the opposite direction said Great Hangleton, 5 miles. Harry's brow frowned in confusion. Why did that sound so familiar? Snapping out of his thoughts, Harry kept his attention on Ogden as they continued walking. When the lane curved to the left and fell down the sloping hillside, Harry's eyes widened at the view of the entire valley. There was the village of Little Hangleton that resided between two rather steep hills. There was a church and a graveyard...a graveyard that looked strangely familiar. There was also a large manor house across the valley that was completely surrounded by a well gardened and tended green lawn.
They followed Ogden down the slope for a short time before they turned off onto a narrow dirt path through a gap in the hedge. It was obvious that this track wasn't used often by the state it was in. It was extremely crooked and uneven with wilder hedgerows that made it nearly impossible to see anything. As they traveled downhill, Harry noticed a patch of trees that seemed to open up at the grove before coming to an abrupt halt behind Ogden who stopped walking to pull out his wand. Harry almost flicked his wrist to pull out his own when he felt Dumbledore's hand once again on his shoulder, calming him.
This is just a memory. It's not real.
Trees surrounded them, blocking the cloudless sky. Looking around, Harry noticed a small house that was partially hidden among the trees. It looked like it had been abandoned for years. The walls were covered with moss and numerous tiles had fallen off the roof to make the rafters visible. Nettles surrounded the place, some reaching the windows that looked like they hadn't been cleaned in years. Harry was about to look at Dumbledore in confusion when one of the windows opened quickly allowing a thin stream of smoke to leave the place.
Odgen's entire demeanor had changed. He was now moving forward extremely cautiously. He slowly approached the front door which had a dead snake nailed to it. There was a rustling and a crack from above before a man dressed in rags fell from the nearest tree, landing in a crouched position in front of Ogden. The man quickly jumped back in shock and stumbled, nearly losing his footing.
"You're not welcome," the man in rags hissed, allowing everyone to see that several of his teeth were missing. His hair was filthy and matted with dirt making it impossible to determine what color it originally had been. His eyes were strange, staring into opposite directions. He looked downright mad to put it bluntly.
Ogden quickly tried to straighten to make himself appear professional but still looked frightened out of his mind. "Well, good morning," he said in a slightly shaky voice. "I'm here from the Ministry of Magic—"
"You're not welcome," the man in rags repeated.
Ogden cleared his throat nervously. "I'm sorry," he said nervously. "I—I don't understand you."
Harry was about to question Dumbledore when he took in the dead snake on the door. Of course. The man was speaking Parseltongue. He had this problem before, especially in his second year at Hogwarts. Parseltongue didn't sound like anything other than English to him.
Starting to feel incredibly uneasy about who he was actually watching, Harry looked on as Ogden tried to reason with the man in rags only to be attacked. Ogden fell to his knees with his hands over his nose as a yellowish substance began to squirt between his fingers. He watched as a short elderly man with very broad shoulders and overly- long arms hurried out of the cottage shouting 'Morfin'. The elderly man's irritability quickly vanished into laughter when he caught sight of Ogden.
Harry quickly learned that the elderly man's name was Mr. Gaunt and believed that Morfin was in the right to 'defend himself'. From the sound of Mr. Gaunt's voice, the man had no love for Muggles or the Ministry. As Ogden pointed his wand at himself to stop the yellow pus from flowing, Mr. Gaunt ordered Morfin to get in the house, in Parseltongue. By then Harry had to admit that there was no denying that these people were descendents of Salazar Slytherin which meant they were Voldemort's ancestors.
When Morfin retreated into the house grudgingly, Mr. Gaunt turned his attention to Ogden who was still cleaning the pus off of his clothes. "It's your son I'm here to see, Mr. Gaunt," Ogden said stiffly. "That was Morfin, wasn't it?"
Mr. Gaunt stared at Ogden for a long moment before responding. "Yes, that was Morfin," he said coldly. "Are you a pure-blood?"
Ogden's eyes narrowed as he stared at Mr. Gaunt. "That has nothing to do with the situation," he replied, matching Mr. Gaunt's tone, making it quite clear that he indeed had some Muggle blood in him.
Harry pinched the bridge of his nose as the bickering began between Ogden and Mr. Gaunt. It was clearly a defiant Slytherin versus a proud Hufflepuff sort of argument. Ogden was clearly trying to remain professional which was becoming increasingly difficult with as Mr. Gaunt kept goading him. Although, Mr. Gaunt ended up giving in and invited Ogden into the house.
The house was extremely small. There seemed to be only three tiny rooms which made Harry feel extremely claustrophobic. Morfin was sitting near the fireplace in the living room, waiting as Mr. Gaunt and Ogden entered. The grubby armchair he sat in looked like it was on the verge of falling apart. Ogden kept his distance as he noticed the live adder Morfin was hissing at between his fingers. Harry could understand Odgen's hesitation. Morfin looked downright psychotic.
Hissy, hissy, little snakey,
Slither on the floor
You be good to Morfin
Or he'll nail you to the door.
Harry didn't need any more confirmation that Morfin was completely out of his mind. I can see insanity runs in the family. In Harry's experience, threatening a snake never had positive results. Of course, the snake was really too small to do anything about it. Hearing scuffling noise, Harry turned and saw a girl wearing a tattered gray dress that blended in completely with the dirty stone wall behind her. She was standing beside filthy black stove, obviously attempting to cook something. Her posture and the look on her face screamed submission, as if she knew this was the best life she could ever have.
Ogden was also staring at the woman with a sympathetic look on his face, something that Mr. Gaunt noticed and let out an annoyed grunt. "M'daughter, Merope," Gaunt said resentfully.
"Good morning," Ogden said with a soft smile but Merope didn't answer. She just looked at her father in fear before turning her attention back to the stove and the pots on the shelf behind her. Ogden cleared his throat and turned his attention to Gaunt. "Well, Mr. Gaunt," he said professionally, "to get straight to the point we have reason to believe that your son, Morfin, performed magic in front of a Muggle last night."
A loud clang echoed throughout the room as Merope dropped one of the pots. Harry quickly turned to look at her and saw that she was nearly shaking in fear. Everyone else in the room was looking at her too but Mr. Gaunt was anything but sympathetic. "Pick it up!" Gaunt shouted at her. "That's it, grub on the floor like some filthy Muggle, what's your wand for, you useless sack of muck?"
Harry felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder, reminding him that this was only a memory as Ogden stepped up in Merope's defense. "Mr. Gaunt, please!" Odgen cried in a shocked voice. Merope dropped the pot again in shock of someone defending her before hesitantly pulling out her wand and quickly muttering a spell which made the pot fly across the room, hit the wall and split into two pieces.
Morfin instantly started laughing madly while Mr. Gaunt shouted, "Mend it, you pointless lump, mend it!"
Merope staggered across the room but before she could correct her mistake, Ogden did it for her. Mr. Gaunt stared furiously at Ogden for a long moment before he returned his attention to his daughter. "Lucky the nice man from the Ministry's here, isn't it?" Gaunt spat. "Perhaps he'll take you off my hands; perhaps he doesn't mind dirty Squibs…"
Harry watched Merope pick up the pot and return it to its shelf. She was trembling slightly, not saying a word to anyone in the room. Ogden quickly brought the attention back to the matter he had come but Mr. Gaunt would hear nothing of it. Apparently, Mr. Gaunt believed that Morfin had every right to do what he did. Ogden kept trying to convince Mr. Gaunt that Morfin had been in the wrong, breaking Wizarding law and hand over a summons for a hearing but that seemed to be the final straw for Mr. Gaunt who showed Ogden an ugly, black-stoned ring on his middle finger. When Ogden didn't recognize the significance of the piece of jewelry, Gaunt hurried toward Merope and dragged her back to Ogden by the gold chain around her neck.
Mr. Gaunt quickly revealed that they were the last of Salazar Slytherin's descendants and should be given more respect for that very reason. Ogden didn't agree. He was determined to hand over the summons for Morfin to appear at a hearing on the fourteenth of September for causing a Muggle to erupt in highly painful hives but before his could finish with his formal declaration, the sounds of voices and horses approaching outside brought everyone to a standstill.
The voices ended up belonging to a group of Muggles from the village that made no effort to hide their dislike of the Gaunt's home or its occupants. One of the men was named Tom and he seemed to know the most considering that his family owned most of the land on the other side of the valley. Tom then went on to declare that the son of the Gaunt family wasn't right in the head. Everyone outside seemed to have a good laugh at this.
"Tom, I might be wrong but has somebody nailed a snake to that door?" asked the girl Tom had been speaking to. She sounded like she was right outside and could care less if she sounded rude to anyone inside the house.
Tom seemed to share her arrogance. "Good lord, you're right," he said. "That'll be the son. I told you he's not right in the head. Don't look at it, Cecilia, darling."
Everyone in the Gaunt house remained silent as they heard the horses clopping away. When the sounds became too distant to make out, Morfin broke out into laughter and turned to his sister. "Darling," he said in Parseltongue. "Darling, he called her. He wouldn't have you anyway."
Merope was as pale as milk as Mr. Gaunt and Morphin spoke to each other in Parseltongue. Evidently, Merope had a crush on Tom, something that Mr. Gaunt wasn't too pleased to hear. After all, the pure-blooded descendants of Salazar Slytherin were too good for any filthy, dirt-veined Muggle. Mr. Gaunt cornered his daughter in a rage, calling her a blood traitor. When his hands went for her throat, Harry was relieved that Ogden stepped in, sending Mr. Gaunt flying backwards away from Merope.
Mr. Gaunt reacted with a vengeance, jumping to his feet and rushing towards Ogden, a bloody knife in one hand and a wand that was already firing hexes in the other. Ogden did the only thing he could. He ran for his life. Dumbledore ushered Harry out of the house where they followed Odgen. Merope's screams echoed throughout the forest, making Harry aware that she was most likely paying for Ogden's defiance.
Ogden continued running up the path to the main lane until he collided with a sleek chestnut horse ridden by a handsome and familiar looking dark-haired man. The man and girl he was riding with on a gray horse burst out laughing at Ogden running away in terror. Harry couldn't help staring at the man on the horse. He knew that face. He had seen it before…
Professor Dumbledore rested a hand on Harry's shoulder and squeezed. "That will do, Harry," he said before taking Harry by the elbow and pulled gently. A moment later, they were flying through darkness until they landed swiftly on their feet in Dumbledore's now partially lit office.
Once Dumbledore released his arm, Harry moved back to the chair he had sat in before and collapsed in it. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and staring at the floor. Mr. Gaunt had reminded Harry too much of Uncle Vernon and Merope had reminded Harry too much of himself before Sirius had taken him away from that situation. It made Harry wonder what would have happened if Sirius hadn't entered his life. Would he still be like that? Would he still be living in fear like Merope had been?
"I am afraid I must apologize, Harry," Professor Dumbledore said as he flicked his wand, lighting a few extra lamps. "I should have predicted your reaction to Marvolo's actions towards his daughter. I assure you that Merope survived. Ogden quickly Apparated to the Ministry and returned within fifteen minutes with reinforcements. Morfin and Marvolo attempted to retaliate but they were overpowered, removed from the cottage, convicted by the Wizengamot and sentenced to Azkaban. Morfin received three years and Marvolo received six months."
Harry closed his eyes as he rubbed the back of his neck. He now knew why he recognized the man on the horse. If Mr. Gaunt was Marvolo, then that meant Merope was Voldemort's mother and the man on the horse was Tom Riddle, Sr. He had just seen Voldemort's parents, uncle and grandfather. "I thought my family was messed up," Harry said softly. "Uncle Vernon never went that far. He never treated his own child that way…just me."
Professor Dumbledore sat down behind his desk and leaned forward, staring at Harry over his half-moon spectacles. "In a way, I suppose Marvolo saw his daughter just as your Uncle saw you," he said thoughtfully. "Both of you weren't what your guardian viewed as acceptable. You, Harry, were a wizard and Merope had very little magical talent; at least that was what Marvolo believed. In both instances, the guardians were wrong. There is no reason for an adult to strike a child."
Harry nodded in understanding. He had been through this before…twice as a matter of fact. Once, after he had been rescued from Uncle Vernon and again after the mess with Umbridge last year. Yes, he hated seeing people in the same situation he had been in and he probably overreacted witnessing the memory but that didn't mean he had reverted back to the scared kid he had once been.
Dumbledore stared at Harry for a moment before he returned to the original topic. "Now, Marvolo and his children were the last of the Gaunts," he said casually, "a very ancient Wizarding family that was known for their instability and violence that only grew through generations of marrying their own relatives. A lack of common sense in addition to a desire for the luxury left the family gold practically nonexistent generations before Marvolo was born. As you saw, the Gaunts were left in poverty except for a few family heirlooms that were treasured just as much as sons and even more than daughters. I trust you also noticed Voldemort's father?"
Harry nodded. "It sounded like he was rather proud of his status," he said carefully. "How did he ever end up married to Voldemort's mum?"
Dumbledore enfolded his long fingers and sat back in his chair. "Merope Gaunt was infatuated with Tom Riddle senior, Harry," he said with a slight smile. "Once Marvolo and Morfin were locked in Azkaban, she had the chance escape the cruelty she had lived through for so many years. She was finally able to be the witch she was meant to be and use any means she had to achieve her dreams…any magical means, that is."
Which meant immoral means, of course. "So she used some sort of spell or potion to confound him?" Harry asked.
"Correct, Harry," Professor Dumbledore said with a nod. "I believe she used a love potion since it would have been much easier to use discretely. It is fairly easy to convince someone riding in the heat that a drink of 'water' would be in their best interest. I shall let you know that it was only a few months after this memory that the village of Little Hangleton erupted in scandal when Tom Riddle ran off with Merope Gaunt. Marvolo was perhaps alarmed most of all when he came back from Azkaban only to find a farewell note. From that moment on, Marvolo never mentioned his daughter again. He died before Morfin was released from prison."
"So what happened?" Harry asked in confusion. "If Merope was giving Tom a love potion, why did he end up leaving her? Voldemort told me that his father abandoned his mother."
"He did," Dumbledore confirmed. "Within a few months after their abrupt marriage, Tom Riddle returned to his parents' manor in Little Hangleton without Merope. Rumors filled the town that Tom claimed he had been 'hoodwinked' and 'taken in'. People believed that Merope had misled Tom, claiming that she was pregnant with his child so he married her. Merope ended up having a child but not until a year after they were married. Tom had left her while she was still pregnant. I believe that Merope was deeply in love with Tom and could no longer bear to keep him restrained by magical means. She chose to stop giving him the potion. We can only assume what she was thinking but whatever hope she had that Tom would stay without the potion in his system was quickly destroyed. After he left her, he never bothered wondering what happened to her or his son."
"Leaving Voldemort to grow up in an orphanage when Merope died," Harry mumbled as he looked towards the window only to see darkness. He hadn't been aware so much time had passed. "How could someone just abandon their own child?"
"As you noticed, status was everything to Tom Riddle, senior," Professor Dumbledore said solemnly. "People who are raised in power and money tend to view themselves at a higher level than everyone else. You heard what Tom and his companion said outside the Gaunt residence. He had no compassion towards them and probably would not give them a second look if Morfin had not caused so much trouble terrorizing Muggles." Silence fell before Dumbledore rose to his feet. "It is growing late, Harry. I believe your guardians are waiting for you."
"Yes, sir," Harry said as he stood. At the present time, Harry was too overwhelmed to ask any more questions. He had heard about the side affects of inbreeding from Sirius who claimed that was the reason his relatives were completely out of their mind…except Tonks, of course. For some reason, despite how insane Sirius and Tonks acted, Sirius claimed they were the only sane people around with Black blood. Both cousins agreed that Tonks' mother's sanity was debatable although they were both smiling when they said this so Harry doubted they were serious.
Walking to the fireplace, Harry had to wonder why Dumbledore was doing this. What was the point learning about Voldemort's ancestors? Grabbing a pinch of floo powder, Harry was about to leave when he hesitated. Was there something that he was missing? "Sir, I don't think I understand the point of this," Harry said softly as he stared into the flames. "Knowing about Voldemort's past…witnessing the chain of events that lead to who he became—"
"—you are afraid you will start to sympathize with Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore concluded. "Compassion is never wrong, Harry. These lessons are not meant to make your task more difficult. They are to give you the knowledge you need in order to succeed."
Harry nodded and bid goodnight before leaving through the fireplace for the Marauder Quarters. He knew there was a hidden meaning in Dumbledore's comment but was too tired to worry about it now. Maybe tomorrow after his session with Madam Pomfrey he would sit and wonder about the mystery that was Albus Dumbledore.
It didn't take Harry long to realize that Madam Pomfrey was an excellent teacher. For their first lesson, Harry helped Madam Pomfrey rearrange the potion cabinet which would have been extremely boring if it hadn't been made into a game. For nearly three hours they went over different potions, their properties and their contents in a way that held onto Harry's interest: the way they helped people. Harry had probably learned more about antidotes in that one session than he had in his five years of schooling. By the time they were finished, the potions cabinet was arranged neatly Harry's journal had significantly more pages filled.
With Harry's hectic schedule, Madam Pomfrey had decided to keep lessons to Sunday morning only which was met with a mixed reaction from Harry. He knew he really didn't have any free time to spare but he really enjoyed his time in the hospital wing with the hands-on learning that he loved. He had learned long ago that he was more of a practical learner than a theoretical learner from the training Sirius and Remus had given him.
In light of Dumbledore's approval for the D.A., Harry approached Sirius who immediately agreed to be the group's supervisor. The Council was in charge of alerting current members that the D.A. would be continuing along with informing non-members that no new members were being accepted since there would be no way to control the group with the amount of people who wanted to join. This left quite a few unhappy people, especially Cormac McLaggen who tried to convince Harry, Ginny and Neville that he should be the exception to the rule. In the end, Harry had to result to silencing and binding McLaggan to get the seventh year to stop talking so Harry could bluntly tell him that there were no exceptions. The Council had to be fair to everyone.
D.A. meetings would once again be held on Saturday evenings with Council meetings on Wednesday evenings. The only change was that there would be no Sunday morning meeting since Harry was unavailable. After a quick meeting, the Council had come to the conclusion that it would probably be smart for the D.A. to learn some basic self defense moves which meant that Harry and Sirius would be instructing most of the time. Spells would still be covered to keep everyone up to speed but the muggle side of defense would take up most of the meetings.
Classes were as demanding as ever. Any free period was spent on homework and re-reading textbooks to understand what was being covered in class. Remus was becoming a lifesaver in translating the complicated texts into common phrases along with continuing to decipher the Half-Blood Prince's book. Sirius still focused completely on nonverbal spells which was a great help in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms and Transfiguration. He didn't know how he would be surviving the classes without Sirius' tutelage.
Ironically, the easiest classes were Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. Hagrid certainly made class interesting even though he spent half of the time talking about Aragog. Herbology wasn't any easier than before it was that the class hadn't changed. They still worked with plants, learning about their properties and uses in wizarding society. The plants were just a little more dangerous than before.
Quidditch tryouts for the Gryffindor team were scheduled for the following Saturday at nine o'clock in the morning. Harry had to reschedule his training with Sirius to start an hour earlier although it became known quickly that Harry's mind was focusing on the tryouts. So many people had signed up for the team that Harry feared it would take all day. This would be his first test as Captain which Viktor had told him was the most significant. 'A captain is only as strong as his teammates,' Viktor had said. 'Choose visely, Harry.'
When the time for tryouts grew near, Sirius gave up on training and helped Harry set up the field, even casting a few charms to block the cool, misty drizzle from hitting anyone. Harry knew why the team was so popular this year. It had nothing to do with Quidditch. It was him. Hermione had warned him about this. Everyone wanted to be a part of something that involved Harry Potter. Since the D.A. was out of the question, Quidditch was the only option and it was those people that Harry didn't want on the team. He wanted people who were serious about the game and who would work hard because they wanted to win.
Ron and Hermione were the first to arrive bringing news that Stanley Shunpike, conductor on the Knight Bus, had been arrested on suspicion of Death Eater activity. Harry had been stunned. When Stan had helped him escape from Voldemort's clutches, the young man could hardly keep his wits about himself when he believed Harry had been a Death Eater. The thought of Stan actually being a Death Eater was preposterous. What was the Ministry thinking?
Students began flocking to the Quidditch pitch, forcing Hermione and Sirius to take seats in the stands. The turnout was unbelievable. There were first years that couldn't contain their nerves to seventh years that enjoyed appearing intimidating to the rest. Taking in the sight, Harry instantly closed his eyes and reached out for the waves of emotions surrounding him. He could clearly sense nervousness, eagerness, embarrassment, along with a subtle hint of the same sensation that he felt the night of the welcoming feast…infatuation. Harry let out a frustrated sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Why couldn't anyone see that he had a job to do?
"Good morning, Gryffindors," Harry said addressing the group and noticed that several younger students giggled softly. "I must say I'm amazed that so many are willing to put in the long hours of strenuous training required to become a member of this team." The giggles stopped and several people shifted nervously on their feet. "Gryffindor has won the last two Quidditch Cups so we have quite a reputation to live up to. Anyone who feels that they can't give the dedication required to be a part of a winning team, I suggest you leave now."
Harry wasn't surprised when several older girls walked towards the stands to join their friends. He ignored the whispers as he focused his gaze on the younger students who had giggled before. "Anyone who is not a member of the Gryffindor house should also leave," Harry said firmly and watched as several groups of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs quickly ran for the stands. This left a more manageable group to sort out. Harry asked them to separate into positions and begun testing flying capability. The first and second years were quickly dismissed since they could barely keep themselves on their brooms.
Chasers were first. It didn't take Harry long to see who had talent and who didn't. Katie Bell was clearly the best followed by Demelza Robins, Ginny Weasley and, surprisingly, Dean Thomas. Harry asked the four of them to stay while dismissing the rest. A few people tried to complain but with a flick of his wrist, Harry had his wand in hand which silenced everyone. No one wanted to anger the leader of the Defense Association.
The Beaters were next but none of them had the instinctual ability that Fred and George had. He was slightly disappointed but it could have been worse. In the end, he selected Jimmy Peakes, Ritchie Coote and Jack Sloper to join the Chasers. He then moved on to the Seekers. There weren't many and none of them were able to even spot the Snitch. Frustrated, Harry turned to his already selected members and noticed that Ginny was focused on something near the Slytherin stands. Harry slowly looked and noticed the golden Snitch.
"Ginny, why don't you help them out," Harry said with a smile and nearly laughed when Ginny's face turned bright red. He dismissed the Seeker prospects a few minutes later when Ginny had caught the Snitch. Harry was suddenly glad he had decided to do tryouts this way. It would make everything so much easier.
Keeper tryouts were last. There were now significantly more students in the stands than before which made Harry nervous. Ron always had a problem with people watching him but there was nothing Harry could do about it. He sent his four Chasers out and gave each Keeper had their turn to block five penalties. None of the Keepers could save more than two goals each except for Cormac McLaggen who saved four penalties, missing the last goal completely which was a surprise but a welcomed one. At least Ron had a chance.
When it was Ron's turn, Harry watched, trying to remain objective when he heard someone shout, "Good luck!" He looked up in the stands and could hardly hide his surprise to see it had been Lavender Brown, not Hermione. Making a mental note to ask Ron later, Harry returned his attention to Ron who took off. His nerves were in overdrive as he waited for Ron to block one…two…three…four…five penalties. Harry let out a long breath of relief, calming himself and making another mental note to have more faith in Ron.
"Ron Weasley and Cormac McLaggan!" Harry announced, surprising everyone. He ignored the whispers and waited for the nine people selected to sit down in their section of the stands before joining them. "I suppose you all are wondering why I have selected more than the allowed amount of team members." At everyone's eager nods, Harry continued. "My reasoning is simple. Quidditch is a dangerous sport. People get hurt…frequently. This way, there is a reserve already trained to fill an empty spot. Dean, you're the reserve Chaser. Ginny, you're the reserve Seeker. Jack, you're the reserve Beater. Cormac, you're the reserve Keeper."
"That's actually a rather brilliant idea, Harry," Katie Bell said approvingly with several people agreeing with her.
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry could see that Cormac wasn't happy and knew the seventh year had an ego that could be a problem. "One more thing," he said seriously. "This is a team. We work together, fulfilling our own duties, for a common goal. If you can't handle that, or the decisions I've made, I suggest you leave the team. We have a lot of work to do and it is essential that we do what's important for the team. I won't hesitate to remove anyone if I feel it's necessary. This season won't be any fun if we're at each other's throats. Any questions?"
No one said a word. Harry noticed Katie and Ron smiling at him proudly. Any doubt in Harry's ability as Captain was instantly banished away. "Good," Harry said with a nod. "Practices begin on Tuesday. I will give the list to Professor McGonagall and hopefully we'll have robes for everyone soon. Now, go enjoy yourselves."
By the time the team was dismissed, the majority of the crowd had dispersed. Hermione rushed to Ron, congratulating him for making the team congratulated Harry for a job well done. Ron was standing proudly, any evidence of previous nerves gone. "I'm just glad I'm not the reserve," said Ron. "Did you see McLaggan during his fifth shot? If I didn't know any better, I'd say he'd been Confunded but oh well." Hermione blushed fiercely but Ron instantly started talking about his own saves in great detail the entire way back to the castle for dinner.
Harry remained a step behind them and soon a felt a reassuring hand on his left shoulder. Sirius moved so he was walking beside Harry and ruffled Harry's messy hair. "You did well, kiddo," he said sincerely. "Your dad would have been proud of you." Sirius glanced around quickly before wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulders and pulling him close. "You sensed something, didn't you?"
Nodding, Harry leaned into the one armed embrace. "I really hate this," he admitted. "This wouldn't happen to the Captains for the other houses."
Sirius let out a sigh. "The price you pay for inheriting your father's looks and your mother's eyes," he said sympathetically, causing Harry to scowl at him. "What? I'm just being honest. If you don't believe me you could just ask a certain group of fourth year girls…"
Harry's eyes narrowed as he pushed Sirius away. "You're cruel, do you know that?" he asked then grinned. "Maybe I should contact Rita Skeeter."
Sirius' eyes widened as he paled drastically. It had certainly been a low blow. The 'Daily Prophet' reporter had made no effort to hide her attraction towards Sirius last term, something that still gave Sirius nightmares. The only good thing that came out of the situation was that Rita refrained from writing half of the rubbish she could have about Harry in hope that Sirius would notice her. He did, just not in the way she had hoped.
"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" Sirius asked. "It's not my fault—"
"—exactly," Harry interrupted as he enfolded his arms across his chest. He knew Sirius was just teasing and knew better than to take the man seriously but it didn't mean Harry had to like it. Turning the teasing back on Sirius was really the only way to stun him into silence. This time was no different. Sirius just stared at Harry for a moment before slapping his hand against his face and nodding to Harry's point. Together, they entered the castle where Harry joined Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table while Sirius sat at the Head table.
Looking at the row of teachers, Harry noticed that Dumbledore's chair was empty just like it had been for nearly a week. Nothing had been announced although Harry doubted anything would be. Children of well known Death Eaters still attended Hogwarts and revealing any sort of weakness on Dumbledore's part would surly make its way back to Voldemort. It was probably best to maintain the 'no news is good news' mentality. After all, Sirius and Remus would tell him if something were wrong. Or Sirius would pull me out and take me home.
Harry wasn't going to fool himself into thinking that everything was normal whether it was inside the walls of Hogwarts or out. These were dangerous times and it wouldn't take much for the Board of Governors to pass a motion to close Hogwarts until the war was over. Harry subconsciously ran his thumb over the phoenix ring on his right hand. He was currently wearing so many precautions but what about everyone else? What did they have to keep them safe?
As lunch drew to a close, Harry left with Ron and Hermione for a long afternoon of schoolwork in the library. They hurried to the doors to beat the rush only to be blocked by a smiling Professor Slughorn. Harry suppressed a groan as he bit his cheek to stop from making a sarcastic comment. Slughorn was almost as bad as the fourth year girls. They only cared about 'the-boy-who-lived' not Harry.
"Just the man I wanted to see!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed happily. "Harry, I was hoping that you could join me for a spot of supper in my rooms tonight. There'll be quite a few rising stars there. McLaggen and Zabini have already agreed to come along with Melinda Bobbin. She owns a large chain of apothecaries and I also hope Miss Granger would also join us."
"Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry, sir," Harry said apologetically even if he felt anything but apologetic. He was suddenly glad that he had a busy schedule. "The D.A. meets on Saturday nights and we really can't reschedule. Besides, I'm not allowed to go to any functions without approval from Sirius and Remus. They're extremely protective with everything that's happened lately."
Slughorn's smile fell instantly and his entire stature transformed from one of pride to one of defeat. "Oh, that is too bad," he said sincerely. "I had been counting on you, Harry. You would have made the evening most interesting." Slughorn forced a smile on his face as he patted Harry on the shoulder. "Not to worry, my dear boy. I'll speak to your guardian. I'm sure he'll see that these events are nothing to worry about. I might even invite him to join us. After all, there isn't anyone around that doesn't know the story of Sirius Black." He left quickly before anything else could be said.
Harry ran a hand through his hair as he let out a frustrated sigh. He never thought he would reach the day when he missed Professor Snape teaching Potions but the day had come. He hated how Professor Slughorn liked to surround himself with people of influence to increase his self worth. He hated that Professor Slughorn saw him as nothing more than a trophy to parade around. Slughorn was exactly like Scrimgeour. Neither of them cared what Harry wanted as long as they got what they wanted.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were the first to arrive at the Room of Requirement that night followed closely by the Council. The floor was covered with a cushiony surface to prevent anyone from getting hurt. Punching bags were hanging from the ceiling in all four corners with shelves of boxing materials nearby. There were cabinets of supplies including foam like protectors that could be attached to someone's chest, arms and legs. Harry doubted they would need those tonight. Very few people in the D.A. knew anything about Muggle defense.
As the rest of the D.A. arrived, Harry noticed that everyone was dressed in casual clothes, eager to begin learning an ounce of what Harry could do. Ginny and Neville had also been cornered by Slughorn and had been relieved that they had a reason to miss it. Ron had been rather quite ever since Slughorn had signaled out Harry and Hermione, scowling whenever Slughorn was mentioned. The jealousy was pouring off Ron so strongly that Harry couldn't ignore it no matter how hard he tried.
Sirius was the last to arrive with a grin on his face but he wasn't alone. Following him into the Room of Requirement was a smiling, purple haired Tonks, who hurried to Harry and pulled him into a bone crushing embrace. "Oh!" she exclaimed in excitement as she pulled away and smiled at Harry. "Someone's putting on some muscle. Trying to impress some lucky girl, little one?"
"Tonks!" Harry cried in embarrassment as several people snickered. He looked at Sirius for help and saw that his godfather was trying extremely hard not to laugh.
Tonks winked at Harry and ruffled his hair. "Just teasing, Harry," she said good-naturedly then pulled out her wand and twirled it between her fingers.
Sirius cleared his throat and moved to the center of the room. "All right, let's begin," he said firmly as everyone turned to face him. "What you will be learning is an opportunity to improve your dueling. We'll start off tonight with a demonstration. Now, I know all of you are aware of Harry's style of dueling. It's extremely physical, nothing like what you would learn in the classroom. Harry, Tonks, please join me."
Harry could already see where this was going as he walked with Tonks to the center of the room. Tonks wasn't a physical dueler, at least not in the same aspect Harry was. She relied heavily on spells and Apparation, falling back on physical defense if there was no other option. She was representing the typical witch or wizard who believed that magic was the more civilized method of fighting, including the Ministry and the Board of Governors.
"For those of you who don't know Tonks," Sirius continued. "She's my cousin and a trained Auror who has agreed to a friendly duel with Harry. Everyone please back up to the walls so I can cast a few protective charms." Everyone quickly moved and waited as Sirius waved his wand a few times. "There," he said proudly. "Now, Harry and Tonks, take your positions." Harry and Tonks took ten paces each away from each other then turned so they were standing face to face. "Wands at the ready," Sirius instructed. With a flick of the wrist, Harry had his wand in hand as he bent his knees and repositioned his feet so he was ready to move at a moment's notice. "This is for fun you two," Sirius warned. "Tonks, don't use anything too embarrassing and Harry, don't do anything that will require a visit to Poppy…Begin!"
With a flick of her wand, Tonks sent the first spell quickly towards Harry, who was instantly focusing on the Protection Charm as he flicked his wand and turned to avoid another two spells that were fired at him. Harry quickly fell into a rhythm. Every one of his senses was on alert as he dodged, twisted, flipped and blocked Tonks' spells. He had managed to hit her with a tickling charm and Tonks had managed to successfully trip him, which would have been disastrous for Harry if he hadn't reacted quickly by flipping to his feet and dodging the oncoming spells.
Harry was slowly decreasing the distance between them which meant his reactions had to be quicker and more precise. Sweat was rolling down his forehead, stinging his eyes but he couldn't take the time to brush it away. The break in concentration would be enough to cost him the duel. Block…one step closer…twist…one step back…drop to one knee…one large step forward while turning and casting a Jelly-Legs Jinx…Block…one step to the right… Leg-Locker Curse…two steps closer…just a little bit more…jump and twist to the left…Disarming Spell…one step closer…this is my chance.
Jumping up, Harry turned as he brought his leg up just as Tonks fired a Disarming Spell. Harry's wand went flying as his foot knocked Tonks' wand out of her hand. He reached out for his wand and felt it in his hand a moment later. Landing firmly on the ground, Harry put Tonks in a body bind before she even knew he had his wand. Silence filled the room as Harry stood with his wand still pointing at Tonks.
"Well done, Harry!" Sirius exclaimed happily then looked directly at Tonks as he flicked his wand and freed her. "Looks like I win."
Tonks rolled her eyes in annoyance as she picked up her wand. "Yes, Sirius," she said grudgingly. "You win the bet. Can you act any more childish?"
Sirius thought about it for a moment as he tapped his finger against his lips. "Yes, I can," he said seriously then pointed his wand at her. "Shall we see how childish I can be?" Tonks raised her hands in surrender. Sirius nodded and turned his attention to the students. "Now, I know what Harry was doing looked intimidating and I don't expect any of you to reach that level anytime soon. Harry has been training for three years and he's still learning. We will just be covering the basics."
Harry could feel the disappointment coursing through the room which surprised him. What were these people suspecting? Did they really believe learning to physically defend yourself was as simple as learning a single spell? They've really never seen me train so they don't know how much time I've put into it. They've only seen the results.
"All right, now for the fun!" Sirius said cheerfully. "Everyone find an open spot with plenty of room around you." He turned to Harry and Tonks and frowned. "You two can take a breather. You look like you could use it, especially you Harry. You've had an extremely long day."
Harry gave Sirius a mock salute before following Tonks to the far side of the room where a comfortable sofa couch appeared. Tonks immediately hooked her arm around Harry's and pulled him down with her, causing Harry to nearly fall to the floor. Once they were seated comfortably, Tonks nudged Harry playfully before asking, "So how've you been, Harry? Sirius told me about Quidditch tryouts, training and the extra lessons on top of your classes. It sounds pretty demanding if you ask me."
Shrugging, Harry watched as Sirius started covering defensive stances. "I knew this year would be hard," he said truthfully. "I would probably be lost if it weren't for Sirius and Remus. Their punishment has actually turned into a blessing. It's the people who make it difficult."
Tonks grinned. "People'll do that to you," she said candidly. "They can be self-absorbed gits who don't bother caring who they hurt on their way to fame and fortune."
Harry stared at her with a raised eyebrow. That had been the last thing he had been expecting to hear from Tonks of all people. She was always so optimistic about every situation she found herself in. "Speaking from experience?" Harry asked casually.
Tonks looked at Harry for a long moment before shrugging her shoulders. "In my line of work you meet a lot of people and not all of them are the type you would bring home," she said honestly then gave Harry a half-smile. "But I guess that isn't saying much because most people would say that about me…and Sirius…and Remus….wow. You really have one messed up family."
Harry grinned. "And I wouldn't have it any other way," he said truthfully.