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Menacing Presence

Dumbledore.

Harry whipped around, wand arm out; ready to cry a curse at the top of his lungs- but he never even drew breath in time. His wand jerked from his hand, soaring through the air and falling lightly into the old man's open hand.

Damn you, you old fool. Harry thought, angrily. His hands clenched into tight fists, and he shook with rage. Then, something occurred to him – Lupin's wand! He doesn't know I have Lupin's wand, too! He hid his grin as best he could.

'Harry.' Dumbledore said. His face was impassive; there was no way to know what the man was thinking. However, Harry could definitely guess.

'Dumbledore.' Harry said. He smiled. 'They're about as good as the Ministry.' He said, nodding his head quickly at the two men, one unconscious and one frozen where he stood.

'I would not put your victory down to just yourself, Harry.' Dumbledore said. 'However, I am sure you are quite an accomplished wizard, but since I do not know how you spent your childhood…'

'Shove it.' Harry snapped, angrily. His right hand jolted involuntarily. He was itching to grab up the spare wand in his pocket, but he wasn't sure he'd make it before Dumbledore saw him. It would be pointless to reveal it just yet…he'd only have it taken from him again, rendering him wandless and vulnerable.

'Would you mind, awfully, if I freed our friends?' Dumbledore inquired, gesturing to Black and Lupin.

'Yeah, I kinda do – since I took such time to make them that way.' Harry said, immediately, hand twitching again. Stall him…distract him somehow…

'May I ask, Harry, what you are planning to do, now?' Dumbledore asked, politely. His wand was at his side – did he think Harry no threat?

'I'm leaving. I told you I didn't wanna play you're stupid games.' He retorted, with a snarl in his voice.

'You realise, of course, that we could have a mutual exchange? Information for information, Harry…a powerful bargain.' The old man reasoned.

'Information…on…what?' Harry asked, frowning. Did this man have anything worth him knowing?

'Voldemort is back.' Dumbledore stated. Harry didn't react. 'His one downfall was you, Harry…you are his one true threat. With you gone, he will be free to return us to the Dark Days.' Harry's face flickered with annoyance.

'I'm not your fucking saviour!' Harry yelled, anger boiling inside of him. 'Yeah, that's right – I do know all about that stupid little sphere in the Ministry! It's all "Voldemort and Harry" blah, blah, blah…Harry, save the world…Harry, kill Voldemort…Harry, chosen child…gimme a break.'

'Harry, the prophecy-'

'Hell! Do you really think I care?' Harry cried, eyes wide. 'I don't give a damn about it! Do you hear me? I told you! Fuck Voldemort…screw him; screw you're little group of disciples and fucking screw this prophecy shit!'

Now was definitely the time. Dumbledore was guarded but he had to be worried about Harry's rage.

He pulled out Lupin's wand whilst yelling 'Impedimenta!" followed by 'Stupefy!', 'Incarcerous!' and finally 'Incendio!'. Each spell sent flying colours at Dumbledore – along with rope and fire. The plan had been to hit the man with so much that he would fall to at least one…

Harry whipped around, wand pointing to the door as he cried out 'Alohomora!'. The locks sprang off the door once again.

'Reducto!' he shouted at the Barrier Charm. He poured all his effort into the last spell. He felt, in his mind, as though something was gone…had it worked?

He stumbled out of the house, pulling the door shut and muttering 'Colloportus.' The door sealed itself.

However, if he thought he was free…he was sorely mistaken. He had no sooner jumped the steps to the pavement before he found himself face-to-face with a black-clad figure with a menacing presence to rival his own.

Harry's stolen wand was aiming at the man's chest immediately, to find that the man had likewise drawn his own.

'Unwise to draw in a street where Muggles by the plenty will see us.' The man said, speaking slowly, his voice had a quality to it as though he relished every remark he could make. The man crooked one eyebrow, but did not let down his guard. 'You must be Mr Potter, I assumed the Professor might encounter some resistance with you.'

The man had incredibly greasy hair, hanging before his gaunt face like black curtains. His lips curled into a cruel smile.

'And what has happened inside?' he said, sneering.

Harry glared at the man through the hair falling into his own eyes. He didn't know who the guy was, he didn't care, and all he wanted was to-

'Legilimens!' he heard the man hiss. Harry hadn't expected this, but was more than ready for it. He snapped his eyes closed and focused on rebounding the attack. Protego! This guy was good…Harry barely managed to force the man out. It was like trying to close a door on a tidal wave…something, perhaps it was even a grudging respect, crept into Harry's mind as he prepared to counter attack the man.

The guy was already ready for his next attempt, though. His wand was flicking out, ready to cast a curse, but Harry was ready for it this time. He knew that he had to step up the technique.

Stupefy!

The man was deflecting the curse before Harry had even fully formed the magic. He was forced to block an oncoming Binding Charm, by throwing himself to the side whilst screaming inside his head Crucio!

However, at the exact same time, the man fired his own curse, and the two spells collided and rebounded. Harry brought up his strongest Shield Charm to deflect his very own torture curse.

He drew up the magic inside himself again, ready to-

'Harry! Severus!' Dumbledore cried, sternly. The man immediately lowered his wand arm and stowed his wand back inside his billowing black robes. Harry ran an agitated hand through his hair as he contemplated running, but…

'Don't move, boy.' The man, Severus, warned. Though the wand was inside his robes, he still had his hand around it. Ready to draw once more. Harry glared at him.

Dumbledore was glancing around the square, obviously looking for Muggles. Certain there was no immediate danger; his piercing blue eyes fell onto Harry once more.

'I am very sorry, Harry.' Dumbledore said, his face grave. 'Severus.' He said, nodding his head.

'Stupefy!'

:O She wrote another chapter! Amazingly good update time, eh? heh heh.

R&R and all that jazz.