Chapter 5: Dumbledore's Second Mistake

Harry was restless in his sleep. It was about an hour or so after visiting Hagrid, and nothing Harry tried to make himself sleep would work. He had too many thoughts swimming around in his head. "Why wouldn't Hagrid tell us anything? He would always tell us stuff, even when he wasn't supposed to!" But coming to think of it, there was little they knew about Hagrid. Especially his past, who knew? Maybe he knew her before now- quite possibly, really. Needless to say, it was hard to tell. But this wasn't the only thing he was thinking about. He was also thinking about Voldemort, and why he hadn't done anything yet. Or seemed to have done nothing. It wasn't like him, he would usually (with much cleverness) do something quietly, under the Ministry's noses. And yet he hadn't. All too funny.

As the night progressed, Harry once more came upon the subject of his scar. In fact, he needed to tell Dumbledore about it, since nowadays Voldemort had gave up on Legilimency as Harry had given up on Occlumency. It wasn't necessarily the case, but the hurting of his scar had sometimes done strange things the previous year- how he was the snake and had bitten Mr. Weasley, how he was the Dark Lord himself...or had seemed to be. Either way, it could always lead to something, and laying there thinking about it wasn't helping anything. So Harry slowly got out of bed and got out his wand and Invisibility Cloak, just for precaution. He went down into the common room, then wrapped the cloak around himself, only to head out into the corridor. The Fat Lady, seeing nothing, said demandingly, "Who's there? What are you hiding for? Show yourself!" But what she couldn't see was Harry descending a flight of stairs and walking stealthily down to Dumbledore's office.

As he approached the entrance to the office, he wondered what the password (rather, candy) would have to be spoken this year. He stared at the stone gargoyle, as he did, the gargoyle started snickering, saying, "Ah, a student hiding under an Invisibility Cloak! Ya can't fool me kid! Well, you think you can figure at the password? Ha, I highly doubt it!" The gargoyle finished, staring directly at Harry, still under the Invisibility Cloak. After a moment, it said, "Now I know who ye are! You're that Potter fellow, you surely do come by often! What is it this time, eh?"

"Nothing that concerns you," Harry answered, not bothering to pretend he wasn't there any longer.

"Aye, no need. Ya don't need to tell me, I understand. What would it matter to a stone gargoyle anyway? As long as you're standin' there, ya won't have to worry about telling the headmaster anything at all! By the look of it, you'll never figure out the password into here! Ha!"

Harry was starting to get irritated. He ignored it though, saying, "Cockroach Clusters."

"Nope! Not budgin'!"

"Chocolate Frogs, Honeydukes Chocolates, Cream-filled Nougats!" Harry was becoming more desperate by the second.

"Alright, I had better step aside..." Harry let out a sigh, as the gargoyle made to leap aside- but stopped in mid-leap and resumed back to its normal place, cackling. "Harharhar! The look on your face! You really thought you had said the password! Funny, funny indeed!"

He couldn't take it anymore. "Just let me in!" He said, angrily. "What do you think I'm going to do, attack him? I just need to tell him about something! Cauldron Cakes, Pumpkin Pastries, Jelly Slugs, Be-" he was stopped short as the gargoyle leaped aside, scowling down at Harry. "Er, you're just lucky! But ye won't be next time...you won't be!" Harry didn't answer, but stepped onto the moving spiraling steps, as the wall slammed shut leaving behind the gargoyle's mutterings. He then was at a great oak door, and Harry leaned on it to listen for any voices inside. There was nothing, but before he went to knock, a voice spoke, wiseness in his words. "Mr. Potter, I've started to wonder when you'd come. No need to knock, you can come on in." Harry opened the door, which made no sound, for the hinges were well oiled.

Dumbledore's office never ceased in being interesting. Harry could never grow bored at all the objects in the room- the portraits of previous headmasters, the whirring and odd sounds emitting from strange objects, the gentle and constant up and down motion of breathing coming from Fawkes, who currently had his regular beautiful plumage. Dumbledore himself was sitting behind his desk, hands clasped together on his desk, wearing spectacular purple robes, with silver stars and moons dancing (literally dancing, but not all too surprising for the wizarding world) across his robes. He had the same cresent-shaped spectacles, and the same silvery beard, and the same...well, to get to the point- he looked as magnificent as ever. All in all, he looked as if he had been expecting Harry.

"So, Harry, how has your summer been?" Dumbledore asked, casually.

"Er, fine, I suppose." Harry said this as if he had had a normal summer- which he did, but didn't notice, for he was far too consumed in Sirius's death at the time. But he was starting to get over it- or at least trying to. Sad as it was, he was still pretty shaken about it. "If only I hadn't listened to Kreacher! It's all my fault!"

As if Dumbledore knew what Harry was thinking, he said, in a careful manner, "It wasn't your fault for that incident at the Ministry last year, Harry. It was Sirius's fate."

Harry was quick to retaliate. "What, so it was meant to be? It was meant for Sirius to fall through some stupid veil and die? Like a candle snuffed out! You sound completely comfortable saying that, and almost happy!"

"I didn't mean it that way, Harry, and you know that," Dumbledore replied, now boring his eyes into Harry's.

Harry shivered, as it was the first time in a long time that Dumbledore had looked into his eyes, but he suppressed the shiver as beset as he could. He concentrated hard on Fawkes's tail, in order to avert Dumbledore's gaze. He wanted to remain in the state of denial that he was in. "But," Harry thought grudgingly, "It won't last."

And soon enough, after a long silence, Harry spoke, as if nothing had happened. "So...I'm here to tell you about my scar. It was hurting at the Burrow, right as we were about to leave for King's Cross. He felt, anxious? Maybe..more, concerned. I dunno, it was something like that."

Dumbledore nodded. "I suspected as much. So this is what it's come to be, has it?" Dumbledore said this with great amusement.

Harry was confused. "Erm, what? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ah, nothing to worry about- unless it does come out the way I fear it will. You'll know when the time comes."

"I..will?" Harry asked, blankly.

"Perhaps, but hopefully, it won't happen. But maybe I should tell you...no, I shouldn't worry you- but what if this leads to another mistake of mine?" Dumbledore paused, then continued, "No, it's for the best. Mistake or no, I shouldn't have to tell you now. The outcome is quite foggy, indeed. And in the meantime, I thank you for coming in to tell me this. It may not help much, but it may. Even so, we must wait."

"Right...so, have you heard anything about the Dark Lord? The Order didn't say anything about it, they said that he has been lying low. But there has to be something more to it! Voldemort is more cunning than they give him credit for! And how 'bout the Ministry, why haven't they been acting up about it?"

"You are right, Harry," Dumbledore said, carefully, "He has been up to something lately. We- members of the Order- know that he's been active recently, just that we aren't sure of what he has been doing. There is nothing we can do about it at the moment. But you're also right about the Ministry, and why they haven't seemed to be doing much. Do they not remember the past, where he had unleashed havoc and mayhem? Of course they haven't! But they're afraid to act, Harry. And this is yet another reason that it could be you in the Prophecy I had told you about the previous year. You can defy him, you aren't afraid of what he can do."

"But..even so, I wouldn't be able to defeat him, would I?"

"Do not doubt what you have within you Harry, he may have taken your blood, but he can't take your will," Dumbledore proclaimed, a fire burning in his eyes.

Harry's blank expression still remained on his face- with a hint of doubt in his eyes. Ignoring Dumbledore's statement, he said bluntly, "I see. Well, I just thought I had to tell you about my scar, so I hope you can get some use out of that information. I...don't know if you can, but it's the least I can tell you."

Dumbledore did nothing but nod, but Harry hadn't noticed, for he was already halfway out the door. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, but his expression remained thoughtful. What to expect from the Dark Lord this year, he wondered. Of course, he already had a clue, but he wasn't about to say anything- no need to arouse the Ministry on the matter once more. He sighed.

In the morning, Harry sat by Ron and Hermione in the Great Hall. Although they knew how they both felt for the other, both still continuously bickered- in more of a cutesy way. It greatly annoyed him, but he didn't mention or point it out to them. This time it was an episode on the matter of homework- and already they had a great amount of it.

"Ron, how long was your essay for Charms on the Sorrow Charm? Mine is only three feet long, you think he'd accept it?"

Ron rolled his eyes, saying, "Gee, I dunno 'Mione, that's a tad bit too short, don't you think?"

"Oh, you think so too! I thought it wasn't long enough..and it's due in three days! I'd never make it long enough in time!" Hermione bit her lip anxiously.

"C'mon, can't you tell a joke from me bein' serious? Not that hard, really," Ron said, smirking.

"You were being sarcastic? Ron, how could you!"

"Oh, 'cause it's the only thing that gets to you, or when I say spew. But I'm sure you're over that, right?"

"IT IS S.P.E.W! How many times must I say that! House-elves depend on people like me to free them and give them the rights they deserve!"

"Hermione!" Ron spat out, exasperately, "They like to be bossed around!"

Much of that bickering continued on, as Harry slowly ate his toast. He started looking around, and noticed that the owls were starting to fly in. "Doubt there's anything for me, as Sirius wrote about 75 percent of the letters I got..." And sure enough, he got nothing, but Hermione received The Daily Prophet from a jet-black owl, which she put a couple of knuts and sickles into the pouch tied to its leg. With that done, the owl hooted in approval then flew off into the sky. "If only I could fly away..." But Harry's thoughts were abruptly interupted, as Hermione let out a loud moan of despair.

"What is it? Read it out loud!" Both Harry and Ron said this in unison.

"On the first page...oh, I can't believe it! This is what it says:" 'Much to our despair, caught Death Eaters have escaped the previous night. Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, says on the subject, "We don't know much on the subject, as Aurors that were guarding these followers of the Dark Lord are currently either in a deep sleep (or coma) or- to my regret- have had their souls sucked out by Dementors, using their Dementor's Kiss. However, we also think that the Dementors had other Death Eaters amongst them to help break the prisoners out. As we have said before, stay calm, and remain aware of your surroundings. Also, it is better that you are not in contact with anyone you can't trust, for these days, you can't tell who is a follower of You-Know-Who and who isn't. And that's all I have to say on the matter." Fudge concluded, with people-'

"There's not much else, just about what we can do to be safe and what witnesses have said they've seen. Terrible though...I thought Voldemort was keeping quiet," Hermione said, her face pale.

"So had I, but I wonder...What if it's just a distraction to get people to look away at what he's really got planned? I mean, he's much more clever than that- he'd usually do it quietly, with no one finding out about something like that until days later!" Harry said this, wonderingly.

Ron pointed out, "S'pose, but we all knew that was bound to happen sometime. Maybe he just did that out in the open because he knew we knew that he'd break the Death Eaters out anyway. So why waste time doing it quietly?"

Their conversation was interrupted by someone Harry didn't think he'd need to see at that time in the morning, or any part of the day, for that matter. It was Draco with his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. Not surprising that Crabbe and Goyle looked as stupid as ever. Draco had a taut cold smile on his face, his eyes had a brighter look about them than what Harry remembered. It was the first time he'd seen him up close afterall, since the last incident where Draco had vowed to avenge his father for what Harry had done.

"So, Potter," Draco said, voice toneless. "I see you've read the paper. Do I see a hint of anger? So much effort putting him into jail, so little effort of getting him out. And there was no price to it, such as Sirius's death..."

Harry's face remained expressionless, though had a hint of murder in his eyes, barely noticeable. He replied, "But he'll go back there, and he may get out again, but we'll always catch him in the end. And what good is it to have your father out and about? He was much safer in Azkaban, from people opposing him and even from Voldemort himself. Your father plays a dangerous game, and you know what?" Harry leaned closer and said in Draco's ear, "He'll end up worse than Sirius had."

Draco no longer hid the white-hot anger, and spat out, "Oh wait and see the day! Once your precious Dumbledore falls, who is going to save you again? If Sirius was so easy, wait and see how the rest of you and your stupid friends are! You'll be nothing! Justice never prevails, remember that, Potter!"

Harry still kept his calm act. "Haven't you ever heard of Dumbledore's reputation? Does, 'the only one He ever feared' ring a bell? How d'you even begin to think that Dumbledore would fall! And Sirius was easy, was he? And if he was, I'd die? Well, I don't know how I survived all those encounters with Voldemort then, call me lucky."

Draco said nothing, but nodded to his two bodyguards and stalked off. Harry did nothing but sigh. What a year this would be.

A/N: This chapter wasn't even about what I wanted to write about! But part of that is my hastiness in wanting to get this posted up, as I haven't posted lately (sorry for that!). I hope you somewhat liked it, though it had a lame ending, didn't it? And perhaps Dumbledore didn't quite sound like he was in character, but I tried my best. Please review, but what does it really matter! 'Bout only one person has read this, so I thank you for that- eh, you know who ye are.