CHAPTER 17: A Man of Many Sins

Harry sat in a window writing Snape's latest essay. It was an intriguing one to be sure. Snape had directed them to choose their own topic to write about. Harry had decided to write about spell classification. Specifically, the way in which spells were calcified as hexes, curses, and jinxes. Bother Sirius and Susan had commented that it was a very interesting and complex topic. Hermione had given him an excellent list of resources to pull from. He was quite pleased with how it was developing.

"Good afternoon Harry my boy." Harry jumped. Snuffles went from dozing at his feet growling menacingly in an instant. But then he blinked and sat back down sheepishly.

"Professor Dumbledore!" he cried with a grin, "how have you been sir?"

"Very well thank you." Dumbledore said before he sat down beside Harry on the windowsill, "I wanted to check up on you. You've had a terribly stressful last few weeks."

"Yeah." Harry agreed tiredly, "It's been… a lot."

"Indeed." Dumbledore agreed. "Term is ending soon."

"Honestly… for the first time, I'm actually looking forward to the summer," Harry admitted with a small smile. he missed Dudley. And his aunt, even though she'd been to visit just a few weeks ago. He missed his room, and the lazing around number 4. Going to Tescos with Dudley and playing chess with Sirius.

"I'm glad to hear it!" Dumbledore said genuinely. Then the twinkle in his eyes dimmed. "Though…"

"Sir?"

"I can't help but wonder if Horace will stay after the end of term." Harry frowned.

"Why would that-" then he trailed off eyes widening. "Oh god, the memory! Oh god professor I'm so sorry! With everything that happened, I completely forgot!"

"It's quite alright Harry my boy." Dumbledore said with a pat on his shoulder, "It's more than expected."

"I promise sir! I'll get it!" Harry declared, "by the end of the week!" Dumbledore smiled.

"Thank you, my dear boy. Once you do, everything will be much clearer I'm sure. In fact, the moment you do, come and see me. I suspect we'll have quite a bit of planning to do."

"Right." Harry conceded. Then the man stood, groaning slightly as his knees creaked.

"Good luck to you on your essay. Severus tells me it's a choose your own topic, and he's most intrigued to see what your topic will be." Dumbledore finished with his eyes twinkling full force. Then he walked away. Harry stared after him mind racing. Then suddenly his promise hit him and he groaned.

"By the end of the week?!" Hermione cried in alarm. Harry didn't bother with a verbal response. He just nodded into the couch with a groan. "Oh Harry why would you say that?"

"I don't know!" Harry cried as he finally sat up again "I felt bad because I forgot and panicked!" Harry cried. Hermione huffed.

"You've got the worse luck ever mate," Ron said with a snicker.

"Are you kidding?!" Seamus cried in alarm.

"He's the luckiest man in the world!" Dean agreed. Neville lifted up his hands and began counting on his fingers under his breath.

"He's survived death 14 separate times." he finally declared, "and the first time he literally 'survived death'." then the chubby teen snorted. "His nickname is literally 'the boy who lived'! I say he's pretty damn lucky."

"Luck," Harry said again, looking at the teen with wide eyes. "Oh my god luck!" then he stood and bolted for his dorm. Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance then followed him. In the boy's dorm, they found Harry tearing through his trunk frantically. "I think my memory is starting to go! How could I have forgotten! I've had it all bloody year!"

"Had what?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"Ah-ha!" Harry cried before he held up a small vial of what looked like molten gold.

"Bloody hell your liquid luck!" Ron cried with a grin. "Of course! You just need a bit more luck!"

"How much do you think I'd need?" Harry questioned as he pulled the cork off the vial. Hermione hummed.

"Just a mouthful. You only need a few hours after all." she reasoned. Harry nodded.

"Wish me luck." he joked before he took a mouthful of the golden potions. Instantly he was warmed from head to toe. Slowly a goofy smile spread across his face.

"I'm gonna go see Hagrid." he declared. Both Ron and Hermione blinked.

"No." Hermione said slowly "you're going to see Slughorn? Remember?"

"Yeah but… Hagrid is where I need to be right now." Harry insisted. Then he corked the potion and tossed it into his trunk, where it miraculously landed perfectly snug in one of his socks. "Come on Snuffles." the dog looked between the trio before he huffed and dutifully padded after Harry.

Harry whistled as he walked down the stairs. He felt really good about today. It was sunny, and the cold was finally letting up. Pretty soon the snow would be melting and it would be getting warm again.

"Harry!"

"Anthony!" Harry cried in surprise, "you're out of the hospital wing!"

"Madame Pomphrey called in a specialist from whose been working on a new potion for countering the after-effects of cruciatus. I tell you now, it works wonders!"

"That's great." then Harry tsked and looked at his watch, "I'm on my way to Hagrid's, do you wanna walk with me for a bit?"

"Well I have to get started on Snape's essay," he said slowly then shook his head, "but sure, for a bit." Harry smiled.

"I just want to tell you that I'm glad you're feeling better. I felt really guilty for dragging you into the mess with Malfoy."

"And I keep telling you to stop apologizing."

"I know," Harry said, "I just don't understand why you did it."

"Because… because I wanted to be your friend," Anthony admitted quietly. Harry blinked.

"But you were already my friend!"

"I was?" he asked in awe.

"Of course you were!" Harry cried, "why would you think we weren't?"

"It's just," Anthony huffed. "I don't know if you realize Harry but the three of you are… kind of intimidating."

"What do you mean?"

"You Ron and Hermione. You're all a big deal. Practically everyone talks about you with this kind of awe because of all the things you've done. And I don't mean just you. All three of you seem like your separate from everyone else." the Ravenclaw prefect took a deep breath. "I really love Hermione. And I'm pretty sure she loves me too. But sometimes I feel like I'll never be able to measure up. You're all so good at what you do and I just… I don't know. I wanted to prove to you that you could count on me."

"You didn't need to take a cruciatus curse to prove that to me, Anthony." Harry insisted. "And for the record, none of us think we're better than anyone else, and anyone who says we are needs to get their eyes checked because when I look at the three of us, all I see are three idiots with fancy sticks." Anthony laughed.

"Well, thanks." he said, "that makes me feel a lot better… see you around."

"See ya," Harry said before he waved Anthony off. He was glad he finally got that off his chest. He'd have to talk to Susan about that feeling of inadequacy. He wanted to make sure she didn't feel like that as well. He didn't want her doing anything as reckless as Anthony.

Harry decided to take the long away around, through the greenhouses. It was just such a nice day, it seemed a shame to waste it. As he turned around greenhouse 2 he smiled.

"Hello professor!" the old potions master jumped, smacking his head on the open window and spun around.

"Harry! My boy, you startled me!" he said quietly. Harry grinned.

"What are you doing?"

"Well I was-what I mean is…" Slughorn took a deep breath. "I was just getting a few venomous tentacula leaves."

"Oh those are great for sleep drafts," Harry remarked.

"Yes!" Slughorn said with a smile "but they're also quite expensive. Almost 5 galleons a leaf." Harry noticed the man's tone and grinned.

"Right. Well, good luck. But I'm pretty sure Professor Sprout will still be in her office for another hour. You should probably leave soon." he said before turning away. Slughorn stared after him.

"Harry? Where are you going?"

"I'm off to visit Hagrid," Harry said with a thumb jab in that direction. Slughorn looked mildly shocked.

"At this time of day completely alone?" Snuffles suddenly barked, sounding rather hurt. The man was startled, noticing the dog for the first time.

"Sorry professor, he was a bit offended. Don't worry though, he's trained to defend me if anything happens," he said before turning away. Slughorn made a distressed noise.

"Harry!" he shouted. The teen turned to him in irritation

"Yes?"

"I simply cannot in good conscious let you roam around the grounds with only a dog for protection!"

"Your welcome to come along sir." Harry offered before walking away. The portly potions master stared after him before making a distressed noise and following him. The walk down the hill was nice. Though Slughorn did periodically voice his displeasure and insist they return to the castle. Harry ignored him. As they crested over the last hill Harry stopped."Oh no." he said quietly. In front of Hagrid's house, in the centre of the pumpkin patch was a massive pit. Beside it was the gnarled curled-up husk of the once terrifying Aragog, Hagrid's first friend. Harry felt for the man, if only just. The massive beast had tried to kill him after all.

"Good lord is that an acromantula?!" Slughorn muttered in awe "it's massive! By far the largest specimen I've ever seen! However, did Hagrid kill it!"

"That's actually his first pet," Harry muttered in reply. Slughorn stilled and looked a bit taken aback, "tried to eat me a few years back… don't mention that to him." Harry whispered before stepping forward "Hagrid!"

"Harry!" the half-giant said in awe. His face was red and splotchy and his eyes were watery. He trumpeted into his tablecloth-sized polka-dotted handkerchief. "He'd hate for ya ta see 'im like this! Oh, poor Aragog!" Harry winced and patted the man's elbow. Snuffles was consoling a mopey Fang who was laying at Hagrid's feet and occasionally whimpering. However afraid of Aragog's children he might have been evidently the dog had liked Aragog himself. Or maybe he was just sad cause Hagrid was sad. Slughorn came forward joined Harry in gently consoling the man.

"Hagrid my dear boy, you did an excellent job raising the creature." Slughorn remarked, "quite remarkable. Why I've never seen an acromantula that large and impressive!" Hagrid wailed and turned to give the man a hug. Judging by the man's reddening face, Hagrid was struggling a bit with his strength control.

"Thank ya, professor! That means o lot!" he sobbed. Slughorn whined and patted him again. Hagrid released the man and sighed. There was a moment of silence before Slughorn shifted on his feet.

"I wonder," he cleared his throat and started again. "I don't want to seem insensitive, but I have a few vials on hand. You see, acromantula venom is extremely useful in potion-making. It has all sorts of applications in truth serums and anti disguise drafts. Devilishly expensive stuff though. And considering he is such an impressive specimen." he glanced at Hagrid for an indication before continuing, "Would you begrudge me a few drops?"

"Not like he'll be needing it now," Hagrid said weepily. Slughorn smiled.

"This way, he'll leave a lasting legacy," Slughorn promised. Harry watched the man as he worked, gently prying the creature's stiff mandible apart and extracting a few vials of the milky fluid. Once he was done Hagrid pushed him into the pit. Fang began to howl, which Snuffles quietly joined into. It was a mournful sound that made Harry's heart sick. Hargid took his shoved and filled in the pit, tears dribbling into his beard. When it was finally done he looked almost pitiful. Harry wanted to wrap the man in a blanket and give him a hug but knew his arms would only reach about halfway around his middle.

"Come inside Hagrid." Slughorn declared, "You need a pick me up. It's the best solution for these kinds of things." Harry snorted. The last time Slughorn wanted a pick me up someone had almost died. But he didn't say anything as Slughorn poured them both of them a large glass of brandy. Then he slid Harry a very small shot glass. "A toast. To Aragog, the king of all arachnids."

"To Aragog!" hagrid cried weakly. Then he down the glass in a big gulp. Harry winced. This was going to be a long evening.

Harry couldn't help but smile as he listened to Slughorn and Hagrid sing a slurred pub song by the fire. He managed to keep the bottle of brandy refilled for the last hour. Neither man seemed to notice that they never ran out of the burning liquid. Harry hadn't finished his first glass yet. One sip had made him fear for his liver. But Slughorn and Hagrid were both on their sixth.

"Oh, dear!" Slughorn suddenly laughed, "Poor blighters fallen asleep!" then he tried to stand and almost fell over. "Oh bloody hell."

"Here," Harry said as he rushed to help him up. Slughorn laughed.

"Oh, Harry Harry." he cried. He looked into the boy's face and grinned "you really are so much like your mother you know." his eyes suddenly went a little hollow. "She was my favourite you know. So very kind. Very very kind. Kinder to me than I deserved. I've done terrible things." Harry looked at the man.

"I never met her," Harry said plainly. Slughorn flinched back as though Harry had slapped him. "I never got to learn how kind she way… never got to get her help on homework… or learn potions from her… or have her hold me when I was broken." against Harry's better wishes tears pricked at his eyes. "I never got any of it."

"My dear boy…" Slughorn said slowly, his lip quivering. "I… I didn't mean… I swear to you I didn't."

"Please professor." Harry suddenly cried, "please I need to know why…. I need to know why I didn't get to meet her." the man looked pale. And his hand was shaking as he pulled a vial out of his coat. Then slowly his eyes closed and he lifted his wand to his temple. He pulled the wispy memory out of his head and tapped it into the vial. This time the liquid was clear and smooth as water. Harry instantly knew it was genuine.

"Please understand Harry… I… I didn't know." he insisted before he laughed bitterly and fell into one of Hagrid's massive chairs "how could I have known? How could I have possibly known…" then he buried his face in his hands and cried. Harry didn't say anything. He just clutched the vial in his hand tightly.

"Thank you, professor," he whispered. Slughorn looked up, tears and a bit of snot dripping down his still red face.

"Please," Slughorn began quietly "please, don't think less of me. I didn't mean…" he trailed off as he wiped his face and his head titled down "I didn't mean for any off it." he finished before he trailed off, and feel into a deep snooze, sitting up in Hagrid's chair. Harry threw a blanket over both men before he called for Snuffles, who had been lying beside a still whimpering fang. There was no time to waste.

Dumbledore was waiting.

A/N: I'm so sorry for missing yesterday's scheduled post.

It was honestly how hectic everything was.

Why I thought id be able to post of my Dad's birthday I will never know.

that being said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Everything really picks up from here... it's all very exciting.

But you have to feel for Slughorn I think.

The man is in no small part responsible for a lot of the mess that Harry has to deal with.

But he would have had no way of knowing what Tom Riddle was really like until it was much too late.

He's still a bumbling idiot who is much too attracted to flattery. But I still feel a bit bad for him.

Rori Potter: Not gonna lie, it only gets worse from here...

Thank you all for enjoying this with me!

Don't forget to keep on reading!

-TTC