Harry turned so fast that he caught the heel of his trainer upon the bottom of his pant leg, resulting in his current position on the floor of the heads office.

"Good evening yourself Professor" came Harry's muffled voice.

Harry righted himself to face Dumbledore's portrait, in which it's occupant was keeping a straight face with a stupendous effort. However Harry noticed Cyric had made no such effort and was at the moment bent double clutching his sides.

"Harry I think it would be best if you came to sit in your usual chair in front of my desk. If only to help keep you off the floor." said Dumbledore smiling. "Cyric can you join us as well? "

Harry took a seat in front of the late headmaster's desk, joined on his left by Cyric. Harry found it odd as he looked upon the circular office that almost everything was still in it's proper place. The delicate silver instruments still stood upon their spindle-legged tables puffing smoke and whirring; all of the other portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses dozed away in their frames. Fawkes' perch however remained as vacant as it was on the night of Dumbledore's death. Seeing as this office now belonged to McGonagal Harry felt she would have either removed some of the objects or added some of her own.

"I will need complete silence for this and it would be appreciated if there were no interruptions." said the headmaster a very stern look upon his face.

" I have invited you here to hear my last Will and Testament. Normally someone other then the deceased would execute the proceedings; however in this case I believe the deceased, namely myself would be better suited for the job. As such it will be more or less myself making several requests of you both. Of which I have no doubts will be promptly taken care of without dispute or question. Cyric I see that you have become quite the capable alchemist in the absence of Nicholas and myself. You were one of my most accomplished pupils and the last student of mine to receive instruction from me after my acceptance of the post of headmaster. I have every faith that you can teach young Harry everything that I've taught you as well as that which I did not. I would also ask that for at least the upcoming year, for you to assume the role of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Your experience and skill would be invaluable to the students who choose to continue to attend here at Hogwarts. Upon leaving tonight you will be accompanied by Harry who will be placed under your guidance until he becomes of age. Harry I ask that you do exactly as Cyric instructs you. Until your birthday you will remain with him, once you are seventeen, Harry, all of your choices will be your own. However my advice to you will be that upon your coming of age you will then spend the remainder of your vacation at the Burrow. In these perilous times we should cherish everything we have and those we love. There is no better place to be for a young man such as you then with the Weasley's and Miss Granger. I would also advise you Harry to return here once Hogwarts reopens. Finish your tenure here and acquire enough N.E.W.T.s to continue your path towards becoming an auror. My final request to you Harry is that you take into your possession my Pensieve and the sword of Godric Gryffindor. I think that you will find uses for both of these items to accomplish the task that I have bequeathed to you." finished Dumbledore.

Harry had a million questions running through his head, yet he found himself unable to voice even one of them. He opened and closed his mouth several times all to no avail. As such it was Cyric who broke the silence.

"Excuse me Albus, I agreed to pick Harry up and bring him here to speak with you, but I did not agree to keep him with me for the entire summer. As to taking up the Defense against the Dark Arts post, I'm very sure McGonagal can find someone a lot more suited to teach."

In his golden frame the tiny Dumbledore drew his wand and conjured himself a chair. From his seat he took a deep breath before speaking.

"Young Harry here has a burden upon his shoulders that neither yourself nor I had ever experienced at his age. You know of course that Lord Voldemort murdered Harry's parents shortly after he murdered your own. What you do not know is that James and Lilly Potter were killed because of a prophecy involving Harry and Voldemort. Now whilst I cannot divulge the contents I can say that every so often the Daily Prophet has been known to accurately report the truth."

"Why though would you choose me?" interrupted Cyric.

"As I have already pointed out, you have been personally instructed by myself. Who better can further hone young Harry the way I would have. Nicholas, Perenelle and I kept a very close watch over your studies and activities while you Apprenticed. Your spell work and tactics were inventive and effective to say the least. I believe Harry will enjoy learning your style of dueling, not to mention that I've never met somebody who can grasp Defensive spells faster than young Mr. Potter. By the thirty-first of July he will undoubtedly be a worthy opponent for a wizard such as you. For the last seven years you have had very little contact with those that were close to you. I think you and Harry will come to be great friends. In fact he is scheduled to make an appearance at the wedding of one Bill Weasley. Harry will help you to regain some of the innocence you've lost and perhaps if given the chance you just might learn something from him. " answered Dumbledore.

"Now Harry you have been unusually quiet. I know my letter to you had already explained most of this, but surely you must have a few questions."

Harry who up until this point was staring at his trainers shifted his gaze back to the portrait, his hand gripped the fake locket tightly in his pocket.

"Sir how much of your memories do you have?" asked Harry

"Every one from my first trip to Diagon Alley to that night on the Astronomy tower." replied Dumbledore his eyes twinkling.

"Why? Why did you have to put a freezing charm on me? I could have stopped them. You didn't have to die." Harry said this last part in a barely audible whisper.

"Alas I cannot answer you tonight. " said Dumbledore.

"But-"

"When you are ready to hear my reasons then I shall indulge you, for now I shall ask that you be patient and try to put my death behind you. " said Dumbledore.

There was such finality in his tone that Harry did not press the matter. He instead chose another topic.

"Sir, what am I to do with your Pensieve and Gryffindor's sword?"

"Can you not think of anything?" asked Dumbledore as he rose from the chair in his portrait.

"Well the Pensieve is for my memories I suppose-"

"Do you believe I had the chance to remove my own memories from it?" asked Dumbledore.

"You're memories are still in there?" asked Harry both surprise and excitement showing on his face.

"Quite a few of them actually. I had suspected that we would have much less time then I had originally thought, so as a precaution I spent numerous hours depositing in it's depths memories I thought would be invaluable to you. Not the least of which would be some of my preparation for my own N.E.W.T.S. as well as the exams themselves. Miss Granger, I believe would be most affronted to learn that I would aid you in such a manner. However feel free to at least make an offer to share them with both her and Mr Weasley."

"And the Sword?" asked Harry half-concerned, his thoughts on what he might learn from viewing Dumbledore's past.

"Should you find yourself facing off against another of Voldemort's pets, I believe it would be quite the asset. " answered Dumbledore.

Harry felt as if there was more to it then he was being told. Though he doubted he would get the whole truth tonight.

"Harry I believe that is all for now; if you have need for my assistance, I will always be here."

"Thank you sir, for everything."

Harry rose from his seat, feeling both comforted and alone all at once. Cyric rose next to him; he was speaking to Dumbledore but Harry wasn't listening to what was being spoken. Instead Harry was trying to deal with all his conflicting emotions and thoughts. He felt angry at Dumbledore, much the same way he was angry at Sirius for leaving him alone again. Yet he wasn't alone though, he had Ron, he had Hermione. As long ah they stood by him he would never be alone. But what if standing by him meant their lives? Surely if he lost either of them he could never forgive himself. And what if he lost both of them? He knew neither would allow him to go by himself. If truth be told he couldn't hope to succeed without them. He needed their strength. For in their strength was his own. His ability to love. "The power the Dark Lord knows not." Even if by some magic they were able to find and destroy the Horcruxes without one of them perishing, he knew it would be foolish beyond measure to attempt to believe the three of them alone could even get to Voldemort much less kill him. It all seemed so impossible. He felt not for the first time the enormity of his task. If he failed Then all of the wizarding world would fall under the unending darkness that is Voldemort.

"It is time to leave Harry. " said Cyric, raising the hood of his cloak. He drew his wand and with a flick vanished both the Pensieve and Gryffindor's sword.

"Goodbye Albus. I'll miss you. " said Cyric as he opened the door leading back towards the circular staircase.

"Goodbye Professor."

Harry received a nod in response. Harry crossed the room, shut the door and joined Cyric at the bottom of the staircase.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

"You'll see."