"Harry," Professor Dumbledore began when they were both seated in his office. "How are you?"
Harry was dumbstruck. "How am I?" he echoed in a hollow voice. "I just conquered the evil lord in a major battle and hundreds of people died. How do you think I feel right now?"
Professor Dumbledore stared at Harry for a moment, then took out a small box. "Lemon drop?" he offered.
Harry refused angrily. 'That man has some nerve.' Harry thought as Dumbledore popped a lemon drop in his mouth.
"I'm truly sorry, Harry, but it wasn't your fault. It was nobody but Tom's fault." Dumbledore said seriously. "I'm not here to talk to you about that, though."
Harry looked up. He sent a questioning look at Dumbledore.
"Harry," Dumbledore started again. "I've wanted to let you have a vacation from all this conquering and work. You need some vacation from the...battle, with all of the losses..."
Harry was deep in thought. In his 5th year, Sirius had died, and he accepted it very difficultly, but he accepted it in the end, but quite grudgingly. In the battle, many he cared for had died, or got injured severely. Neville Longbottom had been tortured severely, but thankfully not in the direction of his parents, he just had to stay in St. Mungo's to recover. Remus Lupin had killed Peter Pettigrew, but had to stay in St. Mungo's for a very, very, very long time. Fred and George Weasley got killed by Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange, but had put up a good fight. Arthur Weasley go bitten, again, by Voldemort's faithful snake Nagini, but a deeper bite, and had lost a lot of blood. Draco Malfoy got killed by his own father. Draco changed sides at the last minute. When Harry was dueling Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius tried to curse Harry behind his back, but Draco hexed his own father before he could curse Harry. Harry got revenge for Sirius and killed Bellatrix himself. Many members of the D.A. were killed. Injured and lifeless bodies were sprawled on the ground.....
"Harry!" Dumbledore said.
"Huh? Oh..what?" Harry clearly hadn't been listening.
"I have invented a time traveling device for you to go back to a time you want to go to and when you want to go back. I was wondering if you would like to try it out for a year." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye.
"Er, anytime, did you say?" Harry asked, a smile creeping up his face. That was the first real smile that emerged in such a long time.
"Yes, Harry, anytime. When and where would you like to go, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
"The time of my parents' 7th school year." Harry said firmly.
"Very well, but you are still 18 years old. You will have to try to get a job at Hogwars. Don't worry, you'll most likely get in. Defense Against the Dark Arts, I assume?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes." Harry answered.
"Yes, you'll probably get in...You're a very powerful wizard, Harry. Maybe even more powerful than me!" Dumbledore chuckled.
"Er..." Harry didn't know what to say about this. An 18 year old wizard more powerful than Albus Dumbledore?
"Well, Harry, I assure you that your things will be there when you are. I'm not going to risk telling anyone unless I completely trust them and have to. Alright then, Harry. Stand in the center of the room." Dumbledore instructed. Dumbledore walked towards the side of the room, got a weird looking trinket, and said, "See you in a year, Harry, and be careful!"
The next thing he knew, he was on the steps of Hogwarts. Harry quickly went up the steps and opened the doors.
"Wait a second. I'm just wasting my time." Harry said aloud to himself.
The next moment, Harry was standing in front of the staff table where every teacher was staring at him.
'What the hell...Oh Merlin! I'm such an idiot! Nobody can apparate in Hogwarts!' Harry thought. He lowered his hood.
Harry heard whispers behind him, and when he turned to look at them, the atmosphere tensed.
"Er, Professor Dumbledore, may I speak with you ... Er, privately?" Harry asked quietly to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore looked alert and curious at the same time. He merely nodded stiffly. Dumbledore murmured something to Professor McGonagall, and she nodded slightly. Dumbledore stepped off of the staff table and walked with Harry to the Entrance Hall.
"Can I ,er, apparate to your office, sir? It would be faster." Harry said politely.
Dumbledore looked a little suspicious, but nodded. He just had this feeling that he could trust this stranger. The next second, they were in Dumbledore's office.
"Take a seat." Dumbledore said to Harry, pointing to a chair across the desk. Harry, feeling a bit nervous, stashed his hands in his pockets, to find a letter in one of them. It was addressed to...Albus Dumbledore. Confused, Harry gave Dumbledore the letter. Dumbledore read it and smiled.
"Harry Potter, or should I say Donovan, you are applying for a spot in Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Dumbledore asked.
"Er, yes, I suppose so." Harry said.
"How did you apparate into Hogwarts? Nobody, not even I, can do it." Dumbledore asked seriously.
Harry then began to talk about the battle and his 'mysterious' powers.
"I might have more powers that are unknown to me, sir." Harry finished.
"Well, you got the job for sure. Plus, where will you stay for a year?" Dumbledore said.
"Thanks, Professor." Harry said smiling.
"Call me Albus. All of the staff members do. I will be informing Minerva about this, if you have problems about this and I'm not here, you can go to her. I'm assuming you're James Potter's son? And those brilliant green eyes aren't very common. Lily Evans must be you mother." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.
"Yeah." Harry grinned.
"Who would have thought...Lily Evans and James Potter, married!" Dumbledore mused out loud.
"I'll be informing the students of your arrival tomorrow morning. You might want to get some rest. I'll have House Elves bring your things and some dinner for you. Your chambers are on the 4th floor, the doorway is the portrait of Fridowna, a light centaur. The password is Boggart." Dumbledore said.
"Okay, thank you, er...Albus." Harry said giving Dumbledore a small smile.
"Here's your schedule." Dumbledore gave Harry something like a timetable.
"Thanks." Harry took it and with another smile, he left.
