Knowledge is Power

Disclaimer/Plot/Author's Note: SEE FIRST CHAPTER

Dedication: I'd like to dedicate this story to my many good friends and loyal fans: my recommended reads are Saviour of Magic by Colt01, For Love of Magic by Noodlehammer, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Less Wrong, Partially Kissed Hero by Perfect Lionheart, Harry Potter and the Daft Morons and Angry Harry and the Seven by Sinyk, Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin by The Sinister Man, Harry Potter and the Rune Stone Path by Temporal Knight, A Study in Magic and A Study in Magic: The Application by Books of Change, Dark and Light by Pleasedial123 and Harry Potter: My Life Is My Own by Sashian

Pairings: Eventual Harmony; Others TBD

Normal Speech

'Thoughts'

/Parseltongue/

Review Answers:

c karen09: That's an interesting way of looking at it, though I do agree with what you said as well;

ahhreader: Baby steps, friend;

Jostanos: Let's just say there are going to be bumps in the road ahead, namely because of how closed Harrison is right now;

Tahkaullus01: You're not the first to make that comparison with Harrison, though I'm glad people approve of how I write him, compared to others who think it's okay to nitpick because he's…different;

"You must be his sword: for whatever reason, he trusts you and is able to be more…more-normal around you, so you have to be the sword for him. You have to do what you can to help rid him of his enemies and his own weaknesses…and I must be his shield."

"So what? Your job is to protect him?" asked Neville curiously, earning a shrug from Hermione as she looked back to him.

"Only if he's willing to raise his hand and use me to do so, because, if he doesn't, and if he can't be helped against the evils out there, it might just destroy him…in ways none of us can begin to predict."

Chapter 15: When Harrison Met Dumbledore

For the better part of the next month, all anyone could talk about was the impending challenge between Harrison Potter and Draco Malfoy.

Even the excitement of the first Quidditch game of the season didn't come close to the anticipation, curiosities and questions that arose as a result of the challenge from the uniquely-sorted student to one whom many began to wonder if Harrison saw him as his rival.

Little did they know he didn't think of the blonde in such a way; no, to Harrison, Draco Malfoy was little more than a nuisance at most and an annoyance, like a fly buzzing in his ear, at least.

However, to many of the students, this secret truth didn't seem to stop Harrison from doing everything he could to prepare for the bout while, at the same time, those who'd noticed his loner status before, now noticed he seemed to return to the way he'd been in that first week. Namely achieving success in his tasks that resulted in him scoring more points than the average student for Gryffindor House – since that was the House he was on the timetable with – while, every so often, losing points for one reason or another, though since that was mainly in Potions, Harrison didn't seem to bother caring.

To those who didn't know of the reason for the rift that had formed following the first week, Neville and Hermione also seemed to have been given the right to return to Harrison's side, working with him in lessons and, generally, socialising as best as they could outside of those lessons.

In this way, the so-called Golden Trio returned to Hogwarts as far as many of them were concerned, though with the upcoming duel between Harrison and Draco, there were very few students who seemed willing to take on the enigma that was Harrison Potter.

All they had to do was remember his most-dangerous weapon and then decide if their pride was worth taking on said weapon.

And it wasn't even a weapon he needed a wand for, either…

Knowledge is Power

Unbeknownst to those who were curious about Harrison's motives, decisions and how he was preparing for the duel, the Golden Trio were indeed growing closer as semi-friends, in the sense that Neville and Hermione saw Harrison as such, but, for whatever reasons, he was still reluctant to return the favour.

However, now they knew they, at least, had a foot in the door, neither Gryffindor said anything about Harrison's reluctance; instead, together with occasional help from Professor Flitwick, who seemed relieved to note how his young protégé was returning to whatever passed for normal with him, they did what they could to help Harrison prepare for his duel.

When they had free sessions, the trio usually confined themselves to the duelling room in the Chamber of Pride where, for perhaps the first time in weeks, Neville and Hermione saw a side of Harrison that was unpredictable, but dangerous, but also awe-inspiring.

Thanks to the fact he had more-advanced resources than the average first-year, Harrison seemed to become a different kid altogether on the field.

As soon as any duelling session began, be it against Neville or Hermione or taking on a practice dummy that Professor Flitwick provided for him, the calm, apathetic Harrison vanished and, in his place, was a young man who could have put his own Father, James Potter, to shame.

At least, that's what Filius told Harrison after one such session, but the young boy showed his usual apathy rather than giving an open response.

It was also during these sessions that Harrison chose to honour his agreement with Hermione from their travels on the train.

While he practiced his spells or worked on whatever he did when he wasn't practicing – which was working on his Occlumency and Legilimency studies, but he didn't tell them that – he finally chose to let Hermione explore the wonders of the Encyclopaedia Mystica. Understandably, the Muggle-born girl was in awe of the wellspring of knowledge and information contained within one book, though she didn't let her desires to know as much as she could about everything make her forget who had given her access to this treasury of knowledge. Not for the first time did Hermione also get a feeling that said she understood Harrison that little bit better, but she didn't want to find herself on his bad side later in life.

After all, if knowledge was power, then, with the information he'd gain in the next seven years, Harrison had the means to become something akin to a God with who he was and what he could do.

And what mortal would be stupid enough to go up against such a being?

Certainly not her.

Knowledge is Power

One week before his duel with Draco Malfoy, Harrison was marginally-surprised to discover a roadblock coming his way when, during breakfast, he received a note saying the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, wished to speak with him.

The summons also indicated a phrase that Harrison could only guess was the password to the old man's private chambers, though he still kept his wits about him.

Don't get him wrong; given what he'd read about Albus Dumbledore and heard from reliable sources, he was honoured to know that such a being was willing to give up some of his free – and, as Headmaster, busy – time to speak with a mere first-year like Harrison. But, at the same time, the young student kept himself fully-alert and aware of everything around him, slipping into a part of himself he'd kept in plain sight when he'd first met the magical people.

And that was because of one reason:

Harrison might respect and even admire the achievements and abilities of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

But that did not mean he would be so blind as to openly trust him as though they were meant to be old friends.

Knowledge is Power

As Harrison's Head of House, and at his student's request, Filius accompanied Harrison to his meeting with Professor Dumbledore, though there was a part of him that wondered why Albus had requested such a meeting without consulting Filius first.

When Harrison gave the password – Fruit Drops – to Dumbledore's office, Filius noticed how his student seemed remarkably-calm, but he also had an air about him that reminded the Head of Ravenclaw – and appointed-Head of Harrison's unique status – of how the boy had been when he'd first met him back in the orphanage.

As though he was bored about attending the meeting and he'd decided almost-immediately that he was going to give as good as he got.

In fact, Filius wouldn't be surprised to hear one or two witty, if sarcastic barbs leave the boy's lips by the time they were done.

Even so, the goblin-blooded teacher kept his wits about him, especially given the impromptu nature of the meeting.

And the fact that he strongly-suspected Harrison's impending duel with Mr Malfoy would also feature in the content of their discussions somewhere.

Knowledge is Power

When Harrison got his first look at Dumbledore's office, he didn't admit it aloud, but he had to wonder if he was meant to be impressed, amused or just plain confused by the way the Headmaster had his office set up.

There were shelves and units filled with an array of unknown knickknacks and devices that didn't interest him while, off to one side, Harrison saw a faint glow shining from behind what looked like a concealed area. Were he any kind of genuinely-curious person, he might have been inclined to investigate, but, instead, he walked into an adjacent room that seemed to house the main area of the Headmaster's room. More shelves filled this room, as well as a winding staircase that led towards an upper floor while, directly in front of Harrison, there was a large table with the Headmaster's trademark golden throne behind it.

Off to one side, Harrison also caught sight of a stand that was occupied by the Sorting Hat while, to his slight awe and wonder, there was a perch on the other side that held a beautiful, glowing red-feathered bird, the eyes of which seemed to follow Harrison as he walked towards the desk.

Behind the desk, Albus Dumbledore looked at his student with interest and speculation as he said, "Harry, thank you for coming."

"Harrison," corrected Harrison and Filius, though the goblin seemed to do so automatically while Harrison drawled it out before, sniffing once, the young boy added, "Actually, I'd much prefer it if you called me Mr Potter, Headmaster: like I once told Master Flitwick and Professor McGonagall, I think it shows a very bad sense of intimacy when those meant to be teachers are so casual and informal with their students. People might wind up getting the wrong idea, wouldn't you agree, Professor?"

"I…I would," replied Albus, a note of surprise in his voice as he saw Harrison keep his attention on the stand that occupied the beautiful bird.

After a moment, Harrison let out a hum before he looked back to Dumbledore as he added, "Also, you should be honoured, Headmaster: having a phoenix as your pet, or perhaps your familiar, is a mighty responsibility and a great honour in the name of Magic. Judging by the lustre in his red plumage, I also assume he's halfway between his rebirth and Burning Day, which means he'll probably ignite sometime around November the 5th: the irony's not lost on you, I assume?"

"Uh…" said Dumbledore, earning a sigh from Harrison.

"Sorry, sir, Muggle tradition, I guess," replied Harrison, sniffing once before he looked to his Head of House, who also looked curious about the irony of the date, before he explained, "Among the non-magical, the 5th of November is also known as Guy Fawkes' Night, a night where pyres are lit, toffee apples are a speciality of the evening and, though I don't tend to take part in such frivolities, fireworks are set off in a night of fun, and all because some idiot tried and failed to blow up Parliament."

"Guy Fawkes, you say?" asked Dumbledore, a note of interest in his words as he asked, "How interesting, because that also happens to be my friend's name, but you say it's the name of a Muggle criminal, Ha…Mr Potter?"

"Yup," replied Harrison, looking back to the now-named Fawkes as he added, "But your friend does the name justice, Headmaster…now, pardon my candour, sir, but what do you want with me?"

As Dumbledore cleared his throat, he also watched as Harrison took a seat that had been conjured by Filius, both of them sitting across from the aged Headmaster, who looked from Harrison to Filius and, finally, to Fawkes, before he answered, "Well first, allow me to award you ten points to Gryffindor for correctly identifying my phoenix and possessing such incredible knowledge of their life cycles."

"Elementary," drawled Harrison, picking a stray speck of dust from his robe while he looked up at the Headmaster.

At the same time, Albus swallowed before he went on, "And…secondly, I wished to talk to you about your up-and-coming duel with Mr Malfoy next week on Halloween Night."

"And you decided to wait until seven days before that date to discuss this with me, sir?" asked Harrison coolly, earning a blanched look from the Headmaster when he asked, "Did you think the time difference would make me change my mind and take back the challenge, even though I have declared it in the name of Magic and on the honour of both our respective Houses? Or is it more the fact that I have also requested the presence of the unpredictable, but interesting Lord Lucius Malfoy as part of the bout?"

Judging by the way Dumbledore's face fell, Harrison could figure it was the latter, though he didn't show it.

Instead, he sighed before he went on, "I don't know why you feel a need to get so personally involved, Headmaster, but I'll remind you of one fact: this happened because of Mr Malfoy's ego and the fact that a certain Gryffindor student decided to stick his nose where it didn't belong. So, if you should be reprimanding anyone for their decisions, it should be Mr Weasley…unless there's a reason you're not doing so, sir?"

As Dumbledore stared at him in disbelief, Harrison let out another sigh as he mused, "Friend of the family, perhaps?"

"Albus?" asked Filius, a note of suspicion in his words as he asked, "You have had Minerva discuss these matters with Mr Weasley, haven't you?"

"I…I thought it wasn't necessary, and decided to leave it to the more-suited parties," replied Dumbledore, earning a nod from Harrison.

"Meaning his brother, the Prefect," drawled Harrison, once again plucking a stray speck of dust from his robe while he cleared his throat as he went on, "Well, in that case, it seems all due punishments have been given out and now, all that remains is to consider the matter closed and the only way to do that is to either let Magic declare Malfoy and his family as my servants until I say otherwise or to allow the duel to continue."

Here, Harrison shrugged ruefully as he added in an almost-dismissive tone of voice, "Personally, I favour the latter: despite what others choose to believe about me, Headmaster, I have no interests in being anyone's master, let alone by force."

Not for the first time did Filius look at Harrison with awe and wonder as the boy gave his opinion.

Even with everything he'd done to help the boy get ready for the duel, he never would have guessed he was capable of such mercies as this.

He also wondered why Harrison seemed so calm about the idea of not being a master while, at the same time, sounding just as calm about the possibility of having anyone as his servants.

Dumbledore, meanwhile, swallowed hard before he looked to the awed face of Filius as he asked, "You…you are his Head of House, Filius; can't you explain to Mr Potter the…"

"There are no consequences that have not already been dealt with, and very honourably, I might add," explained Filius, his voice edged by a stern tone that showed he didn't just believe his own words; he also encouraged and wholeheartedly supported Harrison's decision. "Mr Potter was well within his rights to name any forfeits he wished in payment of the duel not fought; not only does the blame lie with Mr Weasley. It also lies with Mr Malfoy for being so stupid and reckless as to declare and agree to a full wizard's duel between him and Mr Potter."

"If anything," said Harrison suddenly, though as he did so, only Filius saw him clench his hands into fists as he explained, "I'm more surprised that Professor Snape didn't do anything to warn or intercede on Draco's behalf, if not anyone else's, before the aforementioned blonde dug a hole too deep to climb out of. After all, much like Professor Flitwick is mine, he is the Head of Slytherin House, is he not?"

Again, Dumbledore was left speechless by Harrison's argument, though as he looked to the young boy, the Headmaster cleared his throat before he asked, "In…in that case, would you at least allow me to officiate the duel on your behalf?"

"Already taken care of, sir," said Harrison, indicating his Head of House as he explained, "As a world-renowned Duelling Champion and my Head of House, Professor Flitwick will be refereeing our duel while Professor Snape will act as his second voice of authority and to ensure Mr Malfoy keeps to the rules and terms set."

"Not to mention to ensure the bout stays between the two of them and no-one else," added Filius, earning a thin smirk from Harrison.

That had been his – Harrison's – idea because of how, in Potions, he'd seen enough to suspect there was more going on than just the relationship of a Head of House and his student going on between Draco and Snape. And, since it was Harrison he was challenging, not to mention how little Snape had done to stop or intervene before things had gotten out of hand, the young Potter wouldn't put it past the Potions Master to try and set up another trap, but he wouldn't be fooled again.

As Dumbledore opened his mouth to make another argument, Harrison held up a hand as he explained, "With all due respect, Headmaster, you can argue the long list of possibilities of intervention until the cows come home. However, like Professor Snape, you have done very little, if nothing to intervene before events forced my hand to take these measures, so whatever you try, I guarantee I've already considered every option and figured out how useless it is for you to try. The best thing you can do is allow this duel to proceed and then take the rest from there."

With that, Harrison rose from his seat, but as he did so, his emerald-green eyes hardened when Dumbledore insisted, "We're not finished!"

"I think we are, Professor," argued Harrison coolly, his eyes filled with a hint of warning as he added, "Unless you'd like to talk about why I was left alone for ten years and, for the first few, I was also left with Muggles who willingly left me at an orphanage where my life took an even darker turn than it should have done?"

When Dumbledore didn't reply, Harrison scoffed as he muttered, "Like I said, every option has been considered and, as this is family business, sir, the only real reason you should have to interfere in any way was if you were family…and that's real family, not magical guardian."

Suddenly, Dumbledore looked alarmed as he looked at Harrison before he asked, "How do you know that term?"

"I do a lot of reading," replied Harrison coolly, tipping an invisible hat to Dumbledore before he added, "Until our next meeting, Headmaster."

With that, he turned and left, leaving a stunned Dumbledore and a curious Filius, the latter of whom waited until Harrison was gone before, looking back to Dumbledore, he asked, "What were you expecting, Albus? He'd forgive and forget? Take it from me: based around the observations I have made about him: Harrison does not forgive easily…nor will he ever forget, as Minerva and I discovered."

"Filius," Albus argued, a note of worry in his voice as he looked to the door before he asked, "What…what have I done?"

"You?" asked Filius, nodding towards the door as he explained, "As he said, Albus, very little, if not nothing at all; I confess myself surprised by the admission that it was you that left him with Petunia and her…family, but the exact circumstances behind what happened between then and now are a mystery. One that Harrison seems unwilling to divulge, though he's indicated something truly life-changing took place, hence his coldness towards certain others, not to mention his prodigy-level intelligence."

Here, Filius rose from his own seat before he sighed deeply as he added, "And if you want a real observation of what that boy will be capable of one day, I strongly recommend a talk with Garrick."

"What do you mean?" asked Dumbledore, but rather than answer, Filius left the office, leaving Dumbledore in a world of whirlwind emotions, all of which seemed to come back to the same question he'd asked moments ago;

'What have I done?'

Chapter 15 and, wow, talk about a tense encounter, but what could Filius mean when he references what Ollivander once told him about Harrison and his potential?

Also, despite earlier evidence, could it be that Dumbledore's not as manipulative as we thought, but, if so, what does he hope to achieve in trying to act as an intermediary between Harrison and the tasks at hand?

Keep Reading to Find Out

Next Chapter: Happy Halloween and, understandably, Harrison's not in a good mood, though when he comes face-to-face with the task at hand, he seems to prove just how much he's different from the false Harry people believe he is;

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