A/N: Most characters and the main plot belongs to J.K Rowling.
Harry was the first to walk through the fireplace into Dumbledore's office, closely followed by Sirius, and finally, Remus. They had this meeting planned, Sirius and the other two had wanted a word with the old man, who didn't know exactly the topic of the meeting, but had guessed.
"Ah nice of you all to join me" Dumbledore said, with a twinkle in his eyes, and a grandfatherly tone. He knew he would have to reveal some truths tonight, but he wanted some kept quiet, such as the prophecy, he didn't want to put that on Harry's shoulders just yet, but he didn't want to lose any trust the three men before him, had for him, that's if they did have some.
"Yes, it's all very pleasant Albus. Now onto business." Sirius' tone was as cold as ice, Harry could tell he was already getting angry, so he placed his hand on his Godfather's shoulder, hoping to calm him down. He understood the man's anger, but Harry needed Dumbledore, he wanted to join the duelling circuit later on, and he needed to be at the top of his form.
"Yes. What is it you wish to discuss ?" Dumbledore said calmly, the twinkle leaving his eyes. Harry could feel Dumbledore's power radiating off of him from where he was stood, he knew the old man was trying to intimidate Sirius, he guessed he was doing it just to calm him down. Sirius must also have noticed this, as he tried making his own magic radiate in the room, Harry could feel it, but it was nowhere near the level of Dumbledore's. He seemed to notice this, and stopped.
"You knew I was innocent, why did you leave me to rot in there ?" he asked, a little calmer than last time, Dumbledore seemed pleased, and the twinkle returned. Harry knew there would be a reason, but he didn't know what.
"Ah yes, I thought this meeting might be about that," he said, although he was thoroughly relieved it wasn't about Harry, this wasn't a topic he would like to talk about. "You see, when you were sent to Azkaban, I had been told that you killed 13 muggles, along with Mr Pettigrew. I know I should have said that you hadn't betrayed Harry's parents, but when I'd heard you killed 14 people in total, I didn't think it would make much of a difference."
The three others all looked at each other, they couldn't deny that logic, Dumbledore had always been someone who tried being as fair as possible, but they knew he wasn't always right in his judgement, everyone made mistakes.
"You should still have said it, Pettigrew got an Order of Merlin for being a traitor, you should have said. Plus if you had, I wouldn't have been seen as the Potters' traitor."
"Yes, but if I had, do you really think you talking and laughing with Harry would have had such an impact, maybe you wouldn't have been free, just because you said it under veritaserum, doesn't mean you wasn't the cause of their deaths."
Harry had to admit, Dumbledore had done that masterfully, there was no room for argument. Sirius and Remus seemed to catch up with Harry's line of thought and just ended up nodding.
"How did you know to send James and Lily into hiding ?" he asked it so casually that it even surprised him. Dumbledore however, paled, the twinkle leaving his eye once again in a heartbeat.
"I don't think it wise to disclose that information, not yet anyway, it would- "
"What's the reason ?" Sirius asked with anger in his voice, he was annoyed with Dumbledore's machinations.
Dumbledore let out a heavy sigh. "Harry, at least, should leave, I don't think he should know just yet, he is too young."
"He stays, he has as much reason as me and Remus to know, probably even more so than anyone, even you." Sirius tried to reign in his temper, he knew that talking loudly wasn't accomplishing anything.
"Very well, but I must ask you to perform a secrecy vow, all of you, this is information that can not be leaked. Only with my permission are you allowed to share it with certain people." The three of them nodded.
"I, Sirius Orion Black, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, do hereby swear, that I will not disclose the information pertained in this conversation to anyone without the permission of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. So mote it be !" a light golden aura flowed around Sirius for a few seconds before disappearing. Harry and Remus did the same thing.
When they were done, Dumbledore sighed heavily once more. He really did want to keep this to himself for now, but it would also mean he can teach Harry what he needs, and prepare him for his destiny. "Before Harry was even born, there was a prophecy made, in the big lines, it says that Harry will be the one with the power to kill the Dark Lord."
Harry sat there in shock, however, Sirius wasn't staying st that. "What's the full version ?"
"Follow me, I will show you." He got up and went over to a basin with a blue liquid. He grabbed a vial with a blue substance from a shelf of sorts. "This is the memory of the prophecy. Just dip your heads inside the Pensieve after I've poured this in, and you will see it." he removed the top, and poured in the blue substance that Harry had guessed was a memory. He swirled it around with his wand, and motioned for the three of them to dip their heads in. They did.
They found themselves in a small village, which Remus and Sirius recognised as Hogsmeade, which they relayed to Harry. More precisely, they were in a pub called the Hog's Head, a dingy looking pub, which Harry didn't think he would even step a foot in. They saw Dumbledore appear, with a woman at his side, she was a woman Harry recognised, but couldn't place her. The three of them followed the two of them into a room where there was a desk, along with a couple of seemingly comfortable chairs. Each of them sat down at one end of the table, and began talking about an employment as the Divination teacher, that's when Harry realised that he had seen her in the Great Hall a few times, but she wasn't always there. Harry, Remus and Sirius were rather bored, and were just about ready to leave when the Divination teacher seemed to go blank, Dumbledore's eyes widened as he realised what was happening. A few seconds later, the teacher began to speak in a cold unrecognisable voice.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."
Harry was shocked, whereas Remus and Sirius were as white as a sheet of paper. They heard movement at the door during the start of the prophecy, but it had stopped, it didn't really bother them, they just assumed it was the owner. As soon as the prophecy was finished, they were pulled away from the memory. As soon as they exited, Sirius erupted.
"Why didn't you tell Harry, he should have been training for ages, he should have lived somewhere where he could learn about magic, he should have- "
"Calm down Sirius, I have my reasons." Dumbledore said, Harry could tell that he didn't want to be questioned about this, it seemed so did Remus, but Sirius seemed blind to the fact.
"What reasons ?" he said as soon as Dumbledore had finished speaking. Harry could see the gears turning in Dumbledore's head trying to find a reasonable way of getting away from answering, but none seemed to come.
"I wanted him to live his life, have a childhood. If he had known the prophecy for ages, he would have forgotten how to live, instead he would be striving to survive only. And that is no childhood."
"I never had a childhood anyway" Harry blurted out, he was thinking it, but he didn't want to say it out loud. It was a topic that he had avoided.
"What do you mean pup' ?" Sirius asked. Remus knew, he had spoken about it to him when they had met the first time, he had instantly felt this connection between them, a trust. Dumbledore also seemed curious about this, he had assumed that Harry had a good life at the Dursleys, 'why would someone from your own family treat you poorly ?' he thought to himself.
Harry looked down at the floor at this. Remus placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to say it now you know, if you want I can tell them what you told me, or you could wait and tell them yourself when you're ready." Remus said in a comforting tone. At that point Harry decided that there was no point in hiding the truth, and that he would tell them, it's not like he would be returning any time soon.
"It's okay Moony, I'm ready." Remus nodded at this, he kept his hand on the boy's shoulder. "For the first ten years living at the Dursleys, I didn't have a bedroom," both Sirius and Dumbledore looked confused at this "I slept in a cupboard under the stairs" a furious look overtook Sirius' face, while Dumbledore went white, and had looked every second of his age. "They had me do chores all day, and I started cooking dinner when I was tall enough to reach the cooker. I wasn't allowed much food, I only got the scraps and the occasional sandwich. When I didn't do all my chores, they would lock me in my cupboard. When I began going to school, I wasn't allowed to do better than Dudley, or I would get locked up, I used to hurt chased by Dudley and his friends, they never told me anything about my parents except that they had died in a car crash, I wasn't allowed to ask questions either." As he finished he looked up to see Dumbledore deathly white, whereas Sirius was red with rage. Dumbledore had tears in his eyes, one coming out of his left eye, and falling down his cheek, Sirius also had tears in his eyes, but Harry wasn't sure if it was because he was biting on his tongue too hard. Remus was also white, despite having already heard the story before, although he might have said a few things he hadn't the last time.
Sirius rushed over to Harry, and gave him a hug. "I'm sorry Harry, I should have been there for you, I shouldn't have gone after Wormtail. Why did I convince them to make that bastard the secret keeper ? I should have been it, and I've failed them again. I'm so sorry Harry" Sirius said sobbing loudly. Harry patted Sirius' back awkwardly, he didn't know what to say except "It's not your fault Sirius, you couldn't have known" that was all he had, he really was bad at comforting someone.
As soon as Sirius let go, Dumbledore spoke up, without the twinkle in his eyes, and in a tone full of regret. "It was me who put Harry with his relatives, I thought that it would be the best place for him, especially because I could erect some wards to keep him safe. I imagined that they would take care of you, being from their own family, it seemed obvious, I also wanted you to grow up away from your fame. I'm truly sorry for what I did Harry."
Everyone was surprised at Dumbledore's sincerity, but Harry thanked him for it nonetheless. There was a bit of an awkward silence, but then Dumbledore spoke up once more.
"Harry, I was wondering if I could offer you a way for me to help you, so that I could redeem myself." Harry nodded for him to continue. "This summer, you said that you would be going to Potter Manor, if you give me the location, I would gladly come over, and offer you training in anything I can offer, whether it be Potions, Transfiguration or even Herbology, I would gladly help you."
Harry considered this for a bit, he knew he already had Remus and Sirius to help him, but Dumbledore would be a great help. He imagined that the man would immensely help him build his magical core. So, he had come up with his answer "I think that would be agreeable" he said. Dumbledore smiled, but didn't gain much colour. Remus and Sirius smiled at the boy, glad that he didn't throw away an opportunity like that.
"Now, we have some business sorted, I believe it is time for Harry to go to the Great Hall for dinner. Would you two like to eat in here or would you like to go back ?" Dumbledore asked.
Before either of them could answer, Harry spoke. "Could they come with me to the Great Hall, like that I could introduce them to my friends" Harry hoped for a favourable answer.
"I would love to Harry my boy, but it is against the school policy, unless there is a big event happening which requires the presence of the parents or guardians. I'm sorry Harry."
Harry nodded and walked over to Sirius, gave him a hug, and did the same with Remus. He thanked them all, and left the Headmaster's office in the direction of the Great Hall, his friends would undoubtedly want to know exactly what had happened.
A/N: Thank you for the reviews, follows and favourites. I would just like to say that it is unlikely that there will be a chapter for the next two days as I return to school, and I've got a few exams. I will upload if I have the time to do so, but I cannot make any promises. I'll try to make the next chapter longer. I'll try posting at least once every two days while the week, and I'll make sure to post Saturdays and Sundays. I've only got two months of school left, if that, and so I'll be back to posting every day from then on I reckon. Thank you for the support you've shown the story, I appreciate it tons.
Replies:
Some of you are still saying things about the spelling, however there's one small snag there, English changes whether you're from England, USA or other English-speaking countries. I've got them all in British English as that is where I'm from, so that may be the reason behind the spelling mistakes, I don't know if the grammar is different in both though, so I don't know if British English has anything to do with it.
Hermione will not react the same way as she did in cannon, because here at least there won't be dark spells in it, and she will know who's book it is, so she won't be worried.
Thank you for pointing out the mistake in chapter 6
You seem to agree on Hannah and Susan joining the group, so I think that is what I will do, thank you for your opinions.