*cough* *cough*.
Carl struggled to open his eyes. He felt completely drained of energy. His body felt heavy and achy in every limb. He struggled to bring his last memories the previous night to mind. What had he been doing…?
He struggled to sit up in the narrow bed he was resting in. He finally got his eyes opened. Looking around at the white walls and ceiling, and the multiple beds separated by curtains, Carl realized he was in a hospital of sorts.
Carl suddenly realized someone had put a long fake beard on him in his sleep and dressed him in flamboyant bathrobes.
'What an elaborate prank for John and Don to have pulled.' Carl thought in amusement as he reached up to pull the fake beard off. He kept his thoughts internal, he didn't want to give those guys the satisfaction of recording his freak out. He tugged at the beard. 'Damn, they glued it on good.'
He gave a sharp tug and gasped at the pain in his face and right hand. 'The beard is real?' Carl looked down and saw that his ring finger on his right hand was black. 'What the hell?' Carl then noticed a ring on his ring finger. He never wore jewelry, so why would the guys put a ring on his finger?
Looking closer, Carl saw that the ring was a mockup of the Resurrection Stone. "What the hell is going on here?" Carl finally asked aloud, and gasped as his voice didn't sound like his normal voice.
He struggled up out of bed, wincing as his joints ached. He stumbled over to where he saw the doors to a bathroom. Looking in the mirror, Carl gasped.
He was an old man. An old man with long white hair and a long white beard. Add in the Resurrection stone, the robes, and his blackened finger, and he was getting the vague impression that he was in the body of Albus Dumbledore.
As if his acceptance of his identity was the signal, memories started flooding Carl's mind. He started seeing all of Albus Dumbledore's life. He watched everything that happened around Albus as he grew up. Carl even heard a stream of Albus' thought processes as he went about his day.
Carl watched as Albus attended Hogwarts, and watched all of his lessons and practice. As Albus learned spells and knowledge, the information was imprinted into Carl's mind, as if he learned it himself. He felt, phantom like, as if he had practiced the spells just as Albus did. He faintly felt the same emotions that Albus did.
Everything was a step removed, so Carl never lost himself in the memories of Albus. But he shared the same feelings the old wizard himself did. He felt the heartache when his father got himself thrown into Azkaban for getting justice for Albus' sister. When Albus' mother died because of Arianna's uncontrollable magic, Carl too felt like breaking down and crying.
Carl was someone impressed by Gellert Grindlewald's intellect, but thankfully this version of Albus didn't feel any romantic feelings for the man, so Carl was spared that. But he again felt the heartbreak when Arianna died in the three way duel between Grindlewald, Albus, and Aberforth.
Over the long years that followed, Carl watched Albus' struggle as he attempted to do the best he could while holding himself back. Albus never trusted himself to throw himself into any endeavor. He never trusted himself with the imaginings or trappings of power that he and Grindlewald had day dreamed of, that summer that took the last of his family from him.
Not only his sister, but his brother too. For his brother never forgave Albus for his part in causing the death of their sister.
Carl watched as War came to the world. Albus left Hogwarts and joined the fight against Grindlewald's magical army. And eventually he defeated Grindlewald in a magical duel that shocked everyone around with the sheer power and skill the two men displayed. Albus defeated Grindlewald and imprisoned him in Nurmengard Castle.
After that, even though Albus tried to return to being a simple educator, he couldn't escape the fame and attention his duel brought him. He was guilt tripped into taking roles in the government.
But even when he filled a seat in the government, his mental guilt and sins continued to haunt him. He never tried to improve things, or change things. He didn't trust himself with the power to do so. Instead, he used his influence to maintain the status quo.
Albus never thought that his use of power to maintain the status quo was exactly the kind of thing he was running away from. But Carl recognized that even though Albus ostensibly eschewed wielding power, he still exercised the power, thus subconsciously feeding the circle of guilt that Albus labored under. Never making things better, always being passive, and unable to break out of his circle of guilt.
As Carl viewed Albus' memories of years of study and teaching, he learned all that Albus did. All the skills, knowledge, and ability the old man had learned was imprinted into Carl's consciousness. All the people and secrets and political capital that Albus hoarded and never did anything with, Carl learned.
Finally, Carl finished viewing Albus' life. The final memory of Albus Dumbledore was of making his solo way to the hovel where the Gaunts once lived, finding the cursed horcrux and succumbing to the compulsion spell and putting the ring on. Albus recognized that he'd just sealed his death. He made his way to Hogwarts and called for Snape and Pomfrey before Albus passed away and Carl took his place.
Carl gasped as the flood of memories finally ended. He bent over and puked into the toilet next to him. Nothing but bile came up.
After Carl got hold of himself, he stood up shakily. Running the tap, he washed his mouth out, before splashing water over his face. Taking deep, calming breaths he looked into his ice blue eyes in the mirror.
'Well Albus, you royally fucked us both.' Carl thought. He looked down at his right hand. The rotting curse was slowed down by the potions that Snape brewed for him, but as it was he only had one year left to live.
'One year left to clean up the mess you left me Albus. And a freaking huge mess it is.' Carl thought. He sighed. 'Well, as long as I'm in the can…' Carl thought as he took care of emptying his bladder.
When Carl was finished, he left the bathroom, only to be facing an angry Poppy Pomphrey.
"And what did you think you were doing, getting out of bed before I said you could, Albus?" She chastised him.
"Ahh, Poppy. I didn't want to make a mess of the bed. I may be old, but I'd prefer not to be incontinent too." Carl joked.
Poppy didn't look amused, and sternly pointed back at the bed Carl woke up in. Vaguely amused at the woman's browbeating, Carl went and sat himself back in bed to let his medi-witch do her job and check him over.
As Carl waited for Poppy to do her scans, he began ordering his mind. There were so many things to do to prepare for the fight against Tom. Things Albus should have done, but didn't. Carl started making a mental list.
The school year had only just ended two days ago. Just a few days prior to that, Harry Potter and his friends had been ambushed in the Department of Mysteries, and Sirius Black had been blasted through the Veil of Death by Bellatrix Lestrange.
The only positive in all of that mess was that news of Voldemort being alive was finally public. But at the cost of Sirius' life, it wasn't worth it.
When Poppy was finished with her scans, she looked stricken. "You're stable Albus, but…"
"I know, my dear." Carl looked down at his hand. "This curse is a nasty one. I fear I have at best a year left." He reached out with his left hand and patted Poppy's hands in comfort. "I have lived a long, full, life. And there is much for me to do in this year. Please, keep this news confidential for now." Carl asked Poppy.
She nodded affirmatively. "I will. I'd prefer you stayed for a day or so of rest, but I've gotten used to the look of a patient that won't sit still for me to heal up." Poppy smiled tremulously, then turned abruptly and returned to her office.
Carl sighed at how he was going to be facing a lot of that kind of reaction for Albus when he decided to share the news he was dying. He got to his feet, picked up the Elder Wand where it was lying on the bedside table, put the wand away in his waist holster, and left the infirmary.
Carl sank into his chair in the headmaster's office. He looked around at all the books and clutter that pretty much encapsulated Albus' whole life. Fawkes was missing at the moment from his perch, where ever the overgrown turkey was at. He could feel the link that Albus had with the Phoenix that had transferred to him, now that he was in Albus' body.
He picked up a quill and parchment and began writing notes for each of the people he needed to meet with.
"Bloody thankful that I've got the old bastard's skills. Otherwise writing with quill and ink would be a bloody nightmare." Carl groused to himself as he wrote letters requesting meetings with different individuals.
"Dobby." Carl called for the eccentric house elf.
"Yes Mister whiskers? You called?" The house elf asked after popping into Carl's office.
"Yes." Carl leveled a searching look at the elf. "How is Winky doing? Any better?"
Dobby grabbed his ears and tugged in dismay. "She be fading Mister Whiskers. I don't think she be lasting much longer."
Nodding gravely, Carl thought for a moment. It was as he suspected. "Dobby, I need an honest answer from you. Did you bind yourself to Harry Potter on the night he freed you from the Malfoys?"
Dobby began toeing the carpet in nervousness while he was thinking. Dobby finally nodded yes. "Yes, I wanted to be Master Harry's elf so much. He's a great wizard, and I'll go punish myself now."
"Wait, Dobby. Stop. Harry wouldn't want you to punish yourself. And I have a task for you at the moment. Would you pass this letter to Harry. It has information he needs, and I've also asked him to bind Winky as his elf to save her. If he agrees, bring Winky to him for the binding. Then you shall remain to take care of him and Winky as she recovers. Make sure they both have enough to eat and are healthy, if you would."
Carl had to stop at that point because Dobby had grabbed the letter abruptly before Carl had even finished, popping away to accomplish his task.
Carl smiled at the enthusiasm of the elf. He gathered up the rest of the letters he had written. He had to visit the owlery first, then he had places to be.
But first, he had to take a shower and trim away some of the ridiculously long beard that Albus sported.
Harry Potter was locked up in his summer prison of Durskaban. He hadn't been able to sleep lately, he kept seeing Sirius falling into the veil, then revisiting the events that followed, trying to use the Cruciatus on Bellatrix. Getting possessed. Seeing the results of his stupidity that got his friends injured and Godfather killed.
Just as Harry was going to spiral back into his downward spiral, he saw a small figure appear next to him. Startled, he jumped up reaching for his wand, before he recognized the diminutive form of Dobby.
"Dobby, what are you doing here?" Harry asked warily. The last time the elf visited him at Privet drive, he'd gotten in trouble for underage magic from a hover charm the little elf had cast.
"Master Harry Potter, sir. Mister Whiskers sends a letter." Dobby handed the letter over.
Harry frowned at the news that Dumbledore sent him a letter. He was still pissed at the old man for his part in Sirius' death, and dropping the prophecy on him at the worst possible time, not to mention how he never shared any information.
It was strange to get a letter from Dumbledore so early in the summer, but Harry still wanted to see what the old man wrote. Opening up the letter, Harry began reading.
Dear Harry.
I first wanted to express my condolences and regret at my mistakes that contributed to Sirius' death.
Harry scoffed at the old man's words. They were too little, too late to save Sirius. Tamping down his anger, he returned to reading the letter.
Regrettably, events are in motion and we need to move along with them if we are to keep abreast of the wave.
First, I need to inform you of some information you may not be in possession of. It has to do with the nature of House Elves. You see, long ago the House Elves made their way to our world from Elsewhere. The Wizarding World no longer has information about just where they came from. But since they were torn from their homes, they were not able to connect to the magic of our world by themselves. They needed a filter, and for most of them that means binding themselves to a family. For some that means a place like Hogwarts.
When you freed Dobby, he bound himself to you, as your elf. You and the bond you have with him is what keeps him alive, for without the bond to a family or place, the elf would soon pass away.
There is another elf that needs help at the moment. Winky has refused to bind herself to Hogwarts, for she pines for a family once more. I ask you, Harry, to bind her to you to save her life. If you agree, ask Dobby to bring her to you to do the binding to save her.
Harry scowled at the letter. That would have been nice to know a couple years ago so he could stop Hermione's Spew campaign.
"Dobby, is it true that without the bond, an elf would die?" Harry asked Dobby.
"Yes, Master Harry Potter, sir. We's be needing a family or magical place like Hoggywarts."
"So, can you bring Winky here so we can save her life?" Harry asked.
The small elf nodded furiously. "Yes, Master Harry Potter, sir."
"Okay, go fetch her then. And just call me Harry, Dobby." Harry requested.
"Yes, sir, Master Harry, sir."
Dobby popped away and returned with the deathly skinny and pale bundle of limbs that was Winky. He gently set her down on the floor.
Harry frowned. "She doesn't look good, Dobby."
"She be on the edge, Master Harry."
"So, how do I do this?"
"Just puts your hand on her head, and wish for the binding to take effect."
Harry did so, and he could feel a small rush of magic going from him to Winky. She immediately looked much better. Winky sat up, and looked at Harry in wonder.
"Master has accepted Winky into a family!" She hoarsely cheered.
Harry kindly smiled at her. "Welcome to the family, Winky. Dobby, could you take care of Winky until she gets better?"
"Yes, Master Harry." Dobby gently picked up Winky and popped away again.
Harry sighed and shook his head. "I just hope Hermione gives me a chance to explain before she kills me." Harry picked up the letter from Dumbledore back up and began reading.
And finally, there has been a change of plans. Within a couple of days, I will get back to you about leaving your current accommodations. There are still some things to arrange, so I don't have an exact time for you yet. But be prepared to ask security questions of anyone who shows up.
You might spend the time beneficially by reviewing some of your spell theory, if I may be so bold as to offer some suggestions.
Albus Dumbledore
Harry frowned at the letter. Something seemed a bit different about the old man. He'd never had Dumbledore be so straightforward before. Maybe his tantrum in his office had made Dumbledore reconsider the way he did things?
But either way, he was glad for the distraction from his guilt ridden thoughts. He opened up his trunk and pulled out a Charms book to review. At least Dumbledore's idea to review his spellwork wasn't half bad, if it got him to think about something else.
Carl watched as the last of the owls flew off with his requests for meetings. Things were being set in motion, and it was time to move.
He first made his way to the 7th floor corridor where the Room of Requirement was. From Dumbledore's memories, Carl knew the man didn't really have an idea of just what the room was capable of. Thankfully, Carl brought plenty of meta knowledge about this world.
Carl paced back and forth in front of the empty space of wall he knew the Room of Requirement was at. When the door appeared, he entered. Seeing the single waist high pillar with the Ravenclaw Diadem resting on it, Carl pulled his wand.
After running a series of diagnostic spells on the diadem to make sure he didn't get caught in a trap like the original Albus had with the ring, Carl levitated it into a small lead box.
Looking over the Room of Requirement in longing, Carl sighed in regret. "Later. I can't afford the distraction at the moment."
He had soon dropped the box off in a secure section of his quarters, under many spell wards and alarms.
Carl then moved to the floo, and throwing in some powder, he traveled to Number 12 Gimmauld place. Stepping free of the fireplace, Carl frowned at the messy house. He still couldn't believe the things Dumbledore made his followers suffer through because of neglect.
Moving out of the entryway, Carl heard noises from the kitchen. There shouldn't be anyone in the house at this time. Carl pulled his wand as he silently strode to the entry way to the kitchen.
Peering inside, Carl first saw Kreacher bound and stuck to the ceiling. He then saw Mundungus Fletcher packing away the silverware into a bag while Kreacher was crying and silently trying to scream from where he was bound.
Carl felt a rush of rage at the thief Fletcher for ransacking the Black house just days after Sirius died. Before Fletcher even knew Carl was there, he stunned the despicable man. He spent a moment to divest Fletcher of everything he was wearing. He then conjured a robe that he magicked onto the man and then bound him tightly.
He then turned his attention to the elf that was still bound. Kreacher had stopped his silenced attempts at yelling, and stared at Carl.
Carl was feeling ambivalent about the elf. While Kreacher had contributed to the death of Sirius, which was a betrayal of his family, according to canon he would eventually be of help to Harry Potter.
But the problem was, he was in a grey area. Sirius willed the Black estate to Harry Potter, which would make Kreacher Harry's elf once the will was enacted. But Kreacher wasn't bound or loyal to them at the moment.
Did he take the chance that Kreacher would be loyal after he took care of the locket? Or did he rid himself of the currently treacherous elf?
Still undecided, Carl dispelled the silencing charm, while leaving Kreacher tied up and stuck.
"Kreacher, I know Regulus turned against the Dark Lord and tasked you with destroying an object. A locket with an S on it." Carl said, staring in the elf's eyes as they bulged at his knowledge. "I'm willing to help you help you destroy the locket. But the problem is, I don't know if I can trust you. You already betrayed Regulus' brother and helped cause his death."
Tears started falling down Kreacher's face as he muttered a litany about nasty blood traitors, his mission, his mistress, and assorted other things.
Carl frowned. The elf was so conflicted, with so many different ideas and orders, it's a wonder he was as functional as he was.
"Kreacher." Carl put magic in his voice as he spoke, to gain the elf's attention. It worked, as the elf's attention snapped to Carl's face. "Can I trust you to keep your word to behave and not betray us to the enemy if I destroy the locket for you?" The old elf nodded and answered that he could "Good. Now, what do you want? After I destroy the Locket, what do you want to do?"
After muttering for a while under his breath, Kreacher spoke clearly to Carl. "Kreacher wants to join Black family. Kreacher wants his head to join his ancestors on the wall." He said with a strange dignity for such a pitiful creature.
Carl nodded gravely. "Okay Kreacher. Here's what is going to happen. I'm going to let you go, and we will imprison this thief in the dungeon." Carl pointed at Fletcher. "It will take me a day or two to fetch the item we need to destroy the locket. In the meantime, I'm going to dispel and recast the fidelius on Grimmauld place so no one else can come here in the meantime."
At Kreacher's nod in agreement, Carl released the elf. He let the old elf take care of levitating Fletcher to the dungeon. And if Kreacher was a bit rough with Fletcher, then Carl didn't care. He was in Albus' body, but he had a vastly different opinion on how things should be. And tolerating Fletcher's thievery and betrayal wasn't on the list.
He was soon finished casting the Fidelius. It would ensure a fresh start with who Carl would allow in on the secret of the house. And unlike Dumbledore, he would require certain loyalty oaths of his Order of the Phoenix members in order to be let in on the secrets, briefings, and missions.
Carl arrived at the Ministry building to find that MadamBones was not in her office. Frowning at the need to hunt her down, he considered his options. Looking at MadamBones' secretary, he gently inquired, "Do you know where she is at the moment, and what she is doing?"
The young lady gulped at his stare. "She's meeting the Minister at the moment."
Carl just barely kept the scowl off his face. Nothing good would come of whatever Fudge would do. "Thank you my dear. Are they in the Minister's office, do you know?" At her nod, he thanked her again as he swept off to gatecrash a meeting.
When he arrived at the Minister's office, he swept past the secretary with barley a smiled greeting, and with a bit of wandless magic he flung open the door to the Minister's office.
Sweeping inside, he saw Fudge, Umbridge (who looked distinctly physically uncomfortable), Madam Bones, and two aurors who appeared to be at the Minister's beck and call. Judging from the tableau and the facial expressions, he'd interrupted Fudge's attempts to railroad some bit of stupidity on Madam Bones.
"Greetings, Minister Fudge, Madam Bones." Carl nodded to the two before conjuring himself a seat wandlessly and sat himself down. Say what he would about Albus' mental hang-ups, he knew how to make an entrance that screamed 'I'm a powerful mage. You will listen.'
Hem hem. "You can't just barge into-" Umbridge began yelling before Carl silenced her.
"You will be silent Ms. Umbridge. I haven't even had a chance to lodge complaints with the D.M.L.E. against you for the many criminal acts you perpetrated at Hogwarts. Forcing students to write lines with a blood quill. Attempting to illegally administer veritaserum to a minor. Threatening at wand point to cast the Cruciatus curse on said minor. Be glad I do not simply call you out for an honor duel."
Carl could see Madam Bones' ears perk up at the allegations against Umbridge. Wasting no time, Madam Bones sent off a patronus messenger to call up some of her loyal Aurors to arrest Umbridge, unless Carl missed his guess.
"Now, I came today to discuss the important matter of the security of the Wizarding World with Madam Bones, and I find you, Cornelius, in the midst of perpetrating another plan that will result in an even larger mess that your successor would have to deal with. And as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, it is my duty to stop you."
Carl leveled a magic fueled glare at Fudge. While Voldemort was one to throw his aura around as he pleased to intimidate the less powerful, Dumbledore had always kept his under control. Carl didn't have the same hang ups as Albus, so he let his magical aura do half the convincing for him by sheer intimidation.
"You have spent so many years deathly afraid that I was trying to usurp your power Fudge, that you have jumped in bed with Lucius Malfoy, one of Voldemort's own men. I stupidly didn't do anything about it, but I've had it up to here with your petty greed and stupidity. Voldemort is back, and we can't afford to let you muck it up anymore."
"You will step back and not interfere in the D.M.L.E.s business in the short time you have left in office. You will not arrange for Malfoy and his fellow Death Eaters to be under minimal security so they can be broken free."
Carl then pulled his wand lighting fast, stunned and tied up the two aurors behind Fudge, and vanished their left arm sleeves, revealing their Dark Marks.
"And most importantly." Carl thundered with anger. "You will stop allowing Death Eaters a place inside the ministry!"
Carl could tell that Madam Bones was furious. Umbridge was quaking in her boots, and Fudge was hunched down as far as he could in his chair, afraid he would be next at the end of Carl's wand.
Despite the old body that Albus gave Carl, and despite the nasty curse on his hand, he was still fast as a snake, and vastly more powerful and skilled than anyone else in the room.
At that time, several Aurors that Madam Bones called up burst into the office. With a nod in her direction to let her know Carl was not about to step on her toes, he sat back as she directed her Aurors on what to do.
By the end Umbridge was arrested for her crimes, and under investigation for more. The two Death Eater Aurors were also under arrest. Fudge had a rotating team of Aurors that would be minding him for Madam Bone, and Carl and Madam Bones had come up with a plan to start cleaning up the Death Eater infestation in the Ministry, which he left in her capable hands.
Madam Bones then left for a meeting with the Head Unspeakable to coordinate how to secure the Ministry building and improve security while making sure their ranks were free of Death Eaters.
Over the next day and a half, Carl met up with each of his members of the Order of the Phoenix to take a mutual oath against betrayal. He included conditions to be met if they wanted to quit and clauses that would let them get out from under the oaths in the future. He only had a year to get this done, after all. It wouldn't do to have them under oath to a dead man all their lives.
He wasn't planning to spend a whole year on the war. That would be cutting it too close to his deadline. But plans have plenty of chances to go wrong, so he would try to get as much done as soon as he could.
The only two members of the Order of the Phoenix that he allowed in the new Fidelius on Grimmauld place for the time being were Remus Lupin and Nymphadora (she hates that name) Tonks.
He had already given everyone their marching orders and given Alastor Moody his blessing to organize his response troops however he wanted. He also gave him his blessing to use lethal curses on any Death Eaters they found raiding.
Redemption was a beautiful idea. The idea that despite having committed blunders, mistakes, or sins in the past, one can be absolved. One can start again, and try better, try to be a better person. That they don't always have to continue down a dark path, they can turn back.
It was indeed a beautiful idea; one that meant less than spit if the person in question wasn't seeking redemption for themselves. No one can offer redemption to anyone else. Redemption is a deeply personal quest that has to be sought out, struggled for, and won by individual effort, not offered like a fortune cookie platitude.
So in this conflict, Carl was more concerned with the lives of his followers and people on the side of law. He couldn't afford to care about the lives of unrepentant murderers and thugs.
On the third day, Carl flooed to Arabella Figgs house. He spent a half hour over tea with the lady who Albus had stationed in the area to watch over Harry. In Albus' memories, he had never sat down to tea with Arabella. He was always making himself so busy with his various positions and schemes. He rarely took the time to really connect with the people he employed.
And Carl thought that was one of the reasons Albus had become so distanced from the plot. Why he always had strange and ineffective plans. Albus hadn't listened enough to his people, and he didn't consider the lives of those he involved in his plans.
After spending a pleasant time with Arabella and her Kneazles, Carl departed for Number 4 Privet Drive.
Carl knocked on the door, and waited for only a few moments before the door was opened. Petunia Dursley stood glaring at him.
"Hello Mrs. Dursley. May I come in? I've come to fetch young Mr. Potter." Carl stated, and subsequently tuned out her angry words.
"Hello Professor." Harry stated when he came down the stairs.
"Hello Mr. Potter. Are you all packed and ready to go?"
"One moment. What did you tell me you saw when you looked in the Mirror?" Harry asked.
"Ah, a good question. I claimed I saw myself holding a pair of thick woolen socks, for one can never have enough socks." Carl answered.
Harry nodded, then led the way up to his room where his trunk was. When they were alone in the room, Harry turned to Carl with a serious expression. "So what did you really see in the mirro, professor?" The rebellious teen in front of Carl asked.
"Ah, yes. I see you spotted my less than full answer." Carl said as he cast his thoughts back to what Albus had seen in the mirror as he prepared to role play as a Dumbledore that was capable of being open with the people around him.
"When I was a fourth year myself in Hogwarts, some local neighbor boys saw my little sister Arianna doing some accidental magic. The people at the time were not so open minded as they are now. They were a bit more superstitious."
"The three teenager boys caught my sister and tortured her. They would have likely killed her if she hadn't eventually escaped. Unfortunately, her mind and magic were damaged after that. My father was furious, and in his rage he hunted down and killed those boys."
"You see, the time period that my father grew up was a bit more…rough. People took care of their own problems. But the ministry at the time was under a transition phase to a more "civilized" stance. So they threw my father into Azkaban as an example to everyone else. He died in prison a year and a half later."
"My sister was not able to control her magic, and if she got upset or excited, it would lash out at everything around her. Our mother tried to keep her even keeled, but eventually at the end of my seventh year, Arianna's magic got out of control, and our mother didn't survive the encounter."
"So all that was left of my family was me, newly graduated, and my younger brother Aberforth who had just finished his Owls. I was a brilliant student at school, and I let the praise of the professors go to my head overly much. 'He has such a promising future. Why, he's the most clever and powerful student since so and so.'" Carl mocked how the professors praised Albus. "So as a young, newly graduated and talented student, I felt trapped at home having to take care of my sister."
"My brother dropped out of school after his owls to start work to help support us. But I? I did not take my responsibilities seriously. I found what I thought was a like minded friend in the area who was visiting relatives. We had many lively debates about magic, politics, and our place in the world."
"My brother did not like him at all, and hated when he visited our house. I must admit, my brother was much more perceptive than I. Everything came to a head one day in summer. A three way argument erupted between my brother, this so called friend, and I. Spells and curses flew through the air, and when it was over, my brother was unconscious, my ex friend and I parted with harsh words, and my sister lay dead."
Harry shifted uncomfortably at hearing the tragic tale. Carl smiled wryly at the teenager. This was indeed a heavy tale.
"My brother never forgave me since, and we rarely talk. So when I look in the mirror, what I see is family and forgiveness. My family, as they were so many years ago on that last Christmas we were together, my father, mother, brother and sister. On that Christmas morning where I received a pair of thick woolen socks, while my sister climbed on my back and my brother was still talking and joking with me while my parents looked on with love."
"That last Christmas morning before everything fell apart for our family the following summer is the scene I see in the mirror, Harry."
"I'm sorry I asked, Professor." Harry offered.
Carl clapped briskly to change the mood. "Nonsense, Harry. I would not have shared that story if I didn't want to. I feel my burden lightened to have finally shared it, even if I've made yours a bit more heavy."
Carl held out his hand. "Now, we have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep. Shall we go?"
Harry grasped his hand, and Carl apparated them to Hogwarts.
They soon arrived at the Headmaster's study, and Carl asked for refreshments to be delivered by the house elves. Albus had arranged his office so when he sat behind his desk across from his visitors, he subtly loomed over them, casting him as an authority figure over them. Carl chose one of his visitor chairs to sit across from Harry as they relaxed for a moment.
"Harry, you have some tough decisions to make. There are some secrets I want to share with you, but to do so will put you at risk. And if I'm going to be sharing this information with you, I will need you to take an oath not to reveal the information with anyone without my approval."
"So, what, you want me to keep these secrets like you've been keeping so much from me?" Harry caustically asked.
Carl frowned at Harry's tone and accusation. "Harry, please keep in mind that treating your allies like shit because you're a moody teenager is not conducive to keeping your allies happy." Harry sucked in a breath in shock at Dumbledore cursing. "I haven't taken you to task for throwing a tantrum and destroying half my office because I felt guilty at what my inaction had caused to occur. But don't think that just because I didn't do anything to you the last time, doesn't mean I won't take action the next time you throw a fit."
Harry blushed in shame at being labeled a moody teenager, and being called out on his actions. "Sorry, sir."
Just because Albus felt guilty and let himself be a punching bag for the moody teenager didn't mean that Carl would accept the same behavior. Especially when he was running on a time limit to get the hot mess that Albus left behind cleaned up.
"Apology accepted. Now, there is a certain order things have to go in. In order to reveal more information to you, I need assurances from you in the form of oaths that what I reveal will be kept secret, and safe. So, here is the wording of the oath. Do let me know if you will take the oath."
And Carl sat back to wait for Harry to take his time pouring over the wording of the oath. After some time, Harry sat up straight. "I'm ready Professor. I'll take the oath."
"Good man." Carl praised.
Harry had soon taken the oath, giving Carl relief that he wouldn't go blabbing to his friends without proper security protocols in place. Harry's friend Ron in particular was afflicted with a case of Blabbermouth and Foot-in-Mouth syndrome.
"Okay, the next piece of information that falls under need-to-know is something I have been studying on for the past 15 years. When Voldemort marked you Harry and had his body destroyed, he left behind a part of himself that has been acting as a leach and link between the two of you."
Harry fingered his scar with a look of disgust on his face.
"Indeed, it is not a desirable thing, overall. Although it seems to have granted you his ability to speak and understand Parseltongue. So the first thing we'll do, is record you speaking a series of words and phrases in Parseltongue, just in case."
At Harry's tentative nod, the boy had been vilified for that same talent for a good portion of his 2nd year so it was understandable that he was a bit nervous, they got started recording the spoken words into a series of globes not unlike those that held the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries.
After Carl packed away the last globe, he turned to Harry with a somber face. "Now comes the difficult decision. As I've said, I've studied what I could of your scar and how to remove it for the past 15 years. I've consulted a number of specialists from a number of different races. They all agree that in order to rid you of that link to Voldemort, you would have to die."
Harry blanched.
"But there was one thing that gave me a bit of hope for you. You were bit by a basilisk which is normally a death sentence, but Fawkes cried into your wound and kept you alive. So, if you agree, we will try to inject a bit of basilisk venom into your scar to dissolve the pocket of dark magic, and make use of Fawkes' tears to keep you alive through the process." Carl paused for a bit. "What do you think Harry? Are you willing to give it a go to get rid of your link to Voldemort?"
Harry got up to pace back and forth while he furiously thought. Carl sat back to let the young man make his decision. If he chose not to get rid of the horcrux in his scar, Carl would have to alter his plans to take out Tom. And he would not share any more information with Harry while there was such a blatant security breach in Harry's head.
The fact that Albus shared information with Harry about Tom's past and the Horcruxes that Tom made while Harry had a backdoor in his mind showed just how desperate and Hail Mary Albus' plans were by this point.
If Carl hadn't come along when he did with a fresh outlook and a better plan, Albus would have made a hash of things. Seriously, just the morale drop from having the light side's leader being killed by a traitor while the enemy breached the supposed safest place, Hogwarts, was enough to kill any effective opposition to Voldemort's rule.
"Okay, let's do it." Harry derailed Carl's thoughts. "I want this thing gone from my head." Harry declared angrily.
Nodding, Carl rose to his feet. "Then let's repair to the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey had everything set up for if you chose to get rid of it."
Poppy had not been happy about the case and suggested treatment, but had been convinced by Albus' research that it really was the only possibility to get rid of the Horcrux and keep Harry Potter alive, so she had agreed to oversee the administration of the Basilisk venom and Phoenix tears.
They trekked to the infirmary in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Upon arrival, Poppy had Harry get changed into the hospital gown. He was soon lying down on the bed, ready for the procedure.
"Okay, are you ready Mr. Potter? This will not be pleasant, as I'm sure you're aware of, having experienced Basilisk venom once before."
Harry nodded shakily. "Yeah, but I want this done. Get it out of my head, please."
Poppy smiled at Harry before immobilizing him. She soon had a small amount of venom injected in Harry's famous scar. It was only seconds before they saw results. The scar tissue on Harry's head began bubbling up. Cracks appeared, oozing black noxious gunk. A black cloud of foulness spewed forth from Harry's scar, briefly taking the shape of Tom Riddle before dispersing into nothingness.
Poppy was on the job, and had been cleaning up the black gunk from Harry's scar. The moment the open wound was clear of all vileness, she injected the Phoenix tears that Fawkes had provided Carl when he explained what he wanted them for.
After several minutes of anxiously scanning the current situation of Harry, Poppy gave a sigh of relief. "He'll be just fine now." She reassured both herself and Carl.
Carl smiled back at the dedicated healer. "Good work Poppy." Looking at Harry, Carl saw the young man had passed out. "So, how long will Harry be out?"
"I'm not sure. His body and magic went through a big strain. I'm going to ensure he sleeps at least until tomorrow morning. Then, we'll see if he wakes up or needs more rest."
Carl nodded, making mental notes to adjust several of his meetings and plans. "Okay, thank you Poppy. Send me a message when he wakes up, would you?" At Poppy's affirmation, Carl left the infirmary. He had things to set in motion and miles to go…
Over the day that Harry Potter was unconscious, Carl made use of the time to meet with several individuals that would be key in setting things up politically. For so long Dumbledore had been a big obstacle for many of those people in what they were trying to accomplish, for the simple reason that Dumbledore had always supported the status quo. So he had opposed their measure to improve their society.
But because of Albus' hang-ups, he hadn't been very effective in stymieing the creep of unrelenting opponents like Lucius Malfoy, who had been relentless in spending money on bribes and new laws to bring about the climate that would make taking over the British Magical Society much easier. Carl wasn't sure if Malfoy had done so for his own ends, or in case Voldemort ever made a return showing.
One example of Malfoy's work was the laws he helped get Umbridge to pass concerning "magical creatures". Take the werewolves for example. The laws passed made it impossible for werewolves to work in the wizarding world or inherit their family's property, which Umbridge planned to confiscate for herself and her corrupt cronies.
Then the Dark Lord's recruiters, after having set up the situation where the werewolves couldn't get work, went and promised the packs that they if they only swore loyalty to Voldemort, they would make thing better for them. And presto change-o, the old switcheroo was accomplished to create a group who was dependent on the Dark Lord for their livelihood, despite the fact the Dark Lord caused them to be in such a difficult situation in the first place.
And such were the situations that Dumbledore had allowed to happen because he was always trying to cling onto the Status Quo and not use his power, political and otherwise, to effect good change and progress. Instead he allowed rot and corruption to set in.
So while the situation wasn't of Carl's doing, with the body he now inhabited he was in a unique place to set the avalanche off. With just a little bit of organizing the right people, a little backing instead of blocking their paths, and things would soon snowball out of the ability of people like Malfoy or even Dumbledore to control.
At the end of the day, after a series of meetings with people who were at first skeptical of his intentions, then happy at "Dumbledore's" change of mind, jubilant at the opportunity presented, and bloody hungry for change, Carl arrived back at Hogwarts.
Sitting down in his comfortable seat in front of his fire to relax, he frowned when the door to his room opened without even a knock. Severus Snape strode inside, carrying a potion that would stretch out how much time he had in the world from weeks to months.
"Here you are, Albus. Drink." Severus Snape abruptly said while handing over the potion.
Carl took the potion and settled back into his chair while holding the potion in his hand. He made no motion to drink yet as he considered Severus Snape. The man in question sat in the opposite chair.
Severus Snape was an interesting case to Carl. While Severus' angry persona of the biased professor had been donned at the instigation of one of Dumbledore's "schemes", he wasn't sure just where that persona ended, and the real Snape began.
Dumbledore had Snape under loyalty oaths, which is why he had trusted Snape so much. Strangely, that attitude of Albus' made Carl not trust Snape even more. Albus had completely lost the plot over the years, being so buried under mountains of conflicting emotions and desires, that he could barely operate properly. So taking Dumbledore's word for anything was not something Carl was going to do.
He had already separated Snape from the information flow that the Order of the Phoenix brought in. He no longer allowed Snape to attend any of the meetings.
That idea of Dumbledore's to allow Snape all the information their side had so Snape could use it to solidify his place among Tom's organization was literally insane.
If one was using a spy to feed information to the enemy, the spy's master had to control what information the spy could pass along. You simply didn't let the spy copy your playbook and give it to the enemy. That would ensure defeat.
No, Albus had lost the plot because he identified with Snape too much in the tragic story that Snape spun for him. Albus lost Arianna, Snape lost Lily. Albus identified so much with Snape, that Albus had allowed Snape that privilege that no other follower of Albus had. The position of full trust.
So no matter what Snape did, Albus firmly believed that it was just to establish his cover. Albus firmly believed that Snape wanted redemption as much as Albus did, that they were the same in that regard.
Carl, was not so sure that Snape's loyalties were what Albus assumed them to be.
"Thank you Severus. I think I shall grab a chaser to wash the taste from my mouth." Carl rose to his feet after placing the potion on the table next to his chair. As he poured himself a glass of fire whisky, he asked Severus Snape, "Nightcap, Severus?" At the man's nod, Carl poured Snape one too.
As Carl was handing off the drink, at the moment Snape was most vulnerable reaching for the drink, Carl cast a wandless and wordless stunner, catching Snape unaware.
Moving quickly, Carl pulled out his wand. He stripped the Potions Master and spy of everything on him, and then tied him up to his chair. He ran diagnostic spells over the man.
"Well, well, Severus. Hopped up on potions to strengthen your will and Occlumency shields, defeat veritaserum, and give you a small bit of protection against minor curses. Good thing I overpowered that stunner. Now, what has you loading up on protection potions just when you were passing me a potion to help me stay alive, hmm? What is it you are trying so hard to hide from me?"
Carl then scanned through everything the man had been wearing. Emergency portkey that Albus had given Snape some time ago.
"In case I need to make a quick exit to attend to my spy duties, Albus." Severus had justified to Albus.
"A portkey that Albus gave you would also get you out of Hogwarts fast, and away from Albus himself, incidentally." Carl smiled sardonically at Snape's unconscious figure. "Apparently, you simply don't trust me Severus. I'm hurt, really." Carl laughed. The unconscious Snape wasn't going to hear any of this conversation anyway. "But it seems more and more likely that I was right to distrust Albus' complete faith in you."
Carl soon had a flushing draught down Snape's throat. He then spent the next hour attending the man, to make sure he was cleaned and not drowning in his own vomit while keeping the man subdued and unconscious.
Once the flushing had run its course, and Carl was satisfied from his diagnostic spells showing Snape had no more potions running through him, he administered a wit weakening potion and veritaserum.
He woke up Snape, and saw that he was in that trance like state that was an indication that the veritaserum was working.
"Severus Snape. Who do you truly work for?" Carl asked.
"Myself." Snape dully answered.
"Well, not a fully unexpected answer." Carl muttered to himself. "Snape, what are your plans for…"
Carl spent the next couple of hours exhaustively questioning Snape of everything he could think of. And Snape answered everything.
The answers would have shocked and broken Albus Dumbledore. Albus would have keenly felt the betrayal to realize that they weren't as alike as he'd imagined, and Snape had played him.
Where Dumbledore yearned for love, redemption, and acceptance, Snape was a creature of hate. He lived and breathed hate. He hated his school yard "enemies", James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew.
Carl learned that most of the incidents of "bullying" that the four Marauders had done was retaliation for something Snape had done to them or someone else. But Snape had never forgiven or forgotten that the four boys had not let him get away with his petty and spiteful behavior, that they stood up to him.
He hadn't loved Lily Evans, so much as felt she was his possession, and he hated James Potter for taking his possession away from him.
Snape had known that Lupin was a werewolf when he went to the shrieking shack on Sirius Black's dare. He had planned to kill Lupin when he was in his wolf form, and then blame Black, Potter, and Pettigrew in an attempt to get them expelled. But James' actions of pulling him away, ostensibly "saving" Snape had thwarted him. There was no life debt accrued in the incident, unless it was Lupin to Potter for saving his life from Snape.
Carl learned that Snape had been playing both sides against each other, in an attempt to get out from under the both of them. And in the end, he planned to also kill Harry Potter and his friends, to end the line of James Potter.
Carl sighed at the waste of potential that was Severus Snape. Maybe if they had been able to get him out of his abusive home when he was young, he might have not turned into such a monster.
But then again, Snape might have turned out the same if he had been raised in the most loving home available.
Some people that grew up in abusive situations at some point grew up and chose to pass on the abuse to others. While others transcended the environment they grew up in and chose a different path. They chose not to continue the abuse.
Despite being raised in a poor environment, Snape had chosen to internalize the abuse and hate. So he had made his decisions with free will. He had made himself the man he was, no one else was responsible for him.
Shaking his head at the spiteful man, Carl continued his questioning. He soon learned that while Albus had been unconscious from the curse on the ring horcrux, Snape had seen his opportunity and used a potion on Albus that did exactly what he said it did. It stretched the length of the curse out to over a year.
But the side effect was to make it so the curse could no longer be cured. If Albus had gone to St. Mungos instead of trusting Snape, he would have been de-cursed, healthy, and not under a death sentence now.
Snape had recognized his window of opportunity and taken it, ensuring that Dumbledore would perish in a year. With the knowledge of Voldemort's horcrux that Dumbledore had given Snape, Snape was confident he could kill his second master, Voldemort, in a few years and be completely free.
Carl looked at the Potions Master that Albus had been a fool to trust. "Well, I can't have you running about mucking things up right now." Carl commented before he stunned the man again. He gave him the antidote to the veritaserum. He then made Snape drink the Draught of Living Death that would keep him in a coma like state until he received the antidote.
After arranging for Snape's care via house elf while he was in a coma, Carl considered his next move. Before he could get anywhere, a badger Patronus entered his room.
"Attack on Madam Bones' mansion. You-Know-Who himself is there. Need help."
Carl didn't waste any time, he snapped off his own message Patronus to St. Mungos to alert them to the possibility of incoming casualties and portkeyed out of Hogwarts.
He landed on the outskirts of the land surrounding Bones' Manor. He knew from the canon books that Tom had attacked and killed Madam Bones, so he had set up precautions. He arrived to see a battle raging. Auror forces and Order of the Phoenix members were fighting a deadly fight. Spells and curses flying everywhere.
Carl took only the moment necessary to cast anti-portkey and anti-apparating wards keyed to the signature of his forces to prevent the Death Eaters from escaping before he waded into the battle.
One thing Carl could say unequivocally about Albus, the man was skilled. In every encounter he had with Death Eaters or Voldemort, the man had held back substantially because of his no killing rule. So the many people alive didn't know just how powerful or skilled Albus Dumbledore was.
And in this fight of life and death, where Tom and his gang was trying to kill Madam Bones, one of the few members of their government that tried to fight the corruption and stood in Tom's way of gaining power, Carl didn't have the mental hang ups of Albus. So he used all of the skill and power that he had available, and he used lethal means to do so.
Instead of using his Battlefield Transfiguration to restrain the enemy, Carl sent spikes from the ground to impale, animated beasts to rend and tear, and lethal curses to lop off wand arms or stop the enemy dead in their tracks.
He barely noticed Bellatrix's high pitched laughter before sending an overpowered cutting curse to remove her head, blasting past her shields.
And then Tom Riddle was in front of Carl. Since Carl didn't believe that Tom could change at this point, he didn't bother with the useless banter and redemption line that Albus always used on Tom. Carl got straight to the fight, and it had Tom on the back foot from the very beginning. This was a vastly different Albus Dumbledore from who he was used to dealing with.
Every third or fourth spell that Carl cast in their duel was a transfiguration or animation charm that had Riddle being attacked from multiple angles. He was hard pressed to defend. And when Carl judged he had enough transfigured animals on the field, he changed to attack, barely bothering with defense, only enough to keep going.
He took some hits, but only in non critical areas. But his focus on attack allowed him to tag Riddle far more, and with a cumulative effect that built the more spells he landed on Tom.
Early on in their duel, every other combatant stopped their own fighting and backed off into two lines, waiting for the outcome of the fight between Albus Dumbledore and Voldemort. They couldn't do anything else, for the duel dominated the battlefield, and the best the rest could do was to protect themselves from the spells cast by the two giants.
Eventually Carl managed to take off Tom's leg, dropping him in a very vulnerable position where he couldn't dodge. Instead of letting up and offering Tom the option of surrender as Albus would have done, Carl redoubled his barrage of spells. No mercy.
It still took another five minutes to break through Tom's shields and destroy his ritual created body. Carl watched as Voldemort's spirit rose up from the remains.
"You may have won this round, Dumbledore. But I'll be back. And you're just getting older while I'm eternal." The ghostly voice of Voldemort echoed over the field.
"Bring it, bitch." Carl muttered so no one could hear, not even Voldemort.
The spirit of Voldemort fled the battlefield.
'Well, there goes my plan to destroy all the Horcrux first, then send Snape as a suicide bomber to take out Voldemort.' Carl thought sadly. After the reveal of just what kind of a person Snape was, Carl, who had been influenced quite a bit by Albus' memories, felt a bit of anger and spite towards the Potions Master.
That might have influenced his planning a bit. Just a bit.
Now that his attention wasn't on the fight in front of him, Carl noticed the large snake that was making its way into the underbrush. 'Tom was stupid enough to bring his horcrux snake with him on a raid? Hahaha! Perfect!' Carl thought as he cast a few curses at the snake and killed it. The snake's corpse released a small cloud that took on the appearance of Voldemort for a moment before fading away.
'Just a few more trinkets, Tom...'
Now that Voldemort was dead, the fight went out of the Death Eaters. They still tried to escape, but they were no longer fighting to win. Carl turned to helping his forces subdue the remnants of the enemy. Now that they weren't fighting to kill, but to get away, Carl was willing to change his M.O. so he was capturing instead of killing.
Once everything was organized, Madam Bones, with Alastor Moody, arrived in front of Carl.
"I see you finally pulled your head out of your ass and fought like you did in the war, Albus." Alastor greeted him.
"Alastor." Carl greeted him back. "I had a wake-up call recently." He tacitly agreed with Moody.
"Well, I for one am thankful for that. Thank you for your help Albus." Amelia Bones said.
Carl smiled at the well put together but usually stern lady. "I'm glad I could be of assistance. Anything else you need me for tonight?"
"No, we're good here. If we could meet tomorrow sometime though?"
"How does just after lunch sound? I've got something in the morning that needs my attention."
"That sounds fine." Madam Bones responded.
With some farewells, Carl apparated away. He arrived just inside the gates of Hogwarts. One of the privileges of being Headmaster, he could apparate onto the grounds. The castle itself prevented any incoming apparition or portkey, but outgoing portkeys made by the headmaster worked everywhere on the grounds and castle.
After a quick patch job by Poppy, Carl made his way to his rooms. He stood in front of the mirror for a bit, analyzing his image.
"I don't about this look you chose for yourself Albus. I think you were attempting to go for wise advisor. Or old trusted grandfather, I'm not sure." Carl muttered. Picking up his wand, he cast some grooming spells that trimmed his hair and beard. Instead of a two foot long beard, he now had only a few inches. The hair on his head he trimmed so it only reached his shoulders, instead of spilling midway down his back.
"That will have to do. Can't go too extreme. No one would recognize me."
Carl then took a long hot shower, before turning in for the night.
Carl dressed in simple colors in the morning. After his battle last night with Voldemort and his recent actions in the political arena, Carl saw no more reason to follow Albus' strategy of portraying himself as less than he was by dressing in eccentric clothing.
He tied back his hair in a ponytail to keep his hair out of his eyes. Looking over himself in the mirror, he was surprised to see that with shorter hair and beard, he looked more like 50 or 60 than the 115 that he was.
Carl looked down at his right hand and sighed. "It's a shame, really. I just got to a world with sweet magic, and now I'm already on my way out."
Brushing off the mood, Carl ate a quick breakfast before making his way to the infirmary. "Good morning, Poppy, Harry. How are you this fine morning?"
"Just fine Albus." Poppy greeted him. "Now Harry, I'm provisionally letting you leave today. But if you have any feeling of faintness or weakness, I want you to return here immediately. Or you may go to St. Mungo's as well. They are competent there."
Carl grinned inside at Poppy's professional pride.
"Thank you Madam Pomfrey." Harry said with an air of palpable relief to be escaping the infirmary. "Good morning Professor. I like the new look." Harry complimented with a smile.
"Thank you, Harry. I felt a change was in order, it feels refreshing. Well, we have a few destinations to go to this morning, Harry. Shall we?" Carl led the young man out of the infirmary, and on to his office where he had the Ravenclaw Diadem horcrux and the Sword of Gryffindor located.
When they had sat down in his office, Carl began explaining to Harry just what had been in his scar and what a horcrux was. Now that he no longer had the backdoor for Riddle to enter his mind, Carl felt it was something that Harry should know, just in that small case in which the Prophecy would twist reality to make it come true.
After explaining the horcrux to Harry, he had Harry pull out the Sword of Gryffindor from the case he had it sitting in and slice the diadem up. The soul of Tom Riddle did its little scream of despair thing, which made Carl think of that one weirdly drawn Scream painting with a snort of laughter.
Waving off Harry who was looking at him funny, Carl then moved the two of them through the floo to Grimmauld place. Upon arriving, they spent a few moments in greeting with Remus Lupin. Tonks was off on Auror business, since after the night they had the entire government was busy.
"The place looks good Remus." Carl complimented the man.
"The elves did most of the work." Remus deflected. "The new beard looks good on you. Hey Harry, how are you doing?"
"Better than I was before. It helps to have something to do to keep my mind of it, and don't wallow." Harry admitted.
'Good. Looks like he's no longer wallowing in the anger and taking it out on his friends and allies.' Carl thought, giving the two remnants of the Marauders a bit of time together before they got down to business.
Soon enough Harry and Remus had finished their chat, and Carl called Kreacher. Kreacher popped in with the locket in hand.
Placing the locket on the floor, Carl told Harry how to open the locket and how he should ignore any images the locket created and just stab it with the sword. It turned out that Harry was still a parseltongue even after he got rid of the soul piece in his scar.
Kreacher burst into tears when he saw his mission from his Master Regulus complete.
A few minutes later when Kreacher had calmed down a bit, Carl took him to the dungeons. Fletcher was still locked up under a silence ward. After Remus and Tonks had heard what he'd been doing when Carl caught him, they too were content with leaving him in the dungeons for a few more days before turning him over to the DMLE.
"Are you sure you want to do this Kreacher?" Carl asked as he eyed the board that had shrunken elf heads mounted on it.
"Yes…" Kreacher hissed. "It be my duty and honor to join the ancestors now that House Black is no more."
Carl didn't try to argue anymore, just watched as Kreacher snapped his finger. In a flash his head appeared on the board, while his body collapsed to the ground. Kreacher's eyes looked around for a few more seconds, gaining a look of peace and content now that everything was as it should be, before the life faded from them. The spells on the head mount then worked to shrink Kreacher's head to fit in with the other heads mounted on it.
Carl sighed at the oddness that was house elves. He conjured a wrap to cover up Kreacher's body, then portkeying his body to the Hogwarts ground where he had instructed an elf to arrange for Kreacher's body according to their customs.
'At least he's finally at peace.' Carl thought to himself as he glanced one last time at the elf's head on the wall mount.
Carl then rejoined Harry and Remus upstairs. The three of them left via floo to Diagon Alley, where they had an appointment with the goblins.
An hour later they exited the bank with one Hufflepuff Cup in a lead lined box in tow. Carl was a bit stunned at how easy that was. He hadn't even needed to start negotiating with the goblins for access to Bellatrix's vault, because all the Lestranges were dead. The last one had been to die had been Bellatrix, and with that the contents of her vault reverted to her head of house. Which was now Harry, thanks to Sirius' will naming him the next head of House Black.
Carl decided to just be amused. He thought he would have to negotiate hard, and probably give away the Sword of Gryffindor on top of it to get access to the Cup. But the mission had been accomplished without any obstacles.
Was the ease of accomplishing it the effect of adding the Prophecy to his efforts? He knew in canon Harry had eventually prevailed, but it had been a tough road for everyone. But now with him/Albus actively working to finish off Tom, it was like fate was bending over backward to make it easy. Carl eventually shrugged, since that question didn't even have an answer.
They flooed back to Grimmauld place, and Harry wasted no time in pulling out the sword and slicing up the cup. The poor mutilated soul of Tom Riddle screamed and faded away to nothing.
"Good job there Harry." Carl complimented the 15 year old. "That should be the end of Voldemort. But just in case there are any crazy followers, new dark lords gunning for a reputation by attacking you, or anything like that, why don't we have Remus and Tonks tutor you over the summer to make sure you can protect yourself. Your friends can come join you if they want on a daily basis. WE can easily set up some portkeys."
Harry smiled genuinely for the first time in weeks. "I'd like that Professor. And, thanks for what you've done for me this summer. I know I didn't act the best but.."
Carl held up his hand to halt Harry's rush of words. "Don't worry. I understand. I'm just glad I could help. It was the least I could do to make up for my poor decisions."
And Carl was so done with acting like, and apologizing for, Albus Dumbledore. He had unexpectedly accomplished his mission within two weeks. Granted, the meta knowledge helped him finish Voldemort off quickly. But Carl thought it was more the act of being proactive, getting the right people together, and organizing an actual working defense that had been the thing to trap and end Riddle.
"So, I'll leave the organizing in your hands, Remus. Just be sure to give me enough heads up to meet with anyone who will be visiting to ensure we take the protection oath before I'll pass the secret along."
"There's just one last thing I'd like you to think about. The matter of the basilisk you slew, Harry. It is worth a literal fortune. Now, as the slayer of the beast, you have ownership of the carcass. And if you have it rendered and sold, you and your children wouldn't have to work for generations." At Harry's gaping mouth, Carl chuckled a bit. "Indeed. Added onto what you already own from your Potter and Black heritage, I daresay you could afford to out snob a Malfoy."
Carl chuckled again at the look on Harry's face at Dumbledore making fun of Malfoy.
"So, what I'm asking is if you would consider putting aside some of that money that would be in an interest bearing trust that would help Hogwarts. You see, while the Headmaster has control of what happens in the school, the Board of Governors has control of the purse strings. They are notoriously tight fisted for anything that would be spent on improving the school, while at the same time paying themselves a generous salary to do…nothing much."
Carl smiled internally at Harry's frown.
"My idea is that with a secondary source of funding that you, and anyone you trust, set up as a board to control the secondary revenue source, it would help the Headmaster, or mistress, gain a bit of negotiating room with the Governors. With the second stream of income it even opens up the possibility of calling in the DMLE to freeze all their accounts for an audit and Hogwarts still being able to operate while they are investigated."
"Now, you don't have to decide at the moment." Carl interrupted as it looked like Harry was about to make a hasty decision. "I would advise you to hire a lawyer to handle the sales and contracts negotiations so you don't find yourself getting the short end of the stick. I would even go so far as to say your good friend Hermione Granger would love you forever if you included her in a social improvement project." Carl added with a suggestive hint.
Harry's blush let Carl know he had struck home.
"But…I don't think...she doesn't think of me that way." Harry finally got out. "Besides, Ron already told me he fancies her."
"Harry, first off all, ask Remus how strong young women react when a young man 'calls dibs' on her." Carl made sure to add the air quotes. "I seem to recall a young woman by the name Lily Evans being quite furious and unapproachable for quite a few weeks after she heard that nonsense."
Harry looked shocked at hearing about his mum. He looked over at Remus in question.
"It's true Harry. Your dad tried that at the beginning of fourth year. She hexed him so bad he had to spend a couple days in the infirmary. I'd suggest you actually ask Hermione is she feels that way for you. She may be as nervous as you about ruining your friendship by trying for more." Remus advised, ignoring Carl's coughing that sounded suspiciously like "Hypocrite, Tonks, get a move on wolf man".
"So Harry, I'd suggest you at least try, before some other bloke steals her away from you. Cause then, you just add excessive amounts of drama to your life. Better to have just the right amount of romantic drama, not excess."
Carl got to his feet, ready to leave them to it. "Well, let me know what you decide. I'll make the castle available for you whenever you decide to claim your spoils. And good luck with Ms. Granger. I have a feeling you won't need it." Carl commented as he was at the door.
XX
"…and so I'd like to thank everyone for coming today to commemorate the life of a great man, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." Minerva McGonagall was saying at the podium at the funeral of Albus/Carl.
Carl stood in his ghostly form that no one could see as he looked over all the people he had gotten to know and spend time with over the past year. While he would have liked a bit more time in this world, he was proud of what he'd accomplished.
"And over the last year as he spearheaded the rejuvenation of Hogwarts with the assistance of the LJS Philanthropic board, founded by our very own Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, he often said that it was only in his last year of life that he finally had an answer that he'd been seeking for so long. To live for those you love, you have to really live. I'm sure it made sense to him." Minerva joked, getting some laughs from the audience.
Carl smiled as he remembered the past years. Harry and Hermione had become a couple the first weekend she had visited him at Grimmauld place. They had jumped at the chance to found the Lily, James, and Sirius Philanthropic Board for the purposes of scholarships and funding of Hogwarts.
And Carl had taken the help and run with it. All the old members of the Hogwarts Board of Governors had ended up audited and jailed when their embezzling from the Wizarding world's children's education was proven.
He had hired more teachers, one teacher for each group of years, 1-3 years, 4-5, and 6-7. New and safer brooms, an updated potions lab, and more courses and specialties that the students could take.
Carl had turned in Snape and Fletcher to the DMLE for their crimes. Snape had gotten life in Azkaban, Fletcher had 15 years, now that Dumbledore wasn't protecting them from the consequences of their actions.
Carl had pulled out of the Wizengamot, nominating Augusta Longbottom in his place as Chief Witch. He had dropped the Supreme Mugwump title of the ICW like a hot rock within the first month after finishing off Voldemort.
And he had focused on building up Hogwarts into the magical school it should have been. It was where the future of the Wizarding World was forged, after all.
He had added a new wing/feature to the library. Copies of memories of classes taught or skills explained. He didn't want any magical arts to fade away, and leaving his/Albus' memories of those skills ensured there would always be a teacher, as long as they remained.
And finally, he had worked hard to get Minerva ready for her role as Headmistress of the school.
"…So let us have a moment of silence as we bid farewell to this great man." Minerva bowed her head, and everyone else followed suit.
Carl smiled at what he had managed to accomplish in just one year. He turned around and tooked at the white light that had been hovering insistently over his shoulder ever since he kicked the bucket.
"Bloody pushy thing can't even wait until I attend my own funeral, dammit. Well, let's see what kind of adventure I can find for myself next, then, shall we?" Carl commented to himself as he walked into the light.