AN: Hey. I wanted to thank you guys so much for all the support you have given me. For those who don't read my other story, The Little Emerald, I'm talking about everyone telling me to take time off because my uncle died of Leukemia and my grandpa committed suicide. For those from the other side (it's me haha), thank you so much. Luckily, I am keeping my tablet for the summer, so there should continue to be updates this summer. Thank you again!
I own nothing, except a plushie my friend promised to get me while everyone else goes on 8th grade trip (I don't want to deal with people, and they went to King's Island).
Giada Draven, out!
The moment they were back in the office, Harry sat down in the chair opposite the headmaster's. Dumbledore was in slight shock from how swiftly his student had taken care of the horcrux, and so had to be pushed to his chair before the thought of sitting even crossed his mind. It took several minutes, and a conjured shock blanket, for the old man to say anything. "So, there is only you, Nagini, and the snake-like body that he has been using?" Harry nodded, becoming tired. "Okay, I think that you should go back to your dorm for now, and then tomorrow I'll call you up and we can talk about when a final confrontation should take place. Preferably, as soon as we can but when there are no students around."
Nodding once again, Harry stood to leave but was stopped right at the door. "Harry, you are so brave to go through all this. Know that you are always welcome here no matter what others say." He was engulfed in a large hug, the old man's beard nearly covering him head to toe. It lasted for several minutes, before he was suddenly released and pushed through the door, the words, "almost curfew" following him out.
Standing outside the gargoyle that guarded the moving staircase, Harry didn't know what that was, but knew that he needed to get back to his dorms. Making his way up the stairs, he made it to the Fat Lady just before curfew. Giving her the password, and bowing his head in respect, he went into the common room expecting it to be empty with everyone off to sleep. Instead, there was the entirety of Gryffindor house, scattered around the different couches and armchairs. When he entered, two seventh years stood and took hold of his arms, leading him to the only available chair, which had been pushed to the center of the room.
Taking his arms from their grips, he walked to the chair and sat, letting Potionem come to the fore in case any trouble was to occur. After about five minutes of them staring, he sighed and stood. "It seemed obvious you wanted to talk to me, but since there is no talking happening then I am going to bed." He took a step, but found several people pushing him back down.
In front of him was Angelina Johnson, her arms crossed and obviously not happy. "So, Potter," she growled, not even deigning to use his first name. "Why were you in the Ministry? The Prophet sent out a special edition saying Sirius Black was innocent, and that you two fought Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries. How the hell, Potter?" Everyone nodded in agreement, some glaring at him.
Potionem looked at them, staring just long enough for them to feel uncomfortable. "I happened to be there because I have a mental connection to Voldemort, and he sent me images that my godfather was being tortured. I told the Order, the group that was there fighting, and we all went to face them. However, since I had to sneak out, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna decided that it was dangerous to go alone. We get there, and Pettigrew happened to be there. I stun him, and hand him over to the Ministry after the fight." A very censored version of events, but suitable for the little ears in the room.
Many were shocked with the idea of their 'savior' having a mental link with Voldemort, though it was relieved a little for the muggleborns and raised because of the Zelda reference. Waiting a moment for anyone to say anything, he had just turned to leave when he heard someone say, "So, does this mean that Voldemort is really back?" This caused several murmurs to join the first voice, each talking of what their parents had told them of the war, or what would happen with this one, if there even was one.
Before it got too out of hand, Harry raised his hand, and all who saw quieted so they could listen, the others following quickly. Once the entire common room was silent, he spoke. "Yes, Voldemort is back. However, none of you shall see war if I can help it. I don't care how old you are, no one should see someone die, especially be killed. I would never wish it on a child. And, no matter what you say, all of you are children." These words hanging in the air, he left them to their thoughts, going up to his dorm and falling into his bed.
Downstairs, Harry's words had a major effect on all of them. The younger years were amazed that someone would try to keep them from that, and the older ones, especially those who were close to Harry, wondered why he was doing the saving, and why he didn't include himself in the group who hadn't seen death. None seemed to think of the fact that his mother was murdered in front of him, as only a baby. And, of course, none could know of the deaths he himself had caused.
Soon the first four years were sent to bed, so that they could get the sleep they would need. It took much longer for the O.W.L. students and up to go to bed, being the only ones to realize the full implications of Harry's words.
Several hours later, Harry groggily forced himself out of bed. It took a lot, but he needed to begin preparing for the final battle. He knew it would be soon, a year at most since it seemed to be a pattern for Voldemort to attack at the end of the year. This meant that he had very little time to get ready; though, with everything else he did, he would just wing it. Still, it was a nice thought to the humans for him to get ready. With that, he went to the Room of Requirement, since he had finished his last O.W.L and now didn't have to worry. With everything that had been happening, mostly Umbridge, all of the professors had given them the rest of term off, even Snape.
He spent the whole day in the room, working on his hand to hand since he mostly just used his potions for long range. After that, he spent a bit on accuracy and then he looked at old potions books to come up with new concoctions for his worse victims (re: the worst abusers that he targeted). No one in the school could find him the whole day, not even those who knew of the Room, since they couldn't guess what he had asked for when going in. At diner was when he finally reappeared, making sure that no one saw him before he entered the Great Hall, so that he wouldn't have to deal with anybody asking him where he had been all day.
The rest of term went by like that, Harry disappearing all day only to pop back up for diner and to sleep. On the one occasion where someone cornered him and asked him where he went off to, he replied, "I am working so that none of you have to deal with a war." That shut up the snotty fourth year, and news travelled quickly through the school, The light and neutral families began to flock to him, and the (reluctant) Death Eaters in training silently offered their support. The most surprising of all was Malfoy, who confessed to the Gryffs that he didn't want to fight, and only wanted to protect his family.
Overall, it was a dull, yet unexpected, end to the year. When the express took off, Harry was constantly having his conversations interrupted by people from all houses coming in and giving him their support. Even Malfoy stopped by, and didn't bring his bodyguards along so that he could tell them that he wanted to stay out of the war.
As soon as they reached King's Cross, they gathered on the platform to say their goodbyes. The Weasleys and Granger's thought he was going back to his relatives, and he did nothing to dissuade this notion. He waved them away, saying he would be fine for the summer, since he was going to train. Before Mrs. Weasley could demand to know what he meant, he ducked through the barrier and was lost in the flood of muggles.