"Yes, you have to."
"Can't I sleep in one more day?"
"'Fraid not."
"Dammit."
Harry pulled the covers away from his face and sat up, glaring down at the bed he was in. "Oh, why can't I build a bed that travels around with me?"
"It's called a sleeping bag." Tonks said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and slipping her shoes on. "And I think it'd be pretty creepy if you just laid down and took a nap on the Ravenclaw table or something."
"The twins would make me regret it." Harry said. "Okay, let's see how quick I can raise my defenses today."
Harry had spent his extra day off lounging around in bed, mostly. He had gone into the main room as soon as he woke up, nicked a few books from his shelves, and escaped back to bed until well after noon. He had downed a meal that could've filled four people and promptly fell asleep on the couch afterwards. It was a spectacularly boring day and Harry soaked up every second of it. Besides Hermione lingering around and reading during a bit of a break, Harry's friends kept away from the Pit, wanting to give him a good, quiet day to relax. Harry had greatly appreciated it, too. Despite all he might try to tell himself otherwise, he really needed a vacation.
He had slept clean through the night and was being quite reluctant at getting out of bed that morning. Tonks had wandered off for a quick morning bath, trying to rouse Harry from his slumber after getting dressed. It had finally worked, but Harry still looked like he could sleep for another full day.
Tonks twisted around to watch Harry put up his mental barriers. His eyes were closed and his breathing grew slower for the few seconds that it took. When Harry turned to look at her, he smiled. But it was that weird, clipped smile he had worn the night he had emerged from his lockdown. His eyes held a vague sort of cloudiness to them, as well, and the usual brilliance there was dulled.
"I'll be out in a minute." He said, slipping out of bed and stretching.
"It's gonna take a long time to get used to that." Tonks said, standing up and heading for the door. "You need to learn how to make your eyes sparkle like Dumbledore."
"You know, I tried that while we were training. I got them to a faint twinkle at best." Harry stated, looking thoughtful. "I should ask him about it sometime."
Tonks rolled her eyes as she left the bedroom. She walked over to the couch and leaned back against it as she waited for Harry. Today was the first day of his detention with Umbridge. Tonks wasn't sure what that fat frog had planned for Harry, but she was convinced he could take her on, no matter what happened. The thought of Umbridge, stomping from one foot to the other, and spitting like a cat in outrage at Harry's reluctance to rise to her bait, made her smirk.
When Harry came out, he tossed Tonks' bookbag to her. "You forgot something, Nym."
"Wh... dammit, thanks. Guess my mind's been elsewhere today." Tonks said, catching it. "You gonna be okay tonight?"
"It's not going to be the most pleasant thing I've ever had to endure, but I'll take care of it, Nym. No need to worry about me." Harry said, smiling crookedly. "Whatever she has in store for me, it has to be perfectly legal by Hogwarts' standards. She can't hang me from the ceiling and whip me or anything."
"I know that!" Tonks said, swatting Harry on the arm as they made their way towards the door out. "Just saying..."
"I'll be fine." Harry said. "The whole point of this was to ensure I kept my cool around her. If it comes to it, I'll summon Dobby and ask him to transport me up to Dumbledore directly."
"...Yeah, I guess they can get around pretty handily." Tonks said, tilting her head. "Never given much thought to how they manage to teleport about like that."
"It's clearly different from our magic, that's for sure." Harry said, closing the door as they stepped out. "It'd be nice if I could learn to do that. Be nice in case something gets into the castle. Again. Bye, Levi!"
The snake on the Pit's outer door turned his head and gave Harry a small nod before curling back up.
"So we're still going with the story that you were off visiting a sick relative?" Tonks asked.
"Yeah. It'll help explain my behavioral change, as well." Harry said.
The two slipped through the invisible passage and out into the hallway. After a quick glance around, Harry continued, "One of the few times I'm truly glad people don't know the real me."
"Yeah, I'll bet." Tonks said. "Alright, let's hurry it up, huh? I wanna get some decent food in me. Got Hagrid first thing this morning."
"Oh? What's he teaching you about?" Asked Harry, glancing aside.
"Leprechauns." Tonks replied. "Twins and Ginny have been saying Ron's all hyper about it, too. Please tell me he knows that leprechaun gold has a bad tendency of disappearing."
"He's a Gryffindor." Harry replied, looking vaguely amused. "I don't think he's researched them quite enough to know that."
"I'm amazed Hermione didn't tell him outright."
"To be honest, so am I. Maybe she thinks it'll teach him a lesson." Harry said, shrugging. "Anyway, yes - food. Food is good."
"I can't believe you're hungry." Tonks said, glancing towards Harry's stomach. "Figured you'd still be digesting that pile of stuff from yesterday..."
"Nah, it settled a long time ago. Though that does remind me - never let me nap directly after eating again."
"Why?"
"My dreams get really strange when I'm digesting." Harry said, brow creasing slightly. "I dreamed that the twins were a pair of Cheshire Cats, I was the Hatter, you were the March Hare, Luna was the Dormouse, Leon was the Caterpillar... it was all quite..."
"Mad?" Suggested Tonks, grinning.
"Oi oi."
"I should have been Alice." Tonks stated.
"Oh? And why is that?" Asked Harry.
Tonks closed her eyes briefly and let her hair become long and blonde. She smiled sweetly as she opened her eyes again. "Because I'm prettiest when my hair is its natural color, of course."
"Well, you'll find no arguments from me." Harry said. "I've always said you should wear your real look more often."
"Yeah, but that's a special kinda thing, y'know? You're covering your real self in a type of shell now too. You should know how it is." Tonks said.
"True." Harry said. "I need to practice my Metamorphmagus powers a bit more. They haven't been properly flexed since the Yule Ball, I'm afraid."
"Mmm, frosty..." Tonks cooed, letting herself remember Harry's entrance.
"I wonder what people would say if I suddenly had knee-length hair." Harry pondered.
"They'd think you and Leon were trying to become brothers, probably." Tonks said. "Even I can't deal with hair that long."
"You'd look gorgeous trying, though." Harry said, smiling again.
"This is true. And you are sweet for saying so." Tonks said, leaning in to give Harry a kiss on the cheek. "So what do you have first today?"
"Arithmancy. Glad I finally got my head around it. ...I wonder how well I'll do in that subject now that I can focus better." Harry said, eyebrows raising.
"I'd never be able to deal with that. Too many numbers." Tonks said, scowling. "Never been good at math."
"Neither have I, to be honest. But it beats Hagrid's class. Have fun with your leprechauns. You should probably change your hair a different color. Don't want to have a leprechaun leaping at your head." Harry said, smirking.
"That is completely not funny." Tonks said, shuddering. "Creepy little things. Think I'd fare better if I changed my hair to green?"
"They might think you were one of them. Do blue." Harry said.
"Why blue?" Asked Tonks.
"Leprechauns are dreamers. They like to gaze at the sky during the day. It helps them keep on the watch for rainbows, too." Harry explained.
"Yeah, but won't that also just attract them to me?" Tonks groaned.
"It shouldn't." Harry said. "Not unless you turn your hair seven different colors at once. And please don't do that."
"Don't want a girlfriend with clown hair?"
"I should have never gotten you that wig." Harry groused. "Do you even still have that thing?"
"It's in my trunk." Tonks said.
"Pack rat."
"Hush."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Hello, Mr. Potter."
"Professor." Harry said, nodding at Umbridge as he walked into the empty classroom.
"Please have a seat, Mr. Potter." Umbridge said, getting to her feet. As Harry sat down near the front, she walked over with a quill and a small stack of parchment. Setting them down on the desk, she smiled down at him. "You will be doing lines. Please write 'I shall not tell lies' one thousand times."
Harry blinked, caught offguard. Lines? That was it? And only a thousand?
'There has to be a catch,' he thought. But he just offered a faint smile in return to the frog-like woman and replied, "Yes, Professor."
"I'm glad to see your attitude has improved since your little outburst." Said Umbridge, walking back toward her desk. "I understand you've had problems in the family."
"Yes, Professor." Harry said, picking up the quill and sorting the parchment out, placing a sheet in front of him. His thumb brushed along the quill quickly. 'No obvious enchantments,' he thought.
Feeling more than ever that something wasn't right, Harry gingerly pressed the tip of the quill to the parchment. As he did, he felt a faint pinprick on the back of his right hand. Brow creasing faintly, Harry wrote out the letter 'I' and finally figured out what was going on. As he wrote, the letter 'I' also got cut into the back of his hand.
'Causing physical injury without directly doing it yourself, you hag? Very clever. You aren't the only clever magician in the room, though.' Harry thought, pausing a moment to adjust things mentally. 'I really hope this works.'
Umbridge watched with a faint, horrid grin on her face as she saw Harry work out what she had done. There had been a brief moment where Harry had seemed almost surprised, but it quickly passed. Umbridge began to frown as Harry then continued to write, not flinching once. That wasn't right - the Blood Quill should have been leaving him breathing a little harder at the least.
"Mr. Potter." She said after watching Harry finish almost a dozen lines.
"Yes, Professor?" Asked Harry, glancing up.
"...Does the Quill not hurt?"
"It does." Harry said.
"You make it seem like it doesn't." Umbridge said.
"Oh. Sorry, Professor." Harry said. "It's just... with everything that's been happening lately, and with my Aunt falling sick like that, I guess I've just not cared about a lot."
"I see..." Umbridge said, narrowing her eyes. "Very well, Mr. Potter. Please continue."
"Yes, Professor." Harry said, glancing back down and resuming his writing. 'This is going to suck so hard when I flip my pain back on...'
It didn't take long for Harry to finish his detention. The back of his hand was bloody and raw when he finished. Umbridge, seeming irritated, quickly flicked her wand at his hand to banish away the blood. She quickly composed herself, however.
"Now then, Mr. Potter - I'll be seeing you tomorrow night at the same time." Umbridge said.
"Yes, Professor." Harry said, turning and walking out of the classroom. 'Maybe I should have just up and left the classroom when I found out what the quill did. Well... at the very least, I know my training actually came in handy for more than one thing. ...Can't go back to the Pit yet. Gotta make a detour.'
Harry soon found himself standing outside the door to Dumbledore's office. He stared at the gargoyle statue blocking the way for awhile before sighing. "I need to see the headmaster. The school's new guest hasn't been playing well with others."
The gargoyle didn't move.
"Oh, blast it all." Harry muttered. "Blood Pops. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Hobgoblin HobNobs. ...What, seriously?"
Harry shook his head as the gargoyle slid to one side. Blowing out a sigh, he opened the door and made his way up the spiral staircase, knocking on the door once at the top. He heard an 'Enter!' from within and opened it up, stepping inside Dumbledore's office.
"Ah, Harry! To what do I owe this visit?" Asked Dumbledore.
"Before I say, could you..." Harry began, motioning back toward the door.
"Ah, of course." Dumbledore said, drawing his wand and giving it a few flicks.
With the office warded, Harry let out a long breath. When his eyes opened, Dumbledore saw that they were filled with pain. Before the headmaster could ask, Harry lifted his right hand. "Fudge's lackey decided to play dirty."
Standing, Dumbledore walked over, frowning as he glanced at the engraved words. "I see. Why did you not immediately leave and come see me?"
"I have my pride. I wasn't going to let her win this one." Harry muttered through clenched teeth. "Wasn't so bad. Cut off my pain and that seemed to do the trick. At the very least, she seemed shocked that I had absolutely no reaction to carving a sentence into my hand a thousand times. She used an enchanted quill. Dunno what it was. But as I wrote my lines, they got transferred into my flesh."
"A Blood Quill." Dumbledore stated, waving his wand a few times over Harry's hand. He smiled as a look of relief washed over the teen's face. "I take it your training worked, then?"
"Not entirely sure cutting off the pain was such a bright idea, but... yeah, I got by okay." Harry stated, rubbing the back of his hand slowly. "I feel drained now."
"I'd imagine so. It takes a constant amount of focus to keep one's personal wards up. To add an addition to those - and something as drastic as what you've done - would leave one feeling very tired. I'd imagine you'll sleep well tonight, Harry." Said Dumbledore. "I will have a talk with Dolores about this. She knows better than to use such primitive punishment methods."
"I wish you wouldn't. She'd know I came to you." Harry said, stuffing his hands into his pockets and scowling. "I'd rather she not claim this as a victory."
"I will claim to have been passing through the hallways, exercising my joints, when I crossed paths with you and noticed you to be nursing your hand."
"You know she'll lie. She's probably long since disposed of the quill." Harry said.
"Perhaps. But I shall speak to her, nonetheless. The rest of your detentions with her will be less painful."
"Thanks."
"Would you like to see Poppy? I am afraid that my medical skills are not what they should be." Dumbledore said.
"I'll be alright. I've had worse. Victory scars and whatnot." Harry said, shaking his head.
"Very well. But I want you to keep a close watch on it. If it begins to look infected or if the pain returns or worsens..."
"I'll go see her. I promise." Harry said, smirking crookedly. "Do you think I could take a shortcut to the Pit, sir? All I wanna do is sit down and eat a small feast."
"Of course. The jar with the Floo Powder is in the center there." Dumbledore said, motioning towards the top of the fireplace as he walked back to his desk.
"Thanks. ...Sir?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"What happens if they find a way to remove you from the school?"
Sitting down, Dumbledore merely smiled at Harry and replied, "Do not worry about such things, Harry. Cornelius would find it difficult to find a loophole large enough to push me through."
"I hope you're right." Harry murmured, taking the top from an ornate jar and grabbing a handful of Powder. "Good night, sir."
"Good night, Harry. And thank you for coming here tonight. While I am sure you would have rather dealt with it on your own, that your body directed itself to my office tells me a great deal."
"Nymmy would be mad at me if I bled all over the couch." Harry said, grinning for a moment before closing his eyes. After taking a slow, deep breath, he tossed the Powder into the fireplace and, after calling out the name of a certain former headmistress' quarters, was gone in a flash of green.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Oof!"
"Harry!"
"Whoa, are you alright?"
"Where'd you come from?"
"You got ash on me."
Pulling his wand and quickly cleansing himself as he stood, Harry made a face. "I'm fine. I came from Dumbledore's office. And I'm sorry, Boris."
After directing another cleansing spell at the miniature taipan, Harry turned to see who was currently present. Tonks was sitting on the edge of the couch, Ginny was peering over the back of it, and Hermione was looking over from a corner of the room.
"Ladies night, Boris?" Hissed Harry quickly.
"Something like that." Boris hissed back.
"See anything interesting?" Asked Harry, leaning over to rub the knee he landed on.
"Just Ginny and Hermione snogging when they thought Tonks wasn't looking." Boris said.
Harry choked. So did Ginny.
"We were doing no such thing!" The redhead said, her voice higher than normal.
"Boris is developing a very dry wit. Pay him no mind." Harry said, switching back to English. "So, what's been going on while I'm been absent?"
"Not a lot." Tonks said. "I've been sitting here, waiting for you. Hermione's been reading - big surprise, I know. Ginny's been working on Potions homework and calling Snape some very creative names!"
"And I couldn't be here for it. Tsk." Harry said. "Sorry I'm late, by the way."
"Why were you coming from Dumbledore's office?" Asked Hermione.
"Needed to be healed." Harry said, once more holding his right hand up. It almost would have been a humorous reaction if it wasn't his carved-up flesh they were staring at. Tonks and Ginny both let out shocks gasps and gaped, while Hermione had to get up and walk over before she did.
"What the hell happened?!" Tonks squeaked.
"Blood Quill." Harry said, shrugging. "Whatever I wrote on the parchment also got written onto my hand. I trumped that fat toad, though. Flipped my pain off... not a bright idea in the long run, though. Dumbledore agreed. He got me fixed up, told me to keep an eye on it in case anything else happened."
"That awful woman!" Hermione huffed. "That's absolutely barbaric!"
"Sounds like something Filch would approve of." Ginny said.
Harry sat down on the couch, groaning and letting his head tilt back. "Anyway, I'm dead tired now. Really hungry, too. Soon as I can be buggered to move again, I'm going to order up enough to feed an army."
"You sure you don't wanna see Madam Pomfrey?" Asked Tonks.
"Nah. It's not that bad now. ...Crap, I'm too tired for this. Hang on." Harry said, blowing out an irritated sigh as he closed his eyes. "...There. Barriers and stuff down. I just don't have the energy to keep that going."
Rolling her eyes, Hermione turned and headed back for the chair in the corner. "And what have we learned today, class?"
"Not to over-exert ourselves, Professor Granger?" Harry offered.
"Very good! Five points to Ravenclaw!" Hermione said, sitting and picking up the book she had been reading. "Honestly, Harry. We shouldn't have to point out the obvious to you."
"This is true. But I also wasn't expecting it to thoroughly exhaust me like it did." Harry said, turning his head to look at the Gryffindor. "You're just jealous I can do all this cool mental stuff and you can't."
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous of you, yes." Hermione sniffed, giving Harry a bored look. "But I also know it's still above me. You, on the other hand, have some kind of insane learning capacity. I can take things in, I can do them with a small amount of effort, but you keep making these giant leaps instead of building things up slowly. I'll get to your point eventually."
"So you won't be locking yourself up like a hermit for a week?" Ginny asked.
"Poor Ronald would throw himself from the owlery if he didn't have my notes to glance over." Hermione stated in a bland voice.
"...Why aren't you locking yourself up like a hermit for a week, then?" Ginny whined. "God knows I could do without the thick prat."
"Ginny..."
"Oh, I know, I know. But still." Ginny pouted.
"Up for eating yet?" Tonks asked, turning her attention back to Harry.
"I thought you'd never ask."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Hello, Professor."
"Mr. Potter."
"Lines again?"
"Yes."
Harry nodded and sat at the same spot he was at the previous day. The parchment and quill were already there. Figuring it best not to inspect the quill, Harry merely picked it up and, without hesitation, started to write. His eyes darted, as quickly as he dared, to his hand. Thankfully, Dumbledore must have gotten that talk in with Umbridge, as the quill was a normal one. As he wrote, Harry figured that he owed Dumbledore one. It was a very risky move to step in and get involved. Harry knew that. But he also knew that the headmaster was very protective of those entrusted to his care.
At a few points, Harry set the quill down for a few seconds to stretch and flex his hand. He didn't need to do any of it. He was wanted to chance a glance up and around the room. When he glanced at Umbridge, he found a deep satisfaction in the irritated look on the woman's face.
"Almost done, Professor." He said, offering the woman a smile.
"Less talking, more writing then, Potter." Said Umbridge. Harry took note that she failed to add the 'Mr.' to his name.
Any victory over Umbridge was a large one and he would take what he was given.
The remainder of the week played out as mundanely as it could. His classes proved to give him the challenge and distraction that he had been seeking and his detentions with Umbridge proved to be as bland and uneventful as that second night's had been. Harry managed to keep his barriers up whenever the woman was around and, thankfully, this also meant that he didn't mouth off to the toad-woman in her class anymore. The Quidditch Team, which had been in a serious state of disarray since Lynch had graduated, was in desperate need of guidance. Harry was, in fact, the only remaining member of the team he had originally joined, as Timothy Ratchett and Melissa Tracer, a beater and a chaser, respectively, had graduated last year.
Chris Ericson, who would be one of Harry's dorm-mates had he ever bothered returning to Ravenclaw Tower, had taken helm as Keeper and Captain of the team. He was alright at his job, but he just didn't have the same kind of madness that Lynch had when he had been in command. Harry had often wondered what the fifth year boys' dorm had to look like. Harry was never around. Terry had apparently disappeared into the aether, as no one had heard from him still. Solieyu, as far as Harry knew, slept in the Nest when he slept at all. The only people there were Chris and Gary Haskit. Harry never did get around to making friends with those two.
The next training session's date had yet to be decided, but Eric (as well as the rest of the team) seemed relieved that Harry would be around for their first real game. Harry missed the feeling of the wind blowing through his hair. The last time he had been on his Firebolt was, unless his memory failed him, during the First Task the previous year. That was far too long to have been off a broom. Too much was occupying Harry's time - he needed a break from all the worrying and he knew it.
His hand was healing up fine. Tonks had practically dragged him to the hospital wing the fourth night of his detention after he complained about it itching. Despite his protests, Harry allowed the girl to haul him in, figuring she was just overly worried. Madam Pomfrey, after chastising him for avoiding her, gave him a clean bill of health.
The only thing bothering Harry - really bothering him - was what Umbridge had said the final night of his detention. He had handed in his lines and the quill and was almost to the door when she spoke up. She had said that while Harry had won this battle, she'd get her way in the end. That didn't sit right with Harry as well, and it made him wonder what she and Fudge were talking about and planning.
Harry had taken a long bath that final night, bringing Boris in to talk to. The two talked, at great length, over Umbridge's possible plans and what her unnerving and poorly-veiled threat could mean. Boris had said that the frog-like woman could pose a great threat should the Ministry mobilize. This lead down a course that got the two talking about guarding the Pit somehow. Just in case.
That night, as Harry drifted off, he came to a decision.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
There was a burst of green flames and, moments later, the disembodied head of Albus Dumbledore appeared in the Pit's fireplace. "Ah, Harry. What can I do for you?"
"I'd uh... well, this is a very odd request, sir..." Harry said, fidgeting.
"Is anything wrong?" Asked Dumbledore.
"Oh no, I'm fine. Everyone here is. It's just... ...well... I want to mail a letter." Harry said.
Dumbledore chuckled. "I see. Afraid to send one out through normal means?"
"A bit, yes. I may just be jumpy, but I'd bet that Umbridge or the Ministry is intercepting all post coming in or out of Hogwarts." Harry said. "And I know that you have more...secure... means of doing things."
"Indeed I do." Dumbledore said. "Please, step on through."
"Thank you, sir."
After retrieving his letter, Harry used the fireplace to get to the headmaster's office. Rubbing the sore knee he landed on, Harry hobbled over to the chair on the other side of Dumbledore's desk and sat. Dumbledore himself remained standing until after Harry was seated, looking down at his fireplace.
Harry watched him, brow creased. "Is something wrong with the fireplace?"
"...I wonder." Dumbledore said, turning and heading back to his own chair. "Something did not feel entirely right, and I shall look into the matter. Just the same, I believe it would do us both well if you left and came the normal way."
"They can't be monitoring inter-school fireplace chats, can they?" Harry asked.
"You'd be surprised what the Ministry can do if they so desire." Dumbledore said. "But let us not worry over what could be merely an old man being paranoid."
"...Right. Uh, yeah, like I was saying, though. Could I possibly have Fawkes deliver a letter to Sirius?" Harry asked, glancing aside at the phoenix, who was napping in his cage.
Dumbledore smiled at the mention of Sirius' name. "If you are worried about him, I can ensure you that he's as fine as he ever was. Despite their rivalry, Molly does an admirable job in keeping him busy."
"Well, that was part of it, yeah." Harry admitted. "I take it he knows what's happening here?"
"As much as any of the rest of us, yes." Dumbledore said.
"I was also kind of hoping he'd be able to drop off any more books he'd salvaged. I know Mrs. Weasley was trying to remove all the 'dark' books from the Black Family Library." Harry said.
Chuckling, Dumbledore nodded. "She is from old stock, I'm afraid. A wonderful woman, to be sure, but very set in her ways. I must say, Harry, I am surprised at the interest you have taken to reading about the Dark Arts."
"Yeah, well, no offense or anything, sir, but we're not exactly learning a lot in class." Harry said, smiling apologetically at the headmaster, who merely grinned in response. "Plus, it... I'm not sure how to describe my attraction to the subject. Part of it's that I seem to find myself surrounded by it on a regular basis. I naturally want to know what could be thrown at me. But the other part is working out countermeasures. All spells have a counter. Or all of them should."
"Trying to find a way to reverse the Killing Curse, Harry?" Asked the headmaster, raising his eyebrows.
"No. I know bringing back the dead is impossible." Harry said, eyes downcast. Then, in a sneer, he added, "At least, it should be."
"It is a dangerous path you travel, Harry." Dumbledore said, his voice taking a serious edge. "Many witches and wizards have attempted to either stop or reverse death. Inferi are the only thing to be born from this desire."
"There has to be a way to stop it, though." Harry said. "If you can't reverse it, the obvious solution is to find a way to stop it. Clearly, no shield spell will hold against the Avada Kedavra. I'm just wondering if absorption is the key. Not stopping it, not reversing it - absorbing it."
"Perhaps. But you must also think - many others have come to the same conclusion. And yet, thus far at least, nobody has come forth with a solution. You have a high load to bear as it is, Harry. Please, try not to concern yourself with such things until after you graduate."
Dumbledore didn't say it, but Harry knew there was an extra line there. Something akin to 'If you graduate, that is.' Harry knew it was a possibility just as well as Dumbledore did. Voldemort wanted him dead. There would be a 'final fight,' so to speak. Harry just prayed it took place later than sooner, knowing full well that delaying it meant that more innocent people would fall.
"...Anyway, I'm sorry. I got extremely sidetracked there." Harry said, sighing. "I didn't mean to go off on some wild tangent in regards to counter-curses. I was just looking up reference materials and was hoping Sirius' library had some of them."
"I see." Dumbledore said, the twinkle quickly returning to his eyes. "Well then, it is a simple matter of waiting for Fawkes to awaken. I am afraid that phoenixes are sometimes very finicky creatures. They need quite a bit of rest and will not awaken until they are ready."
"That's fine. Like you said, I shouldn't be in a hurry. I have plenty of time to think about it. There's other stuff I should be thinking about." Harry said, setting the letter on the headmaster's desk. "...And if I don't get going, I'm going to completely miss breakfast."
Dumbledore stood, walking Harry to the door. "I will make sure Sirius gets the letter. And I will contact you via more secure means than our fireplaces when I get the inevitable reply."
"I appreciate it, sir. You've really done a lot to help me out already this year." Harry said. "I feel kind of bad for it all."
"Considering all the trouble that seems to come to you whilst in Hogwarts, I feel that a few favors here and there, so long as they are not extravagant, may be allowed. You and your friends staying out of designated sleeping quarters, for instance." Dumbledore said. Harry could almost hear the smirk in his voice.
"Yeah, was wondering about that." Harry mumbled. "Uh... anyway, thanks again, sir!"
"Have a good day, Harry."
"You too!" Harry said, quickly climbing down the spiral stairway.
Once he was past the gargoyle statue outside and heading towards the Great Hall, Harry let himself relax a little. He didn't like outwardly lying to the headmaster like that. He really did appreciate all that Dumbledore did for him. He wasn't quite sure that his lie passed, either. He never felt Dumbledore trying to pry into his mind, but he also knew that if the headmaster really wanted to, he could. Harry's barriers were still fresh. The night he had uncorked himself from the training room? He had been able to fling the headmaster from his mind because Dumbledore had allowed him to.
It was true that Harry was writing to Sirius. It was also true that he was writing in regards to books he feared that Mrs. Weasley had gotten to by now. The lie came in the form of what books he was actually after. He knew that trying to stop the Killing Curse was a nigh impossible feat. He also felt rather stupid for aiming down that path with his lie. But, all things considered, it at least made sense.
No, Harry didn't want to try and stop death itself. He wanted to find out how to summon something. He wanted to make a contract with some sort of magical beast. Something that he could trust to protect the Pit and his friends when he wasn't there to do so himself.
The Pit would have a guardian. He even knew what type of creature he was looking to summon. He had discussed it with Boris the night his detentions had come to an end and the two came to an uneasy agreement. Harry just hoped the books he had spied at Grimmauld Place weren't gone. He felt stupid for not taking them when he had the chance. But he honestly hadn't thought the need would come so soon.
With any luck, the books were there and Sirius would find a method of getting them through.
It was all just a matter of time.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Author's Notes: Hey, kids. I'm back. I think. Thanks for putting up with me for taking over a month off. I really needed it. In addition to the big-ass chapter 10 just taking it out of me, I have not had any inspiration lately. This was one of those hang-you-up chapters that really does little more than shove the story forward without adding much to it. It needed to be there because it sets in motion lots of later stuff. I just hope it wasn't TOO boring. Looking at the chapter guide, I can tell there's going to be a merger already. 12 is mostly me making notes on what I plan to have Harry summon to guard the Pit. (No, it isn't a pit viper. Just to cut that off right now o.-)
Of course, the problem there is that it's mostly stuff I CAN'T REVEAL YET. The summon isn't scheduled until somewhere in book SIX, for heaven's sakes. And I haven't even gotten around to rewriting what I need that book to be now that I've changed so much since version 3 of the book guide. Basically, everything's in a bit of chaos and I'm kind of overwhelmed. Don't be surprised if I take it a bit slower from here on so I DON'T burn out again. I literally had to force myself to write this one. It took about seven sessions total. Pretty pathetic, given its size.
Also, don't worry. I know what you're thinking. I thought it too as I wrote it. "Oh god, Harry can just shut down pain and emotions and blarrrrgh!" - there's a reason I made him completely useless and such after. I don't have any plans for him to do that again. So relax. I'm not overpowering him. Not yet. And yes, I'm going to ramp up his magical strength mid-6. There's a serious event there that will change the course of everything. People are gonna hate me for it, but it's a necessary evil.
But enough about book 6 and my writer's block. I've rambled far too long as is. I hope you all have enjoyed the chapter and I'll try not to take so long with 12.