Chapter 4
Helpful Hints
The early morning rays of blurry sunlight slowly pulled Harry out of his dreamless sleep, making him aware of the loud snores coming from Ron. The previous night hadn't exactly been a late one, just an exhausting one. Every available girl had tried to catch the attention of the-boy-who-lived, something that the majority of the Weasley brothers found to be absolutely hilarious. The problem was that Harry didn't have it in his heart to send them away since he could feel their joy and excitement meeting someone they perceived as a hero. This one event meant more to them than anything.
Sometimes Harry really hated being empathic.
Thankfully, Kingsley stepped in when darkness had fallen and declared that it was time to leave. Harry had never been so relieved to see the Marauder Quarters again. All of the emotions and attention had really taken a lot out of him and had left a rather irritating headache. Harry had retreated to his room and had fallen asleep moments later, sleeping through Ron's staggering entrance hours later.
Holding back a groan, Harry grabbed his glasses and slid them on. He didn't even wait for everything to come into focus as he pulled back the bedcovers and slid out of bed. He also didn't remember changing into pajamas and had a feeling that Dobby was becoming protective again. The overexcited house elf had appointed himself as 'Harry Potter's personal elf' years ago and no one could convince him otherwise. Harry had tried on several occasions.
As quietly as possible, Harry snuck out of the room only to step into darkness. Ashes were all that remained in the fireplace and all of the candles had died some time ago. The only sound was Kingsley's slow breathing from the sofa in front of the fireplace. That would be a challenge. Kingsley was the lightest sleeper Harry knew. The smallest noise could make the man jump to his feet with his wand at the ready.
Harry was about to turn back when he felt something urging him to continue forward. He had felt the sensation before and knew it was coming from someone or rather something he could trust. Hogwarts was trying to communicate with him in the only way she knew how…subtle control. Waves of reassurance and protectiveness swirled around Harry as he left the Marauder Quarters. His footsteps echoed throughout the hallways as he slowly walked in a trance-like state. He didn't know where he was going but the path he was taking felt right.
Awareness slowly started to return as Harry walked up the moving stairs which oddly remained completely still. Muffled whispers from the portraits brushed against his ears but Harry kept his gaze forward. He turned off on the second floor and walked towards a familiar girl's bathroom. Nervousness filled Harry's stomach as he pushed the door open. There was only one reason Hogwarts would bring him here.
The entrance to The Chamber of Secrets was hidden in this bathroom.
"What are you trying to tell me?" Harry asked quietly as he entered the bathroom, his eyes focusing completely on the sink that Moaning Myrtle had pointed out years ago. A sudden gust of wind washed over Harry as everything around him changed. The bathroom darkened, lanterns ignited, colors dulled and a faint smell of old parchment filled the air, an odd smell for a bathroom.
At the sound of the door opening behind him, Harry quickly turned to see a familiar jet-black haired boy enter with a stack of books in his hands. He was only slightly taller than Harry and had a silver prefect's badge pinned on his black robes. It was Tom Riddle…sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle with a calculating look on his face that Harry didn't like in the slightest. Riddle was up to something and that was never a good thing.
Harry moved out of the way and watched as Riddle approached the sink he had just left. Everything about Riddle screamed confidence and determination; the way he walked, his posture, the glint in his eyes, and the smug look on his face. This teenager had no doubt whatsoever concerning who he was and what he wanted in life. World domination. It's what every kid asks for.
A smirk appeared on Riddle's face as he quickly glanced at the door before returning his attention to the sink. "The Heir of Slytherin commands you to open," he hissed in Parseltongue.
Harry rolled his eyes in disgust. "All you have to say is 'open' you conceded prat," he muttered as the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. The sink began to move, slowly falling until it was out of sight to reveal a large pipe that was wide enough for a grown person to slide into.
Riddle glanced down at the pipe in disgust before pulling his wand out and sending multiple cleaning charms down the pipe. The simple action made Harry wonder just how much Riddle had ventured down to the Slytherin sanctuary. Had the Chamber of Secrets been more than the place where the Basilisk had slept for Riddle? What if Riddle had hidden something down there years ago, something that would be instrumental to their search now?
With a cautious glance towards the closed door, Riddle silently shrunk his books, pocketed them and jumped into the pipe. Harry stepped towards the pipe, wanting to see more of the memory but arm wrapped around him had pulled him backwards. Everything immediately began to shift back to normal. The room brightened, the lanterns extinguished and the feeling of dampness filled the air. Surprisingly, the opened entrance to the Chamber of Secrets remained.
"Harry!" yelled Kingsley Shacklebolt as he forced Harry to turn around and meet his eyes. "Snap out of it! Whatever you're seeing isn't real!"
Harry stared at Kingsley in confusion. The tall, dark skinned Auror had his cloak on but opened in the front, revealing his night clothes underneath. "What are you doing here?" he asked bluntly.
"I'm obviously stopping you from vanishing into the Hogwarts plumbing system," Kingsley said dryly as he took a cautious step back. "Are you all right now?"
Harry's eyes widened slightly. He didn't see Riddle. He has no idea what was actually happening. "Er—when did you get here?" Harry asked cautiously.
Kingsley eyed Harry suspiciously. "I saw you leave the quarters without supervision and followed," he said sternly. "The fact that you didn't even notice me was a sign that something wasn't right. Care to explain who you were talking to and why hissing at that sink caused such a reaction?"
Harry rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. The 'Harry Potter Protection Squad' had been given a partial explanation to the oddities surrounding Harry. They knew he was a natural healer, a Parselmouth, empathic, and able to connect with Hogwarts through those empathic abilities. They just didn't know how strong the connection could be. "Hogwarts wanted to show me something," Harry said with a shrug. "I think she's been giving me the dreams to lead me here."
"A girl's bathroom?" Kingsley asked skeptically.
"Not exactly," Harry countered. "She wants me to go into the Chamber of Secrets that has a hidden entrance in the girl's bathroom."
Kingsley stared at Harry for a long moment, his face stern and partially disbelieving. "I highly doubt the castle would want you to jump into a pipe without telling anyone, wearing your night clothes and unarmed," he said doubtfully as he gave Harry a light shove towards the door. "I think we should run this past your godfather first. If he agrees, then we'll talk."
To say that Sirius was displeased with Kingley's report was an understatement but that didn't stop him from moving into action to form a research team along with everything they would need to venture down into the Chamber of Secrets. An hour later, everyone who would be included in the expedition was dressed and ready. Tonks, Hermione and Ron would stay behind to continue the current research and to provide assistance in case something happened in the Chamber of Secrets.
Ron wasn't happy about the arrangement but the 'adults' had their minds made up. Dressed in protective clothing and with their wands at the ready, Harry, Sirius, Remus and Kingsley jumped down the passage way, sliding down a slimy dark slide-like pipe. Other smaller pipes could be seen branching off in all directions. Twisting and turning before sloping steeply downward made Harry feel queasy, forcing him to close his eyes just as the pipe leveled out. He shot out of the end and immediately tucked his legs to land in a crouched position.
Opening his eyes, Harry glanced around and recognized the damp floor of a dark stone tunnel covered with bones of rats along with the black and slimy walls. He moved aside as Sirius came whizzing out of the pipe followed by Remus and finally Kingsley. Their landings hadn't been as graceful since they hadn't been expecting it.
"That was interesting," Sirius muttered as he brushed off his sleeves. "Now that we're down here, do we know how we're getting back up?"
Harry glanced at Sirius with a raised eyebrow as he banished the bones with a flick of his wand. "I'm sure we'll figure something out," he said as he turned towards the tunnel. "Be careful where you step and what spells you use. The last time I was down here there was a cave-in." Harry started walking, knowing that everyone else would be following shortly. He really couldn't afford to be distracted at the moment. The faint presence of darkness was already giving him a headache.
A quick Lumos provided enough light for Harry to see what was directly in front of him. It wasn't long before he spotted large pieces of debris from Lockhart's memory spell that had backfired years ago. The hole in the rubble seemed so much smaller now. He had to crouch down and move sideways to fit through. This certainly proves that I've grown quite a bit over the past four years.
It wasn't as easy for everyone else to slide through the opening. Sirius and Kingsley actually had to carefully banish debris on each side without causing another cave-in. Once everyone was through, they continued following the tunnel, turn after turn. The darkness surrounding Harry increased with every step, causing him to shiver no matter how much he tried to hide it. The only reason no one noticed was because they were too caught up in their surroundings. It was one thing to know about the existence of The Chamber of Secrets but it was something completely different to actually see it.
It wasn't long before they walked around the final bend and saw the solid wall with two entwined serpents carved into it. The emeralds that represented their eyes sparkled in the light from Harry's wand. Letting out a shaky breath, Harry focused completely on the two snakes before saying, 'Open' in a low, faint his.
The serpents parted as the wall cracked open and a foul stench washed over them. Harry instantly covered his mouth and nose, fearing that he would soon lose whatever had been in his stomach. He certainly hadn't been prepared for that even though he should have suspected it. There had been a dead Basilisk decaying inside for the past four years.
As fast as the stench had overwhelmed them, it vanished leaving only the damp, moldy smell that Harry had grown accustomed to. Gentle waves of reassurance brushed up against Harry, letting him know what had just happened. Hogwarts had provided a helping hand once again. Harry couldn't hold back a smile as he looked at where the sliding wall had slid smoothly out of sight, revealing a very long and dimly lit chamber. Sometimes it really helped to have a magical castle on your side.
"What just happened?" asked Remus as he cautiously inhaled.
"Hogwarts banished the decaying Basilisk for us," Harry answered as he rubbed the back of his neck before entering the chamber. Waves of nervousness and caution poured off of Sirius, Remus and Kingsley as they hurried to catch up. Harry kept his gaze forward, ignoring the towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose up into the darkness that hid the ceiling. Their footsteps echoed loudly off the walls, making it feel even creepier than it already was.
They walked in complete silence until they reached the last pair of pillars and stood in front of the large statue as high as the Chamber itself of in the shape of Salazar Slytherin. "Do you think Slytherin was trying to compensate for something?" Sirius asked curiously.
Kingsley let out a snort while Remus just shook his head in exasperation. "Do I even want to know what you're talking about?" Tonks asked guardedly through their earpieces.
"Probably not," Sirius and Remus said at the same time.
"Looks like you're going to have to watch your mouth, Sirius," Kingsley said dryly.
Sirius glanced at Kingsley with a raised eyebrow. "You clearly don't know Tonks well, do you?" he asked.
Harry let out a frustrated sigh as he ran a hand over his face. He knew everyone was uneasy but he really didn't want to deal with four adults bickering at the moment. Well, Sirius, Remus and Tonks will bicker while Kingsley will try to control the situation. "Let's split up and look around," Harry interrupted. "Don't touch anything without scanning it first." He walked off to the left without waiting for a reply and began searching. He just wanted to get this over with. Was that too much to ask?
"Harry?" Remus asked gently as he caught up. "Harry, what's wrong?"
"Let's get just get to work, all right?" Harry asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "The sooner we find whatever is down here the sooner we can get back to finding the Horcruxes."
"Tonks, Ron and Hermione are working on it, Harry," Remus said cautiously as he moved so he was meeting Harry's gaze. "Tonks is in constant communication with us so we'll know the moment they find anything. What's really bothering you?"
"I just think we're wasting time," Harry insisted and returned to his search. The darkness around him was growing but he didn't dare mention it. How do you tell people that you can sense dark magic without the help aid of spells? It was practically unheard of. So is being empathic and a natural healer but it's a well-known fact that I'm not normal.
The search was long and frustrating with no results. A splitting headache made it even worse for Harry. The constant presence of darkness was really starting to affect him, forcing Harry to put more and more distance between himself and the rest of the group. It was bad enough hearing everything they said in his ear. He didn't think he could handle them constantly asking if something was wrong on top of it.
A little help would be greatly appreciated.
Almost immediately, Harry felt a slight pull to the wall behind Slytherin's statue. He approached cautiously and winced as his headache intensified slightly. It was starting to become difficult to think clearly. Every step seemed to take an eternity but speeding up the pace took too much effort. When his fingers finally rested against the damp wall, Harry could only let out a sigh of relief. At least he had something to lean up against now.
Resting his forehead against the cool wall, Harry let out a sigh as the pain decreased slightly. He couldn't explain why now of all times this had happened. He was just grateful that he was able to consider his next step without his head throbbing in pain. It was clear that there was some sort of hidden chamber behind the wall. The question now was who had put it there? Slytherin or Voldemort?
Taking a chance, Harry closed his eyes and focused on talking to a snake. "Open in the name of Slytherin, the greatest of the Hogwarts four," he hissed in Parseltongue.
The affect was immediate. The entire chamber began to shake as the wall slowly moved, creating a hole in the center of it. Harry reflexively stepped back while Sirius, Remus and Kingsley rushed to his side. No one said a word as a small room filled with books, crates and artifacts was revealed. Sirius let out a whoop for joy and would have hurried inside if Kingsley hadn't held him back.
"Some restraint would be wise, Sirius," Kingsley advised.
"I agree," Remus added. "Protective gloves and charms everyone."
Everyone already had their gloves on so it didn't take long for the appropriate spells to be cast, allowing them to cautiously enter the hidden room. There was a faint presence of dark magic but it wasn't anything like what he had felt before. Closing his eyes, Harry cautiously reached out with his senses and allowed himself to be pulled to the right. He walked as if he were in a trance until his foot struck something hard. Harry quickly opened his eyes to see shelves of old, dusty books in front of him. Some of them looked like they were on the verge of breaking apart while others looked like they had never been read.
Sensing no overpowering presence of dark magic, Harry reached up and began to brush off the dust. There seemed to be a little of everything. Transfiguration, Charms, Defense, Potions, Herbology, Astronomy, Magical Creatures, History, Dark Arts, Wizarding Customs, Wizarding Law, Magical Myths, Magical Abilities, Legends, Complete History of the Founders of Hogwarts…
Harry gasped as he grabbed the book and opened it. The book was written in an older English style that was difficult to read. Harry slowly sank to his knees, trying to ignore the noise everyone else was making. They were examining all of the artifacts in the hope that one of them could be a Horcrux. Harry knew it wouldn't be that easy for them and too difficult for Voldemort. What was the point of preserving a part of your soul in something that was hidden some place no one could access?
Holding the book against his chest protectively, Harry turned his attention to the rest of the books. Perhaps there was something here about Horcruxes that would help them. Voldemort had obviously spent a lot of time down here so maybe, just maybe that was why Hogwarts was so resolute that they venture down here. This was their opportunity to know what Voldemort had been researching before he actually became Lord Voldemort.
"Find anything, Harry?" Remus asked curiously as he rested a hand on Harry's shoulder.
Harry handed over the book and watched as Remus' eyes widened to an unnatural size the moment he figured out what the book was about. "Think it will help?" he asked.
Remus nodded as he slowly flipped through the pages. "This book was thought to have been destroyed years ago," he said in awe. "It is believed to be the most accurate recount of the Founders and the creation of Hogwarts. It's considered priceless!"
"I'll take that as a yes then," Harry said evenly then turned his attention to the rest of the books, mentally scolding himself for allowing his frustration with his headache to get the better of him. This is why I was keeping my distance from everyone.
Remus glanced up at Harry with a cautious look on his face. "What's wrong, Harry?" he asked quietly. "You're extremely tense."
Harry's hands tightened into fists. He really didn't want to start another round of talking about his feelings and certainly didn't want everyone to overreact to an ordinary headache. All he wanted was for everyone to give him some room to breathe. Was that really too much to ask for? "You would be tense too if you had to revisit the place you nearly died at twelve-years-old," Harry said coolly. "Can we just finish up so we can get out of here?"
Remus stared at Harry for a moment before nodding. "Sure Harry," he said calmly. "Just let me know if you need a break, all right?"
Harry nodded and they fell into a slightly tense silence, browsing book after book to see if it would be helpful. They ended up pulling several books and a few magical weapons that could be useful in a tight situation. Everything was placed in its own protective case before being shrunk and put in a bag Kingsley had conjured. Everyone had agreed that it was better to be safe than sorry especially with some of the items packed.
Their transportation up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom arrived in a flash of flames shortly after exiting the main chamber of the Chamber of Secrets. No words were said while Fawkes flew to Harry, landed on his shoulder and began to sing a soothing melody that made everyone relax. Harry immediately felt his headache slowly decrease and would have collapsed in relief if Sirius hadn't caught him. Waves of compassion, understanding and concern wrapped around him pushing away the constant darkness that seemed to surround him. Harry was so exhausted he didn't even notice Fawkes transporting them through fire to the Marauder Quarters.
It wasn't until Fawkes had vanished and Sirius began to usher him into his room that Harry began to snap out of his haze. "What are you doing?" Harry asked as he pulled away from Sirius.
"Putting you to bed since you obviously aren't feeling well," Sirius answered while taking Harry by the arm and leading him to the far bed. "Fawkes clearly agrees with me since he brought us here instead of Myrtle's bathroom. Did you really think we didn't notice that something was wrong? We were just waiting for you to speak up."
Harry pulled his arm free again and staggered towards his bed. "Whatever," he said quietly. "How long do I have to stay here for not telling you about a simple headache?"
Sirius enfolded his arms across his chest, his gaze never wavering. "This isn't a punishment, Harry," he said sternly. "You're not feeling well and you need rest. I know you want this finished but that's no reason to push yourself like you did in the Chamber. You need to learn to accept that there are people here who are willing to share the load."
"I am sharing the load!" Harry shot back. Everyone was helping with the research, the Minister was handling the Death Eater attacks, Sirius and Remus were managing communication and information from beyond the walls of Hogwarts, and the teaching staff assisted with his studies. There really wasn't much that he actually did at the present moment without help and yet it still wasn't enough for them.
"Harry—"
"—just leave me alone, Sirius," Harry interrupted in frustration as he turned away and pulled off his protective gloves. Go and do my job while you treat me like a helpless child. Sirius looked like he was about to protest for a moment but he gave in and left with his shoulders hunched forward. Harry watched him go, knowing what was coming. He needed to make Sirius and Remus see that he could make his own decisions. Ron and Hermione didn't have their parents second guessing every choice they made. Why should he be any different?
The door opened slowly, allowing the light to slowly create a path to the two beds in the small room. The first bed was neatly made while the second was occupied by a long and lean body mostly hidden underneath a thin blanket. The only visible feature was the messy black hair that could only belong to a Potter. His back faced the door but his slow, even breathing could be heard serving as a notice that he was indeed asleep.
Two figures, one thin and the other of average build, stood in the doorway watching Harry sleep, their faces shadowed in the darkness. With reluctance, they entered the room and moved towards Harry's bed. Their steps were slow and soft, making no sound whatsoever. It would be easy to believe that the two figures were a threat to Harry except for the way they held themselves. Their shoulders were slumped slightly in a sign of reluctance and tiredness.
"I can't believe Minerva's making us wake him up," the average built man grumbled quietly. "He obviously needed sleep with as irritable as he was."
The thin man let out a sigh. "Harry was irritable, Sirius, because once again you insist on treating him like a child and don't you dare roll your eyes at me. Yes, Harry should have told us he was in pain but how can we expect him to be honest with us when you're right there to make him feel incompetent?"
"Fawkes agreed with me," Sirius protested.
"Fawkes probably knew Harry didn't have the patience to be bombarded with questions," Remus countered. "A simple pain reliever could have solved the problem and would have allowed him to help with the research. This is his way of dealing with everything that's happened, Sirius. Harry needs to feel like he's doing something to stop Voldemort and you're keeping him from that."
"I am not!" Sirius hissed through his teeth. "I'm simply looking out for him. We didn't have all of the answers at seventeen, Remus. We can't expect Harry to be any different."
"We weren't raised like Harry," Remus insisted. "I know you want to protect him but unless you start to trust him, Harry will find his own way of participating in this war. Is that what you want?"
Sirius glared at Remus before shoulder and giving Harry's shoulder a gentle shake. "Time to wake up, kiddo," he said softly. Consciousness slowly poured in as Harry rolled onto his back and slowly blinked his eyes open at two blurry figures. "Sorry Harry but Scrimgeour will be here soon for an update and he wants you to be there."
Harry let out a tired groan as he rubbed his eyes and rolled out of bed. He didn't remember when he had drifted off except that he it had been after the fifth rendition of what he was going to say to his guardians for them to leave him alone and let him work on finding the Horcruxes without them second guessing everything he did. They didn't know what it was like to have something else always there, urging you to do something and they didn't know what it was like to sense what Harry could sense.
They don't understand and there's no way they can.
Remus pulled Sirius out of the room so Harry could change and try to push all of his resentment and anger towards his guardians to the back of his mind. He knew that there would be a confrontation sooner or later but the Minister of Magic didn't need to witness it. Concentrating on the war was the priority at the moment, not family problems and the emotional baggage that came with it.
Harry was greeted by a tense silence when he stepped out of his room. Sirius and Remus were sitting on opposite sides of the Common Room, refusing to look at each other. Anger and frustration collided in an intensity that Harry had never felt from Sirius and Remus…at least towards each other. Harry could only pinch the bridge of his nose, his own frustration adding to the swelling emotions. This was really the last thing they needed at the moment.
"Do I even want to know what's going on?" Harry asked quietly.
"No!" both men said quickly.
Harry stared at them with a raised eyebrow for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and walking towards the door. Sirius and Remus were clearly arguing about one of two things: Harry or the role the 'children' were currently playing in the search for the Horcruxes. It was obvious that Sirius still saw Harry as the helpless child who needed rescuing from the Dursleys and not the young man he had become. Harry had a feeling it would always be that way and had to wonder if all guardians were the same way. Petunia Dursley had treated Dudley that way but she had also believed that her son was a perfect little angle when he was actually anything but.
I'm comparing Sirius to Aunt Petunia. It honestly can't be that bad, right?
Opening the door seemed to snap Sirius and Remus out of their stubbornness as they hurried out of their seats to follow Harry. They walked to Professor McGonagall's office in silence, ignoring the tension building between Sirius and Remus. Harry bit back a frustrated sigh. It was amazing how two men could switch from overprotective parents one minute to stubborn children the next. Wonderful role models I have here.
"Where are Ron and Hermione?" Harry asked curiously.
That snapped Sirius and Remus out of their stubborn silence. "In the Library with Tonks researching some of the artifacts we found in the Chamber," Remus said as he shot a glare at Sirius. "We can join them after the meeting with the Minister. I know they will be relieved to see you."
Great. It wasn't that he didn't want to see his friends. It was just that he wasn't in the mood for the questions and concern that were guaranteed to come. They never believed the 'I'm fine' answer anymore. Probably because I've used that too many times when things were clearly less than 'fine'. "What does Scrimgeour want to talk about anyways?" Harry asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"He wouldn't say," Sirius answered gruffly. "It's obvious that he's getting impatient. The war is certainly getting ugly and wants you to tell him that and end is in sight."
Remus and Harry stared at Sirius with raised eyebrows. They certainly didn't miss the bitterness in Sirius' voice or the truth in his words. It was just surprising that it came from Sirius. That sort of in dept comment normally came from Remus when he was in 'Professor-mode'.
It wasn't long before they were walking up the moving spiral staircase to the office that Harry had avoided ever since Professor Dumbledore's death. He knew it was childish but he really didn't want to be reminded of what had transpired in that office only a few hours before Dumbledore's death. They reached the top of the stairs in no time and, with a slight hesitation, entered the circular office.
For a brief moment Harry thought he saw Dumbledore sitting behind his desk again but, after blinking, he realized that it was actually Professor McGonagall. The office looked exactly like Harry remembered it, silver instruments everywhere, whirring and puffing on their spindle legged tables. Gryffindor's sword was still in its glass case, the Sorting Hat was on the shelf behind the desk and Fawkes' perch was where Harry remembered it but it was empty. The only significant difference was that a new portrait had joined the vast group of dead headmasters and headmistresses. Harry nearly gasped at the sight of Professor Dumbledore slumbering in a golden frame, unaware of the atmosphere surrounding him.
A hand rested on Harry's shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. "We don't know when he'll wake up, Harry," Remus said sympathetically. "When he does, he'll have Dumbledore's personality but there will be some differences."
Harry nodded absentmindedly. That was Remus' way of saying that even though it looked like Professor Dumbledore, it wasn't really Professor Dumbledore. The real Professor Dumbledore was encased in a tomb outside on the grounds. He's gone and he's never coming back.
"Hello Harry," Professor McGonagall said with a compassionate smile as she rose to her feet. "I apologize for the short notice but the Minister was extremely persistent. He wouldn't settle for us relaying the messages this time."
"It isn't that surprising, Minerva," Remus said thoughtfully while ushering Harry to one of the chairs in front of Professor McGonagall's desk. "Harry has faced Voldemort more than anyone else. If Scrimgeour wants information, he's going ask an expert."
"I'm hardly an expert," Harry interjected. "Voldemort has just made a habit of underestimating me. It's really nothing to brag about."
Sirius, Remus and Professor McGonagall shared a look but remained silent which was probably a good thing because a moment later, the flames in the large fireplace turned green, roared to life and revealed a spinning wizard in their heart, disgorging him moments later onto the rug. Professor McGonagall seemed to take on an entirely new persona. Her back straightened slightly, giving her a more commanding presence and her face held a stern gaze. This was the Professor McGonagall that students normally faced when they had done something wrong.
Rufus Scrimgeour looked exactly how Harry remembered him…like an old lion. There was slightly more gray in his mane of tawny hair and bushy eyebrows but his sharp yellowish eyes behind a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles were as alert as they had always been. He dusted off his long black robes and turned to Harry, a satisfied look appearing on his face. "Ah, Mr. Potter," Scrimgeour said with a nod. "Thank you for meeting with me."
Harry stared at Scrimgeour for a long moment. "I was under the impression that you demanded to speak with me, sir," he said evenly as he sat down. "Was I misled by my guardians and the Headmistress of Hogwarts?"
Scrimgeour cleared his throat as he moved to the remaining chair, turning it so it was somewhat facing Harry's. "It was a request, Mr. Potter," he clarified. "I wanted to speak to you about the Death Eater attack at the Ministry. I'm sure you're aware that they tried to break into the Department of Mysteries. I am at a loss to why He-who-must-not-be-named would take such a risk, especially in broad daylight."
"What were they after?" Harry asked thoughtfully.
Scrimgeour hesitated for a moment before answering, "Time-Turners. We ran a complete inventory after the break-in but found nothing missing."
"Nothing in the Time-Turner room or in the complete Ministry?" asked Sirius.
Scrimgeour turned his gaze to Sirius. "Excuse me?" he asked cautiously.
Sirius enfolded his arms across his chest. "The attack could have been a distraction," he offered. "You called back Aurors stationed at the Weasley wedding. That means there weren't enough Aurors at the Ministry to take care of the problem." Scrimgeour bristled slightly. "Any Auror that responded to the call would have abandoned their post, leaving it open for attack."
"I agree," Harry added. "Voldemort is a master of manipulation. He would probably sacrifice the majority of his Death Eaters if it meant gaining ground in the war. Invading the Ministry in the middle of a day isn't Voldemort's style. I have a feeling that if he would have gotten a Time-Turner he would have been pleased but he wouldn't curse the Death Eaters into oblivion if the mission failed. You need to look at who abandoned their post to help the Ministry and go from there."
Scrimgeour rubbed his chin as he let out a long breath. "I was afraid of this," he murmured then rose to his feet. "I must be going then. If I discover anything, I'll be sure to let you know, Harry. After all, we are in this fight together."
Harry could only watch as Scrimgeour walked back to the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder and flooed back to the Ministry. That was all that the Minister needed to talk about? Sure, it may have been a big deal for Scrimgeour but Sirius and Remus could have easily handled it. In fact, Harry doubted he would have considered the ulterior motive is Sirius hadn't suggested it. That was all the proof Harry needed to know that even though everyone saw him as a leader, he was anything but. He didn't have the knowledge that could only come from experience like the adults around him. He was just a kid with desire to avenge those who had been taken from him.
This world is so messed up it isn't funny.
A/N: Sorry it took so long. Life's been interferring with my creativity again. I'll try to update Unknown Relations before I leave for my family vacation to Alaska and will try to have the next chapter of Rise of the Protector ready when I get back. I'm hoping to get a lot of writing done on the plane.