Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter universe, JKR is the one making all the money.

AN: This will be the last chapter that has not been looked at by a beta, I hope. Sorry for the delay in updating this is the longest chapter so far. I hope everyone likes it. The story will be strictly Harry/Hermione.

Chapter 5.

Harry sat in thought for a moment trying to decide where to begin. Then hit him like a bludger to back.

Harry asked to have some privacy spells cast as well as a scan for listening spells or devices. Remus and Tonks did as asked and found three different spying spells cast just on the den and the kitchen areas. Not long after the spells were located were they deactivated.

As they finished up the casting of the privacy spells Remus asked about the need for the secrecy.

"This is what everyone was guarding this year, and what has caused me to lose every family member that I have known. This was told to Dumbles when he was interviewing the new divination teacher about a year before I was born."

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

"The Dork Lord knows the first half of this. Apparently someone was spying on the interview trying to get tips on what he could do or say to get hired at Hogwarts. They made a noise and were found out and left before they could hear the end of it. Supposedly they went straight to Tommy and told him. There were two magical children born that year at the end of July. Me and Neville Longbottom. Riddle went after me first for some unknown reason. The rest is well…."

He left off the rest of his statement because everyone knew what happened that fateful night in October.

Remus collected himself a little quicker than the rest.

"Harry that explains why Albus would want you protected but does not explain his manipulating you."

Harry looked at him and the rest of the group all had the same confused look. His started to speak but stopped. He was trying to figure out from what point in time he wanted to begin with. He thought about his entire life for a moment, reviewing everything that had happened to him and his friends. Before he started his explanation, he asked the wizards and one lone witch in the room,

"What do you people know about my life here at the Dursley's and do you know what supposed protections and wards are in place to ensure my safety?

Remus responded first.

"We don't know much about your life prior to you coming to Hogwarts. We were informed that it would be better to stay away due to the Dursley's dislike of anything magical. Albus told everyone the reason you have to live here in because of the blood wards that are in effect. Due to your mother's sacrifice, you have to live with someone that is related to you by blood."

When Lupin finished his statement, Petunia's revelation from earlier hit him like a beaters bat to the groin. There are no blood wards here because Lily and Petunia were not biological sisters. He growled out his next sentence more to himself than for anyone else.

"What is Albus thinking."

Harry said, "Remus think about it, is there really anyone that would truly try to go against what Dumbledore said? Most of the wizarding world looks at him like he can do no wrong. Even the most intelligent people in our world supplicate them selves before him like he is a god. It gets worse every time someone tries to go against him and they are proven wrong. After awhile no one even attempts to prove him incorrect."

When Harry finished Tonks asked, "What about this past year? The ministry was against him at every turn.

Harry just gave her a look that said are you stupid. Then went on to explain.

"Trust me that was more about him supporting me and my declaring Voldemort back than anything else. And now the public knows I was telling the truth, there by justifying Albus' choice in backing me. Do you really think anyone, other than Tom, will try to disagree or go after Dumbledore again. He could walk into the Ministry, fire off half dozen Aks, and claim they were Death Eaters, and no one would even take him in for questioning."

"I will let you ponder that for a moment. I will be brief in describing my life here at my so called relatives. IT SUCKED. I was beaten if the chores were not done in a timely fashion. I was starved if I didn't prepare the food just the way they liked it. I was yelled at for making too much noise when I breathed. Worst of all was when it happened all at once, along with being thrown in to my room, better know as the cupboard under the stairs."

When the young man finished his short telling of history with the Dursleys, everyone else had drawn some form of weapon.

Harry said, "don't do anything to them, they are not even worth wasting your effort to harm them. They will get theirs in due time. This I promise you and them." This was communicated with such malice no one understood the intent behind his words.

With the Dursleys reduced to meaningless observers, Harry started to explain his first four years at Hogwarts, including details that very few people knew.

"The first magical people I met were the Weasleys, other than Hagrid. We met outside the barrier to Platform 9 ¾. The only reason I noticed them was Molly screaming "this way to 9 ¾." She should not have had to do this. With her having already sent her five oldest to the school already. My guess is Albus asked her to do this since Hagrid "forgot" to tell me how to get on the train. Then once on the train, the only compartment that had room, only had one occupant, Ron Weasley. All he talked about was how great Gryffindor was and that the worst of the worst were sorted into Slytherin. From there he just explained the houses and Quidditch. We also met Hermione and Neville during the train ride."

Harry paused here to let them think about that for a moment and to straighten out his line of thought. He began again.

"After we got to the school, Malfoy made an ass of himself by insulting my judgment and the first people I thought I could call friends. When Hermione and Neville were placed in Gryffindor and Malfoy sorted in Slytherin, there was no way I was going to let the hat put me there. So we argued. He told me that Slytherin House could lead me to great things but I refused to listen to what he said. I kept mumbling, not Slytherin over and over until he agreed. Of course you know the rest."

"Now on to Halloween night. A mountain troll was let into the supposedly safest place in Britain without the Headmaster's knowledge. Give me a break. And don't tell me you believe that Albus didn't know Tom was getting a piggy back ride on the opposite side of Quirrell's head. He is the strongest legilimes in Great Britain. He is always scanning people. That's why he has that damn twinkle going. It is a form of passive legilimency.

"After he saw what I would do to protect someone I thought of as a friend, he decided to start leaving little hints to what was on the third floor corridor. Like having Hagrid tell us about Flamel and Fluffy. I know it was him who returned my father's invisibility cloak to me at Christmas. He had all the tasks that protected the stone set to Ron's Hermione's and my strengths. Flying for me, chess for Ron, and potions for Hermione. The troll didn't count as he was already out of the picture."

Harry left off the actual fight with Quirrill and Voldemort's spirit, he just assumed everyone knew what happened.

Harry decide to gloss over the second and forth years. He did ask the others about why no one thought it odd that he didn't know where the Chamber of Secrets was. He was there the last time it was open. He mentioned the fact that he had to know it was Ginny opening up the chamber due to his legilimency.

"The reason he let things continue, he wanted to see if I would try to save friend's sister that I barely knew. Well of course I would I was worried if I didn't I would lose Ron's friend ship. He probably knew when I was going and that I needed some form of help once I arrived. The assistance was in the form of a thousand year old hat, with a mythical sword shoved up it's ass, being carried by a phoenix that was immune to the snakes death glare. It didn't hurt that Fawkes could heal any wound that I might have gotten just with his tears.

He got lucky the snake decided to bite me instead of it trying to swallow me whole. I don't think Fawkes could have brought me back from inside its intestines."

Harry had to take a break at this point. He was getting to worked up and his magic was starting to surface. He decided to fix a light snack for everyone.

By the time he returned with the food and beverage, everyone in the room had some form of realization of their face. Harry knew he only needed to drive the last few nails in to have everyone convinced that Dumbles was a manipulating bastard.

"My third year probably screwed up his plans somewhat or I should say Sirius screwed them up. My guess is that there wasn't much going to happen because he was preparing for the Tri-Wizard the next year. I think the only thing that he wanted to happen was me getting closer to Remus. He wanted to see how I would react to one of parent's friends and to see how I felt about a so call dark creature."

When Sirius Black was first mentioned, Alzander was about to say something but was silenced by DaZach before anyone else noticed.

When Harry detailed the next part of his third year, it was with the familiar Potter smirk and just a hint of mischief.

"What he didn't count on was the effect the Dementors had on me or my determination and ability to perform the Patronus charm. This scared him a little. It showed I had more power than most of the trained wizards in Britain and I was only 13 at the time. I sure he shit himself when he found out I drove off over a hundred of the vile bastards."

Everyone in the room chuckled over that statement.

"What really threw him for a twist was that Pettigrew was alive, and living in the castle. Once he found out where we went, I sure he sent Snape to screw it up. When things went pear shaped, with Remus transforming and forgetting his potion and the chased that ended with Sirius' and my soul almost being sucked out by the Dementors, he had Hermione and me go back in time and do it over again to get it right. I should have known something was up then."

"The frosting on the pudding though was the fact that he would not help Padfoot gain his freedom. He is the Supreme Mugwump for Merlin's sake. All he had to do was give Sirius some Veritaserum and he would have been freed. But he couldn't have that could he. If Sirius was free, he would have found a way to regain guardianship of me and then his ultimate goal would have been shot to hell."

At this point in time Harry decided to take in everyone's reaction so far. What he saw was the slow dawning of realization on Remus and Tonks faces, looks of disbelieving on the Dursley's and blank masks on the faces of the two new comers.

Harry waited a little while longer before he started up again discussing his forth year.

"I should have known something was up when I started having those dreams right before the Quidditch World Cup. I saw Tom talking to Barty Jr. and the rat. I just didn't know it was Crouch's son until I accidentally fell in Dumbledore's pensive. I think he had the tournament restarted just to test my skills against the older students from the different schools and to see if I was capable of withstanding the pressure of every thing that went with being a champion. I also think that he could have done something to get me out of participating if he really wanted to."

As Harry paused to take a breath, Alzander spoke up.

"My Lord, there have always be safe guards in place to prevent what happened to you from occurring."

"What?" Harry, Remus, and Tonks replied at the same time.

"Since you did not actually write your name and place it in the Goblet of Fire, adding a fourth participant to a competition designed for three people, all he had to do was declare the tournament null and void. After he had called the tournament over, the goblet could have been relit, names be resubmitted, and new champions selected.

"The reason I know this, is was part of my training. The Tri-Wizards Cup is based off of a knights competition that was started by Arthur and Merlin as a test of their skills. Merlin originally enchanted the Goblet of Fire to dwindle the selection of participants and to keep the event from lasting too long. I am completely versed in the rules of the tournament because they have not changed in over a millennia."

As Alzander was finishing his explanation of the rules. The rage Harry felt earlier came back full force. Harry's rant lasted almost thirty minutes. During this time he describe detail what he was going to do to his esteemed Headmaster the next time they met. It made everyone in the house glad for silencing spells and relieved that their name was not Albus Dumbledore.

Eventually Tonks was getting rather tired of the young man's diatribe, so she did the only thing she could think of, she morphed her appearance into Hermione, tapped him on the shoulder, and before he thought about who was standing in front of him, she snogged him.

At first he actually responded like any hormonal teenager would. Then he thought about what was going on and who it was actually kissing him. He pushed Tonks away using mild force. Then he turned away from Tonks. His next words shocked everyone, himself included.

"Thanks Tonks for calming me down, but that was also the worst thing you could have done. The next time I see her I am going to be wondering if that was how she would kiss. Or if she tasted the same way. And I know that I will never get to find out first hand because she only thinks of the as her best friend. I guess I can pretend that it was actually her kissing me when I think about this in the future."

You could see the longing and desperation on his face as he responded to the kiss. Tonks next statement didn't help him feel any better.

"I am sorry Harry. It did not dawn on me that you two were not a couple. We heard from the twins that you left that Chang girl to meet Hermione on Valentine's Day and just assumed you two were together,"

"In my dreams. Only in my dreams am I that lucky Tonks"

"Who knows lover boy, she just might feel the same way. All you have to do is show some of the Gryffindor courage you are know for and tell her how you feel. If that doesn't work just kiss her and she will be putty in your hands. By the way where did you learn to kiss like that.?"

That last comment had Harry blushing Weasley red and everyone else laughing at his embarrassment. This accomplished what the young metamorphmagus had intended, to calm Harry down.

With his emotions back under control, Harry went on to gloss over his fourth year, skipping over the details that were well known by now. The only thing he questioned was;

"how did Albus not know that Barty Jr. was impersonating Mad-Eye. Even if the headmaster was not a master legilimens, he should have been able to tell the guy was a fake. They were supposed to have been best of friends for sixty five years or so, don't you think."

Harry did not give anyone a chance to answer his question.

"I am sure he knew something was off with the guy. My guess is Albus wanted to see what the guy had planned. I think Dumbles was caught off guard when Cedric and I were both port keyed out of the maze. I also think he was truly shocked when Cedric came dead and I came back alive. Don't get me wrong, he didn't care about Cedric dying. My guess is he figured Moldy would kill me, thus ending the prophecy. Then all he had to do was kill Riddle and he would absolute power over the magical world.

"When I came back breathing, it must have messed up his plans big time. I think that is why everything happened this past year. He didn't count on the Ministry and the media to go after him with such vengeance. It was the first time in over fifty years that anyone questioning the Great, All knowing, All Powerful, Albus Percival Brian Wulfric Dumbledore. He just did not know what to do.

Here he paused and collected himself. He knew the next part was going to be the second most difficult thing he would have to do. Explain how and why he had gotten his friends hurt and his godfather killed.

He began by asking Tonks, "Can I get you to file a complaint for me?

"Sure, who?'

"Dolores Umbridge"

"What for?"

"In general for being an utter bitch. Mainly for using a blood quill on me, and other students, for detentions, for sending the Dementors after me and Dudley, for attempting to use Veritaserum on students, mainly me, assaulting underage wizards and witches, me and my friends, and oh yea attempting to use an unforgivable on me when I would not tell her where Dumbles was hiding."

"You have got to be kidding me. If you can prove this, it will rock the Ministry to its foundation and have Fudge sacked in no time."

"No, I am not kidding you and yes I can prove it. I have witnesses to and/or her admitting to her actions. Just give me a pensive and you will have all the proof you need."

"Harry, I will do what you ask and file the complaint but let us wait until you are done explaining you theory about Albus and any other adventure you had this year. I think everyone here believes you about the old coot but we are also interested in what happened this past school year."

"I can wait a little while longer to see that toad get what she deserves."

"You all know what happened before school started. What with the Dementor attack and the trial. You also know about how Umbitch came to be at the school, what with Fudge appointing her as DADA teacher and then High Inquisitor of the school. This is where Dumbledore started losing control of the situation. He couldn't have seen Fudge growing a back bone and taking over Hogwarts. He was so sure no one would fuck with him and the way he ran 'his' school. Boy was he wrong!"

Everyone laughed at the thought of Dumbledore being told how to run the school.

"The first part of the year was not so bad in comparison to the last half. I mean DADA was terrible and the detentions were brutal. It kind of sucked being banned from Quidditch but it did feel great to beat the shit out of Draco. That part I guess is a draw. The last half had to be the worst six months of my life, including my time here at Durzkaban. The only bright spot was the DA and spending Christmas with Sirius."

"I guess it started going straight to hell when Mr. Wesley got bit by the snake. I don't know if Dumbledork told anyone this but I saw the attack happen in one of my visions. I saw it from the view point of the snake. As if I was the snake. That snake that bit Mr. Weasley is Moldishorts, her name is Nagini.

"I felt terrible. I thought it was my fault. I know it wasn't, that it was Voldemort just breaking in to my mind. Albus figured it out too. That was when he decided I had to have Occlumency lessons with Snivellus. That man couldn't teach a new born baby how to breast feed let alone teach anything else. All he would do is tell me to clear my mind and then break into my mind. He never explained how to clear my mind or how to go about building shields to prevent someone from entering my head. At the end of every lesson my head hurt so much I could barely see straight let alone practice clearing my mind.

"If you ask me, all he was doing was making it easier for Snake Nuts to enter my mind and send false visions. It was like he wanted me to fail."

While Harry was taking a breath, DaZach spoke up,

"My Lord you are exactly correct in your thinking. All this teacher was doing was making things worse for you not better. Occlumency is taught in peaceful situations and takes time to build proper resistance from intrusions. Once we leave here, we will have someone teach you the proper way to go about protecting your mind."

Harry was shocked to hear he was leaving his Aunt's house, but then remembered the letter from his parents and smiled.

"Cool" was the young man's response. Then he continued going over the events of the year.

"While that was going on, what might have even been worse was the way DADA was going. Umbitch would not let use our wands to learn any defense and this was our O.W.L. year.

"The last Hogsmeade weekend before Christmas break, Hermione arranged to have a meeting at the Hogs Head pub. I figured there would four or five people there. Boy was I wrong. Most of the fifth year Gryfs were there along with the twins, the chasers from my team, Ginny Weasley, the Creevy brothers, Susan Bones and some Hufflepuffs. Luna Lovegood, Cho Change, her best friend Marietta, and some other Ravenclaws came to the meeting also. They wanted me to teach them defense. At first I thought they had all gone round the twist, but Hermione and the twins convinced me to do it. I say the twins because I had never seen them so serious before then.

"After the meeting, I thought we were screwed. The toad had announced one of her decrees that all clubs must me her approval before meeting. We decided to hell with it and meet in secret. "We decided to call it Dumbledore's Army and Hermione jinxed a sign up sheet to hex a person if they betrayed the group. That girl is brilliant. The only problem then was where to meet. Dobby gave that solution, the Room of Requirement. I think this is where Dumbles started to try and control me again.

"The reason I say this is, he knows almost every inch of the castle and must have told Dobby about it. Come on I love Dobby to death but he isn't the brightest candle in the box. Also during our research for spells to teach, Hermione and I would mysteriously find these pieces of parchment with spells on them. At the time I thought the help was great but the curses and hexes seemed a little weak compared to what a Death Eater would use. I think the Manipulative old Bastard wanted us trained to pass a test but not well enough to survive a fight. 'Mione and I would use the hints for warm up and things like that but

we found better ones to use if things got hairy.

"The people in the group were doing great. They were learning and I was having fun teaching. I was proud of myself too especially when some of them were able to learn the Patronus Charm. A few people were able to conjure a full blown Patronus, Hermione's was an otter, Luna's was a rabbit and Cho's was a swan. The rest were able to at least create at silver mist. Everything was going great until Marietta betrayed us. Thanks to 'Mione's secrecy clause we knew it was her who told Umbridge. By the time we got Dumblebore's office her face was covered in boils spelling out sneak. She would not even talk she was so scared the jinx would get worse. Of course we had to stop meeting and this was when the MoB was kicked out of 'his' school.

"The only other good thing that happened during this part of school was the article in the Quibbler. I do not know how many people actually read the article but at least I got to tell my side of the story and put the truth out there. It is up to the public to believe what the want.

"The rest of term was just miserable after the DA got busted up. I think everyone here that is important knows what happened during the exams and what followed at the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Mysteries, right?"

Harry said this last part to the two new comers. When they nodded in the affirmative, he replied with a sigh,

"Good, I am still not ready to talk about that night."

"Harry, when did you learn about the prophecy" asked Petunia of all people.

Everyone turned, in shock, to look at the woman. Once Harry got over the surprise, he responded,

"Right after Dumbles got back to Hogwarts. He had sent me straight to his office from the ministry by portkey. Upon his arrival he asked how I was doing and I barked at him, 'how do you think I am doing?"

"I then asked him what was the mist in the sphere and why were mine, Tom's and his initials on it. This was when he told about the prophecy, when it was spoken and by whom it was given. He told me he had heard it during Trelawney's interview for the vacant Divination position.

"I asked him why he had not told me about it sooner. He claimed he wanted me to have a normal childhood and not have to worry about fulfilling my destiny. I lost it then. I started screaming at him about how I had never had a childhood thanks to him. I told him how I was treated here at Durzkaban and everything else that had happened. When I couldn't talk any more, I started destroying things in his office. When I was done, the only items intact were his desk, the chair he was sitting in and Fawkes' perch. It felt exhilarating to let loose like that.

"Then I saw the look on his face and I almost lost it again. He had this smug look, like I did exactly what he expected me to do. I almost went after him with my bare hands but I knew I stood no chance against him so I just stood there and seethed. After I calmed down, we discussed my living arrangements for the summer, which of course had not changed, and then I left."

"Look guys I am worn out. If we are going to leave is it going to be tonight? If so I am going to go pack. I will be back down in a few."

Once Harry got to the top of the stairs, DaZach asked the two magical people left in the room.

"You will not be hindering us from taking our Lord?" When he received a negative response he then asked if they would like to accompany them to Avalon. Tonks and Remus quietly discussed the offer while the Avalonians just stood there and waited on their soon to be king.

As Harry returned, Tonks and Remus agreed to go for Harry's sake and their peace of mind.

DaZach was happy they wanted to come along. This way Harry would have some people he knew he could trust.

Alzander questioned the soon to be monarch, "Are you ready to go My Lord."

"Yes, let's get the hell out of here."

As everyone was preparing to leave, Harry turned to the Dursleys and with a fierce tone said, "I hope you receive what you deserve and if not in this life the next. I am sure my parents will look forward to seeing you. You better hope you see them before you see me because my retribution will not be swift or enjoyable. Pray that we never cross paths again."

The magical people in the room could not agree more.

Tonks asked how they would be traveling to Avalon.

"By portkey," replied DaZach as he pulled a length of rope out. He told everyone to grab hold.

Just before the portkey activated, there was a bright flash in the room. When the light cleared, Dumbledore stood in the Dursley's living room. When he spotted the group around Harry he screamed for the to stop, but it was too late. The portkey had activated and they were gone. The last thing he saw before they left was Harry Potter giving him the two finger salute.

He turned to the Dursley's and asked, "Who were those people, where were they taking Harry, Remus and Tonks, and why did you not stop them?"

Petunia answered, "They said they were from Avalon."

Albus red with rage at this response.

"They said they were taking him to his rightful home."

Dumbles turned green knowing what that might have meant.

"And the reason I did not stop him is, he now knows the truth about Lily and me being adopted and that you have lied to him for his entire life."

When he heard this last statement he turned white as a ghost and muttered

"Oh shit!'

AN: Thanks to those who have reviewed, added my to their alerts or favorites.