Many apologise for the delay in posting this. things have been really hard here. RL takes over sometimes. I've notforgotten about you all though or the support you've given me. I'm still dedicated to finishing this story. Please don't give up on it! I have very big plans for it. The next chapter won't take nearly as long to get up. At least that is my aim!
Chapter 7: The Trouble With Dumbledore
"I'm not knocking," Draco insisted looking from Harry to Dumbledore's office door.
"You should," said Harry.
"Why?" Draco asked, confused.
"It was your idea!"
"What was? Coming here?"
"No, the whole 'oh Dumbledore is behind this detention' thing."
"No it wasn't. You suggested that."
"I'm so mad I could punch him."
"Who?"
"Dumbledore, who else?"
"I can't go in there I'm too angry."
"We don't have to."
Both boys stood there in silence for a moment. Thinking.
"If I did punch him do you think he'd fall?" Draco finally asked.
"No he's too tall and you're too little." Said Harry.
"I'm too little?" Draco didn't seem to like the word little at all.
"Well you're shorter than me." Harry pointed out.
"Not by much." Draco insisted, wrinkling his nose.
"He's old though. We have youth on our side…if I did punch him."
"We could hex him!"
"No way we'd get expelled!"
"We'd get expelled if we punched him too."
Their conversation was interrupted. "Come in boys. I've been expecting you" a voice boomed from inside the office. Both the little Slytherin boys jumped back in surprise. The door slowly opened.
"Right on time," said Dumbledore looking at his pocket watch.
Harry and Draco looked at each other in confusion.
"Do come in boys and close the door there's a dreadful draft that whips through here if that door isn't closed. I have some tea brewing. Would you like a cup?"
The two little boys entered slowly gazing up at a tea pot that was brewing by itself; hanging in mid air. "Sherbet lemon?" Asked Dumbledore holding out a tin of sweets.
"No thanks," said Harry, "I'm trying to cut down."
Draco just shook his head.
"I am rather partial to sherbet lemons," Dumbledore explained. "Have been for many a year now. Please take a seat boys I don't charge. At least not on Wednesdays," he laughed. Harry wondered if Dumbledore had missed out on his dream career as a stand up comedian and just happened to settle for headmaster of Hogwarts instead. Either that or he should stop smoking whatever was wafting out of the strange bong-like contraption on his desk. Harry looked around him. The sorting hat was snoring on the shelf and a golden coloured phoenix was doing similar on its perch. Dumbledore waved his wand and the teapot moved slowly through the air, pouring out three cups of tea. Harry and Draco caught them. They rattled in their nervous hands.
Dumbledore sat back in his chair and took a sip from his own cup. "You should know boys that I would never place any of my students in any danger."
Both boys remained silent but Harry started to get angry again.
"Professor Snape told me about his concerns over your detention in the forest and I want to assure you that I only sent you there because I saw that the outcome would be favourable."
"'Saw', Sir?" Harry piped up.
"'In my minds eye' as Shakespeare would say," said Dumbledore.
"Who's Shakespeare, Professor? Asked Draco.
"A muggle playwright Draco," Dumbledore informed the little Slytherin boy. "I am rather fond of muggle writers. They are so overlooked in the Wizarding world yet have so many interesting and insightful things to say."
"Really?" Asked Harry as Draco grimaced. "I've…" he trailed off.
"Harry. Please don't be nervous. This school is your home and we are all part of one family. Please tell me what is on your mind. That is why you are here after all?"
"It's just I've never heard muggles say anything insightful…ever," said Harry. "They talk a lot they just don't say much. Nothing worthwhile anyway".
"But I'm sure you didn't come to me to talk about muggles," Dumbledore smiled.
"No," said Draco abruptly. "We didn't." He glanced at Harry. "We almost got killed Sir in the forest and quite frankly, well…" Draco seemed to be finding the courage to speak up without Harry having to prompt him for once. "My father would have taken me from the school if he knew."
"It was a very dangerous place to be," said Harry. "I don't understand Sir why you chose to send us there after you told us in the Great Hall on our first day that it was strictly out of bounds."
"Detention is never pleasant Harry," said Dumbledore taking another sip of tea.
"But we could have been killed Sir and Hagrid wasn't much use either."
Both boys were starting to get very upset.
"Professor - would such a thing ever happen again because…I wouldn't do it," Harry struggled with a lump in his throat.
"No it would not," said Dumbledore.
"Do we have your word Sir?" Asked Draco.
"You have my word boys," Dumbledore said. "Although, as I predicted," he continued "everyone remained safe I would not wish to upset anyone and certainly not jeopardise your position here at Hogwarts."
Harry felt a slight need to explode at Dumbledore but held his temper. Draco also seemed to want to say more.
"Is there anything else you would like to ask me?" Dumbledore enquired looking over the top of his half-moon glasses.
"No Sir, that's it," said Harry.
"What's the bird's name?" Asked Draco.
"Fawkes," said Dumbledore. "He's a Phoenix."
"We'd better go then Sir," said Harry and put down his tea. Draco followed.
As the boys were about to leave the headmaster spoke again. "I hope everything else is going well for you both and you are settling into Hogwarts."
"Yes thank you Professor I enjoy it very much," said Harry. 'Apart from worrying if I'll survive detention,' he thought to himself. He almost said it aloud.
"Yes Professor we're doing very well," said Draco.
"So I hear," said Dumbledore with and impressed tone in his voice.
"Well, thanks Sir," said Harry reluctantly.
"You're welcome," said Dumbledore. "Anytime either of you need to ask me anything please come to me. You are always welcome."
"Thanks Professor," Draco forced out the words as if they had a bitter taste.
"Take care boys," said the headmaster, "and remember, safety is not a gadget but a state of mind."
Harry's mind started to frazzle. Both Slytherins nodded politely and left.
"What was all that about?" Asked Draco once they were safely back down the corridor.
"I've no idea" said Harry genuinely dumbfounded. "Maybe he's on drugs."
"Do you believe him?" asked Draco. "Do you think he'll keep his word and not make us do anything dangerous again?"
"I'm not sure," said Harry.
"He didn't seem that sorry for sending us into the forest," said Draco.
"He didn't even say sorry," said Harry.
"What do you think he meant by that last thing he said?" Asked Draco as they both walked back to their dorms.
"Haven't a clue," said Harry, "maybe something like 'if I knew you'd be safe you would be."
"Or you're only as unsafe as you think you are," suggested Draco.
"Yes maybe, Harry pondered. He shook his head as if trying to shake off the confusion. Suddenly Draco stopped walking, grabbed Harry's arm and whispered "We still have something to do." Harry gave a questioning look.
"The revenge," Draco smiled.
"Oh Project Watercress!" Said Harry out loud.
"Shhh!" Draco whispered. "So where can we get cress from do you suppose?"
"The kitchen I guess," said Harry. "We'll need cress seeds though. Then we have so spray the beds with water and just sprinkle the seeds on."
Draco jumped and clapped his hands in glee.
Collecting the watercress form the kitchens was easy enough. At night, when all the house elves were asleep, Harry and Draco sneaked down with the invisibility cloak and quickly found a cupboard with 'seeds' written on it. They also found a plastic bottle which the elves seemed to use to moisten plants so filled it with water and crept up back up to the Slytherin dorms. The following morning they decided to skip breakfast in order to get access to the Gryffindor dorms when no one else was there. Getting in through the portrait hole didn't turn out to be all that difficult either. Hiding underneath the cloak they waited for the last person to leave and, while the door was still open, crept in. Keeping the cloak wrapped around them the two Slytherin first years gazed around the empty Gryffindor common room. Draco grimaced. "Ugh," he grunted in displeasure. Harry looked around him to see unfluffed pillows, smelly quidditch uniforms, half eaten pizza and books scattered all over the room making it look like a pig sty. 'Dudley's sort of room,' Harry thought. He glanced at the walls to see a portrait of Godric Gryffindor puffing out his chest proudly. We'd getter get moving" said Harry. "While we still have time.
Harry and Draco crept up the stepped towards the boys' dorms first and made their way towards the first year's room. It was just as messy as the Common Room. "Which do you suppose is Weasley's bed?" Asked Draco. Harry pointed at one in the far right corner. It had a hand knitted sweater with a giant 'R' on it. "Bingo!" Said Draco and the two little boys tip-toed towards their victim's bed pulling back the covers. Draco took out a bag of watercress seeds and sprinkled them on Ron's sheets. Harry squirted the mess with a water spray which he had tied around his neck with a piece of string. The two friends giggled. "I wish we could see his face when he gets in there tonight," said Draco.
"I know I just wish we could watch," said Harry. "But that'd mean going through all this again."
"I know," said Draco "but…we've still got revenge."
Harry nodded enthusiastically and the pair of them tip-toed back down the stairs. Now for Granger said Draco with a huge smirk. This is going to be extra fun. They took a step towards the girls' dorms and another then fell flat on their faces. "What the heck?! Yelled Harry. The boys looked up and the stairs has turned into a slippery slope.
"It's charmed!" Draco said.
"Why weren't all the other stairs charmed?" Asked Harry in frustration. "We have to get up there we have to…"
"Just one of us should go…we could climb up on our hands and knees, it'd be easier that way," said Draco. Harry agreed. "Let me do it," said Draco almost pleadingly. "I really, really need to get the better of this mudblood."
"OK," Harry smiled. Hermione had been giving Draco a hard time all year after all. "Just be careful!" He then watched Draco slip from underneath the cloak and crawl slowly up the slope. Evidently it was easy to find Hermione's bed as within less than a minute the little blonde boy was sliding back down the slope "Weeeeeeeee!" He squealed. "Can't miss Granger's bed it was the tidiest one in the room and surrounded by piles of books!"
"Great!" Harry grinned "Now let's get out of here."
Both boys were back under the invisibility cloak and waked quickly back towards the portrait hole. Clambering successfully out of the other end they were ecstatic. They'd done it! Still under the cloak they stealthily returned the water to the kitchen and tip-toed back towards the dorm. Suddenly a voice stopped them dead in their tracks. "Stop" it said firmly but calmly. The boys stopped. "Turn" the voice continued. They did as instructed and turned to face the voice's owner. It was Snape. They had left the cloak in the kitchen. "Walk." Snape commanded. They walked towards their head of house, terrified. "And what may I ask were you both doing in the kitchen?" He asked. The two little Slytherins, in an attempt to avoid speaking at once again, said nothing. "As much as I enjoy our mind reading sessions I do prefer it when you…speak," Snape said sarcastically.
Both Harry and Draco panicked so inevitably poke together again. "We were hungry sir we were looking for something we go lost sir."
Snape held up his hand silencing them. "Please learn to control your verbal coordination," he suggested dryly.
"Uh yes Sir," they echoed. For a moment the two little Slytherin boys stood in a very uncomfortable silence wondering if they were on the brink of another detention. Finally Snape spoke. "You may go" he said. The two little Slytherins ran off. "Walk, don't run" Snape called after them. They boys immediately slowed and made their way back to the dorms.