I do not own Harry Potter and please read the note from Chapter 1. Ignorance is so NOT BLISS!

Chapter 58

A Meeting

Harry was reluctant to enter the offices of his one time mentor. Albus Dumbledore was someone that the young man, long ago would have done just about anything for. He was someone whom had tried to give Harry advice, had helped him out when no one else would and so forth.

Yet, the fact of the matter is, is that he did nothing to prove Harry's innocence. Causing said youth to spend a year in hell, that although he does not remember it all that well. The dreams...the dreams that Voldemort has delighted in sending him brought them back every night.

Walking into the once proud gates of his one true home as a child, he observed that where Hogwarts had shown brightly. It seemed dark to a degree, lacking the life that once roamed its halls. That life was still there, but it was quieter...more subdued.

Sirius who had not been back since his supposed death was the first to voice his thoughts. Thoughts that were agreed with by Remus as well...

Their former school was dying.

"It's so silent..."

"War would do that Mr. Black..."

Startled by the familiar female voice up in front of them, Sirius and the others find Hermione Granger standing in front of them. But unlike before when all those save Alexandre knew her...she appears far older. Her brown hair albeit tamed and not as bushy was beautifully and coiled in a loose braid. It was her eyes though...eyes that instead of a woman in her early 20's...

You could and would see someone old...and so very tired.

"Wow...you look ancient."

Out of habit, Remus smacks, Sirius upside the back of his head. The almost familiar gesture causes those around to smile. Especially the young woman, whose eyes rest on the young man amongst them. "It is nice to see you again Harry."

Harry says nothing, and just stares at his former friend in response. The coolness in his gaze unnerving to say the least, she knows and feels the guilt from years before creeping up on her. Even Albus at first believed in Harry's innocence, he had continued to believe until Minerva in her rage had convinced him otherwise. I mean Minerva was a teacher, a logical and practical one that Hermione had hoped to emulate someday in her skills...

But...Harry was her friend. The first friend she ever really had alongside Ron. Being the bookworm of the school, she was often ostracized because of her smarts. But Harry, he had made it seem not so bad. And she betrayed that trust.

It's just... they were children that the Dark Lord killed in Harry's guise. Young innocent children, she couldn't help but believe that he had done it. Who wouldn't right? The evidence was all there!

She was wrong though.

She was once someone whom Harry, might have thought would save him. Would prove that he was innocent...never before has the guilt felt so strong.

"Where is Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Wincing at the almost coldness that lies within his voice, Hermione simply gestures towards the Headmaster office. As the men stride by and enter Hogwarts, the Castle seems to glow with life albeit only a little bit again. The light hearted bickering between the four, sounded warm and inviting and so full of happiness...

Hermione started to cry, that she was no longer a part of it.

Following behind them, she simply thought on what she had lost. What Ron was slowly regaining and not her. She had been begging Ron for weeks, weeks to take her with him, when he was invited to spend time with Harry. But reluctantly, he had to tell her no...

'Mione...if you can't figure out why... Harry won't see you.

But Ron...

Look Hermione, I grew up. Why can't you?

That had rankled her nerves, it had rankled her to the point that once again she was refusing to speak to him. But the fact of the matter is, as Harry point blank is ignoring her that maybe...Ron was right. The one who was the most immature of the three of them had grown up.

She should be proud...but she was hateful. She was supposed to be the one Harry had turned to not him. She was the logical one, the most mature out of all three when they were at Hogwarts. Not Ron!

But the proof was right there in front of her eyes. Ron, having been placed as an ambassador of sorts to Harry's small group was greeted warmly by the men. Words being spoken, she could see that light of friendship sparking between him and the other men made her jealous.

It is amazing how much he has grown don't you think? We ghosts have often wondered whether or not that phoenix light would ever be released. Now that we see that it has been all is right now...

Just looking at the ghost of Nearly Headless Nick, in surprise, the normally smart bookworm just gapes in awe.

What?

"How...how did you know?"

Nick just looks at her and says three words before he floats away.

You never asked

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

As he approached the office of one who was once his mentor to not just himself, but to his godfather and honorary father. Harry allowed Alexandre to step forward. It was agreed that the werewolf, who has proven more then a match to Harry's powers should go forth first.

Despite having no magic for which to claim, Alexandre had sheer power. In a curious experiment, two months ago, save the killing curse it was found that the wolf leader could indeed throw off most magic as if it was nothing. And considering it was Harry throwing the curses at him...

That was saying a lot.

Isabelle explained it best...

Wolves have strength to protect those they love with sheer determination. You have stories of wolves killing bears to protect but one cub. I know you have heard stories of wolves attacking humans to feed those in their packs.

It is the same with shifter prides... We may be human, but we are wolf as well.

So if the desire is strong enough the power of the wolf can fight anything. Even torture... It wants to live. It must live...

It explained why Remus had survived for so long against Greyback. The latter having wished Remus gone for the supposed betrayal years ago to the light, why Remus was a strong as he was. Moony, the wolf inside was not going to die if he could help it.

Now entering the room, that the last time he was within was years ago. Harry was amazed by how much and yet at the same time how little it has changed.

Most of the magical gadgets were still there but it was the paintings that had changed. The headmasters were still chatting and giving greetings as they had done so before. But now it was to deliver information, or to tell what they have learned.

"Nice to see you again Harry..."

Looking at the old man in irritation, not only is Harry shocked. But so are Sirius and Remus... Before Albus Dumbledore looked like a man in his 50-60's. Now he did look old, for older then his supposed age of 75 now and so very tired.

Alexandre at this moment as well as Remus sniffs the air and as he looks at the elderly wizard he says something that throws everyone into a state of shock.

"You are dying old man. There is a stink of death around you..."

Startled by this, Remus himself having taken whiff nods his head in surprise as Moony almost whines with loss. Although both halves are angry at this old wizard for the mistakes of the past, there are still memories of the only home he had ever had thanks to the same man...

"Yes...unfortunately I am. It is part of the reason why I have asked you here."

"What do you mean Headmaster?" Harry asked. He was still somewhat reeling over this bit of news. Albus Dumbledore...was dying?

"Harry what do you know of Horcruxes?"

About to respond, it is Remus this time that pales at those words. Looking at the man, with something akin to fear, the Wolf wizard speaks. "Albus are you telling us...is that why?"

Nodding his head reluctantly, Albus confirms it. "Yes I have confirmed it through my sources. It is why Voldemort has not been killed. He has created Horcruxes. Seven by my count..."

Confused even more so, Remus looks to Harry and explains what they are.

"Harry... a Horcux is something that can only be created by splitting one's soul into pieces...usually by committing murder. As long as even a sliver resides within the body, one can in a sense become immortal."

Paling in shock, Harry glares at Albus now with irritation as well as that same gaze as he did long ago when he had thought his beloved godfather dead.

"So when the prophecy was still active from before? How the hell did you expect me to kill someone who can not be killed?"

Wincing a little bit at the anger in the eyes of one he once regarded as family, Albus sinks back into his chair. "Before I was not to sure, but unfortunately...after what had happened with you I had come across information describing the rituals to create one. Rituals that seemed all too familiar from back before the first war... That is when I asked Severus to look into it..."

"How is Professor Snape?" Harry asked. Knowing the older man was a spy he was admittedly worried despite the animosity between them.

"He is fine for right now Harry. Within the last couple of months though he has confirmed my suspicions... I have recently begun searching for what I believed to be the items containing Voldemort's soul. Three of them I believe were destroyed..."

"What were they?"

"I believe one is something you would recognize..." Albus replied as he looked at Harry. Within moments, he brings out, a book that although he had last seen it in the hands of Lucius Malfoy, it was there in its ruined glory."

"The Diary?"

"Yes...and I also believe that this is one Sirius might recognize...as well as the note that was within it."

Startled to say the least as Dumbledore hands him a locket and a preserved piece of paper. He pales as he recognizes the locket that his mother when he was child raved about finding.

Looking at the note, he reads what is it and starts to shed tears...

"My brother?"

"Yes, it seems young Regulus Black had succeeded in destroying that part of Voldemort's soul. In retaliation...Voldemort killed him leading me to believe what the third one was that he destroyed but never realized."

All are confused for a moment as Dumbledore stares at Harry. The others in the room are confused at Dumbledore's words. But it is Alexandre who speaks up now as he figures it out..."

"Harry, Remus, and Sirius told me about these dementors per say and they suck out the soul of those they kiss. They succeeded in kissing Harry didn't they? They just took the wrong soul."

His head nodding in agreement with Alexandre's words, Albus looks at the said young man with an almost quiet gaze. "I believe in a way you should be thankful to the dementors for doing what they did Harry..."

"How so?" Sirius asks in anger. "How can we be thankful for Harry being kissed?!"

"Because Mr. Black... I have reason to suspect after talking with Harry and Ron, that it might be why Harry had difficulty achieving the form. Without the dementor's kiss I do believe young Harry would have most assuredly died..."