Harry Potter and the Fate of Destiny

Chapter 4

Once the two boys had come back and gotten back in their beds I waited for a good ten minutes before I rolled out of bed the second time that night. Waiting until morning might have been the smarter move, but I had to talk to the headmaster. Albus Dumbledore had to know what the three Gryffindor's were getting into. After all, even though Hermione might hate me even more for doing that it was for her own good.

A little while later I left Gryffindor Tower, and quietly, and briskly made my way to the headmaster's office.

I saw the shadow of a ghost and the tail of Mrs. Norris but I made it to the office without too many difficulties.

"I need to see the headmaster now. It's an emergency." I spluttered at the stone guardian.

The statue surprisingly moved. I immediately rushed up the stairs and began knocking urgently.

"Come in David." Albus said to me as I made my second rap on the door.

How did he know it was me?

"Hello Headmaster." I greeted as I quickly made my way to his desk.

"What brings you here so late into the night?" He asked.

"I heard something tonight Headmaster." I said trying to keep my voice level.

"What is that?" Albus asked pleasantly.

"Its...I heard...I heard Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley conversing with someone." I said, suddenly nervous.

"Who was this individual?" Albus asked.

"It's not so much who they were speaking to that has me worried but the fact that they were able to get ahold of him in the middle of the tower. There's some kind of security breech."

If I said that they were talking to Sirius Black, even if it was some other Black Hermione might be expelled!

I felt ice form over my heart. I couldn't hurt her like that! Not even if it was for her own good...

"A security breach? Do you know how they entered?"

"I have no idea." I admitted.

"Did you see them?"

"No Professor."

"Who was it?" Dumbledore asked again.

"I'm just an American Transfer student. I don't know that many people." I mumbled.

"Just tell me who you heard."

"I didn't recognize the voice." I claim; completely honest.

"Did you hear the name?"

"W-well..." I have a terrible time lying.

If I don't prepare for it beforehand I'll fail every time.

"The name." Dumbledore ordered.

I knew that if I didn't tell him he'd just find out by that skill Professor Snape used.

"Sirius Black, but it couldn't have been that Sirius Black could it? He seemed to honestly care about Potter, and Hermione seemed to trust him!" I tried to protect Hermione to the best of my ability.

"Your loyalty to Miss Granger is impressive."

I blushed furiously at that.

"Do you trust me?" Albus Dumbledore asked me seriously.

I hesitantly nod.

"Can I speak freely Headmaster?" I asked.

He nodded.

"You seem like a kooky individual but you radiate...honesty? No, a sense of being earnest? I dunno but some kind of genuine aura if you will. I think I can...trust you."

Albus Dumbledore, vanquisher of the evil behind Hitler seemed touched.

"Thank you David. Now, I'm going to tell you a story that must not leave this office."

My eyes widened.

"I'm willing to swear an oath along those lines." I offered.

The headmaster nodded.

"But I will not violate the law in any way shape or form." I added.

"Even if it is for the sake of an innocent?"

That stopped me cold in my tracks. Could the law attack the innocent? If it did...
"For the sake of the truly innocent I would fight the very foundation of government itself." I replied.

"Excellent. Then make your oath."

"I David Lammings, make this oath, woven from my very life that I will protect the truth about to be stated and guard it to the fullness of my abilities and protect the innocent life that has been mentioned to the best of my ability. I will not guard any lies but fight them to the utmost."

The headmaster nodded approvingly.

"That shall indeed suffice." He said and then indicated a jar on his desk.

I glanced into it and noticed a yellow droplet like candy.

"Lemon Drop?" He offered.

I smiled and spoke as I took one.

"Thanks." I thanked him as I savored the sour taste.

"You're quite welcome." The headmaster said, he looked surprised that I actually accepted his offer, even happy as he began his tale.

Once he had finished I stared at him in shock.

"Are you serious? Did they really chuck him into Azkaban without a trial?" I almost shrieked in outraged indignation.

Albus Dumbledore nodded.

"Da- I can't believe I almost swore! I don't swear..." I mumbled quietly with burning red cheeks before I continued.

"Blast them! What is wrong with the entire blasted country? Violating internationally acknowledged rights? Are they asking for war?" I ranted and paced just a few feet away from the front of Albus Dumbledore's desk.

My blood was boiling. This went against everything I was taught and I wanted nothing more than the ability to wage a one man war on the ministry at that point.

"Calm down Mr. Lammings." The headmaster chided.

"Calm down? Calm down? I can't! Not when all honor has fled this nation! How am I supposed to let this go?" I raged and slammed my fist into the palm of my other hand.

I hated being the center of attention but I couldn't let this kind of ineptitude go!

"Harness your anger then Mr. Lammings!" The Headmaster chided.

That stopped me dead in my tracks. He was right.

"You're right. What can I do?" I asked, suddenly completely calm and focused.

"Do you plan to stay in England?" He asked.

I shook my head.

"No, but while I remain here I'll do what I can."

I couldn't believe I was getting involved in this mess.
"In that case, you can help Harry Potter and his friends."

"What?" I asked flatly.

"You see, Harry has a destiny that he must achieve otherwise things will just get worse."

"I don't really see but whatever." I said crankily.

"He has the power to defeat Voldemort."

"I thought he was dead." I replied dryly.

"Two years ago that was more or less true. He just didn't stay dead."

"Great, a corrupt government, a terrorist dark wizard, and an idiot hero." I held my forehead with one hand.

"Harry's not that stupid." Albus Dumbledore replied.

"I've seen nothing to suggest otherwise."

"He's got a lot on his shoulders."

"Oh woe is me huh?" I asked.

He nodded.

"He doesn't lean on his friends does he?" I asked.

"Not nearly enough. He tries to handle all emotional baggage on his own." The headmaster replied.

I sighed.

"Well, if I was friends with Weasley I wouldn't lean on him either. He's dangerous." I mumbled.

"Dangerous?" The headmaster seemed concerned.

"Not to dark lord extremities, tries to hurt people; just manipulative." I replied.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I need to unmask him." I replied.

"Get in Miss Granger's good graces?" The headmaster added with a slight twitch of his beard.

I felt my face flush.

"That would be very nice." I mumbled; completely embarrassed.

Albus Dumbledore thankfully refrained from laughing at me.

A moment later I spoke again.

"I might hate Potter but if he's so important...I'll help the idiot out."

"He might help you out too."

I doubt it. I thought.

"So, how do I take care of the Weasley front?" I asked.

"I leave that to your capable hands." The headmaster replied.

My eyes widened. He was letting me take care of the situation I botched in the first place?

"Sir...I've already failed on this front and I'm not sure how to fix it." I admitted.

"Then just believe and stand up again. Flitwick told me he's going to go over a lesson in your detention tomorrow called 'Failing Forward.' There's bound to be some things that helps you." The headmaster replied.

"Can I wait until after that lesson then? I don't think I've got a chance right now."

"You've lost faith in your abilities? Last time I met you you were extremely self confident."

"Or arrogant." I admitted dryly.

"There's a difference between shattered confidence and arrogance. You'll need to find it." The headmaster instructed.

"Yes sir." I said before leaving the headmaster's office.

The rest of the night passed for me quietly as I tried to sleep. I found sleep difficult, after all I felt like an atomic bomb had been dropped on the city of David Lammings.

I had been given a mission to help inspire the confidence in Harry Potter, a kid I hated; just for the sake of ensuring that the rest of this miserable world survived. Just peachy.

At least it could have been worse. It could have been Weasley or that Draco Malfoy punk that was constantly bugging Potter.

Something was bothering me though. Why would Dumbledore have told me about something like that? It just didn't make sense. Why would he tell me that Potter was the one meant to save the world? Did Potter know? If he did then why was he messing around so much? I just couldn't figure it out and thanks to my promises I couldn't ask Potter either. So what was Dumbledore's game?

Either way, I had a job ahead of me. If Dumbledore was using me that was okay, because I'd get what I wanted. It was a mutual usage and I never had a problem with something like that. After all, if I was successful I'd get Hermione as a friend again, and protect her from Weasley. Dumbledore on the other hand would get his hero.

It worked for me.

The next morning I was, as usual the first boy up in the dorm, I showered quickly, dressed, and grabbed my bag, then I made my way downstairs. Once I did so I pulled a book from from my bag and began to read.

Magic had to make some kind of sense. It had to be quantifiable. I just knew it. I didn't have any proof but I knew that magic made complete sense if we could just...

So, the magical world would think I was insane, nuts whatever, but I didn't care. I had to be able to prove it.

"Good morning David." Neville said to me.

I turned to Neville.

"Mornin." I greeted before flipping a page.

"We should get some food y'know?" Neville said.

I nodded, put a slip of parchment in between the book to keep my page and we went to breakfast.

"Why are you always so quiet?" Neville suddenly asked.

"Why don't you believe in yourself?" I replied; as gently I knew how.

He turned from me and I winced. I had hurt his feelings...Again I goofed up.

"Sorry. I meant it in the fact that our actions are reflected in our pasts. What happened in our pasts changed us..." I muttered.

Only partially true, I just didn't care much for words, and idle chatter is just plain annoying, wastes time, energy, and more.

He however, smiled at me.

The day passed quite quietly, and I tried to ignore Ron's glares. He still hated me for beating him in a direct confrontation.

Once class passed I made my way to my detention with Professor Flitwick.

"Hello Professor." I said quietly.

"You've changed, and not entirely in a good way." The normally chipper professor noted.

"Why not? I've failed every time I tried to help!" I admitted.

"So what?"

That stopped me. Did it really make a difference?

I thought for a long moment.

"I hurt my friend to the point that she doesn't want to see me. It matters." I replied.

"Yes it does matter. Which is why you need to learn what it means to 'fail forward'."

"Fail forward?" I asked.

The short man nodded.

"Indeed. What happens when a hero in a story is defeated? He gets back up. More successful people have failed again, and again and again than you'd realize. Even one of your Presidents- Abraham Lincoln had to try several times to become a senator and then failed several times before becoming President." Flitwick explained.

"So they had to try a lot. What does that matter?" I asked.

"You have to learn to keep getting back up. No matter how hard it is. No matter how much it hurts." Flitwick replied.

"This is the important lesson that Professor Snape wanted me to learn Professor Flitwick?" I asked, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice.

Flitwick looked at me with a critical eye.

"It is a two part lesson actually." The professor said.

I felt myself curious.

The professor drew his wand and fired off a curse at me. My eyes widened and I threw myself to the side.

"That's it?" Flitwick asked as he silently banished the desks off to the side.

"Stupefy!" I snarled.

He danced off to one side and responded with several hexes. They stung, poked, and more. It hurt!

Before I knew it I was lying on the floor with every bone in my body aching.

"That's the extent of your abilities. You'll never be able to help your friend." The normally kind Professor's face had taken a nasty glare.

"I...I..." I felt myself being only able to curse my own weakness.

I wasn't strong enough to protect myself. I hurt others and I never seemed to get things right. It didn't matter how intelligent I was. I still failed.

"Too bad. You'll never amount to anything after all."

At this my blood boiled. Being nothing scared me more than anything else. I wouldn't let that happen!

I whipped my wand around and pointed at Flitwick. I then cast a restraining curse.

He managed to block the curse, but by then I had scrambled to my feet and was firing off a salvo of spells, just trying to hit him with just one. If I could just... Suddenly I saw a counter barrage from the professor. Then I knew nothing.

When I awoke the cheerful professor was smiling at me.

"Well done! I knew you could get back up after all!"

"What?" I asked in surprise.

"Its the hardest thing to do. To be able to get back up. You did that against an opponent that you knew was better than you. You knew you couldn't win but you got back up." Flitwick smiled brightly.

"So that's what you wanted me to learn? To never give up?" I asked as I painfully pulled myself back up to my feet.

Flitwick nodded.

"You have to be able to keep on getting back up to your feet. The successful are only that because they didn't give up David. You need to be able to do the same."

I closed my eyes and I finally understood what he was saying. He had been saying it in a simple, easy to understand way but I hadn't been ready to figure it out. He then gave me that opportunity. Professor Flitwick was truly a great professor after all.

"Thank you sir." I said.

He smiled at me.

"Anytime. Your detention is now finished." Flitwick said.

I nodded and headed out.

On my way back to the tower I noticed Ron Weasley approaching with a couple other students. They looked like third year Gryffindors. Three boys and one girl. Five students total.

"Lammings." Ron glared at me as he stopped and the younger students slipped to the sides to find spots for cover.

These weren't good odds by any stretch of the imagination.

"Yes?" I asked, fingering my wand nervously inside my pocket.

"You're going down this time."

"Am I?" I asked as I glanced down the hall.

"I'll beat you this time around."

"Funny, but every time we've had a skirmish I've won. It seems that you've accepted that fact too. So you brought help this time? Looks like a Slytherin tactic." I taunted as I stepped towards an alcove.

I had my body still facing him so it almost appeared as if I was stalking him.

"What would your friend say about this? Oh yes, that's right. He isn't your friend. Not really."

"Absurd, Harry and I are good friends." Ron lied.

"And of course the heroic Harry Potter would sanction something like this." I noted as I managed to get close to the wall.

"He would if he knew you hurt his friend!" A rash boy yelled.

"Aww...He'd let his friend gang up on a bully eh? Sounds like he's the real bully here then." I said.

Was this typical pre-fight talk?

Suddenly Ron fired off a curse and I rolled behind the wall.

I then fired from my position of cover. It was my only hope by staying behind cover I might be able to hold the line long enough for help to arrive. Or maybe even win.

"Is that all you got Weasley?" I taunted as I ducked behind my cover.

"What is the meaning of this?" A silky voice hissed furiously.

"Nothing Professor." Weasley said innocently.

"It seems that you and your friends were planning something."

"Of course not sir!"

"Detention for two weeks, all five of you."

"What about Lammings Professor?" Weasley asked, trying to drop me into trouble again.

"I don't see the lad around do you?"

"He's right over there!" Weasley yelled.

"Fifty Points from Gryffindor Weasley."

Ronald snarled a couple words under his breath, but they were loud enough for even me to hear.

"You think that do you?" Professor Snape's voice turned dangerous.

Weasley had just dug himself into a very, very deep hole.

"I do think that you'll be cleaning the toilets with your tongue at this rate. You will have another month of detention plus you'll lose two hundred points."

To be honest I've been losing my motivation for the HP realm as of late. I've grown tired of generically bad fics over and over again. (I will be the first to admit that mine were not good originally by any stretch of the imagination and I'm glad that people stayed and read them, critiqued them) And the fact of the matter is, most of the authors that I hold in high esteem have been leaving too... Seel'vor hasn't posted in forever, and many other greats have also either stopped or post very rarely. I now find myself having trouble just looking into FF. Net nowadays. If you are a good writer please let me know so I can read something of yours. It might help me rekindle my motivation...

This doesn't mean I'm going to quit writing but it does mean that I have been having trouble writing HP stories as of late.

Thank you everyone that continues to read these stories and I do sincerely hope that this is just a dark time for me that I will overcome soon.