Chapter 6. Dumbledore Dies

"Hi Harry, did you get your OWL results already?"

"No, not yet. Are you calling because you did?"

"Yes, I owe you an apology."

"See, I told you so. Congratulations."

"Thanks. Does that mean you're also still waiting for your booklist?"

"No, we got that on the last day of classes. No new Defence teacher every year, see?"

"Yes, I see, that must be nice. Do you get summer assignments as well?"

"Yes, I guess they want to make sure we only forget most of what we've learned so far by the start of next year. Did you agree on all the travel details to come here with Sirius?"

"Yes, I'll see you on the 27th."

"Are you alright?"

"I will be in a moment. Intercontinental portkeys are hell."

"They really are. But at least you don't have to sit in a loud tin box for half a day. How was Italy."

"Really good. Saw lots of ancient and modern culture, mostly nonmagical, ate a lot of good food and wine, and the weather was fabulous."

"I can tell from your tan."

"You're quite tanned yourself. Did you go on another camp?"

"No. I've been doing stuff with Remus and Sirius. And we got third place in the amateur quidditch league."

"Congratulations. What about the school league?"

"We won that."

"Double congratulations! Always so self-deprecating, mentioning a third place first."

"It's not that. Competition in the nationwide league is just much fiercer than in the school competition, so third place was actually a much more significant accomplishment."

"I see. Still no OWL results?"

"Yes, I got them last week. Five more OWLs, from an A+ for Defence to a B- for Arithmancy."

"What about potions?"

"B+"

"Only a B+ after all the work you put in?"

"All the work Remus put in during the holidays trying to make up for the abysmal teaching, followed by not quite two years here, trying to make up for the low British standards. And because, unlike you, I'm not smart enough to learn it all from self-study and get 10 outstandings."

"Some of that really is due to the low British standards. You know I'm not nearly as good at Defence as you."

"Not in duelling, maybe, but you know that you understand the theory much better than I do."

"Speaking of theory, I figured out a way to solve the underage detection problem using computing, and one of my cousins has a friend who could do it for £800, but I'm hesitant to ask my parents for it, because it's not for my benefit, so I'm trying to save up to get it done, and I'd like to skip over some of the more expensive things we had planned for this week."

"That's about $1300, isn't it? Here."

"That's not what I meant."

"Would galleons be easier?"

"That's not what I objected to, and you know it."

"Come on, remember my Nimbus 2000? I only had it for two years, and still I think it was money well spent. That cost a lot more, and this is going to actually do some good."

"But I don't know whether it's even going to work."

"Why are we wasting time on this? You're ruining my holiday."

"That's low."

"You're right, I'm sorry. Now just take the money."

"Alright, thank you. And, by the way, you're not allowed to speak as if something that brought you so much joy didn't do any good."

"Please don't mention it to Remus. Please. He's been after me not to say things like that. He argues that the Dursleys conditioned me into taking the blame for everything. But that's not what I was doing just now. I didn't say that buying that Nimbus was a waste of money, just that compared to that, the money I gave you to help protect the muggleborn students once Riddle takes over isn't nearly as important as all the time you've put into it."

They had a lovely week. They didn't discuss the elephant in the room, which was that neither of them had a partner, and for the same reason.

The headmistress of Ilvermorny found Harry on the third Saturday of September. "Mr Potter, Albus Dumbledore is in my office, asking to speak to you."

Dumbledore's ability to be well-informed was impressive; it was the first time since the start of term that Harry didn't have anything planned, but nevertheless he said, "thank you, headmistress, but please tell him that if he has anything he has to tell me, that he can write."

"As you wish."

"Harry."

"Accept. Hey Sirius, what are you and Remus trying to pull now?"

"Dumber is here. He would like to talk to you."

"He can write."

"He says the information is too sensitive to owl, because they might be intercepted."

"Then you can hear it for me, l will tell you anyway."

"We told him that as well, and still he insisted to talk to you."

"Tell him that's why he's a dark lord who almost lost a civil war against the other dark lord, because the only way he will agree to anything is if everybody else does exactly as he orders," with that he ended the mirror call.

"Did you hear that?"

"I did," he had the temerity to accompany it with a put-upon sigh.

After waiting for a long moment, Sirius impatiently prompted him, "well?"

"There is a prophecy that says Harry is the one with the power to defeat Voldemort. There are things I could teach him about his past that I hope will help him fulfil that destiny."

"When was this prophecy made?"

"In February 1980."

"More and more I see Harry's opinion that you are a dark lord is justified. You waited 16 years to tell him he's the subject of a prophecy. And you have done nothing to prepare him for that destiny."

"I had hoped we would have more time, that he could have a relatively normal childhood."

"But you did everything in your power to ensure that he didn't."

"I have made mistakes."

"And continue making them. Will you tell us everything you know?"

"I could come and show you some significant memories I have over the Christmas holidays."

"Don't. Just send Remus and me the memories. We will review them."

"But there are details that I will need to make sure Harry has picked up on."

"That's newspeak for 'I wish to force my interpretation of events onto Harry.'"

"Sirius-"

"That's Mr Black to you."

"Mr Black, I have studied Voldemort's life in detail, but much of what I have learned that I think will be useful in the fight against him lies in the subtleties of his behaviour."

"Didn't help you prevent him from breaking out his Death Eaters from Azkaban, did it?"

"But it did. I warned the Minister he would do this. The fact I was not listened to is a different problem altogether."

"So you have more of those pearls of wisdom that would allow anyone you can fool into using them to win a battle, but lose the war."

"That's why we need Mr Potter."

"Yet you drove him away. It wasn't Riddle who did that, you did."

"Are you saying that Harry is not coming back to Britain after he graduates?"

"That's none of your concern, old man."

Harry called Hermione to keep her up to date on Dumbledore's visit and chat about classes, both their extracurricular defence training, and their respective hobbies. They would continue to keep in contact through the year.

Dear Harry,

Sorry I haven't written in a while. Has Professor Dumbledore talked to you since you left? He has recently shown me a prophecy by Professor Trelawney that somebody 'born as the seventh month dies' would be able 'to vanquish the Dark Lord' with 'a power he knows not'. Apparently, it was made before we were born. I think you'll remember that I was born the day before you. It was the first time I had spoken to the headmaster, so I'm guessing something changed to make him think it's not you after all. Frankly, the idea that it could be me is ludicrous. However, I've agreed I would speak to him again. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, I just thought you might like to know.

The thing that still changes the most at Hogwarts is the DADA professor. Moody was quite good, Umbridge was exceptionally horrible, and this year it's Snape. He's still a cantankerous curmudgeon, but he's at least better at teaching Defence than at Potions. And I'm not the only one who thinks so, even though he still has a particular dislike for me. (Admittedly not quite as much as for you.) Potions is now taught by Professor Slughorn. He was the professor before Snape, so he's quite old, and also a Slytherin. I don't take Potions, though, just Herbology, Defence, Charms and Ancient Runes.

I've asked Ventus (my owl) to wait for an answer, because he'll need a rest before he's ready to fly back anyway, but obviously if you're too busy to write that's fine too.

Hope you are well,

Neville Longbottom

Dear Neville,

Yes, Dumbledore came to our headmistress, but I refused to speak to him. He then went to Sirius and Remus, who he also asked for help to contact me. When they told him I had no interest in speaking to him, but that they would relay any information he would deign to give to them, he also told them the prophecy. I actually asked him to tell me why Riddle was so interested in me at the end of first year, after he had talked to me through a possessed Quirrell, but at the time he refused to tell me, and now I've learned that Dumbledore's motives can't be trusted. My advice would be to be very careful. He can make the craziest requests sound reasonable, so my advice would be to answer everything he proposes with 'let me think about that until tomorrow'. And the less said about Trelawney the better.

I had heard about Umbridge's unsavoury opinions and 'teaching'.

I'm taking 5 NEWT classes (Charms, Defence, Herbology, Potions and Transfiguration), 2 OWL classes (Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures, both of which are compulsory from first year here, so I've been trying to catch up, though they're only compulsory until fifth year, and they never complained that I only attended the occasional lesson of History, which is also compulsory), and I play in both the school and the national amateur quidditch leagues, so I'm having a busy year. However, without any attempts on my life (not counting Pettigrew, who was caught by the school security two years ago), and with no-one who has heard of the Boy-Who-Lived, and holidays during which I'm only expected to have fun, I'm finally in the right place.

Also, don't let Dumbledore call you Neville or 'my boy' or any such nonsense. After years of ignoring us, he has no right to pretend to be our friend.

Best wishes,

Harry

Dear Harry,

You can say what you like about Dumbledore, but he's certainly observant. When I insisted he call me Mr Longbottom, he realised you had written to me. Thank you.

He tried to get me to wheedle some secret out of Professor Slughorn. He showed me this falsified memory of Tom Riddle talking to Slughorn 50 years ago about horcruxes. A horcrux is an inanimate object that has a piece of soul locked inside. It requires murder, making it black magic. It would apparently explain why Riddle was able to return after his body was destroyed.

I pointed out to Professor Dumbledore that I don't have Potions, but still he tried to get me to do his dirty work for him. I did talk to Hermione about it, who confirmed she's in regular contact with you (sorry that my letters have been more intermittent), and who is in the Slug Club (Slughorn's social network). I also gave her your warning about thinking carefully before acting on one of Dumbledore's requests.

Previously, he had shown me memories of baubles that Riddle had stolen: Hufflepuff's cup, Slytherin's locket, and he also thinks Riddle's snake (whose name is Nagini) is a horcrux. The diary that possessed Ginny in second year, and that was destroyed by the headmaster was one, and because Riddle was (probably) revived two years later, he must have made more than one. Dumbledore managed to find and destroy a golden ring with a black stone that was engraved with the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, which is how his hand got cursed. So two down, and possibly three to go.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but then again, you were the one pointing out we don't have to act on it if we don't want to.

Best wishes,

Neville

"Hermione Granger."

"Harry Potter."

After getting the latest updates on their respective lives, and inviting Hermione for another summer visit, Harry turned the conversation to the ongoing shadow struggle, trying to defeat Voldemort without letting him know that they were moving against him, much like the silence from Voldemort suggested he must be doing, saying: "Neville wrote that he told you about Riddle's conversation with Slughorn about horcruxes."

"Yes, do you want me to talk to Professor Slughorn about it."

"Only if you're willing."

"Do you think he knows something we will need to know?"

"Dumbledore obviously thinks so, and despite my objections to his actions, I can't deny he's a smart man."

"Yes."

"If you do decide to talk to Slughorn, you may want to promise not to tell Dumbledore anything he may agree to tell you. It's possible he has his own bad experiences with Dumbledore and that that's the reason he has refused to tell him."

"Professor Slughorn likes to rub against the rich and talented. May I tell him that I'm asking on your behalf?"

"Yes. If Neville agrees you could even tell him that there's a prophecy that says either Neville or I will vanquish Riddle, and that we could use his help."

Dear Neville,

Thank you for keeping me informed. That's really disturbing. I am also upset, appalled, but no longer surprised that Dumbledore waited this long to tell anyone about it. I suppose his cursed hand must mean he's dying, so he's trying to find someone to pick up what he was doing, playing his usual mind games to manipulate us to act out a plan he has conceived in his ivory tower, and he has correctly concluded that I wouldn't allow him to tell me what to do without a full explanation, which led him to conclude that you must be manipulated into enacting his plan, because he couldn't possibly be wrong about his underhanded way of going about it.

How did he destroy the ring?

I've spoken to Hermione about Slughorn. I didn't want to demand that she do anything, but I think she agreed he may know something we need to learn, so if you decide to speak to him, please check with Hermione about her own plans.

Or maybe you would prefer to be able to tell Dumbledore that you don't know. It's up to you.

If Dumbledore has any ideas about the cup and the locket, even the vague speculations that Dumbledore excels at, that might prove useful.

Best wishes,

Harry

"Harry Potter."

"Accept."

"I spoke to Professor Slughorn, and he made me promise that you wouldn't tell anyone of his involvement."

"Ah, too late. I've already told Sirius and Remus."

"Hm, I guess your promise that you will not tell them Slughorn told you the big secret will have to do."

"OK, I promise."

"Tom Riddle said 7 was known to be a powerful magical number while they were discussing making multiple horcruxes. Professor Slughorn thought that would mean 6 horcruxes plus the remaining soul in Tom's own body."

"Bloody hell-"

"Language, Harry."

"-but that's really messed up."

"Yes. Yes, it is."

Dear Harry,

Professor Dumbledore destroyed the ring with Fiendfyre.

If you think it would be a problem if Dumbledore learned of Slughorn's secret, then don't tell me. I'm useless at occlumency. If you're worried about forcing me to lie to him, then don't be, I'd have no qualms about that. For instance, I'm convinced you must be right that he's dying, but he hasn't said anything. Again. He even seemed reluctant to tell me about the Fiendfyre, I don't know whether that was because for a teacher he is remarkably unwilling to share information, or because it's considered dark magic, but told me when I thought of stopping talking to him altogether.

Dumbledore speculated that a horcrux might be in the Gringott's vault of a Death Eater. Possibly the Lestrange vault, though he thought Nott and Selwyn were also candidates. Not Malfoy, because he already had the diary. And possibly the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts, as Hufflepuff's cup and Slytherin's locket show Riddle's interest in and connection to Hogwarts, and the Chamber is one place Dumbledore has been unable to search. Dumbledore also thought two Founder's artefacts might not be the end of it, though the two best-known possessions of Gryffindor are his Sword and the Sorting Hat. The latter is not a horcrux, and the former, being goblin made, couldn't be. Ravenclaw was famous for her diadem, which hasn't been seen since her death, roughly a thousand years ago.

Dumbledore thinks he may have another clue to a horcrux and asked if I wished to come with him. I told him no, since I still think the prophecy is not about me, and I have no wish to have my hand cursed, or worse. Do you think I should be more of a Gryffindor and go?

Hope you are well,

Neville

Dear Neville,

No. I think it's very brave to say no to Dumbledore. I have no confidence in his ability to protect you. He never protected me. In fact, many of the life-threatening situations I've been in, including before I came to Hogwarts, are his fault. Worse, they were completely predictable outcomes of his actions and inactions. So no, please don't go.

Do you think you could ask Ginny whether she still speaks parseltongue? And if so, ask the Hogwarts elves to search the Chamber of Secrets? The entrance is in the second floor girls' bathroom and the password is 'open'. I don't know how sensitive Ginny would still be about almost dying there. Hermione might know.

I've been getting private lessons in occlumency. I can recommend it. I'm no good at it either, but what little I've learned has made it easier to listen, to learn, not to flinch when something unexpected happens, and to respond to every situation as a unique instance, rather than fall back on a few ingrained responses.

Best wishes,

Harry

"Harry Potter."

"Accept."

"Harry?"

"How are you? This is not your usual time to call."

"Albus Dumbledore was just murdered."

"… What happened?"

"Death Eaters managed to get into Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy and Professor Snape were among them. Professor Snape killed Professor Dumbledore. Then the Death Eaters just left. It was after curfew and only a couple of prefects witnessed the whole thing."

"Sorry to repeat myself, but is this the point where you finally agree it's time to leave?"

"Yes."

"That's … maybe not good, but I'm relieved. When do you want to come here?"

"I'm hoping to do a few things here, and then come for the visit we already planned, and not leave. Do you think Sirius would agree to that?"

"Yes, he's already said so to me. What else can we do to help?"

"I'm worried the Death Eaters will take over Hogwarts. If they do that, the book that registers new wizards and witches by their accidental magic becomes a way to track down all the muggleborns under 11."

"Yes, I remember you've been working on that for the last two years. Are you going to go ahead and try to steal it?"

"Yes, but my plan has evolved, and I would like to try and set it up somewhere else to continue recording. It would have to be in Britain, though. Somewhere at a node of the magic detection network."

"Would Potter Manor qualify?"

"That's what I was wondering. Or possibly a Black property."

"Knowing the Blacks, it might be dangerous for a muggleborn to try and enter when Lord Black is not present to receive you. Even if he gave you permission. Why don't you try Potter Manor first?"

"Thanks. I think I may also need a house-elf to liberate the book."

"When do you want to do this?"

"Around this time tomorrow. At the moment the whole castle is in an uproar, even though it's the middle of the night."

"Sure. Call for Dobby. If he doesn't show up, call me on the mirror."

"Thank you. … Harry? Is there anything you'd like me to do before I leave?"

"Tell everybody to leave the country."

"Yes, I was going to do that anyway. Can I tell them you said so?"

"Yes. If they are somehow confused enough to think that my opinion counts for more than yours, then go ahead."

"Harry Potter."

"Accept."

"Did Dobby tell you it worked?"

"Yes. You are brilliant."

"Merely ploddingly tenacious. And I think your financial donation paid off, I managed to find a modification that should make the Ministry's underage magic detection much less sensitive. Though I couldn't figure out a way to test it without the risk of revealing to the Ministry that someone was trying to sabotage it. So, I'll just have to hope it worked. I have another problem: my parents still refuse to leave the country. I'm considering obliviating them of their knowledge of me and giving them new names."

"Why not be ploddingly thorough and use the Imperius curse?"

"Harry!"

"I mean it, it's not that different."

"You don't agree with me that Death Eaters are sure to come and kill them?"

"I do think that. But if you take away who they are, whose lives are you actually saving? It will just be their bodies, then."

"But after this is all over, I could restore their memories?"

"And how long is that going to take?"

"I know. What would you do?"

"Ask Sirius and Remus to try and talk them into emigrating. They have first-hand experience of the first war."

"Are they there?"

"Sirius is still asleep. He's rather a night-owl. Will you call again when your parents get home?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Wait. Please tell Neville about the 6 or 7 horcruxes. I'd rather not put that in a letter."

"I have."

"Harry Potter."

"Accept. Drs Granger, may I introduce my godfather, Lord Sirius Black –"

"Harry! You're ruining my reputation! Good evening, it's just Sirius."

"- and you've met my unofficial Uncle Remus Lupin."

"Good evening."

"Sirius, these are my parents, Emma and Daniel Granger. Hello Harry, Remus."

"We're pleased to meet you, Sirius, and hello again, Remus and Harry."

Harry started with, "did Hermione tell you about the time Riddle tried to get me to do something foolish by showing me a fake vision of him torturing Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"They wouldn't hesitate to do that for real to you if they thought it would serve their purpose, or even if they just felt like it."

"But we're nobodies to them."

Remus chipped in with, "that never stopped them before. These are the kind of people who enjoy torture."

Hermione added, "and I've just done something that will upset them."

"But you said they wouldn't be able to tell it's you."

"The list of suspects is not very long; they just might decide to kill all of us."

Harry said, "the first time around, things got so bad that they threw Sirius into the worst prison on Earth, just on the off chance that it might handicap Riddle's followers."

Sirius added, "my own brother and some of my cousins all joined. My parents were proud. It's so pervasive that nobody knows who to trust anymore. The magical government of Britain is riddled with these people, and it's about to start again."

Remus chipped in, "and the one person who has been the main defender against them was just murdered, -"

"You're ganging up on us!"

"Yes," Hermione agreed, "because you wouldn't believe me."

"How sure are you it's going to be that bad?"

Remus answered, "there are too few people left to prevent it from happening again. We're all convinced it's actually going to be worse, now that the resistance has essentially collapsed. We're just not sure how fast the other side is going to move forward now that they've had this success."

The adult Grangers were silent for a long time, and the others gave them the time to let things sink in, until Emma asked, "if we're going to leave, how soon would you say it would have to be?"

"I think they'll want to give any action a veneer of respectability to allow those magicals who don't want to see to blind themselves. Not to mention that they would wish to avoid an international intervention. If I'm right about that, the Daily Prophet should give some idea of what they're planning. Unless there is a major publicity campaign, I think you might have until the end of August to wrap up your lives and emigrate."

"We'll think about it, OK?"

A week later, Hermione called, "my parents have agreed to emigrate to Canada, and for me to enrol at Ilvermorny."

"I'm glad. Your parents don't like the USA?"

"That's some of it, but it's more that Canada is part of the commonwealth, so transferring their qualifications will be much easier."

"What can we do to help?"

"Can you enrol me at Ilvermorny?"

"Yes, of course. Do you want to do the same 7 NEWTs?"

"Yes, please."

"Will you be helping your parents shrink and pack up everything, and sell their practice?"

"Yes to the packing, not so much to selling the practice. I want to contact as many muggleborns under 11 as possible, and advise them to emigrate as well."

"How are you going to convince them?"

"I probably won't, but if I can only introduce myself, explain that they have magic, tell them how things stand, and maybe get all of them to talk to each other over the phone, then they at least have a better chance at responding once things do start happening."

"What about the muggleborns over 11?"

"I've been advising 7th years to leave the country ever since you left. I know that three have done so, and that a few more were thinking about it, but mostly I've lost contact with them while they were still trying to get settled after graduation. I've talked with most muggleborns in Hogwarts between Dumbledore's murder and his funeral. I got the impression that many of them changed their opinion about how bad things are when I told them I was trying to convince my parents to emigrate, but it's a big step, so I don't know how many will be able to convince their own parents, or at least to be allowed to go to a foreign school themselves. I've collected telephone numbers, and everybody has the telephone number of at least one other person, and all the people I wasn't able to talk to have a buddy who will try to get them on board. We're still trying to come up with a way to share information that is as secure and quick as we can make it."

"You're trying to organise cells for a guerrilla war."

"It might come to that, but for the moment I was thinking more of a way to share information if it's being suppressed by the Daily Prophet. Do you think you can make a bunch of paired mirrors?"

"Yes, do you need them soon?"

"No, for the moment I don't even know who will be where in September. We will need mirrors then for those who will be at magical schools without telephones."

"OK, the three of us will get onto that. Don't let the situation grind you down."

Hermione gave a weak smile, "'with a little help from my friends.'"