"By Merlin you're safe!" Sirius cried out while he hugged his godson with all his might. Tears were trickling from his eyes while he held the crumpled mess that was the most important person in his life. He gripped into the dirt clothes Harry was still wearing, felt a hand sneak up under his arm and up to his back. Harry gripped into the soft and comfortable texture of his godfather's robes, gripping those hard.

"Padfoot." He whispered into the folds relief flooding his mind rather quickly. Then he winced, flinching from his godfather.

Sirius's eyes were wide in panic. "Are you hurt? Do you need anything? Harry talk to me please!" He called out, staring up to the other men. Harry held his hand over his shoulder, sheltering slightly.

"Just a little hurt, it's okay." He mumbled out, before his hand dropped into his lap, picking up the black ball of feathers that chirped at him loudly. Her warmth spread through his fingers as he raised her to his chest, cuddling her close, while tears fell from his eyes.

"Dawn." He pressed a kiss onto her small heat, while she cooed loudly, fluttering her wings, slightly. Relief and happiness rushed through their bond from the bird of fire into him but it wouldn't extinguish the pain of loss that was hurdling through his mind. Harry sniffed once more, trying to bling away tears that fell into coal-black feathers. Sirius kneeled down, carefully rubbing his back once more.

"Are you alright pub? What happened?"

Emerald eyes turned to him with sadness, trimmed with tears.

"They killed Gryph." he croaked out with a shaking voice. Sirius blinked once, before nodding slowly, rubbing the back of Harry's neck.

"I'm sorry Prongslet."

Harry had told him about his pet snake a few months prior. At first, the tall Lord of Black wasn't particularly thrilled about his godson having a Slytherin pet animal, but seeing how happy it made the raven-haired boy, he quickly let that be of the past. His boy was even now desperate for companions and latched on to those rather quick. Who he liked he put into his heart fastly. New hot tears pooled out of Harry's eyes and he leaned forward only to flinch when his shoulder brushed against Sirius's chest.

Dumbledore rose from behind his desk, folding his hands slowly.

"Maybe we should reconcile into the Hospital Wing?" He asked with a slow and kind voice. The adults around the room nodded in agreement.

It took Madam Pomfrey about four minutes to heal Harry's shoulder and place some healing balm on his forehead. The lightning scar was surrounded by angry red tissue and still gave him a strong headache. Still, the matron insisted of him staying in the wing overnight, so she could monitor him. She didn't want to negotiate these terms in any shape or form.

At the moment, Sirius and Narcissa sat on each side of the bed the by now pyjama kled boy was resting in. Dawn had huddled on his chest, half-covered with the blanket herself, purring like a cat. She had closed her eyes and Harry felt strong exhaustion from her. His fingers were hidden in the pitch-black feathers, rubbing small circles there. She made sounds of content, not opening her eyes.

The other people in the room were Dumbledore, Moody, Madam Bones and Professor McGonagall. While Dumbeldore showed no sign what he was thinking and Moody was brooding in the back, McGonagall looked quite shaken at the kidnapping of her student. She had long since had a soft spot for the Golden Trio and even though they cost her more sleep than the rest of Gryffindor combined, she wouldn't have it any other way.

The older witches eyes rested on Sirius Black for a moment. She remembered the careless attitude the man had possessed when he was a student, back in the day but nothing of it was showing at the moment. He looked gaunt, nervous and still worried, even after Madam Pomfrey had declared him all right. His eyes weren't shifting away from the young godson. Minerva flinched slightly when the Moody's wooden leg stomped over to the bed.

"All right, what happened Peverell?" He grumbled out folding his arms in front of himself.

Minerva stared at the scarred ex-Auror with glaring eyes. "Professor, I don't think this is the right time to question Lord Peverell about this!" She spat almost out, making Harry flinch a little in the harshness. Sirius's hand placed itself on his godson's shoulder, ready to defend him, standing up.

But Albus Dumbledore sighed a little shaking his head.

"Minerva, I have to agree with Alastor on this. Time might be of the essence. Harry, my boy, would you consider telling us what happened?"

The boy didn't look up, his eyes still focused on the purring ball of feathers. Yet, Dawn opened one of her eyes filled with the colour of molten gold. She looked at him for a moment and a rush of comfort came through their bond. He nodded, still looking at his familiar, who closed her eye again in slow tired motion.

"I can do this. It's okay." He said still not looking at anyone but his beloved familiar.

Sirius slowly sat down again but his hand stayed on Harry's shoulder.

Moody nodded grumpily.

"Tough. Very good. Now, what happened when you touched the egg?" He asked, his magical eye swirling in his eye socket.

Harry took a deep breath and spoke. "It was a portkey I think."

Madam Bones nodded. "We gathered this much."

"Well, it took me...I don't know where I went. It was a room inside a fortress. Old, crumbling stone. A lot of dust. I was in a prison cell first, with a door I wasn't able to open even with magic." His fingers played mindlessly with Dawn's tailfeather, which had grown quite long over the past few weeks.

"I tried breaking out for a few moments, then some woman came and cast Imperius on me."

Sirius's head snapped around staring at his godson. "Harry! I..." He wasn't sure what really to say, he was just horrified that his godson had suffered from one of the unforgivables. Harry smiled at him for a moment.

"I'm here Pads, I'm safe."

The older man huffed then nodded. Harry continued his story.

"I was lead through this old castle until we came to a large hall. Looked like a Roman theatre or something like that. Rows on Rows of stone benches with a large stage in the centre. The Ubermensch symbol was everywhere." He pointed over to his robes with the embroidered Peverell crest on them. Dumbledore frowned.

"Gellert's old fortress." He said slowly, nodding to himself. It wasn't used in over forty years and quite strong in the defence.

Madam Bones chimed in. "You know where that place is headmaster?" She asked in a brisk tone. The old man nodded.

"We will have to look into that Madam Bones. But first, let Harry finish his story." He waved over to the raven-haired boy.

"There was another man inside, I think he and the women were siblings or something."

Moody raised his head a little. "Did you happen to know their names?"

Harry nodded, looking over at his DADA professor. "They were called Carrow."

Madam Bones frowned, nodding slowly. "Alecto and Amycus Carrow probably. Both have fled the UK years ago when they were wanted for being Death-Eaters. They worked for You-Know-Who."

To this Harry nodded, looking up at the stern-looking head of the DMLE. "I figured that much since he was there too."

Bones blinked once before her eyes were wide. "WHAT?" Her hand gripped the end of Harry's bed while she stared at him in surprise. Her call was echoed by Sirius.

Harry nodded slowly.

"He was there. Well sort of. His spirit possessed a half-rotten corpse, I don't know whos."

Sirius leaned closer, taking Harry's hand. "Are you sure it was him Prongslet?"

The boy nodded slowly. His free hand came up rubbing over his forehead. "My scar burned like crazy while I was there. I'm sure it was him."

Dumbledore nodded slowly, brushing through his beard.

"I was worried this might be the case. Our young Harry has encountered the former Dark Lord quite a few times over the past years." He said with a solemn voice. Amelia Bones frowned, crossing her arms.

"And why, may I ask, isn't the Ministry informed about this incidence?" He asked with a crisp voice. Dumbledores light blue eyes turned towards her.

"I informed the Minister on both occasions but he decided that this was just some ridiculous fantasy of a teenager nothing more. He didn't want to listen really."

Harry gritted his teeth upon hearing that. He had wondered about that fact too, why nothing more was done there.

Madam Bones huffed raising an eyebrow. "Oh, I will have a word with our dear Minister about that you can count on."

Moody grumbled at the both of them. "Maybe we let Peverell finish his story first. What did the Dark Lord say or do Peverell?"

Harry looked over at his teacher again.

"They bound me and first he only talked to me. About how he was so much more than me and all of that. He said those things before, talked about the way mum protected me. After that, they gagged me and started some ritual. I don't know what it was, something with a big cauldron in the middle, a circle, a bone of a father, flesh of a servant and they wanted my blood for it as well."

All eyes in the room turned to the oldest man present. Dumbledore stroked his beard while he nodded. "That sounds familiar. It is an ancient resurrection ritual normally used for someone who had died only shortly before so their spirit is still close to their body so to speak. The ancient Egyptians used it when their Phaoroes died sometimes but I haven't heard it being used in a long time. Quite impressive. Horrible but impressive. His spirit must linger quite safe in our plane."

Harry nodded slowly. "He said that my mother's procession rebound the Killing Curse but also weakened it to some degree. Made him somewhat immortal at least he said so. He is a wraith-like creature at the moment, only able to interact with the world by possessing other people."

Moody stepped closer his eyes now both focused on Harry. "Did the Dark Lord succeed in getting your blood boy?" He asked staring unblinkingly. Harry shook his head slowly.

"No, he didn't." Then he cast his eyes down. "Gryph attacked Carrow when he tried to get some from me with a knife and then he killed him for it." Harry felt again anger and sadness swirl through his body when he remembered the small snakes head falling into his lap. The gliding feeling when the body slid down from his neck. Harry looked over at his dark robes, still seeing the smudge of blood on it.

Sirius rubbed over his shoulder and Narcissa, who hadn't said a word up until now leaned over, pulling Harry into a short hug. The blond woman whispered into his ear.

"I'm sorry Harry." Before she leaned back and stared on. Dumbeldore also nodded slowly.

"Again I'm very sorry for your loss Harry. I expect shortly after your marvellous companion came to our side, whisking you away?" The old man mused and Harry nodded, petting Dawn's back with long strokes. The black bird opened her eye once more and cooed at him in love. It felt so good having her back, like returning home after a really really shitty day times thousand. Then he looked up to the old bearded man.

"How did she even do that?" He asked. Dumbledore smiled his eyes also looking at the again sleeping creature.

"Phoenixes are creatures of wonders and mystery. They have great magical power and are really loyal. I live with Fawkes for over forty years now and I still don't know or understand all his doings. But what Dawn did for you is an ability I would call flaming. She bursts into flames, reducing herself to nothing only to reappear in a different place. Quite a marvellous ability and one I don't understand at all. But it is really exhausting for them, used in only the direst of situations. I am surprised that Dawn is even able to do so already. Fawkes was over three years old before he first flamed and has done so only four times in my entire life. You have a wonderful friend in her, Harry."

The boy smiled at the old man's warm words, while his fingers brushed through the black feathers. Since she had returned him the only time he lost contact with her was when he had been changed into his pyjamas. Other than that his fingers had brushed through the feathers continuously, trying to calm his inner turmoil with the simple act.

Moody gruffly nodded.

"Very well Peverell, well done. Has there been something else? How was the Dark Lord? Were others besides the Carrows on his side? Did he say something?" Moody seemed almost eager to hear more.

Harry shook his head. "I haven't seen anyone else. Maybe there were more but as far as I know, not. He looked...pathetic?"

Moody growled. "Don't you underestimate the Dark Lord, boy!"

Harry shook his head. "I know, I know, but...he couldn't even walk by himself, he was a rotting corpse, barely able to use magic. He was missing one leg I guess and smelled like a pile of old meat." Harry had a thoughtful look and since everyone was so focused on the boy that nobody saw the anger in Moody's face for a moment. Harry looked up again.

"He said something else. He said I would be his polar. What's that?"

Dumbledore stared gravely at Harry, while the others looked in quite a confusion around. The old man sighed a little, shaking his head.

He turned towards the other adults. His eyes looked tired all the sudden.

"I think it is best if this information would stay in this room. I will not elaborate on the content, this is on a need to know basis. Madam Bones, it might be a good idea to pick up a few Aurors and search the fortress of Gellert Grindelwald. I don't think that Voldemort stayed there." The people around the room flinched slightly. "But still we should try everything there is." The stern woman nodded. She looked over to Sirius for a moment and they shared a curt nod before turning towards the door. Dumbledore turned over to his second in command.

"Minerva, would you please inform house Gryffindor that Harry has returned to the school safe and sound? I think Miss Granger will be quite relieved to know that he is alright." The deputy headmistress nodded, giving Harry a short smile before she also left the room.

Dumbledore turned to the scarred DADA professor. "Alastor, you know what to do. See what you find and then meet me in my office in about an hour."

The gruff man also nodded and hobbled out of the room without sparing anyone another glance. It was silent for a moment, even Madam Pomfrey had left by now. Only the purring of Dawn was heard slightly. Dumbledore sat down on a chair, folding his hands in front of him.

"Professor. What is polar?" Harry asked quietly, staring into the old man's blue eyes. There was no twinkle there this time, just a tired old man.

"Harry, I'm not sure if this is the best if you know." The old man said.

Harry frowned, shaking his head. "Professor, if you don't tell me, I will find out. Remember my best friend is Hermione Granger. The brightest witch of her generation. If you think you can hide information from her...you haven't met her." Sirius smirked while Dumbledore stared at him for a moment. He drooped his head, rubbing over his forehead once before he raised those old warm eyes towards the only female in the room.

"Miss Black, I must ask you to-"

"Not a chance. Cissy will stay here." Sirius barked out a little angry. He was sick of Dumbledore handling Narcissa like she was a death-eater like she was dark just because of her former marriage.

Dumbledore looked over at Lord Black. "Sirius please, this isn't about light or dark this is about-"

Sirius pointed at the old man. "I don't care Dumbeldore. This is not up to you to decide. The Black Library is huge, don't ever think I wouldn't find out even if you don't tell me. And-"

Narcissa had stood up, silencing her cousin. "It's alright Sirius. I will go outside for a while." Her cold glare slid over the old headmaster, who, even though he was the most powerful wizard in the world, felt a slight shiver down his spine. He knew, oh he knew quite well, Narcissa Black nee Malfoy was dangerous. One of the reasons he didn't trust her at all.

"You will take care of this. If my lord is endangered here again I swear to you being what you are will not save you from the Black wrath." Her hand reached out and placed itself on Harry's shoulder for a moment before she strode outside, her head held high. The others followed her with their eyes until she closed the doors behind herself. How she did it without making a sound despite it being large winged doors was probably due to her pureblood and noble upbringing.

Dumbledore sighed again and for once looked like the man over one hundred that he was. His eyes were sad and he felt his years in his bones. Taking a deep breath he shook his head.

"Are you sure you want to know Harry? This knowledge can be depressing, to say the least."

Harry blinked, his eyes returning to his familiar. Dumbeldore noticed how much the boy put emphasis on his small companion and it was heartbreaking and so sweet at the same time, the old man felt like he was short of shedding a few tears at the display.

"Tom said he went after my parents because of that, not because they fought him. He went after me, he wanted me. It's my fault that they are dead."

Sirius scooted closer, rubbing his godson's shoulder, while he shook his head sadly. "Harry, this is not your fault. James and Lily loved you so much, they gladly gave their lives to protect you."

Harry looked a little depressed and shook his head.

"No matter what it happened because of me and I have to know why." He looked up at the old headmaster, who nodded and sat up straighter.

"Very well my boy. Polar is an obscure and strange creature in the world. Our world is designed in a dual way. Life and Death, Black and white, Light and Darkness, Hot and cold. There are so many things that tip to the other side of the scale but are on the same scale still. The same goes for humans. For every human, there is, magic creates a counterpart. Or an opposite so to speak. Since there are millions upon millions in the world, most never meet their opposite."

Harry frowned. "Like soulmates?"

Dumbledore chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh no. That is something different, something debated if it even exists. Soulmates are the people whose souls are in sync. They fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. Like I said no one really knows if this is even the case or just people who put more emphasis on their relationships. Hard to say."

Harry frowned. "What do you think?"

Dumbledore smiled and his eyes twinkled. "I think love is the most powerful force in our world. Love knows no bound and the thought that for everybody out there there is the perfect match, that is a comforting thought."

Harry nodded in agreement, while he looked at Dawn's black feathers. "So what about the polar, are those the complete opposite? Like hot and cold?"

Dumbledore nodded, while still shaking his head. "Yes and no. They are in many ways different from each other. The arithmetic equations put in place to calculate your polar is long and rather complicated. I think there are only about two dozen people in the world who even know about polar since this is a really obscure branch of magic and of those only a handful can calculate the right person. Polars are determined by their birth. For example your case. You were born son of a pureblood father and a muggle world mother. Tom was born with a muggle father and a pureblood mother. Your birthday is in the middle of summer, his in the middle of winter. You were born twenty years before the end of the century, he was born twenty years from the beginning. You were born in love and happiness, he was born in hate and misery. The list of things goes on and on and on. But that isn't all there are similarities as well. You were both born with Mars in its third house. On both of your births, the full moon was shining. It is beyond complicated."

Harry tried to understand. "So, I'm what? His mirror?"

Dumbledore nodded with a happy smile. "Yes, that could be said about this. You are in some way a mirror image of him and like in a mirror some things are the same while others are flipped to the opposite. I would need probably days to even go through all of the details with you, since not only do those are many, but they also shift. Without taking a single case it is totally impossible to understand the concept behind this. For example, there are totally different requirements for my polar or Sirius. We aren't sure if polar is something only happens to humans, but is likely."

Harry nodded still confused.

"Did you find your polar?" He asked curiously.

Dumbledore's face turned really sad and he nodded, slowly. His gaze turned distant, warm and broken at the same time.

"Oh yes. Many, many years ago I found my polar." He said with a wistful smile on his features. Harry frowned, he had only seen his headmaster like this once when he had stared into the mirror in the first year.

Harry leaned a little forward. "What happened?" He whispered lightly.

Dumbledores sad eyes turned towards him, blinking lightly, moist.

"We ended up on the opposite sides of a conflict and he died." His voice was slightly broken by the words. For a moment they all just sat there, saying nothing.

Sirius leaned forward a little bit. "But what has all this to do with Volde...with Tom attacking Lily, James and Harry?" He asked, while his hand clutched to Harry's shoulder. Dumbledore looked sadder than ever before.

"Well, everything. There is an old ritual concerning polar. In order to enact it, one polar has to kill the other. If he does, his magical power increases by the tenfold. Even a normal witch or wizard becomes abnormal strong. For Tom, who by birth is already almost without equal, to enact this ritual...who knows what he would be capable of doing. I wouldn't be able to hold him at bay any longer, that is for certain."

Harry stared at the old man with wide eyes.

"Y...You mean when he kills me in that ritual, he would be unstoppable?"

The old headmaster nodded slowly, with a sad look in his eyes.

Hermione rushed down the corridors in Hogwarts. The stone walls echoed the sound of her footsteps. Her bushy hair swung back and forth, while she was running. Climbing some stairs, she rounded a corner and finally reached the corridor to the Hospital Wing. In the distance, she saw a tall, black-blond woman, who was staring out a window. She stood high and impressive as she always did, intimidating Hermione slightly.

The bushy-haired girl was still not sure what she should think about the woman that had become some mother-like figure to her best friend. On the one hand, she was helping Harry a lot, keeping Sirius a little in control, teaching him about the wizarding world and the things he wanted to learn, giving him a sense of what it was like growing up in their world. Also, Hermione had seen her a few times being nice and warm to Harry, even though he seemed to be the only one that really received this behaviour for her, maybe with the exception of Dawn. But that wasn't surprised no one could dislike the small feather ball, she was just too cute for that.

On the other hand, she was still Malfoys mother. No matter what Hermione had said to her when she met her during the summer, there was still the lingering anger towards the blond-haired teenager and by extension towards his mother. She was cold and sometimes Hermione had seen her glare in her own direction as she looked down at the girl with a sneer. Harry had told her she was still coming to terms with her upbringing but still, being sneered upon wasn't something she liked to endure in any shape or form. The girl firmly believed in the equality of every human being and the looks from Miss Black made it probable that she didn't agree on this point of view.

Still, Hermione was a well-behaved girl and slowed down a little bit. She was certain if she came running, she would earn a disapproving look from the taller woman and no matter her ideological ideas, Narcissa Black was still part of Harry's family and therefore Hermione wanted to at least be tolerated by her. The tall thin woman turned around, her Index finger gliding under her chin while she propped up her elbow with the other arm.

"Miss Granger." She spoke with the typical emotionless voice she was known by now to the girl. Hermione stopped in front of her, nodding slowly.

"Miss Black. Good evening."

The woman hummed a little while nodding.

"My lord returned safely, this is a good evening indeed."

Hermione's eyes turned to the great doors separating her from the Hospital Wing.

"Is Harry okay? Is he in there? Can I visit?" She asked, carefully. Narcissa shook her head slowly.

"Yes, Lord Peverell is fine. Yes, he is in there, but right now, the headmaster is speaking with him and Lord Black. They have important things to discuss." The crisp voice of the older woman suggested that she wasn't fond of waiting outside. Hermione blinked slowly.

"Oh, ok. Then I will wait out here if it is okay with you."

Narcissa nodded and turned to the window again. Hermione stood next to her, looking out onto the Forbidden Forrest. The dark oak trees slowly swayed in the wind, ruffling the leaves on their tops. For a while none of them said a word, while both females just stood there, looking out into the afternoon sun.

"Did you come alone, Miss Granger?" Narcissa finally asked, still not looking over. The bushy-haired girl shook her head, slowly.

"Neville will be here soon. He went telling Susan that Harry is back. They should be here quite soon."

The black-blond haired woman hummed again in understanding.

"Her aunt was here not long ago. She missed her."

Hermione frowned slightly, looking up to the woman. "Amelia Bones was here? Why?"

Narcissa raised an eyebrow, looking down at her. "A lord of the Wizengamot and boy-who-lived was kidnapped today. Of course, the Ministry intervened." Her tone was condescending, to say the least. Hermione stiffened next to her a little, before she frowned, turning to her.

"Why do you do this?" She asked bluntly. Narcissa blinked, frowning slightly herself.

"Beg your pardon?"

Hermione gestured between the two of them. "Why are you so condescending towards me? I know you dislike me because I'm muggle-born and therefore not worth your time in your opinion, but I did nothing but being polite towards you, so you could at least be polite towards me too."

Narcissa raised her eyebrow once again. Her eyes searched the girls face for a moment before she shook her head.

"You are a friend of my Lord. I think it wouldn't be proper to say." She said briskly.

Hermione glared up at her. "I don't care. Tell me what your problem is."

Narcissa stared at her then sighed.

"This. You are muggle-born and while it is something I was taught to look down upon, it isn't part of the reason. The reason is that you live muggle and that is something I just can't stand."

Now Hermione was confused. "I live muggle? But I'm in Hogwarts all year round."

Narcissa nodded, before pointing at her chest. "You are here with your body, but your mind and heart are still muggles. You still have the values of their world and you try to force them into a world that is so different, ignoring the rich and old history of the magical community in the process."

Hermione frowned. "I learned about wizarding history." She countered. Narcissa shook her head.

"What do you think about the Wizengamot?" She asked. Hermione crossed her arms.

"It an old-fashioned backwards institution." She said in a strong tone. Narcissa nodded.

"And that thinking is exactly the reason I dislike you Miss Granger and a problem I have seen so many times from other muggle-borns. You come into our world, a world we have built over centuries and sneer down upon or core values and traditions. You come in and try to make our world like yours, change our world so it fits your ideals and values, without realising that our culture is more advanced than yours."

Now Hermione frowned. "Oh really? In the Muggle world, your birth doesn't make you special. People are equal. Slavery has been banned for over a hundred years now and the freedom to think and speak what you want is stronger than ever."

Narcissa shook her head. "And the last war between wizarding nations is lying back four hundred years ago. Harry told me, that people of a different colour of skin are still frowned upon in wide spreads of the muggle world. The way muggles destroy the world with their machines and dirt. Wars are fought for a god and democracy has been used to put tyrants in place, while the wizarding world and the Wizengamot haven't been ruled by a single person ever since the time of the great Merlin itself. "

Hermione paused slightly. That was true. Time and time again she had heard her parents rant about politics. About a politician who was lying and stealing from everybody. How corruption was at large and they felt like their vote was powerless. She bit her lip. Narcissa continued.

"I don't say the magical world is perfect. I don't say that the muggle world has nothing to offer, as hard it is as I have to say. But and this is the big But, just because our society evolved in a different manner than yours doesn't mean you have the right to look down upon it."

For a while, Hermione looked at the woman in front of her before she nodded slowly.

"I will think about it."

Their conversation ended there because Neville and Susan were hasting down the corridor, both dishevelled and worried looks on their faces. They reached the two females, panting for air a little.

"Is Harry all right?" Susan asked, looking from one to the other.

Narcissa scowled a little at the blue-haired Bones-heiress.

"A good evening heiress Bones. Yes, Lord Peverell is well, he is in discussion with the headmaster at the moment."

Susan blushed a little at the first words, mumbling quickly. "Good evening Miss Black. Will they be long?"

Neville who was still trying to catch his breath also quickly greeted the noblewoman in a proper way.

Narcissa was about to answer when the doors opened and Albus Dumbledore stepped outside. He smiled over at them.

"Ah, Miss Granger, Miss Bones, Mister Longbottom, good evening. I guess you would like to see Harry." He stated. Narcissa frowned slightly at the old man. She still disliked the fact that the headmaster still ignored the given title of the boy she was the proxy for. The three children in front of her didn't seem to mind though, nodding eagerly.

Dumbledore stepped from the door waving at it with a soft gaze.

"Then in you go. Do me a favour please and don't stress the poor boy too much. He had a long and really hard day and a lot to deal with."

The three quickly thanked the headmaster and shuffled inside. Narcissa slower followed the children, stopping in the door once.

She turned her eyes to Albus Dumbledore.

"Headmaster." She said with a nod, before moving inside.

Albus Dumbledore sighed, leaning back in his throne-like chair. Alastor stood in the corner of his office, looking at some book cover. The gruff teacher had his hands folded behind his back.

"Alastor, my friend please sit down. Lemon drop?" The headmaster offered the bowl as he did with everybody. The gruff ex-Auror hobbled over sitting down.

"No. You know that full well." The man grumbled out. Dumbledore frowned slightly but nodded, pulling back the bowl.

"I can't believe you have been here in the school for months now and still this is the first time we speak one on one old friend."

Moody grumbled a little. "You and I have a lot to do Dumbledore. There is a lot to be taken care of as well."

Dumbledore nodded, folding his hands in front of him. Then he leaned forward.

"Well, what have you come up with?" He asked after a moment. Moody blinked a little.

"Not much. Most circles are rather quiet. I found out the Carrows returned about a month ago. Hid like the slimy gits they are. Don't know how they slipped through the net yet, floo is unlikely. Considering the way they got Peverell, it is likely they used port-key. Since the Dark Lord can't move on his own, at least from what Peverell said, that would also speak for portkey."

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Have you heard from Amelia?"

Moody nodded. "Yes, just before I came here. They stormed the castle and found it empty. There were indicators that someone was there not long ago. Peverell's story seems to be true."

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "Oh, I never doubted that."

Moody eyed him carefully. "We can never be too sure about anything Dumbledore."

The old headmaster nodded tiredly, folding his thin hands again.

"You are right, old friend. Has someone been hurt when they stormed the castle?"

Moody nodded stiffly. "One auror. Those nasty buggers had left a few traps behind. One of the men wasn't as vigilant as he should have been and lost his legs in the process."

Dumbeldore blinked sadly. "Will he survive?"

Moody nodded once more. "They brought him to St. Mungos. It looks like he will survive but his legs are lost to him. The sad thing, the chap was a good man, taught him myself."

Albus smiled a little in a sad way. "I'm sorry old friend."

Moody shook his head. "We can't save everyone. Should have looked out better, no matter what. Constant Vigilance."

Dumbledore nodded. For a moment they were quiet.

"How is Peverell?" Moody asked slowly.

Dumbledore had the feeling this was one long and hard day, for him too.

"Shaken. He is quite distraught by the news I had to tell him. I hope he will be all right."

Moody nodded once more. "He is a tough boy. He will be okay, I would guess."

Finally, Dumbeldore could smile honestly while nodding in agreement. "Oh yes, I agree. Young Harry is probably stronger than any of us. He reminds me so much of his mother and father."

Again Moody nodded in agreement, before pulling out his flask and drinking a little bit. Dumbledore leaned back sighing once more.

"Do you remember the time when Sirius brought James into the order during the war? The eagerness to do his part, the readiness to fight. His son has inherited that part."

Moody laughed raspily. "Oh yes, I remember. Potter was a clever chap, we were lucky Black brought him in."

A moment of silence followed the statement and Moody felt a shift in the headmaster's posture. But before he could even move a strong body bind caught the scarred figure, while his wand flew out of his pocket. Dumbledore stared at the other man, his old "friend".

"I had a nagging feeling all year that something was wrong. I couldn't place it but I knew I missed out something."

Moody struggled against the binds, glaring at the headmaster.

"What is the meaning of this Dumbeldore?" He asked angrily. The long-bearded headmaster shook slowly his head.

"The game is up to my friend. I know you are not Alastor Moody. Alastor would never forget that it wasn't Black who brought Potter in, but the other way around."

Silence followed the statement, while Moody stared at him before seething.

"You tricked me, you old bastard."

The headmaster hummed in agreement while standing up and moving to the bookshelves to the side. He picked up a certain object.

"Oh yes, I did. I had my suspicions ever since the ceiling in the great Hall reacted so violently towards you, but that could have been something else. But over the time you made a few key mistakes. Alastor calls me by my first name when we are alone ever since I saved his life during the War. You stand a little wrong. But really your greatest mistake were these." He pointed at the lemon drops.

Moody frowned. "What?"

Dumbledore smiled a sly smile. "Everybody knows Alastor Moody doesn't eat or drink anything he didn't prepare himself. He buys from a random shop, he cooks at an unknown place and he never takes food from someone. But Alastor wouldn't be Alastor if he wouldn't use that information as well. He has placed his own mind under certain spells, hiding certain information and keyed those spells to this room. Only when he is here those thoughts are revealed to himself. So even if he would be kidnapped and his mind would be read, those pieces of information wouldn't come out, because he doesn't know them himself during these times. Like calling me by my first name, or the fact that Potter/Black is one of our safe questions."

Dumbledore smiled more and stepped closer, putting a small metal bead against "Alastor Moody's" chest.

"But the most hidden piece of information, one he buried deeper than any other, only revealed by a certain question is the fact that Alastor would always take one lemon drop from the bowl when asked, hold it in his hand the entire time and would return it at the end of the conversation saying I should keep it for the next time."

Spreading out from the beard, ripples moved over the scarred human in front of Dumbledore. Hair lengthened more and more, turning from brown to black. Scars smoothed and disappeared. The broad chin narrowed and with a plop the magical eye was pushed out of the head, bouncing over the floor, to make room a dark brown natural one. The mouth turned thinner almost no lips anymore.

Dumbledore smiled a little bit at the now totally changed person in front of him.

"Hello, Mr Dolohov." Dumbledore greeted the sneering Death-Eater.

So once more and a lot has happened this chapter. I know I bend the story quite away from the original canon, but for me, that's the reason to write a fan-fiction. Making something new out of it.

First things first. The whole polar thing. This will hit Harry hard. You will see why, from here on out we are in the downward spiral I mentioned in the last chapter. This isn't the last blow he will get sadly. But it is needed to be done. You will see and maybe understand, maybe that will be the point where people will turn away. I promise the darkness will not linger for too long. Only a few chapters. Probably most people can guess what Harry with his little martyr idea thinks about the whole polar thing.

Second thing, I know I didn't put a too manipulative Dumbeldore in this story. That is okay. Dumbledore isn't a black and white person in this story. He is intended to be somewhere in the middle. Same with Narcissa. Her stand on muggles is still bad and will not change. Just because she talks to Hermione doesn't mean that she is okay with muggles now. Like I said before I don't want a 'this world is bad that is good' story. Grey, that is what this is about.

Speaking of Dumbledore, most of you have probably guessed, his polar was Grindlewald and like in canon, he was in love with him. The ritual was formed by Grindlewald to get more power, but since Dumbeldore won it worked for him. This is the reason he is SOOOOO powerful. Base Dumbeldore was strong but by no means the strongest there is. But with the ritual, he was catapulted to the top. Base Voldishorts is stronger than Base Dumbs, but Base Voldi is weaker than enhanced Dumbledore. To understand the difference, someone like Umbridge, who is not really strong, with this ritual would skyrocket near the top. It is an extreme enhancement. That is why Voldemort wants it so bad since he is already the strongest base Character in the story.

Finally Dolohov. Why not Barty. Simple, there is no Barty Senior in this story so the whole Barty Jr. story makes not so much sense as in canon. To divert even further from him, I thought it would put someone else under the mask. Like so often in this story, similarities and differences.

A lot of Dawn in this chapter once more but I love her too much to not do this and also I think it is fitting for Harry after he lost Gryph to grasp for comfort with her.

As always, ideas, problems and more you can very much tell me I love hearing your comments.

Next: Hospital wing and facing the storm.