A/N: Hey guys, I'm gonna be busy tomorrow, so you get another chapter early! Lucky you! We get a lot done in this chapter, and we answer some of the questions! Please review and enjoy this chapter!
"Enter," Dumbledore's voice sounded from the other side of the door. His tone suggested peace and tranquility, but Harry could not be sure.
Harry turned the rusty brass door knob and entered the large office. After scanning the room, Harry saw that there were many tables filled with strange magical objects. He noticed that next to the desk was a perch, and sitting on top of it was a majestic phoenix.
Harry's eyes lit up with a newly sparked interest, and he quickly walked over to where it stood, completely forgetting the reason for his visit.
"Wow, I had always hoped to see one in person." Harry reached out a gentle hand and stroked the phoenix's fiery red feathers.
"Her name is Fawkes," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. Just then, Fawkes flew up and landed on Harry's shoulder.
"She seems to like you," Dumbledore commented. Harry looked at Dumbledore as if he had just realized he was there.
"Sorry," Harry said, mentally scolding himself for getting distracted.
"Not a problem," Dumbledore said, "I am rather fond of her myself."
"The core of my wand is a phoenix feather. I have always had a fascination with them."
"I know. I inspected both your and Draco's wands. Did you know the feather inside of your wand came from that very phoenix?"
"Really?" Harry asked, looking from Dumbledore to Fawkes.
"I assure you, it is true. Fawkes only ever gave two feathers. One is in your wand, and I will tell you what happened to the other one in due time. Now, though, I think you have something to tell me?"
Harry, though still processing this new piece of information, figured it was better not to waste any more of Dumbledore's time. So Harry sat in a chair facing Dumbledore, Fawkes still perched on his shoulder.
He hesitated for a moment, not quite sure how he should start. He sighed and decided there was no easy way to tell Dumbledore any of what he was about to say.
"First, I need you to promise me something."
"And what is that?" Dumbledore asked, his eyebrows raised.
"After I tell you everything, I would like you to answer all of my questions,and I would like the truth."
"You have my word that I will answer your questions to the best of my ability." Harry supposed this was the best he was going to get from Dumbledore, so he nodded. He paused a moment before starting to speak again.
"Everything I am about to tell you is extremely private; not even the Dark Lord's most trusted servants know the things I am about to say." Dumbledore nodded as though he understood, so Harry continued.
"What do you know about Horcruxes?" Dumbledore's eyes snapped sharply to his.
"I have researched a great deal about Horcruxes, especially as they pertain to Tom Riddle,"
Harry smirked. He had guessed correctly. Dumbledore already knew about some of the Horcruxes.
"When he was younger, the Dark Lord —Tom Riddle— was very interested in Horcruxes. I am sure you can see the lure of them… magical objects to make someone immortal." Dumbledore nodded, so Harry continued.
"He researched them for quite some time, and finally, when he was sixteen, he succeeded in making his first. I hope you note the word first. He decided that merely one Horcrux was not enough to ensure his immortality, so he made another. Still, two Horcruxes were not yet enough to give Tom Riddle peace of mind, so he made three. He continued on like this until he stopped at the number six. Voldemort made six Horcruxes and hid them in a variety of locations."
Dumbledore's eyes were very wide, and it looked as though Harry had just confirmed his worst suspicions.
"I knew he made Horcruxes, but I was not aware of how many."
"I was talking to Ginny Weasley, and she informed me of this diary she had in her possession in her first year. She told me it had possessed her and made her do terrible things. She said Ron eventually found out and gave the diary to you, and you destroyed it." Dumbledore sighed heavily at the mention of what was once Tom Riddle's first Horcrux.
"She did indeed show me the diary. After I got it, I traveled into a chamber and killed the basilisk that was inside. I used one of its fangs and stabbed the diary with it. I had my suspicions as to what it might be, but I could never be sure."
"That was his first one. A Death Eater didn't know it was a Horcrux. Almost no one knows about them, not even Bellatrix. They thought it was just a powerful magical object, and cursing someone with it would be fun. They were tortured when Voldemort found out. He knows it was lost, but not that it was destroyed." Dumbledore nodded, so Harry asked.
"What have you found out about the other Horcruxes, anything?"
"Very little," Dumbledore sighed, "I have only found out about one other, a ring. I think it is currently hidden in an old house that used to belong to Voldemort's grandfather. Would you like to tell me about the others?"
"Sure," said Harry, picking up where he had left off. "The first Horcrux was the diary, which you said you destroyed, meaning there are only five left. One is a ring with the Mavolo family crest engraved on it, which I am guessing is the one you located. Another is a locket that once belonged to Salazar Slytherin. Another is a small cup that once belonged to Hufflepuff. One is the lost diadem of Ravenclaw. The last Horcrux will be the hardest to get to. It is the snake Nagini, which Voldemort always keeps with him. Those are all six Horcruxes."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully.
"Why would he tell you all of this, though?" Dumbledore asked, "You said not even some of the most trusted Death Eaters knew this; why would he tell you?" Harry hesitated before answering. The question seemed like a trap, but Harry couldn't be sure.
"Well, I was his most trusted servant. He raised me like a son. I was named his heir. He told me everything he knew in the hope I would one day take over if he ever died, which he did not think would ever happen. He wanted me, when I was old enough, to create my own Horcruxes, and we would both be able to live forever." Harry didn't look at Dumbledore as he said this, but he could feel the old man's eyes burn into him.
"And did you end up creating one?" Dumbledore asked.
"I was close to attempting it, but no, not yet." He could feel Dumbledore pressing into his mind.
"I thought," Harry said quietly, "That I had warned you not to attempt to break into my mind again." Dumbledore paused his attempt.
"I need proof that you did not create one." Harry sighed and looked at him.
"How would you like me to do that?"
"Open your mind," Dumbledore commanded.
"I can't, not to you," Harry said, and he could see hardly controlled anger in the headmaster's eyes.
"And why not?" Dumbledore asked.
"It will only let in people that I trust. Voldemort put a spell on my mind, a sort of ward that makes it so that no one I don't trust can get in. If they try too hard, for too long, then they will get hurt. I can't control it; it just happens. So if you want, you can keep trying, but whatever happens to you is out of my control."
"What can I do to gain your trust?" Dumbledore asked.
"See, that's the problem," Harry said with a smirk, "I have been lied to my entire life. I will not be quick to trust anybody ever again." Dumbledore was about to say something, but Harry cut him off before he could.
"If I were you, I would act on this information very quickly. He will find out sooner or later that I have told you this, and I assure you, when he does, he will make sure no one ever sees those Horcruxes again."
Dumbledore looked at Harry for a moment, and then he got up swiftly and walked over to his fire. He tossed some powder into it, and green flames erupted out of it.
"The Burrow," he said clearly, sticking his head into the fire. Harry assumed he was talking to someone because he kneeled in the fire for a few minutes.
Harry wondered if he should go, but his only way back to the house was through the fire, which Dumbledore was now occupying. So instead, Harry sat in his seat, stroking Fawkes, who had moved to his knee, and waited for Dumbledore to be gone. It was a few more minutes before Dumbledore suddenly withdrew his head from the fire.
"Sirius and Lupin are extracting the ring as we speak," he informed Harry. "Where do you think the others are located? If you have any ideas, that is."
"I might, but I am not sure if any are accurate. They all seem like obvious locations, though, not the kind Voldemort would hide parts of his soul in." Harry sighed, looking thoughtful.
"Think about the other locations for a while. I will also, and we can meet up anytime if you think you know where they are located."Dumbledore said. "If you would like, I can start answering your questions while we wait for Sirius and Lupin to come."
"Yes," Harry said at once. He glanced down at Fawkes for a moment, and then he decided just to go for it. What harm could it do anyway?
"I want to know why Voldemort came after me as a baby."
"Ah," Dumbledore sighed, "I am afraid I do not have the time tonight to explain it to you. However, if you choose, you may return to my office in a few days, and I will explain everything to the best of my ability."
"Okay," said Harry, a bit annoyed. The only thing he had asked for in exchange for the information was for Dumbledore to answer his questions, and now he would have to wait for the answers he sought. Dumbledore looked at Harry closely for a minute and then asked, "Do you have any other questions I can answer?"
Harry thought and then replied, "Yes…" But he was cut off by a burst of light coming from the fireplace.
Out of it came Lupin, looking slightly ill, and Sirius, looking as healthy as ever. Harry held in the urge to groan.
In Sirius' hand, he clutched a gold ring. It had the Marvilo family crest engraved on it, set in a black stone, which shimmered in the soft light of the office. Sirius walked over and placed it into Dumbledore's outstretched hand. Dumbledore's eyes grew wide as he examined the ring.
"It can't be…" he muttered under his breath.
"What?" Sirius asked.
"Nothing," Dumbledore quickly put the ring down on his desk.
"I'll pull you up, chairs," Dumbledore said, taking out his wand. With a slight flick of his wrists, two chairs appeared, and Lupin sat down wearily.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Dumbledore asked him.
"Yes," Lupin replied, "I'm okay. The house was very protected, and my energy was drained, breaking through the shields and protections." Dumbledore nodded and sat back down behind his desk, Harry still facing him, and Sirius took the chair next to Lupin.
"What is the purpose of that, Dumbledore?" Sirius asked, gesturing towards the Horcrux, which was now lying innocently on the table.
Harry made sure to keep his gaze averted from the two men whom he now despised. He was angry at them for trapping him and for what they had said about him. They did not deserve even so much as a glance. (A/N: I know it is juvenile, but what can I say?)
"It is a powerful magical item which must be used to bring down Voldemort."
Sirius' eyes widened, and he looked as though he wanted to say more, but the look on Dumbledore's face seemed to tell him not to. Harry was focusing on a spider crawling up the side of Dumbledore's desk.
With that, the silence took over. It was deafening. It seemed to have a sound of its own, a pulsing beating until it drove Harry crazy. Harry hated silence more than anything. It reminded him of his nightmares. Alone, scared, not knowing it was only a dream, watching terrible things happen to those he cared for.
He couldn't take it but would not break it. He was mad at two people in this room and was still doubting whether he should talk in front of the other. Then, to his relief, Dumbledore spoke.
"What has upset you, Harry?" He glanced up and noticed for the first time that Dumbledore was watching him closely. Harry must have shown some of his thoughts on his face without meaning to.
"I just don't like silence much, that's all." He replied, making sure to keep his face neutral.
"Usually, when someone does not like something, they do something about it. Why would you not try to start a conversation? Do you not have any questions?"
"I am currently not speaking to 75% of this room," Harry said, jabbing a thumb toward Sirius and Lupin, still not giving them the satisfaction of having him look at them, "And I still hardly know you, and I am still not convinced that I can speak freely around you."
"First of all, I invite you to speak as freely as you wish around me." Dumbledore began with a slight smile. "Secondly, would you care to explain why you are not talking to them?" Dumbledore nodded towards the other two men.
"I actually think it would be much better if they told the story. It would be so much more entertaining for me anyway." Harry said with a smirk.
Now, they would have to tell Dumbledore what they had said and done. Now, they would be paid back for their words. Lupin sighed and looked at Sirius.
"You want to try this time, or should I?"
"I'll do it. Just sit." Sirius replied, glancing at Harry before he began. "This morning, Harry overheard a conversation Lupin and I were having about him, and we may have said some things we didn't mean."
Harry laughed a cold, humorless laugh. "Oh, they meant it, and they still do. Now they just regret saying it."
"And what exactly did you say?" Dumbledore asked with a frown.
"I made Harry mad in our first lesson by saying we needed him as a leader. He thought we were just using him. When he returned to the Burrow after two hours, he looked like he wanted to knock me out. We were saying it was weird that Harry came back at all, and he might have had orders to do so. We also asked why he should care about his parents dying, which I think is the real reason he is mad at us." Sirius finished looking rather ashamed of himself.
Harry didn't care, though. He was getting angry again, and there was no room in his body for sympathy towards the men who had accused him of such things.
"Ha," Harry mocked, "You make it sound so simple. Weren't your words, 'What does he care about his parents? You're telling me a lifetime of training can be undone in a few days and with a single piece of knowledge?' You meant it then, and you still mean it. I can prove you mean it."
"How can you prove it?" Dumbledore asked, not dismissing them or accusing Harry of anything. He was just asking for a reason.
"Where is my wand? If you trusted me or thought I wouldn't kill everyone in their sleep, I would have it back. However, neither Draco nor I have our wands. It is clear you still mean what you said. And now, if you give me my wand, it will only be because I said something. It will not be because you reconsidered my trustworthiness in any way." Harry was on his feet now, though he did not know how he got there.
"Harry," Dumbledore said somewhat cautiously, "To be fair, you are an extremely powerful wizard, and you just started to live with the Weasleys a few days ago. It is only fitting that you still do not have your wand."
Harry's fists were clenched into tight fists again, and he was starting to shake slightly. Nevertheless, he hid it well and kept everything in, appearing much calmer on the outside than he was on the inside. If it had just been Lupin and Sirius, he would have probably started to yell at them, but he was still wary of Dumbledore.
Plus, he did not think Dumbledore would answer his questions if he lost his temper. Instead, he calmed himself down and forced his face to be calm and cold instead of reflecting the boiling anger he felt inside.
"Be that as it may," he started, forcing his voice to remain calm and steady, "It does not excuse what they said. If they said it, that is what they are thinking. No one changes their perspective about another person so quickly, no matter what they might say to the contrary."
The room was silent for a few moments. Sirius looked like he wanted to say something but didn't want to worsen things. Lupin was still pale, but it seemed his mind was far from being concerned about his sickness. Dumbledore was gazing at them all with his eyebrows slightly raised and his hand folded on his desk. He was waiting for one of them to speak.
Harry sat down hard in the chair again, far from pleased. Harry was mad: mad at the silence, which was becoming defining again, mad at Lupin and Sirius because they didn't realize a simple apology could never make him forgive them for their words. They would have to really mean it, and he knew they didn't right now. He could detect the lie on their lips.
They were meant to be his father's best mates, and here they were saying his son did not care in the slightest that he was dead.
Harry wanted to do something drastic. He felt an urge to do something completely insane and risky.
He wanted to fight against Voldemort for killing his parents when he was only one.
Fight, for making everyone think he was also gone while he was actually very much alive.
Fight for all his lost time, the years he spent fighting for Voldemort's army, the years he spent not knowing the truth.
Harry knew he had to do something. He could no longer sit here and pretend everything was fine. This was not the time for waiting and planning; no, that time was over, had been over for a long time.
Now, he wanted to fight; more than that, he wanted not only to fight but to win. He wanted compensation for all those years, for every second he spent thinking Voldemort was the good guy.
He wanted revenge.