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Harry laughed as Ron's voice squeaked a little when he replied, "That'd be wicked … Sorry, I mean of course Harry, whatever you think is best to keep your mind occupied."

Smiling to himself as he watched Ron jump out of bed and hurry out of the room to wash up, as if he was concerned that hanging around would allow Harry to change his mind and withdraw the offer he had made.

With a smile on his face, Harry laid back down and was asleep within a minute.

"Spicy Bubotubers," Harry said confidently, watching the gargoyle guarding the staircase that led to Professor Dumbledore's office start moving, revealing the way to the office.

Waiting a second, for the staircase to be fully revealed. Harry shook his head to himself, thinking on the items that the wizarding world made into treats, while some of them: like the chocolate frogs were enjoyable if you could get over a moving piece of chocolate that acted like a real frog Harry decided there was absolutely no power in either the wizarding or muggle worlds that would compel him to even think about ever trying a treat named 'Spicy Bubotuber'.

Hearing the rumble of the stairs signifying it had finished, Harry shook his head again to ward off his imagination which had begun to fill his mind with ideas of what such a treat would taste and smell like. Climbing the stairs one at a time, Harry reached the top of the stairs and knocked on the door leading into Professor Dumbledore's inner office.

"Come in, Harry," resonated Professor Dumbledore's warm invitation from within the confines of the room.

Harry drew in a deep breath, mentally steeling himself as he took a moment to center his thoughts, summoning his occlumency skills to fortify his mind. With a focused resolve, he opened the door, a small smile playing on his lips at how quickly he had managed to erect his mental defenses.

Crossing the threshold into the room, Harry was enveloped by a fleeting wave of nostalgia as he beheld Professor Dumbledore seated behind his desk. Memories flooded back, reminding him of the solemn occasion when he had last encountered Dumbledore in that very spot. It was a moment he didn't think he would forget, with Dumbledore already resigned to the inevitability of the curse that would claim his life. Harry couldn't help but realize that by that point Dumbledore, was already prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice and had already crafted a plan to thwart Voldemort's ambitions, denying him the power of the Elder Wand.

Dumbledore gestured towards the invitingly plush chair positioned across from him which he had just conjured, a silent invitation for Harry to join him. With a wave of his hand, he encouraged Harry to fully enter the room and take a seat.

"Hello, Harry …," Dumbledore greeted him warmly, his expression reflecting a mixture of relief and curiosity, " … you appear to be in much higher spirits than I had expected to find you in … however, while your positive demeanor is indeed a pleasant surprise, it's not the reason for our meeting today ... or at least, not entirely. There's something else I wish to discuss ... I … I wanted to apologize … I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry's brows furrowed in surprise, momentarily causing a flicker of instability in his occlumency shields as he raised his gaze to meet Dumbledore's eyes. "Professor?" he inquired.

"I regret deeply, Harry, that you have been chosen as one of the Triwizard Tournament Champions," Dumbledore expressed, his tone heavy with remorse. "Though I am well aware of your ... knack for finding the nearest perilous situation and stumbling right into it … a trait you seem to have inherited from your father, I never anticipated that the tournament, which I advocated to reinstate, would be the next in the chain of dangerous situations to affect you."

Dumbledore paused, his gaze momentarily falling to the floor before meeting Harry's eyes with a solemn expression. "My intention in resurrecting the tournament was to foster connections between nations, nurturing bonds among the students who will end up shaping the future, today's students are tomorrow's leaders. But beyond that, I harbored aspirations of revitalizing relationships between countries that have been neglected since the era of Grindelwald. I had hoped that by reviving these bonds, we might begin to dismantle the isolationist policies that have long plagued the wizarding world."

Dumbledore shook his head with a mixture of disbelief and disappointment, a sense of regret evident in his expression. "While I acknowledged the possibility that someone with ill intentions might try to exploit the tournament as a means to harm you, I held onto the hope that with my magical abilities … which if I may humbly say are no small amount, the protective enchantments of the goblet itself, and the vigilance of the teaching staff, we could ensure the safety of all students, including yourself. Unfortunately … reality proved far more treacherous than I had expected."

Harry gazed at Dumbledore for several seconds, silently absorbing the sincerity and sorrow radiating from the elder wizard's eyes.

"In truth, the entire event hinged on a deal I had made with the Ministry," Dumbledore continued, his voice tinged with a hint of resignation. "I sought their assistance in securing the services of one from a list of retired former Aurors to take on the role of the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. It was meant to provide an extra layer of security."

The irony that it was Dumbledore's attempt to make it safer for Harry, which had inadvertently led to the infiltration of Barty Crouch Jr. disguised as Moody, nearly prompted Harry to chuckle. However, he restrained himself, opting instead for a solemn nod of understanding as he replied, "It's alright Professor, I don't think you were responsible for this. And with my luck if it hadn't been this … it would have just been something else."

"Thank you, Harry," Dumbledore replied with a gentle smile, his expression reflecting his gratitude. "But let's set that aside for now, shall we? You had asked to meet so I would suspect there is something on your mind. What can I assist you with, my boy?"

Harry hesitated, his thoughts swirling as he pondered how to broach the topic. Finally, he found his voice. "I wanted to discuss Voldemort and magic," he began, his tone serious and resolute.

Dumbledore paused, a hint of surprise flickering across his features as he raised an eyebrow. "Ah … well … that's unexpected," he remarked, his tone laced with mild surprise. "Or perhaps I should say, I didn't expect half of that. When you mentioned wanting to chat as you passed me at the feast, I assumed it would relate to the tournament … or perhaps your recent Unbreakable Oath. However, we can talk about those should you desire … nevertheless, know that if you ever feel the need to talk about your selection for the tournament, there are individuals here at the castle, myself included, who will always make time for you."

Harry nodded appreciatively at the headmaster's words, his expression reflecting his respect. However, as he remained silent, Dumbledore took the initiative to continue.

"But magic ... it truly is a remarkable and expansive subject," Dumbledore mused, his gaze drifting off into the depths of memory. "When I was much younger than you are now … many more years ago than I care to admit … I was utterly captivated by it. I used to shadow anyone and everyone who I saw practicing magic, eager to unravel its mysteries…"

As Dumbledore's trailed off no doubt momentarily wrapped up in a memory of his youth, Harry couldn't help but smile at the mental image of a youthful Dumbledore eagerly pestering friends, family, and acquaintances with endless questions about the nature of magic … although Harry had to admit that half the reason he was smiling was that he could not imagine a younger Dumbledore without a beard, which left an amusing image in his head.

Returning from his momentary musing, Dumbledore refocused his attention on Harry. "But I sense that you have something more specific in mind," he continued, his eyes alight with curiosity. "Perhaps you have a particular topic you wish to explore. I must admit, I'm intrigued. What were you hoping to discuss, Harry?"

Harry's gaze shifted nervously to the ground before he looked up and confidently met Dumbledore's eyes. "I want to talk about dark magic …," he confessed, his voice tinged with apprehension.

Dumbledore's reaction was palpable. His smile faltered and his usual twinkle in his eyes almost completely faded, replaced by a guarded expression as he responded to Harry with a hint of suspicion. "Oh ... and what exactly did you have in mind to discuss?" His tone was measured, betraying a sense of caution.

Undeterred, Harry held Dumbledore's gaze, determined to address the matter head-on. "I want to discuss Horcruxes," he declared, bracing himself for the elder wizard's reaction.

Instantly, Dumbledore's expression darkened, his smile vanishing completely as he fixed Harry with a penetrating stare. Harry felt the weight of Dumbledore's scrutiny, which was momentarily accompanied by the expected and subtle sensation of an intruding legilimency probe, one that was much softer than any attempt Snape had made. So soft and light, that Harry was confident that had he not been diligently practicing with occlumency since the start of the year he doubted he would've been able to perceive it, much less attempt to defend against the intrusion.

Allowing the legilimency probe to advance just far enough for Dumbledore to confirm his identity, Harry swiftly fortified his mental defenses, strengthening his occlumency shields to repel any further intrusion and let Professor Dumbledore know that he was aware of what he was doing. He sensed the immediate withdrawal of Dumbledore's probing presence.

Meeting Dumbledore's shocked expression with a steady gaze, Harry observed the headmaster's initial surprise give way to a more composed demeanor. Dumbledore shook his head in disbelief before fixing his attention back on Harry. Despite the evident suspicion in his tone, Harry detected a lack of hostility, which provided a measure of reassurance.

"Well ... I must say, that caught me off guard," Dumbledore remarked, his voice tinged with intrigue.

Harry simply nodded, "I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore, but there are some things … for now at least … that I believe are best left for future discussions. I understand that the likelihood of my occlumency shields holding up against an actual concentrated attempt from you is slim, but I hope you can respect my desire for privacy. In return, I promise to answer as many of your questions as truthfully as I am able."

Dumbledore regarded Harry with a thoughtful expression for a moment before a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "I suppose that must be how it sounds to others when they deal with me," he remarked lightly. Taking a deep breath, he shifted his demeanor to one of seriousness as he refocused his attention on Harry. "We can … try things your way … for now, Harry. You've certainly earned that much. However, I foresee that there may come a time when a more forthcoming conversation is needed. For instance, when did you start learning occlumency? But for the moment, let's follow your lead. Where would you like to begin?"

Harry nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Professor," he acknowledged before meeting Dumbledore's gaze squarely. "Horcruxes," he repeated simply, noting the subtle flicker in the headmaster's eyes as they briefly darted towards the top drawer of his desk before returning to Harry.

"Ah, yes …," Dumbledore responded solemnly. "Harry, simply by the fact that you know that name, you must understand that we are delving into a realm of magic that extends far beyond mere darkness. There are few topics, if any, in the wizarding world that are as inherently dark. Indeed, in recent memory, I have only encountered references to Horcruxes in connection with one other individual ..."

Harry nodded resolutely, cutting off Dumbledore before he could speak. "Voldemort," he affirmed, his tone unwavering.

Dumbledore's eyes widened in surprise at the interruption. "Indeed," he replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "Perhaps you should lead the conversation, Harry, as I find myself quite unsure of its direction ... a sensation I must admit I am not particularly fond of."

"I know why Voldemort didn't die when he attempted to kill me as a baby," Harry continued, watching closely as Dumbledore's expression shifted, piecing together the puzzle of Harry's previous statements. "Voldemort had created Horcruxes."

Dumbledore met Harry's gaze directly, the intensity of his stare unyielding as he reached for the top drawer of his desk. Retrieving Tom Riddle's diary, he placed it on the table between them with a heavy thud. "I had long suspected that Tom had created a Horcrux, Harry," Dumbledore admitted, his voice grave. "My suspicions were all but confirmed when this, along with your story, was brought to my attention during your second year. But if what you're suggesting ..." He trailed off, observing Harry's shake of his head. "Harry?"

"He didn't simply make a Horcrux, Professor ..." Harry began, drawing a deep breath as he lowered his gaze to the diary resting between them. After a moment, he raised his eyes to meet Dumbledore's, his expression resolute. "... the diary you have on your desk was merely his first. No, Professor, … he made seven Horcruxes."

A look of horror swept across Dumbledore's usually composed face, causing him to appear visibly shaken and aged beyond his years. He slumped back in his chair, his features contorted in disbelief as he murmured to himself, "That can't be true ..." before trailing off into silence.

Meeting Harry's unwavering gaze with a quiet intensity, Dumbledore sought confirmation, his voice barely above a whisper. "Seven? Truly?" The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, revealing the depth of Dumbledore's shock and concern. "I knew Tom had been exploring avenues of immortality, and when he vanished after that tragic night in Godric's Hollow, I suspected that he had not met his final end. Even after you presented the diary, all but confirming his Horcrux creation ... I never comprehended the full extent of his descent. Seven ... it's beyond what I ever imagined he would dare to attempt ..."

Dumbledore trailed off once more, his mind seemingly lost in a whirlwind of thoughts. After a moment he stood up to pace behind his desk, lost in thought, before he returned to his seat, fixing his gaze on Harry.

"Harry, how is it you know this?" Dumbledore asked calmly, his eyes searching Harry's face for answers.

"I ..." Harry paused, his gaze drifting to the destroyed remnants of Tom Riddle's diary upon Dumbledore's desk. In that moment, he realized that he hadn't fully made up his mind before entering the room whether to reveal the truth about his trip from the future to Dumbledore. However, as he looked at the ruined artifact before him, Harry decided that, for the time being, this was a secret he would keep to himself.

While he didn't think Dumbledore would be angry or do something to Harry … if anything he firmly believed that Dumbledore would respond with understanding and compassion upon learning the full extent of Harry's experiences and what he'd been forced to give up on, Harry was tired of the pity that would inevitably follow. For the moment, he found solace in the relative normalcy of his interactions with those around him, considering the circumstances. After all, everyone had treated him as normally as one could expect from a person who had been compelled to utter an Unbreakable Oath to convince the school that he had been unwillingly entered into the Triwizard Tournament.

With his resolve firm, Harry mentally fortified his occlumency shields before setting his jaw and meeting Dumbledore's gaze once more. "That is one of the things I don't want to talk about ... at least not yet," he stated firmly, signaling his reluctance to broach the topic further.

Harry observed Dumbledore's brief frown, noting its equally swift disappearance. To his surprise, there was no follow-up legilimency probe, but instead, Dumbledore regarded him with a thoughtful expression before finally responding.

"Harry ... I can respect your desire for privacy, but you must understand that your reluctance to share … makes your words, though plausible, somewhat harder to trust. Can you see that?" Dumbledore's voice was gentle yet probing, his eyes searching Harry's for understanding.

Harry nodded in acknowledgment, maintaining eye contact with Dumbledore. "I understand, and I honestly realize that despite my occlumency shields, you could potentially extract that knowledge from my mind if you wished, likely without me even noticing. However, I hope that you, of all people, understand my desire to keep certain aspects of myself private, especially given the circumstances of this year."

"Touché," Dumbledore conceded with a fleeting smile, a gesture of acknowledgment. However, the smile quickly faded, replaced by a sober expression. "Nevertheless, the question remains: why should we place our trust in this information? How do I know this isn't a trap orchestrated by whatever remains of Tom or his followers? Perhaps this is merely an attempt to lead us on a … wild gnome chase, so to speak."

Harry met Dumbledore's questioning gaze with a steady look of determination before calmly replying, "Because I know what and where they are."

Dumbledore's mouth fell open in disbelief, his usually eloquent voice rendered speechless. After a moment of incredulous silence, he struggled to regain his composure, his words stumbling out in a jumbled rush. "Harry ... how can you ... are you ... do you understand the gravity of this ... when did you ..."

Unable to articulate his thoughts, Dumbledore trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief. After a brief moment to collect himself, he refocused his attention on Harry. "Alright, Harry, what are they?"

Harry's gaze shifted towards Dumbledore's desk as he began to recount the locations of Voldemort's Horcruxes. "Well, the diary was the first one he made. After that, he visited the Gaunt house where he took the Gaunt family ring, turning it into a Horcrux when he murdered his father, framing his uncle in the process. During his time working at Borgin and Burke ..."

Dumbledore interrupted, his expression one of astonishment mingled with curiosity. "How did you come by this knowledge about his family and his apprenticeship at Borgin and Burke? His apprenticeship there was not widely shared, and I only uncovered the truth about his family a few years ago during a conversation with Bob Ogden."

Harry raised an eyebrow as he met the headmaster's gaze, gently shaking his head in response.

Dumbledore smiled softly at Harry's reaction. "My apologies," he admitted with a rueful chuckle. "I suppose I'm accustomed to holding all the puzzle pieces, even if I'm not always certain how they fit together. It's simply surprising when someone possesses knowledge I hadn't anticipated them having knowledge of. But you're correct; the how is unimportant for now. I imagine it's quite an interesting story, one I look forward to hearing at some point. I'll attempt to refrain from bombarding you with questions for the time being."

Harry nodded and resumed his story. "While he was employed at Borgin and Burke, he learned of a collector in possession of a locket that once belonged to Salazar Slytherin. Determined to acquire it Voldemort paid her a visit at which point he also discovered that the collector possessed a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff. He obtained both items and eventually turned them both into Horcruxes. Additionally, at some point, he tracked down Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem ..." Harry's smile widened as he observed Dumbledore's eyebrows shoot up in surprise at the mention, though the headmaster remained silent. "... in Albania. And finally …," Harry continued, his tone growing somber, "at some point during this past summer, Voldemort created another Horcrux by imparting part of his soul into a snake." He glanced at Dumbledore, who raised an eyebrow in response. "Yes, Professor, not only is Voldemort still alive but he is in a good enough state where he can create Horcruxes. However, as of now he currently lacks a ... normal body."

Dumbledore appeared to sag slightly in his chair, not so much surprised by the news as disappointed that it had been confirmed.

The silence between them stretched for several tense seconds until Dumbledore finally looked up at Harry and nodded. "While I can't verify the truth of your words, they certainly resonate and are consistent with some of the memories I've uncovered regarding Tom's early life ... But that would account for six Horcruxes. What was the seventh Horcrux that he made?"

Harry drew a deep breath, bracing himself for Dumbledore's reaction. As he began to raise his hand to his forehead, he watched as a look of horror dawned on Dumbledore's face, realization dawning.

Brushing his hair aside to reveal the lightning-shaped scar etched upon his forehead, Harry met Dumbledore's gaze with unwavering determination. "When he killed my parents, he accidentally left a fragment of his soul within me ... I am a Horcrux."

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FavoriteAuthor

ThunderSphinx - I really enjoyed writing the First Task so I hope you enjoy it. I really tried to change how he approached the task so I look forward to the feedback.

Believer1991 - Thanks so much! To preface this comment. Harry Potter was such an important part of mine and so many others childhood and loved the books but that being said. I really felt that one of the areas where JK dropped the ball with with the adult interactions with Harry. Other than Hagrid it seemed that most of the adults didn't really have time for Harry as a person and while perhaps there was a chance that maybe they all somehow missed the signs of his abuse at home ... something that hurts, working with individuals who have had difficult homelives. But in what was basically a boarding school where the teachers had magic it hurts even more that most the professors missed things that happened to the students and never apologized. Adults make mistakes and can apologize for them too and I always felt that perhaps despite her depicted tough exterior Professor McGonagall would no doubt apologize for a mistake holding herself to the same standards that she holds all the students ... I mean ... thanks for the feedback. There will be more interactions between them. She no doubt has memories of the Marauders that Harry would love to hear

DJ Scales - Thanks so much!

littleemberlou - See previous comment relating to McGonagall, but really glad the interaction was approved of. I'm really enjoying your feedback. Thanks so much! And as for Draco ... hmmm I wonder why he did what he did ... haha but glad you liked it!

hunzbookwyrm - Thanks so much. Hope part one of the Dumbledore convo came out alright.

Lucy Elizabeth Dawson - Thanks so much for the review! Hope this chapter was appreciated as well.

skotos07 - Thanks for the review, ya obviously Dumbledore made mistakes but so does everyone and while he certainly is responsible for his mistakes I honestly thought he would always try to make the world a better place and protect the students as the headmaster. This story will have him take slightly different actions in response to what Harry does/says that I thought would keep in character to what I actually though Dumbledore is. Unlike the Super-Evil worse than Voldemort Master-Manipulator Dumbledore that a fair amount of fics seem to depict.

cameron1812 - Thanks for the review! Ya I thought unfortunately while I, as well as just an insane amount of people, loved the HP books some of the characters were depicted in ways that just seemed a little off. So I'm glad people are enjoying these characters and the writing.

jkarr - Thanks so much!

BlindFaunusGirl - Thanks so much! Haha I enjoyed it too!

Story Note 1 – As for the memories Dumbledore uncovered, the book never specified exactly when they were collected. And the only actual point of reference that was mentioned to narrow the time frame was that Bob Ogden was dead by the time Harry viewed the memory. As such, I chose to believe that most of the memories were collected before this moment as Dumbledore was searching for a way to defeat or predict Voldemort's movements.

Story Note 2 – I know there are a lot of people out there who have very strong feelings about Dumbledore and I am by no means a Dumbledore apologist. I think he did make mistakes and not just in the name of the greater good, but actual mistakes. However, everyone makes mistakes and due to his position and power, I believe it just magnifies the mistakes. As such I do not believe Dumbledore was perfect but rather was just trying to make the best of the situation they found themselves in. Therefore I do not necessarily think he raised Harry for slaughter but rather once it he concluded that there was a horcrux inside Harry … there was no other option he could come up with. A situation that I hope to avoid in this story.

Story Note 3 – Dumbledore is a little more in disbelief about the horcruxes that when it was in revealed in the book because this is earlier in his mental process of discovering that is what Voldemort was using. As such, while he was not surprised about the use of the horcrux he had not fully began to process the use of more than one, much less seven of them.

Story Note 4 – ["Harry, how is it you know this?" Dumbledore asked calmly.] I imagine if this fic ever became a movie this line would be delivered calmly and not with an emotionally agitated Dumbledore. Haha 😊

Thanks to those of you out to those of you who enjoy my stories, I promise to keep updating the stories as long as you enjoy them, and a special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to leave feedback or reach out to me directly.

Author Note 1 – All feedback is welcome (hopefully constructive!) Looking forward to what you think! Once again, thanks for all the reviews and feedback on this story, I'm pumped it has been well received. Obviously, I love people telling me they enjoy the chapters (keep it up if you do) but I really enjoy the constructive criticism as well. One of the earliest pieces of feedback I got was that Fred/George dialogue was rough – so as a result I changed it but really like the way it is coming across now (a sentiment that seems to be shared by the readers as well). Also please continue to share ideas or requests as to things you wish to occur in the stories. I love the suggestions. And try to incorporate what I can.

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