Chapter 17: Disillusioned

I do not own Harry Potter

Author's Notes:

I MERGED CHAPTERS 1 AND 2, THAT"S WHY THERE ARE FEWER CHAPTERS NOW. I'VE FIXED THE NUMBERING, SHOULD REFLECT ON THE READERS' END SOON.

I decided to do that because both chapters felt unable to stand on their own. The first one didn't progress far enough to be considered a good introduction, while the second was always too short to stand on its own, clocking in at just over 1000 words. I hope the outcome is favorable, especially for new readers.

So my decision to include make the characters Animagi has come under fire. It has been pointed out, and rightfully so that Animagi is a very unique skill, and quite far beyond the capabilities of the characters currently. Here's my defense -

1) Harry getting his hands on the animagus procedure is not that far fetched. If you're James Potter, or any parent for that matter, I think you would definitely want to pass on something so special to your children. As for why at 13, I already stated its because that's around when he himself started doing it, so it makes sense in a sentimental sort of way for him to choose it.

2) Your Player-Character in the Hogwarts Mystery games becomes an animagus in the third year (provided you do the side quest). I took that as a nod for me to be able to go through with my decision, it is canon after all (or at least not been declared non-canon)

3) Ron Weasley was cited as an example of someone incapable of doing it. I don't dispute it. But the thing is, all he has to do is follow instructions, and while that is easier said than done, it is still very doable compared to him having to the research, and he has his friends to support him does he not?

4) In any case, no one EXCEPT Harry is becoming an animagus right now. I came to this conclusion after looking at the responsibilities of nobility and beneficiaries in general regarding IPR.

5) I accept criticism, in fact I welcome it, as you may have seen from my A/Ns. However, it's a little off-putting when I don't get the chance to defend my decisions, like in anonymous reviews or accounts with DMs turned off. Anyway, that's all.

Recognizable parts belong to JK Rowling.

Made small tweaks to the scene from the DADA class to be more in line with the story.

Yes, I know the DADA class was not on the first day, but the thing is I didn't remember it when I wrote the last chapter, so now I gotta go with it. And anyway, what is fanfiction, if not a little liberty?

Yes, Harry forgetting about the Neville angle is a subtle nod to ME forgetting about him. Lol.

"Good afternoon, Professor" Harry said a formal voice

"Harry? Unless I am mistaken, shouldn't you be in Potions?" asked Remus

"Yes sir. I was removed from the class by Professor Snape" he replied bluntly "I decided to come early. I can leave-"

"No, no, it's perfectly alright, please you can take one the chairs. No one really uses this staffroom much these days." the werewolf finished, gesturing towards a chair next to the armchair he was seated on.

Harry took note of his appearance - worn robes, tired eyes and a few small scars here and there on his face.

All results direct or otherwise, of his lycanthropy.

There was an awkward silence, which Remus eventually broke "Tea?" Harry shook his head in negation "No? A coffee person are you?"

"No thank you sir, I'm not hungry, we had lunch just before Potions"

"Ah of course. Speaking of Potions, may I ask you what happened Mr. Potter?"

"Not at all. I said to him 'My father was a great man and a war hero. A Death Eater has no right to criticize him'. Some people seem unable to accept their own mistakes" he continued in the same blunt and disinterested voice, and still avoiding eye contact with the Professor.

"Oh" came the eloquent reply from Remus.

Remus knew of the legendary (and admittedly, one-sided) rivalry between James Potter and Severus Snape, and how Snape had let it spill over into Harry's time at Hogwarts. He was of two minds - one praising the boy in front of him for standing up for his father (and his old friend's) name, and the other to chastise him for his disrespect to a teacher. But then again, judging from the reply, there was disrespect from the teacher's side first. All the student did was state a simple, harsh truth. Spy or not, Severus Snape joined the Death Eaters willingly at first. He decided not to antagonize the boy.

"As sorry as I am that something so uncultured took place in a Hogwarts classroom, I do not think you are at fault. Were you given any punishments?"

Harry nodded

"I will speak with the Headmaster and have them reversed. Don't-"

"-No, thank you sir. I can fight my own battles" Harry interrupted somewhat heatedly

"Of course Mr. Potter, I did not mean to insinuate you need help, my apologies."

"No problem sir" he curtsied, still not making eye contact.

"You must here this all the time, but you're a splitting image of your father... or at least in black hair"

"I do sir, but I don't think is appropriate for a teacher to discuss a student's private life...sir"

The response seemed to startle Remus a bit... as well as hurt him a little.

"Of course, Mr. Potter, my apologies again. But in my defense, I did know your mother quite well during my time at Hogwarts, and merely inquired as a friend to her, and hopefully to you in the future"

"I had no way of knowing, did I sir?"

Remus gave an expression Harry couldn't clearly read.

Was it guilt, embarrassment, a combination of the two?

"Indeed, how... Say, Harry, would you like to join me for tea Friday evening?" Lupin proposed casually

So now Remus Lupin wants to talk to him. Since that letter mentioned him, Harry had found out quite a but about the werewolf. Apparently, he really was one of his father's best friends, and had even been bequeathed a cottage from his will. You'd think he would have done him the courtesy of at least a letter in the last 12 years, right?. But fair to him, he was his JAMES' friend, not his son's. He had no obligation to look after Harry. As far as Harry was concerned, his little invitation was a mere formality to show to the world. Or if he did in fact care, where was he all this time?

"Have I done something wrong sir?" he asked neutrally

"No, of course not. I merely wished to speak to outside my capacity as just your Professor. You are not obligated to attend naturally..."

"...I'd be happy to attend sir." Harry's emerald gaze met Lupin's brown eyes for the first time "I'm sorry about shutting you down before, I wasn't aware of your history with my parents, and well...uh..." He had a suspicion and decided to stutter on purpose so that Lupin would take over, and potentially confirm it.

Unbeknownst to him though, he had made a slip up here. Remus had specifically only mentioned his mother, but Harry had implied that Lupin had had a relationship with both his parents. Also, the way he said that he had no way of knowing who Remus was while seemingly innocent, was still spoken in a way to be seen as a veiled taunt.

Remus picked up on both.

"Not to worry, it was natural for you to be made uncomfortable, it is my fault for having brought it up without any implication of my past friendship with Lily."

'Ok, he's definitely doing it on purpose!'

"Thank you for understanding sir" Harry said, agitated but putting up the pretense of someone who was just relieved "But if it's possible, could we move our engagement to Saturday evening? I'm meeting Professor McGonagall and-"

"No problem! Saturday, at say...5 pm?"

"I'll look forward to it sir"

Why was this conversation so damn awkward? The whole thing seemed so forced and as if two machines were talking to one another. But Harry was actually glad they weren't talking much now.

He was smart enough to know by now how conversations could to become confrontational in a jiffy if he was in a bad mood, like today. He didn't have the best rein over his emotions, and that led to some easily avoidable arguments.

In the silence he began to think about what had been bugging him about the man. The man singularly focused on how he knew his mother, when in fact Harry knew it was his father he was known to be friends with. And even if Lily and Remus did become great friends, surely Remus' relationship with James deserved at least a mention, right? He had intentionally only mentioned Lily, Harry knew that much. It was the why which he was confused about. Another reason to go to tea on Saturday. Anyway, there wasn't a chance he wanted to miss it; the incentive of getting an insight into his parents' lives was big enough on its own.

And as for what would his relationship with Remus be? Harry would cross that bridge when he got to it.

Across the table Remus was also equally lost in thought.

'His reaction when he noticed me in the room, the subtle jibe at him not knowing who I was since I never contacted him...he definitely knows more about me than he's letting on. But how much does he know? Does he hate me for never having talked to him? Dumbledore did say he grew up muggle with Petunia... who's...well... Petunia. '

Both men were brought out of their reverie by the sound of someone entering the room.

Both looked towards the entrance simultaneously and saw it was Severus Snape. Of course he hung out in the staff room m=not used much these days, probably appealed to his goth nature.

"Ah, did not take long for the two of you to form a camaraderie, did it?" commented Snape, making a point to ignore Harry's presence, and seating himself in a corner on the far side of the entrance.

So there wasn't THAT much time before the class ended than he originally thought.

"Tempus" Remus chanted, drawing his Cypress wand from inside his coat "The other students should be here soon enough... I'll just clean this up" and with a flick of Remus' wand, the tea set cleansed and shelfed itself neatly inside the cabinets. A second flick moved a sofa set and a table towards the side, clearing up space in the middle of the room.

And within moments, the classroom started to fill up with the Gryffindors.

It was time for the third years' first DADA class of the year.

As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this." He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear." Neville went scarlet.

Harry glared at Snape; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers.

Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows. "I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably." Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap. "Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.

"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a Boggart in there." Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively. "Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice. "So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a Boggart?"

Hermione put up her hand. "It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. "So the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears. "This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"

Normally it would've been very off-putting to answer questions next to a bobbing Hermione, but Harry found himself to be largely unphased this time. He decided to have a go. "Er — because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"

"Precisely," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione put her hand down, looking a little disappointed. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening. 'The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing."

"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please… riddikulus!" "Riddikulus!" said the class together. "Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville." The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?" Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

"I didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.

Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape."

Nearly everyone laughed.

Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful. "Professor Snape… hmmm… Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?" "Er — yes," said Neville nervously. "But — I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either." "No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?" Neville looked startled, but said, "Well… always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress… green, normally… and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin. "A big red one," said Neville.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?" "Yes," said Neville uncertainty, plainly wondering what was coming next. "When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand — thus — and cry 'Riddikulus' — and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."

There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.

"If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical…"

The room went quiet. Harry thought… What scared him most in the world? His first thought was Lord Voldemort — a Voldemort returned to full strength. But before he had even started to plan a possible counterattack on a Boggart-Voldemort, a horrible image came floating to the surface of his mind… The alghoul from the Gaunt Shack. Just when he thought it couldn't get worse, it did. A rotting, glistening hand, slithering back beneath a black cloak… a long, rattling breath from an unseen mouth… then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning… Harry shivered, then looked around, hoping no one had noticed.

Many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself, "Take its legs off." Harry was sure he knew what that was about. Ron's greatest fear was spiders.

"Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin. Harry felt a lurch of fear. He wasn't ready. How could you make a Dementor less frightening? But he didn't want to ask for more time; everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves. "Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward… Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot —"

They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready. "On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One — two — three —now!"

A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.

Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes. "R — r — riddikulus! " squeaked Neville. There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.

There was a roar of laughter; the Boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted,

"Parvati! Forward!" Parvati walked forward, her face set.

Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a bloodstained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising — "Riddikulus!" cried Parvati. A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.

"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin.

Seamus darted past Parvati. Crack! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floor-length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face — a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that made the hair on Harry's head stand on end —

"Riddikulus!" shouted Seamus. The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.

Crack!

The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then — crack!- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before —crack! — becoming a single, bloody eyeball.

"It's confused!" shouted Lupin. "We're getting there! Dean!"

Dean hurried forward. Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.

"Riddikulus!" yelled Dean.

There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.

"Excellent! Ron, you next!" Ron leapt forward.

Crack! Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, Harry thought Ron had frozen.

Then — "Riddikulus!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry's feet. He raised his wand, ready, but —

"Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward.

Crack! The legless spider had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said, "Riddikulus!" almost lazily.

Crack!

Lupin looked apprehensive for a second, before calling out "Forward, Harry, and finish him off!" said Lupin as the Boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach.

Harry stepped in front of the boggart, his mind racing a thousand kilometers an hour. What form would it take, what if he failed? Guess he'd find out soon enough.

The boggart just seemed to lay there for a while, as if unsure what form to choose. Harry started to panic, wondering if he'd somehow done something wrong. Surprisingly, most of the class didn't seem to be annoyed, they actually seemed to be excited to know what Harry Potter feared most, while some were simultaneously bracing for Lord Voldemort to appear, including the Professor. After all, who else could be Harry's biggest fear right?

The boggart did finally materialize, though not in the way people expected. It first momentarily took the form of the alghoul that nearly injured Harry very seriously, before moving into a limbo again. This time Lord Voldemort did make an appearance, though not in the form anyone expected, or for that matter recognized. It was Tom Riddle. He too disappeared in a flash.

Finally it settled onto a permanent form - Dementor.

Harry froze instantly.

But Lupin reacted very quickly, lightly pushing Harry out of the way and dismantling the boggart once and for all with another "Riddikulus!"

"Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin as the class broke in to applause, though somewhat mutedly.

"Excellent. Well done, everyone… Let me see… five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the Boggart… and five each to Hermione and Harry."

"But I didn't do anything," said Harry.

"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of the class, Harry," Lupin said lightly. "Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, kindly read the chapter on Boggarts and summarize it for me… to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. Harry, however, wasn't feeling cheerful. Professor Lupin had deliberately stopped him from tackling the Boggart.

Why? Was it because he'd seen Harry collapse on the train, and thought he wasn't up to much? Had he thought Harry would pass out again? And EVERYONE noticed it. How could they not? Harry was standing there like a statue for an eternity wasn't he? Though thankfully the class seemed to be lost in talking of their own successes.

"Did you see me take that banshee?" shouted Seamus.

"And the hand!" said Dean, waving his own around.

"And Snape in that hat!"

"And my mummy!"

"I wonder why Professor Lupin's frightened of crystal balls?" said Lavender thoughtfully.

"That was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags.

"He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly. "But I wish I could have had a turn with the Boggart —"

"What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"

"Hardy Har Har" Hermione replied somewhat sourly, before switching her attention to Harry. "Harry, just you know - I for one am sure you would have dealt with the Boggart if Professor lupin gave you the chance"

"Yeah mate, would've bossed that thing, I'm sure" said Ron, picking up onto Hermione's train of thought

"Harry, what was that thing at the start?" Hermione asked all of a sudden, biting her lip

Harry came to a stop. What should he tell them? "Long story guys"

"Its a long walk to the Magical Creatures class"

"You're not gonna let this go are you? Its-uh really not... that big of a deal-" Harry suddenly had what he realized was a very believable story

"You guys know what a pensieve is?" Ron and Hermione both shook their heads.

A short explanation about a pensieve later, and Harry told them how Tonks showed him some of the creatures she'd seen, one of them being the alghoul which Harry found quite frightening.

Ron bought the story, and Hermione didn't, he didn't have to worry - she had gotten lost talking about the 'fascinating invention' that was the pensieve, and how useful they could be. It wasn't anything Harry didn't know or think of before, but he wasn't complaining - he was off the hook.

Hogwarts Grounds, some time after the last class

"Well at least you have something to say when he teases you about the dementors again" offered Ron

"Yeah... he's gotten Hagrid in trouble though, ponce-"

"Potter" an unfamiliar voice called out to him.

It was Daphne, accompanied by Tracey.

"Greengrass" he said in a lukewarm voice

"What do you want?" Ron said acidly

"Hush Ron!" Hermione said with a not so discreet kick to his shin.

"Well done Hermione" he said sarcastically, before moving his focus back to the Slytherin duo. "What's up?"

"Nothing, I merely wished to wish you good luck for the new semester, and hope we see more of each other this year"

"Oh- uh, thanks! Yeah me too... How is Astoria by the way?"

"Doing well, she wanted to meet and thank you in person, but..."

"But what?"

...

Tracey decided to bite the bullet "Well you kind of passed out on the train so..."

"Right" said Harry, still morbidly embarrassed about that incident

"Oh don't be embarrassed!" Tracey began chirpily "Your retort to Snape papered over the cracks nicely!"

"Yes, in fact word in Slytherin is you did it for that very purpose" added Daphne "Potter, meet us by the Myrtle bathroom after dinner?"

"Wait a minute!" protested an outraged Ron "How do we know this isn't a trap!?"

"Ron-"

"Weasley" Daphne sighed tiredly "How blu-" she started irritatedly, but was stopped by Tracey

"-she means come on Weasley, read the papers!"

Realizing her slip of tongue and silently thanking her best friend for the save, she took over again "Yes... we're sort of political allies now, doesn't make sense for me to hurt him, does it?"

Before Ron could reply, Hermione quickly interjected "Fine, but we're going to be with him as well! How do we know you aren't going to group up and try to manipulate him?"

"Come on Gra-"

"Fine! But only one of you can come! I only have Tracey, how do I know you won't try and pressure us by YOUR greater numbers?"

"Fine! I'll be with him!" Hermione replied equally stubbornly

"Guys come on" groaned Harry

"Your friend started it!"

"Did not!"

"Guys please!" Harry shouted with a tinge of annoyance. Rubbing his face he said "We'll see you by Myrtle's hang out at 9, ok?"

"Deal but Weasel won't accompany you" this time it was Tracey's turn round of bickering. "We wanted to talk to you alone, we're generous in letting Granger come"

"Ok fine"

"Hey! Why am I benched!" protested Ron

"Standard shotgun rules, Ronald" Hermione said with a smirk

"Fine..." he grumbled, bowing before the 'Code'.

"See you there, Potter"

And with that the two groups broke off, each to their own dorms.

"Her attitude's changed all of a sudden, now that you're a political asset for her"

"Chill out Hermione, she isn't bad, we just never spoke before"

"Brilliant, take her side!"

"What do you mean?! What'd she do?"

"Oh nothing of course. It's me who's at fault! How could she do anything wrong?!"

"Hermione-"

"You have a meeting with the Headmaster right? See you when you're back!"

And with that Hermione hastened her pace, and disappeared beyond the nearby turn

"What did I do wrong?!" spoke a baffled Harry

"Mental that one I tell you... she'll come around, don't worry"

"I guess, but what ticked her off?"

"Really, you're asking me?" sniggered Ron

"Right, I've got a better chance asking one of the armors by the Great Hall"

"Oi, you're supposed to say something nice, nobhead!"

Both friends chatted on amicably till they reached the point of divergence - the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Here, take my bag" Harry said, extending his satchel over to the redhead

"Right. Oh that reminds me, I have your stuff from Potions. By the way - totally support you mate, git deserves to be insulted like that!"

"Yeah, he does. I'll bring it up once we discuss whatever he wants me to discuss..."

"Oh and mate, talk to Dumbledore about Hagrid, will you? The ferret better not get him suspended or something. "

After Transfiguration class, McGonagall had given Harry a summons from Dumbledore, which he was answering now.

"Yeah, will do"

As he broke off from Ron, he was stopped by Neville.

"Harry?" Neville called out in his perpetually timid voice.

"What's up Neville? Had a good summer?" he asked casually

"Yeah yeah great. Its - uh - the summer is... kind of what I wanted to talk to you about"

Harry caught onto what Neville was talking about - the whole Wizengamot switch. In hindsight, Harry should've been prepared for this conversation. It wasn't like he hadn't thought of it, but he just had too many things going on to remember.

Thankfully he did have a way to stall it for now.

"Yeah I got you. Listen, could we talk later? I have to go to Dumbledore now... dunno why"

"Oh - yeah, no problem. Just... see me after dinner ok?"

"Sure... catch ya later"

Harry briskly walked away, cussing himself for forgetting about Neville.

'Oh god, how did I forget about him, and after bloody Skeeter's article as well... Guess we're winging it, like always' he laughed to himself.

A short walk later, and he had arrived at the gargoyle standing guard outside of Dumbledore's office.

"Licorice Wands"

The gargoyle sprung into life and moved aside, allowing passage to the boy in front of him.

Harry walked up the stairs and came to a stop at the entrance door, though he did not knock, or rather he didn't need to. A "come in" was heard just as Harry came within grabbing range of the hitch.

'What spell is he using?!'

Inside the office

Harry was anxious as to how the dynamic between him and Dumbledore have changed. A lot had happened after all.

So far though, nothing seemed to have changed, and Dumbledore continued to speak to him in the same genial tone as he always did.

"First of all allow me to give to you something I believe you find great use of."

Dumbledore opened the palm of his hand and a book flew in from somewhere in the second-storey of the lushly decorated office.

"Consider it a late birthday present, I wanted to give it to you on the very day, however work commitments sidetracked me, and then I decided to present it to you in person." he added, placing it in front of the third year.

Harry's eyes moved to examine the book.

No title.

He looked back to Dumbledore with an expression that clearly said "well?"

"I see you've noticed the lack of a cover page" Dumbledore started "that is because it is not a published work. It is a specially-made work for you"

Harry found himself to be at a loss for words. There were precious few works authored by Albus Dumbledore, and he was holding one of them.

"After your present of basilisk-hide, I felt it only appropriate to present you with something your birthday. I heard from Professor Flitwick you requested dueling instruction from him, good luck in passing his aptitude test - yes he does take one, but anyway, I thought why not present you with some of my own dueling experiences"

Dumbledore deliberately took a pause here, interested to see what Harry's response would be.

"Wow... I mean -uh thank you sir! This... this is worth its weight in gold hundred times over!" Harry stuttered out

"I am flattered" Dumbledore said smiling, content to see the young lad understand the value of the what he had just gotten. "While I despise beating my own drum, it is quite valuable. Admittedly it does not have all of my best battles, it is however, sufficiently filled to be of great use to you for years to come. But now let us move to the other matters at hand"

Harry's posture tensed visibly. What was this gonna be about?

"First of all allow me to acknowledge what looks to have been a very enjoyable summer for you. For the sake of the decorum of this conversation, I will say no more on the matter. As you are aware, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban and rumors have him spotted in the not too distant Dufftown. Therefore, for your own safety, the school is restricting you from going to Hogsmeade."

Unlike last time, the aged Headmaster restricting Harry from something did not lead to an angry outburst. It was met by total silence.

The reason for this was that Harry was lost in thought. Not because of the Hogsmeade visit - he'd anticipated this happening and already made up his mind; since there was no real danger to him, he'd just sneak out under his invisibility cloak. Hogsmeade would be filled with hundreds of kids, it would be VERY easy to blend in. It was the supposed 'danger' that had him in contemplation.

Dumbledore was still unaware of Sirius' whole not-definitely-but-atleast-logically innocent theory.

The pro was that Dumbledore had reasonably believed Sirius to be innocent, there was no way he would turn him over to the DMLE. Considering news of the recent sighting in Dufftown, there was logic in letting him in on the act.

But on the other hand were the cons, which were considerable. For one, it involved spilling the beans on the everything about the convoluted Black heirship. Harry was decidedly against this. If it was perfectly fine for Dumbledore to have his secrets, why couldn't he?

And fat load of help Dumbledore could be. What had he done in the last 2 years?

He had driven out of the school by the mere memory of Voldemort.

Both times it was down to him and his friends to save the day.

Harry had taken for a sure thing that he was going to come face to face with Sirius Black. What other business did he have coming up here anyway?

Decision time.

Does he or does he not trust Albus Dumbledore?

...

No.

'So he openly admits to keeping secrets and not doesn't even tell me about the horcruxes, still thinks he's right about the Dursleys - and shows it condescendingly and he then he's supposed to be entitled to knowing everything from us? Hell no. I'm not telling him ANYTHING until he tells me. Does he think he can buy me with one little book?'

Realizing he hadn't said anything, he quickly started "Of course sir" he said in a voice which he hoped conveyed some sort of disappointment and frustration.

Dumbledore's eyebrows twitched ever so slightly, and a half-scorn showed up on the otherwise perpetually peaceful face, which the old wizard was quick to cover up.

Blink and you'd have missed it.

"Understand nobody likes the solution, but it is for your own good, Harry" Dumbledore began again

'Uh-huh like the Dursleys, eh Headmaster?'

"I know sir... just sad I won't get to go" Harry replied in false earnest. He himself could tell he wasn't being very convincing today, and that the words he was speaking were as manufactured as they seemed.

"I heard about your incident with the Dementors Harry, and I am very sorry that happened. I fully understand the gravity of the situation - you could have lost something even greater than your life. I have had stringent words with the DMLE and told them in no certain terms that I shall have them removed if anything even remotely such as this should happen"

"Thank you sir, I am fine now"

In a much softer and somewhat despondent voice, Dumbledore continued "You have been in danger every year you have been at Hogwarts Harry, and I kick myself over my abject failure of protecting my students every day. I promise I am trying my best. "

"I know sir, and thank you again, for all you do" he said in sincerity

'Whether or not its enough is up for debate...' was continued inside his head

Switching gears, he began questioningly "Harry, you do truly believe me to be on the same side as you, do you not?"

"Yes...sir" the Gryffindor answered apprehensively.

He'd learned form his last time in the office. Dumbledore was up to something. He'd have to be on his guard with very word he said.

"And you truly do believe I hold no grudges over our recent split in the Wizengamot?"

"I do" he replied with the apprehension

"Do you believe that regardless of the votes I lost from you and those that chose to follow your House's lead, I am in fact happy for my student and to see a old juggernaut back on the front lines?"

"...Yes"

"And you will agree it would give me great pleasure to see you become a great and accomplished wizard, if not out of sentiment, then out of the security that there is someone who I know will not hesitate to stand up and do what is right in the future?"

"I do. Sir, you misundersta-" the Gryffindor tried to appease, but was overridden

"Then I will ask you this - is there something you would like to tell me, Harry?"

And there it was. So Dumbledore picked up on his strange behavior too. As he began to answer, he was interrupted by Dumbledore before he could say anything

"I asked you this question last year as well, and you chose to conceal information then. So, asking you to reflect on the last time, and pleading you to be open with me" Dumbledore implored "-is there something I should know?"

"...No sir" Harry replied in a way which eerily reminded him of the 'no' Tom Riddle gave all those years ago.

He attempted to gauge the headmaster's reaction, but as much as he tried, he could not tell what was going on in Dumbledore's head.

'Well that's not too surprising I guess, he already slipped up once, he's way too big of a pro to do it again'

"Very well. But before you leave my boy, all I wish to to say is this. I'm aware you are hiding something from me."

'Shit. Old Bugger is onto me.'

"Whatever you have learnt over the summer has spooked you. Enough for you seek out extra lessons on dueling, and turn to Knockturn Alley - and please do not deny-

"You spied on me!" an outraged Harry accused

"I hired a private-eye to watch over you till you were safe. He mentioned you even got lost in Knockturn Alley once" Dumbledore continued as if Harry hadn't spoken

"You spied on me, sir. No way to twist it." he spat out waspishly

"If I wished to spy on you, would I have revealed this information so willingly? I was merely concerned about your well-being, as I am now."

"I - you" Harry couldn't explain his anger. All he knew was that in that moment, his hate for Dumbledore grew tenfold. Were there good intentions behind what the man had done? Maybe, but Harry wasn't seeing it now.

'Its my life! How entitled does he think he is?! So he doesn't know what I do for one week of the year, what's his business anyways?! What else has he been keeping from me that he considers perfectly normal!'

"Professor McGonagall reported what happened in Potions today" Dumbledore continued as if Harry's outrage was not evident to him "and rest assured, I will be having words with Professor Snape. None of his penalties and detentions stand, you may not worry."

Harry looked at Dumbledore disbelievingly "Excuse me sir, but what the hell!"

"Harry, I shared that piece of information with you to show once and for all that we are on the same side here. If you wish to, you will see the wisdom in my actions, all of them. Remember Harry, help will always be given at Hogwarts to those that ask for it."

Dumbledore's words seemed emptier than ever. In truth, Harry was a bit hurt by the casual dismissal of his protest. The amount of liberties Dumbledore took with his life outraged him. Add to the fact the man seemed content with his explanation of his perception of safety as this almighty greater good than overrode any other boundary, and he couldn't stand there for another second.

"Thank you sir"

And with that, a disillusioned Harry walked out of the Headmaster's office, still subconsciously clutching the book he'd been given minutes ago.

Endnotes :

Looks like a good place to end the chapter. Next chapter opens with a little more interaction with Harry and Daphne. I'll also try and have more Salazar (and him teaching). It'll probably end with Flitwick's dueling test. Might stretch it further, let's see.