...
The towering red L shaped monstrosity that was Firewall Castle was clearly not what Amelia expected. She also was not expecting the size of the island it was built on. As soon as they landed, she felt the wards hum and the amulet heat in response.
"Woah, look at Xeno's tower!" Susan called, pointing towards the left-most tower inhabited by Luna's father and his uprooted Quibbler office.
The tower was currently spilling out voluminous amounts of Quibbler pages at a high rate. The twin's silencing ward held so the havoc was completely silent aside from parchment whipping in the wind as it cleared the ward boundary.
"I reckon his printing press is acting up again."
"Looks like the elves are enjoying themselves," Susan said, nodding at a group of five elves carrying large stick nets trying to catch the pages in a rather slapdash way. All of the elves were in a purple and black dragon hide uniform like Slippy's and they were, indeed, squeaking with delight.
There was a muted explosion and a cloud of light grey smoke puffed out of the windows. It was clearly magical as it held it's shape as a halo of smoke around the tower before disbursing.
"Oh dear," Susan said, mouth forming a small O. "That broke the twin's ward."
"You think I should talk to Xeno soon? Maybe offer to buy him a new press?"
"I think he enjoys it," the redheaded teen said as she pointed to the erratic blonde man they could see running to and fro one window to another, pulling one shut only to have it comically burst back open as soon as he got the other ones shut in a seemingly endless cycle.
"Well, come on inside," Harry said, tearing his attention away from the spectacle to lead Susan and her aunt towards the curved front double doors.
When the doors came into view, they saw Mrs. Tolipan and her twins, Drew and Lucas, digging and planting flowerbeds by hand. Alice was already there, leaning against the walls and enjoying her brothers sweating with a smile only a big sister could wear.
"Hello Harry, Susan."
"Good morning, Mrs. Tolipan," Harry greeted politely. "Planting some flowers?"
"Oh yes, I thought it looked a little sparse out here. Some of the elves are talking about sprucing up the outdoors a bit."
"Well it looks great so far."
"I asked that wonderful Neville before he left if he knew any flowers that would do well and he got me all set up," the round faced, shorthaired brunette smiled impishly. "It's given Drew and Lucas something productive to do."
"Fred and George are productive, mum!" the lighter haired boy, Drew, face smudged with soil, complained.
"They're menaces on the best of days," she said with pursued lips. "Good boys, the both of them, but I won't have you dragged into their shenanigans. Haven't decided who's going to blow up their tower first, Xeno or those two."
"Five pounds on the twins," Alice whispered to her brothers.
They looked at each other and communicated like only twins can. "You're on! Mr. Lovegood said he would show us his trumpet horn. Said it'd shake the house down!"
Harry's face paled slightly. Lucas couldn't mean an erumpent horn, could he?
"Perhaps I'll have that little talk with Xeno really soon…" he said, making a mental note of it.
"Besides, isn't it nice helping your mum?" Mrs. Tolipan asked, sharing a wink with her daughter.
"Could be helping the twins instead of being your slaves."
"Yeah, there's child labor laws, you know!" the other twin picked up.
"God wouldn't give us children if he didn't want us to put them to work," she said. She used the phrase often if the look on her sons faces were anything to go by.
"I'm sure if they really wanted to help Fred and George, they can help assemble the jokes they move to the shop," Harry said with a laugh. "It'll be fun for them and might stop some of their secret pranks."
"How'd you know we'd pull pranks in secret?" they asked in unison.
"Well," Harry said as he pushed open one of the grand doors. "I can see the trick wands under your shirt — dead giveaway since you don't do magic."
"Drew Michael and Lucas Brandon!"
Harry laughed as he gestured for Amelia to enter.
"Straight ahead's the ballroom. The right hallway leads to the great room that acts as a portkey landing area. There's stairs to the individual students bedrooms there," he directed. "There's also a set of double doors in the great room, that's the infirmary. If you portkey in injured, the wards will signal Lanuaria or Audrey."
"Harry!" a little girl of Chinese descent no older than six screamed.
She came running down the hallway on the left.
"The family wing is that way with the dining room and kitchens," Susan explained as Harry knelt down in anticipation of the little girl. "The DA took over the ballroom straight through there."
"Hello May," he greeted with a wide smile as she giggled and screamed before launching herself into his arms.
May, Su Li's younger sister, wiggled until she was perfectly comfortable and staring into Harry's eyes with her own wide brown ones.
"Hi Harry. I like your eyes," she told him honestly in a lightly accented voice. "I wish I had eyes like yours."
Lin and Gao Li, Su's parents, were walking at a more sedate pace behind the young girl. They were both wearing traditional Hanfu garments that Chinese wizards had maintained as custom.
"Nonsense," Harry said cheerfully, the same response he always gave the girl. "I think you have beautiful eyes."
May wiggled around in Harry's arms to look at Susan.
"I like your hair," she said again. "I wish I had hair like yours."
"Thank you May," Susan smiled warmly. "Maybe we can trade one day."
"But I like my hair too!" she said, pressing both hands to the top of her head.
"But I like it more!" Susan teased before reaching out and tweaking May's nose.
May giggled and squealed happily, clapping her hands. Then she looked at Amelia and cocked her head.
"What's that thing on your eye?"
Susan covered a laugh and Amelia smiled kindly. "It's a monocle. It's like glasses."
"I have one uncle too," she said. "Hermione said mono means one."
All of them laughed softly at that, May along with them even if she wasn't quite sure why. Amelia looked to the left and her eyes widened; was that who she thought it was? She looked at the little girl then back at the pair who could only be her parents.
"Hello, Mrs. Lin, Mr. Gao," Harry said as her slightly older than was typical parents got closer.
Amelia's suspicions were confirmed; she had needed a better look at them to be sure. It wasn't everyday, after all, that Lord and Lady Li were seen by the British public.
Lin said something reproachingly to May who nodded and said "Yes mother," before clambering down from Harry and turning to Amelia.
"It is very nice to meet you. My name is May Li. I-" she turned to looked questioningly at her mother before nodding as resolutely as a six year old can. "I like your mono uncle."
Gao laughed gruffly at that before ruffling his daughters hair.
"We teach her to always pay compliments," he explained.
Amelia found her voice. "Lord and Lady Li, it's a pleasure to see you again. It's been some time."
"Please, Madam Bones, you must call us Gao and Lin," he corrected after a moment. "We are all amongst friends here."
"I certainly didn't expect to find you here," she said as Susan and Harry were dragged up the main stairs by May.
"We did not feel suited to the tensions of the war in Britain but were unable to secure the necessary allowances to return to China," he explain. "Harry provided us with an acceptable alternative."
"In less than a day I have begun to rethink many aspects of this war," Amelia admitted.
"Our children have the power to do that, do they not?" Lin asked kindly, watching as Harry and Susan conjured animals for May from the second floor balcony that flew around the ball room. "We have seen many changes in our Su."
"And I've seen a lot in Susan."
"There are many more to come," Lin predicted. "Our children are not children anymore."
"Come, let us tell you more about life here on the island…"
…
Amelia had been shown the same memories all of the DA parents were shown and then some before they returned to Hogwarts. She left the castle at midday and completely declined any sort of invitation from the Headmaster to stay for lunch or perhaps tea in his office.
Since the next day was Saturday, Harry elected to take his meals in the DA room and work on teaching everyone a few new spells that worked well in their battle chains. They were learning in small groups on a sort of rotation so too many students weren't missing from the school.
He attended lunch on Saturday once he had been assured by Hermione that Dumbledore was missing from the table.
"Did you see the Prophet this morning?" his once bushy haired friend asked.
"I figured Colin would get me the highlights."
"Pages one through five might interest you," said boy told Harry helpfully as he walked along the aisle, dropping an annotated copy of the parchment over the boy hero's shoulder as he did.
The front page carried a bold picture Hogwarts as the continent of aurors left the front doors. Rita Skeeter must have worked fast to get that image.
"Boy-Who-Lived now Boy-Who-Lorded?" Harry read contemptuously.
"The title is shoddy work but the article itself doesn't put you in a bad light," Colin assured him.
On the second half of the front page, an article dedicated to the misdeeds of Umbridge was run boldly.
"At least they covered the toad well enough."
"She should be in court by next week," Fay Dunbar mentioned.
"Has the Minister made a statement?" Harry asked.
"We're expecting one tomorrow," Hermione answered. "Susan said he'll likely wait until he sees how damaging the full auror report will be."
"Have Lilian draw up a letter to the Minister's office from Lord Potter," Harry directed, watching as Hermione began scribbling in her journal. "We might not need to send it but I want one ready if he hasn't released a statement by tomorrow."
"Okay, consider it done."
From there, they enjoyed the rest of lunch while discussing more mundane topics. When dinner came around Harry arranged to meet Sirius for dinner in his chambers at Firewall Castle.
He had his own small dining table and kitchenette off his sitting room and attached bedroom. He and Sirius spent much of dinner talking about the way things used to be and some of Sirius' auror exploits. This had become a sort of ritual for them. Every couple of weeks they'd do dinner together. More and more recently, Sirius had been bringing up Remus.
"I know he may not have made his best impression on you as a professor, Harry, but it's Moony! He loves you as much as I do, Prongslet, and he'd be just as proud."
"You were't there, Sirius, when he confiscated the map," Harry said immediately, setting down his goblet. "He made me feel so horrible just for being out in the halls while you were on the loose. Told me that I was disrespecting the sacrifices of my mother and father."
Harry shook his head.
"No, I don't trust him yet. Not right now. It'd be like trying to bring Mrs. Weasley in. One day, maybe, when we're out in the open, but not right now."
"He's noticing that I'm missing," Sirius said. "I'm pretty sure he's heard the portkey."
"You're a grown man," he rolled his eyes. "And a Marauder."
"Yeah well, so's Moony."
"He'll find out when the rest of the Order finds out."
"How are you planning to break it to them?"
"Honestly?" Harry asked.
Sirius nodded.
"I don't. I'm going to wait until we have to act."
"Aren't you worried about them interfering?"
"They can't stop us, especially not within the castle. I can take complete control of the wards at any minute."
"When you come out as Lord Gryffindor."
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "I might do that over Christmas break; send all the students home and then revamp the wards."
"Deal with Albus in private?"
"It wouldn't be as satisfying as yanking control of the wards from him in front of the entire student body, but," Harry drew out the last word. "I'm hoping we'll both be on better terms and I won't have to drop that bomb on him."
"He is the Headmaster, Harry," Sirius recommend in a strangely responsible tone. "Might be best not to humiliate him."
"If he can treat me as an equal then we won't have a problem."
"If all else fails, we can prank him to hell and back."
"We can do that anyway, can't we?"
"…I'm so proud of you, pup."
"Shut up, Padfoot."
…
The Minister had released his statement as Susan expected. Much to Harry's pleasure, it pretty much condemned Umbridge. Not in so many words, of course, but the point remained.
Sunday morning, Harry's aspirations to work towards a more respectful relationship with the Headmaster were put to the test. He had arrived at breakfast early with Hermione and Ron; their silence and the looming presence behind him heralded the arrival of the Headmaster.
"Good morning, Headmaster."
"Good morning, Mr. Potter," the man returned in a tone a touch colder than usual. "Perhaps you would join me in my office?"
Sharing a quick look with his closest friends, Harry's expression was schooled quickly.
"If you would like, Headmaster."
He stood and the Headmaster, who was quite shocked by his lack of refusal, quietly led him from the hall.
Harry felt an invisible hand land on his shoulder gently as they began ascending the Grand Staircase; he knew it was Blaise under the invisibility cloak. They had decided that Harry shouldn't be left alone with the Headmaster but it didn't serve their purposes if Harry quoted the Hogwarts charter and insisted on having his Head of House present.
So, invisible-Blaise it was.
To Dumbledore's dissatisfaction, Harry maintained his reticence and his silence until they were both seated in his office. The Headmaster had not noticed Harry's hesitation in entering the office and he didn't feel even the displacement of air as Blaise skirted past the garishly clad man to stand directly behind the chair Harry moved to sit in.
"Lemon drop?"
"No, thank you," Harry answered very quickly.
There was an awkward pause filled only by the sound of Dumbledore sucking his lemon drop. Then, he spoke.
"I see now what you have been up to this summer."
"Do you?" Harry replied simply.
"I suspect you've been staying on one of the Potter properties," the old wizard continued, ignoring Harry as he postulated. "And I assume, or rather, hope, that you've been studying."
"And managing the Potter assets," Harry added, appearing to confirm the Headmaster's assumptions.
"Yes I'm quite surprised to see the goblins allowed you to claim the title without the endorsement of your magical guardian."
"We both know I didn't require any sort of endorsement from Sirius according to any law, as I am of the proper age as the sole heir," Harry said, rebuking both Dumbledore's attempt at misinformation and at claiming the title of magical guardian. "You are my Headmaster and that is all you have ever been. As Sirius was never convicted, he was always my guardian as far as magic was concerned."
"I see you've researched the topic," he twinkled, meeting Harry's eyes and attempting to hold his gaze. Feeling the beginning's of legilimency, Harry broke the gaze immediately and took a calming breath.
"I knew you'd try that," he said with a glare that lacked any real anger. It held only resigned disappointment. "I would appreciate if you respected the boundaries of my mind. I don't need to remind you that what you just tried is both highly illegal and very disrespectful."
"Occlumency?" Dumbledore asked, bearded face twitching with shock. "A very difficult art to learn."
"I don't require subject mastery," though he had it, not that he'd tell Dumbledore that. "To sense an attempt to intrude."
"I apologize, Harry," he said airily. "I merely wish to ascertain your safety, as ever."
"I don't think that's true — I'm safe right in front of you."
"Your safety over the summer holidays, I mean."
"You couldn't find me, could you?" Harry asked rhetorically. "Rest assured that Voldemort can't either."
Dumbledore could hear the edge of steel in Harry's voice; time to move onto a different topic then.
"There is much we need to discuss about the Dark Lord, my boy."
"That phrase has always struck me as vaguely pedophiliac," Harry said idly, as if commenting on the state of the weather.
Dumbledore choked on his lemon drop momentarily and Harry knew that Blaise had probably barked some sort of laugh. A sharp jab to his shoulder confirmed that.
"Perhaps I might refrain from using it then."
"I would hate to think ill of you, so yes, please."
Blaise poked him again; Harry took that to mean he was being too funny.
"I'm sure there's much we could discuss, professor," he picked up to save Dumbledore the task of forming a response to his candor. "Except you play information far too close to your chest."
"The prophecy was a great burden to bear."
"Yes, it is," Harry agreed, nodding his head gracefully. "But, with all due respect, my parents gave their lives for it and I gave up my childhood. My whole life I bore this burden and never knew why until you decided to gift me with the knowledge."
"Would you, at eleven, have had the strength to do what is necessary?"
"Would I, at eleven, have had the strength to murder the darkest wizard of the era?" Harry phrased. "No, I wouldn't have. But I'd have had the presence of mind to say 'bloody hell, he's gonna kill my scrawny arse if I don't learn how to do something about it.' You've always known he'd come after me and you decided that I didn't deserve to know why."
"You were too young, and your childhood was too import-"
"Youth is no longer an argument you can use," Harry cut him off. "I didn't have a youth. I'll give it to you though — you certainly prepared me for the harsh realities of the world. If you want to justify the Dursleys, that's the only argument I'll accept. Don't you dare mock me by calling it a childhood."
"I suppose any attempts to convince you to return to your relatives home is moot now."
"Death Eaters did quite a number of Privet Drive, didn't they?"
"Indeed," Dumbledore agreed, preparing a cup of tea from the service that had just appeared. "I regret to say I do not know where they are. Vernon's work said that they left the country weeks before the attack."
"They're in the South of France," Harry answered as he took the cup of tea. He knew it wasn't tainted with anything though it saddened him that he felt the need to check.
Dumbledore gave him an arching eyebrow that clearly asked him to explain.
"I paid to have them relocated," he admitted, throwing the Headmaster a bone.
"That was very…responsible of you."
"I would've felt guilty if they died because of me," he shrugged. "Though I won't be sad when Vernon drops dead of high cholesterol."
The Headmaster very much looked like he wished to scold Harry for the callous remark but closed his mouth. Even he could admit Vernon Dursley was a ghastly muggle. They sipped their tea quietly for a moment. He could almost hear Blaise saying "Bloody well get on with it!"
"So how's the Order doing?" Harry asked openly.
"Gaining allies by the day."
The pale teen restrained a snort.
Hagrid had gotten nowhere with the dragons or the centaurs, the vampires were absolutely not interested, Lupin had gotten nowhere with the werewolves, and the French were once again cataloguing the British mishaps and refusing involvement.
"We both know that's not true," he said instead. Hermione and Lisa had coached him and he made sure his information came from verifiable secondary sources. "All of the ICW countries are crying neutrality for fear of an uprising in their own darker factions. The werewolves were pretty much with Voldemort from the start and the giants are rioting in the Ural mountains."
"You are remarkably well informed, Harry."
"I would be stupid to blind myself to the world around me, don't you agree?"
Dumbledore inclined his head.
"Then by that logic you could also agree that you would be stupid to attempt to keep me in the dark."
The old man seemed surprised by how quickly Harry had turned that back on him.
"How about we play a game, Professor Dumbledore? Since you so rarely deal in the truth, we can make a game out of telling it," he proposed. "You ask a question, I'll answer it honestly. Then you return the favor. Game stops when we stop answering questions."
The headmaster assessed him carefully before nodding in acquiesce.
"Very well then."
"Let's avoid any of those wise half-truths you so love to impart and speak bluntly," he specified. "Age before beauty."
"How very gracious of you," Dumbledore said, amused more than offended, especially since he was getting first ask. "Where were you this summer?"
"In a castle whose location I couldn't reveal to you even if I wanted to."
"A secrecy oath perhaps?"
"That's two questions, but no, not a secrecy oath."
"Then I believe it is your turn, as you say."
"Why do you insist on protecting Severus Snape? He is a spy, surely, but that doesn't necessitate a man lacking the disposition to teach children being kept on as a professor."
"Sunny in disposition he is not, but he provides invaluable services as a potions master that saves the infirmary the cost of pre-made potions of lesser quality," Dumbledore answered slowly. "He acts as a spy against the Dark Lord and his own Slytherins. His advice has been instrumental in the past and while he holds no love for you, his love for your mother guarantees that he will protect you and oppose Voldemort."
Harry sipped his tea quietly. There were some direct truths there but that was all Harry cared to hear from the Headmaster about Snape. No doubt the man had dropped the line about his mother hoping that Harry would use his next question on it.
"I'm surprised you haven't asked about Umbridge or the Creevey's," Harry commented idly.
"If I am honest, I would rather celebrate her removal than lament over your position in it. You were quite…forceful in your handling of our dear Madam Umbridge."
"I felt like I responded with appropriate or less than appropriate force."
"I am interested in knowing how the Creevey's came to be under the protection of House Potter."
"Did you know that the goblins provide the most interesting service that allow you to…"
"Prepare in the past for the events of the future?" the headmaster asked, knowing exactly how Harry had managed it given the hint he had dropped.
"Quite so."
As Harry had planned, the Headmaster was content with the amount of information Harry was willingly offering. It also explained away any connection between Harry and the Creevey's. Unwilling to waste a question about how Harry knew Amelia (assuming, somewhat correctly, that it was only through the woman's niece), Dumbledore thought for a moment before returning to his most pressing concerns about Harry — the young man's summer activities.
"What is the young Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger's involvement in your summer activities?"
"They are my best friends. They're in this war as much as I am and they deserve to be prepared for it."
"They are only-"
"Children?" Harry asked. "They haven't been involved in every one of my adventures and been injured just the same? You've failed to protect us, Headmaster — the Sorting Hat was right."
"Yes there's been much speculation about the meaning of the Sorting Hat's words," he said, shifting the subject to his benefit.
"Bet it felt great to be rebuked by a hat," Harry said, not bothering to hide his amusement.
"Mmm," Dumbledore hummed noncommittally, sipping his cooling tea.
"Why did you start the Order of the Phoenix?"
"Hm?" the crystal blue eyes of the headmaster looked up.
"My question," Harry clarified. "Why did you start the Order of the Phoenix?"
Dumbledore set down his cup gently, pondering his answer.
"I was a much younger man, relatively speaking of course," he began. "The horrors of Grindelwald were still fresh in my mind, even after all the years had passed, and I had the good luck to be surrounded by strong willed, like-minded individuals that were willing to stand against the darkness."
Harry frowned as that hadn't really answered his question.
"And, I suppose, the ministry at the time was much like this. Too busy pointing fingers and renouncing anything dark to mount any sort of defense."
"And what you're doing now is mounting a defense? It feels more like the Order is a group of gossipy old folks."
"We do have some manner of allies," he granted, the dig at the Order flowing off of him like water from a duck. "But it is fair to say we are an informational network."
"Yet you trust them all with information more vital to me than it is to them?"
"They were responsible for guarding the prophecy — they do not know the wording."
"Hm," it was Harry's turn to hum thoughtfully.
"More tea?"
"Please," he agreed, passing over the cup.
"You have changed much since your first year, Harry," Dumbledore said as he poured them each another cup of tea. "I fear your animosity of me more than anything. I must wonder if you would forsake me."
"Forsake you?" Harry asked as he took the cup passed back to him; subtly, he cast another detection charm though it was needless. "You are my Headmaster, what is there to forsake?"
There was silence.
"If you mean my so called destiny, my place in the wizarding world — no, I won't forsake it. But that has nothing to do with you. I plan to fight him on my own terms."
"On your own terms?"
"What would you have me do? Fight him on yours?" Harry asked. "Honestly, you've never once explained to me what it is you want me to do against Voldemort. How are you expecting me to fight him?"
"Voldemort is indeed a fearful opponent. Skilled in every magic Hogwarts teaches and even the subjects beyond our reach," Dumbledore paused to looked around his expansive office. "But there is one magic that he never learned. One which, I dare say, he may never experience."
Harry was interested despite himself. Dumbledore, sensing this, leaned in slightly as Harry sipped his tea.
"The power he knows not may very well be your great capacity to love."
Dumbledore shouldn't have leant forward.
Harry's slightly milky tea sprayed, some landing in the vaunted Headmaster's beard as the Boy-Who-Lived choked and began coughing heavily. It took him a good minute to stop the coughing fit and then he had to restrain his incredulous laughter. Some escaped him.
"I'm sorry," he said, wiping his face as he gestured to his beard; Dumbledore had been quick to spell it clear but Harry was still chortling with laughter. "It's just, you can't be serious, can you?"
The disappointed look in the Headmaster's eyes said it all.
"Dear Merlin, you are!" Harry gaped. "You really expect love to kill Voldemort? Really? What do you expect me to do? Waltz through the battlefield then walk up to old snake face and give him a big ol' hug? He'd slaughter me!"
The Headmaster frowned and began to open his mouth.
"Oh no no, you don't get to justify that particular bit of idiocy," Harry berated. "Can you just- go back a hundred years or however long ago it was that you decided you had to take down Grindelwald. What would you have done if someone had told you that love was all you needed to defeat him? Did you defeat him with love, Headmaster? Or did you defeat him because of love with a hell of a lot of magical power to back that up?"
Harry shook his head.
"I'll kill Voldemort. With my wand, a sword, my bare hands if I have to. I'll rip him to pieces like an animal for the people that I love, for my friends. But love is not the power he knows not."
"Would you deny that it's your mothers love that protected your from the Dark Lord on that fateful night?"
"Would you deny that my mother's love obliterated him and so he must already know the power of it?" he parried. "The words of the prophecy seem to indicate he would be surprised by this power."
"And yet that is the only power I could think of you possessing which he would not know."
"So you've raised me like a lamb for the slaughter in the hopes that I'd one day give the Dark Lord a killer hug?"
The Headmaster barely concealed a wince, though Harry noticed anyways.
"You don't actually expect me to hug him, do you?" he asked, suddenly worried that headmaster really was that crazy.
The reproachful look he received answered that.
"You've spouted things of similar levels of insanity. I had to ask."
Harry pondered for a moment, observing the headmaster carefully. Something about his last statement had bothered the old wizard.
"Unless…" he said slowly, a nagging feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. "You really have been raising me as a lamb for the slaughter."
There was a flash of raw emotion, some deep sadness, in Dumbledore's eyes that cinched it for Harry. It took Harry a long moment to process, one that never seemed to end. The expression overtaking Dumbledore's face, as if he realized he'd said (or not said) entirely too much, as if he wished he could rewind time, pushed him into action.
Harry stood quickly, chair pushing back. He had half a thought towards hoping Blaise hadn't been troubled by his sudden movement but the concern was eroded by the wave of anger.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" he growled. "What in the f-"
Harry took a very deep breath and then another. Dumbledore, who felt the energy levels in the room falling and rising very rapidly, wisely kept his mouth shut.
"You've done this intentionally? This information bogarting and raising me in the dark with muggles? You didn't want to separate me from fame, you wanted me away from magic entirely, from personal connections possibly. You wanted me as cut off as possible, as pliable as possible."
His eyes were glowing as was his skin, aura flaring darker than ever.
Harry began once he'd collected himself. "The sheer insanity, the sheer stupidity, and the complete lack of regard for human life, you miserable excuse for a-"
"And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives," Dumbledore spouted the prophecy back at him, internally cursing himself for giving away that which he had held so close to his chest. Now he was floundering, for once completely taken by surprise at this turn of events.
"Sheer stupidity," Harry continued before spinning towards the door. "Took Hermione months to get me to a civil point with you and you just-"
"Your scar, Harry," Dumbledore called out almost desperately to stop the boy from fleeing the office. "Your scar, your connection to Voldemort, is more than you know."
Harry froze, back to the headmaster.
"I fear…I fear that your scar contains a piece of the Dark Lord that attached itself to you on that night when he was, as you put it, obliterated."
"And that led you to the conclusion that I should be the sacrificial lamb?"
Harry spun back around.
"I don't even know who you are," he said honestly. "I've known you to be manipulative, detestable, incompetent, and negligent but never have I thought you capable of such premeditated cruelty."
His emerald orbs were burning angrily and Dumbledore was shocked both by how much the words cut him and by the lack of direct reaction to the knowledge that a piece of Voldemort resided within him.
"Did you even look for another solution? Or did you look down at the puzzle pieces and chess boards you've arranged everyones lives into and decided that it worked with your version of the 'greater good?'" he spat.
Dumbledore was taken aback, unable to respond as he was dressed down.
"You sit up here in this tower as the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. You act like you're untouchable. You look down at us and see everyone else as little people, manipulating our lives like some grand puppeteer. You have so much power that you act like you're above everyone else, like you're somehow all-knowing, but you fail to use your influence to do more than play house with a group of washed up old wizards."
Harry stalked one step forward before he waved a hand and wandlessly slammed the door open. He knew Blaise was moving through the open door so Harry could leave without suspicion.
"I am not your pawn. You don't get to play God with my life. If there was a way for Voldemort to infect me, there's a way to get rid of it. You play the kindly old grandfather, guilt tripping people and manipulating them and you know what? I'm honestly disappointed in you. And I'm disappointed that people look up to you and respect you because you just-"
Harry couldn't finish his tirade.
He'd thought the meeting had gone well. He'd controlled himself, played the word games bore the attempts to push him into revealing more than he wanted to, but this was too much. This was too far.
"I'm done with you," he said, shaking his head with disappointment.
When Harry let the door slam behind him, the spiral stairs began to move downwards. Harry reached out blindly until he felt Blaise's shoulder. He waited until they'd escaped the range of the gargoyle and corridor entirely before he spoke.
"Go back to the Cathedral," he ordered flatly. "Share the memory with Hermione and whoever else, make sure Chie sees it. I'm going for a walk."
There was a ripple of noticeable magic as Blaise brought down the stealth enchantments and poked his head out from under the cloak.
"Harry-"
Harry ignored the Slytherin, turning to stride out of the corridor.
"Potter!" Blaise barked, not going to be ignored.
Harry stopped.
There was a pregnant pause while Blaise thought of something to say. This really wasn't his sort of thing even if he was well integrated with the DA now. It only took him a moment before he decided. Where Harry Potter was concerned, when in doubt: go Gryffindor.
"I'd rip someone apart with my bare hands for you too mate," he said. And he meant it. "We all would."
And then Blaise turned and walked away.
Harry stood there for a moment before continuing on his path to the outdoors. He still needed a walk but he felt somehow lighter for the words of his friend.
...