Chapter 17
Chapter 17
“Harry my boy, finally come to see what I have to teach you. I knew you couldn’t stay away.”
Harry winced as Gilderoy Lockhart shook his hand and smiled widely. “Um, yes, well, I wanted to be taught by the best.” Harry felt as though he were going to vomit. Swallowing rapidly, he barely managed to keep the contents of his stomach down.
Lockhart beamed, releasing Harry’s hand and walking back to his desk. “Flattery will get you everywhere young Harry,” he said with a wink.
Harry sat down next to Luna who smiled at him. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said quietly. “The thistlewomps were being rather naughty.”
“Thistlewomps?”
“They fly around those who have large heads. They feed off their arrogance and make them even more insufferable.”
Harry snorted as Lockhart stood to address the class.
“Wizards and witches,” he said his voice ringing round the room. “Today, you shall see how I defeated the vampire that troubled a village in the black forest.”
Harry raised his hand. “Sir? I was under the impression there were no wizarding settlements in the black forest anymore.”
Lockhart froze. “My boy, I’m sure you must be mistaken. Why, I was there in a wizarding village just a few years ago.”
“A few years ago?” Harry asked innocently. “There hasn’t been a wizarding settlement in the Black Forest in over three hundred years.”
Lockhart’s face had gone the color of fresh parchment. “You…where…who told you such nonsense,” he spluttered.
“Sir?” Luna said. “I am going to assume the incident you were going to tell us about was in Chapter seven of Voyages with vampires?”
Lockhart nodded. “Yes, that is the story I was going to tell. I know it was very well documented in my book, but I did leave some details out.”
“Sir?” Luna interrupted. “You said that this incident in the Black Forest took place in October of 1983, but in Traveling with trolls, you said you were in the mountains of Norway in 1983.”
“Ah… well… you see…”
“Blimey,” Terry Boot called. “How did we miss that. We’re Ravenclaws for Merlin’s sake.”
“To be fair,” Padma piped up, “we always want to believe the best of our heroes.”
“I assure you,” Lockhart said, “Everything I have written is the Merlin’s honest truth.”
“Considering what Merlin did to bring about the birth of Arthur, I really don’t know if I’d go there,” Harry said.
“Now really…” Lockhart said. “It was a simple mistake in publishing.”
“What about the Homorphus charm you used on that werewolf,” Padma said. “Even if the charm only changes the werewolf back for the duration of a single full moon; It could be used every month. Why haven’t you taught the ministry the charm?”
“And why haven’t you taught us any magic?” Daphne asked angrily. “I thought you were something special, but I’ve been talking to the other students and none of them have learned any magic from you. It’s all been tests on your stupid books.”
Lockhart winced. “Stupid,” he said shrilly. “I worked hard on those books. You don’t know how hard it is to write a book about your life.”
“Oi,” Terry called. “In Year with a Yetty, he said he was in the arctic, but in Wonderings with werewolves, he was in Australia in the same year.”
“I… I… well…” Lockhart stammered. Suddenly, he drew his wand. “That will be enough of that.”
Everyone stared at the professor. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead and his lower lip trembled as if he were about to cry.
“I can’t let you kids tell anyone about these simple mistakes.” He took a deep breath. “I will admit my publisher should have caught them, but these,” he paused. “These could ruin me.”
“I’m sure the publisher sent you a draft to look over. Why didn’t you look over it?”
“And if it’s not all fake,” Terry boot said. “Why not show us some of the magic you used to stop these dark creatures.”
“I don’t have to prove anything to you,” Lockhart said.
“Maybe he can’t,” Padma said. “Did you even do everything that you claim?”
“Class dismissed,” he said firmly. “We will see if you are all a bit more respectful next lesson. Mr. Potter, come with me now.”
Harry rose unhurriedly and strode up to the professor’s desk. “We will be going to see your head of house. I can’t have a student disrupting my class. How will your fellow classmates learn to defend themselves?”
Harry nodded and followed Lockhart out of the room. As they walked down the hall, Lockhart began muttering to himself.
“I could’ve done all of it, but why bother. I have skills. Yes, great skills. No one can do the things to get a book published like I can.”
Stopping outside Flitwick’s office, Lockhart knocked on the door.
“Enter,” Flitwick called.
As they entered his office, Professor Flitwick blinked. He stared at Harry, his lips twitching.
“You really don’t get along with your defense teachers do you?”
“It’s a gift,” Harry said drily.
“Professor,” Lockhart said, his blue eyes blazing with outrage. “This boy called me a fraud in front of my class.”
Flitwick arched an eyebrow. “Is this true Mr. Potter?”
“I never called him a fraud,” Harry said calmly. “There were some… inconsistencies with his books that I wanted cleared up. In voyages with vampires, he claims to have stopped a vampire in the Black Forest, but not only has the Black Forest not had a Wizarding population in over three hundred years, he spent the same year in the mountains of Norway according to Traveling with Trolls.”
“I see,” Flitwick said. “It seems to me, that these are questions that deserve an answer.”
Lockhart swelled like a frog. “As I told Mr. Potter, it was a publishing mistake.”
“The same issues occur in Wandering with werewolves and Year with a yeti.”
“You’re just jealous of my fame,” Lockhart snapped.
“According to Padma and Terry, you haven’t taught them any spells. What would I have to be jealous of? So far, all we have is your word that you did these incredible things.”
“Professor?” Flitwick asked mildly. “Is it true that you haven’t been teaching the students under your care any magic? What have you been doing all these months.”
“I’ve been assessing their knowledge of my books,” Lockhart said importantly.
“Yeah,” Harry said, “And how many lessons have you pulled your wand on the students.”
Flitwick’s eyes narrowed. One look at Lockhart told him all he needed to know. When he spoke, his voice carried more authority than Harry had ever heard from the small professor.
“I see. Mr. Potter, what class do you have next?”
“Transfiguration.”
“I’ll write you a note. I believe Lockhart and I will be going to see the headmaster.”
Lockhart paled. “Is that really necessary?”
“I believe it is. I will not have a professor draw their wand on a student.”
Lockhart went for his wand, but Flitwick was faster. There was a flash of red light and Lockhart collapsed. Flitwick turned to a wide-eyed Harry.
“Right then, let’s get you that note.”
**ROE**
“Excellent,” Professor McGonagall said giving Harry one of her rare smiles as she examined the hummingbird Harry had transfigured from his quill.
“Thank you, professor,” Harry said quietly.
“I was wondering,” McGonagall lowered her voice. “What can you tell us about wandless magic?”
“Not much,” Harry said quietly. “You’d have to talk to my father.”
“But you use magic without a wand.”
“And I had to learn to use a wand with magic,” Harry said patiently. “My Mum taught me how to focus my magic without using a wand. The fae don’t need foci as a rule. Why fae carry wands sometimes, I don’t know.”
“I see,” McGonagall said. “Do you think you can arrange a meeting with your father?”
“I can ask next time I see him.”
“Thank you,” McGonagall said straightening up. She turned to walk away, but Harry called out to her.
“Professor?”
McGonagall turned back.
“Why so interested in wandless magic?”
“Because the need for a wand is a vulnerability. Take a wizard’s wand, and they can’t use their magic. Until now, I thought there was no other way to channel our magic, but you and your friends have shown me that is not the case.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you.”
**ROE**
At dinner, Professor Dumbledore stood to address the hall.
“May I have your attention please. I must apologize to you all.”
The hall went silent at those words. No one moved. It sounded as if no one was even breathing. Had Dumbledore ever apologized to the students of Hogwarts before? Had he ever needed to? Seeing that he had everyone’s attention, Dumbledore continued.
“I hired Gilderoy Lockhart believing that he was an excellent professor. I believed he was a bit full of himself, but that he had truly done all those amazing things he claimed to have done. I was wrong.”
The students began to murmur amongst themselves. The great Albus Dumbledore was not only apologizing, but admitting he was wrong? Would wonders ever cease?
Dumbledore cleared his throat and the hall fell silent. “It has come to my attention that Lockhart has stolen the accomplishments of other witches and wizards.”
The students all began talking at once. Questions were being shouted and echoed around the room. Several girls and a few boys leapt to their feet.
Dumbledore shot red sparks into the air for quiet before he continued. “Gilderoy Lockhart has committed this terrible crime not merely because he wanted the wealth and fame that went along with being a hero, but because he viewed the witches and wizards that were the true heroes as not pretty enough to receive recognition for their accomplishments.”
All the students looked at each other.
“We must all remember that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder and what is beautiful now may not always be so. A rose is beautiful when it blooms in the spring, but even the prettiest flower will wither when winter comes.”
Dumbledore took a sip from his goblet before continuing. “I have decided that I will be teaching defense until a new professor can be found. Too long have I allowed my students’ education to suffer. It is my intention to see if the position of defense has truly been cursed, and if so, to break that curse.”
The hall filled with excited chatter. Everyone knew the stories of Dumbledore’s defeat of Grindelwald. What would it be like to learn from the greatest wizard alive? Dumbledore raised a hand for quiet.
“Enough please,” he said with a smile. “I am glad to see you all so excited. I shall begin teaching tomorrow. I look forward to seeing you all in the classroom. Thank you for listening to an old man’s rambling.”
Dumbledore sat down and turned to talk to Professor McGonagall. Daphne leaned over to Harry. “Did you know about this?”
Harry shook his head.
“It’ll be interesting to learn from Dumbledore,” Luna said softly. “I think he’ll do well as long as he can avoid the nargles.”
Harry glanced at Luna. “I thought Nargles clouded the mind?”
Luna smiled. “They do.”
“What makes you think they’d be around Dumbledore.”
“He did hide a dangerous magical artifact in a school full of children,” Daphne pointed out.
Harry paused. “Good point.”
**ROE**
As dinner was ending, Dumbledore approached Harry.
“Could I have a word in my office?”
Harry nodded. “Sure, anything in particular?”
“I have a few more things I need to show you about Tom Riddle.”
Harry nodded at the old man. “I’ll be there as soon as I’m done here.”
“Take your time,” Dumbledore said. “The password is lemon drop.”
As Dumbledore turned away, Harry caught a glimpse of Ginny Weasley sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table. She was bent over a small diary writing furiously.
“Hmm,” Harry hummed quietly. “I hope that is a magical diary.”
“What?” Luna asked.
“Ginny’s diary,” Harry explained. “I hope it has some sort of security spells.”
Luna looked where Harry was looking, and her brow creased with worry. “That’s odd.”
“What is?”
“Ginny never had a diary when I knew her. As a matter of fact, I can’t imagine her writing in a diary. She just never showed an interest in that sort of thing.”
Harry shrugged. “People change as they get older, I guess.”
“I suppose,” Luna said still staring at Ginny. She stood.
“Where are you going?” Daphne asked.
“I’m going to talk to her.”
As Luna approached Ginny, Daphne turned to Harry. “Didn’t your dad say to keep an eye on her?”
Harry nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t know how I’m supposed to do that. We’re not in the same house.”
“Have you ever thought about asking Neville?”
Harry clapped a hand to his forehead. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
They watched as Luna said something to Ginny and she said something back. As she spoke, Harry watched Luna’s face fall. When she turned back towards the Ravenclaw table, Harry could see the tears shining in her silvery blue eyes.
“Something is wrong,” Luna said as she rejoined them. “Ginny never spoke to me like that before. She was always so nice, but now…”
“Now?”
“She seems obsessed. She told me not to bother her because she was busy. When I asked what she was writing, she told me to quit being so nosy and leave her alone.”
Harry looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw Neville talking to Seamus. “I’ll be right back.”
Harry stood and walked over to Neville. “Neville, could I have a word? It’s about your stalker.”
Neville’s face fell and he stood up quickly. “Be back in a minute.”
He followed Harry out of the hall. As soon as they were out of earshot, he began hurling questions at him.
“Is he back? Wasn’t your dad able to stop him? Is he gonna keep trying to kill me?”
“Calm down,” Harry said holding up a hand. “This only concerns your stalker indirectly.”
“Indirectly?”
“Look,” Harry said. “I need you to keep an eye on Ginny Weasley.”
“Ron’s sister? Why?”
“I don’t know. Dad just asked me to watch out for her. Can you help?”
“Sure, but what does this have to do with my stalker?”
“Well, Dobby said there was something going on at Hogwarts and somehow Ginny is tangled up in all this.”
“What makes you think she’s involved?”
“Dad asks me to watch out for her while all these attacks are going on. The fae have no dealings with the Weasley family, so it must have something to do with what’s going on here.”
“I’ll be happy to help,” Neville said.
“Thanks,” Harry said.
Neville grinned. “You saved me from a psychotic house elf. This is the least I can do.”
**ROE**
“I want to tell you about the last time the chamber of Secrets was opened.”
“Was it bad?”
“Worse than bad.”
“How could it be worse than bad?”
“A student died.”
Harry blinked. “Yeah, that is worse.”
Dumbledore nodded. “I don’t want a repeat of that this time.”
“What was she like?”
Dumbledore’s face fell. “She was what you would call an outcast. The other students picked on her. When she died, she was crying in the girl’s Bathroom.”
Harry looked down at the floor. “At least she is in a better place.”
Dumbledore shook his head. “I need to show you something.”
Standing up, Dumbledore got the pensive from the drawer and set it on the desk. Drawing his wand, he placed it to his temple and drew a thin strand of silvery white mist from his mind. Harry joined him at the pensive.
“What’s this memory about?”
“You’ll see.”
Harry took a deep breath and shoved his face into the silvery white mist.
**ROE**
The first thing he saw as his feet touched the floor, was a younger Dumbledore standing at the front of a classroom.
“Homework,” the younger Dumbledore was saying. “I expect you to write a three-foot essay on the benefits and drawbacks of conjuration to be turned in next class. You may go.”
As the class filed out of the room, Harry saw a handsome teen approaching Dumbledore’s desk. His dark hair and cool blue eyes were unmistakable.
“Tom,” Dumbledore greeted as he brushed his long auburn hair out of his face. “What can I do for you?”
“Sir,” Tom Said, keeping his voice low. “Are the staff any closer to finding who is causing these attacks?”
Dumbledore stared at Tom for several seconds without speaking. “This is the third time you’ve asked.” His voice was carefully neutral, and his face was totally blank. “Why are you so interested?”
“I don’t want to return to the orphanage,” Tom said calmly. “I have made that perfectly clear. I wish to stay at Hogwarts over the summer and I fear that the headmaster will not allow me to do so if the attacks continue.”
“A student has died Tom,” Dumbledore chided gently. “Surely, you understand the danger of sharing the school with whatever has been attacking your peers.”
“I would be perfectly safe. It wouldn’t harm me.”
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. “And you know this how?”
“I’m sure I could manage whatever has been attacking my classmates.”
Dumbledore’s lips twitched. “How very Gryffindor of you. Are you sure you are in the right house?”
Tom glared.
Dumbledore sobered. “To answer your question, we are no closer to finding the culprit of thee attacks.”
Tom snorted. “So much for our revered staff. I suppose I’ll have to do it myself.”
“Tom,” Dumbledore said sternly. “Don’t do anything foolish.”
Tom didn’t answer. He merely smirked at Dumbledore before walking to the door. With one foot in the hallway, he turned and grinned.
Harry shivered when he saw that grin. There was something wrong with that smile. It didn’t touch the eyes for one thing. Tom’s blue eyes were as cold and lifeless as the depths of the ocean. For another, there was something predatory in that smile. If a snake could smile, it would look just like Tom’s.
“You don’t have to worry professor,” Tom said softly. “Finding whoever is behind these attacks is for the greater good of Hogwarts.”
Dumbledore looked as if someone had slapped him.
Tom’s grin widened. “Have a good evening.”
As the door closed behind Tom, Harry felt himself rising into the air.
**ROE**
“Sit down,” Dumbledore said tiredly as he reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of whisky.
“What did that phrase mean?” Harry asked. “For the greater good? It sounded like a motto.”
“It was?” Dumbledore poured a glass full of amber liquid. Harry noticed that the old man’s hands were shaking slightly.
“Sir?” Harry asked. “Are you alright?”
“Just bad memories,” Dumbledore said taking a long swig. “When you get as old as I am, you have many regrets. You look back over your life and see so many things you’d give anything to put right.”
Harry nodded. “I can imagine.”
Dumbledore studied Harry. “You are very mature for your age.”
“The fae mature mentally faster than mortals. I’m told that it’s because of Elphame. Depending on where you live, it can be very dangerous for children.”
“I see,” Dumbledore said. Drawing his wand, he waved it in a wide sweeping motion. The portraits of old Headmasters and headmistresses lining the walls froze. “You trusted me with one of your secrets for a time. I’d like to return the favor.”
Harry nodded to the old man. “I’d be honored.”
Dumbledore took a smaller sip of his whisky. “What do you know of Gellert Grindelwald?”
“I know he was a dark wizard that was active during WWII. I know that you stopped him, but that’s about it.”
“That’s all the public knows. What no one but a few know is that Grindelwald and I were once the best of friends.”
Harry blinked. “I didn’t see that one coming.”
Dumbledore chuckled sadly. “Not many woods. I was young, arrogant, and had lofty aspirations of being the next Merlin to unite wizards and muggles.” He laughed bitterly. “What a fool I was.”
“What happened?”
“Grindelwald and I made plans. We were gonna travel the world, grow powerful, and then topple the ministry and bring the wizarding world into a new era. Our motto was for the Greater good. It was how we planned to justify everything we were going to do.”
Dumbledore stared out the window. The red glow of the sunset caused the water of the lake to appear as fresh blood.
“Things finally came to a head when I told my brother I was leaving,” Dumbledore said speaking very quickly. It was as if the faster he spoke, the less painful it would all be when it all came out.
“You know about my sister? What none of us knew at the time was that the fae had replaced her with a changeling. Our argument with Abeforth turned into a duel. During the fight…” Dumbledore’s throat worked, and tears spilled down his cheeks. The next words were spoken in a small voice like a child expecting to be scolded.
“We never knew who cast the spell. All we did know was that she was dead.”
Harry stared at the old man without speaking. Dumbledore’s breathing was ragged and sweat ran down his face. He kept his eyes focused on the desktop before him.
“Sir,” Harry said quietly.
Dumbledore refused to look up.
“Professor,” Harry said a little louder.
Dumbledore looked up and finally met Harry’s eyes. His eyes showed a torment Harry hadn’t seen before.
“I can’t judge you for what happened,” Harry said quietly. “It’s clear that you regret everything you did.”
“I almost made the same mistakes,” Dumbledore whispered. “After so many decades of teaching and helping others, I began to see the people as a group, not as individuals. I began to believe that the sacrifice of a few was worth the safety of the many. If Ariana hadn’t spoken to me, I don’t know where I’d be right now.”
“But she did,” Harry said forcefully. “She changed you, made you a better person. There is no point in worrying about the person you might’ve been because you aren’t that person.”
Dumbledore sighed. “If Arawn hadn’t taken her to Elphame, she’d be dead now.”
“But he did and she’s not. In another world, you might’ve been a chess master who played with people’s lives, but this isn’t that world.”
“How can you not blame me for what happened? Everything Grindelwald did was my fault.”
“The only thing you are truly responsible for is being a jerk, but it seems you have grown out of that. Dad said we are all responsible for our own choices. Grindelwald made his and so did you.”
Dumbledore nodded slowly. “Thank you, Harry. You have spoken with wisdom beyond your years.”
“It’s because I’m not so old I’ve begun forgetting things,” Harry smirked his green eyes twinkling.
Dumbledore glared. “With age comes great wisdom.”
“Or senility.”
“That to,” Dumbledore said.
“So, we’ve gotten off topic,” Harry said. “It shocked you when Tom used that phrase. ‘For the greater good,’ You think he knew about you and Grindelwald?”
“I don’t see how?” Dumbledore said. “Like I said, only a few people knew of our friendship, and they wouldn’t have talked. Still, he knew something, or he wouldn’t have used that particular phrase.”
“What happened after that?” Harry asked. “Did you ever find out who was petrifying people?”
Dumbledore drew his wand and added another memory to the pensive. “Come with me,” he said shoving his face into the mist.
**ROE**
Harry blinked around the headmaster’s office. Where there had been many small spindly tables full of whirring and whistling silvery instruments, there were now bookcases lining every wall.
“Albus,” a soft wheezing voice said. “Be reasonable, it is obvious that Rubeus Hagrid is responsible.”
Harry turned and saw a frail looking old man with blue eyes and a few whisps of white hair on top of his bald head. He stared at A younger Dumbledore with kind brown eyes. Those eyes were currently narrowed and full of exasperation.
“It is also obvious that an acromantula can’t petrify people,” Dumbledore said patiently.
“If the attacks stop, we will have to assume that Hagrid was responsible. Listen Albus, I know you like the lad, but he is a little… uncivilized.”
Dumbledore’s blue eyes turned steely “Rubeus would never hurt anyone.”
“Not intentionally,” the old man said kindly. “Look, if the governors agree, I will arrange for him to stay on as gamekeeper, but that’s the best I can do. A girl died, Albus. We can’t just brush that under the rug.”
Dumbledore looked away, a resigned expression on his face. “Very well Headmaster,” he said quietly. “Thank you for your time.”
As if those words were a signal, Harry found himself rising into the air.
**ROE**
“So, that’s how Hagrid got his job?” Harry asked once he’d taken his seat.
Dumbledore nodded. “Yes, the governors reluctantly agreed that he could stay on as gamekeeper, but he was still expelled from Hogwarts and forbidden to practice magic. There were no more attacks and Hagrid was assumed to be the culprit until your mother came along.”
“Who do you think opened the chamber.”
“I have no proof, and I’d rather not say until I am certain.”
“The girl who died,” Harry began hesitantly. “How did her family take it.”
“Her father died in the war. Her mother was naturally devastated. It didn’t help when Myrtle showed up at her house as a ghost.”
“A ghost?” Harry asked, surprised. “She is still here?”
“Oh Yes,” Dumbledore said. “She’s been haunting the bathroom where she died for the past fifty years.”