Chapter 2
Choice
Harry Potter stared down at the bleeding and by the looks of it, the dying Draco Malfoy. Everything had happened so fast, then Malfoy had tried to use the cruciatus curse on him and Harry realised if he was going to survive, he had to stop going for the safer spells. He had used a dangerous and deadly curse on people like death eaters, which was why the blond boy was dying and dying painfully.
He quickly made a decision. He used the strongest locking charm he could, spoken in parseltongue, which meant the door to the bathroom could only be opened by another parselmouth. He had studied up on that after he used parseltongue to open the chamber of secrets. He learned that any spell cast in parseltongue could only be ended using snake language. Finite wouldn’t work unless it was spoken in parseltongue.
Once he made sure there was nothing that would tell someone Harry had been in that bathroom, he stood on the sink near the small window. He waited. The time for the blond boy to die was surprisingly short. Once he knew Malfoy was dead, he stepped out of the window, flicked his wand at the door, taking the spell off, then climbed up one floor to the seventh floor bathroom window. It took him a while, because he had to be careful so he wouldn’t fall. He was ready to cast the levitation charm on himself if he did fall.
Harry finally got to the window of the Gryffindor boys bathrooms. He slowly and as quietly as he could, opened the window, just a small amount. He peered around. He heard one shower running but could not see anyone else. He quickly climbed down and hurried into one of the toilet stalls. He cast some cleaning charms on himself, along with drying his shoes, which had gotten wet when the taps had shattered in the bathroom when he was fighting Malfoy. Once he knew he looked fine and he didn’t look like he had been in a fight, he left the bathroom and headed straight for his bed. He was lucky, none of the boys were in there, so he quickly grabbed a couple of books out of his trunk, sat against the bedhead, closed the curtains, then he began to relax.
At the same time as Harry was climbing up the walls of the castle to get to the seventh floor, Severus Snape felt a pull and realised something had happened to Draco. He raced towards the pull until he ended up collapsing outside the door to a bathroom on the sixth floor. He had not been able to fulfill the unbreakable vow he made with Narcissa Malfoy. He died when Draco died, right outside the door.
Harry knew he had actually killed someone, but that someone tried to use the cruciatus curse on him. Malfoy had the dark mark and was given an order by Voldemort. Harry had no idea what Draco Malfoy had to do, he didn’t care, he just knew by killing the blond, he probably saved some lives, innocent lives. He already knew that Malfoy had somehow cursed Katie Bell and he was responsible for Ron being poisoned. That mead might have been meant for Dumbledore, or so Slughorn said. But it didn’t change the fact that someone, probably Draco, poisoned it which meant he was trying to kill someone. Harry realised he didn’t feel guilty about killing Malfoy, he also realised it probably won’t be the only person he would kill before this war was over.
Hermione and Ron might not believe Malfoy was the one to poison Ron or believe Malfoy had the dark mark, but Harry knew the truth about the blond boy. He had seen Draco react when Madam Malkin had touched his left arm, which is where the dark mark was. Harry had no idea why Katie was cursed, only that her friend said she had to deliver the cursed necklace to someone at Hogwarts. Harry wasn’t sure if it was meant for him, Dumbledore, or someone else. Slughorn bought the mead with the intentions of giving it to Dumbledore, so Harry assumed the old man was the target. Get rid of someone as powerful as Dumbledore would make things easier on Voldemort, especially taking over Hogwarts. That would mean he would have all the children as hostages and all the parents would give in if Voldemort had their kids.
‘Harry, are you behind there?’
Harry pulled the curtains back to see Ron, ‘What’s up?’
‘When did you get back?’
‘I didn’t end up going anywhere. I came here and decided to just have some quiet time while trying to study.’
‘But didn’t Dumbledore want you?’
‘I wasn’t in the mood to watch old memories tonight; they aren’t going to help. So, I figured I wasn’t going to waste my time.’
‘It’s your funeral,’ Ron shrugged then went over to his trunk, ‘it’s nearly dinner time, you coming?’
‘Yeah, I am a bit hungry,’ Harry put his book away then followed Ron down the stairs. They chatted all the way down to the great hall.
‘I thought you went to see Professor Dumbledore,’ Hermione said.
‘I decided it wasn’t worth my time so I went up to my bed to study some of the books Sirius and Remus got me. I don’t need to know a lot of spells, just a few that can do some damage to Voldysnot,’ Harry turned to see Neville laughing, ‘You can’t be scared if you think of it like that Neville.’
‘Yeah, you’re right, V…Voldysnot,’ Neville grinned, Harry saluted then began to dish up some food.
When it looked like Hermione wanted to argue with Harry about not going up to Dumbledore’s office, he would continue to talk to Neville, about different things, just so he could ignore Hermione. She would realise what he was doing, he knew that but he hoped it meant she would stop. He didn’t think she would, Hermione was the persistent type. She would try to talk to Harry about why he didn’t go see Dumbledore.
Harry, Ron and Neville kept talking as they walked back to Gryffindor tower, Hermione following behind.
‘So why didn’t you go again?’ Ron asked.
‘It’s a waste of time. I have to fight Voldysnot, I don’t need to know his life story and that’s all Dumbledore has been showing me. I mean he told me the prophecy yet doesn’t seem to want to teach me how to kill him. Watching memories will not help. I know enough about him now, I don’t need to know more, not unless it helps kill him. And another thing, Dumbledore’s known the prophecy since before that night, so why the hell didn’t he keep me here and train me since he knew he would return? There’s no way I can beat him, not without any type of training. None of it makes sense and until he tells me what this is all about and stop hiding things, then I’m just not going to bother with him or the prophecy.’
Harry heard Hermione huff, but he ignored her like he had been doing whenever he went against Dumbledore or any of the other teachers. People had their own minds and their own opinions. Harry had his own opinion when it came to the teachers and he didn’t like or trust any of them. Hermione on the other hand still believed they should be listened to and trusted. Harry didn’t trust them, in fact Harry did trust any adult and there were only a couple of students he did trust. With how he was raised by the Dursley’s, it taught him early on not to trust anyone until they earned his trust. So far, only Neville and Luna had his trust. He might be good friends with Ron and Hermione but they had done things against Harry which meant he lost any trust he had in them. They needed to prove to Harry they could be trusted. Ron was close, but Hermione’s belief in trusting people like Dumbledore and McGonagall and how she kept trying to get Harry to trust them, meant she would never have Harry’s trust again. There was also the fact that Hermione called him a cheat and a liar for using the half-blood princes book. He won’t forgive her for that.
Harry sat with the boys and pulled out one of the books Sirius and Remus had sent him. He wasn’t going to bother with homework since none of that would help fight Voldemort. He needed to know spells that could kill the bastard but they also couldn’t be illegal. He liked the idea of using cutting curses, he just needed his spell casting to be more powerful and accurate so if he did get through Voldemort’s shield then the cutting curse should take his head off. He would use a dark or illegal curse if he thought he could get away with it, he just wasn’t going to let anyone know. He would never use the unforgivables which could send him to Azkaban but there were plenty of other dark curses that just might help. He wanted to look in the Black library, or his library now. Being left everything by Sirius meant no one could prevent him from reading any books at Grimmauld place. He just needed to get there and spend as much time as he could in the library looking up some dark spells that could kill Voldemort. As far as Harry was concerned, Voldemort and his death eaters deserved to die so he was going to find spells that would accomplice that task.
Harry looked up when Angelina told Hermione and Ron that McGonagall wanted to see them. He wondered if it had anything to do with Malfoy. But if it did, then why wasn’t he called to see the deputy head.
Harry didn’t know it, but McGonagall and Dumbledore asked Hermione and Ron about Harry and where he was. Ron explained that Harry went up to the dorm room to study spells that might help against you-know-who. Hermione explained more by telling them what Harry said. Little did they know but they just gave Harry the perfect alibi. Neither were told why they were questioned, but they figured they would find out soon enough.
Harry was reading his books when Ron and Hermione returned. He made sure not to ask them anything. He was hoping they would realise that all people liked to keep things to themselves and not have to answer questions if they didn’t want to. Ron and especially Hermione would always ask Harry what he had been doing or where he had been. It was like they always needed to know everything he did.
Ron glanced at Hermione then back at Harry who was still reading, ‘Don’t you want to know what happened?’
‘That’s up to you if you want to tell me. People have the right to keep things to themselves,’ Harry said but he didn’t even bother to look up, ‘I expect to be treated the same.’
Hermione huffed as she picked up the book she had been reading before she had to leave. Ron kept staring at Harry.
‘Fine, McGonagall and Dumbledore asked where you had been since dinner. We told them you had been studying spells while lying on your bed,’ Ron waited, but Harry never spoke, ‘Do you know why they wanted to know where you were?’
Harry shrugged, ‘It has to be about why I didn’t turn up. If it wasn’t that, then I have no idea,’ he didn’t look up which made Hermione huff again. Ron sighed but decided to drop it. If Harry knew he might tell them, yet it seems Harry either didn’t know or had decided not to give them a full answer. Ron wasn’t sure if Harry knew the reason or not, either way, Harry wasn’t going to tell them.
It was the following morning, right at the end of breakfast that the headmaster told everyone that Draco Malfoy had been murdered and Professor Snape had been found, dead, outside the door of the boys bathroom on the sixth floor. The same bathroom where Draco had died.
Hermione and Ron instantly looked at Harry who hadn’t been able to help smiling at the news.
‘You shouldn’t be happy that people died Harry,’ Hermione scolded.
‘Two death eaters are dead, to me, it’s the best news, so that makes me very happy. I wish all the rest of them die as well and as painful as possible,’ Harry finished his cup of tea, got up and left the great hall and headed for his first class of the day, charms.
‘Snape was not a death eater,’ Hermione said as she hurried after Harry with Ron beside her.
‘He wanted Sirius kissed and goaded him all the time in the hope he would leave the house. To me, that’s a death eater. He treats people like you like a mudblood and called my mother a mudblood, the same as the other death eaters. He’s never shown any type of remorse. He supports kids of death eaters and harasses kids from light families. Face it Hermione, he was a death eater and never changed and the old man supports him which is why I will never trust him. In my opinion, the only good death eater is a dead death eater,’ Harry hurried into the classroom and sat beside Neville.
Harry didn’t know it, but others heard what he said about dead death eaters. Even some students who had parents who were death eaters heard and they realised that Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived, would kill if he had too, which meant any of their parents or older siblings could die. They would need to inform their parents about what they heard.
‘Leave it Hermione. You know what he gets like when he’s made up his mind. He believed Malfoy had taken the mark and nothing we said changed his mind.’
‘There was no proof.’
‘There was no proof about a lot of things yet sometimes they turned out to be true. You never saw proof that you-know-who was back, you just accepted it because Harry said it. Where’s the proof in that?’ Ron asked. He had begun to believe that Harry might have been right, especially after Katie was cursed by that necklace and he had been poisoned.
The portraits informed Albus about the things they heard, it’s how he knew about what was going on inside the castle. He wasn’t really surprised to hear that Harry still thought Severus was a death eater. Severus had told Albus that Draco had taken the dark mark, it seems Harry found out about him as well. He was not sure if Harry was the one to kill Draco, but going on what his friends told him, Harry was reading on his bed at the time. Severus died due to breaking the unbreakable vow, so that was solved even if only he knew of the vow. He now had to figure out who killed Draco Malfoy.
Albus was worried though. First, Harry believed he, Albus, supported a death eater. Second, Harry was harder than he should be and a lot colder. Third, he wanted all the death eaters dead. Fourth, he didn’t trust Albus.
Albus still felt that some could be made to see how wrong they were. When it came to Harry, Albus wasn’t sure how to get through to the young man. It won’t be spells that will end Voldemort. But he had begun to second guess what he believed. He truly believed the love Harry has inside him would be important and would be the reason Harry would be able to kill Tom. He was worried though, Harry didn’t show how he felt about anyone. Watching him, Albus did not see Harry’s love for anyone. He hoped the death of Sirius isn’t what makes Harry close off his feelings, but Albus had a feeling that’s exactly what Harry had done. He refused to allow himself to open his heart to anyone. He had been hoping Ginny Weasley would show Harry what love was, but Harry had not taken an interest in the Weasley girl. He wondered if he should speak with Ginny and have her approach Harry, to let the boy know how she felt. It could be that Harry just didn’t realise and needed to be told.
Ginny had been nervous when she received a note that told her the headmaster wanted to see her in his office. She got to see him a lot at headquarters, but this was school so she knew it didn’t have anything to do with the order of the phoenix. Usually you only got sent to the headmaster if you did something seriously wrong or there was a death in the family. She knew though if anything happened to her parent’s or older brothers, then Ron would also need to see the headmaster. Ginny knew she hadn’t done anything wrong, or at least anything serious. If she had been caught doing anything it would only deserve a basic detention and the lose of some points.
When Ginny was told by the headmaster what he wanted. At first, she smiled, then she got suspicious and asked why. Dumbledore only said that Harry needed to find love and that it was vital in ending the war.
It took two days before Ginny got up the courage to speak with Harry. She had stuttered a bit but finally asked Harry if he wanted to go to Hogsmeade with her, on a date.
‘Um, sorry Ginny, but no, you’re not my type. You’re a nice girl and all but it’s the red hair, I’m not attracted to red heads. I’m also not too keen on freckles. Another reason, your parent’s keep saying I’m like their son, so that makes us brother and sister. It’s how I’ve come to think of you. Um, I know Seamus likes you and Dean still likes you, maybe you should ask them,’ Harry watched as Ginny turned from looking hopeful, to looking upset, before she ran up the stairs to the girls dorm rooms.
Harry shrugged. He couldn’t help how he felt, but he didn’t think of Ginny in that way. He wasn’t attracted to red heads. He knew that came down to his mother being a red head, or he figured that was the reason. It could be just one of those things. People are attracted to certain types. He also hated freckles and Ginny had a lot of freckles. But he knew it mainly came down to the fact that he figured out he was gay when he was thirteen but that could never be known, by anyone. When he went out with Cho, he told Ron that he liked her. He didn’t know her to like her but he knew sooner or later he would be asked who he liked. He had never seen a gay couple at Hogwarts or anywhere in the wizarding world so he wasn’t sure if it was accepted. The wizarding world still lived in the Victorian era so they probably persecuted gay’s. Even if he wasn’t gay, he still wouldn’t date a red head.
Harry decided to do some research but so no one would find out what he was researching, he used his invisibility cloak so he could read without anyone seeing him or what he was reading. It took Harry a while but he finally found the information on same sex relationships. It was illegal in the wizarding world, gay’s could be sent to Azkaban. Harry decided to never bring up who he might like so he didn’t get set up with some girl and he couldn’t say how he really felt. He knew he would either see men in the muggle world but make everyone believe he preferred being a bachelor.
During lunch Albus watched as the students filed into the great hall. He was hoping to see Harry with Ginny. He had high hopes that if they got together it would open Harry’s heart. He watched as Harry entered with Ron and Neville, but there was no sign of Ginny. Just as the boys began to eat, Ginny entered with Hermione. The look on the red headed girls face did not give Albus the hope he had been looking for. Ginny looked very upset, while Hermione was comforting her.
It was right near the end of lunch that Hermione stood behind Harry, ‘Why Harry?’
‘Why what Hermione?’
‘Couldn’t you have least give it a try? Go to Hogsmeade with her.’
‘I don’t think of her that way Hermione. It would have given her false hope and make her believe I like her, which would have hurt her more in the long run. It was best she knew straight away that I didn’t think of her in that way and never will.’
‘What are you two on about?’
‘Ginny asked Harry to go to Hogsmeade with her, he said no, she was not his type.’
‘Well, she’s not so why make her believe she was which would have hurt her. I don’t get you Hermione, it’s like you want me to hurt her.’
‘No, I just believe if you gave her a chance you might see she could be right for you.’
‘Apart from quidditch, we have nothing in common. She gets angry when she doesn’t get her own way. That would piss me off. She likes attention, I don’t. I’m happy to sit for hours and not talk. She’s always talking which gets bloody annoying. I prefer the peace and quiet. Also, she yells, I hate people yelling. If I wasn’t friends with Ron, or knew the rest of the Weasley’s, I doubt I would have ever spoken to her. I am not attracted to red heads in a romantic way nor do I like freckles, so I just can’t see her that way.’
‘Um, you know she’s liked you for years, don’t you Harry?’ Ron asked.
‘You and the twins told me. I figured if I didn’t pay her any attention, she would get the message I wasn’t interested. But there is another reason I could never be interested in your sister. You told me how she liked me before she met me, which tells me she likes the-boy-who-lived and that is not me. The-boy-who-lived is a fantasy and that’s who she liked. Let’s just drop it,’ Harry got up and walked out of the great hall.
Not only was Hermione, Ron and Ginny staring after him but so was Albus, who had sighed when he realised his plan with Ginny did not work. He began to look around at all the other girls, to see if maybe there was another that was looking at Harry, in a romantic way. He would speak with the portraits again and see if Harry had ever mentioned if he was interested in some girl, or maybe the type of girl that interests him.
Albus did find out from the portraits that Harry wasn’t interested in red heads and he didn’t like freckles. He knew that meant that a dozen girls would be crossed off the list. He also heard what he said about sitting alone and not talking, which would cross a lot of other girls off. Harry hated yelling so any girl that got loud would also be out, but also any girl that liked attention. Albus sighed, he realised this would be more difficult that he thought. He still wasn’t sure if he was right or wrong when it came to his belief about how Harry would kill Voldemort, but he had to at least try to get Harry to open his heart. Even if it wasn’t love, Harry needed to open his heart so it wouldn’t turn hard and cold, which could turn him dark like it did with Tom. Then he thought again whether he was right or wrong about what the power was. He had seen Harry’s face when he explained and he knew Harry didn’t believe the power was love. If Harry didn’t believe it, whether he opened his heart or not, then the power of love would not help.
Albus realised right then that he was also responsible for how Harry was and how he seemed to be harder and colder than he should be. Albus was the one to decide that Harry should live with Lily’s sister. It seemed there is more to how Harry was treated by them than he knew. He had always known that Harry wouldn’t have a good life, but he figured he would be treated as family. Seems that wasn’t the case. He also knew that Severus was also one of the reasons that Harry was more closed off than he should be and why Harry didn’t trust any of the staff.
Harry was sitting on the steps of the castle, thinking. ‘You look deep in thought Harry. Care to share what’s on your mind?’ Albus asked as he stood near Harry.
‘Well, the power he knows not. It’s not what you said so I’ve been trying to think of what power I have that he doesn’t. The only thing that comes to me is muggle things, like muggle weapons.’
‘It is illegal to use muggle weapons against witches and wizards.’
‘Then he wins,’ Harry stood up and faced the headmaster, ‘Unless you get me permission and I mean I need a guarantee that I won’t get into trouble then you might as well tell everyone we’ve lost. Or you fight him.’
‘How do you know it’s not love?’
Harry laughed, ‘It’s not, believe me.’
‘Why do you believe it’s not?’
Harry stared up at the old man, ‘Alright, I’ll tell you. I’ve never loved anyone. I happen to be very big on trust and honesty. So far, I haven’t found anyone I can trust. I learned early on to hate, that’s all I learned in that blasted house. Also, too many people are lying to me or hiding stuff.’
Albus sighed, he was afraid of that, ‘Do you love your friends?’
‘No, I barely like them. They have done wrong by me, many times so they will never have my trust. Without trust, you can have any type of relationship,’ as Harry stared at the man, he realised something, ‘You told Ginny to talk to me, didn’t you?’
‘I hoped since you spent so much time together, you maybe begin to like her.’
‘She’s a fan girl, she wants the-boy-who-lived. I could never trust her feelings.’
‘Is there any girl here that could take your interest? I only asked as I still believe love is what will allow you to beat Tom.’
‘No, there’s no one and never will be.’
‘Why do you believe you will never find love?’
‘This world still lives in the Victorian era.’
‘I’ve been told that by many muggleborns, but I don’t understand why that has anything to do with finding the right girl to love.’
‘You would never understand,’ Harry shook his head then turned and walked down towards Hagrid’s hut.
Albus watched Harry as he thought of what Harry said. “No, there’s no one and never will be. We live in the Victorian era.” Albus knew many muggleborns or raised believe the people in the wizarding world are very old fashioned.
‘He sounds so final, but why? All boys will eventually find a girl they like or are attracted to. It was statement about the Victorian era that made Albus finally understand. Harry was like him, he was a homosexual and he probably realised it is not accepted in the wizarding world, ‘That is going to complicate things. It wasn’t accepted, which is why I never revealed my orientation to anyone. If it was discovered, anyone that was homosexual or lesbian were instantly classed as outcasts in the wizarding world and in some cases, they are jailed,’ Albus sighed, ‘If what I suspect is true, then there is no hope of Harry finding love in the wizarding world. What else could it be? Could Harry be right and it was a muggle weapon? Albus realised he had some serious thinking to do and if the only way Harry could kill Tom was with a muggle weapon, then Harry would need a vow or oath to show that he will not get in trouble for using a muggle weapon on a wizard, even with a wizard like Voldemort.
Albus wondered if while he tried to find some way for Harry to use a muggle weapon if it might be a good idea for Harry to stay away from the wizarding world. If he lived and spent time in the muggle world, he may find someone to have a relationship with which would open his heart. He knew Harry would have to be living in the muggle world so the ministry could not persecute him if he did use a muggle weapon. Any person could keep their wand rights after doing their owls, even if they moved to the muggle world, or in Harry’s case, move back to the muggle world. It might be time to speak with Harry about that. Even if he ended up in the muggle world, there would not be enough time for Harry to find love. Tom would need to be taken care of within a year or many hundreds of people will die but there could be time for him to learn how to use muggle weapons.
Albus wondered if maybe someone in the muggle government could help. They might be able to train Harry how to use a gun. He would have to think on that for a while but he would also need to speak with Severus so he knows that he either changed his ways or he would be gone from Hogwarts. Harry Potter was more important and he, Albus would support Harry over Severus. Severus would know it would mean he would have to return to Voldemort properly, which meant torture for him and he would also have to kill. So far, Severus had never had to kill anyone. If he had to rejoin Voldemort, sooner or later he would make Severus kill and if that happened, Severus could finally get his revenge on James Potter by killing Harry. He had been so focused on how to help Harry that he only just remembered that Severus was dead so his thoughts were back on Harry and how to help. Yes, Albus knew already that it would be best if Harry lived and stayed in the muggle world.
Harry ignored Ginny completely over the following weeks. Hermione ended up making Harry angry so now he refused to have anything to do with Hermione. She kept saying Harry and Ginny would make a nice couple if Harry would just give it a go. Harry acted like he couldn’t hear Hermione or see her. Hermione got so frustrated that she pulled her wand, Harry had her disarmed and stunned before Hermione could point her wand at Harry. He levitated her up to the staff table and explained what happened, then he turned and walked away. Harry was given detention, he never turned up. Albus told the staff to leave Harry alone. He also told the staff that if Harry stunned Hermione or any other student, then the one stunned would be the one losing points and having detention. Most of the staff wanted to know why Albus was going to allow Harry Potter to do whatever he wanted. All Albus said was Harry was vital to winning the war so they could not afford for him to leave.
It was up to Minerva to explain to Hermione about what her punishment would be even if Harry used magic on her. Hermione will always be the one to lose points and have detention. There was also the possibility of her being expelled. Minerva told her to ignore Harry completely, before she ended up regretting any action she may take. Harry will never get into trouble no matter what he does.
Albus was finally able to speak with some people he absolutely trusted. One person was in constant contact with the muggles in their government. He explained about Harry and the prophecy and explained that he believed what the power was. Since he had spoken with Harry, he had begun to believe the power was a muggle weapon. Amelia Bones listened and also believed that could be the only way someone so young and inexperienced could ever have a chance at defeating Voldemort. Albus finally asked her if she could find out if the muggle military could train Harry but do it quickly so they could try to prevent too many deaths. They were also going to make it legal that Harry lived in the muggle world so he did not have to follow wizarding law. That was just in case someone found out that Harry would be using a muggle weapon on Voldemort, a wizard, which was against wizarding law. By law, a person who had done their owls could leave their education and if they wanted, they could live in the muggle world if they did not want to live in the wizarding world. That law was made over three hundred years ago as there was not enough jobs in the wizarding world. It might have grown but so had the number of witches and wizards so there were still not enough jobs, which meant many muggleborns or raised moved to and worked in the muggle world. He would need to make sure Harry removed all his money from the Gringotts vault, having it changed into muggle money before leaving.
Harry was given a note from Neville, the headmaster wished to speak with him. Harry packed up his books, put everything back in his trunk then made his way up to the headmaster’s office. Even though he had come to really dislike the headmaster, Harry knew Dumbledore was trying to stop Voldemort. It’s the only reason he cooperated with the old man.
‘Come in Harry,’ Albus waited until the young man sat down, ‘I’ve done a lot of thinking after we last spoke. I have come to the conclusion that you are right about the power,’ Albus flicked his wand and all the portraits were blind and death, ‘But I can’t just dismiss the chance that it could be love. After we spoke, I finally worked out why you said you would never find love,’ Albus stared at Harry who’s expression did not change, ‘I believe you are like me and it is against the law in the wizarding world.’
Harry stared at the old man sitting across from him and he realise he knew the truth. ‘Now you realise why love is impossible.’
‘Yes, but as I said, I do not want to dismiss it outright, in case it is love. I did some thinking and I spoke with someone I know and absolutely trust who has contacts in the muggle world. She believes that the only way you, who is only sixteen, can kill Voldemort, is with a muggle weapon. She can make it legal for you to leave the wizarding world and belong to the muggle world. She also knows someone who can teach you about muggle weapons. She can also work it to make you appear to have been privately tutored so you will have proof of an education in the muggle world. If you live in the muggle world fully, then you are not under wizarding law.’
‘Well, that would work. I would need to empty my vault and have it all changed into muggle money. I would need to find a new place to live since I’ll never return to them. I would be happy if Voldemort found them and took care of them. So when can I leave?’
Albus sighed again. Harry wouldn’t care if his muggle relatives ended up dead. That told him more about the life Harry had with Petunia Dursley.
‘Straight away. Until you find a muggle home, you could stay at Grimmauld place.’
‘No, I’ll stay in a muggle hotel. I’ll never stay there even if I do visit it to use the library.’
‘That is your choice. Would we still be able to use the house?’
Harry shrugged, ‘Sure, I don’t care what you do with it. I will go there and take some of Sirius’ things though.’
Albus handed Harry some parchment, ‘She will meet you on Friday at this address, then take you to a person she knows who can help you learn. This person knows of our world as his brother was a wizard. He died during the first war with Voldemort, so he’s willing to help any way he can. Only Amelia and this man can know of the prophecy and the reason you need to learn and quickly.’
‘That works. The only trouble I see now is how to get a shot off when I won’t know where he is. Also, when I do get a permanent place to live, I do not want anyone and I mean anyone in this world to know where it is.’
‘I take it that means me as well.’
‘Yes. I might send letters to Neville, Luna and Ron but that’s all the contact I want. I will fulfill the prophecy but I don’t want to have anything to do with the wizarding world ever again.’
‘If that’s what you want. But I would like some way to contact you so you will know if Voldemort comes into the open.’
‘I’m sure Fawkes could bring me a note. I can apparate, so I’ll be able to get close instantly.’
‘I know you’ve only just began to have apparition classes but I was not informed you achieved apparition.’
‘I acted like I couldn’t, element of surprise if I was needed. Sirius taught me during the Christmas holidays when I stayed there. He felt I need to know in case I got kidnapped again. We used the attic, then snuck out late at night to practice. With what is going on right now, you should see if you can get the age lowered for people to use wands so they have some protection in case they are attacked.’
‘I have spoken with a few at the ministry, so far, no one will support lowering the age.’
‘So the people at the ministry do not care of kids get killed, figures,’ Harry growled, ‘I’ll go pack, will I leave via the tunnel or floo from here?’
‘It’s best if you are not seen by anyone, use the tunnel to the shrieking shack. I wish things could have been different with us Harry but I do understand why you would never trust me. I believed Petunia would treat you as family, she never did.’
‘It wasn’t just her, it was Snape and how he was allowed to bully kids and also how you don’t come down hard enough of the bully’s. Then add all the danger,’ Harry stared at the man behind then desk for a few seconds then turned and left the office, without saying anything else.
He really didn’t want anything to do with the wizarding world or anyone in it. He would work on going to night school or something to get his non magical education up to scratch. He hoped he could end Voldemort early so he could concentrate on that. At least he had enough money to live on and buy a house. Since he wasn’t old enough to be able to buy a home, he would work on somewhere to live for at least another couple of years.
Harry packed, shrunk his trunk and placed it in his pocket. He left a note on his bed addressed to Ron and Neville. He used his invisibility cloak to sneak out of the castle and into the tunnel in the whomping willow. Once he left the shrieking shack, he thought about where he would go after going to Gringotts. He decided for now, he would go to Grimmauld place. He could look around the following day for somewhere else to stay.’
By dinner that night many people asked where Harry was. It was Neville and Ron who had gone to speak with McGonagall. They were shocked to hear that Harry had left Hogwarts, but they were more shocked to hear that he left the wizarding world, for good. Ron had a feeling that Dumbledore would know why but he wasn’t sure if the headmaster would tell him.
It was after dinner that Neville found the note on Harry’s bed. He read it then showed Ron.
‘At least he will write to us but I still can’t believe he’s leaving the wizarding world.’
‘It’s not like he has family here, he has no attachments in any way. He grew up in the muggle world and I’ve heard many muggleborns say they plan to live in the muggle world and have muggle homes. I wonder why now though,’ Neville said.
‘I actually thought Harry would have left after the triwizard tournament. I realised he ended up surrounded by the order of the phoenix who were guarding Harry at his relatives place,’ Ron explained, ‘When the holidays were over, we were escorted to the Hogwarts express by the order of the phoenix.’
‘Would he stay living there?’
‘No, Harry hated them. They didn’t like Harry either because he was a wizard. If I know Harry, he will find somewhere else to live. Its too cold now but when the weather changes, he might use a tent for a while until he finds somewhere to go. I’m sure he will explain when he writes,’ Ron said staring down at the letter again. He knew about the prophecy, Ron had a feeling that Harry leaving was to do with that.
Over the following months, Neville, Luna, Ron and the twins were the only ones who received a letter from Harry. He couldn’t tell them where he was, just in the muggle world. He did say if they wanted to write to him, to use Hedwig as she would be the only owl that could find him. That’s what the twins, Ron, Luna and Neville did. When they got a letter from Harry, they would ask Hedwig to wait so they could write back.
It was just before the Christmas holidays of what would have been Harry’s seventh year when a special edition of the Daily Prophet was delivered to every person in the wizarding world.
Harry Potter, with the aide of the muggle government destroyed all homes that belonged to death eaters. All inside were killed, which included Voldemort.
Apart from a few students whose parents were death eaters, everyone began to cheer until the walls of the great hall started to shake.
‘He did it, but how? Those homes would have been warded or under things like the fidelius charm,’ Neville said, ‘So how did he do it.’
‘Muggle technology,’ Hermione said in a huff. She still refused to believe she was in the wrong when it came to Harry and she still believed he owed her an apology. She had asked Ron to send him a letter during the holidays, he did. A letter was sent to Hermione calling her a bitch that knew nothing about him. Ron refused to send anymore. Hermione tried but the owls always returned with her unopened letter.
Everyone around Ron and Neville asked Hermione what she meant. She finally went into details about satellites and how spells like the muggle repelling charm would not stop them seeing a home. The satellites would even take pictures of homes under the fidelius charm. It was right then that most of the pure-bloods who listened to Hermione realised that there would be hundreds of muggle’s that knew about the wizarding world.
It was two weeks later that the Daily Prophet had a picture of Harry on the cover. It was the story that shocked many.
Harry Potter to marry his male partner. Many muggleborns or muggle raised realised that Harry was gay. They also realised that could have been the reason he left. Being gay in the wizarding world was illegal. Harry officially lived and worked in the muggle world so there was nothing anyone could do.
Albus smiled as he read the story about Harry marrying. He realised that the man Harry was marrying was the man who had been assigned to teach him about muggle weapons. Albus always believed love was powerful and now he had a feeling that the prophecy was fulfilled thanks to love. They might have used muggle weapons but Harry must have began to love the man not long after meeting him. Between the muggle weapons and love, Voldemort had been destroyed. Albus just wished Harry a good life with the man he loved. He might send a letter with Fawkes. One to congratulate him on his upcoming marriage and to also congratulate him on finally fulfilling the prophecy.
‘It seems now we know why Harry wasn’t interested in Ginny,’ Neville said, ‘I always thought he didn’t like Cho as much as many believed. He had to keep his secret since it’s illegal in the wizarding world.’
‘Many want that changed. It’s why my brother left the country. It’s not illegal in Romania,’ Ron said, ‘I wish Harry would have told us.’
‘He couldn’t or someone could have found out and he would have been sent to Azkaban. Being so young and not having a relationship with a boy, he might have just been made an outcast. Now at least he can be what he wants and show his real feelings,’ Neville said.
‘It seems you were wrong again Hermione. You kept telling Harry he and Ginny would make a nice couple. You got Ginny’s hopes up that they might end up together, when there was no hope. You sometimes don’t listen to people when you believe you’re right,’ Ron gestured towards his sister who had tears falling down her face, ‘You made it worse even after Harry said he wasn’t interested. I think you owe Harry and Ginny and apology.’
Ron and Neville weren’t surprised that Hermione huffed before storming out of the great hall.
The two young men looked around the great hall at people reading the Daily Prophet. Most didn’t seem shocked and none seemed disgusted. Maybe the people were finally realising that gay people had rights like everyone else. If people began to accept this, Harry just might be able to stay close to his friends in the wizarding world.
Both Ron and Neville were going to write to Harry to explain what they noticed when people read that Harry was marrying a man. They just wanted their friend happy and now Voldemort was gone, Harry just might get everything he ever wanted.
The end: