Chapter 38
It had been eight hours since Harry and Dumbeldore’s meeting. It had also been eight hours without his wand which was probably still on the floor gathering dust. However, Harry was not, under any circumstances, talking to that insane man ever again, even if it meant getting his parents to buy him a new wand.
He had thought his Headmaster was mad after they found the first wave of evidence that supported Dumbeldore being on the dark side, but this was a whole ‘nother story to tell the grandkids, as Marlene would joke.
At least that mindset keeps Harry from going insane. From becoming so irreversibly angry at the thought that every moment in his life had been perfectly orchestrated by Dumbledore. That every moment was conducted to Dumbledore’s liking and preference and when the man failed, he had another plan in notion.
Oh Salazar Harry thought. Fuck.
Good thing this wasn’t a focus for Harry at the moment, because the world carries on and Professor McGonogall had set a test for the following day on;
“Transforming a teapot into a flower.” Pansy read in her high pitch voice.
Harry groaned and stuffed his head into his hands. “When in my motherfucking life would I need to turn a teapot into a flower?”
“Now that you’ve asked, probably all the time.” said Blaise.
“I am the lucky one.”
Draco twirled his wand expertly around his fingers and hummed. “So are we all going to walk around the topic or is someone going to ask why Harry was in the kitchen for hours yesterday and didn’t come back to the library?”
“Without our food.” Millicent scowled under her breathe.
“I have an answer for you,” Harry said eloquently as he gave them the bird.
Draco frowned and looked at Harry’s empty hands. “How about you tell us why you don’t have your wand? You should be pretending it’s a drumstick right now.”
Harry huffed. “You answered the question, it’s not here.”
“Did you leave it in the kitchen, hence why we didn’t get any food?” Blaise tried.
“No.”
“You could always accio for it.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “You are so smart Draco, why didn’t I think of that? Oh, that’s right! Because I don’t know how to do that blasted spell.”
“Don’t get your knickers in a twist.” Draco scowled. “I can bloody well teach you.”
“Yeah, with what wand?”
“The wand I’m going to accio back to us.” said Draco matter of factly.
So, in the middle of the dining hall Draco closed his eyes, did a complicated twist of his wrist and shouted “Accio Harry’s wand!” Nothing happened for a second, or another second, until a whistle spun through the air and Harry’s wand flew straight towards Draco’s head.
Harry used his quick seeker reflexes and caught it before it knocked his best friend out cold.
“Oh, thank you Salazar.” Harry gushed, hugging his wand to his chest.
Draco scowled at that. “Fuck Salazar, thank me!”
He turned his head to the side and looked at Draco as endearingly as humanly possible. “Thank you, Draco.”
Draco bit back a smile and looked away. “Don’t mention it.”
Pansy frowned. “It took quite a while to appear, you must have gotten lost on Ravenclaw Tower or something.”
Harry glanced at the staff table and glowered at the carefree Headmaster who just changed his whole existence.
“Yeah, or something.”
——
The Slytherins went to their next class, Transfiguration, and Harry couldn’t focus on what Professor McGonogall was yapping about. His brain was stuck on a loop of what happened after his confrontation in that office.
He had landed roughly back in his common room with the breathe knocked out of him and a new plan formulating in his mind when an amused voice said: “Well, this is a surprise.”
Harry had whipped his head around to see none other than Luna Lovegood sitting with a nonchalant expression and a huge book in her lap.
“Luna?” Harry frowned, getting up and wiping off the crumbs that were on the floor. “What are you doing in the Slytherin Common Room?”
“Reading, of course.” She smiled like it was obvious. “The narkles have travelled down here to build their nest, the Ravenclaw Common Room felt empty without them.”
“Right.” Harry nodded.
“If you need help finding what you’re looking for, I always sit by the pumpkins.”
“I would totally do that but it’s still winter, Luna.” Harry quirked. “How did you know I was looking for something?”
Luna shrugged. “The bruiks told me. They live under your bed and eat your dreams.”
Harry had nodded again. “Well, the bruiks I’ll see them tonight.”
“They know, Harry Potter.” Luna smiled. “I hope everything goes to plan.”
“Me too, Luna, me too.”
He went to turn then he remembered something from the start of the year. “Hey, did you find that time turner you were looking for?”
“Yes.” Luna smiled.
“What did your father use it for?”
“Oh, I found it but I didn’t take it.” Luna chuckled whimsically. “The knomrobs warned me.”
Harry didn’t really know how to respond to that so he just laughed along. “Sounds about right. I’ll leave you to it.”
“You do.” Luna waved.
Instead of tracking to the library to tell his friends what he just heard from Dumbledore, and that odd interaction with Luna, Harry went back to his dorm, shoved his face in a pillow, and went to sleep.
He must have been knocked out because the next thing he knew was Draco hitting him with a pillow to wake him up and the rest of his friends standing around the bed unimpressed.
“Alright?” Harry asked, groaning as he stretched out his stiff back.
“No, not alright.” Pansy spat. “Where the fuck was my milkshake?”
Harry rubbed his eyes and frowned. “What milkshake?”
“The milkshake you went to the kitchen to get for us, eight hours ago.”
“Oh.” Harry remembered, feeling guilty. “Sorry, I got… distracted.”
Blaise sat at the edge of his bed. “With what?”
He shrugged.
Tracey huffed. “Fine. Keep your secrets, Harry, we were waking you up to remind you that dinner is about to start and Dumbledore has an announcement to make.”
Harry ran cold. “Do you have any idea what Dumbledore wants to say?”
“That’s why you need to come too. It might have something to do with our mission.”
Harry really didn’t want to see that horrid man, even from a far distance, but he shook out his shoulders and got up. "Okay, let’s go then.”
Pansy scowled and pushed Harry back onto the bed. “Not with that owls nest of a head you aren’t.” And with the useless products she gave him for Christmas, she lathered his hair with it then gave up to try and tame it and parted it down the middle to do two small dutch braids.
“You’ve made me look like a proper prissy, thanks Pansy.” Harry snapped as he looked at his new hairdo in the mirror. “Why does my head look so egg like?”
“Cause you’re an egghead.” said Draco. “Let’s go now, I’m fucking starving.”
His friends had left him alone about his disappearance last night but now they were hungry for information after Dumbledores ominous message before dinner.
Dumbledore had raised his hands in a godlike manner, as he normally did, and looked amongst the crowd of children, keeping eye contact with Harry for way longer than what was comfortable.
“Students!” He had boomed. “Before you dig into your feast, I don’t mean to alarm you so don’t start panicking. If you see, hear, or feel anything amiss, please let me or a trusted professor know immediately. Hogwarts is the safest place on Earth and help is always here for those who look for it. There is nothing to worry about but please keep that in mind. Sorry for the interruption and enjoy your supper!”
Draco raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “That wasn’t suspicious at all.”
Everyone nodded at that.
“Do you think he thinks we’re not safe or something?” Crabbe added.
Harry didn’t know either but he had a bad feeling about it.
He was back in present day as his friends hit his arm to get his attention. Class was over for the day and they were going back to the dorms.
“You good, mate?” Goyle asked kindly.
“Yeah, man, sorry.” Harry cleared his throat. “Just feeling a bit out of it, honestly.”
“Good thing we’re done for today then.” Tracey said as they walked down the corridor. “Your head was so out of it you forgot we were doing a practical today.”
“I didn’t forget.” Harry grumbled. “It’s just a stupid practical.”
“It will probably be in the exam, y’know.”
“Shut up, Tracey.”
Tracey threw her quill at him. “I’m looking out for you. McGonagall said it will be important.”
“There’s more important things in life than exams that don’t go towards anything.” Harry argued. “I don’t give two flying fucks about transforming one thing into something else.”
“Whatever.” Tracey rolled her eyes. “If you fail the Transfiguration exam just know I warned you.”
“Or you can go jump off a-“
Draco went into the middle of their sibling bickering. “Shut up.”
The group strolled back to the dungeon and huddled together in the boys dorms. Harry lay with his head on Blaise’s lap as they investigated what Dumbledore could’ve meant at dinner the other night some more.
“It could’ve been Hagrid being a giant oaf again.” Draco offered. “He did try to kill me after all, perhaps he plans to finish the job this time.”
“I can’t believe that horrid man hasn’t been fired yet.” said Pansy.
The boys looked at each other in amusement. “Yeah Draco, that is a great theory.”
Draco puffed out his chest. “I thought so.”
“Or maybe, tell me if I’m wrong, that it might have to do with the whole Dumbledore being evil sort of thing.” Tracey deadpanned. “Perhaps he thinks we’re onto him and hence, wants to make sure we’re stopped before we ruin his reputation?”
“Or it could have something to do with the fact I confronted him yesterday.” Harry blurted out. He sat up as everyone gasped and looked at him like he was an unknown species.
“The fuck did you just say?” Millicent screeched.
“I said-“
Blaise hit his arm lightly. “We know what you said, you toad, we’re just confused and shocked and not sure what to say right now.”
Harry raised his arms in defence. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you all before I did it but it was spur of the moment and I had to confront Dumbledore head on before it was too late.”
“Well,” Draco encouraged. “What’d he say?”
So Harry told them all the things Dumbledore told him. From the wanting to kill his parents to the ‘wanting to be his father figure’.
“He wanted to make you an orphan?” Pansy exclaimed. “That is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life.”
“He sounded pretty serious about it.”
“So not only is this guy a weirdo, he’s also a psychopath.” grumbled Crabbe.
“Have you told your parents?” Tracey asked.
“Yeah I sent them a letter this morning.”
“I want to see their faces so bad when they find out Dumbledore befriending the Dark Lord so he could kill them.” Draco grinned.
Harry smiled tightly. “Yeah well they never liked him since the first war so this’ll give them another reason to hate him.”
“Thank Salazar for that Halloween Party, eh?” Blaise said.
“Sirius was never one to not celebrate any event.” Harry laughed.
“So what can we do now that you have all this information?” asked Tracey.
“I’ll wait to see what my parents have to say but if I take Veritaserum or the ministry wants to see the memory in a pensieve for themselves, I hope we have enough evidence to lock Dumbledore up for a lifetime.”
“Why don’t you want Voldemort locked up for a lifetime?” Draco teased.
Harry flustered. “Oh yeah, him too.”
“I always imagined Voldemort to be less attractive.” Pansy pouted. “Like why does the evilest person in the world have to look like that!?”
“Facts.” Tracey sighed. “Life isn’t fair.”
“S’not like he would’ve fallen for any of you anyway.” Draco sneered.
Harry laughed. “Remember when you thought he was a pedophile during Halloween?”
“That’s what I’m saying!” Draco abbreviated. “He doesn’t want the girls, he wants you.”
“Get your head out of the gutter, Malfoy.” Harry rolled his eyes. “He told me he wanted to teach me more dark spells because he says I was like him when he was young. That whole, be the teacher you never had, type thing.”
“Yeah, because he’s a pedo.” Draco snapped. “Why aren’t you seeing it?”
“Because not everything is dirty and perverted.” Harry responded sharply. “You focus on getting Hagrid fired while I focus on getting rid of Dumbledore.”
“Once Dumbledore goes, McGonagall will probably take over as Headmistress.” put Pansy. “She’ll make sure Hogwarts is great again.”
Harry was about to respond when there was a knock on the door. Goyle was closest so he answered it to see a First Year holding an unopened letter.
“For Mister Potter.” The boy squeaked.
“Thanks, Doterman.” Harry called out, recognising the scrawny kid from the common room.
“It’s from your parents.” Goyle read, giving Harry the letter.
“Thanks, mate.” Harry murmured, ripping the letter open impatiently.
In his mothers neat yet rushed handwriting, Harry read aloud:
Harry,
We got your letter and are appalled! We have half a mind to get you out of that school and send you somewhere safer, like Ilvermorny with Kurt Whistlehall.
Your dad and I are also disappointed you didn’t tell us you were going to confront Dumbledore! We had to hear from Remus after it happened! It could have been dangerous, he is one of the eldest wizards, Harry, he knows spells that could really hurt you and I’m now worried sick that you’re about to injure yourself trying to play hero.
I’m mad at you AND Remus so don’t go to him to help get you out of trouble, young man!
Anyway, we love you with all our hearts and are very glad you’re alright. Don’t do anything else about Dumbledore or Voldemort (Prof. Riddle) okay? If I have to hear from Severus that you’re being mischievous I’m taking you out of school.
We’ll see you at your next quidditch match if nothing else happens.
Lot’s of love, hugs, and many heart attacks,
Your mum and dad xxxx
“They sound fine.” Pansy waved her hand. “Just don’t do anything for the rest of the month.”
“Who’s Kurt Whistlehall?” Draco asked.
Harry had forgotten if he told them he stayed with the Whistlehall family when he was in North America and apparently he had. They had been very interested in the muggle comics he showed them and when his friends had stayed at his place in second year they had apple pie from the recipe Kurt sent him.
“Err, a family friend.” Harry decided.
“From Ilvermorny?” Pansy scorned. “I would rather shave my hair off than go there.”
“Why?” Tracey frowned.
Pansy leaned in as if to tell a secret. “I met someone in France from Ilvermorny. Apparently the robes are ugly.”
“We don’t want you wearing ugly robes, now.” Draco joked to Harry.
“They don’t wear ties.” Pansy added. “He showed me a picture.”
In an attempt to change the conversation Harry said: “I thought my parents might’ve had something helpful to say instead of being mad at me for trying to solve the situation.”
“This should inspire you to put an end to this once and for all.” Blaise said. “Dumbledore won’t know what hit him, especially telling you his whole game plan.”
That may be true but Harry wasn’t ready quite yet for Dumbeldore and Riddle to go to jail. Remus told him the only way he could survive killing the Horcrux inside of him was to make one himself and Harry wasn’t going finish this until he did just that.