They all took showers and Sirius put on his best robes before Tonks escorted them back to the Ministry. This time they entered through the Auror entrance where they found Amelia Bones waiting. She was alone, obviously having cleared the room on purpose.
"Sirius Black, you're a difficult man to find," Amelia said as she studied the black haired man carefully. "To let you know your status, you have no formal charges against you from the Ministry, though you should consider yourself in custody pending the questioning you will undergo. If you have a wand, I will need it now," She held out her hand and when he hesitated. "Mr. Black, if you are truly innocent, no harm will come to you."
Sirius nodded and reached into his robes and removed a wand he had procured in a small magical village that had large brightly colored birds and little contact with the outside world. It had worked for him, but not as well as his old one had. With Ollivander now gone, he knew he would have a long wait before he could have another wand that suited him as well.
She nodded as she took it from him and then led the procession into a room where the Minister was already seated at a table. It was obviously an interrogation room for a single chair sat in front of the table. Amelia nodded toward the chair and Sirius sat down and waited.
First Amelia handed Sirius a small bottle of blue liquid. "Since you were an Auror, you will obviously recognize this as a counter-veritaserum detection agent."
He nodded and took the bottle and drunk it completely. They waited the required two minutes and it when Sirius' tongue did not turn purple it was known he had not taken any counter-veritaserum. She then took out a bottle of the clear truth potion and put the required three drops on his tongue. It wasn't long before his eyes became unfocused.
"What is your name?" Amelia asked.
"Sirius Orion Black."
"What house were you in at Hogwarts?"
"Gryffindor."
"Who was your best friend while at Hogwarts?"
"James Potter."
"Did you betray the James and Lily Potter?"
"No. It was Peter Pettigrew."
"Did you kill Pettigrew?"
"I wanted to, but no. He blew up the street and escaped."
The questioning continued for another ten minutes. A couple of the queries made Harry and Hermione nervous since they came close to what Sirius knew about the previous night, but in the end both Amelia Bones and Cornelius Fudge were satisfied.
When the antidote had been applied, Amelia extended her hand and handed him a wand. Sirius looked at it and realized she had given him his original wand. The one that had been taken from him the night he had been arrested. He felt the warmth of the wand that had been missing from the one he had been using. He looked into the eyes of Amelia Bones.
"It was in the evidence room all of these years," She said. "I would like to be the first to apologize for those years."
"You had nothing to do with my arrest and no real reason to check into my past."
"Maybe, but I can't help but wonder if others shared your fate."
"I hope you try to find out," Sirius replied and then turned to the Minister and held out his hand. "Minister, thank you."
"Yes well," Fudge replied nervously. "Mr. Potter implied you'd be willing to..."
"Yes I will Minister," Sirius replied cutting him off. "Now is not the time to be splitting the Ministry over what has happened in the past."
"Sir, Ma'am," Hermione spoke up. "We took the opportunity to retrieve this," She opened the bag she had on her shoulder and pulled out the Pensieve.
An hour later Fudge was sitting at a table that had been arranged on a small stage in the Atrium. With him were Amelia Bones, Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna. There was one more chair next to the Minister currently empty. Arrayed in front of the stage were a multitude of chairs, all filled with reporters from the various newspapers and magazines. Xenophilius Lovegood was sitting in the front row waving at his daughter.
Fudge started the conference. "We called you here this morning to discuss several things. Mainly to address the rumors that have been flying about concerning certain events that occurred last evening here in the Ministry. I would like to first address the issue of You-Know-Who. Yes he has returned," The uproar that followed that statement was deafening. It took several minutes before Fudge could continue, but finally he got everyone's attention. He signaled to an Auror who was holding a bag that was brought to the table. Hermione took the bag and pulled out the Pensieve along with several labeled vials of silvery liquid.
Harry was looking in the direction of Albus Dumbledore who was standing off to the side. When the Pensieve had been taken out of the bag, the Headmaster's eyes had widened for a split second but then he had settled into a thoughtful look.
"This, witches and wizards of the press is called a Pensieve. Headmaster Dumbledore has loaned it to us for our use," Fudge said. "It will allow you to see the memories of what occurred last night."
Harry and Hermione had discovered how to make the pensive project the memory above the basin by pulling Harry's memory of the time Dumbledore had done it and redid the steps the Headmaster had performed.
Hermione poured her own memory of the battle between Harry and Voldemort into the basin and tapped the correct runes. Immediately above the bowl the two figures locked in the gold cage appeared. Amelia Bones used a magnification charm to make the image much larger and a collective gasp rose from the crowd as they saw Lord Voldemort in battle against Harry Potter. When it ended shortly afterwards with Voldemort losing, the crowd noise rose again, but came instantly quiet when Harry stood.
"As you all can see," Harry started with a gesture to the now blank area above the Pensieve. "I have not been lying about Voldemort returning a year ago," Again he had to fight to keep his eyes from rolling at the reaction to the name. "I was tricked to come here last night. My friends," He now waved his hands over to Hermione, Neville and Luna, "and I ended up fighting a dozen Death Eaters."
Hermione had dumped the next memory into the bowl and the image of twelve death eaters all removing their masks rose from the bowl.
"...Rookwood?"
"That's Bellatrix Lestrange..."
"Lucius Malfoy?"
Harry waved for quiet and instantly got it as he continued. "Eight of them died last night, three of them were captured and one escaped," Harry again had to wait for the noise to abate. "My friends and I were fortunate to escape unharmed."
Amelia nodded to another Auror beside the stage and he disappeared behind a curtain and reappeared shortly leading the three captured Death Eaters who were surrounded by a team of Aurors. Rookwood had ugly red welts around his face and neck, Crabbe Sr. was being levitated since obviously his legs had not been repaired yet, and Nott was bound in magical ropes. All looked sullen. Nott tried to scream something out, but they all had silencing charms on them.
"A full accounting of what happened last night will be given to you after this conference," Amelia Bones said. "For now we shall say these four young people fought and defeated twelve Death Eaters and Mr. Potter himself drove off You-Know-Who."
Harry wanted to add one thing. "When you write about last night, please do not say Harry Potter did this or that without including the names of Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. We fought as a team last night. We won as a team."
Fudge stood up and addressed the crowd of reporters. "There is one more issue that needs to be addressed this morning. It concerns Sirius Black," The noise rose again and it took three minutes before order could be restored again. "We discovered this morning that the man who the Ministry has been pursuing for three years has never been charged with a crime..."
"Then why was he in Azkaban."
"What about the Potters.."
The room went silent as another magnified memory appeared in front of them. It was the memory of the confrontation in the Shrieking Shack. They all watched mesmerized as Peter was forced out of his rat animagus form and admitted to being the spy and betrayer.
The noise rose only slightly when the memory ended as most of the reporters were digesting the scene they had just witnessed, but in no time another image rose from the bowl. It was the confrontation in the graveyard where Pettigrew brought the Dark Lord back to body as witnessed by Harry. When it was over every reporter was staring at Harry.
Harry rose from his seat again and stared at the crowd before starting. "I will be scheduling an interview later with the only person who has reported the truth about me in the last year. He looked in the direction of Rita Skeeter who suddenly realized that she was going to be given the most explosive story of the century. Suddenly three months in a glass jar seemed like a pittance in exchange. Harry also looked at Luna's father. "The Quibbler will have the rights to the story."
Fudge again rose. "As I said earlier and as the memories show, Sirius Black is innocent. I personally rescind all orders in regards to the capture of Sirius Black. We shall instead pursue the real culprit of those crimes, Peter Pettigrew to the ends of the earth." He motioned to the Auror who had brought the Death Eaters on stage and he disappeared behind the same curtain again. A few seconds later, Sirius Black strolled from behind the curtain and walked over to the table. He shook hands with the Minister and Amelia Bones and then gave a hug to Harry and Hermione before turning toward the reporters. He then waited patiently for the noise to lower.
"Thank you Minister Fudge," He started with a nod in the Minister's direction. "It takes a big man to admit mistakes," Sirius said. "For those of you who might still think otherwise," He rolled up his sleeve and showed his left arm. "No mark. I would never have done anything to hurt my best friend and James Potter was my best friend."
Hermione poured in another memory that Sirius had given. One that showed Sirius' confrontation with Pettigrew all those years ago on a street in London. Everyone could easily see who cast the spell. "Nor did I kill those muggles," Another memory appeared, this one showed the face of James Potter in what most people recognized as a St. Mungo's hospital room. He was holding a small infant with a small amount of black hair on his head. "Sirius," The memory James said. "Lily and I want you to be Harry's godfather."
All eyes were now on Harry again who had tears fighting to escape his eyes. Finally he stood and spoke. "I have known about my Godfather's innocence for some time now. I'm glad everyone else does too. I appreciate the actions of Minister Fudge and Amelia Bones in making sure justice won in the end," The crowd of reporters was now silent. "I extend my full support for the Ministry and call upon all of magical Britain to do the same in the coming battle with Voldemort and his Death Eaters," This time he did roll his eyes at the reporters. He pointed at the three Death Eaters still on stage. "They are just men who thrive on fear and can be beaten."
Sirius smiled at Harry when the young man had sat down. "I also offer my full support to Minister Fudge and the Ministry. Now is a time for Magical Britain to pull together. If we divide we will fall victim to the same darkness that we had all those years ago."
The press conference broke up shortly afterwards and Sirius Black walked out of the Ministry a free man. He had been assigned two Aurors as guards to ensure that until the word was fully released he would not be molested or attacked. Those two Aurors were Tonks and Shacklebolt.
Fudge left to inform the British Prime Minister of what had occurred and to insure the muggle police would stop looking for Sirius as well.
As Neville descended the steps with Luna at his side, he came face to face with an old woman with a vulture topped hat.
"Gran?" He asked the obvious.
Augusta Longbottom stared at her grandson for a full minute. She could see the sweat build up on his brow. "Just like your father, always rushing off impetuously," Her lips moved from a scowl to almost a smile, "as friends should do. I'm proud of you Neville," She said. She looked over at the young lady who her grandson still had his arm around. "And Miss Lovegood?"
"Gran," Neville said still trying to process the compliment he had gotten from his grandmother. "This is Luna. She's my," He looked down at Luna and smiled before turning back to his grandmother, "she's my girlfriend."
"Very nice to meet you Luna," Augusta Longbottom said. "I can expect you around during the summer?"
"I hope so. I think some of the plants Neville knows about might help attract Crumpled-Horned Snorkacks."
The wizened old witch wasn't quite sure how to respond to that so she just smiled at the young lady and nodded.
"She's dead Gran," Neville said. "Bellatrix Lestrange is dead."
It had been years since Augusta Longbottom had tears in her eyes. In fact it had been the day the doctors had told her that her son and daughter-in-law would never recover. Those tears reappeared at that moment. "Maybe we should visit St. Mungos when you get home," She said to her grandson.
"Can Luna come?"
Augusta Longbottom nodded. "Of course."
Harry and Hermione were met by Albus Dumbledore as they stepped off the stage. The Headmaster seemed like he was forcing himself to smile at them. "Harry this time I truly must insist you allow me to take you back to Hogwarts."
"Certainly Professor Dumbledore sir," Harry replied. "We can then talk about the prophecy Lucius said explained why Voldemort attacked my parents when I was a baby."
Dumbledore knew the two blue orbs were tucked in his pockets and was sure one of them was the prophecy that Harry had recovered. "Maybe when you're older Harry. As your unwillingness to listen to me this morning proves, you are still too young to understand."
"The piss ant old goat," Harry thought to Hermione. "He played my emotions like a piano last time. By adding the prophecy to my being distraught over Sirius's death, he knew I'd follow him. What perfect time to tell someone they must fight someone to the death but right after they saw a loved one die. The perfect mindset to associate accepting death with the prophecy."
Harry smiled at the Headmaster. "Too young to follow you blindly you mean?" He asked. "Hermione?"
Hermione pulled the real prophecy from the depths of her robes and handed it to Harry.
"Maybe I'll listen to it right here so everyone can hear it," Harry suggested to the Headmaster who looked stunned.
"Harry..." Dumbledore almost pleaded as he looked at the orb in Harry's hand. "Voldemort still has plenty of spies about and he wants to know what that says. That's why he tricked you here tonight."
"I know," Harry agreed. "I also recognized the initials of the person the prophecy was given to. A.P.W.B.D which stands for Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. What is in this orb? What does it have to do with my parents dying?"
Again Dumbledore's shoulders slumped and he looked like he aged twenty years on the spot. "Come with me to my office and we'll discuss it," He said finally. "I will explain what I can."
"We'll be glad to," Harry replied. He then cut off what he knew Dumbledore was going to say. "Hermione will be there. She's the one who's helped me see through the crap you've been throwing at me," He paused for a couple of seconds. "If I find out you withhold any information from me, I will be owling Madam Maxine about transferring to Beauxbaton."
"That is an empty threat Harry and beneath you," Dumbledore replied. "You would need your guardian's permission to go there and I'm sure the Dursleys will not accommodate you."
"Sir," Hermione spoke up as they were ready for this argument. "The permission forms for Hogsmeade visits are only allowed to be signed by parents or guardians. Since you, as head of the Wizengamot at the time in question, accepted Sirius' approval for those visits, you did in fact declare at that time, Sirius Black was Harry's official guardian."
Harry followed that up with, "It is not an empty threat. Sirius will allow me to attend any school I want and has enough money to provide the tuition at those schools."
Dumbledore had finally thought he had the upper hand by showing Harry his bluff was useless, but now he stared at the two teenagers and a sinking feeling was developing in his stomach.
Voldemort sat staring at the blue orb that had been taken from Harry Potter. He had been staring at it for over an hour. He was relishing the fact he was finally going to know where he went wrong that fateful night all those years ago. He took out his wand and tapped the orb gently and waited for the prophecy to appear. Seconds ticked away as he waited. When nothing happened he tapped it harder and again waited. A sinking feeling developed in the Dark Lord's stomach as he remembered Potter's words. "Are you sure you have the right prophecy Lucius?" The boy had asked Lucius. "Your Master will be most displeased to discover you've been tricked."
Riddle cast the spell to check for magical properties and when nothing came from the blue orb he screamed out in frustration and then turned to Lucius Malfoy. "CRUCIO!"
.....
Dumbledore sat behind his large desk and simply stared at the two teens in front of him. It was a blue-eyed grandfatherly gaze over his half-moon glasses that usually had students ready to confess any and all sins to him after only a short time, but Harry Potter only stared back at him. Green eyes stared into blue, both waiting for the other to flinch. Finally Dumbledore reached out his hand and took a lemon drop from the glass dish on his desk. The stay fresh charm on the dish had kept them from going stale since April when he'd been forced to flee his office. He offered the bowl to both Harry and Hermione who just shook their heads declining the offer. Albus popped the lemony sweet into his mouth and moved it around with his tongue several times before finally speaking. "I'm very disappointed in you Harry," He said. "To take something that belongs to me and give it to the Ministry was inexcusable."
"I did what you should have done two years ago sir," Harry replied testily. "I found it most interesting that the Ministry did not know about your Pensieve."
"Who knows about my personal property is none of your concern Mr. Potter," Dumbledore stated.
"SIRIUS COULD HAVE BEEN FREE TWO YEARS AGO HEADMASTER!" Harry was on his feet now glaring at Albus Dumbledore. "You could have proven that I wasn't lying about Voldemort last year. WHY DIDN'T YOU?" Harry's anger was genuine now. "I spent a year being ridiculed and tortured," Harry turned his hand around to show the outline of the words made by the Blood Quill.
"I did what I could for you," Dumbledore replied. "There are just things that you do not understand."
Harry sat heavily back down on his chair and simply said. "Enlighten me then. Tell me what I don't understand. Make me understand why my godfather has had the threat of a Dementor's kiss over his head? With the Pensieve you could have taken my memories of Voldemort and Pettigrew to the Ministry and the Wizengamot or to the press like I just did and it would have been easy to convince them."
Dumbledore's gaze never left the young man's face as he sat back in his large chair as he tried to figure out a way to answer those questions. Of course he knew that the Pensieve was critical in his search for Voldemort's Horcruxes. Even now he thought he had a lead on where one of them was located but needed to view Bob Ogden's memories again to make sure. Finally he decided on his favorite answer. "Harry, you're just going to have to trust me that I know what is best. As I said, there are things you do not understand and I'm not at liberty to discuss with you."
"Then we have nothing left to discuss Headmaster," Harry replied and got up from his seat. He took Hermione's hand and started for the door. "I'll speak to Professor McGonagall about our school records," Right before they made it to the door they heard a click. When he tried to open it, it would not open. He had been expecting exactly that to happen. He knew Dumbledore could not afford for Harry to leave the office and contact Sirius.
"You will both come back and sit down," Dumbledore commanded. "I am the Headmaster of this school and I will not be spoken to like that by two of my students."
Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out his mirror. "Sirius Black," he requested and almost immediately his godfather was there.
"Sirius, it seems Dumbledore has locked us in his office and is refusing to let us leave, even after we've made it clear that we'd like to withdraw from Hogwarts."
"I'll let Amelia and the Minister know," Sirius replied. He then spoke louder to make sure Dumbledore could hear him. "Albus, I'm not sure what you are doing, but understand that if you harm a single hair on either my godson or Hermione's head, I will personally ensure you spend a long time in my old cell; that includes memory charms."
Harry turned back to see a dumbstruck look on Dumbledore's face. "Sirius gave me this earlier," He said truthfully before starting the lie. "If I'd had it last night it could have all been avoided, then again it should never have happened anyway, should it?" He asked the Headmaster.
Dumbledore removed his half-moon glasses as he rubbed his eyes. Finally he looked up and said. "What would make you ever think I would ever harm these children Sirius or think of altering their memories."
Harry decided it was time for another strike to keep the Headmaster from finding firm ground. "Because you did it to Professor McGonagall the day you left me with my Aunt and Uncle," He said.
"How..." Dumbledore started and then composed himself. "Mr. Potter you are now making serious allegations that you could not possibly know of."
"Shall we call her in here and ask her WHY she was watching Harry's Aunt and Uncle's house that day?" Hermione asked. "We've already discussed it with her and I'm sure she'll eventually want to speak to you about it."
"You see Headmaster, according to her, as soon as Hagrid delivered me there that night you put me on the doorstep and left," Harry said. "Now exactly when did you put up those blood wards? Why did it take Hagrid an entire day to get me there?"
"And either you are a sadist or you didn't actually leave a one year old child on a doorstep for the entire night in November. Especially one, who according to Sirius was already flying toy brooms," Hermione added. A look of surprise on Sirius' face was quickly contained. He wasn't sure how the two of them knew about the broom he had bought Harry for his first birthday, but he knew they had found out some time in the future.
Dumbledore sighed as he realized the two teens had somehow started tearing apart secrets that he'd had for many years. He also knew he couldn't let the two of them leave and since they were obviously now protected by Sirius and the Ministry he couldn't change their memories. The righteous pleasure he had felt when he watched Voldemort disappear and the Minister acknowledged his existence now was only a memory as all that he had worked so hard to ensure happened was now unraveling before him. Dumbledore had been thrown for one shock after another all morning since that time. He couldn't understand why he hadn't been able to counter what had happened and regain his customary upper hand. As his secrets crumbled before him, he realized they had been like a house of cards built from exploding snaps. When one detonated the others soon followed. Another sigh escaped his lips as he contemplated the two teens. "Very well," He said finally. "Sit back down and we'll sort through what you think I have kept from you."
Harry looked at Hermione and a silent mental chuckle was passed between the two. They both returned to their respective chairs and sat back down and waited.
"Understand Harry," Dumbledore started again in his best grandfatherly voice. "Everything I have done, I did for you."
"For me?" Harry asked bitterly. "What do you think you've ever done for me?"
"From your ability to detect me earlier, am I to presume you and Professor Snape saw through your differences and he was able to teach you Occlumency?"
Harry snorted in amusement. "Snape?"
"Professor Snape Harry."
"No sir, since Snivalous will never teach me in another class, nor will I regard him as having any authority over me, I will call him Snape, Severus, or Snivalous, whichever he prefers."
"He is still a Professor at Hogwarts," Dumbledore responded in an irritated voice. "You will show him the proper respect."
"And we've already said we'll be glad to leave Hogwarts," Hermione replied.
"As for the git teaching me Occlumency, have you ever watch any of his classes sir? His method of instructing students?"
"What does that have to do with this Harry?" Albus asked.
"He teaches by putting the instructions on the board and then tells us to do it. Then he walks around making snide comments on the sloppy work," Harry explained. "He has us writing essays with no classroom discussions of the topics. That is how he tried to teach me Occlumency sir. Just like his classroom, he starts off by insulting me and then he pulls out his wand and performs Legilimency. No instructions at all. Tell me sir; was that how you were taught?"
"No it wasn't, but I'm sure Severus had his reasons," Dumbledore replied. "Obviously he must have thought it was the best method for getting you to learn it quickly."
"Or he just liked pillaging my thoughts sir. Either way it does not matter," Harry replied. "Hermione and I were able to learn it together. Thank you Miranda."
"You're welcome," The goddess replied. "Oh and excellent job last night. I was sent six bottles of Ambrosia by Death's office. Seems he's having fun with those Death Eaters that came through the veil. Been showing them reruns on how they were fooled by you and your friends while not letting on that you knew what was coming. I think he's planning a feast of roadkill for them tonight."
"Roadkill?" Hermione asked.
"Death Eaters...get it. They get to eat dead things, but not the good dead things."
"Uh…exactly how are they... I mean they don't have bodies or... do you really eat there?"
"It's all imaginary of course, just like you imagined your clothes to be there that day, but it's all very real to them."
"Well...uh...I hope Death's having fun," Harry said politely.
"Oh he is. He loves Death Eaters because of their names. He'll play with them for a century or two before turning them over for Final Judgment."
"Final Judgement? What happens there?"
"Normally I'm not supposed to tell you, but Death said if you asked, I could make an exception. He seems to like you," Miranda replied. "Final Judgment is where your soul is judged. There are three options, the first is you're passed on into the realm and you enjoy an nice eternity with your loved ones; the second is your soul is deemed not truly evil but unworthy and it is recycled to be given another chance, and finally your soul is deemed truly evil and you're sent to an eternity of suffering."
"Oh...uh..." Harry mentally uttered.
"Your soul is just fine Harry," Miranda said. "Yes you took lives but in doing so you saved innocent lives. You are not evil. Now get back to the long bearded idiot."
"Very well," Dumbledore replied. "We shall leave the issue of Severus for the time being. Though you must understand he has my full confidence. Obviously I am concerned you haven't learned Occlumency well enough yet since Riddle was able to penetrate your mind last evening."
Harry and Hermione were ready for this question as well. "Sir, we have been staying up late studying for OWLs and when we finished the last one yesterday I was exhausted. After dinner I took a little nap and wasn't prepared for him. Then again had someone told me that Riddle might have been trying to trick me..." His glare at the Headmaster was very genuine. "I might have been more prepared. I am actually hoping that when he realized he got a fake prophecy that he will think he was tricked and won't bother me again."
"Possibly," Dumbledore agreed. "Though if you do have any of the visions again, please let me know."
Harry shrugged his shoulders again. "Why? Why should I tell you everything when you want to leave me in the dark? You KNEW that Voldemort was trying to trick me to come to the Ministry. You KNEW, but your only answer to was to have the one person who hates me more than Voldemort try to teach me something. So tell me again exactly why I should tell you anything? And then when you finish explaining that, you can explain what you think you've done for me."
"Harry..." Dumbledore started but then realized he had no arguments. Finally he sighed. "It appears I have no choice," He admitted. The Headmaster looked over and saw the mirror still in Harry's hand. "At least turn the mirror off please. The fewer the people who know what I am to say the better."
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Harry replied. "I am not in a particularly trusting mood at the moment."
"I would never hurt you, either of you," Dumbledore insisted.
Harry glanced at Hermione and then down at the mirror. "Check back in a few minutes."
"Are you sure?" Sirius asked and at the nod from Harry he spoke louder. "Just remember what I said Albus. You harm either of those kids and you'll be enjoying my old cell," The mirror went blank when he finished speaking.
Dumbledore sat back in his chair and gathered his thoughts before he started. "I guess I the explanation starts sixteen years ago when I met with an applicant for the post of Divination teacher. Though I was more inclined to allow the class to not continue, the applicant was the great-granddaughter of a very gifted Seer and it is was only common courtesy for me to meet with her. The interview occurred in room above the bar at the Hogs Head."
Harry wanted to see if Dumbledore would mention his brother. "Why the Hog's Head?" He asked.
"It was a rainy night and instead of making the poor lady walk all the way up to the castle, I met her there. It's where she had a room," Dumbledore explained. "I also know the owner. The applicant was nice enough but it was soon obvious she didn't have a trace of the gift. I informed her as nicely as possible that I didn't think she would be suitable for the position and turned to leave."
"What does this have to do with anything sir?" Harry asked, knowing what was coming next.
"Will you please take out the blue orb you have and tap it with your wand?" Dumbledore requested. "I'm sure you're going to listen to it, and it's best to do it here where I can explain."
When Harry did as had been requested, a misty figure of Sybill Trelawney rose above the globe as it once did above the Pensive. Draped in the numerous shawls she wore she spoke in the same words and in the same voice Harry had etched into his mind.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..."
Dumbledore looked up when the ethereal projection of Trelawney had disappeared expecting to see terror in Harry's eyes but only saw thoughtfulness. It was Hermione who broke the silence. "This is the reason the Potters died? This rubbish from a fake? You had just told her she wasn't getting a job, and she obviously made up some crap about Voldemort since she knew you were fighting him," They wanted Dumbledore to defend the prophecy in hopes of getting more information from him.
"Oh how I wished that had been true, but unfortunately it is quite real."
"Given that, and I am not sure it's a given, how can you be sure that it applies to Harry?"
"It actually could have been either of two children. Both had parents who had defied Voldemort three times and were born at the end of July. At the time the prophecy was made it could have been either Harry or Neville Longbottom."
"And how do you know this? Did you monitor every single time someone defied Voldemort?" Hermione pushed. "I find it very coincidental that both sets of parents you mentioned were in your Order in the last war. Of course you would know about them, but did you actually monitor every single family in the country? What about muggles. For all you know there is a muggleborn out there whose parents escaped Voldemort's attacks three times or even a muggle himself."
"I assure you that the prophecy is about Harry," Dumbledore replied. "The proof is on his forehead."
"His scar? Nowhere in the prophecy does it say it's a physical mark. Neville was just as marked by Voldemort's followers when they all but killed his parents. He has mental scars that will never leave him."
"Nevertheless it was Voldemort himself who marked Harry as the prophecy stated," Dumbledore argued.
"I think you are self-fulfilling this prophecy sir," Hermione said.
"Wait…" Harry said as if a thought had struck him. "If Voldemort doesn't know about the prophecy, then why did he kill my parents?"
"Ah yes," Dumbledore replied. I look of sadness appeared on his lined face. "There was a young man who took it upon himself to eavesdrop upon Sybill and my conversation that evening. He was a servant of Voldemort at the time. I was fortunate that he only heard the first part, the part that said someone in July that had thrice defied Voldemort. Tom never knew that there may be danger in attacking you..."
"YOU WERE FORTUNATE?" Harry yelled. He had missed Dumbledore saying it the last time, but now knowing the whole story; it hit him hard hearing those words. "It was fortunate that he has a reason to kill my parents?"
"Harry that's not what I meant..."
"But it's exactly what you said sir," Hermione replied. "If the eavesdropper had heard the entire prophecy, Voldemort would have never attacked the Potters. In fact he might have stopped attacking most people in fear of setting off the prophecy. The year the child was to be born was not set in the prophecy so until Harry was marked as you say, the child could have been anyone."
"Miss Granger you are taking a few words and trying to build an argument; you should know better."
"No sir, because a lot of things are now making sense," She replied. "Tell me sir, why did it take an entire year before the Potters went into hiding? If I remember correctly from overhearing the Minister during our third year, they were killed only a week after they went under the Fidelius Charm. That would have been eighteen months at least after the prophecy."
"They were in hiding on my first birthday," Harry reminded his wife. "Remember the letter that mum wrote Sirius."
"They went into hiding as soon as I knew that Voldemort had specifically targeted them," Dumbledore replied with a hint annoyance in his voice. "I also don't appreciate your insinuation that I was withholding protection from the Potters. James and Lily Potter were not the type of people to hide when a war was going on. To answer your question though, at first they moved around. It wasn't until later I found a reference to the Fidelius Charm and suggested they use it. I offered to cast it or be the secret keeper, but Lily insisted she would be the one to cast it. She spent a month learning the charm before they finally performed it. They told me Sirius was going to be the secret keeper and you know how that came out."
"But didn't Peter have to tell you where their home was once it was done?"
"No. I was told the same way you were of Grimmauld place Harry, by the written note," Dumbledore said. "It was handed to me by Sirius to further the illusion that he was the Secret Keeper."
Harry wanted to press about Snape so he asked the next question. "You've told me my mother gave her life to save me."
"She did," Dumbledore replied.
"But why was she able to? Voldemort had killed my father so why was he going to spare my mother?"
Harry had to give the old wizard credit; he didn't choke on his lemon drop. Though it was possible he had finished it by then. Harry was sure though, the sour look that came and went on the Headmaster's face was not related to muggle candy. "I'm sure he had a good reason," Dumbledore replied.
"So he never confided his reasons to Snape?" Harry pressed.
"I'm sure you must understand what Severus garners from Voldemort is not a topic we can discuss," The Headmaster replied. "Now shall we continue with what happened?"
"Nice change of topics there," Harry said to Hermione. "Yes, of course sir."
Albus nodded before continuing. "As I said, I heard the prophecy and Voldemort found out about the first part. When I discovered that Riddle was targeting your family, they started hiding and eventually they performed the Fidelius Charm. You know what happened that night..."
"Actually after my parents died what did happen?" Harry asked. "Minerva mentioned that Hagrid brought me on Sirius' motorcycle but it seems like it took a whole day. Though with you changing her memories and the fact it seems to have taken so long, I don't think that's the truth."
"Come to think of it sir, how did people know that Voldemort was gone, and that it was Harry who did it so soon after it happened? I mean Harry was taken directly from his parents' house to the Dursleys. How did the wizarding world find out about Harry and his scar?"
Dumbledore's head rose as he stared at a spot on the wall well above Harry's head for several seconds. Finally as if an internal decision had been made he lowered his gaze back to Harry and Hermione. "Here's what really happened that night, but I ask that you not repeat it to anyone."
"Why?" Harry asked. "So you won't get caught in your fabrications?"
"I've only done what I've had to for the Greater Good. Surely you must understand that the good of society must come before the good of the individual?"
"But who decides what is considered good sir?" Hermione asked. "In all of history it has been proven that individuals will gladly make sacrifices for the benefit of society, but those same individuals are unwilling to be sacrificed."
"There are some truths that are too dangerous for people to know," Dumbledore argued. "But that is an argument for another time. For now, you wanted to know about that night," Again Dumbledore paused before he started his narrative. "I had monitoring charms on you and your parents Harry. Since the Fidelius was breached by the secret being given, I had no way to know there was anything wrong until it was too late. My first warning that something was amiss was when a charm signaled your father had died. Unfortunately Fawkes was only a week past a burning day and since even I can't apparate from inside of this castle, I had to make a portkey to take me Godric's Hollow."
"Voldemort anticipated this and had raised a portkey prevention ward. The time it took me to attempt that method of getting to your parents' house was enough for your mother's death to have occurred," Dumbledore gazed at the two teens again for a few seconds before he continued. "I paused then, expecting you to die any second. That second turned into a minute and yet you were still alive and you were still in your parent's home. The prophecy came to my mind instantly and I did two things, I contacted Professor McGonagall and asked her to go to Privet Drive. I thought that Voldemort might have sent Death Eaters there to cut off an avenue of escape if your parents were to get away from him."
"They would have never gone there," Harry said.
"You and I know that but Voldemort might not have. Though he has disdain for muggles, he knew that your mother and father were very familiar with the muggle world and might seek out those relatives."
Harry nodded. He could understand that logic, though it still didn't explain why the memory modification was performed later. He and Hermione waited for the further explanation.
"I ended up flooing to a friend's house in Godric's Hollow who lives down the street from your parents and made my way to their home."
"That might have been Bathilda's house," Hermione suggested.
"But I thought Hagrid..." Harry started without replying to his wife.
"Allow me to finish and I'll think you will understand," Dumbledore interjected. "As I said, I went to Godric's Hollow, I found your mother and father dead and you crying with the open wound on your forehead. The house had been heavily damaged."
At the description of the Potter's house, Harry and Hermione both started thinking about their visit to Godric's Hollow this past Christmas. Two years in the future they had seen the damage, with much of the rubble hiding amongst the overgrown grass. Wetness crept into Harry's eyes as he remembered that and the statue of him, as a baby with his parents that stands hidden in the middle of village.
Dumbledore saw the tears starting to form in Harry's eyes and paused. "I don't have to tell this part if you don't want me to."
"No," Harry replied as he blinked the tears back. "I want to know what happened."
"Very well," Dumbledore replied and continued the story. "I also found Voldemort's robes lying beside you and your mother but of course there was no body. I started piecing together what had happened. I had to guess at some things, but I think it's been proven that my hunches that night were correct."
"But didn't the police and fire department..."
"Remember the house was under Fidelius. It does not end when the caster dies. Though there were some windows broken in neighboring houses, no one could see your parents' home."
"True, the one at Grimmauld place didn't end when Dumbledore died," Harry said to Hermione who only returned a mental agreement.
"The next part is where it got more complicated," Dumbledore said. "I was positive that the prophecy was in motion. With you having been marked, I knew the fate of the wizarding world rested on a small infant's shoulders, your shoulders."
"I still think you are trying to fit events into making the prophecy work," Hermione replied.
"Miss Granger we could debate that all day, but for now, let me finish the story as you two have requested. I do have a lot that needs to be done now that I have returned to Hogwarts."
"Yes sir."
"Again as I said, I knew the fate of the wizarding world rested on your shoulders. Only you could defeat Voldemort. I did not know how or when, but I knew the day would come. Your safety was paramount to everything else. I sent a message to Hagrid asking him to come to Godric's Hollow; in the meantime I started removing the Fidelius Charm from the house. Eventually Hagrid showed up and I requested he take you to Hogwarts. He was the one above all others who I could trust and could provide the greatest protection for you. He, of course, was curious to what had happened and I told him my beliefs, but asked him to not tell anyone else."
"What about Sirius?" Harry asked. "He was there wasn't he?"
"Yes. Sirius showed up just as Hagrid was leaving. I think you know that part of it. I did not have time to apprehend him then, but I wasn't surprised that he offered Hagrid his motorcycle. I presumed it had tracking charms on it to find out where you were being taken."
"But I thought..." Harry started.
"Just let me finish. You wanted the truth, well I'm giving it to you," Dumbledore replied. "Hagrid took you to Hogwarts, his hut to be exact. From what I garnered the next day, when you were settled and sleeping, Hagrid decided to go to the Hog's Head and drink a few in memory of your mother and father. I think you might guess what happened then. After a few drinks, he started crying about it, and shortly it became known that Harry Potter was the Boy-Who-Lived and Voldemort was gone."
"It was Hagrid's fault?"
"More of my fault for telling him I suppose. I think you have found out Hagrid's secret keeping ability is not the best," Dumbledore said. "I didn't realize what had happened until the next day after I put up the wards and convinced your Aunt and Uncle to look after you. Though they too will have different memories of that day as well. Once Hagrid realized what he had done, the danger he put you in, he felt extremely guilty. He planned to leave Hogwarts and never return. I helped him forget what he did. He only remembers taking you from Godric's Hollow and bringing you to Privet Drive. As for Minerva, after what happened with Hagrid, I was concerned about further inadvertent leaking of information so I modified her memories as well. She did not remember me talking to your Aunt and Uncle nor of me putting the wards up. Though eventually I did have to explain the wards when she started worrying about you."
"Do you believe him?" Hermione asked.
"I think so. It fits everything we know. How I became so famous without anyone knowing what happened and everything else."
Dumbledore was waiting patiently for the two teens to digest what he had said before continuing. "I will admit that I expected you would have many dark years ahead of you living in that house," He finally admitted. "But your safety was paramount in my mind."
Harry snorted. "Safe from whom? Do you really know what my life is like in that house? Did the Weasleys tell you about the bars on the windows, about my having to beg my friends for food? Do you know what it's like to be hit by a frying pan because I'm ten seconds late getting to the kitchen to cook them breakfast that I'm not allowed to eat? Do you have a clue to the scars I have from living in that house?"
Dumbledore had the courtesy of at least grimacing before he answered. "But you're alive."
Harry remembered what Miranda had said about the agreement between Dumbledore and his aunt and uncle. "Out of curiosity, how did you convince my Aunt and Uncle to take me in?"
"They were extremely reluctant, but when I pointed out that eventually bad people would come looking for you there and it would be better for them as well to have the protection the wards provided. I had to remove that information from their minds after they agreed, and only..."
"The owl," Harry said remembering the message that had come in from Dumbledore at the beginning of his fifth year. He had surmised before that Dumbledore had sent it but Dumbledore's response hadn't made sense when he'd said he was reminding his Aunt to what she had agreed to. 'Remember my last, Petunia,' It had said. It made much more sense now.
"Pardon?" Dumbledore asked.
"That owl, you sent it to my Aunt didn't you. The one when I'd just done the Patronus. It said something like remember the last."
"Yes. The phrase was keyed to remind them of our agreement and why it was important for you to be there," Dumbledore replied. Then he continued with the explanation. "After the wards were up and memories modified, I staged the next night. As I said, Hagrid only remembered taking you from Godric's Hollow and bringing you to me at Privet Drive. When he arrived, I put you on the Dursley's doorsteps and Minerva and I left though I immediately returned," Dumbledore looked at Hermione over his half-moon glasses. "There was a warming charm on the basket along with a light sleeping charm. I waited, disillusioned, until the Dursleys took Harry inside. Does that satisfy your teenage curiosity?"
Hermione was concentrating hard and had to agree that the story was most plausible, but then a horrible thought crossed her mind. "The Dursleys sir. You said you modified their memories so they would not remember the agreement, but only that they would accept Harry into their home?"
"Yes."
"Is it possible that their hatred for magic and Harry was based on that. They subconsciously recognized Harry was a potential source of danger and it was because of magic?"
"It is possible," Dumbledore agreed. "I confess that I am not a master of muggle psychology."
"SO IT..." Harry started but then he felt the mirror warm and he reached for it. Sirius' mug showed quickly.
"Just checking in with you Pup," He said. "Making sure you were alright."
"We're fine. Been a very enlightening conversation," Harry replied. "We'll call you back later."
"Sure thing," Sirius replied and he disappeared from the mirror.
Harry looked back at Professor Dumbledore. "He's just checking up on me like a good guardian should."
"The Dursleys might not have been the best guardians, but it is through your Aunt's blood you are alive today."
"So where was that blood when I faced Fluffy or the Dementors or the Basilisk here at Hogwarts?" Harry asked. "You came up with this scheme that required me to suffer for ten years to protect me but then you always seem to fail when I face dangers under your very nose. Then you have the audacity to keep sending me back to that prison every summer? A place where Voldemort might not be able to get to me, but it seems everyone else can."
"What do you mean?"
"Lucius Malfoy's house-elf was in my room sir," Harry spat. "Fortunately Dobby was there to help, but what if he'd been ordered to harm me?"
"Obviously I missed an avenue in that case," Dumbledore replied.
"And the Dementors last year, exactly where were the wards then?"
"The wards are just around Privet Drive Harry."
"I WENT TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY FOR YEARS HEADMASTER!" Harry yelled at Dumbledore. "I stayed away from Privet Drive as much as I could because of the abuse I suffered there."
"But no one knew where to find you," Dumbledore insisted.
"That is garbage sir," Harry said. "The first time I walked into the Leaky Cauldron, everyone recognized me. Dedalus Diggle bowed to me in a store before I knew who he was. Obviously I could be found if someone had truly been looking for me."