The Boy Who Failed

Chapter 4 - The Meeting of the Ways

Could I be good enough
Could I be good enough
If the going got worse and the worse got rough
The days became endless and harder than tough
I'd be good enough
Better than best would be simply to be good enough
If everything I give doesn't seem like a lot
If it's all that I got
Baby tell me that could be good enough

Good Enough by Darren Hayes and Walter A

"Have you got the report from Hogwarts yet?" asked Benjamin Felix, head of the International Confederation of Wizards in Britain.

"Yes, let me just bring them," answered his assistant, David Michaila. He went out of the room and came back a moment later with a few parchments in his hands.

Benjamin took them and placed them on his table. "What do they say?"

"There was a security breach in Hogwarts." He was about to add that the intent of the Death Eaters wasn't carried through, but his boss cut him off.

"That Dumbledore!" Benjamin exclaimed. "I've been saying for years that he's incapable of protecting those children."

"You're putting the blame in the wrong place. It's the Dark Forces who're getting stronger."

"He still isn't doing enough to protect the school. Sitting in his office, reading crummy old books and waiting for all of his prophesies to come true, it won't save us."

"Don't talk about Dumbledore like that. He's the greatest wizard of our time."

"If he's so great, why isn't he doing anything, then?"

Their voices grew louder and louder throughout the conversation. At this point they were out right shouting at each other.

"How do you know that he isn't?" David found himself balling his hands into fists.

"If he was, a teacher and a former student wouldn't be found dead on his grounds."

"Everyone makes mistakes."

"We can't afford to make anymore mistakes," yelled Benjamin. "Don't you see? We're losing! And if someone won't do something soon, you and I won't be staying here for long."

"That's all you can think about? Your job?"

"What I'm thinking about is the future of the wizarding world."

"It doesn't look like that from where I'm standing."

"If you don't like what I think or do, you can leave, you know where the door is," Benjamin finally yelled, pointing angrily at the door.

"Maybe I will!" shouted David, just as angrily.

~*~*~*~

Harry's first reaction to the girl who ran towards Ron was mild surprise. It swiftly turned into curiosity. He wanted to ask what was going on, but found it wasn't his place.

The woman that came with the girl wouldn't answer any of Ron's questions. "Not until we reach the castle," were her words.

Harry wasn't very surprised that there was nothing pulling the carriages, his mind was elsewhere anyway. The girl clutched Ron for dear life throughout the short ride, crying helplessly on his shoulder.

At one point, Harry turned to Hermione, but she sat quietly and watched the window, so he thought better of it, and sat silently for the rest of the ride.

When they finally reached the castle a man with black robes and a solemn expression on his face stood waiting for them on the stairs in front of the entrance. Harry didn't even have a glance of the huge building, as they were hurried in by the woman who met them at the train station.

Once inside, the woman dismissed Hermione, told Ron and the girl, who appeared to be his sister, to come with her and Harry to follow the man who met them.

The man, addressed as Prof. Snape by the woman, didn't even spare Harry a glance. He barked, "follow me," and immediately started walking. Harry almost had to run to catch up with the man's long strides.

As the walked, Harry saw that things, which normally stayed perfectly still, were moving. He thought that some of the pictures watched him, winked or even waved as he walked by. But he dismissed it as a trick of the light.

The two walked silently through the dark halls. They reached a statue that moved aside at the sound of a whispered word. Harry found it difficult to be surprised at this. Then they went up the moving stairs and came to be in the room Harry was now in.

Prof. Snape had ordered Harry to stay there and left.

It was probably the Headmaster's office, and by far the strangest chamber Harry had ever seen. But he was certain it was the first of many.

Harry sat himself in one of the armchairs in front of the desk and looked at the items on the desk with curiosity.

A rustle of feathers startled him for a moment. Harry hadn't seen the bird when he walked in and he was surprised to find it now perched on the desk and looking at him intently.

It was the size of a swan with a great tail as long as a peacock's. The bird's feathers were crimson with the exception of its tail and talons, which were golden.

This bird was by far the most beautiful creature Harry had ever seen. He couldn't take his eyes away from it. The bird, in its turn, watched Harry intently as well, as if evaluating him.

The door opened and Harry finally averted his gaze to it. An old man was standing in the frame. He had long white hair and equally as long beard. He wore small, half-moon spectacles on his nose and his robes were purple and long.

The man smiled at Harry, walked to the desk and sat behind it.

~*~*~*~

"So? That's all you're going to say?" Elanor Ravensburg, a Gryffindor 6^th year, demanded of her friend.

"What do you want me to say?" protested Hermione.

"What does he look like?" asked Elanor.

"Where did you go?" Neville cut in.

"What did he say?"

"What did you do?"

"What's he like?"

"How did he react?"

"Is he hot?"

"Elanor!" Hermione exclaimed, blushing scarlet. "I didn't look at him like that."

"Why didn't you?"

The three friends were sitting at a remote corner of the Gryffindor common room, talking quietly.

"Stop that!" hissed Hermione through giggles. "You aren't even supposed to know about this."

"Oh come on!" Neville said, dismissingly. "Everybody knows about it."

"What?" Hermione's face showed surprise.

"What did you expect? Going away with Weasley," snorted Elanor. "He won't miss any opportunity to brag."

"Yes," continued Neville. "After all, Dumbledore chose him out of all the people in this school."

"Don't talk like that," Hermione's expression was somber. "His brother just died."

They immediately fell silent, and sat like that for a few moments.

"We were meaning to ask you about that," said Neville finally.

Hermione looked up. "About what?"

"About what happened to professor Lupin and Fred," said Elanor. "Do you know anything about it?"

Hermione shook her head. "I just know they were killed. You probably know more than I do."

"We just heard rumors," said Elanor.

"I don't think we should trust them," added Neville. "But most of them say that Hogwarts isn't safe anymore."

Hermione looked questionably at them. "That's not true. Hogwarts is the safest place there is right now."

"As long as you believe that," said Elanor under her breath.

At that moment the portrait swung open and Prof. McGonagall stepped in. All eyes were directed on her and all the conversations stopped.

"Is Miss Granger here?" she asked. Hermione stood from her seat.

"I'm here. Professor."

"Follow me," said Prof. McGonagall.

~*~*~*~

"Fifteen years ago," started Dumbledore. "Voldemort, a powerful dark wizard -"

"And they died happily ever after. Next," Harry interrupted him.

"I see," said Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eyes that Harry never saw before. "Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley prepared you well."

"They talked, they begged, I said 'no' and they dragged me here," said Harry with a totally calm expression on his face. "Is that preparation in your book?"

"I understand you not wanting to be here, but you have to understand that I wouldn't have called you here if it wasn't necessary."

"So what you're saying here," said Harry eyes blazing. "Is that you would have left me in that hell hole if it wasn't for your needs?"

Dumbledore looked like he finally understood. "They tricked you, didn't they?"

"And we've got a winner." Harry sat low in his chair, arms crossed. His legs were stretched and crossed away from him.

"I should never have underestimated those muggles."

Harry shrugged. "Your mistake"

"Yes, indeed." Dumbledore nodded his head sadly. "I -"

"You know what I wanna know?" Harry interrupted him again and sat up. "What the hell do you want from me? I was happily miserable in my abused abnormal life and now you bring me here, tell me my parents were murdered, I'm a wizard, basically, I've been lied to my whole life and you want me to save the whole goddamn world. Did you ever think I might not care?"

"I understand your anger -"

"Bloody well for you."

"You are our last hope."

"Then you have no hope at all."

A silence spread in the office to the sound of Harry's last words.

After a while Dumbledore laced his fingers together on the table. "I understand," his voice as sad and quiet and he lost the twinkle in his eyes.

Harry felt uneasy under Dumbledore's gaze. He felt like squirming, but suppressed the urge.

"If you want, I can arrange for you to be sent back."

Harry nodded his head.

Dumbledore sighed. "We prefer no one exits the castle during night and I can't arrange anything until morning. I'm sorry, but you'll have to stay here during the night. I will wait for you in the Entrance Hall after breakfast."

"That's fine."

"For the time being Miss Granger will accompany you to our guest quarters."

Harry nodded again. "Just one more thing," he said, standing up. What happened to Ron? There was a whole scene in the train station."

"Yes," Dumbledore looked sad again. "There was an attack near the school grounds. Mr. Weasley's brother and one of our own staff were killed. Mr. Weasley will be spending the next couple of weeks with his family."

Harry nodded once again and strode out of the room.

~*~*~*~

"And this is the Astronomy Tower," said Hermione, in a tour guide kind of voice. "Teachers believe it to be a place of education and learning, a place to study the positions of the planets. But we, students, know its true use - as the perfect place to catch a quick snog in your free time. Although recently, a quick thinking Ravenclaw produced an ordering sheet, and the waiting list is secured for the next three weeks."

"So, when's your turn?" asked Harry, smiling.

"Tuesday, and no, you can't join me."

After descending the Astronomy Tower, Hermione led Harry outside the castle.

"These are the school grounds," she said.

It was a cold day and the wind was playing with the grass like it would with the sea. The atmosphere suited Harry's mood perfectly. The whole situation was a dream come true for him. Finally, the Dursleys weren't in his way, in fact, he almost forgot about them. But on the other hand, the attitude of everyone around him, the reason he was brought there - it was pissing him off.

"This is the lake," said Hermione, interrupting Harry's thoughts. "There's a giant squid in it. Oh, look! It's waving at us!"

Harry looked and saw a tip of a huge tentacle moving over the water. "Wow."

"And over there we have the Forbidden Forest," Hermione was facing a large wood to their right.

"The Forbidden Forest?" snorted Harry. "Because You Are Not Allowed To Go There Forest is too long?"

"Actually, its real name was Auctito Acroceraunia," she commented. "But no one remembers that anymore."

"And you know that, how?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"I read Hogwarts - A History. A fascinating book, you should read it."

"I'm sure I will."

"Over there is the Quidditch field,' Hermione gestured to the opposite direction.

"What's 'Quidditch'?" Harry asked, interested.

"Oh, just a wizarding game. It's boring. You won't like it."

"If you say so."

"Let's go back inside," said Hermione, shivering. "It's cold here."

Harry followed here, once again letting her lead him into the heart of the castle.

~*~*~*~

Sirius dusted himself off after entering the room through the fire. He looked eagerly at Dumbledore, stepping deeper into the office.

"Well, what did he say? Why couldn't you tell me this over the fireplace?"

"Sirius, take a seat," Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, his expression grave.

"What is it?" Sirius' eagerness quickly transformed to a threatening dread. "Didn't it go the way we planned?"

"We must understand how this boy feels -" started Dumbledore.

"Can't he understand what's at stake here?" exclaimed Sirius, exasperated.

"Sirius!" Dumbledore's voice affectively silenced the angry man. "We gave him no reason to help us."

"He doesn't need a reason to save his world."

"It isn't his world," said Dumbledore in a voice that left no room to argue.

"Not yet," said Sirius in an undertone.

The Headmaster regarded him with a gaze Sirius couldn't seem to hold.

"It's not for us to decide just yet," he said finally.

"Can you please tell me what he told you?" asked Sirius quietly.

Dumbledore sighed. "He told me his relatives tricked him, he had never received the letter. He has been abused by them for many years, and he thinks we're using him, and I don't blame him." At that point Dumbledore looked pointedly at Sirius.

"It will take some time to gain his trust."

"I'm afraid we won't be able to do that."

"What do you mean?" said Sirius, standing up from his chair.

"What I mean," said Dumbledore gravely. "Is that young Mister Potter decided not to stay with us. He is leaving early tomorrow."

"He can't do that!" Sirius exclaimed. "I won't let him!"

"And how will you stop him?" Dumbledore's voice was quiet, powerful. "It is his choice and we can not force him to fight our wars."

"It's not just our wars!"

"For him they are."

"I'll make him see. I - I - Just let me talk to him."

"You can try."

"I'm not going to try, I'm going to succeed."

"I'll be meeting him tomorrow after breakfast," said Dumbledore, not acknowledging Sirius' comment. "You can talk to him on the way to the train station."

Sirius walked towards the fireplace. "I will be visiting again soon." He was just about to enter the fire when he was called back.

"Sirius," called Dumbledore without lifting his eyes from his work. "I'm sorry."

~*~*~*~

"She's one fat lady."

"Hey, I'm hanging right here," scolded the Fat Lady.

The comment made Harry jump. "Next thing you'll be telling me," he said turning to Hermione. "That ghosts really exist and you have a bunch of them right here."

"Actually -"

"Oh, no. On a second thought, I really don't want to know."

Hermione shrugged. "Pink Umbrellas."

Harry was about to ask what that had to do with anything when the Portrait swung open revealing a round hole.

"A secret passage?" asked Harry.

"All the common rooms are protected by passwords," said Hermione matter-of-factly.

"What have you got to hide?" said Harry in an amused voice.

"Hogwarts - A History says that the Founders used -"

"I think she's closing, we'd better go," said Harry in a very innocent voice.

Hermione frowned but climbed inside without saying a word. Harry followed.

The room they entered was richly decorated and had comfortable looking chairs and couches that were scattered all over the room. Harry thought he might have liked the room very much if it wasn't so red and cheerful - it hurt his eyes.

And also the fact that absolutely everyone present were staring at him.

"Oh, honestly!" exclaimed Hermione, took Harry by the wrist and started dragging him to one side of the room. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

Harry came face to face with, apparently, two of Hermione's friends, a boy with brown hair and equally as brown eyes, and a girl who had long black hair and dark shining eyes. The boy was smiling shyly and the girl was grinning in a way that made Harry feel a little unnerved.

"Harry, this is Neville," Hermione gestured towards the boy. "And this is Elanor."

The girl immediately grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him onto one of the couches. "Hi, I've heard so much about you. You know, you're quite infamous here. I've always wanted to meet you. I have so many questions. I think we're gonna be best friends. You know you're very -"

Harry glanced at Hermione and sent her a pleading look.

Hermione stiffened a giggle. "Back off, Elanor. He just got here, you can harass him later."

Elanor turned to Hermione and stuck her tongue out. "Well, maybe he wants to be harassed. It's not like you'd know, wouldn't you?"

"Actually," said Harry and got up from the couch Elanor dragged him to. "She does." And with that he put his arm around Hermione's shoulder.

There was a collective gasp from all around the room.

They turned slowly and Harry saw that the whole room was watching. He leaned forward and whispered in Hermione's ear.

"Oops."

Hermione glared at him. "You think?"

"We're going to have a nice, long conversation, aren't we?" He still had his arm around her shoulders.

"I can't promise you think about the 'nice' part, but you can count on the 'long' part."

"I can live with that."

They were silent for a moment.

"Kindly take your arm off my shoulders."

"Is it bothering you?"

"No, not really. In fact, I think I'm gonna keep it, after I kill you." She added dangerously.

"I can take a hint." He removed his arm, then turned around and sat in an armchair across from her. Hermione glared and sat next to Neville.

There was a complete silence in the common room for a few moments until everyone realized nothing else is going to happen and returned to their own business, but not without sending them a glance every couple of minutes. Just to make sure.

"So, Miss I-Don't-Look-At-Him-Like-That Granger, what do you have to say for yourself?" Elanor demanded.

"He was just teasing," said Hermione through clenched teeth. "You're reading too much into it."

"We know how those teasing go. First you tease each other and the next thing we know there are clothes everywhere and there are moans coming from the bedroom."

Hermione turned bright red.

"According to your theory," said Harry, smirking. "She and Ron should be at it like bunnies."

Hermione gaped at him, unable to say anything.

"You know," said Elanor thoughtfully, looking from Harry to Hermione. "I think you're on to something."

Hermione immediately looked at her, abashed. "Elanor! Ew! No! Ew! Ew! No! Ew! No!"

It appeared to be enough for Neville, and he burst out laughing.

Hermione sighed. "It took one famous guy for you all to turn against me."

"But we're not turning against you," said Elanor with an angelic smile on her face. "We're just teasing you." Hermione glared at her.

Harry was just about to say something that would have probably earned him another slap from Hermione, but she noticed and stopped him.

"Don't even try! And anyway, I have to show you to your quarters."

~*~*~*~

"Mummy, can I go playing in the snow?"

"No, it's too cold outside."

Katharine Seanav was sitting at her desk in one of the guest quarters in Hogwarts. Her daughter, a lively five-year-old, was jumping around the room, apparently board.

"Can I go to the green house and play with the plants?"

"All right, but I'm coming with you," said Katharine and got out of her chair.

"Can I play with the Mandrakes?" asked Asol, dragging Katharine down the hall.

Katharine laughed at her daughter. "You know you can't."

"But they're cute when they're screaming."

Katharine was about to answer, but because she was looking at Asol she didn't noticed the two students walking in her direction and therefore she bumped into one of them.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," Katharine said immediately to the girl. She thought she had seen the girl before, her bushy hair was hard to miss, but she didn't know the boy the girl was with. But Katharine had a strange feeling she should know him from somewhere.

"It's alright," the girl smiled at her. She then turned to her companion. "Let's go."

Katharine smiled back at the girl, took Asol by the hand and they continued walking to the green house.

At the entrance to Green House Two they found Selia Sprout tending to the different herbs in the outside garden.

"Sally! Sally!" Asol untangled her hand from Katharine's and ran towards the professor.

Prof. Sprout looked up, smiled and hugged the five-year-old. "Hello, Asol. How are you today?"

"Mum let me keep a Flobberworm! I named it Mitzi. It's in my room eating my vegetables."

"Asol," said Katharine, who by then reached the garden. "I thought you ate your vegetables."

"Look! A butterfly!" Both women laughed watching the girl run to the other side of the garden.

"And how are you?" asked Selia.

Katharine sighed. "Better. Professor Dumbledore says I have a very good chance, since I'm pleading self defense."

"Do you think they'll ask you about -?" Prof. Sprout looked at her meaningfully.

"About Arthur being a Death Eater?" She smiled bitterly. "He's dead. I have nothing to be afraid of anymore. Don't be afraid to say what he was. And about your question - I don't care."

"I see," said the professor, watching Asol. "What did you tell her?"

"I told her Daddy was taken by bad people and that we're here so that they won't take us too."

Selia nodded. "She doesn't appear to be very affected by it all."

"Arthur was a caring father as much as he was a caring husband. He wasn't home a lot."

The two women stood and watched the child play and laugh between the enchanted plants until the sun began to set.

"Asol!" called Katharine. "Asol! It's getting dark, we have to go inside."

"Mummy, I'm hungry!" cried Asol as she ran to her mother.

"Then you're in luck," said Prof. Sprout, her eyes twinkling a little.

"Why?" asked Asol, her eyes wide.

"Because dinner is going to start in a few moments," said Katharine.

Asol grinned and started dragging her mother in the direction of the castle.

Selia shook her head and followed.

~*~*~*~

Hogwarts' guest quarters were furnished like the richest hotel rooms Harry had seen on television.

The entrance room had big fluffy armchairs, all arranged around a big fireplace, which had a merry fire blazing inside. The warmth it gave banished the winter cold away. There were two bedrooms, each had a huge four-poster. Harry couldn't wait to try one out. The bathroom was twice the size of the Dursleys'. The only thing Harry didn't like about it was the fact that apparently, in Hog warts, everything talked, even mirrors.

Harry had the shock of his life when the big mirror above the sink started hitting on him. He became even more embarrassed when Hermione came to the bathroom to see why he yelped. "What could have possibly happened to me here?" he had asked.

"I don't know, it could have been Moaning Myrtle."

"Moaning Myrtle?"

"I'll tell you later."

Except for the bathroom incident, Harry liked the apartment very much. He thought he could get used to it in a hurry.

In comparison to the Dursleys, Harry was now staying in a palace and he didn't want to give it up.

He was also quite intrigued by this whole new world he only just found. He wanted to know about magic, wanted to learn it, to use it.

He also wanted to hear about his parents. The Dursleys never talked about them and what they did was turning out to be a lie.

Harry found himself regretting what he told Dumbledore earlier. And he seriously considered going to him and telling him he had changed his mind.

He walked back into the entrance room, where Hermione was waiting for him. Harry was about to ask when dinner was starting, when she abruptly rose from her couch and glared at him.

"What right did you have?"

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

"If you dare do that again," she yelled waving a finger at him. "I will hex you from here to July."

Harry caught her finger with his right hand. "Are you still mad at me about what happened in your common room?"

"Is there anything else I should be mad at?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Don't try to change the subject! You had no right to do that!"

"If it makes you feel better, I'm sorry," he said in a fake, sweet voice.

Hermione prowled. "You're impossible."

"I'm sorry I don't suit your standards."

"You don't suit anybody's standards. You're nothing like we expected!"

"What did you expect?" A goody-two-shoes who will jump to the rescue of your pathetic little world?" Harry shrugged. "Too bad for you."

"I wish you at least listened," Hermione sighed. "We're not gonna make you do things you don't want to."

"You made me live with the Dursleys. I can tell you how happy I am about that."

"First of all, that wasn't me -" started Hermione.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe how much better things are now," Harry cut in.

Hermione's shoulders slumped. "You're right. There's nothing I could say that would make go away, undo everything. But we could make things better. I wish you would understand that."

"Don't bother with it. I'm leaving tomorrow anyway."

Hermione looked at Harry with wide eyes for a few moments.

"You can't -" she couldn't continue.

"Can't what?" said Harry finally, sitting in one of the armchairs in front of the fire.

Hermione sat in the armchair next to Harry's. "Did - did they find a new plan?"

Harry snorted. "I thought I was your last resort. You don't have any other plans."

"But, then, why are you leaving?" Apparently the girl couldn't put two and two together.

"Because I want to go," said Harry in a matter-of-fact voice.

"But - wha - you can't!" Hermione stuttered.

"And why is that?" smirked Harry.

"You promised. You promised us! You said you're a man of your word!" she jumped from her seat and was pacing in front of him.

"I promised I'd come here. I never said I'd stay."

"What about Ron, I mean Weasley? He'll kill me if you leave."

Harry snorted. "And you say you're not seeing each other."

"You're changing the subject again."

Harry raise his hands in surrender. "Heaven forbids I'll do that again."

Hermione sat down next to him again and put her hand on his knee. "At least stay until Ron comes back."

"What would that change?"

"There's the fact that you don't want to go back to your family." Harry had to admit she was right. "Plus, maybe until then you'll understand that we really need you and we are not trying to take advantage of you."

Harry regarded her for a few moments. He could see in her eyes that she really wanted him to stay. She was the first.

He still couldn't help wandering what would happen if he stayed, what would happen if he succeeded. Would they still want him around, or would they throw him back to the Dursleys?"

For the first time in his life Harry thought he'd take the risk.

"Fine," Harry sighed. "Until Ron comes back."

Hermione's face lit up immediately. "Oh, thank God. I thought I'd have to beg you."

Harry smirked. "I could always take it back, you know."

Hermione glared. "Don't even dare."

Harry laughed. "Alright, don't bite my head off."

Hermione smiled as well. "Don't worry, I won't. Not yet, at least."

"I can live with that," said Harry. "And now, I take the risk of changing the subject, but what about dinner?"

"Oh, right. I'm sorry," Hermione said standing up again. "I totally forgot. Come on."

~*~*~*~

Dumbledore was standing in the Entrance Hall, waiting for Harry Potter to arrive. Breakfast ended five minutes ago, and he imagined Mr. Potter had gone to gather his things from the guest rooms.

Dumbledore regretted the way his conversation with Harry carried along, but he regretted having faith in the muggle relatives even more.

He didn't know how they managed to fool them, muggles never ceased to amaze him. He'd have to look at the letter again when he got back to the office.

A moment later Harry came down the marble staircase.

He was wearing robes, but Dumbledore imagined he didn't want to be recognized. Harry also didn't have his trunk, but Miss Granger probably told him it would be taken care of.

"Mr. Potter," smiled. "The carriage will be here shortly. If you just follow me." Albus turned to exit the building when Harry stopped him.

"I wanted to talk to you about that."

Dumbledore turned back to him. "About what?"

"About leaving," said Harry. "I changed my mind. I'll stay here for a while, see what you've got to offer."

Dumbledore nodded.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all the trouble with the carriage," Harry continued. "I have to go, Hermione is waiting for me."

Harry then turned and left, leaving Dumbledore to ponder over these new turn of events.

To be continued...