Harry Potter and Gaining Momentum

Harry had been in a holding cell at the Ministry for nearly four hours and had yet to see anyone besides Auror's; this included anyone on his side. He was hoping that Draco had been able to wake Miss Figg. Could it be that Dumbledore didn't want to help him because of his outburst? Maybe more Deatheaters arrived and Draco was caught. These were the kind of thoughts Harry was having for the past three hours. He knew it would take that long for Dumbledore to gather his things, and alert his law-wizards, but he didn't expect it to take four hours.

He sat back again, trying to breathe in and out deeply to get rid of some of his anxiety. He practiced his Occlumency exercises to give him a bit of calm. Guards had come about an hour ago and given him some bread and water. One of the guards told him to keep his chin up. Another told Harry that Fudge was the one that ordered the meal for him, and told the Auror that he was just 'giving Potter a taste of what Azkaban was going to feel like', then the Auror's face turned purple, much like his Uncle Vernon's and he told Harry that everything would turn out for the best.

That was the only company he had had in the last four hours... until now.

He heard the door at the end of the hall where the Auror's had come from open. Seeing as how he was the only one that was in the holding cells at the time, they could only be coming for him. One of the Auror's had mentioned Bellatrix going straight back to Azkaban without questioning or anything because Fudge requested immediate action against her, afraid that if she was held here, the Dark Lord would come to the Ministry after her.

"Harry?" an old mans voice asked. The voice sounded weary and distraught. At first he didn't think he'd heard right, Dumbledore's voice always held a kind of amusement or determination, but never graveness.

"Yes?" Harry countered as he stood and walked to the enchanted bars of the cell. He had found out the bars were enchanted the hard way. He was yelling at Fudge as he retreated and touched the bars only to burn his hand due to the bars being colder than ice.

"I have brought the law-wizards, Draco, Miss Figg, and your aunt. I've heard rumours that you tried to bribe the Ministry, that won't go over well during the trial, you know that right?" Dumbledore asked as he conjured a chair and taking a seat.

"I didn't bribe. I merely stated that I was planning on making contributions in the future, but I would not do so if Fudge didn't pull his act together soon. I meant every word of it," Harry said defiantly. "Why are Miss Figg and my Aunt here?" Harry asked as a second thought.

"Much happened last night Harry, but we had very little causality. Your trial is in fifteen minutes. It seems as if Cornelius wants you out of his hair as soon as possible," Dumbledore said.

"What are the other charges besides Use of Underage Magic, and Attempted Bribery?" Harry asked.

"The other charges are: Use of the Dark Arts, and Threatening of the Minister and/or Ministry officials. Percy is pressing charges for slander and endangerment," Dumbledore said.

"What did Arthur have to say about that? I think that Percy may not be welcomed home now," Harry said gravely as he waved his hand and produced a chair much like Dumbledore's. He sat down and put his face in his hands. "I've ruined their family Dumbledore. They were torn apart because of me," he said almost choking on his words.

"Harry, how long have you been able to do that?" Dumbledore asked looking at him appraisingly.

"Do what?" Harry looked up at him with confusion.

"Wandless magic?" Dumbledore said, his eyes now burning in to Harry's.

"Most of the summer, I've been practicing almost every minute. It's still not perfect, but I'm getting it down," he said like it was no big deal. Dumbledore just nodded his head in agreement; after all, the chair was missing the plushness that every Gryffindor loved.

"Do you think you could break out of here if you needed to?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

"Of course! They may have my wand, but don't have my magic!" Harry said defensibly. To prove his point, he got up and stood back. He closed his eyes and concentrated hard, which came quite easy with his mastery of Occlumency, then he waved his hand in a long graceful motion and murmured something under his breath. The bars of the cell were no more.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore beamed. "The banishment of enchanted steel...truly remarkable and a commendable achievement Harry. Well, it's about time for the trial to start, so I'll be going, I'm sure the Auror's will be in soon," Albus said as he gave Harry an amused smile and walked away.

As if on cue, the door at the end of the hall opened and Harry could hear excited voices from inside the court room. Two Auror's walked past Dumbledore and stopped for a second to bow in respect, the Headmaster of course returned it.

"Blimey! Errol come look at this!" one of the Auror's yelled at a co-worker. The other Auror come trotting down to see what the ruckus was about only to stop in his tracks when he saw Harry Potter sitting in a rather nicely conjured chair, in a cell, with no bars.

"Fudge is going to shit when he sees what ole Dumbledore did," the Auror snickered.

"The headmaster didn't do this, I did," Harry said defiantly. How dare they assume that someone else was again breaking the rules for him?

"Come now Potter, I know you're strong, but there's no way...," he began but as soon as Harry waved his hand to conjure another chair the Auror fell silent.

"I can't make the bars come back, because I banished them, sorry," he said meekly.

"Um...oh, that's fine Mr. Potter. Well, we best be getting to the Court room before Fudge comes back here and sees this for himself," the Auror Errol said.

Harry walked, the guards leading, to the door that was being held open by another Auror. He could see the court room was packed. When Harry walked in, the scene was a little overbearing. There were at least a dozen reporters there along with the Weasley's, Hermione, Draco, about a dozen Auror's and a group of people in purple robes that matched Dumbledore's.

Harry walked to the chair he had seen far too many times and took a seat. Fudge, who was behind the high podium, looked down with a slight sneer and waved his wand to make the clasps on the chair bind Harry's hands. Harry was slightly brought down about this. He hated the feeling of being trapped. He looked up and gave Fudge a glare that would do Snape proud before he noticed that there was a red-headed boy sitting next to the podium. Harry's temper automatically sizzled with rage.

Percy Weasley was sitting there parchment before him, and a smug grin on his face. Harry fought back every foul word he could use towards the boy so not to get into more trouble. He wanted to break the chair a part and throttle the young man who had pompously and unjustly betrayed his family. He was brought out of his seething by the court being called to order.

"I hereby call this court to session!" Fudge bellowed as everyone got quiet. "I hereby charge Harry James Potter of Number Four Privet Drive with the following: That he did knowingly, deliberately and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, having received a previous written warning from the Ministry of Magic on a similar charge, perform magic in a Muggle‐inhabited area, on the thirty of August at twenty‐three minutes past three, which constitutes an offence under Paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875."

"Second offence of that of Harry James Potter, with knowledge of doing so, attempted to bribe one Cornelius Oswald Fudge, and Percival Arthur Weasley, in constitutes an offence under Paragraph H of the Decree of Prohibition of Corruption, 1882."

"Third offence of that of Harry James Potter, with knowledge of doing so, performed a Dark Arts spell, while in an unauthorized duel of one Bellatrix Virginia Lestrange, in constitutes an offence of Paragraph B of the Decree of Suspension of Dark Arts to Underage Sorcerers, 1880."

"How do you plea Harry James Potter of Number Four Privet Drive?" Fudge asked smugly.

"Innocent of course," Harry said just equally as smug.

"Who here is present for the Defence of the attained?" Fudge asked pompously.

"I am," Dumbledore stood up and waved his wand at the door. The door came open and admitted six others. There were three wizards in dark robes, and three goblins, "As well as them, Mr. Potters Law-Wizards," Dumbledore concluded sitting back down.

"One! I am allowing only one person to represent the attained!" Fudge bellowed.

"I do believe Cornelius, that under the Wizengamot Charter of Rights, at which I am the chair person, the accused has the rights to do what is in their power, within the Decrees of law, to prove their innocence. Amelia, am I right?" He asked Mrs. Bones who was sitting next to Fudges podium.

"As always Professor Dumbledore," she said smiling.

"Right then, I, being as the accused is underage, am stepping in as magical guardian. These three," he said motioning to the dark robed wizards, "Are Mr. Potter's personal lawyers, which I might add I have had the liberty of hiring earlier in the year. These," he said motioning to the goblins, "Are Mr. Potters franchise lawyers and are here in the benefit of his estates and accounts thereby guarded by Gringotts," Dumbledore finished and sat down.

"Fine, fine. Do you have witnesses?" Fudge practically spat.

"Yes, but because you will be tied into this session, I am here by proposing a change of position, of judge, due to the current judge being a witness to the event that the accused is being tried for," Dumbledore said in a commanding but deadly calm voice. The group of purple robed wizards to Harry's right stood.

"As the vice chairperson to the London Confederation of Wizengamots, I hereby second the notion for change of judge," one of the member said.

"So recognized by the court," said the person on the other side of Fudge, who right now looked like he was about to explode.

"In correlation of the Standard Wizengamot Rights, the second in command is to step up to position of Judge," Dumbledore said, "Mrs. Amelia Bones, if you will," he said waving his hand toward the podium. She looked stunned for a moment before she finally stood and looked at Fudge who stood rooted in place behind the podium.

"Minister, I suggest you trade me seats before you make a fool of yourself," Mrs. Bones said looking Fudge square in the eye. Fudge was now steaming, but stepped down and took a seat at Mrs. Bones' position.

"I, Amelia Bones, accept the position of temporary Judge in the Case of Harry Potter vs. the Ministry of Magic," Mrs. Bones said sitting down behind the podium, unlike Fudge did. "Your first witness Albus," she said nodding her head toward him. He nodded back and waved his wand again to the door where Remus Lupin came in and stood beside the podium next to Harry.

"Name?" Amelia asked though Harry was sure she already knew him, there were not many who didn't.

"Remus Lupin," he said confidently. Harry appraised him for a moment. He looked like his stance never wavered. His posture was as it always was. The only thing out of place was his robes, which Harry was sure Dumbledore provided him with, because of course, they were animated. Harry had the urge to chuckle, but suppressed it.

"Please tell the court your side of the story and the events which led you to be standing here as a witness," Amelia ordered nicely.

"It was my shift at the residence of Harry. There was a loud crack, at first I thought that someone was coming to relieve me because of an attack, but when I turned around I had to dodge the Cruciatus Curse. I don't know who it was, but it was most certainly a Deatheater. I assumed the Deatheater was there as a scout, and from rumours, I assumed right," he said looking at Harry with pity. Harry was all the sudden confused. "I immediately started to duel with her. My first priority was to keep the Deatheater busy, and if possible stun her so that it couldn't make it back to the others who I'm sure were waiting its word to apparate in. I admit, the Deatheater was getting the upper hand, due to Unforgivables, and just when I began to wear down, more curses, besides mine, began to fly at her. I turned around to see Harry emerge from the dark side of the house where the light from the lamp posts don't reach. During my distraction I was stunned."

"Harry woke me up a bit later, and to my surprise, he was not injured, nor was he duelling the Deatheater who was still there. He had occupied the Deatheater with a, well, I'd say monstrous, but I'm sure you'd think different if you saw it...but anyway, a huge snake was after the Deatheater who was casting curses at it, only to have a phoenix swoop down every time to eat the curse and began circling again. I don't know how either got there, but I'm assuming 'Avis' and 'Serpensortia'," Lupin said in an off hand manner. "Then Harry handed me his wand and walked back to the duel. He hissed something to the snake, and the snake began to round the Deatheater toward him. The Deatheater was more worried about the snake and it didn't notice that the snake had made it back into Harry's line of fire. He waved his hand in no particular motion, and her wand vanished. He waved his hand again and she was stunned and bound in cords," He said with a confused look.

"Really?" Mrs. Bones said quiet astonished. "You are that good with wandless magic?" she asked clearly impressed.

"I've been practicing ma'am," he said, "it can't be detected by the Ministry and if I were going to have to protect myself again, like today or last summer, I wanted to be prepared," he reasoned. She nodded her head in understanding.

"Would you care to give the court a demonstration so that it can be put on record that your capability of wandless magic is true?" she asked in a slightly bashful tone. Harry had a feeling that she really just wanted to see him do it for her entertainment, but nonetheless, he humoured her.

"Sure," he said snapping his fingers and murmuring an inaudible 'Enanesco', since he couldn't wave his hand due to the clasps. The clasps came off and he stood. He walked in front of her podium and held up his hand. Mrs. Bones, not wanting to miss the show, finally stood too look over Harry's head.

"Avis!" Harry commanded as a phoenix burst out of the vicinity of his hand and flew around the room for a second before landing on his shoulder.

"Mr. Potter, are you aware that people do not conjure magical birds with that particular spell, or, for that matter, any spell?" Mrs. Bones asked him in somewhat of a shocked state. Not liking the attention, but defiantly glad now that Fudge hadn't interrupted the whole affair, Harry twirled a finger discretely and banished the bird from his shoulder.

"So I've heard," Harry droned as he sat back down and snapped his fingers again and mumbled 'Incarceus' to make the clasps bind him to the chair. The court room laughed at his antics, knowing he could get the clasps off, but put them back on to be polite. The truth was: he just wanted to annoy Fudge.

"Harry dear, you don't have to have the straps on if they're uncomfortable. It hardly seems relevant anyway if you can get them off," Mrs. Bones said on what Harry presumed was the verge of chuckling.

"Oh," Harry said somewhat sheepishly as he snapped his fingers again and the straps once again fell.

"Now then, Mr. Lupin you may precede," she said in her superior tone.

"Right, where was I, Ah, yes. Well, after Harry stunned the Deatheater he gave her to me so that I could bring her in, and banished the snake and phoenix, much like the one he had on his shoulder," Remus said smiling fondly at Harry. "He was getting ready to go back to bed, per my order, when we heard more cracks down the street. At first I though it was more Deatheater's, but after further inspection, I saw it was the Minister, his assistant, and three Auror's. The Minister and his assistant immediately began to insult Harry as soon as they arrived. Harry reminded them that he had recently come to into a sum of money that he did not intend to horde away, but instead donate to the Ministry for the fight against Voldemort (some spectators gasped, others flinched at the name). But he told the Minister that he refused to give money to the Ministry if he didn't straighten up and get down to business. The Minister called it a bribe, and Harry called it help. I don't believe, personally, that Harry was bribing him, and if he was, he wasn't bribing to get out of trouble, he was bribing in hope that the Minister would do something more to protect the wizarding world from Voldemort (again flinching and gasping). That is my account of the events Mrs. Bones," Remus concluded as Amelia nodded and he stepped down.

"Anymore witnesses Albus?" she asked.

"Yes, several actually. I hereby call Draco Lucius Malfoy as the accused next witness," Dumbledore said now taking on Mrs. Bones' superior tone. Draco, looking a little out of place, walked out of the crowd and down to the podium next to Harry. He gave Harry a reassuring smile.

"How much did you witness?" Mrs. Bones asked as he settled behind the podium.

"All of what Mr. Lupin explained. I have no complaint with his story, it is all fact. I can tell you my account of what happened before Professor Lupin became stunned, and what happened in some of the attack," he said taking on his Malfoy air and demanding respect.

"Of course, you may begin," she replied.

"I woke at about three to a loud crack outside the Dursley's. I woke Harry up to tell him, at which time he told me, as Professor Lupin had assumed also, that the Order was just having a change of shift. I urged him to get up anyway, and that's when we noticed that Professor Lupin was duelling a Deatheater in the street through the window. Harry immediately, I assume due to his Gryffindor ways," Draco droned, many laughed at him; it was common knowledge that all Malfoy's are in Slytherin, "wanted to go help, I didn't hesitate to concur with his proposition."

"We went out the back door and rounded the house until we could see the two still duelling. Harry told me to stay in the dark and he would help Professor Lupin drive her toward me, where I would surprise her and stun her from the back. I not being in Gryffindor have no qualms about striking an enemy from behind, especially if my enemy is aiming to kill," Draco said smirking at Harry, who just smiled amused back.

"I did as he suggested and kept to the shadows while he helped Professor Lupin. The Professor was stunned when he turned to look at Harry, but Harry kept duelling with the Deatheater. I don't know if he used a wand or not, I really wasn't paying attention to specifics, but soon after he got into the street, he did use the Serpensortia, and followed it up with the Engorgio charm to make the snake bigger. I personally have never seen a snake so huge, but it seemed to fit the purpose, especially after Harry spoke to it. He placed a pretty powerful shielding charm on the snake and used the Avis to add support to his side. The rest of the duel and what happened afterward was told to you by Professor Lupin."

"And what happened after Harry was taken into custody, and Mr. Lupin was taken in for questioning?" she asked.

"Right, well before he was taken into custody, he was giving the Professor orders as to what to do while he was gone. When the Minister realized that Harry's intentions were, he told Harry that they were going to be taking Professor Lupin along then also. Harry turned to the vicinity of where I was in the shadows and told me to carry out what he had told the Professor to do."

"I went to Miss Figgs, which is a squib that lives on the same street, and used her floo to contact the Headmaster. This is when the chaos started."

"When I arrived back outside, there were about a dozen Deatheater's down the street from where the duel had just taken place, and they were going towards Harry's house. I went back into Miss Figgs house and flooed the Order so that they could come and assist. I wanted to leave then, but the old bat Figg kept hitting me with her handbag to keep me away from the door until the Order arrived," Draco sneered rubbing his head. Many of the people present snickered or laughed at him. "People began apparating in, and arriving by floo about five minutes later. I followed Tonks, my cousin, into the Dursley's house to help anyway I could. There were already several order members in the house, as well as a few Deatheater's that were upstairs looking for Harry," he said. At this statement, Harry went rigid. His relatives were upstairs.

"Tonks and I apprehended two Deatheater's right off, but we were sure there were more because Harry's cousin Dudley was screaming in the room next to the one we were in. Tonks and I burst through the door to see a Deatheater torturing the boy with the Cruciatus Curse. There was only one in that room, so Tonks quickly stunned the Deatheater and we moved again down the hall. We heard a screech of a scream come from the end where Harry's Aunt and Uncles room was and rushed down there. We burst down the door just as the killing curse hit Vernon who was standing in front of Petunia," he paused at Harry's sharp inhale of breath.

"Tonks and I took both Petunia and Dudley to Miss Figgs to await the Auror's arrival. The rest can be told by your Auror's," Draco said barely above a whisper.

"My deepest condolences to you Mr. Potter," Mrs. Bones said sadly.

"You may step down Mr. Malfoy. Albus, you said you had more witnesses?" she asked. Dumbledore waved his wand once more to the door and it opened.

"Where is he!" a woman screeched. Harry immediately realized it was Petunia's voice. He cringed and almost started to cry. She was going to start berating him in front of the court for being a freak.

"Who?" Amelia asked politely.

"The man who took my nephew from the house!" she answered again shrieking. Fudges face visibly paled and Harry almost let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, that would be Minister Fudge," Amelia said in an almost relieved tone also. She motioned to her right were the Minister was seated. Petunia dashed at him. There were tears on her face and she was practically livid with fury.

"YOU!" she bellowed in Fudges face, "YOU ARE THE REASON MY HUSBAND IS DEAD, AND YOU ARE THE REASON I NO LONGER HAVE A HOUSE!" Her face was shining with sweat and tears as she rounded. Fudge tried to scoot back but was unable too go far.

"Because of a stupid power hungry man, my family has been torn apart! I intend to sue you till you can no longer afford a decent hair application! Do you realized what you've done!" she screeched at him. "Albus had blood charms on my house, as long as Harry and I were in the same vicinity, no harm could be done to us! But because you wanted to show your ass and pick on a sixteen year old boy, you've ruined every hope I had for the future! My son no longer has a father, my nephew no longer has a father figure in his life, my grandchildren will never have a grandfather, and it's entirely your fault! I want a lawyer! Do your lot even have lawyer, judging by the way this man carries himself, I'm guessing not!" she said as she savagely slapped him across the face. A few Auror's came to draw her away from the Minister, but Amelia waved them off and walked around her podium.

"Mrs. Dursley, he will be taken care of properly," she said putting a hand on Petunia's shoulder and scowling at Fudge who just shrank back into his seat.

"It's not enough! He should be given the Dementor's kiss for what he's done. If he would have left Harry alone, the Order would have been there sooner and none of them would have died either. He caused numerous deaths tonight over a struggle of power. I demand his position be taken from him!" Petunia screeched again. She was now sobbing hysterically and Harry finally stood and pulled her into an embrace. She sobbed into his shirt drenching it with tears of grief. Amelia walked back behind the podium and stood.

"I am hereby dismissing all charges against Harry James Potter and am hereby charging the Minister of Magic for taking advantage of his position in office to solve a personal grudge, attempting to cripple the Ministry, along with the Dursley family, and falsely accusing a very valuable asset to the war against Voldemort. I will need a second before the Minister is taken from his position," she said. Just about every person in the room stood to second her, there were a few ,however, who were still mulling over the whole 'your lot' statement Petunia made and kept their seat; whether out of pure shock or support for purebloods, Harry didn't know.

"I am also hereby taking all assets from the Minister of Magic to be liquidated and given to the Dursley's as grievance payment, and am allowing a sum of money, which will be determined at a later time, for the loss they have encountered tonight due to the Minister of Magic himself. All those in favour?" she again asked. Every person in the room, or so it sounded, gave a hearty 'Aye's'.

"I Amelia Bones hereby call this court adjourned," she said stepping down and going around the podium to where Harry and Petunia were standing. "I know it's not much, but I've done what I'm allowed to do in my position. I'm very sorry," she said in a mournful tone before she left the room. Dumbledore came up to him and Petunia and lead them out of the court room, his true age betraying him again.

***

Harry was sitting in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place. Everyone else was already in bed, but Harry couldn't sleep. Though he'd been up for quite sometime, he couldn't get himself to fall asleep. Guilt had plagued him of late, and he couldn't forgive himself.

Dumbledore had always been kind to him, hell; he'd never even raised his voice to Harry. But Harry yelled at his headmaster more times now that he could count. He's pushed Dumbledore away, tore his office apart, called him names, yet, he still came in Harry's time of need. And what set this guilt into motion was the last thing Dumbledore had said to him before he went to bed. He told Harry he was proud of the way he'd composed himself in court today and that he was hoping to see more of that Harry around Hogwarts when they returned.

Harry sat there with his hot chocolate, brewing over all the things he had said and done to the old man. He was now repeatedly calling himself names. He couldn't see how someone could be turned away time and time again, but yet, was till willing to help anytime he was needed, or sent for.

The day had been a joyous one after the return to Grimmauld Place. They had a small party due to Fudge's dismissal of office, though everyone was still walking on eggshells around Petunia and Dudley. They had not been so lucky in the past day. They'd lost a house and a husband and father. Harry could only imagine what they felt, because all he felt was guilt. Petunia had put on a brave front for him and Dudley, but Harry wasn't stupid, he knew what that mask looked like. He'd used it a lot over the past four years, when Cedric died, when Sirius died, and now he was using it again. It seemed that he kept that stupid mask in his back pocket lately, just in case he lost someone else.

Petunia had retired to Ginny and Hermione's room, which Harry had made bigger with a sizing spell. Dudley and Ron were sharing a room also, though no spell was needed, they didn't have quite as much in their room as the girls did. Harry laughed silently to himself about that.

"Something bothering you dear boy?" a kind voice from the door way of the kitchen asked him bringing him out of his daze and making him slip his mask back on.

"It's nothing," Harry said in a quite voice. Of all people to talk about this it had to be Dumbledore. He sighed.

"Well, I hear the undertone of a yes in there. May I ask?" Dumbledore said staking a seat across from him. There was a bit of pity in his eyes, the normal twinkle was dimmed by it.

"Why did you come and help me this morning?" he finally asked, somewhat bluntly, again sounding rude.

"Why wouldn't I?" Dumbledore asked looking a tiny bit puzzled.

"I've done everything but betray you, yet, you still came in my time of need. I don't understand how you can be so...so...I don't know...kind," Harry finally said for lack of a more noble and astute worthy word.

"Ah, you want to know, why after you tore my office apart, called me names, and tried to push me out of your life, I still come crawling back to help anyway I can," Dumbledore mused.

"Yeah, something like that," Harry said almost in a whisper.

"The prophecy," he stated plainly.

"Oh, so you want to help me just to make sure the prophecy is fulfilled?" he asked, this did annoy him greatly. How could he so casually admit that, he asked himself?

"No, Harry, not your prophecy, mine," he said again casually.

"What?" Harry asked, he was now thoroughly confused.

"Back before I became headmaster, I met a diviner that was very well known to prophesise when in the company of strangers. I met her at a small party where I was going to announce my candidacy for Minister. I met her and shook her hand, and she prophesised about me, or to me, whichever you'd rather say," Dumbledore said.

"What did she say?" Harry asked now intrigued.

"A time of darkness will fall upon the world. The wise bumblebee will sting the darkness bringing the world back to a brief time of peace, but it will not last. The wise bumblebee must lead the orphan who sees death to conquer that darkness once again, a time of darkness will fall upon the world...," Dumbledore recited.

"The wise bumblebee, how did you know that was you?" Harry asked.

"Albus means wisdom, while Dumbledore means bumblebee, quite simple really," Dumbledore said.

"How about the orphan who sees death, how did you know that was me?" Harry asked again.

"Oh, I didn't at first. At first I thought it was Tom Riddle. He was orphaned, then he saw Myrtle die, and he saw his mother die at birth, though he'd never remember it. I tried to get close to him, but he pushed me away. I could see he was badly troubled, especially after the incident with Myrtle, but he would not allow me near him, and I couldn't force him. Headmaster Dippet wouldn't listen to me, he told me prophecies were rubbish and I'd do good to ignore it also. But it wasn't soon after he graduated that I realized that he was gone forever. He disappeared not long after, and didn't return for some years. When he did, no one could even tell it was the same person. He'd brewed on hate, vengeance, and power for so long, even his physical self changed," Dumbledore revealed to Harry.

"Then it wasn't him, but me. How did you come to that conclusion?" Harry asked.

"Well, along with your prophecy, and mine, I realized my mistake the night your parents died. I heard that Avada Kedavra was used on you, and you were not dead. You'd seen your parents killed, most importantly, you'd seen yourself killed. You see, everyone associates that curse with death, hence the name 'killing curse', in Latin it also means 'may it be destroyed'. That was when I realized I was going after the wrong orphan and when I ordered Hagrid to retrieve you immediately," the headmaster told him.

Harry had to admit that he'd always thought of Dumbledore as wise and intelligent, but it wasn't until now that he realized how intelligent. He sat there, dumbfounded. Dumbledore had figured it out in a split second that he was the real one of the prophecy just by connecting some pieces of a puzzle.

"So, just like that, I was the one that Voldemort marked, and you realized that I was the person from your prophecy. This is just so much bigger than I feel. Everything feels so small next to the prophecy now. How am I supposed to fulfil it when I don't feel that I can?" he asked putting his face in his hands and breathing ragged for a moment.

"After what I have seen in the past, and what you showed the court today, I have no doubt in your abilities. I do realize though that you're going to need help to shoulder this. This is why I keep coming back. This is such a burden for someone so young. I would have never asked you to do such a thing, but it's not my place to ask you not to. So instead of trying to scare you with the magnitude of the task, I decided that I would try to help alleviate some of the burden. I know I've done a bad job because you weren't aware what I was doing, but as I've tried to convince myself and you, it was for the better. I wanted you to have a childhood, no matter how long lived."

"I do regret sometimes not telling you of the prophecy before, but as I told you in my office last year, you were so small and battered, that it seemed unimportant at the time. It just never felt right," Dumbledore said again, this time he looked like he was again trying to fight back tears.

Harry felt his guilt ten-fold. It was here and now that Harry made the promise that he would never berate Dumbledore again. He now realized how big the part of Dumbledore's burden was. Harry just lived carefree, for the better part of the years anyway. While throughout the years, the headmaster was working behind the scenes trying to keep him safe. That is a burden that no one, especially with him, should have to be responsible for.

"I'm sorry Sir; I never realized how much you've gone through yourself. I guess I just assumed that you stood by and watched, while all along you knew the truth. I won't lie, it still annoys me that I couldn't start preparing earlier, but I understand your reasoning. I too think I would have done the same thing. I too think I would offer to carry the burden for someone like myself if ever it had to be done. I can't blame you anymore, I can't blame anyone, and I think that's what's going to break me down in the end. I can't place blame on anyone but fate, but that doesn't help because I can't complain to fate," Harry said sighing.

"Blame belongs no where. Time will take care of everything. We'll just have to wait patiently for it to happen. I can't tell you how many times I hoped it would be the last. But after Voldemort rose again, I knew that it was going to be a hard dark road we'd be faced to walk. I just want you to know, that you can count on my guidance up until the end. Whether I loose you or you rid the world of Tom, I want you to know that you have my service undivided. I can only hope and pray that this is enough. Prophecies can be so vague," he mused with a grin playing behind his silky beard.

"Thank you, I'm sure I'll be taking advantage of that guidance. Right now I'm happy pacing myself, but I understand that I'll need assistance in training, and that it will probably go on beyond that of Hogwarts, while I'm still attending. Again, I just wish I'd started earlier," Harry said.

"But determination was never short on your part Harry. I have it on great authority that you can do whatever you put your mind to; I have no doubt about that. If you are determined to live, that you shall," Dumbledore said rising. "I must be off now. I'm wanted at Hogwarts by morning to prepare for the students arrival. I will set up a small time table for you so that training will continue while you're at school. It won't be mandatory, but it will be beneficial for you. The majority of the classes will be with me, McGonagall and Professor Snape. This is why I said it will not be mandatory," he added at Harry's sour face. "Now, do take care of yourself. I'll see you tomorrow."

Harry got up to show him to the door, but instead of doing what he had planned, he latched onto the old man, giving him fierce hug. Dumbledore placed a warm hand on his back, and another on the back of his head. Harry immediately started sobbing while the old man just kept shushing him and telling him everything was alright.

After about five minutes of this, Harry finally broke away.

"Thank you," he said somewhat hoarsely.

"No thankfulness needed dear boy. It can only be expected, for if you can't feel the pain, you're not really human. This and perhaps this alone is what sets you apart from all the other virtues you share with Voldemort," he said placing a hand on Harry shoulder.

"Sorry, I know you have to get back," he said opening the kitchen door and leading the Headmaster out.

"As long as you feel a bit better, there's nothing to be sorry about," he replied with a warm chuckle. His eyes were now engulfed by twinkles like he'd just had a birthday and received dozens of wool socks. Harry smiled gratefully and opened the door in the front hall making sure not to wake the old hag of a portrait.