Harry Potter and the Power Unknown

~Chapter Four: New Questions Answered~

Harry fell asleep in the car on the way to wherever they were going due to his lack of sleep the night before. Still, as he roused, he felt utterly exhausted and was not sure he would be able to draw the energy to learn to apparate. Dumbledore smiled again at him, and Harry felt slightly guilty at being so angry with the headmaster over the last month. Harry always had a sense of safety when he was around Dumbledore, although as always, he could feel that Dumbledore was not telling him everything. This fact is what kept Harry's anger with the headmaster alight inside of him; after all that had happened, Harry thought Dumbledore would realize it was wrong to keep things from Harry, but clearly Dumbledore still believed it was better not to tell Harry more than he needs to know.

"Professor?" Harry yawned.

Dumbledore looked away from the car window. "Yes, Harry?"

"How did Voldemort find out where I live? I mean, isn't all that information supposed to be kept secret by the ministry? I remember Fudge saying something about it last year at my hearing."

"Honestly, Harry, I don't know how he was able to find you, but my theory is one or more of the Death Eaters may have been tailing you from school." Harry knew Dumbledore's theories more often then not turned out to be correct. "It is common knowledge that you live with your muggle relatives. After you exited the train, Remus, Arthur, Alastor and Tonks met you on the platform to talk to your relatives, is that correct?" Harry nodded. "Well, if someone was looking for you or your family, you would not have been hard to spot once Remus and everyone approached your aunt and uncle. This someone may have followed you once you were in your uncle's car back to Little Winging and informed Voldemort of your whereabouts."

"Is it really that easy to find me?" asked Harry incredulously.

"I'm afraid so," answered Dumbledore. "We did have two Aurors guarding your house, but Voldemort killed them at once." Harry remembered the flashes of green light in his head as Dumbledore continued, "Sadly, it turns out they may not have needed to be there at all."

Harry still looked puzzled. "Well, why wasn't he able to see me then? I mean, I was looking right at him, but he seemed to be looking through me, not really seeing anything at all."

"Ah," began Dumbledore with a slight smile. "Well that is another one of my more brilliant ideas," he said, his eyes twinkling. "The protection on you inside your aunt and uncle's house is very similar to the Fidelious Charm that was placed on your parents except for the fact that there is no Secret Keeper. As I have said before, the sacrifice your mother made lives inside you and your Aunt Petunia, and it is to protect you specifically from Voldemort. However, we are going to need to increase the protection for next summer, because unfortunately you are not protected from Voldemort's Death Eaters, who may try something like kidnap. But as long as your aunt agreed to protect you, even if no one else wanted to, Voldemort would not be able to find you. So you see this is the reason I not come to your house when I knew Voldemort was looking for you. I placed my trust in your aunt and your mother's blood."

Harry thought about this and said, more to himself than Dumbledore, "My scar stopped hurting."

"Pardon?"

Harry looked up. "My scar was burning at home, which was how I knew Voldemort was close. I was on the floor when my aunt and uncle came in, and my uncle wanted to toss me out of the house, but my aunt said no. She said she made a promise to protect me, and as soon as she said that my scar stopped hurting."

Dumbledore contemplated this for a moment and then said, "It seems to me that Voldemort has been tracking you through the connection you share and the pain you feel because of it. There is no doubt in my mind that just as you can feel Voldemort's emotions, he can feel yours as well. So the pain in your scar was acting like a homing beacon, and he would either be able to sense your presence through it, or he was counting on the fact that your aunt and uncle would force you out of the house once aware of the danger surrounding them."

Harry lost himself in his thoughts once more and did not notice the car's decent until they hit the ground with a slight bump.

"Where are we?" he asked curiously, stretching his arms.

"Actually, we are in a clearing in the middle of the Forbidden Forrest," answered Lupin. He moved to get out of the car, Harry at his heels. "And I see Severus is already here."

"What?!?" Harry's heart sank at hearing the name of one of his least favorite people. "What is Snape doing here?"

"Professor Snape, Harry," Lupin answered with a slight smile. "Professor Snape is going to assist you along with Dumbledore and myself, Harry. He will be one of your focal points,"

"I'll probably end up apparating in a tree if I have to focus on him," Harry mumbled gloomily under his breath. If there was anyone Harry blamed more than himself for the death of Sirius, it was Severus Snape. Harry knew Snape was delighted that Sirius was gone, and by the look on his face, Harry saw Snape had no intention of acting sympathetic. This thought made Harry's insides seethe with so much anger the car behind him began to rattle.

"Temper, temper, Potter," Snape said, sneering maliciously at Harry.

"Dumbledore," Moody interjected, glaring at Snape's lack of compassion. "I have to get back to the Ministry. I owe Arthur a report."

"Very well, Alastor. Thank you for the assistance," Dumbledore replied.

"Good luck, Potter," Moody said. Harry thanked Moody and watched him return to one of the Ministry cars. Once Moody was inside, his car and one other took off once again and headed up into the clouds. Harry found himself wishing he were up in the sky as well, especially when he looked back and saw Snape still sneering at him.

"Now, Harry," spoke Dumbledore softly, clearly trying to bring his attention away from Snape. "The most important thing to learn about apparating is concentration. If you do not focus on where you want to be, half of you could end up in Saskatoon or Azkaban or inside a wall. It is likely that you will be under pressure at times you need to apparate, which is why I invited Professor Snape to help. You must control your anger and focus only on where you want to be, understand?"

Harry nodded, knowing Dumbledore was warning him not to get angry with Snape and lose his temper.

"Very well," Dumbledore continued to Harry. "We will start with Remus and Severus standing only a few feet apart. The inner Forbidden Forest where we are is not as strongly as the actual grounds of Hogwarts, but it still might be difficult for a beginner. What you need to do Harry, is focus on the person, not the place. Most wizards apparate to a place, but for you I think it is bestto think of a person with whom you feel safe."

Harry raised his eyebrows and looked over at Snape. He definitely did NOT feel safe around the potions master. Dumbledore apparently sensed Harry's conflict because he smiled and said, "For right now you just need a general focal point, not necesarrily one you feel safe with. However, in the future you will also need a command, very much like a command for a wand spell. Each command is unique to the wizard, but try to think of one that will allow you to apparate to safety."

Harry nodded at this, then strode over to where Snape was standing a few feet away from Lupin. He thought it best to start focusing on someone that didn't make his insides burn with hatred.

"With a temper like that, Potter,you will probably end up with your head in a tree stump," said Snape. "Were you not listening to what the headmaster said? I am here to make sure you focus on where you need to be, not on your feelings towards me."

"Yes, sir, I was listening," spat Harry back at him.

"Okay Harry, close your eyes," Dumbledore explained, "and focus on Professor Lupin. Focus on wanting to be where he is."

Harry smiled at this instruction because he felt he would rather be anywhere in the world then standing next to Snape. After what seemed to be a couple of minutes, Harry felt something like a cool, quick breeze and heard Lupin say from very close,

"Well done, Harry!"

Harry's eyes snapped open, and to his surprise he found himself standing next to Lupin and looking across the field at Snape.

"That took you a lot less time than I had expected," Lupin said, casting a significant look at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore seemed not to notice or else ignored Lupin, because he did not elaborate. Dumbledore then instructed Lupin and Snape to move further apart, and told Harry to close his eyes once more.

Harry was finding it much harder to focus on Snape, and after a good while Dumbledore said, "Harry, you have to focus. You must control your emotions."

"I know, professor," Harry answered, "but I am having trouble focusing on a place I don't really want to be." Harry no longer cared about pretending to be polite when it came to Snape, and Dumbledore said nothing to this.

Harry took a deep breath, and after a few moments he felt another breeze and opened his eyes to find the potions master looking down at him. Harry felt a kind of vindictive satisfaction in proving to Snape that he could control his temper.

Harry continued apparating between the two for a few hours until Snape and Lupin were so far into opposite ends of the Forbidden Forest they could no longer see each other. At this point, Dumbledore called everyone back together.

"I think you've really got it, Harry," Lupin told Harry, who smiled back at him.

"Alright, Harry, no comes the hard part," said Dumbledore. "I am going to apparate to headquarters and I want you to follow me. You will be remaining there for the remainder of the summer." Harry's heart sank at this; the last place he wanted to be was back at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.

"I thought you said I wouldn't be able to disapparate off the school grounds, professor," he said, hoping he might be able to stay somewhere else.

"As I said before, the magic that protects the castle is not as powerful this deep in the Forest. I think you will be able to manage, but you need to focus on me, alright?" Dumbledore looked Harry in the eyes as he said this, and Harry knew he had no choice, so he simply nodded. Dumbledore said, "Take as long as you need," then placed his hand on Harry's shoulder, and with a CRACK, disapparated.

Harry turned immediately to Lupin and said, "I don't want to go back there. I'd rather Voldemort find me then have to go back there."

Lupin opened his mouth to respond, but Snape cut across him.

"Still unable to control your emotions, Potter? At this rate the Dark Lord will have no trouble finding you. No wonder you were so terrible at occlumency. Does it ever occur to you that the headmaster is trying to keep you away from the Dark Lord, and keep you alive?"

Harry felt the familiar mixture of guilt and anger lick his insides, and he opened his mouth to yell at Snape, but Lupin beat him to it.

"Lay off him, Severus," Lupin said firmly.

"Oh, yes, I forgot," Snape spat at Lupin with a malicious grin. "Potter's your favorite boy, isn't he, Lupin? Be careful he doen't get you killed like he did Black." Snape's eyes gleamed with triumph.

Harry automatically moved for his wand, his temper about to blow, but Lupin grabbed his arm and stood between the two just as, so many months ago, Harry had stood between Snape and Sirius.

"I said LAY OFF!" Lupin yelled. Harry had never seen Lupin lose his temper before, and by the look of surprise on his face, niether had Snape. "You need to learn when to let things go, Severus. I don't care what your feelings are toward Harry, James, Sirius, or me for that matter, but learn to have some goddamned respect!"

With that, Lupin turned his back on Snape and said to Harry, "Dumbledore is waiting. You must be strong, Harry. I will be there afterwhile."

Harry closed his eyes, trying to block out Snape's taunts and focused on Dumbledore's energy. Then, after a gush of wind, Harry opened his eyes to find himself next to Dumbledore in the hallway of a place he hoped never to set foot in again.