Come Back to Us

************CHAPTER SIX************

It was a dark gloomy place. All around tree shadows were whistling through their leaves with the soft wind of the night. The large grove was otherwise eerily silent, void of the usual hooting of owls or bustle of dangerous creatures. Only one deep voice stood out above the quiet, it belonging to a monstrous creature with red-slit eyes, commanding the army in front of him.

"You imbeciles! How could you be defeated in Hogsmeade! Why did you retreat? You outnumbered them almost fifty to one! You cowards!"

Foolishly, one cloaked man in the front stepped forward.

"Master," he said while bowing down to kiss the hem of the creature's robes, "They were too quick. Perhaps there is a spy in our midst. There is no other way that they could have been prepared."

"SILENCE you idiot! Did I ask for you to speak? CRUCIO!"

The man at once fell on to his knees screaming loudly. After three minutes, the screaming ended, and the man, gasping for air, crawled back to the ranks.

"I believe," the being started, "That there is a traitor in our presence. I had hoped that it was not the case, that he would not turn on his family and friends, but unfortunately he has betrayed us all."

As the Dark Lord walked out into his troops, every person tensed in fear. As he strolled past each regiment, there was a hushed sigh of relief from that group. However, when he reached the fourth row of the forth division, he stopped. The tension was so thick, it felt like a think fog. The sinister leader swiftly turned left, then walked past the people in the row. When he reached the third person from the end, he again stopped and turned toward that person.

"My dear professor, you don't seem to be frightened like all of my other minions."

"I do not fear you, Voldemort. You are nothing but scum."

"Ah, so you do not fear death. Good, then you shall stand firm as I kill you.

AVADA KED- WHERE DID HE GO?"

Sure enough, the space that had been filled by the spy was blank, and in front of it was an infuriated Dark Lord. He marched back up the front of the assembly and faced his multitudes.

"When we attack Hogwarts in three days at dawn, I want him brought to me. He will pay for his crimes with his screams. Thankfully, I had not mentioned our plan to attack yet. That mudblood loving fool will not know what hit him. The dark will prevail in this fight! Avery! I do not believe I gave you permission to rejoin your company. CRUCIO!"

*~^~*

In a crimson colored four poster bed in a large castle in Scotland, a 17-year-old boy awoke with a scream. His head was throbbing. Three syllables. Six letters. It was amazing how that could make his head hurt so much. He looked over at his clock, realizing he had a meeting to go to, only to find it reading 'You are now 23 minutes late.'

"CRAP! Dumbledore will probably think that I did leave!" He waved his hand over his pajamas transforming them into clothes, then went to his wardrobe and pulled out a robe.

"Crap, crap, crap, crap.... I think I'll patent alarm clocks for the wizarding world... Its obvious they don't already make them."

Grabbing everything he needed, he rushed over to the door and pulled it open, only to find a very startled godfather outside.

"Harry! How are you feeling?"

"I'm just dandy, Sirius," he said with a sarcastic drawl.

"Dumbledore got worried about you, so he sent me down to see if you were- Harry? Why do you have all these trunks and boxes out?"

'Stupid, Harry! Why didn't you put them up before you went to sleep.'

"I was just looking for something."

"Right, you dolt. Just to let you know, if you EVER leave again, I will personally see to it that you are locked in a small room with 100 very agitated bludgers."

"That's why I wasn't planning on leaving," Harry replied, hoping that he had made a somewhat convincing lie.

They made their way to the headmaster office, all the while making small talk about Quidditch teams and girlfriends. 'This is the life should be.'

When they reached the headmaster's gargoyle and said the password to enter, they walked through to the wooden doors and into the round room.

"Ah. Glad to see that you could join us Mr. Potter," the old professor said.

Harry looked around the room, but couldn't muster the courage it took to look his newly discovered great-grandfather in the eyes. He then remembered his vision and frantically looked around for the Potions Master.

"Where is Professor Snape?"

"He has not arrived yet. I do believe he had a more pressing matter to attend to before this one, though."

"We need to find him-"

Almost as if on queue, the greasy-haired teacher entered the room. He surveyed everyone there, then with an exhaustive sigh said, "I am afraid I can no longer serve as a spy."

Before the headmaster could reply, Harry was at his feet walking over to his long-time enemy. He looked him straight in the eye and asked, "Are you okay?"

Snape hesitantly replied with a "I'm still alive, Potter."

Dumbledore looked between the two with a peeked interest. "Severus, did you at least get any information before you were discovered?"

"None, besides the fact that he was not happy he was defeated at Hogsmeade. Ironically, he seems to think that I told of that attack, when I knew nothing of it. It was all the fault of the damn students and their quick reactions."

Harry almost thought he could see pride in the man's face. It was now time for his input.

"They plan on attacking Hogwarts in three days at dawn. Professor Snape is to be one of the first captured for his 'disloyalties.' "

"What are their numbers, Harry?"

"I'd say 1000, plus the dementors. From my standpoint, it was an impressive looking army."

There was silence from the group.

"How do you know this, Potter."

"I'm omnipotent and omniscient, of course," the teenager said with a smirk.

"Your full of yourself."

"As are you, good professor."

"Why you little Gryffindor...."

"Why thank you, professor..."

"That's it!" Someone for the back that Harry didn't know finally yelled. "Could we stop with the witty remarks please? I think we have a little more pressing matters!"

The headmaster chuckled a little then in a calming tone said, "Back to the problem at hand, Harry, do you think Draco is any condition to fight?"

"I don't know, headmaster. I left the hospital wing early this morning after that delightful conversation with you." For the first time that evening, Harry allowed himself look his relative in the eyes, but with a cold glare.

The old man looked into the glare, and for the first time that Harry had ever noticed, the headmaster broke the staring contest. 'Weird,' he thought.

"I'll ask him first thing tomorrow."

"I think it would be best if you two spent the next few days training up and get used to the new power. I have a strong feeling that, while we will be fighting in the background, you two will be the main part of the battle. In essence, you will both have to be the generals and us, your army."

'Just peachy,' Harry thought. However, he reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"Three days. I doubt Draco knows wandless magic yet, so that gives me three days to teach him that, to learn sword fighting, get used to new powers and to find out about the hidden gifts in those staffs. Three Days," he said again. "I hope you all know what you're getting in to. Relying on Draco and I... I never thought I'd see the day."

Surprisingly, it was Snape who was the only one willing to reply. "I have no trouble relying on a Slytherin. It's you Gryffindors I have troubles with." And, for the first time ever, Harry saw an odd site. The greasy-haired git, the stuffy old potions master, smiled.

Harry could have sworn he heard Sirius say to Remus, "Now I've seen it all... Next thing you know he'll be washing his hair!"

And then there was a faint reply from Remus. "Only when pigs fly!"

The image Harry had in his head of Dudley, on a broom, flying around the castle, was one he stored for further use when all this mess was over and gone.

Bringing everyone back to the meeting, Albus Dumbledore clapped his hands together and announced, "Is there anymore business that needs to be discussed?" Hearing none, the headmaster continued. "Good, good. If we keep our heads, we have a chance to be the victor here, yet. I want everyone, and I mean all members, not just you heads to be in the great hall tomorrow at 8:00. Plan to stay here until after the attack. I want to us to be on our guard in case Voldemort changes his plans."

Everyone in the group nodded, said their goodbyes and made their way to the door.

"Harry, if you would please stay behind."

Harry rolled his eyes, then bade farewell to his godfather and werewolf teacher, and turned around to sit in the desk directly facing his elder. This was the discussion he had been dreading.

*~^~*

As the old Maurders made their way down the stairs, Remus turned to his long time friend.

"Do you think he's going to tell him?"

"I think he already did, this morning."

"Why do you say that?"

"When I went to his room earlier, he was trying to leave again."

"Do you think he knows that we knew?"

"I think he suspects. I only hope he doesn't hex us half way to China."

"It wasn't our fault that Albus made us keep it a secret."

Sirius just chuckled. "You know, no matter what happens, I don't think I'll be able to call him 'Albus.'"

"Shut up you little mutt."

*~^~*

Both older and younger wizards in silence, avoiding taking to each other. Harry used the sorting hat as a focal point, not really thinking about it, but using it as a point to take out his feelings. The main thing he kept going back to was how the headmaster had broken out of the informal staring contest they had had earlier. Never, in all the time he knew the old man, had he broken eye contact prematurely. Keeping this from him must have upset him more than Harry had thought. He finally decided it was time to just get this over with.

"You wanted to speak with me, sir?"

The headmaster was using the same tactic as Harry had, only he was staring at Fawkes, on the opposite side of the room.

"Yes, yes Harry. I did. Where to start, where to start..."

'So that's where I get the double speech thing from,' he joked inwardly.

It was then the phoenix flew over to Harry's lap. Harry couldn't help but laugh. The creature acted like it knew the headmaster was staring at it, and wanted the old man to instead look at his great-grandson.

"Smart thing phoenixes are," the headmaster said with a chuckle. "They always seem to think they know what's best."

"Reminds me of a certain house elf I know."

'At least the mood lightened up a little,' Harry thought.

Finally, the both summoned up the courage and looked at each other.

"Harry, I would truly like to apologize for not telling you sooner. I was, in my own way trying to protect you. A large castle is no place to raise a small child. I also worried for your safety. You were well known in this world. I could see someone easily kidnapping you because of your fame or a Death Eater trying to incite revenge. I thought you would be safer with your mother's muggle family."

Harry took a large sigh. All good points. All he said was true, but still,

"You could have at least checked on me once in a while, sir. I grew up thinking that no one even cared for me. For eleven years I lived in a cupboard under the stairs! I would have been better off in an orphanage than there!"

"But, alas, I did have people watching out for you. Mrs. Figg-"

"Mrs. Figg! I ran away while she was watching me!"

"Harry, I tried my hardest! Resources were scarce when you were young. Aurors were quitting because they felt that the threat was gone and none wanted to commit to babysitting."

"Okay, I'll buy that, but why didn't you tell me when I came to Hogwarts?"

"Think about it Harry, a student comes in, his great-grandfather is the headmaster, everyone would have thought you were getting special treatment. Then all of this with Voldemort, I just felt it safer with out anyone knowing."

"With all due respect sir, Voldemort was after me before without knowing I had any relation with you, why would it change any afterwards?"

"Because, like it or not Harry, you and Draco are our two best resources in this war. Voldemort knows very little about your power, and if he knew that we were related, he would soon figure out that you were both true heirs, and we would lose all edge in this battle. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. I just wish- I just-"

"I know, Harry, I know. But wishes are very rarely granted. We can only deal with what we are given."

"Yes, sir."

"Is there anything else you wanted to say about this matter?"

"No, sir."

"Very well, then. I am moving you up to the third floor where the Sorcerer's Stone was held. That will be where all of the Order members are staying. I am inviting Draco to join to order tomorrow night, whether everyone approves or not. He has my full trust, and after that last face-off with his father, he has earned my respect, also. You may think you are going through a lot, Harry, but I want you to remember Mr. Malfoy is too. Yesterday he turned his back on his entire family, on his own accord. That is not an easy task. He has sacrificed a lot for this cause, and I ask you to remember that. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded his response.

"Now, you and Draco have a lot on common, and I want you two to get to know each other better. You two will make a better team if you learn to put your faith in one another. That is why, for the next three days, you will be rooming together."

"But-"

"I will not be negotiating this matter. You two need to learn to deal with each other, and unless you kill each other in the process, you will come out better people. Besides, you will be spending most of the time together anyways, practicing. Now, do you understand?"

"Yes," Harry started then couldn't resist adding a sarcastic "Grandpa."

The headmaster's eyes were again twinkling and a smile appeared on his face.

"Good. Now I understand you have most of your belongings already packed up-"

"How did you know sir?" Harry asked, while sporting a slight blush.

"Let us just say that you are not the only omnipotent and omniscient person in this school," he replied with a grin. "I want you to go see Madam Pomfrey for a quick check up." He looked up at a clock with no hands, only a little dot that kept zooming round and round then said, "Yes, she should still be up. After leaving so quickly earlier, she did not get a chance to look over you once more. After that, finish packing, and then get some sleep. I'll expect you in the Great Hall for breakfast and after that I'll escort you and Draco to your room. Okay?"

"Alright, sir. One last question though."

"Yes?"

"Did Sirius and Remus know about any of this?"

"Yes, they knew of our relation because of James. However, I asked them not to tell them. Please do not hold anything against them."

"I won't, sir," he replied with an impish grin. "And after a few pranks, they will be forgiven completely."

The headmaster gave him a quick smile and then bid him goodbye.

After a very thorough check up in the Hospital Wing, and packing up the last items in his room, Harry changed and get ready for bed. With one last look at his clock which read '12:28 Go to sleep!' He closed his eyes and thinking how much this one day had changed his life forever.

To be continued....

************************