Dumbledore's Announcements

"There are a few announcements to be held at the end of the feast." said Dumbledore, standing up from his throne-like chair, "But for now, we have only one. Let the feast begin!"

The plates before them all glowed, suddenly filled with any British food that could be imagined. Ron eagerly filled his plate to the brim, before stabbing his steak with ferocity. Those sitting around him slowly shifted away; his eating habits really were quite revolting.

Hermione stared down at her food, eyes narrowed. She inspected the dishes placed upon the other house tables, before speaking aloud.

"How can they make so much food? You can't transfigure something into food, and all the foods looks different, so it definitely hasn't been duplicated."

Nick, who had floated back in their direction, happily told Hermione about house elves, though he was shooed away by the rest of the Gryffindors. They all knew the look on Hermione's face, and were not all pleased to see what she would cook up now. Hermione quickly pushed her meal away from her, muttering to herself about slavery.

"Anyone taking bets on how long it'll take for her to start a House Elf Protection Act?" whispered Seamus, chuckling.

"Don't say that." warned Dean, "You know her, she'll go and do it."

"But they're house elves! It isn't slavery!" said Ron, through a mouth full of food.

"What species they are doesn't exactly change what it is, mate." said Seamus. Harry nodded in agreement, although his thoughts were still focused on the Chamber of Secrets.

He was really starting to agree with his initial thoughts. There had to be something more down there. Harry was fairly certain that Voldemort would not have continued returning to the Chamber of Secrets if it was just the basilisk's lair. There had to be something more, something of value that he could use.

Something that would finally allow me to be left alone.

The two people Harry wanted to leave him be more than anyone were Dumbledore and Voldemort. Harry was beginning to suspect that Dumbledore had been the one to have him delivered to the Dursleys' doorstep all those years ago.

He certainly was the one returning Harry annually. He was beginning to see the cracks in the old man's kindly grandfather facade, something he did not at all like.

Dumbledore should have given him his Vault Key, told him about magic, and told him about his lineage. Instead of informing Harry about his Slytherin ancestry, he had simply stated, "When you defeated Voldemort, you stole a portion of his power." - something which Harry now knew was not the case. That didn't mean Harry didn't respect the old man, of course. But after thinking it through during the summer, he could no longer see Albus Dumbledore in the light he once did.

As for Voldemort, he was the man who took his parents from him. The reason he ended up with the Dursleys. He was also part of the reason he kept ending up in near death situations, although that was also partially his own fault. Harry wanted them to leave him be, to be allowed to live a normal life.

I'm going back to the chamber tonight. Harry decided, I'm going to see what Tom might have found so interesting, what I myself might find interesting.

It was a reckless idea, that was for sure. Thankfully, that part matched with all of previous adventures, so there was nothing out of place there. He considered asking Ron and Hermione if they wanted to come with him, but quickly decided against it. Ron would probably sputter out some nonsense about how he was turning dark, and Hermione herself had been paralyze by the basilisk; she most likely wouldn't be too fond of returning.

Hermione would probably end up reporting me to McGonagall. Harry noted in slight annoyance.

Besides, this was Harry's chamber. He was supposed to be the Heir of Slytherin, was he not?

An Heir of Slytherin. Not the Heir. I'm not about to start killing muggleborns. It just means I'm a relative of Salazar Slytherin. Nothing to bad about that.

He had long decided to keep all his heirships under wraps, even the Potter one. He wasn't interested in receiving any more attention, and he was really sick of the whole Slytherin nonsense from his second year. Even though most people had realized he couldn't have been petrifying people, that didn't stop them from mocking him.

Even during the last few months of last year he had been bullied about it. Nobody had said anything yet this year, but considering they had been back for a grand total of one hour, that wasn't saying much.

The rest of the feast went rather well, with Hermione even going back to eating her food, although she did eat a lot less than she could have. Seamus, Dean, and Ron had all begun talking to other students about the Veela that had been at the World Cup. They all spoke with a strange dreamy tone throughout their discussion, clearly lost within the confines of their imagination.

Hermione, thankfully, was paying no attention to the rest of the table. Harry was quite certain that if she had, they would all be getting an hour long lecture on how immature and inappropriate they were acting, and how they should be setting an example for the first years.

But when it's about Lockhart, it's totally understandable. Not with Veela though, not at all.

Eventually the remnants and crumbs of the many dessert plates vanished, Dumbledore standing up as they did so. The Great Hall fell silent, all students looking towards their headmaster (except for Ron, who was now glaring at his empty plate with undisguised loathing).

"Now that our stomachs and mouths have both quieted down, I have a few start-of-term announcements to make!" Dumbledore paused, checking to make sure he had everyone's attention before carrying on, "First, Mr. Filch has asked me to inform you that the list of forbidden objects has been increased to 437 items. If there is anyone who wishes to see it, the list is posted outside of Mr. Filch's office.

"As per usual, I must remind you all that the Forbidden Forest was given its name for a reason, and that Hogsmeade is only to be allowed for those in their third years or above, and only with the express permission of a parent or guardian.

"After the events of the previous year, the Wizengamot has agreed to remove Hogwarts from the watch of Dementors." The hall was filled with cheers at that statement; nobody had like the dementors, many having greatly feared having their soul sucked out.

Harry had feared the potential loss of his soul as well, but he was even more afraid of the effects of a dementor. Whenever he was around one, he heard the sounds of his dying father, the pleading of his mother, and the death that ensued. It was for that reason that the dementors had been his boggart form, regardless of whatever anyone else had said.

Harry wondered what his boggart would be now. He was no longer afraid of dementors, now having a way to defend himself from them. It would be rather interesting to see, although if he did manage to run into one again, he dearly hoped it wouldn't be in a room full of his classmates.

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