14 Chapter 12

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, YOUNG MAN?"

Harry recognised the voice immediately. Sitting at the staff table was a clean and sharp-dressed Sirius Black, his hair shorter and his beard neatly trimmed. Seated next him was Remus Lupin, who was also looking quite sharp, especially when compared to the tattered robes he had worn during his year as their DADA professor.

The silence in the Great Hall was deafening. Having seen a memory of him just hours before, Daphne easily recognised the man who shouted as Sirius Black, who had just risen from his seat.

"I guess you're a free man, then?" asked Harry, looking at the man in surprise. "That was unusually fast."

"Obviously. Given the evidence supplied by your parents' will, the DMLE and the Ministry had no choice but to declare me an innocent man," Sirius replied jovially, oblivious to the perturbed look Dumbledore was giving him.

"I've been a free man since nine o'clock yesterday evening, but don't try changing the subject. Where have you been? Imagine my disappointment when I arrived at Hogwarts around noon, intending to give you the good news in person, but you were nowhere to be found? On top of that, a young lady who you've been spending time with lately was also missing," Sirius said, a hint of amusement beneath his concern.

"So, tell us, where exactly have you been all day?"

Harry just glared at the man. He was incensed that his godfather thought it was a good idea to confront him like this, and in front of the entire school, no less. He clearly hadn't listened to a thing Harry had told him. However, it wouldn't do to settle things here in front of everyone, so he hid the bulk of his anger behind his mask for the time being.

"You intended to give me the good news around noon today, four hours after the paper normally gets delivered?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. Sirius looked slightly embarrassed. A guilty expression passed across his face, and Lupin looked like he was trying to hold back laughter.

"You got drunk celebrating last night, didn't you? And you were too hungover this morning to actually get your ass out of bed on time," Harry accused.

Sirius actually blushed, and nervous laughter sprang up around the hall.

"Don't try to change the subject," Sirius attempted, and Harry actually shook his head.

"Glad to see you still have your priorities straight," Harry replied in a cold, sarcastic tone that made the hall fall silent, even if they didn't understand his meaning.

Sirius was stunned. The only other instance Harry could be referring to was that night, when he prioritised going after the rat above taking care of Harry. He may have gotten a little carried away last night, but this was a completely different situation. Wasn't it?

"Now, if you're done, I'm going to have dinner with my friends. If you still want to talk to me, we can do it afterwards," Harry said in the same tone, glaring at Sirius.

"For now, though, I'm fine, as you can see. I am happy you're free, even if you couldn't be bothered to send me a message, like you promised. You do remember me asking you to call for Dobby if you needed to reach me, don't you? If not, then I assume you do still remember how owls work?" Harry asked sarcastically, struggling to hold on to his temper. Daphne grabbed Harry by the arm and squeezed it, attempting to calm him. Fortunately, it worked, and some of the tension left Harry.

Sirius silently sat back down in his chair. He definitely wasn't feeling as happy or as proud as he had moments before, and now he was trying to figure out what he'd said that could have angered his godson so much.

When it became obvious that neither Sirius nor Dumbledore were planning to do anything about the situation, McGonagall decided to step in. "Mr. Potter, this behaviour will not be tolerated. I demand to know where you and Ms. Greengrass have been for the whole day!" she said sternly, rising from her seat.

Daphne surprised Harry by taking the lead. "We had an early breakfast right here in the Great Hall, as anyone else who was here could confirm. We went to have a walk by the lake, and when we tired of that we went to the Chamber to work on spells and practice our dancing for the ball. We were there for most of the afternoon, and then we decided to go for another walk by the lake until it was time to join our friends for dinner," she summarised. Harry just smirked and extended his hand to Daphne, escorting her to her seat next to Tracey.

"Ms. Greengrass!" Snape admonished, but he refrained from taking points.

"The Chamber?" asked McGonagall, paling slightly.

"Where else would we be able to train in peace?" Harry asked innocently, noticing the tight looks of apprehension on Dumbledore's and McGonagall's faces. Daphne noted that Black seemed to have recovered from Harry's scolding and was currently mumbling something to Lupin, who looked like he was holding back nervous laughter. Snape remained in his chair with his arms crossed, looking surly as usual, but he didn't seem interested in involving himself further.

"If you really must know, I can assure you there was no unbecoming behaviour," Harry said coolly, and Daphne realised that most of the dorks were still glaring at them. That prompted her to take a look around the room and gauge the reactions of the various groups to their arrival. Neither of them had considered that their being occupied for most of the day would be considered noteworthy, but if the last five minutes were any indication, they had been the talk of the castle that afternoon.

The duffers were showing some signs of hostility, but nothing concerning. As usual, the 'claws were mostly indifferent to any school drama, and the same could be said for most of the Beauxbatons contingent. The French champion, however, seemed amused by the whole affair and was watching them closely. The Durmstrang students were stoic as ever, although Viktor Krum seemed to be looking sympathetically at Harry.

"What's going on?" asked Harry, catching on that they seemed to be missing something.

"Oh, nothing at all," Tracey replied, with a mischievous grin that made both of them anxious.

Daphne caught sight of her sister, who was holding up that morning's edition of the Daily Prophet and waving it in the air. Daphne waved her wand, and with a startled yelp from Astoria, the paper flew from her younger sister's hand into hers.

"Oh, come on, how is that front page material?" Harry complained, as soon as he saw the headline.

——————————

Potter and Greengrass Romance

by Rita Skeeter

——————————

What followed was a detailed account of their date in Hogsmeade, including the fact that they never let go of each other's hands and their confrontation with the six dorks. It even went into detail depicting the Slytherins' support against Harry's former friends, and then finished with their departure for their picnic, thanks to a "very strange creature that called itself Harry Potter's house-elf."

Harry thought it was interesting that there was no mention of Harry's story about the Chamber of Secrets, or Weaselette's involvement. He wondered why. Did someone intentionally prevent that story from getting out, or did the bint just decide it wasn't as interesting as gossip about the love lives of teenagers?

"Nothing? Really, Tracey?" Daphne asked sarcastically, narrowing her eyes at her friend, who was still grinning.

"Well, there may be one or two things in there, but nothing really worth mentioning," replied the now openly laughing Tracey. "So, how does it feel to be on the front page of the Prophet?"

Daphne ignored her friend's laughter and took a closer look at the pictures. She had to admit, she would have really liked the pictures if they weren't out there for all of Wizarding Britain to see. The images perfectly depicted their closeness, how happy they seemed together, and even caught some of the charged looks between them.

"We're lucky Skeeter didn't get a picture of our first kiss," Daphne thought. Who knew what that harpy would've said about that? The thought made a small smile appear on Daphne's lips.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS, YOU FILTHY TRAITOR?! WASN'T BETRAYING OUR HOUSE ENOUGH?" shouted an obnoxious voice from the Gryffindor table. Everyone except Harry turned to look at the fuming Ron Weasley, who was sitting next his crying sister. Granger was nodding furiously from his other side, making her thoughts on the matter known.

Harry paid them no mind. Instead, he focused on levitating a piece of steak and some vegetables onto his plate.

"What would you like? Besides a frame for that picture?" he asked Daphne, who just rolled his eyes at him, not hiding her smile.

"Chicken," she replied, and he levitated some chicken to her plate. "Do you know anything about this?" she asked Harry.

"DON'T YOU IGNORE ME, YOU SLIMY, ATTENTION-SEEKING SNAKE!" Weasel shouted again, but Harry continued to disregard him.

"Yeah, I forgot the bint was after my blood. I'm sorry to drag you into this," Harry replied. Daphne was following his lead and ignoring the Gryffindors, which seemed to annoy them even more. Most of the lions were fuming, either at the two at them or at the Weasel, who was causing a commotion and didn't seem like he would shut up anytime soon.

"What do you intend to do about it?" asked Daphne.

"Apart from completely destroying her?" he asked, then shrugged and turned to her. "Any thoughts?"

"I'll think of something," she replied, and he chuckled. She loved knowing her opinion mattered to him.

"POTTER, YOU BASTARD!" bellowed the Weasel again.

"For Merlin's sake, Professor, isn't there a rule against disturbing dinner by being a bloody obnoxious loudmouth?" pleaded Harry, turning to Snape with a raised eyebrow.

"Mr. Potter!" admonished McGonagall. "Mind your language!"

"Me? What about him?" asked Harry, pointing at Weasel and repressing the urge let the Scot know exactly how he felt about her obvious bias.

"Mr. Potter is right, twenty points from Gryffindor for disturbing dinner in front of...guests," Snape replied, pronouncing the last word with distaste, glancing towards Black and Lupin. Sirius and Remus were too shocked at seeing the man actually taking Harry's side to be offended.

"WHAT? HOW IS THAT FAIR, YOU LOUSY, GREASY, SNAKE LOVER?" Weasley shouted again, probably believing he had come up with clever comeback. Professor Snape just sneered at the redhead.

"Twenty-Five points from Gryffindor for insulting a teacher, and one week's detention with Mr. Filch as soon as the next term starts."

"WHAT?" he yelled, before one of his brothers had the good sense to hit him with a Silencing Charm, though everyone could still see him silently ranting.

"Do try to keep your students in line, Minerva. Their display of Gryffindor idiocy in front of the other schools gives Hogwarts a bad name," drawled Snape. McGonagall was so incensed at Snape's accusation that she was having trouble forming an articulate response, so while she was still spluttering, Harry spoke up.

"At least one professor takes his job seriously."

The hall became so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop. Many fantastic and bewildering feats had taken place within the hallowed walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but Harry Potter complimenting Severus Snape was perhaps the most incomprehensible of them all. The man in question looked as if he had been Confunded, and seemed unable to do more than gape at Harry, who had gone back to eating his dinner as if nothing happened. A moment later, a couple of Slytherins broke the silence and started laughing, and soon the rest of the house joined in, along with the Durmstrang students, who shared a table with the snakes and were aware of the hate bond between Potter and Snape.

"Mr. Potter, twenty points from Slytherin for insulting the staff," McGonagall announced, snapping out of her stupor.

"Figures," he whispered, rolling his eyes.

"Behave," Daphne scolded, her small grin betraying her real feelings on the matter.

"Yes, dear," he replied, making their friends burst out laughing again.

"Tell us, Harry, did you know that you received a Howler?" Tracey asked with a huge smile.

"Let me guess, the mother Weasel?" he asked, and Tracey nodded.

"This very morning," added Blaise, with a grin. "Since you weren't around to open it, the Howler exploded and shouted its contents to the entire Great Hall."

"How could you, Harry?" asked Millie in a high-pitched imitation of Molly Weasley, trying to control her laughter. "How could you start dating a snake and break hers and poor Ginny's heart? You should be with a proper girl from a proper Light family, like her sweet daughter."

Harry sighed, attempting to tamp down the urge to do something nasty, like fading into the Burrow and start throwing around lethal curses.

"That woman has to be mad," he said bluntly, shaking his head. He noticed Daphne's hand trembling, so he reached over and squeezed it gently, prompting her to look at him.

"Do you want me to deal with it?" he asked. "Or would you rather do something about it yourself?"

Daphne waved him off with a shake of her head, then scooted over and rested her head on Harry's shoulder.

She started thinking about the Weasel tramp, and how in Harry's past, the girl had apparently played a part in her death. Would she try something like that again? She dismissed the thought as soon as it had come. There was no way Harry would ever let something like that happen. Even though they'd only been officially together for a day, Daphne felt safe with Harry and knew he would do anything to protect her. It felt like they'd been together for much longer than they actually had, but she supposed that experiencing his memories of their relationship contributed to that.

If the little redheaded bitch had a problem with their relationship, well, that was too bad. If she or her harpy of a mother dared to try and come between her and Harry, she would teach them a lesson they would never forget. Daphne had seen what she could become if she stayed by Harry's side, and she wasn't going to give that up without a fight. The fact that she was falling hard for him too just made it all the sweeter.

That said, maybe letting Harry handle things before it even came to that point wouldn't be terrible idea. An ounce of prevention, as they say.

"What could you actually do?" she asked, still leaning against him.

"For now, I can put you officially under the protection of my house," he suggested. "Later on, we can completely destroy them, with extreme prejudice if necessary." He whispered the last part in her ear, making sure no one else could hear him.

Daphne inhaled sharply, as Harry's whispered promise sent an excited shiver up her spine.

"Okay," she agreed quietly, and he turned and kissed the top of her head.

"Um, guys?" asked Theo, waving his hand in front of them, trying to get their attention. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine, Theo," replied Daphne, sitting back up and turning her attention back to her meal. "What else did we miss?"

"You mean aside from Lord Black showing up around lunchtime looking for Harry, and the commotion you two caused when nobody could find you?" Theo replied dryly. "Just the staff and all the prefects scouring the entire castle trying to find a trace of either of you. Unsuccessfully, I might add."

"We were fine by ourselves," Harry replied, which made Tracey giggle.

"So, what did you two do, all by yourselves, alone for the entire day?" she asked, wagging her eyebrows. Suddenly, everyone around them became very interested in hearing their story.

"I already told you what we did," Daphne replied shortly. "Besides, what I do with my boyfriend is our business and no one else's."

"Fine, don't tell. Maybe we can just wait for Rita Skeeter to get another scoop," Pansy snarked, making Daphne quickly turn to Harry.

"Could she find a way to..." she started, but Harry interrupted her with a shake of his head.

"No, Dobby would've noticed," he asserted, and at that instant Dobby appeared next to them.

"Indeed I would, Master, Mistress. I can assure you that no one could breach the Chamber without my knowing."

Daphne actually sighed in relief.

"Were you aware they were searching for us?" Harry asked the elf, who shrugged.

"You told me not to disturb you, just to be ready at any time. I was in the Chamber the entire time you were. If anyone had cared to summon me, I would have responded, and the house-elves could have reached me at any time. It's not my fault nobody decided to try it."

"I swear, sometimes you're just too damn literal," Harry smirked, "but you're right." Dobby nodded and popped away.

"Hmm, secrets already? And what exactly do you have to hide?" asked Tracey, with a wicked glint in her eyes, making Daphne roll hers.

Tracey never got an answer, because at that moment, a visitor arrived at their table.

"Pardon moi, Monsieur Potter, Mademoiselle Greengrass, but could I 'ave a moment?" asked the heavily accented voice of Fleur Delacour, the surprised group turning to look at her. Daphne didn't seem pleased to see the French champion and glared back at her, but Harry seemed more curious than anything.

"What can we do for you, Ms. Delacour?" asked Harry. He realised that Fleur was suppressing her allure, which surprised him, so he decided to be civil and find out what it was she wanted.

"I just wished to apologise for what 'appened zis morning. It is true zat Veela seek strong mates, but I 'ad no intension of stepping between you two. I was told Monsieur Potter was single, but I know now zat was not true."

Harry definitely wasn't expecting that, and judging by their friends' dumfounded stares, he wasn't alone.

"Do you really mean that?" asked Daphne, still glaring up at the girl with narrowed eyes.

"Oui, I do. Unlike what some people zink, Veela do not steal men from uzzer women. For us, a bond is most precious," the French girl replied, and Daphne found herself relaxing. She didn't even realise she had become tense. Then she remembered that Harry had implied that she and Fleur had actually been close at one point, in his previous timeline.

"That's good. Just remember that and there should be no problems between us," she replied, and Fleur smiled at her. The other girls looked at her if she was either crazy or brave, but she ignored them.

"I couldn't help but notice that your allure isn't showing."

"Oui, I believed zat I should attempt to keep my allure in check, in order to show my good intentions."

"Thank you. Would you like to join us for the remainder of the dinner?" the younger blonde asked, and Harry grinned, amused by the way Daphne had taken charge of the situation.

Fleur was positively shocked.

"Are you sure?" she asked sceptically, and Daphne nodded.

"Why not?" asked Daphne, intertwining her fingers with Harry's. "This tournament is supposed to help strengthen the bonds of friendship between our schools and governments, isn't it? If I have no reason to be wary of you, then why couldn't we sit down and talk?"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Daphne Potter, diplomat extraordinaire," thought Harry, now grinning ear to ear.

"I would like zat, Mademoiselle Greengrass," she replied with a radiant smile, accepting Daphne's invitation and sitting with the fourth year Slytherins.

The interaction hadn't gone unnoticed, either by the students or the staff.

"What just happened?" asked a surprised Professor Sinistra, looking over at the Slytherins from her spot at the staff table.

"I don't know, but I think that ten points are owed to Slytherin for promoting inter-school friendships," replied Professor Babbling, sipping her tea and raising an eyebrow at the looks her co-workers were giving her. "What? Isn't that supposed to be the objective of this crazy tournament?"

"The girl is a Veela. Do you think she is trying to seduce Potter?" asked Professor Vector, and Professor Babbling shook her head.

"Mr. Potter barely talked. He allowed Ms. Greengrass to deal with the situation alone, and it was she who invited Ms. Delacour to sit with them. I didn't see anything that makes me suspect any kind of foul play from Ms. Delacour, though of course, I might be mistaken."

"Let us hope you're not, because I think Black is already making plans to help Potter get his own harem," Professor Sinistra replied flatly, rolling her eyes at the muffled voices of Sirius and Remus two places to her right. The three professors exchanged looks and chuckled silently.

Further down the table, Dumbledore was analysing the scene with hawk-like eyes, looking for any clue that might help him unravel the mystery behind Harry Potter's recent changes.

Harry and Daphne's sudden appearance at dinner and their interplay with the French champion had made them the main topic of conversation across the Great Hall.

There was little visible reaction from the other Slytherins, apart from a few pointed stares. There would undoubtedly be more to say when they were back in the safety of their common room. The Durmstrang students largely ignored the commotion, with the exception of Krum, who had been planning on inviting Harry for another sparring session.

After some consideration, he'd decided that striking up a potential friendship with Harry Potter would be advantageous. On top of that, they were both seekers, so they could perhaps play a friendly game or two. Viktor really missed being able to play Quidditch freely, without all the pressure that comes with being a professional.

The Beauxbatons delegation initially believed that Fleur was going to initiate another blatant attempt at seduction, and they were surprised to see Harry Potter's girlfriend invite her to join them. It wasn't that they disliked Fleur per se, but having all the boys constantly drooling over her didn't endear her to the other girls, even if it wasn't totally her fault.

Their hosts, the Ravenclaws, watched the proceedings with curiosity, but for the most part seemed indifferent. The main exceptions would be Cho Chang and her group of girls, who were huddled together making mean-spirited remarks about all three of them.

The Hufflepuffs were still feeling hostile towards Harry, but at this point it was more out of frustration than proper anger. When Diggory was selected as champion, the house had believed it was finally their year, but all that went out the window the moment Harry Potter's name came out of the cup.

They had all believed that Harry put his name in the Goblet of Fire, and as retribution they had relentlessly mocked and harassed him, to the point where he essentially disappeared from Hogwarts. Then Potter's performance at the first task turned out to be amazing, far better than their champion's, regardless of the scores given. That alone was enough to cause the 'puffs some embarrassment, but then he made the oath in the Great Hall, shaming both them and the Gryffindors by proving their harassment was unjustified.

Some of the Hufflepuffs had been humbled, but there were others that still insisted that Potter was nothing but an attention seeking prat. Cedric Diggory was not one of those people. He had engaged in some deep reflection after the task, and he felt ashamed by his behaviour over the past month. He wasn't sure how receptive the younger champion would be, but he was determined to make amends with Potter.

A large portion of Gryffindor house had come to believe that exiling Potter from their house had been a mistake. They had been caught up in the heat of the moment on Halloween, and in one fell swoop they had lost their star seeker, the notoriety of having the Boy-Who-Lived, and the privilege of having a Triwizard champion represent their house. It turned out that Potter hadn't even cheated, but even if he had, was that really egregious enough to warrant outright banishment?

The truth was that Potter's exile probably wouldn't have happened if it weren't for his best friends whipping the house into a frenzy that night. If those two were so convinced of his guilt that they would fiercely advocate for his banishment, then they must've known something they didn't - or so they thought.

Ron Weasley was the only one who still foolishly believed Potter was a cheater, even after the magical oath. Granger still maintained that Potter was being controlled by spells or love potions, not that anybody listened to her, aside from Ginny Weasley. Granger had been briefly humbled by the embarrassment of her failed house-elf crusade, but that didn't last long. Instead, she seemed to have doubled down, becoming even more obnoxious and vocal both inside and outside the house.

Mistake or no, one thing that was clear was that Potter wasn't coming back. He spurned their apologies and turned his back on the house. Regardless of how it came about, Harry Potter could not be forgiven for joining the house of their bitter rivals.

~BREAK~

At the conclusion of dinner, Sirius and Remus dragged Harry off for a talk. Dumbledore attempted to join in, but was rebuffed by Sirius, stating that it was a family matter. Dumbledore was forced to acquiesce and gave them their privacy, reminding Harry of his detention with him at nine o'clock.

Once the three were finally alone in an empty classroom, Harry's eyes shot to the two adults before they could even speak.

"What the hell was your plan? I thought we'd agreed that you would send me a message as soon as you knew anything?" Harry hissed, making Sirius flinch slightly.

"Whoa, calm down there, pup..." Sirius attempted, only to be interrupted by Harry again.

"Don't even bother. To be honest, I don't even care about you getting drunk celebrating. Hell, I'm happy for you, and I hope you had fun. It's not as if you were going to come to Hogwarts and tell me after curfew," Harry continued with a shrug.

"You could have sent a fucking message, though," he added, resuming his glare.

"And what were you thinking, spilling the beans about my parents' will to the whole bloody school like that? Dumbledore's clever enough to realise that means I've claimed my lordship. From there, it won't be long until it's public knowledge, and I wanted to keep it a secret a while longer. That's why I asked the DMLE not to divulge the existence of the will in the first place," Harry fumed, now pacing back and forth around the room.

"You just singlehandedly destroyed a couple of my plans. Now there will be even more attention on me, and I've lost a key advantage. Do you have any idea how much trouble this will cause me? The only way I'm willing to forgive you is if you tell me right now that you got piss drunk last night and woke up with twins in your bed."

Sirius and Remus looked at each other, then back at Harry with their mouths wide open.

"You know what? I take it back, please don't tell me that. I don't want to imagine you naked," he said, gagging in disgust.

Sirius looked at his godson in surprise.

"Did...did you just prank me?"

"I think he did prank us," replied Remus, slightly in awe.

"Sort of," replied Harry. "But I really am annoyed with you. Why wasn't there an announcement about your exoneration in the Prophet?"

"There was, on the third page," informed Remus.

Harry sighed, mumbling, "Bloody rag. How is it that the love lives of teenagers are more important than the exoneration of a wrongly imprisoned lord of an ancient house?"

"That reminds me, did you claim your lordship yet?"

"Not really, I..."

"Didn't have the time?" scowled Harry, making Sirius feel guilty again. "Honestly Moony, you're supposed to be the responsible one. Couldn't you have reminded him?"

Remus mumbled something under his breath but didn't bother arguing.

Harry crossed his arms and looked to his godfather. "What about me? I know I'm a lord in my own right, but I'm still a teenager. Will I finally have a home with my godfather and uncle and get to live the life that was denied me for thirteen years, or do I still have to go it alone?"

"Whoa, now hold on just a minute, kid," said Sirius, recovering from his embarrassment. "You're my godson, and you being a lord doesn't change that. I'm supposed to be your guardian, and I plan on fulfilling that role, whether you want it or not."

"At least that's something," Harry replied. "Don't expect me to call you father, though," he added with a smirk.

"Was that a joke?" Remus asked with a grin.

"That one was," he replied, and Remus laughed and clapped once.

"Can you just imagine someone calling Sirius Black father!" he howled, and as embarrassed as he was, even Sirius had to grin.

"I don't want you to call me that, kid – ever. I don't think I'm ready for that," Sirius replied, ignoring Remus, who laughingly retorted, "Will you ever be?"

"That's good," sighed Harry, deciding to put on the 'hurt kid' act. "I'm sorry, it's just that after everything we talked about, I didn't like knowing you decided to ignore what I asked of you. I haven't been able to count on many people in my life, and I was hoping you'd be different."

"I'm sorry, kid," Sirius apologised, hugging his godson. "I think I understand, and I'm sorry, Harry, I really am. I didn't mean for it to happen this way, but...I'm sorry."

Harry could hear the raw emotion in Sirius's voice, not to mention the way his face sank when Harry laid the guilt trip on him. The old dog actually felt bad about it; was he being too hard on him?

"Damn, now I feel bad," Harry thought to himself, and returned his godfather's hug.

"Let's try to work it out, ok?" asked Sirius, and Harry nodded.

"So, that lovely young girl..."

"My girlfriend, Daphne Greengrass, who you may have read about in the Prophet," replied Harry, making Sirius and Remus chuckle.

"Harry, let us be serious for a moment..." started Remus, who almost immediately regretted his choice of words.

"Can't I just be me instead of him?" asked Harry, pointing to his godfather. Sirius almost squealed in delight, pulling Harry back into another hug. Remus even chuckled, after the initial shock wore off.

"There is hope for Prongslet, Moony!" laughed Sirius, and Remus shook his head.

"That's an awfully bad joke, Harry, and please don't encourage him," said Remus, attempting to hold back his grin. "Sirius, focus, will you? As I was saying, did anything happen between the two of you that shouldn't have?"

Harry sighed, feeling slightly disturbed by their sudden interest.

"No unbecoming behaviour took place, Uncle," replied Harry. "That means no sex or anything physical, beyond kissing. We've only been dating for a day, for Merlin's sake, not to mention the fact that we're only fourteen. We're too young to get up to more than that."

"Oh, thank Merlin," sighed Sirius, relaxing immediately. "Lily would kill us if you were."

"What?" asked Harry, but Sirius ignored him.

"Listen, Harry, I'm going to be very serious, and no, that isn't meant to be a bad pun. I want…no, I DEMAND you be responsible and respectful to any young ladies," Sirius ordered, with a rare no-nonsense expression. "You're young, and you'll have plenty of time to fool around, but no matter who you fool around with, you WILL be respectful, understood?"

"Of course," Harry assured him, wanting to leave Sirius with no doubts.

"Now, unless someone already gave you the talk, I think we need to meet again soon, say Wednesday afternoon?" Sirius proposed while looking at Remus, who nodded in approval.

Harry paled. For a Dark Lord who fought in three wars, killed hundreds of people, and had seen and done many terrible things, he was still absolutely horrified by the idea of being given 'The Talk' from those two characters a second time.

"As entertaining as this has been, it's almost nine o'clock, and Harry's supposed to be meeting with the headmaster," Remus mentioned.

"What did you do that got you a detention with the headmaster, of all people?" Sirius asked.

"I performed some accidental magic and apparated myself and Daphne from the Great Hall into the Chamber of Secrets. I guess the old man wants to find out more about that," Harry said, amused by the looks on their faces.

"You accidentally...Merlin!" exclaimed Remus, and Harry smirked.

"How?" asked Sirius.

"I don't know, it just happened," Harry lied. There wasn't time for further explanation anyway, so those two had no choice but accept the answer they got.

The three left the room and were en route to the headmaster's office, when they crossed paths with a wide-eyed Gryffindor first year, who was looking nervously at Harry.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, but can I have a moment of your time?" the firstie asked, taking the others by surprise.

Harry schooled his features and looked down at the boy. He was an average sized first year, thin, with medium-length brown hair. He was clearly frightened, but what intrigued Harry was his look of determination, and the fact that he didn't shy away from making eye contact.

"What do you want, firstie?" Harry asked coldly, making the boy flinch and drop his gaze. Harry was somewhat disappointed by the meek reaction, and it diminished some of his interest, but on the other hand, there was something about the boy that seemed familiar, he just couldn't place it.

"Mr. Potter, sir, I-I'm not here in the name of anyone else but me, sir... It was actually luck that I found you, sir, I was coming from the library..." the boy babbled. Sirius and Remus exchanged looks, and Harry just crossed his arms and looked down on the boy with an amused smirk.

"Get to the point, firstie," ordered Harry, and the boy actually gulped.

"I... I wanted to apologise for believing you put your name in the cup. I was afraid, and I went along with what the older years were saying, instead of making up my own mind. It's not a good excuse, of course, but I wanted you to know," the boy said. "I'm a muggleborn and I didn't know much about this world, but that's not really an excuse either. I should've known better."

"Why did you decide to come to me?" Harry asked hesitantly, still trying to figure out what was so familiar about him.

"And why did you choose today to approach me? Is it because you feel safer without any other Slytherins around, or is it because I'm with two adults so you think I won't curse you?"

"I don't really care about that," the boy admitted, finding some courage within himself and looking Harry in the eyes. "I really think Gryffindor has no excuse for turning their backs on one of their own. I think you did the right thing by not forgiving the house, even if it meant joining the snakes."

"Then what is it you really want, firstie?" asked Harry, recognising something in the boy's posture.

"Nothing. I just wanted to apologise for my mistakes," the boy replied, looking at Harry. "I don't want your forgiveness - I don't think I deserve it."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Then why did you insist on apologizing?" he asked, and the kid's reply shocked him to the core.

"I don't want to be a mudblood," the boy confessed. "I like this world, and I know that if I want to be respected, I have to give respect first. According to what I've read, Gryffindor's behaviour fits the description of a mudblood, a person without honour and no respect for wizarding culture."

"So, you know what 'mudblood' truly means, then?" asked a surprised Harry. "In that case, what are your thoughts on Granger?"

"Based on everything I've read, she's a mudblood, alright," the boy replied meekly, and Harry grinned.

"Well, you have guts kid, I'll grant you that," he said, his face returning to a neutral expression. "You're right, though. My former house turned their backs on me, accusing me of being a cheat without even giving me a chance to defend myself. You probably remember McGonagall's speech from your first night, about our house being our family. Do you think you acted as family should?"

"No, sir," the boy replied, looking down again. Harry looked at the boy.

"What's your name?"

"Jason Hallys, sir," the boy said, still looking down. Had he been looking at Harry, he would have seen his eyes widen in recognition. Remus and Sirius didn't notice, as they were still standing behind Harry.

DAMN IT, Astoria, it was a simple question!

Harry aged the boy in his mind, and that left him with no doubt. Now that he knew his name, Harry was finally able to recognise the boy as an eleven-year-old version of his one-time good friend and comrade in arms.

"You're a brave kid, Jason," Harry said, steeling himself again. "I can't forgive Gryffindor, and I really don't think I ever will."

The boy nodded, and then, much to Jason's surprise, Harry put a hand on his shoulder.

"You're the first to apologise and actually mean it. I don't really count what happened the day after the task as an apology," Harry revealed with a small smile. "Don't say a word about this to anyone, because I won't accept any more apologies. And don't worry about it from now on, just don't be a mudblood."

With a smile, Harry removed his hand from Jason's shoulder and took a step back. "Shouldn't you be packing for tomorrow, though?"

"It's all done. I just went to return some books to the library," the boy replied hesitantly, and Harry nodded.

"Then get back to the tower before anyone catches you," he directed, and the boy nodded his agreement.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter."

"Don't mention it kid. I mean it, don't mention it; people will think I went soft," Harry requested, and the boy went off in the opposite direction, after a polite nod to Sirius and Remus.

"That was nice of you," Remus said approvingly, as the boy disappeared around a corner.

"Nice kid," commented Sirius, looking at Harry. "You did the right thing, even if you scared the crap out of him in the beginning," he said, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Yeah, I hope so," Harry replied, taking note of the portraits on the walls and realising Dumbledore would know what had happened in a matter of minutes.

"I'll need Daphne's help for this one," Harry thought, and resumed his trek to the headmaster's office, head bowed in thought.

While Hallys was as close a friend as any of the others, Harry didn't know much about Jason's Hogwarts years. All he knew was that he was a Gryffindor, a few years behind him, and had fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, even though he was supposed to evacuate with the other underage students. He grew up to be an Auror in Theo's unit, but he was almost killed on an ugly mission and was reassigned to a temporary post at Azkaban. His death in the Witching Wars was a terrible blow for all of them, especially his girlfriend.

"Not this time, brother," Harry swore to himself, lifting his head.

"What were you thinking about?" asked Remus, and Harry looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"You had this absent look about you, just like your mother used to when she was thinking about something important," he replied, and Sirius chuckled.

"The kid may look a lot like James, but I tell you, his personality is a lot closer to Lily's," Sirius remarked, which made Harry smile. He was compared to his father so often, it was nice to be told he was like his mum once in a while, aside from how he had her eyes.

"I was thinking about what the kid said," Harry lied. "I think he has potential to be a good wizard."

"At least his heart is in the right place. Plus, he seems to have a brain, unlike a lot of other people I could mention," mumbled Sirius, and Harry agreed. "I noticed how the Gryffindors were looking at you and your girlfriend. It looked like they're blaming you for everything that's been happening."

"Let them," Harry replied with a smug look. "It means nothing to me. Besides, what are they going to do? Mob me? Curse me in the back? They consider themselves too honourable for that, except maybe for Weasley, but he isn't a threat anyway.

"Don't be too cocky, Harry. There have been many powerful people throughout history that were only defeated by their own hubris," warned Remus, and Harry looked back over his shoulder and nodded to his uncle.

"True," Harry conceded, returning his attention to his front. "I just wanted you to know that I'm prepared for anything."

"Just be careful, pup," Sirius said with a pat on his shoulder, just as they reached the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office.

"Kit-Kat," Harry spoke, and the gargoyle slid out of the way. The three men walked up the stairs, and before Harry could even knock on the door, Dumbledore called to them from the other side.

"You can come in."

Sirius gave Remus a curious look, but he just shrugged in reply.

"Ah, Harry, Sirius, Remus, come in. I trust your conversation was fruitful?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, sure. I have a question for you, though," said Sirius, stepping forward. "Well, two questions, actually. First, how do you know when there are people at the door?"

Dumbledore smiled serenely.

"I'm assuming it's some kind of ward?" Harry suggested.

"Right you are, Harry. My apologies, Mr., or should I say, Lord Potter?" Dumbledore asked knowingly, seemingly amused by the exchange.

"Happy, Sirius?" Harry mumbled with a sigh. "Call me whatever you wish, headmaster, but I'm not particularly fond of the title."

"Ah, that's wonderful to hear. Humility will serve you well, Harry. I've always believed that self-confidence is very important, but without compassion and humility, it's just arrogance," Dumbledore replied sagely.

"I trust you will be receptive to your friends' and family's offers to help with your affairs, should you need it?"

"You don't offer your own assistance, headmaster?" inquired Harry, and Dumbledore chuckled.

"I wouldn't want to impose, Harry. Besides, I believe you and I have a pending conversation regarding your affairs, and the orders I have given to manage them?"

"No, we don't," Harry assured him. "You gave the orders under your authority as Chief Warlock, and the goblins followed them well. If anything, I should be thanking you."

"I merely tried to do my duty," replied Dumbledore, and Harry thought he saw a look of relief cross the elder wizard's face.

"What about you Sirius, do you plan on claiming your Black lordship?"

"You know, the pup has been quite insistent about that," responded Sirius, looking slightly exasperated. "I expect I'll do it tomorrow morning."

"I'll believe it when I see it," snarked Remus.

"Then you make him," urged Harry, looking sternly at the two adults, while Dumbledore chuckled at the display.

"What was the other question you intended to ask, Sirius?" the older man asked, and Sirius's demeanour changed at once.

"The behaviour of Gryffindor house towards my godson has been, in a word, abhorrent. What has Harry done to deserve it, and what is being done about it?"

Dumbledore sighed.

"While it is true that Gryffindor house has seemingly fallen under a cloud of bad luck these past few weeks, I have not seen any proof of Mr. Potter's involvement, nor anyone else's for that matter. That aside, Gryffindor's recent behaviour has been shameful, and I believe the root of it is Mr. Potter's re-sorting and refusal to forgive them."

"That's just too bad," scowled Harry.

"But forgiveness..." Dumbledore started, before being cut off by Harry.

"Is not a right. It can only be earned, and only by those who feel genuine remorse. My former house made me an outcast, and managed to successfully turn the entire school against me. All for something I never even did," he spat, starting to get irritated.

"Then, they had the audacity to ask my forgiveness, but only after they watched me defeat a dragon. They weren't sorry for how they treated me; they just wanted me back so they could leech off my success. Now you tell me, Headmaster, do they deserve forgiveness? Would you forgive them, if you were me?"

"I would," replied Dumbledore, and both Harry and Remus raised their eyebrows sceptically.

"Why?" Sirius huffed, putting voice to all of their thoughts.

"Because forgiveness prevents resentment. Resentment can fester over time and give rise to hate, which can only lead to the Dark," Dumbledore expressed, making Harry snort.

"I respect your opinion, Headmaster, but let them resent me if they want. I'm happier now than I ever was before, and I'm finally among people that respect me for who I am, and not because of my titles. Now, if you're done Yoda-ing me..."

"You are?" Sirius asked.

"Yodelling you?" asked Dumbledore, confused. "My dear boy, I must admit that I am unsure of what you mean."

"It's a muggle thing," Harry sighed in frustration. "Yoda is a character in muggle fiction that has views similar to what you just said. Just forget it, it's not important."

Harry noticed Remus's grin, and he figured he must've picked up on the reference.

"What did you ask me, Sirius?"

"If you're respected for who you are, and not your titles in Slytherin."

"Well, yeah sure, my titles may give me a head start over some others, but in the end, I still have to prove myself. I am judged as a member of the house, just like any other student," replied Harry.

"Huh, I always thought all snakes were power hungry and always ended up following the most influential one," Sirius said.

"Sometimes, the ones who seem to be the leaders aren't always the most influential, Sirius. Sometimes, the real leader is conducting from the shadows," replied Harry, and Dumbledore stiffened in his chair at the statement.

"The point is, most Slytherins didn't think highly of me before, but I won them over. Not because of who I am, but because of my character, and what I've proven I can do. Most of the house have at least come to respect me, which is all I want."

"Are you sure that's all, Harry?" Dumbledore asked questioningly, peering at him over his half-moon spectacles.

"I don't want followers, Headmaster, if that's what you mean," Harry replied icily.

"I want friends, Professor. I haven't had many in my life, and the ones I thought I had turned their backs on me. I need to be around people I can trust. Even when most Slytherins didn't like me, at least they were honest about it. Now that I'm one of them, I know that as long as I continue to be a credit to the house, my housemates will support me in whatever I do."

"If you say so, pup," Sirius replied thoughtfully. "Are you sure you're fine? I mean, I know I saw the snakes standing by your side, but..."

"I'm fine, Padfoot. Better than I have been in a very long time, to be honest," Harry replied, and it wasn't a lie. He truly was happy.

"If there's any trouble, you send me a message, got it?" Sirius demanded, and Harry nodded. "I mean it. You may be a lord, but I'm still your unofficial guardian, and it's my job to make sure you're fine."

"Fine, I will. And do claim your lordship," Harry insisted, and Sirius nodded. After saying their goodbyes, Sirius left through by floo, leaving Remus to follow behind him.

"Since Sirius forgot... Headmaster, we would like your permission to have a meeting with Harry outside of Hogwarts this following Wednesday," Remus said, and Harry almost dropped his mask and begged Dumbledore to deny the request. "Family business."

"If Mr. Potter is indeed now legally an adult, Remus, then I must, of course, acquiesce to your request. Not that I would deny you in the first place, considering the request pertains to family business," the older man replied.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Remus said with a bow. Turning to Harry, he grinned, "Don't forget, Harry, we'll be back on Wednesday. And really, Yoda-ing me?"

"You know Star Wars?" asked Harry, surprised.

"I lived in the muggle world for a time. Werewolf, remember?"

"However, now that you mention it... I do see some resemblance," Remus considered, looking at Dumbledore and stroking his chin. The older had no idea what the two were talking about, but assumed it was nothing concerning, based on how humorous Harry and Remus seemed to find the situation.

"See you, cub."

With a wave, Remus stepped into the floo, leaving Harry and Dumbledore alone in the office.

"So, I guess you wanted to talk?" asked Harry, his hands crossed behind his back.

"I do indeed, Mr. Potter, but first, I would like to offer you my congratulations on your emancipation."

"You don't think it was a mistake on my part?"

"I do admit that I believe it was a hasty decision, however, it is not my place to make that judgement. The decision is yours, and yours alone," replied the older man.

"Then why didn't you tell me about my position as heir?" asked Harry. He already knew Dumbledore's answers from his past life, but he was curious to hear if his change in circumstances would lead to a different answer.

"I didn't think it was necessary to encumber you with extra responsibilities before your OWL year, since you already had so much to do and learn. In fact, most heirs do not take an active role in their political affairs until after Hogwarts."

"What about protocol training or extra classes to compensate for my lack of upbringing in this world?" he asked, again already knowing the answer.

"I had intended to arrange for some tutors for you, but again, not until your NEWT years. I thought it best for you to enjoy the freedom of your childhood before heaping more responsibilities on you." Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a moment, and steepled his hands in front of him before continuing.

"Although, I did hope that your association with the Weasley family would assist you with your integration into the Wizarding World."

"I suppose it did, up to a point, but you forget that the Weasleys have a rather biased viewpoint," sighed Harry. "They have little experience in dealing with politics or noble houses, and for the most part, they have a less than favourable opinion of those who do."

"You should have brought me up on these matters in my first year, instead of keeping me in the dark and dumping me with the muggles. I should have at least been informed and given the opportunity to learn, even if we saved the finer details until I was older," criticised Harry.

"That being said, I do thank you for keeping my family's financial assets growing, and at least attempting to place me where I could be protected. The problem was that your attempt failed miserably. I didn't have a proper upbringing, and I was never safe, nor cared for in that house, though I suppose that doesn't matter anymore."

"Yes, it does," admitted Dumbledore, both his expression and his voice full of regret. "I knew you were safe from the Dark Lord's followers, but I admit I never even considered the possibility that your family would mistreat you. When you first arrived at Hogwarts, it was obvious that you didn't have the childhood that I'd imagined for you. I knew what I was sending you back to after your first year, but I'd hoped that the muggles would treat you better knowing that we were aware of them. I had the same hopes after your second year, and especially last year, after the re-emergence of your godfather. Alas, my hopes were not realised, and I... I just hope you can forgive me one day."

"I won't so soon," Harry replied coldly. "Like I said before, forgiveness is not a right. If you want forgiveness, you'll have to earn it."

"I will try, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore replied solemnly. "However, if you may indulge an old man's curiosity, if you believe that forgiveness must be earned, why did you so easily forgive young Mr. Hallys?"

"I knew it," Harry thought, sighing to himself.

"I wondered if you'd bring that up. I guess it's true that you have eyes all around the castle?" inquired Harry.

"The privileges of being the headmaster. The portraits around the castle all report to us, should we need them to," Dumbledore replied with a smile.

"He came to me on his own and genuinely apologised, that's it," replied Harry, intriguing the headmaster.

"He was the first Gryffindor to come to me and sincerely apologise for what happened. He's just a firstie, true, but he had the courage to approach me by himself, and the brains to realise why what they did was wrong," Harry shrugged. What else could he say? He couldn't exactly tell Dumbledore that he forgave the boy partially because of who he was.

"And it was as simple as that?" asked a surprised Dumbledore, and Harry nodded. "I must say, I found it refreshing that you were able to forgive him."

"I liked the kid. He seemed smart enough," replied Harry, and then they heard a chuckle from one of the shelves.

"Mr. Hallys very much reminded me of yourself, Lord Potter," revealed the Sorting Hat.

"You mean he should have been a Slytherin?" Harry asked, and the hat chuckled again.

"Not at all, Lord Potter. In fact, Mr. Hallys is a quintessential Gryffindor. Much like yourself, he is brave and headstrong, and dare I say, also quite stubborn at times. However, he has a much deeper sense of nobility, owing to having a much different childhood experience from yours. I was unsure about your placement in Gryffindor, but I am quite sure that Mr. Hallys was sorted correctly."

"If you say so," Harry replied. He wouldn't elaborate in front of Dumbledore, but he understood and completely agreed with the hat's conclusions.

"I'm glad to hear it," Dumbledore remarked, then gestured to a chair. "Please, Harry, sit down. I am sorry I hadn't offered before."

Harry nodded and took a seat across the desk from the headmaster.

"Where's Fawkes, by the way?" asked Harry, noticing the phoenix wasn't in his usual spot perched next to the desk.

"Stretching his wings, no doubt. For a phoenix, being cramped in this office all day must be quite boring." Harry found it curious but accepted the answer.

"Lemon drop?"

"No, thank you. So, what did you wish to talk about?" Harry asked, and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"First of all, I would like to ask you to refrain from disappearing from the grounds with company, at least without letting someone know in advance," Dumbledore chuckled, making Harry's eye twitch.

"To be fair, Headmaster, I never left the grounds. The Chamber of Secrets is technically located within the castle. We were safe and reachable, if anyone would've thought to contact Dobby."

"I do not doubt that, and I admit it was a lapse in judgement to not attempt to summon Dobby. However, I was sure that you and Ms. Greengrass were together and in no danger, which is why I didn't force a more thorough search."

"I appreciate that, Headmaster. I'll be sure to be more mindful in the future."

Dumbledore just smiled.

"I have no doubt you will. Now, I wished to speak with you about yesterday's performance in the Great Hall."

"I figured," Harry sighed. "What else do you want to know?"

"I'd say everything," Dumbledore replied. "Please, do explain for me exactly what happened."

Harry retold the story, being careful not to deviate from his previous explanation, while trying to avoid saying anything that would prompt Dumbledore to probe deeper. As much as he irked him, Harry did respect Dumbledore's ability to pick up on the smallest details. It would take only one mistake.

"So, you claim you were distressed because Ms. Greengrass was upset with you, and you wanted to explain yourself to her, is that correct?" Harry nodded. "Then, you simply wished for the two of you to be taken someplace safe to talk?" Harry nodded again, and Dumbledore peered over his glasses at Harry, then he sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"I'm sorry, but I have a hard time believing that is true."

"Are you accusing me of lying, Headmaster?" retorted Harry, with as much indignation as he could muster.

"Indeed, I am," Dumbledore replied authoritatively, although his eyes didn't lose their twinkle.

"That's what happened," insisted Harry, twitching his fingers imperceptibly and casting a wandless Compulsion Charm.

"Let's be honest with each other, Mr. Potter. Your story has some deep holes, and I believe you know it," Dumbledore replied after a few moments.

"Such as?" asked Harry, steeling himself.

"For one, I believe your actions were anything but accidental."

Harry focused on the headmaster and twitched his fingers again.

"I have watched my memory of the event several times, and I am positive, as are Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. Last night you performed two acts of impossible magic, and you did so knowingly and intentionally."

"A latent ability triggered by strong emotions, then?" Harry asked hopefully, hiding his growing sense of unease. Unless he was mistaken, his Compulsions were not working on the headmaster.

"What kind of inborn abilities do you know of, Mr. Potter, meaning abilities that cannot be learned, but instead you must be born with?" queried Dumbledore.

"Parseltongue," replied Harry.

"True," Dumbledore conceded. "What else?"

"One could be a Seer. Or a Metamorphmagus," Harry replied, remembering Tonks and her ever-changing hair.

"I don't understand why you're asking me this, Headmaster. Are we to believe that all possible magical abilities are well documented, and that it's impossible for previously unknown abilities to surface?"

"Not at all," Dumbledore replied with a smile. "However, since the time of Merlin, there have been no reports of any ability resembling what you did yesterday, which makes it seem altogether unlikely."

"Thereby convincing you it wasn't an ability?" asked Harry, shifting in his chair. What was happening? Why wasn't Dumbledore compelled to accept his explanation?

"No. I am convinced that it wasn't an accidental or unknown ability, as you put it," replied Dumbledore.

"I once apparated to the roof of my primary school when I was being chased, could this not be a similar occurrence?" Harry pressed, once again trying a Compulsion.

"Apparition is a fairly simple method of magical travel. Some agree that apparition is the easiest method, and many believe it is the only way possible."

"Really?" asked Harry. He was sure by now that his Compulsions weren't working, and he was scrambling to come up with another way to get out of the situation. What unsettled him the most was how relaxed Dumbledore seemed, even if there was a slight edge to his voice.

"This tells me that, somehow, you have either developed a new method of magical travel, or you have discovered a technique once lost to the aeons of time, neither of which should be possible for one such as yourself," Dumbledore concluded, the smile on his face barely concealing the steely expression behind it.

"What do you mean by that?" Harry scowled.

"I mean for a child, even one who has demonstrated phenomenal skill for their age," he replied.

"All gained through hard work over the past couple of years, and having access to the Chamber of Secrets."

"Oh, that much I believe, at least partially."

Harry stiffened. "What do you mean, sir?"

"You know, Mr. Potter, had it not been for your magical oath, I would find it difficult to believe that you're Harry Potter at all, such are the changes in you. And yet, I have come to believe that magical oaths can be cheated."

"I'm not sure I understand your meaning, sir," replied Harry, twitching his fingers once more, putting as much power behind the charm as he could.

"I believe you do..." Dumbledore responded, the smile dropping from his face.

"If I may, here's a hint from a more experienced wizard," he said casually, relaxing in his seat and fiddling with the sleeve of his robes.

"Compulsion Charms can be negated fairly easily, if one employs the proper precautions against them. I would think you'd have noticed, at least after the first three failed."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise, and he recovered just in time to see Dumbledore's gaze focused on him and the Elder Wand in his hand. The pressure he felt in his head indicated a full Legilimency assault, but it was an assault unlike any Harry had experienced before. Dumbledore was putting all of his considerable magical power into the attack, forcing Harry to respond by channelling all of his power into his Occlumency shields.

For several minutes, the two wizards stared at each other, locked in a silent battle of wills, until both of them started bleeding from the nose. Harry gritted his teeth, his face contorting into a silent snarl, while Dumbledore remained calm and impassive. Harry may have had slightly more magical power, but Dumbledore was a true master of the mind arts, and his superior skill made the difference. He knew that if they kept going as they were, he would lose.

Changing his strategy, Harry enveloped Dumbledore's mind probe with his magic and swiftly guided it through his own shields. Trapped, Dumbledore felt himself being dragged forward into a dark mindscape.

The minutes continued to tick by in the headmaster's office. The portraits looked on in silence, unsure of what was happening. The boy had been bleeding from his nose, and it seemed that he was starting to bleed from his ears and eyes, and Dumbledore didn't seem to be faring any better. Both of them were still breathing, but neither one of them blinked.

They both convulsed a couple of times, and then Harry finally broke free from the mental battle. He took a long, deep breath, and almost immediately started coughing up blood, while Dumbledore remained unresponsive in his chair.

"What is happening, boy?" one of the ancient paintings demanded, and Harry turned and noticed the many sets of eyes looking at him.

"Nothing," Harry replied, and another scoffed.

"Albus accused you of using Compulsion Charms on him, and you say it was nothing?" one former headmistress questioned.

"OBLIVIATE!" shouted Harry as his wand flared, careful to ensure his Memory Charm would catch all the portraits.

"The headmaster and I were talking about my performance in the Great Hall, and I admitted that I found the apparition spell in an ancient book in the Chamber of Secrets. I'd tried it a few times without success, and last night, I performed it twice under stress," Harry said, bending over the headmaster's desk, feeling sick and broken.

"Then, he decided to test my Occlumency. We went all out against each other, which was a mistake."

Harry coughed up blood again, and the portraits recovered from their glazed looks.

"Are you all right, child?" asked a headmistress.

"I can't believe Albus would be foolish enough to test a child's Occlumency like that," complained another.

"I'm alright, ma'am," replied Harry, and another white-haired headmaster scoffed.

"Clearly, you're not, boy. ELF!"

"Dobby," mumbled Harry, and his companion arrived at the same time as the Hogwarts elf. Dobby immediately leapt to Harry's side, while the other squeaked in alarm.

"What happened?" asked Dobby, but Harry shook his head, and Dobby understood that he couldn't speak of it yet.

"Summon Madam Pomfrey, elf," the same headmaster demanded, and the Hogwarts elf vanished again.

Within moments, the fireplace roared and Madam Pomfrey stepped through it. What she saw froze her in place. Dumbledore slumped in his chair unconscious, his eyes wide and bleeding, as were his ears and his nose. His mouth was hanging wide open, and there was a trickle of blood coming from one corner. Then there was Harry Potter, half bent over the desk and in a similar condition.

"What happened here?" she demanded, running to Harry as he coughed up blood again. Harry pointed at Dumbledore, but Pomfrey ignored him and started waving her wand to try and ascertain his condition.

"At Mr. Potter's request, Albus decided to test his Occlumency. It seems they both used their full power," one of the portraits informed her.

"ARE YOU INSANE?" Madam Pomfrey thundered, making Harry wince. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? You could have permanently fried your mind!"

"It was a mistake," Harry attempted, as the world around him started to become blurry.

"Of course, it was a mistake, a very foolish mistake that could have cost you...Harry!" she shouted, which was the last thing Harry heard before everything went dark.

~BREAK~

Harry's head was throbbing. His eyes were closed, he was laying back in what must've been a bed, and he could hear people talking around him. Their voices were familiar, but they sounded like they were coming from far away.

"What happened?" he whispered.

"HARRY!" shouted the unmistakable voice of Daphne Greengrass, and Harry felt her collapse onto him and wrap her arms tightly around him in a hug. Her scent roused him, and a smile formed on his lips as he started to come to.

"Am I dreaming?" he wondered, and he heard another voice scoff.

"Not at all, mate," replied Theo, sounding amused. Harry opened his eyes and realised he was back in the hospital wing, and that all of the other fourth year Slytherins were surrounding him, except for Malfoy.

"What happened?" asked Daphne, releasing Harry from her hug and looking down at him with a worried expression.

"I asked Dumbledore to test my Occlumency, and we overdid it a bit," Harry lied. Daphne's eye twitched at this, and he knew she'd be demanding the real story as soon as they were alone.

"How long was I out?"

"Four days," Tracey informed him, and pointed at a bed next to them. "The headmaster is still out."

"Damn," Harry groaned, trying to sit up only to be stopped by Daphne.

"Stay down, Harry. You've only just woken up, and you'll need to be examined by Madam Pomfrey before you do anything else. She'll probably have some potions for you to take too," she said resolutely, and Harry sighed, but still nodded his agreement.

"What was wrong with me? What about the old man?" he asked Daphne.

"Magical exhaustion and some minor nerve damage. Nothing too serious," she replied. "Dumbledore is the same, but his case is slightly worse than yours."

"Occlumency, you said?" asked Blaise. "Whatever you did was hard on the old man."

"Will he recover?" Harry asked, and Daphne nodded.

"Madam Pomfrey says there should be no lasting damage for either of you."

No sooner had she said it, than the woman in question re-entered the infirmary. "I thought I told you to call me if he woke up?" Madam Pomfrey asked sternly as she approached the group.

"He just woke up, ma'am," Blaise replied.

"Very well, you foolish boy, what happened?" she huffed, waving her wand over him. Harry proceeded to give her the same story about testing his Occlumency defences, using some Compulsions for good measure to make it more believable. He breathed easier once he realised his Compulsions were working this time.

"Well, you seem to be telling the truth. I'll have you know that the Gryffindors are out for your blood, accusing you of nearly killing the headmaster."

"What else is new?" Harry replied sarcastically, triggering a round of snickers from his friends, and even an amused smile from Daphne.

"Your uncles also came by. They were both very worried, and Dobby has been practically beside himself," Daphne told him.

"Ah, I missed 'The Talk' with them, didn't I?" he asked, and Daphne blushed while his friends looked at each other quizzically. Madam Pomfrey laughed.

"Now, Mr. Potter. I want you to get some more rest, and make sure you take the potions Ms. Greengrass will be giving you," the matron instructed, then turned to address the group. "The rest of you may stay a while longer, but I insist you let him rest."

"Yes, ma'am," they all chorused. Discovering that Madam Pomfrey had been a Slytherin made them all treat her with even more respect than before.

They stayed a while longer, filling Harry in on everything he'd missed over the past few days. The first and second years had already left for the holidays, along with most of the third years and anyone else who wasn't going to the ball. Harry was glad to hear that the other champions had all come by to check on him, surprisingly including Diggory.

Aside from that, it seemed that a grim mood had settled over the castle since their accident. Several Gryffindors had determined that Harry must have tried to kill Dumbledore, and they had been very vocal with their accusations. Harry didn't have to wonder which particular lion had been leading the charge on that one. There weren't many that believed the story, but the fact that the seemingly invincible headmaster had been confined to the hospital wing for days led to an uneasy feeling among both students and staff.

Eventually, Harry's friends said their good-byes and went on their way, leaving only Daphne behind, who was sitting next to the bed and holding Harry's hand. Once she believed they were safe from being overheard, she waved her wand and put up silencing wards around the bed.

"What really happened?" she asked him.

"Dumbledore didn't buy my story and was able to avoid my Compulsions. He seemed to be convinced I wasn't actually Harry Potter at all, but instead was some sort of imposter who managed to cheat the oath. That's when he blasted me with a full powered Legilimency attack."

Daphne's eyes widened.

"I resisted at first, but his probe was too strong. I ended up having to redirect him into my mindscape and confront him in the Chamber, with Bael's help," he sighed, head still throbbing. "Fortunately, I was able to beat him. I destroyed his memory of the event and implanted others, which should give him the impression that our meeting went well up until the 'accident'"

"You replaced his memories?"

"Yes. I locked his mind with a Parseltongue spell I picked up from Salazar's library, which should make sure the new memories settle. When he wakes, he should accept the memories without question, and won't even realise something is off."

Daphne just looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"It's better safe than sorry."

"I agree," she replied, and then slapped him on the shoulder.

"Ouch, what was that for?" he asked, only to have her throw herself into his arms.

"Don't do that again, you idiot," she mumbled, trembling slightly. He could tell she was crying, and it struck him how worried she must've been. He wrapped one of his arms around her and used the other to stroke her hair and her back.

"I'll try," he replied, and the two stayed like that for a moment.

"I was worried about you," she confessed, and adjusted herself so he could see her face.

"Thank you," he replied with a smile, and she sank back into his embrace.

"Dobby has been worried too. Maybe you should call him."

He called for the elf with a chuckle, and Dobby appeared next to the bed.

"What happened?" he demanded, agitated, but clearly happy his master was finally wake. Harry recapped everything for Dobby, making the elf shake his head."

"Will this be problematic?" he asked, and Harry sighed and rubbed his temples.

"I didn't want to kill the old man."

Daphne shifted uncomfortably in Harry's arms, but made no comment.

"If the memory implantation worked as it should, then he won't even suspect anything is amiss. We do, however, need to forge a book of spells with the instructions for Fading somewhere in the middle."

Dobby huffed.

"I'll see what I can do," he replied, snapping his fingers and conjuring a vial with a light blue potion inside. He handed the vial to Harry, who drank it gratefully.

"Thank you, Dobby," Harry said, and Dobby vanished.

"What about the paintings in Dumbledore's office?" Daphne asked sharply.

Harry reassured her that he had taken care of everything before he passed out, then he pulled his wand from its holster and pointed it at Dumbledore.

Daphne didn't notice what he was doing until she heard the hiss of Parseltongue.

"What are you doing?" Daphne demanded, sitting up from him. "You're supposed to be resting."

"Just waking up the old man," he replied.

Daphne huffed, then dropping the wards and walked over to the other bed to check on the headmaster.

Dumbledore started to stir, then opened his eyes, prompting Daphne to call for Madam Pomfrey.

"Ouch, my head hurts," the older man complained. "What happened?"

"Albus Dumbledore, you irresponsible man! What were you thinking, conducting a fully powered Legilimency attack on a child?" she shouted, making Dumbledore and the two children wince. The matron waved her wand over the older man and continued to scowl.

"Not so loud, my dear Poppy. Could you please repeat that? Things are a little hazy, and I'm not entirely sure what happened."

"What do you remember, you old fool?" asked Madam Pomfrey.

"I was in a meeting with Mr. Potter," he recalled, closing his eyes.

"We talked about many things, including his display in the Great Hall... I seem to recall him admitting to finding a somewhat dark book in the Chamber of Secrets, which included the spell he used to apparate in the Hall..."

"What else?" asked Pomfrey, glancing at Harry and seeing him turned on his side so he could watch the conversation from his bed.

Dumbledore turned to see what she was looking at, and caught sight of Daphne and Harry.

"Hello, Ms. Greengrass. I suspect you're here because you accepted Madam Pomfrey's offer to learn under her?"

Daphne blushed a little and nodded.

"Partially, sir," she replied, nodding towards Harry. "Whatever happened, you and Harry were admitted to the hospital wing four days ago."

"Four days?" asked the headmaster, surprised. "That is... most curious."

"Do you remember what else happened?" Madam Pomfrey pressed.

"I asked the headmaster if he test my Occlumency shields using his full power," Harry interjected, and Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey turned to him.

"You did? Why would I agree to that?" asked Dumbledore, trying to recall the details of what happened.

"Yes, I seem to remember something like that... I tried to withdraw when faced with Harry's protections, but I wasn't able to, and we somehow became locked into each other…"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow as a memory of the event surfaced.

"I remember seeing a pair of dazzling blue eyes attached to that giant basilisk in your mindscape. It seems I looked into them and lost consciousness, how fascinating…"

"You have a basilisk in your mind?" Madam Pomfrey asked Harry, gaping at the teen.

"It's part of my mental protections," Harry informed her.

"Then, shouldn't you have died?" Poppy asked, turning back to the headmaster, while Daphne raised an eyebrow at Harry.

"Well, gladly I didn't. It is rather remarkable, isn't it?"

Madam Pomfrey huffed, then took a potion from the cabinet and handed it to Dumbledore.

"Drink it and rest," she ordered.

"I feel fine, Poppy. I'm a little sore and my head hurts, but fine all the same," he protested.

"Drink the potion and rest," she repeated. I'll have an elf bring you two some dinner soon. Ms. Greengrass, please say your farewells and leave your boy to rest."

"Yes, Ma'am," she replied, and moved back to Harry's bedside.

"Be careful," she told him after a soft kiss. "I'll come back tomorrow, alright?"

"I'd rather you stay, but sure."

Daphne smiled, glad Harry was awake and seemingly no worse for wear, then left the hospital wing.

"Ah, young love. I've witnessed many examples in all my years in this castle, but it still never fails to bring a smile to my face."

Harry turned to Dumbledore, who was smiling at him. Slowly, the smile vanished and was replaced by a look of concern.

"Harry, I'm not sure what happened, but I want to apologise."

Harry hid his reaction, but allowed himself to relax. It appeared his attempt worked, and Dumbledore's mind had accepted the new memories.

"It's my fault as much as yours, if not more. I was the one who asked you to attack me with your full power."

"But why did I do it? It makes no sense," Dumbledore said, more to himself than to Harry. His brow was furrowed as he tried to recall the specifics of their exchange, but after a moment he just shook his head and looked back at Harry.

"What I meant, was that I'm sorry, Harry."

"It's fine, sir. I'm sorry too," Harry replied, and Dumbledore looked back up at the ceiling.

"Maybe we should rest now."

Harry nodded in agreement and returned to laying on his back, but in his mind, he was reliving the events that took place in the Chamber of his mindscape. After a brief conversation, their mental projections had engaged in a fierce duel. The headmaster had proven to be as powerful as his reputation suggested, if not more so, but also exhibited incredible skill and precision. It easily ranked among the toughest duels Harry had ever fought, and he was relieved that he'd won.

One thing was certain, Harry would do whatever it would take to fulfil his goals. He hoped this would be his last confrontation with Albus Dumbledore, but if they ever crossed wands again, he would be ready.

With help from Madam Pomfrey's potion, the headmaster fell back to sleep, dreaming of giant snakes with sapphire-blue eyes.