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SIYE Time:12:15 on 28th March 2024
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The Lost Year
By _kb_

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Category: Post-OotP, Alternate Universe
Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Ron Weasley
Genres: General
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 94
Summary: After the battle in the Department of Mysteries, Ginny seems different and more confident; she also inspires Harry to change. How did that happen? (gray H/G)
Hitcount: Story Total: 20095; Chapter Total: 1730
Awards: View Trophy Room






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Chapter 8

The next morning on the first day of classes, Ginny was pleased to be going down to the Great Hall not only with her friends, but her classmates as well. She slipped her hand into Harry’s and was pleased when he smiled at her and held on while he continued talking to Ron.

In the Great Hall, McGonagall came by and handed out timetables to each of them. She looked at Harry’s and they compared. They had Defense first today and Charms this afternoon. Transfiguration was tomorrow as was Care of Magical Creatures. They shared those four classes. Finally, she had Arithmancy while he had decided to continue Herbology.

“Why are you doing Herbology?” she asked him.

“I’d probably be taking Potions, but I really didn’t want to put up with Snape anymore,” he told her.

Ginny nodded. “I know. I stopped taking it for the same reason. Ron, are you taking potions?”

“No,” he managed around a mouthful of eggs.

“Is any sixth year taking Potions?” Ginny asked and looked around. Everyone shook their head except for one.

“I am,” Hermione said and looked around at all of the shaking heads. “I’m the only one?”

“Looks like it,” Harry told her.

“But I thought you needed it to be an Auror?” Hermione gave him an expectant look.

“Either I’ll learn it on my own and see if they’ll give me time to get tested or I’ll do something else,” Harry explained. “My thoughts have changed a little since I told McGonagall that.” Like from hearing a prophecy, he thought.

Hermione didn’t look happy to hear that but she couldn’t really complain when it was everyone’s individual choice.

They soon went to class and Ginny naturally sat next to Harry, much to Ron’s consternation. It happened again in their afternoon class. Only Ginny saw Ron’s reaction in each case and she only smiled sweetly at him, making him frown more -- to her amusement.

– – –

By dinner, everyone was getting back into the rhythm of being in school again. Harry looked at Ginny. “Did you enjoy classes with us today?”

“I did,” she answered him with a smile. “Sitting beside you made it all a little more fun too. I also liked having Luna join us since it was all houses together, so it was the best off all cases.”

Harry looked over at their blonde Ravenclaw friend who was sitting next to Padma; the two seemed to be carrying on a quiet conversation. “I hope this year goes better for her. Some of the others were taking her things sometimes,” he said with a hint of anger.

Ginny sighed. “I kept telling her to put some protective charms on her trunk and wardrobe, but she wouldn’t. I also tried to get her to go the Flitwick about it but she wouldn’t either for some reason.”

“I didn’t know you tried to help,” Harry said with some surprise, “she never mentioned it when we talked.”

“I’d be surprised if she did,” Ginny told him.

Harry looked up and saw Dumbledore looking pointedly at him so he nodded. The Headmaster nodded back before he rose and walked out slowly, as he’d pause and say a few words to various teachers on his way. “I have to go talk to Dumbledore, but I’d really rather not.”

“Why not?” Hermione asked, surprising him as he didn’t think she had been listening.

“Because,” Harry said as he looked at her and saw Ron listening in also, “he’s going to ask questions that really aren’t any of his business, or at least I don’t think so. Oh well, if I do this now then at least it’s over with.”

He put an arm around Ginny’s shoulders and squeezed lightly. “I’ll find you in the common room after.”

“Sure,” she agreed, “I’ll be working on my Defense homework. At least Diggle taught us something today, unlike how last year went.”

Harry snorted as he rose. “That wasn’t a hard standard to better. Later.”

As Harry walked to the Headmaster’s office, he considered what he thought he’d be asked and what answers he’d give. He’d thought about this conversation multiple times over the summer. He hoped this time went well, but he thought he’d hear answers he didn’t like as the Headmaster rarely answered his questions fully.

He gave the password McGonagall had given him and was knocking on the door a moment later.

“Enter!”

Harry walked in. As expected, it was only the two of them, plus Fawkes. He walked over and petted the immortal bird with a smile. The phoenix gave him a soft happy trill.

“I see Fawkes is still happy with you,” Dumbledore said easily, “that’s always a good omen. Have a seat, Harry; we have much to discuss.”

Harry warily left Fawkes and took a seat. “Since I haven’t had time to get into trouble yet this year, what do we have to discuss, Headmaster? I can’t think of anything.” He had a good guess though he hoped he was wrong.

“I think this last summer would be a good place to start.” Dumbledore looked at him with concern. “Why did you not return to the Dursleys’? I thought I explained it was the safest place for you because of the blood protections.”

Harry sighed as he found his guess was correct. “Your answer at the end of last year is why. I never felt I knew how to get away from them until this last summer or I would have done it sooner.”

“To what are you referring to?” the Headmaster asked.

“Your statement that you knew you were condemning me to dark and difficult years and that I would suffer,” Harry answered. “I’m tired of the abuse, Professor, and I’m not going to put up with it any longer even if I’m a little unsafer -- which I don’t think I was since no one found me.”

“Harry, you needed to return there once a year. Because you have not,” Dumbledore paused and glanced over to a shelf as if for confirmation before looking disappointed at him, “the protections I established around your aunt’s house have fallen.”

“It doesn’t really matter anyway,” Harry said casually.

“How so?”

“Have you still forgetting that Voldemort has my blood now?” Harry asked. At Dumbledore’s raised eyebrows Harry snorted. “Ah, you have or else think it doesn’t matter. I can assure you that I have not forgotten. In addition, I’d only be there for a month next summer before I turn seventeen, so why bother for that short of a time.

“Anyway,” Harry continued, “the important thing is that I was safe and it was the best summer I’ve ever had. I wasn’t starved. I wasn’t yelled at and threatened for things I didn’t do. I wasn’t threatened when I woke up from a nightmare from what’s happened to me over the years. Plus, I wasn’t forced to work like a house-elf while my cousin did nothing, nor was I chased and beaten up by my cousin and his friends. You know,” Harry smiled innocently, “all of those dark and difficult things.”

Dumbledore bowed his head for a moment, but Harry didn’t feel guilty at all for saying any of that.

When he looked back up, Dumbledore changed the topic. “Harry, because you were unavailable, I was unable to convince an old teacher to return and we really needed him for information about Voldemort.”

“Ah,” Harry said with a nod, “that’s why Professor Diggle is here. He’s not too bad if the first lesson is a good indication of what he’ll be like. He’s not as good as Lupin or even the fake Moody, but he’s close.”

“I’m afraid you misunderstand, Harry,” Dumbledore told him. “I needed to find Professor Slughorn to come teach Potions so Professor Snape could teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. You need Professor Snape’s experience and knowledge there, as we both needed special information from Professor Slughorn.”

Harry couldn’t help but make a face. “Snape for Defense? I’m glad that didn’t work out because I’m glad to be done with classes with him.”

Dumbledore sighed. “That’s Professor Snape, Harry, and you will be worse off because my plan did not come to fruition.”

“Hmm,” Harry considered that, “based on what you’ve told me I think I probably don’t really care and I’m better off not taking classes from Professor Snape ever again. As you said last June, it was a mistake to put us together.”

“I said it was a mistake not to teach you Occlumency myself,” Dumbledore said tiredly. “To the last matter, we need to have some extra lessons this year. I have information for you on Tom Riddle that you’ll need.”

That was a strange way to word it, Harry thought. “To learn advanced magic to defeat him?” he asked hopefully.

“It’s possible,” Dumbledore allowed, “but we shouldn’t limit ourselves only to that. There is much to learn about multiple topics.”

Harry thought that was again strange. “Very well, I’ll try one.”

“We’ll need to have several meeting this year to cover it all,” Dumbledore corrected him gently. “Please return Saturday evening after dinner and we’ll discuss the first bit of information that I have.”

Harry was suspicious of the arrangement. “Why not just start in the morning and do it all in one day? Why spread it out over time?”

Dumbledore smiled tolerantly. “We’re both very busy and there’s no hurry as long as we finish before the end of the school year.”

“Oh, so it’s really not all that important then,” Harry replied.

“No, this is very important,” Dumbledore informed him.

“If it’s that important, let’s do this next weekend and do it all at once,” Harry repeated.

“Harry,” Dumbledore said with disappointment.

“Fine, I’ll do one to see,” Harry said as he stood. “If there’s anything else, you can tell me then. I have homework to do and unlike your lessons which apparently can be done whenever, my homework has a due date. Good evening.”

His patience mostly exhausted, Harry turned and left; the Headmaster didn’t call him back.

He fumed as he returned to Gryffindor Tower. The meeting went much as he’d expected, except for the offer of lessons about vague things that were apparently important except they weren’t. He’d have to think about how he wanted to react to them over the coming week.

Upon his return to the Tower, his friends led by Hermione, pulled him to the side. “What did he want?” she asked.

“The expected,” Harry replied. “He wasn’t happy about my not going back to the Dursleys’; I told him I was happier that way. He also wanted my help to get some Potions teacher but couldn’t since I was unavailable.”

“Potions?” Ron asked confused. “But Snape does that.”

“Yeah, well, apparently he was going to move Snape to Defense but that didn’t work out -- thankfully!” Harry smiled, as did Ron and Ginny. “He also wants to have some sort of lessons with me about Voldemort, but he was fairly vague about that.”

“Ooh,” Hermione exclaimed excitedly, “I bet you’ll get to learn some advanced magic. You will teach us, right?” She looked expectantly at him.

“Don’t know, but when I asked him that very question he got a bit dodgy, like it might come up but he didn’t plan on it.” Harry shrugged. “The more I think about it the more I’m thinking it won’t.”

“That’s disappointing,” Ginny said with a hint of sarcasm.

Harry smiled at her. “I think you have the right of it.

“Enough about that, have you finished the homework?” he asked.

“No, but I can help you get started with what we’ve found so far,” Ginny told him.

Harry grabbed her hand and smiled. “You’re brilliant.” She beamed a smile back and gave a cute look before leading him over to their table.




Harry walked very slowly back to Gryffindor Tower. It was nearing curfew, but he knew he’d make it in time anyway. He could always sit on the steps in front of the Fat Lady for a few minutes to think by himself if needed. There was no doubt he wouldn’t have time alone to think once he walked inside. Even Ginny, the mostly likely of the three to give him time, would want to know what Dumbledore told him.

Slowly he trudged up the stairs to the Tower. He had a real quandary about what and whom to tell. There was also the question about how much he believed the prophecy. Was it still unfulfilled or not? It would have been nice if the prophecy orbs turned black or something when they were complete, but he had not seen a single orb that looked different in the hundreds he’d seen last June.

Then there were the final words he’d thrown at the old Professor. He didn’t feel he was wrong, but now he wondered if he should have said them.

“Are you coming in or not?”

Harry looked up to see the Fat Lady looking at him expectantly. He gave the password so she opened up. Inside, he walked over to his friends who were doing their homework together. He dropped into the seat next to Ginny.

While they all looked at him, it was Hermione who blurted out the first question -- as usual. “What did Professor Dumbledore talk to you about? Did you learn any useful magic?”

Harry looked at Neville who was there too, but who looked down as if trying to appear as if he wasn’t listening in. “No, he didn’t teach me any magic at all. He just wanted to talk about some history. It seemed like a great waste of time even if he did say it was important. I asked him some questions and as usual he wouldn’t answer any of them. I find it all very frustrating.”

“I’m sure he has his reasons,” Hermione told him as if he should have known that.

Shrugging, Harry said, “Maybe so, but not sharing what those reasons are frustrates me.” He held up his hand when she was about to reply. “I’m not saying I need to know every little detail right now, although that might be nice, but I need to know more than he’s telling me and it’s obvious he knows more.”

“I’m sure he has a plan,” she countered when he’d stopped.

“I’m sure he does,” Harry agreed sullenly, “but what if he dies before he tells me the plan such that Voldemort wins because I don’t know something I should have? Why hold back information that may cause the war to be lost?”

Hermione had no good answer for that, not that Harry expected her to.

As he pulled out his supplies from his book bag, Ginny moved her notes over so they were between the two of them. He put an arm around her back and squeezed lightly as he leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Thanks, you’re the best.”

“I know you needed to do both,” she whispered back to him.

He noticed that Hermione scowled at them but didn’t say anything more, for which he was grateful.

When most went up to their rooms, Harry was only about three-quarters done; he put his things up anyway. “Do you have a few minutes?” he whispered into Ginny’s ear.

She raised an eyebrow but nodded. He stood and took her hand and pulled her over to a chair in the corner and pulled her into his lap, putting his arms around her waist while she leaned against him and put her head on his.

“Was it a more difficult night than you let on before?” she asked softly.

“Yes.” He considered what to tell her because he wanted to tell someone. “Do you know a privacy spell?”

“Sure. I had to learn with Fred and George around; Bill taught me.” Ginny pulled out her wand and did it.

“I need to learn that,” he replied. “I need to tell you a few things and I’m having trouble figuring out where to start.”

“The beginning?” she supplied cheekily.

He snorted at that. “We don’t have that much time. Ginny, we went to the Ministry last June and I found that prophecy. I know what it says now.”

She moved a little and cupped his cheek. “I’ve tried not to think about it, but it says you have to kill the Dark Idiot, doesn’t it?” Ginny had wondered about it quite a bit during her lost year.

“You’re really smart.”

Ginny snorted now. “It’s been in the Daily Prophet, Harry, so it wasn’t that hard of a guess … that’s also easy to guess because it’s the obvious thing it would say. I hope it says you’ll win?” She looked at him hopefully.

“No, but it says I have a power he doesn’t know about.” Harry made a disgusted noise. “Dumbledore thinks it’s love; I think he’s daft.”

Ginny actually giggled. “I doubt Tom does know about love, but I have trouble imaging how that’s useful to you. Unless…”

“Unless what?” he asked when she’d trailed off.

“Unless it’s something like how you love others enough such that you have friends that will help you,” she suggested. “I don’t think Tom has any friends. Even Bella isn’t a friend but rather a favorite servant, or so I’d think.”

“Maybe, though even that interpretation seems like a stretch to me,” Harry replied after a moment not really convinced. “Tonight, all we did was watch a memory from an Auror who’d visited Tom’s family on his mother’s side. They were a really messed up family. I have no idea what it means to me or how it would help me fight.

“As I was leaving I again tried to convince him to look at all of this stuff in one sitting and he again refused saying we’d get to it when there was time. He also hurt his hand doing something that I can tell was part of all this, but he refused to answer that even though I can tell it’s important. If something could do that to him, it probably would kill me if I tried because I don’t have his experience.

“I find it all so very frustrating that I told him that if we were only going to look at stuff like this and he wasn’t going to answer my questions or tell me what the plan was then there was no reason for us to meet again. He told me it was all very important. I think I yelled back that if it was so important why wasn’t he doing anything about it, you know, going out fighting Voldemort. I was so upset by that point I just left. I probably should have given him a moment to answer my question, but I was beyond caring by then.”

Ginny put her arms around his shoulders and neck and held him firmly against her. “I’m sorry that was so frustrating for you.” She also started to rub his head lightly.

Harry just held her and enjoyed the moment and the faint scent of her shampoo, or so he guessed since her hair was near his face. He thought about her to calm himself.

A few minutes later she asked, “Feeling better?”

“A little.”

“You don’t have to, but are you going to tell Ron and Hermione?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I couldn’t decide as I walked back. What do you think?” Her warmth felt good, he determined.

“Hermione is very smart and Ron sometimes has good ideas,” she said. “It’s up to you.”

He considered it a moment more. “I think I’ll wait for now. Ginny, can I ask you something and will you answer honestly?”

“Sure, as long as it’s not a secret I’ve promised to keep for someone,” she replied.

“I’ve thought about what you did at the Ministry.” He felt her stiffen. “I’m glad you did it, I really am.” He felt her mostly relax. “If you had the opportunity to do it again, I mean if we found more Death Eaters and thought we could finish them off without anyone knowing, would you do it again?” He felt her relax the rest of the way.

“Maybe, probably,” she finally answered him. “Who did you have in mind?”

“No one right now, but I’ve been thinking about if I could do that and I think I could after what Bella did to Sirius and the rest of that night. I remember,” he paused, “I remember taking a few down and their friends just revived them and then we had to fight them all over again. I won’t be surprised if the two that survived are released or are helped out of prison so we have to fight them again. I’m tired of that.”

She stroked his hair and his head. “If I’m to be honest, I did it because it was Malfoy who’d hurt me personally and because of what Dolohov did to Hermione. Then once I started it was hard to stop. Despite that I know they have killed others, I’m still not proud of what I did because for the most part they didn’t try to kill us when they had the chance. If they were throwing around Killing Curses, it’d be different.”

“So using equal force?” he queried.

“I guess that’s a good way to say it in general,” she admitted with a shrug.

Harry nodded for a moment. “I can see your point. I’ll think about it some more.” He almost asked her how she’d killed them, but decided at the last second that was her secret and he really didn’t need to know. “I guess we should go to bed.”

Ginny giggled. “Harry, I didn’t think you were ready for that.”

He looked at her for a moment before it dawned on him what he’d said and what she was suggesting and he felt his face go warm. “Ginny!” he growled warningly.

“You’re fun to tease sometimes.” She shifted a little and kissed him soundly for a long moment and he relaxed. “It will be a long time before I think we’re ready for that, so don’t get too excited. However, if we stay together long enough for that day to come, I’m sure it’ll be wonderful. Good-night.” Ginny kissed him once more quickly and then got up and left.

Harry shook his head and watched her walk over to pick up her bag and then leave. He rose slowly and picked up his things before going to his dorm room.

He felt a little better after sharing what had happened tonight and his feelings about it all. He was still frustrated with Dumbledore, but he could ignore it for the moment. He still didn’t understand how Ginny could calm him so well.




The sixth years were consolidating into a group a little more this year and went to breakfast together as was becoming their habit. They didn’t spend all of their time together, but Harry found it interesting in how adding Ginny to their regular group had changed things. Apparently she was the bridge to Lavender and Parvati. Neville had started being with them more after last year. Harry had no idea why Dean and Seamus were hanging around them more, but he’d welcomed them.

As they sat together on this Saturday morning, Harry watched the owls come in, including the usual delivery of the Daily Prophet to Hermione. She was the first of them to turn seventeen, having done that a couple of days ago. He looked at Ginny and considered how her being only fifteen would affect things. Although, if he were honest with himself, she seemed older but that was a silly to think.

“Harry?”

He looked to his friend. “Yes, Hermione?”

“It says here,” she continued to look at her newspaper as she talked to him, “the two surviving Death Eaters from the battle at the Ministry, Crabbe and Mulciber, were convicted and imprisoned for two years, but they aren’t being sent to Azkaban because there are no Dementors there. I think this is the first time the Ministry has acknowledged the Dementors leaving.”

Harry looked around and saw thoughtful looks on his friends’ faces. “Interesting. I also find it good to hear they were actually convicted and not let go.”

“I think,” Ginny spoke up, “not having Lucius Malfoy around to buy their pardon helped.”

“Not sure it would have worked if he’d been here to try,” Ron said as he grabbed more bacon. “Fudge is gone and Bones doesn’t put up with that, or so Dad said this summer.”

Everyone nodded at that and resumed breakfast. It seemed it was possible for things to change for the better, even if only in small ways.

– – –

“How about a game, mate?”

Harry looked up to see Ron holding his chess set. “Sure, we have time. Quidditch practice isn’t until this afternoon.”

“I’m looking forward to that,” Ron said as he set up the board.

Harry reached over and removed Ron’s queen. “To make it more even,” he said with a grin.

“A challenge then,” Ron said not sounding worried as they started. “So, you and my sister.”

Harry made a move. “What about Ginny? It’s going well for us so far.”

“I don’t need details,” Ron groused with his move. “I’m just surprised that you gave in. She’s been after you for years.”

Harry shook his head. “I remember her running after the train in our first year. It was kind of cute in its own way, but she’s grown up since then and she treats me normally like Harry, not like the Boy-Who-Lived.”

He made his next move. “Besides that, she cute and turning pretty, plus we have a lot in common I’ve found out.”

Ron gave him a questioning look as he moved a knight.

“It was a bit of a surprise to me, but I recently found out she likes sports, like I do,” Harry said, moving a pawn in prep for a more deadly move.

“True, she likes Quidditch,” Ron said while moving a rook that would slow Harry down.

“She does like Quidditch, but she really likes sports in general; she likes the competition. She told me the other day that she’d like to go see a football game, like what Dean’s always talking about. I told her I’d take her to see a match next summer, or if I can’t get tickets we’ll go watch a game in a pub and have lunch while watching the game on the big telly. She said she heard about the Olympics from your dad and would like to go to those when they next happen.” Harry moved his queen cautiously.

Ron looked up in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah. You didn’t know that about your sister?”

“I guess not. What else do you have in common?” Ron wondered.

“She likes to fly like I do. She’s smart, but not like Hermione,” Harry said quietly, lest he be overheard by someone who reported it back to his bushy-haired friend.

Ron looked uncomfortable suddenly. “Err, why haven’t you asked her out instead?”

“Hermione?” At Ron’s nod Harry snorted. “Ron, she’s a good friend but date her? I don’t think so. She nags and while I do my best to ignore it, I don’t like nagging as it’s too much like my aunt. Also, she has this tendency to argue. You should know that as much as you argue with her.”

Ron seemed to relaxed a little and frowned as he looked at the board. “I have noticed that.”

“Come on, hurry up,” Harry encouraged him with a small smile and gesture at the board. “Ginny doesn’t nag me. She’ll remind me once and then let me be. I’ve found she’s easy to talk to. She also has a great sense of humor and she’s devious, like the twins but not so extreme. She’s mentioned a few things in regards to you.” He struggled to keep a straight face as Ron looked up with a touch of fear. He was pleased when Ron moved a piece but didn’t seem to be looking where he’d set it.

“I also like that she’s a powerful witch. I think it was Fred who said she’s a lot of power in a small package.” Harry jumped on what had to be a mistake (or if it was a trap he couldn’t see it) and captured a pawn, pinning a rook, as he said, “Check!”

Ron looked at the board in shock before moving his king out of the way, allowing Harry to capture the rook.

“Yes, I’ve noticed your sister has grown up and filled out very nicely. She’s a good kisser too.” Harry smiled as Ron dropped his bishop, which moved it.

“Damn it, Harry! I don’t need details!”

Harry reached out and moved his queen to take the bishop. “I think that’s checkmate … mate.”

“What?!”

“What’s going on?” Ginny said as she walked up.

Harry jumped up and grabbed her, spinning her around and kissed her briefly. “You’re totally awesome. You won the game for me. Go get your broom and let’s fly for a bit just for fun before lunch.”

“All right,” she said in bewilderment as Harry hurried up to his room. She looked at her brother who was staring at the chess board in shock. “What was that about?”

“He beat me,” Ron said quietly in puzzlement and disbelief as he continued to look at the board. “I started without my queen, but he beat me.”

Ginny shook her head as she turned to go get her broom. Perhaps she could get the story out of Harry in a few minutes.

– – –

Harry saw Dumbledore walk by as dinner was ending and pause near him. “Excuse me for a few moments,” he told his friends quietly as he rose.

As he approached the Headmaster, Harry said, “Sir, if we could talk for a few minutes.” The Headmaster noted his solemn expression and nodded before turning towards the trophy room.

A moment later, Dumbledore closed the door and put up several privacy spells, including the one Ginny had used and then taught him later.

“Professor,” Harry started, forcing himself to remain calm as his emotions had led to the difficulty last time, “I’d like to apologize for raising my voice to you last time. I was quiet upset by the end of our meeting; nevertheless, I shouldn’t have raised my voice.”

“Thank you for recognizing that,” Dumbledore replied with a slight smile.

“I do not apologize for what I said,” Harry noticed the man’s expression fell, “but the delivery was not polite and that was wrong of me.”

“If I may ask, why not for what was said too?” Dumbledore asked without rancor.

“Because I still believe it to be true,” Harry replied. “Perhaps you don’t see it from my view, but you say that this information is very important while your actions show that it’s not important.”

“I’m sorry you see it that way,” Dumbledore commented.

Harry narrowed his eyes, feeling his frustration starting to return. “Professor, I’m no longer eleven. I’m sure I’ll miss things from time to time, but I’ve grown up enough I can recognize people trying to control me most of the time. All I want is honesty and information that I think I’m entitled to have since it concerns me.

“I can also recognize that you can choose not to tell me and not to work with me. Similarly, I can chose not to work with you. I won’t hinder you, but there’s nothing preventing me from thinking the prophecy has already been fulfilled, gathering my true friends, and leaving the fight to others.”

“You’d leave and let Voldemort take over?” Dumbledore asked aghast.

“I’m quite willing to fight, Professor,” Harry scowled at him, willing him to understand, “but why should I fight if I don’t know the plan and why certain things must be done?

“The memory you showed me seemed worthless, but I’m willing to concede it might be useful along with other information to build on that. However, I will not be strung along for months or longer when something could happen to you such that I never get vital information. You could fall down stairs, you could have a heart attack, you could be walking through the Ministry and some Death Eater could hit you in the back with a Killing Curse. So if this information is so important that I must have it, then you should be telling me it and what your plan is to win the war as soon as possible. If not, I have little motivation to fight … just like all of the other sheep who won’t raise their wand to a few Death Eaters walking down the street.”

“I do not appreciate your attitude in this, but I suppose I can understand your view,” Dumbledore said finally. “Let me gather a few things and I will go over as much as I can.”

“As much as you can?” Harry asked incredulously. “Why not all you can?”

“My pardon for an unfortunate choice of words,” Dumbledore said quickly. “I need to gather more information before I can present a few items so the others will make sense to you. That was also part of my reason for spacing out the lessons in presenting it.”

Harry had to refrain from rolling his eyes. “Professor, let’s meet and discuss everything you have. If you find new information, we can always talk about it when you find it. Besides, I think they say no plan survives first contact with the enemy.”

Dumbledore smiled slightly. “They do say that. It will probably take me a month, but I’ll contact you. I’ll clear a day and we start in the afternoon and go as long as you like.”

Harry nodded. “Thank you for listening to me.”

Dumbledore took down his privacy spells and Harry left. A glance in the Great Hall showed his friends had left so he headed to the Tower.

Harry took a seat with Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Ginny. He sat beside his girlfriend because she’d saved him a seat.

“Did it go better this time?” Ginny asked him calmly.

He recognized she was trying to tread lightly and appreciated it. Harry put his arm around her shoulders and let her snuggle in. “It did. I apologized for yelling at him last time and then we had a discussion about a problem and we worked through that. I don’t dislike him, but I don’t like it when he ignores my view on problems that affect me.”

“You yelled at him last time?” Hermione looked horrified while the others were nodding at his statement.

Harry ignored her shrill tone and shrugged. “It wasn’t the first time.”

“But--”

“Hermione,” he cut her off. “Let me put this in a way that will make sense to you. Let’s pretend your parents were killed after your first year here so you were young enough to still needed a guardian and Dumbledore thought it best that you stay with the Malfoys who hate Muggle-borns. Wouldn’t you like your view and opinion on the matter considered? Hmm? This is also very close to the conversation we had on the train.”

She just blinked at him, incredulous.

“Anyone up for a game of Exploding Snap?” Ron asked into the silence.

“Yes.” “Sure.” “Sounds good.” Hermione continued to just look at him thoughtfully while Ron went to get a pack of cards for the game and the others got up off of the couches and chairs to go find a table to play on.

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