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Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other canon characters belong to JKR I'm only having some fun
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other canon characters belong to JKR I'm only having some fun


Chapter 10: The Manipulations of Albus


Albus Dumbledore watched from his office window as the last of the Thestral drawn carriages took the Hogwarts' students off to the train for the journey back to London, and allowed himself a smug grin as he thought about how gullible the citizens of the Wizarding world actually were, both individually and as a whole.


A Brief History of Dumbledore


Albus had been a manipulator all his life, he had even conned the Sorting Hat into placing him in Hufflepuff when it wanted to put him into Slytherin. He knew that in Hufflepuff he could operate without being noticed. When he had started at Hogwarts the differences between the Houses were subtle, sure there was rivalry on the Quidditch pitch, but friendships between students regardless of their House were the norm. Seven years later however the seeds of discord had been sown.



After graduating Dumbledore had travelled the world learning all he could of different types of magic, building a network of acquaintances wherever he went, each one being left with the feeling that they owed the British wizard a favour.



He returned to Britain in 1919 and managed to find work with Nicholas Flamel helping him with his research into the uses of Dragon's blood, for the first time he had found someone he couldn't manipulate, no matter what he tried, Flamel wouldn't tell him how to make a Sorcerer's Stone.



In 1925 when he had finished working with Flamel he was appointed as Professor of Transfiguration at Hogwarts, he arrived to find that the House rivalries he had fermented when he was a student were growing, and working behind the scenes he ensured that things would only get worse.



He selected a young second year student from Slytherin with a chip on his shoulder over an imagined slight against his family by the Wizarding world, and took him under his wing. Andrew d'Gill was a competent wizard, but not the brightest torch in the sconce and easy to manipulate. By the time Dumbledore was finished with him he was ready to cause mayhem. Dumbledore sent him off to tour Europe for several years and had set him up with training from several of his less reputable friends.



Meanwhile Dumbledore encouraged one of his fellow Professors (Slughorn) to set up his own private club, selecting potential Ministry high flyers, again no one noticed the subtle manipulations.



When World War II broke out in the Muggle world Dumbledore prompted Grindelwald (as Andrew now called himself) into action. It started with protests outside the Ministry where his followers would stand and chant slogans about not getting involved with the Muggle war (not that the Ministry of Magic had any intention of doing so) but the fact that there was a group of wizards who were insinuating that they were, was good enough for some of the gullible Wizarding public.



When physical attacks were made on the 'Warmongers' of the Ministry of Magic, Grindelwald's followers were arrested and the split between the two factions widened. The fact that the arrests were reported before the attacks were, didn't help, it made it look as if the Ministry Aurors were arresting innocent individuals and that the attacks were a reaction to the arrests, not the reality.



Dumbledore sat back and enjoyed the fruits of his labours, he was advising both sides of the conflict, making sure that any attempts at peacemaking failed. His masterstroke came in 1945 when he enticed Grindelwald to attack the Ministry, when the battle was at it's height he struck and killed Grindelwald with a Muggle weapon, a Webley pistol he had obtained.



Without Grindelwald to tell them what to do his followers were quickly rounded up and sentenced to Azkaban where most of them perished under the care of the Dementors.



For his part Dumbledore was awarded the Order of Merlin First Class and given his first appointment on the Wizengamot and promoted to the post Deputy Headmaster at Hogwarts, his plan to be the power behind the throne had started.



One student almost spoiled things for him, Tom Marvolo Riddle refused to be manipulated and this caused bad blood between them. Dumbledore somehow knew that the Slytherin student was responsible for the death of Myrtle Frobisher but couldn't prove it, but used the incident to gain the loyalty of Rubeus Hagrid by making sure he was employed to help the groundskeeper.



As much as he could, Dumbledore kept an eye on Riddle after he left Hogwarts, eventually losing track of him as Riddle delved deeper and deeper into the Dark Arts. All this time he encouraged the House rivalry, stoking it up by bringing in new Professors who had been involved in it in their time as students. He also moved up through the ranks of the Wizengamot and in time was promoted to Headmaster.



With each new Minister of Magic he gained a little more power, each of the last four had been taught by him and admired the knowledge that their former Professor had. The fact that he knew politicians throughout the Wizarding world also helped, he was often called to be on delegations to other Wizarding Governments.



Then in the 1970's things started going downhill for Dumbledore, Tom Riddle had reappeared under the name of Voldemort and was beginning to wreak havoc within the Wizarding world. As time passed Dumbledore resurrected an old Militia called The Order of the Phoenix and recruited followers from among his former students. He managed to stall all attempts by the Ministry to allow Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curses against the Death Eaters saying that in no way should they stoop to the level of Voldemort and his followers.



Dumbledore had planned on being the saviour of the Wizarding world for a second time, he knew if he killed Voldemort then nothing would be refused him, he had decided that after Voldemort's death he would retire from Hogwarts and make himself available as an advisor to the Ministry (at an extortionate rate of pay of course) but then a fly in the ointment.



He had interviewed a candidate for the post of Professor of Divination, he realised that although her family had produced many gifted Seers that Sybil Trelawney had no great gift of Divination. He had checked her record from school and had found that although competent at reading tea leaves she definitely didn't have the gift, and then without warning she went into a trance and made a prophecy, a genuine gold plated prophecy, but one that showed him that he wasn't going to be the slayer of Voldemort.



When she had came out of her trance Dumbledore hired her on the spot, no one could be allowed to find out about the prophecy, he checked her mind with Legilimency and gently removed all memory of the prophecy. But once again Kneazle was put among the Owls, his brother Aberforth, who couldn't get a decent job after having been convicted of having carnal knowledge of a goat he had charmed, and who now worked as the Barman of the Hog's Head Inn had caught someone who had been snooping round the door of the room where the interviews had been taking place.



He had locked the snooper in the Inn's cellar until the interview had finished and then dragged him back up to his brother. Dumbledore interrogated the young man in front of him, he knew him well, as he had graduated recently. Severus Snape, a brilliant young Potion Maker but with the personality of an agitated Hippogriff, always picking fights with other students, especially Gryffindors. He had a long running feud with Potter, Lupin, Pettigrew and Black, a feud that Dumbledore had done everything to encourage and little to stop.



Probing the young man's mind and surreptitiously feeding him some Veritaserum he discovered that Snape was a Death Eater but was having second thoughts about the agenda the Dark Lord was pursuing, Snape had come to realise that eventually his Halfblood status would be discovered and that he would be either tortured to death or used as a target dummy for new recruits.



Dumbledore saw a chance to have an insider in Voldemort's camp. He was aware that if Snape was to take on such a role without mind protection, it would be the death of him, so he came to an agreement, he would teach Snape Occlumency and Legilimency in exchange for Snape spying for him. Further, when the Dark Lord was defeated he would be employed as the Potions Professor at Hogwarts and be allowed to work for his Master's qualification in Potions.



Snape was only too happy to agree but refused to take a Wizard's Oath on the matter. Over the next few days using a Time Turner, Dumbledore taught Snape Occlumency and Legilimency. He also used his contacts in the Wizarding World to find out which couples were expecting children at the end of July. He only discovered two, the Longbottoms and the Potters, both couples were involved in the fight against Voldemort and had thwarted his plans on two occasions, the next day's headlines in the Prophet made it three.



/Ministry Workers Foil Attack On Gringotts./

/ /

Two young Aurors who had been at Gringotts on family business yesterday, foiled an attack by a group of masked wizards later alleged to be Death Eaters. With no thought of their own safety these brave young men shielded customers and staff alike as the raiders indiscriminately fired off curses, eventually stunning and arresting the raiders. The raiders have not been named for reasons of security and have been taken into custody by the Gringotts' Guards.



Aurors Potter and Longbottom refused to be interviewed by this paper saying that they were only doing their job.



Lucius Malfoy of the Treasury Department of the Ministry of Magic who was also in Gringotts at the time said. "These hotheads could have injured civilians, I'll be reporting Potter and Longbottom to their supervisor when I get back."



The customers and staff however were full of praise for the young men and wished them luck in their careers.



A few days later Dumbledore invited who he thought were two fine young Aurors to join his Militia, little realising that they were Unspeakables and had been assigned to try and gain membership of the Order of the Phoenix, and they had succeeded.



A year passed, the Wizarding war was at a stalemate, Voldemort's forces were making raids against the general population and some forays into the Muggle community, but other than spreading fear he wasn't doing much. Then in June 1981 Snape let slip the two lines of the prophecy he'd heard the previous year. Dumbledore had instructed him to do so and shortly after had informed the Potters and the Longbottoms that they were prime targets for Voldemort and his followers.



Against his better judgement James Potter went into hiding with his wife and son. He refused to give up his job, which Dumbledore was trying to force him to do, but prepared for the worst. A few false reports and then the deaths of some members of the Order of the Phoenix soon had James and Lily accepting Dumbledore's offer to protect their hideaway with the Fidelius Charm, choosing Peter Pettigrew as secret keeper. Their choice surprised Albus who had expected them to use young Harry's Godfather, Sirius Black.



What came as an even bigger shock was when the Potters asked him to place a block on Harry's magic, they explained that he had been using rather strong 'accidental magic' to the point of copying James and Sirius' Animagi forms. Dumbledore agreed and said he would research the correct Charms and perform the ritual on Halloween.



The afternoon of Halloween while Dumbledore was putting a Binding Charm on Harry's magic, Peter 'Wormtail' Pettigrew was selling his soul. He had unknowingly been leaking information to Voldemort for months, little realising his current boyfriend was a Voldemort supporter, earlier that day he had been confronted by Lucius Malfoy and the Lestrange brothers and given the choice, join Voldemort or die, and like the rat he was he chose to join Voldemort.



His first act as a Death Eater was to inform his new Master of the whereabouts of the Potters and their son. Voldemort had been seeking this information since Snape had told him the two lines of the prophecy he had overheard. Sending out his Death Eaters to cause mayhem he decided to put in a personal appearance at Godric's Hollow.



The Potters were getting ready to have a quiet night in, Lily had just finished reading Harry a story and James was in the middle of a conversation on the two-way mirror with Sirius when the outside door of the house was blown off it's hinges. James dropped the mirror and after telling Lily to get out turned to face his killer. He cast his strongest shield but it couldn't stop the killing curse, Voldemort gave a harsh laugh and followed Lily and Harry.



Lily Potter died cursing Peter Pettigrew and defending her son, the sacrifice of both parents placed the oldest of protections on Harry and the killing curse cast at him rebounded ripping the life out of Voldemort.



Dumbledore sat in his office and watched one of his many tracking devices, it registered three Killing Curses at the Potter's House at Godric's Hollow, he called for Hagrid and gave him a Portkey to take him to Godric's Hollow to see what had happened and to bring any survivors back to Hogwarts.



Sirius meanwhile had leapt onto his motorbike and was rushing to James and Lily's house, the way James had abruptly stopped the conversation had alerted him. He was kneeling on the ground weeping for his friends and his Godson when Hagrid arrived. Together they searched the ruins of the cottage and found Harry sitting beside his mother's body shaking her and in his baby voice asking her to wake up.



Sirius was furious, and not thinking straight, he told Hagrid to take Harry to Dumbledore on his motorbike and went off in search of the betrayer of his friends.



As this was happening Dumbledore was writing a letter to the Dursleys and sending his altered copy of James Potter's will to Gringotts. Over the next twelve months he gradually gained control over the Board of the Potter Trust, quite happy in the knowledge that Sirius Black was safely out of the way, totally unaware that he should be looking after his Godson.



Over the next few years he got reports from Arabella Figg that the Dursleys were mistreating Harry and at times were physically and mentally abusive to him, and every time he said thanks, but everything will turn out well in the end.



Dumbledore's plan was that when Harry discovered about the Magical world that he would be so happy to get away from the Dursleys that he would be willing to be moulded by anyone who showed the slightest bit of care toward him and it would have worked perfectly if it hadn't been for a bright young witch called Hermione Granger.



As happens, when you grip something too tightly, little bits slip through your fingers, in this case it was a young woman influencing Harry Potter. She stood by him through good times and bad which meant he didn't rely one hundred percent on Dumbledore.



If truth be told Dumbledore had expected Harry to hook up with Ginny Weasley, as far as he could see Potter men had a thing for red heads (resists comment about no hair, just a red head). If he had looked back further than four generations, he would have realised that Potter men had a thing for intelligent women, hair colour didn't matter. Each heir to the Potter line had married one of the most intelligent women of his day.


Back to Present
/ /

Dumbledore started to finalise his plans for Harry's sixth year, he knew that his O.W.L results would be good but that the Potions result would mean he wouldn't be able to pursue a career as an Auror. He would leave the Quidditch ban in place to remove that as an alternative career, and offer to take Harry on as an Apprentice. As an Apprentice Harry wouldn't be able to sleep in the Gryffindor House dorms and would eat at the Head Table at meal times further isolating him from his peers.



His plans to isolate Harry were well in hand, he had told Harry not to write to his friends and had taken Hedwig into 'protective custody' to ensure he couldn't disobey. He had also told his friends not to write until Harry wrote first, and then a shocker, a letter from Gringotts inviting Harry to the reading of Sirius' Will.



Dumbledore wasn't even aware that Sirius had written a Will, why had no one told him, someone must have witnessed it and it would have had to have been someone from the Order, no one else had contact with him.



Dumbledore was feeling apprehensive, he had managed to limit Harry's interactions with Sirius because he saw his grip on his life slipping. He needed to be the one in control of Potter's life so that after he had disposed of Voldemort while 'sacrificing' himself for the good of the Wizarding world, he 'Dumbledore the Great' as he had decided to call himself, could claim the rewards as being the one who trained the Boy-Who-Defeated.



Dumbledore had been intercepting Harry's mail, unexpectedly quite a number of students had written to him saying thanks for helping get rid of Umbridge and for the extra D.A.D.A. training he had given them. The fact that Harry didn't reply may just make those who wrote resent him, he could only hope.


The Will Reading.


Dumbledore flung open the door of the conference room where the will reading was taking place, he scanned the room noting those present. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy, Lupin, Tonks and her parents, the Grangers? A Muggleborn and Muggles at the reading of a Purebloods will? Very strange. He also took note of the two Solicitors and their cloaked and hooded companion but dismissed him as a minor bank employee.



"My apologies everyone but I was delayed. I am here to represent Harry Potter. Here is a document giving me Power of Attorney to act on his behalf."



The third Gringotts employee rose and asked quietly. "When did Mr. Potter sign this document, Headmaster Dumbledore?"



"On the 21st of July, the day after he received your letter, if you would let me show you, he has stated that he doesn't want to benefit from a death he thinks he caused and has asked that everything due to him be put at the disposal of the Order of the Phoenix"



During Dumbledore's speech Harry had removed the cloak, everyone apart from the Grangers and the Goblins looked on in a mixture of disbelief and astonishment.



"Is that so, Dumbledore?" Harry asked, "In that case why am I here?"



Dumbledore could sense the power rolling off Harry, he knew he had to get out and without thinking tried to Apparate. The next thing he knew he was being shown to a cell in Gringotts and was told that he would be released after the Will had been read.



Several hours later a disgruntled Albus Dumbledore was informed that he had been fined 1,000 Galleons, would have no interest paid on the money in his vault and was banned from entering Gringotts for twelve months, he felt his world begin to unravel and decided to try and limit the damage.



Dumbledore tried, but failed to call an emergency meeting of the Wizengamot, some of them had lost their trust in him due to the articles in the Daily Prophet, things were gradually slipping out of his control. He realised just how much they were slipping when two days later his brother notified him that Harry had called a meeting of the Board of the Potter Trust.


The Board Meets.


The day of the Board meeting arrived, Remus had informed Harry that under the rules of the Trust no money could be reclaimed from the current Board Members if they could prove they hadn't harmed the Trust or the Potter Family. Harry realised that although the Trust had been mismanaged it had still made a profit, but the main thing was he had to put his own people in place.



Prior to the Board meeting Harry explained to those he invited that he wanted to offer them places on the Board of the Potter Trust. Madam Bones and Professor McGonagall declined the offer claiming a conflict of interest, Madam Bones because Tonks had made her aware of the falling out between Harry and Dumbledore and wanted to remain neutral, Professor McGonagall because she was still loyal to Dumbledore and had been fed a story from him. She was also annoyed at the attitudes Harry and Hermione had been showing.



The Board of Trustees were sitting round the table in the conference room wondering who had called the meeting, they knew it wasn't Dumbledore as he had told them that the Goblin's had unjustifiably banned him from entering the bank. They were shaken from their wonderings when the door was opened and a Goblin led in a group of people, escorted by two Goblin Guards.



Cornelius Fudge was the first to speak. "This is a private meeting, kindly vacate this room, you, Goblin, take them out of here."



Stepping out from behind Remus and Tonks, Harry replied. "Sit down, Fudge, you bumbling fool, I called the meeting, now everyone sit and listen."



Those who had entered with Harry sat round one side of the table the current Trustees round the other. Harry waited until all eyes were on him and continued. "As Head of the Potter Family I am dismissing all of you from the Board, you will be allowed to keep all the money you have been paid for being Trustees, however, if any instances of fraud are uncovered I reserve the right to reclaim all such money from you. There is no right of appeal on my decision, you all signed up to it when you took your seats."



"Who do you think you are, Potter?" growled Snape. "The Headmaster appointed us, he is your Wizarding Guardian, you can't get rid of us until you are seventeen."



"Wrong, Snape, my true Wizarding Guardian emancipated me in his Will, plus by the contents of my father's true Will I should have been aware of the dealings of the Trust two years ago. I advise you to keep quiet, saying the wrong thing in front of these guards is not advisable, they seem to like me."



With grumblings about the situation being unfair the ousted members left. Harry turned to the others and said. "Remus Lupin is the new Chairman of the Board and will work full time for the Trust, I want all of you to sit on the Board, you are free to step down at any time, I will take on the Chairmanship when I think I am able to do so. These are paid positions, each of you will receive 10,000 Galleons a year as a stipend. You are also free to invest your own money in any Company where you choose to invest money from the Trust. Remus will explain the rules of the Trust, Hermione and I are going to visit the Black Vault." And with that the two teens left.



Harry and Hermione found the visit to the Black Vault quite disturbing, an aura of evil seemed to emanate from many of the items. From what information they could gather, many of the Black properties had been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair and that many of the investments were in less than reputable businesses.



Several days later Harry accompanied by Remus, Tonks and Hermione made his way into the open session of the Wizengamot, it wasn't a full meeting, around two thirds of the members were present as was normal for such meetings. Albus Dumbledore was in his seat as Supreme Mugwump, Cornelius Fudge sat in the Ministers chair with Umbridge at his side.



The session hadn't started but gradually a silence fell upon the room, quickly followed by whispers of "That's him, that's the Potter boy"



Dumbledore knocked his gavel and called the meeting to order. "This session of the Wizengamot is now open, let any who have petitions to lay before us please step forward."



Harry stepped forward and Dumbledore spoke again.



"Let any adult who has competent business for this session of the Wizengamot step forward."



Harry stepped forward.



Fudge, who was still furious at having a source of income removed from him stared at Harry. "What do you want boy, only adults are allowed to bring business before us."



Harry took a deep breath and gently let the overcloak he was wear slip off his shoulders revealing the set of robes he wore underneath. There was a loud gasp from the public gallery and from several members of the court as they noticed the Crest of the House of Potter on his left breast. Only the Head of a House or his spouse could wear the Crest there, other family members wore it on their right sleeve as a sign of fealty.



"I am Lord Harry James Potter (he had decided not to advertise his position in the Black family) Head of the House of Potter. I bring petition against Delores Umbridge for assault on a minor, conspiracy to assault a minor, and abuse of power while appointed as a Professor at Hogwarts."



A voice from the corner spoke. "I am Amelia Bones, Director of Magical Law Enforcement, what proof can you offer?"



Dumbledore sat smaller in his seat, the corner of Fudge's left eye developed a tic and Umbridge made a fatal mistake.



"This boy is lying, he is underage, I didn't use a Blood Quill on him, I didn't set Dementors on him last year, I didn't" her voice trailed off as she looked round the room, all eyes were on her and a grim silence pervaded the Court.



Fudge covered his head with his hands and wished that he hadn't got out of bed that morning. Director Bones spoke.



"Aurors, arrest Madam Umbridge on the charges brought by Lord Potter. Question her under Veritaserum. Lord Potter are you willing to give a Pensieve record of the alleged events?"



"Yes, Ma'am, but I if I may could you find out who gave her permission to set the Dementors on me? I understand that only a select few have the authority to do so."



"Certainly, Lord Potter, now do you have any further business?"



"Yes, Ma'am, I bring petition against Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore for reckless endangerment of a minor, namely Harry James Potter by placing him with abusive guardians against the wishes expressed in the Will of James Potter."



Fudge rose. "This petition is denied by Section IV A, Subparagraph iii/c of the Statutes of Wizarding Law. 'The Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamot has lifetime immunity from Prosecution' this Law dates from 1565"



Madam Bones looked at Harry and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Lord Potter, your petition is denied, Auror Tonks will assist you with your Pensieve statement. Please feel free to contact me if you have any concerns over your future treatment."



Tonks escorted Harry to the Auror's Office within the Ministry and took the Pensieve recording, only then did Harry realise that a Pensieve didn't remove a memory, but only held a copy of it. Snape had played him like a fish, leaving a memory in the Pensieve that he knew Harry would find disturbing, one more black mark against the Greasy Git.



As they went to leave the Ministry, Dumbledore approached them. "Lord Potter, Miss Granger, I hope you won't let all this unpleasantness affect life at school, I have an offer to make you, Harry."



"That's Lord Potter to you, Headmaster"



"I apologise, I have an offer to make to you, Lord Potter, I will send you details in a letter, where will I send it?"



"Contact me through Griphook at Gringotts. He will forward my mail to me, not stop it as some people have."



"Miss Granger, the shortlist for Head Girl in your seventh year is really quite large, can I give you some pointers to help you on your way when we get back to school?"



"No thank you, Headmaster, if I can't get it on my own merits I'm not interested, but I'm sure the Board of Governors would like to hear this conversation."



Hardly keeping his frustration in check, Dumbledore bid them farewell and as they turned, wandlessly cast a tracking charm on each of them. What he didn't notice was the charm bouncing harmlessly off them and hitting Eric the Security Wizard and his colleague Ernie.