Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Elementary Calculations

(X-2)(X-3)

by kcourtkat 79 reviews

Category: Harry Potter - Rating: G - Genres: Drama - Characters: Dumbledore,Harry - Published: 2008-05-16 - Updated: 2008-05-17 - 3440 words

5Original
1I do not own Harry Potter.

Thank you my faithful readers and fabulous reviewers. The response to the last chapter was appreciated.

Chapter 6: (X-2)(X-3)

Two hours and a sore throat later, Minerva was seriously wondering if Harry’s presence in Hogwarts was worth the hassle. Except for when he was asking questions, she had been speaking nonstop the entire time. They had covered the school grounds and architecture (who in their right minds build staircases that move at random?), the Forbidden Forest (dangerous you say?), Quidditch (broomsticks?), Houses (sounds a bit like stereotyping), subjects(Muggle Studies?), the teachers(how long have they been teaching?), and their qualifications (what criteria are they held to?). Which led to an explanation of the curse on the Defense position. Harry had not been impressed to hear that the new DADA teacher used to be the Muggle Studies teacher.

“You paint a very vivid picture of your school, Deputy Headmistress, it sounds very interesting,” she almost let a relieved sigh escape, “But there is still the matter of your society and the very little that I know of it. Let’s start with your government.” A barely visible tic developed in her temple.

“Enough, Mr. Potter, I need to catch my breath,” conjuring a glass of water, she leveled a stern look in his direction as she drank. His face, which had settled into polite neutrality as she spoke, developed a small smile.

“That’s quite alright Professor. I suppose I was pushing you a bit. Do you want to stretch your legs a little? I’m sure a brief break will do us both good.”

Minerva stood up slowly, stretching out her back. A thought hit her as she glanced at the youth. Making her way over to were he was still sitting, she handed him the orientation packet. It held a small booklet, which covered the basics of the wizarding world, directions to Diagon Alley, his train ticket, and instructions on how to get on the platform. Truthfully, this should have been the first thing, she gave him, but she had been off balance ever since the first hour after Petunia had slammed the door in her face. Then when she had found him, he was so far away from what she had expected. . .

Venturing off in a random direction, she pondered Harry. Regardless of whether or not Petunia had cared for the lad, he was an intelligent and inquisitive young man. Thorough too. If the MoM ever needs an interrogator, I know just who they can call. The twittering of the birds were the only sounds she heard apart from her own footsteps. He’s so intense, and his eyes are so old. Like the innocence has been stripped from him. Not all of it, I saw glimpses of an eleven-year-old in there, but, mostly, he’s an old cynic in a child’s body. What could those people have done to give a child eyes like that? Lily, James, if you had lived, would he have been the mischief-maker that his father was at this age? He looks so much like him. Perhaps the cheerful, outgoing personality of his mother to counterbalance that similarity, or a mix of the two. Her slow circuit had brought her back to Harry. He had folded his legs up on the chair and was going through the booklet with singular focus. That achingly familiar profile attached to a boy who behaved nothing like the one he so resembled. If he does come to Hogwarts, I’ll do the best I can for him.

“Professor?” the soft query interrupted her line of thought and surprised her. With the way he was looking at the booklet, she had not thought he had heard her return. “Even if my parents made plans for me to attend your school, no one has told me how I am supposed to pay for the privilege. Rest assured, my Aunt will contribute nothing to this endeavor.”

Minerva looked at him for a moment. The thought that occurred to her was outlandish, but she wouldn’t put it past Petunia. “What do you know about the circumstances surrounding your parents deaths?”

She involuntarily tensed as those striking green eyes turned their focus on her with all the force of a sledgehammer. She saw him weighing her up and relaxed when he nodded slowly. “I was told that they died in a car accident. Personally, I’ve always thought that there was more to the story.”

Minerva didn’t know who she was angrier at, Petunia or Albus. He knew nothing, not even that his parents were murdered. The child knew nothing of what would be expected of him, either as the last of the Potter line or as the Boy who Lived. She sat down at her seat and set about explaining of Voldemort and the events that led up to the Potters’ demise. She finished by telling him of what was known about the Halloween of 1991 and the consequences for him. She also told him of the Headmaster’s (and her’s) decision to leave him with his aunt. As she spoke, his face closed off again and she was left looking at the cold mask she had encountered previously. Nothing of his thoughts showed through. Eventually, coming to the conclusion that he wasn’t going to say anything, she addressed the query that had made her suspicious.

“The Potters might not have been the wealthiest of families, but they were certainly well off,” reaching into her handbag, she retrieved the small gold key.“This,” she said, handing the key to him, “was given to the Headmaster for safekeeping before that night. It is the key to your trust account at Gringotts, the wizarding bank, make sure you do not lose it.” He clasp the key in his hand and gave her that small smile.

“Thank you, Professor Minerva McGonagall.” She knew he was not talking about the key.

“You’re welcome.”

She did a quick tempus spell. Four fifty three.

“So, will we be picking up your school supplies, Mr. Potter?”

ECHP

Minerva settled on the couch in her rooms at Hogwarts, kicked off her shoes, and sighed in pleasure. The day had ended well.

She had side-along apparated Harry to the Leaky Cauldron and they had passed unmolested through to Diagon Alley. The expression on his face when he first saw the Alley was gratifying. It hadn’t lasted for long, but it definitely showed a glimpse of the child that still existed.

They had visited his vault where a sum had vanished into his bag after she explained the denominations. He then made a bee line to Flourish and Blotts where he spent the rest of his time picking up ‘research material.’ The clerk had commented on the lack of schoolbooks, but an icy glare had persuaded the poor man to keep quiet and tally up the price. Harry said, that since he still had a week to make a decision, he would find out as much as he could before committing himself to a course of action. An Owl Post Office she pointed out would take care of sending his letter to her.

Minerva indulged in a bit of self pity. Even if he came to Hogwarts, he would never be one of her lions, not with that sort of attitude.

She drifted off slowly. Albus was probably in his office waiting for her to come by with a report. She scoffed softly. Let him wait, tomorrow is just as good as today.

ECHP

While she had been half expecting it, that didn’t make the letter she was going to write any easier.

Harry’s reply had reached her just an hour ago. He didn’t even take the full seven days, since his birthday was tomorrow. She smoothed her perfectly styled hair in disappointment. Placing quill to parchment, she wrote out her reply.

Dear Mr. Potter,

While I had hoped that we would be seeing each other in the coming school year, I respect your decision to not attend. . .


(AN: I should end it here to screw with your heads, but I promised to finish the pre hogwarts era this chapter)

ECHP

Albus Dumbledore looked at the letter his deputy had wordlessly dropped on his desk, appalled.

Dear Professor McGonagall,

After much consideration, and with the help of several books that could not decide how many cats I saved from trees and what type of woman I would like to marry, I have reached the decision that the wizarding world would not have too much to offer me at this time. I made several subsequent trips to Diagon Alley after our outing to get more information and, I think perhaps, after I have completed my education here I might get a magical tutor.

I know that this is not what you were hoping for when you came to look for me, but I have invested too many years into Xavier Academy to just up and go somewhere that, while offering me something much different and potentially more exciting, will only limit my choices in the future and trap me into an insular community that has not advanced much pass the middle ages. A bigoted community at that.

I’d rather stay where I’ve earned my place with hard work and can go far, than involve myself with a group of people who, if I’ve read the lay of the land correctly, will make my life difficult when they realize I am not some mythical saviour who will make all their troubles go away. I would prefer to be somewhere that people are not going to celebrate my great victory on the night that my parents died.

I do hope that we will meet at some point in the future, but I do not see that happening for a few years yet.

Sincerely,

Harry James Potter


“For better or worst,” she said quietly walking to the door, “this is what our decision to leave him on that doorstep has wrought. I already sent a reply off to him, so don’t worry yourself.”

This wasn’t supposed to happen. Harry was supposed to have a regular childhood with his relatives, away from the adulation of the wizarding public. Then he was to have been eager to return to his place here. He is the only one that defeat Voldemort after all. He must be trained for the coming difficulty. I know Tom isn’t dead, he’s just biding his time until he can regain his body.

Hurrying to the floo, he called for the one person that could find out the information he wanted in a timely manner.

“Kingsley Shacklebolt.”

I’m sorry my boy, but your happiness has to come in second to the safety of everyone who would be in danger if I let you go untrained.

ECHP

It only took Kingsley two days to find out the location of Xavier Academy and to get an appointment for him.

As Albus sat in front of the muggle headmaster of Xavier Academy, he felt a small pang of guilt for what he was about to do. He squelched the feeling.

It’s for the greater good.

“Headmaster Kelley, as I told your assistant, this is about one of your students, a Mr. Harry James Potter. This goes back about a decade ago when his parents were killed by cult members. There has been recent evidence that suggests that the leader, who was never caught, has come out of hiding and is going to target young Mr. Potter. . .”

ECHP

Harry frowned as two huge source of magical energy appeared to his senses. Neither them felt like Professor McGonagall, but one was familiar non the less. Looking up from his book, he scowled at the intruders in his clearing. One human, one. . .phoenix?

He recognized the form from one of his acquisitions, which detailed the various magical creatures which populated the world. The phoenix was suppose to be rare and the only one known was the familiar of Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, defeater of Gellert Grindelwald so called Dark Lord.

Harry got only a glimpse of a dark modern looking suit before it changed to blue robes covered in moving stars and crescent moons. The man was carrying what appeared to be a packet of some sort.

“To what do I owe this visit Headmaster Dumbledore?” he asked as he strengthened his shield.

The Alley had made him happy that he went through the trouble of putting up a shield to block magical intrusions on his person. The place was heavily entrenched in power and unlike out here or at school there was structure to most of it. He had had to layer it as he and McGonagall walked through the place. The plaque over the door at Gringotts had to have been some sort of spell as well, he had felt something trying to ease through the (by then) heavy shield when he had read it.

Now, in the presence of one of the greatest wizards in the world, he was even happier for that trip. He felt the magical aura surrounding Dumbledore extend to him and seem to slid off his own. It felt like something the man did automatically, there was no particular intent behind it.

“You recognize me? I was not expecting that Mr. Potter, I haven’t seen you since that regrettable night, ten years ago.” Harry forced himself to focus on the bridge of Dumbledore’s nose.

“Your picture was in Notable Wizards of Our Time.

“I see.”

The disturbing twinkle in his eyes plus the feel of his magic on the shield was making Harry uneasy. A soft thrill caused him to stifle a grateful exhale and look at the phoenix, which was perched on a branch.

“Ah, this is Fawkes, he seems to want to say hello,” the statement was punctuated by another vocalization.

“I doubt a busy person such as yourself would come here to introduce me to your phoenix. I am not a student at your school Headmaster nor am I going to be. What is your purpose here?” Aggravation at the intrusion and the Headmaster’s aura attempting to influence him to do something or other made his voice sharper than he intended. The man’s face fell slightly.

“Harry, my boy,”

“Mr. Potter.”

“Mr. Potter, it’s important that young people such as yourself be trained in the proper use of your magic.”

“Professor McGonagall said that attendance to your school was not mandatory.”

“That might be true, but you are a very powerful young man, and if someone like you were to lose control then it could very well prove fatal for some whatever unfortunate soul that were in the area.”

“What makes you think that I will lose control,” Harry glared at him from under narrowed lids.

“Everyone gets angry from time to time Har, Mr. Potter, it is impossible that you will be in control of yourself for the rest of your natural life, not untrained as you are. And adolescence is an especially volatile time for any young man. It is the reason that we choose this time to start training all of you how to control your powers.”

Harry’s power roiled with his anger beneath the shield.

“You seem to be very concerned about me Headmaster, why is that?”

“I am concerned with the well being of all my students.”

“Of which I am not one.”

ECHP

Albus sighed. It was not the first time a student had been wary in his presence, usually they would have calmed down by now though. He was aware of the sub conscious effect that his aura usually had on those around him, usually they were calmed or cowed, it was part of the reason that he chose his wardrobe, it helped to lower the awareness of those affected. Even Tom had calmed after a few minutes. Instead of calming though, Harry was becoming more hostile as they talked.

Minerva would not have liked the boy so much if he had been this hostile to her. He made a conscious effort to reign in his aura and watched as some of the tension disappeared from Harry’s shoulders. How was he suppose to guide and train the boy when the child could hardly stand to be in his presence.

If it’s not one thing then it’s another.

For the first time, he wondered if perhaps he should have talked to Harry before doing what he did. He certainly would have thought twice before engaging in an act that would induce even more anger than what he was facing now.

“Mr. Potter, your letter indicated that you gained a bit of perspective about the wizarding public, but while there could be some discomfort for you when you attend Hogwarts, it would die down eventually. If you don’t attend then you will have people out searching for you and there would be even more of a fervour. It would also be much safer for you in Hogwarts.”

“No one knows where I go except for you and Professor McGonagall. You only know because I said so in the letter. As long as you keep your knowledge to your selves all should be well.”

“There has been some indications that Voldemort might return. If he does then it is very likely that he will target you because of the way that his reign of terror ended a decade ago. I really believe it would be best for you to be trained in the safety of Hogwarts. It is the second most secure place in Britain.”

“So you want me to go from a place where I am just a face in the crowd, a bright student amongst other bright students, to somewhere that a spotlight will be on my every move, madman may or may not be after my head, and everyone expects me to be there? This strikes you as safe?” The incredulity Harry was feeling was clear on his face. “I do believe I’ll pass on that, thanks anyway.”

“This is for the best Mr. Potter,” for the first time he actually approached the child. Harry stood up and straightened his back, movement fluid and graceful. Not at all like he had been sitting with his legs folded under him for any length of time. He extended the packet and watched the boy open it warily. Harry grew progressively paler as he read through the papers.

Transfer papers to Hogwarts School for the Gifted.

“These are not valid, you have to have a guardian sign for something like this.”

“As far as Headmaster Kelley knows, they were signed by your guardian. For you to go to a secure place to provide your education because of the threat posed by the cult leader who murdered your parents.”

“Ha, haha, haha,” Harry dissolved into hysterical laughter. “This is a joke right. A very bad joke.”

“No, Mr. Potter, I assure you this is quite serious. You already know how and where to get your school supplies. On September first you will be on the Hogwarts Express or someone will be sent to pick you up. I had hoped that you would have chosen-”

“Five years.” The low voice cut him off. “Five years I worked and studied and dedicated myself,” the papers drifted out of Harry’s hands to fall to the ground. “Five years of my life. Gone, just like that.” Green eyes met his squarely for the first time. There was none of the anger that he expected. The emptiness there scared him more than any amount of anger would have though. “I will be on the train Headmaster, don’t you worry yourself. Please leave now.”

Albus shifted uncomfortable, looking into those eyes. “Harry, my boy,” again he was interrupted, this time the voice quivered with emotion.

“Leave, Headmaster,” and there it was in his eyes. Pure, unadulterated, rage. “Get away from me. Now!”

Fawkes, sensing the danger, quickly grabbed his bonded and flamed them away.

Albus clung to one thought as he was taken, it was for the best and eventually, Harry would come to see it.

ECHP

Seconds after the Headmaster left, the residents of Little Whining shivered involuntarily as a howl was heard over most of the area.

There was an unseasonable chill in the air for the rest of the month.

AN: Hogwarts next chapter. Tell me what you think.
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