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Chapter III: A Visit from Dumbledore

(Harry P.O.V)

As Harry walked up the stairs towards Andromeda, Tonks walking steadily by his side, a level of unease filled the room. Andromeda for as long as Harry had known her had always worn a face of confidence and courage, never seeming to let anything get to her. But now, she looked concerned and somewhat uncertain, it almost looked to Harry as if there was a semblance of guilt in her eyes.

She had led both him and Tonks through the large manor until they arrived at the living room where he saw a sight the frightened him greatly. His Godfather looked upset, no upset was an understatement, livid was more like it. Besides Sirius, there was only one other man in the room, an elderly man that Harry was certain he had never seen in person but recognized well enough.

He was tall, thin, and his silver hair and beard that was long enough to act as a belt for his robes had he wanted them to accentuate his age. He peered into Harry with bright soul-piercing blue eyes that were hidden behind spectacles that sat atop his crooked nose. Harry watched as the man began to move towards him, the clicking of his high-heeled boots echoing against the wooden floors as his purple cloak floated mere centimeters above the ground. For a moment, everything seemed normal as the elderly man gave Harry a smile before he spoke, "Harry it's so good to-"

However, Sirius tone had greatly shifted the mood as he lifted his wand and barked, "Stay where you are, you don't come a step closer to Harry until I understand why Andromeda believed it was so important to bring you here."

Harry didn't know why Sirius was being so hostile to the man, but he followed in his Godfather's footsteps slowly lifting his wand to the man as well. The man looked at Harry with sadness in his eyes as from his cloak he drew a grey wand that seemed to be covered in beads. Both Harry and Sirius doubled down on their efforts, and out of the corner of his eye, he even saw Tonks preparing to draw her wand. But to his surprise, the old man simply dropped the wand and cleared his throat, "Sirius please, I'm only here to talk."

"We have nothing to talk about Albus," Sirius growled, "I told Hagrid all those years ago that you aren't taking Harry anywhere. He stays with me."

"Yes," The man named Albus spoke, "Hagrid made it quite clear to me. Believe me, Sirius, I have not been seeking you and young Harry here out to have a custody battle."

"Then what do you want?" Sirius hissed in a low tone.

"Sirius, my boy ple-," Albus started but Sirius cut him off.

"Don't you dare patronize me." Sirius said angrily, "I'm not your anything, am I clear?"

"Sirius," Andromeda spoke getting between both he, Sirius and Albus, "Let Dumbledore speak, I wouldn't have told him the location of the house if he didn't have crucial information."

"Alright Albus," Sirius said softly after witnessing a firm look from Andromeda that caused him to lower his wand to which Harry followed suit, "Start talking."

Harry noticed that Dumbledore seemed to struggle in what he had wanted to say. He wasn't sure if he was certain, but Harry could swear for a moment he saw a hint of concern in the elderly man's eyes. Harry watched as the elderly wizard looked around the house curiously almost as if he was mapping out the area in his head, Harry didn't very much like that thought, but he was snapped out of it when Dumbledore had next spoken, "This is a delicate sort of conversation that I feel should be kept private between you and I, Sirius."

"Whatever you have to say," Sirius started, "I can assure you I trust my entire family enough to hear it."

"This isn't about trust Sirius-," Dumbledore started but was once again cut off by Sirius.

"Either the whole family stays," Sirius said preparing his ultimatum, "Or you leave."

"Sirius I must protest in saying that it is not wise to-," But as normal, the elderly man couldn't get a word in.

"I'm not a part of your damn game anymore Albus!" Sirius roared in outrage, "I'm done being a pawn, I'm done playing. I don't give a shit about your greater good, I care about Harry and that's it, do you understand."

Dumbledore's face looked exhausted, but he gave a tired sigh, and eventually, he took a seat at the dining table and nodded, "Very well, though I can't say this conversation will be pleasant, especially for you Harry."

"I can handle it," Harry responded.

(Dumbledore P.O.V)

Dumbledore had never before felt as if he was backed into a corner but standing against the united front of the new House Black was a seemingly insurmountable challenge. So, in his mind, he weighed the cost and benefits of telling Harry and Sirius the truth. He deemed it could have many risks, but the benefit of having Harry Potter back at his school and under his control he determined was worth it.

So Dumbledore spoke the truth, but not the whole truth. He told the Blacks about how his suspicion of Voldemort returning was confirmed, how he had to the best of Dumbledore's knowledge created Horcrux, which while Andromeda, Sirius, and Nymphadora all seemed to flinch at, Harry just displayed confusion. However, the boy's confusion didn't last as after Dumbledore had set forth to explain how he felt that Riddle had made a multitude of Horcruxes, of course leaving out the fact that he believed Harry to be harboring one, he began to speak of the Prophecy.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

Dumbledore sighed deeply as he finished the prophecy, he was well aware Sirius had memorized the damnable poem by heart, so had Remus, James, and Lily. The mark of lightning was proof that Harry was the one destined to defeat the Dark Lord and destined by Dumbledore's estimation to die doing it. Dumbledore watched with pain in his heart as a trembling Harry lifted his hand slowly to his forehead, the boy at least wasn't dumb as he quickly understood the mark.

Dumbledore observed as Sirius showed a display of paternal affection he hadn't been expecting from the once Hogwarts Playboy. "Harry," Sirius spoke, "You're shaking, are you still with us pup?"

"This is precisely why I felt it best to keep our conversation private, we've terrified the -" But to Dumbledore's great frustration, Sirius wasn't the only one who had begun to cut him off.

"Terrified?" Harry said with a chuckle, "No, I'm trembling with excitement."

"Excitement?" Dumbledore asked trying to keep the concern out of his voice as he sensed the boy's magic momentarily flare up.

"Voldemort," Harry spoke out loud causing Nymphadora to shiver slightly, "If he is coming back, then I'm glad it's me. He killed my family, it's only right that I be the one to kill him. I thought I was going to have to settle by getting my justice through his death eaters, but lucky for me the genuine article is coming back from the dead just to die at my hands."

"Harry," Dumbledore spoke urgently, "You don't know what you're saying. Voldemort isn't an opponent to be taken lightly, he's the most powerful dark wizard to ever walk the earth, you not nearly ready to take him on."

"I'm not saying I'm going to march out into the street and fight him now," Harry responded, "We don't even know where he is, and you said you've defeated him twice. I'll just keep training and getting stronger and when the time is right, I'll finish him once and for all."

Dumbledore turned to Sirius hoping he would speak some reason into the boy, but instead, his hand simply clamped on Harry's shoulder tightly as he spoke, "Well said pup. If V-Voldemort is coming back, then I'll be fighting right alongside you and so will Remus. We'll make the bastard pay for what he did to James and Lily."

"You're my little brother Harry," Tonks spoke grabbing Harry's other shoulder, "We're in this together."

"I agree," Andromeda said with a fearless nod, "The new House of Black takes care of their own."

Dumbledore couldn't imagine the scene he saw. Nymphadora may have been young during the first wizarding war, but she must have remembered the carnage well. Yet, her devotion to Harry had made her decision about standing against the possible return of Voldemort extremely easy. Even Andromeda, who had remained neutral in arms, but supported the Order in any way she could had agreed to fight for Harry when the time came. He certainly wasn't planning on the boy having this tightly knit a support system which made what he wanted to say next even more worrisome.

"I've come with a suggestion," Dumbledore spoke, "I believe now would be an apt time for Harry to return to Hogwarts."

"Why?" Sirius said a scowl on his face, "Harry would be a third year and as Remus, Tonks, Andromeda and I can attest to, he's way beyond that year's curriculum. It wouldn't make sense for him to return there, especially if the Dark Lord is truly rising as you believe."

"Sirius," Dumbledore spoke calmly, "I understand your concern is valid, but Hogwarts is the place Harry should be at this age. He needs to create friendships, real friendships like you had with James. He also needs proper guidance and training, Remus will be his instructor while at the school and I will be available to teach him everything I know about the last war and what is role in the Prophecy could be. Hogwarts is also the safest place from Voldemort as while Harry's location might be known, he will also be under my protection and while I do not mean to belittle your efforts, if Voldemort truly rose early and found this place, do you believe you could defeat him by yourself?"

Sirius grit his teeth; Dumbledore and he both knew the answer. It wasn't even a theoretical question, both Sirius and James have had one on one encounters with the Dark Lord before, and both times each man only barely escaped with their lives. Though Dumbledore rarely liked playing the strongest wizard alive card, it was pertinent to make Sirius fold.

"I can't," Sirius whispered, "I promised James and Lily I would keep Harry safe, I won't make him a target."

"Sirius," Andromeda spoke grabbing the man's shoulder, "Harry won't be alone. We'll buy a cottage in Hogsmeade, nothing extravagant, but a place where we'll be able to keep watch over Harry if something is needed. Plus, Dumbledore is right, he is the only man that has a chance to defeat Voldemort one on one if he comes knocking and having Harry train under him will be useful if he truly does have to combat the Dark Lord."

"Hogwarts is important," Nymphadora added, "I love Harry, but I can't be the only friend he'll ever make. He needs to make those bonds, they'll make him stronger in the end. Once I finish training, I'll talk to Moody and see what he can do about assigning me to keep watch over Harry too."

Sirius tightened his hand into a fist, balling it hard before he released it and turned to Harry, "It's up to you Harry. What do you want to do?"

Dumbledore felt the pressure in the air, this next choice would make a large difference in the outcome of the wizarding world and he needed Harry to consent. He needed Harry in his grasp, he needed Harry to have close relationships, because he needed to the magic of love to come from Harry's sacrifice, it was the only chance they had in defeating Riddle for good.

The seconds seemed to pass like hours but eventually, Harry nodded, "I'll go."

"Are you sure?" Sirius asked, "There's no pressure okay? Forget about the prophecy, you don't owe the wizarding world a thing. You've given enough without you even realizing it."

"I can handle it, Sirius, I'm your Godson after all," Harry said with a small smile, "The textbooks I've read all refer to Dumbledore as the strongest wizard alive, if I do have to face off with the man that killed my parents, I want to be as ready as possible."

The small smile turned into a bright grin as Dumbledore watched Harry try to comfort his Godfather, "Plus, Hogwarts is where my dad met my mom. Who knows, maybe I'll find the next Lady Potter-Black there."

Sirius looked of concern turned into a light smile as Dumbledore saw the man wrap his godson up in a tight embrace, "I'm not going to be able to be around as often, the ministry still thinks I'm responsible for the betrayal of your parents and according to Tonks, I also kidnapped you, it'll be a rare thing for me to able to step out of the cottage in Hogsmeade and I'll probably be spending most of my time here where I'm free. But I'll be there whenever you need me, all you have to do is send Kreacher to get me."

"I know Sirius," Harry spoke, "I know you'll never abandon me, but you raised me to stand on my own two feet, I won't fail you. And I don't know how yet, but I'm going to find Pettigrew and prove your innocence. You're the best man I know Sirius, I won't let the world see you as a criminal."

Dumbledore watched as Sirius nodded and turned to face him, his face full venom as he whispered lowly, "You will train him, you will teach him, you will advise him to the best of your ability. But if I hear one word of you attempting to manipulate him, I'll make sure that Harry is never seen in England again, and I'll let the whole world know it was Albus Dumbledore who lost the chosen one. No more games, this is Harry's war, not yours."

Dumbledore fumed slightly inside, yes Harry may have been the chosen one, but it was always his war. He was the leader of the light, the only wizard that Voldemort feared, Dumbledore never considered himself a prideful man, though maybe he was more prideful then he thought as he felt his pride damaged by Sirius' insinuation. However, once again he nodded, the kind grandfatherly expression never leaving his face as he spoke, "Of course, Harry's role is critical in ending the war for good. I'll make sure along with Remus that he will be ready when the time comes."

Sirius nodded and from Dumbledore's pocket he drew a letter and handed it to Harry, "For you, my boy, welcome to Hogwarts, Mr. Potter."

(Harry P.O.V)

Had Harry known that his date with Riley would have been the last time he'd have any fun for the next couple of months, he may have focused more on the post-movie make out session, but alas hindsight is 20/20. Ever since Harry had been informed of the prophecy, Sirius had taken his training up to an eleven. The physical training was brutal, all theory had been cut from the curriculum and practical learning became all that mattered.

The first week of the new training schedule had Harry collapsing from exhaustion every day, but now, three months later, despite the rigor and drain her would feel in both his physical and magic stamina, Harry was at least able to make it to his bed before he collapsed. Yes, Harry was willing to do whatever it took to get vengeance for his parents, but the toll it was taking on his body was astronomical and part of Harry looked forward to Hogwarts as he couldn't imagine the training there being nearly as brutal.

It was August 30th when he awoke at the surprisingly late hour of 10 a.m. something he hadn't been able to do in months, and more surprisingly, he was awoken to the smell of bacon. Not trusting his good fortune, Harry slowly got dressed pulling on his grey shirt and jeans before with wand in hand he crept out his bedroom door and down to the kitchen.

He had been expecting a prank or surprise attack, but instead when he arrived at the kitchen all he saw was Tonks making breakfast, her bubblegum pink hair messy from just waking up wearing her checkered sleeping pants and wrinkled black Metallica t-shirt. Harry lowered his wand, but kept it in hand as he called out, "Tonks?"

"Wotcher Harry," Tonks replied turning to Harry with a warm smile.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked thinking that her older sister should have left for Auror training and wasn't expecting her return so soon, "And where's Sirius and your mom?"

"Mum went out with Padfoot and my dad to look at cottages in Hogsmeade," Tonks said, "Which means I'm the boss of you."

"Sirius only put you in charge because Remus is busy getting ready for Hogwarts, didn't he?"

"I'll have you know," Tonks said in a mock offended tone, "That I am more than capable of being in charge of a house. I am a trained and certified Auror after all."

A smoky smell began to fill the air and shit eating grin began to emerge on Harry's face as he spoke, "Sure thing certified Auror. The bacon's burning by the way."

"Crap!" Tonks called quickly turning around and pulling the chard pieces of meat from the pan and onto the serving plate. Harry couldn't help but chuckle as Tonks turned to him with a playful scowl, "Ha-ha, very funny," She said before serving Harry his plate of burnt bacon and eggs, "Eat, we have a lot of things we need to take care of today to get you ready for school. Quick breakfast and then we're off to Diagon Alley."

Harry nodded trying to keep his excitement of finally being able to go to Hogwarts in check. His excitement was slightly shaken however when Tonks summoned a hat to her hand and tossed it atop Harry's head. It was an old Celtics hat that Harry got from his first time going to watch a basketball game with Sirius who wanted to see some muggle sports. Though all he said was that quidditch was better and after Harry had ridden a broom for the first time he had to agree with his godfather, though basketball wasn't bad.

"Why do I need this?" Harry asked lifting the hat and waving it at Tonks.

"Keep the scar covered," Tonks said, and Harry instantly began feeling defensive. Before he could speak though, Tonks continued, "Look, Harry, I know that scar means a lot to you, but we don't need to announce your return to the wizarding world any sooner than necessary."

Harry grumbled to himself but nodded understanding Tonks point before he shoved a clump of scrambled eggs into his mouth. Tonks gave him a comforting look before the two of them sat to enjoy their breakfast. It hadn't taken long for Harry to finish the food, his workouts had left his metabolism in an incredibly high state and he swore that he always felt hungry. He helped Tonks with the dishes and once everything was finally completed Harry called out, "Kreacher!"

"Yes master, how can Kreacher serve the heir of Black?" The elf muttered.

Harry smiled down at the elf. Unlike Sirius, his relationship with Kreacher was not completely unfriendly. It had started out rough with Kreacher sparing him of no insult ranging from unworthy heir to filthy half-blood. But it had changed when Harry had asked for Kreacher's assistance in learning from the Black Family Grimoire. Kreacher had hesitated at first, but while Harry himself was not pure-blood, he worked hard to honor the tradition of learning from the Grimoire, and though he detested the Old House Black for siding with Voldemort during the last war, he somewhat understood what Kreacher must have been feeling in losing a family.

Maybe the two weren't exactly friends, but Kreacher at least held his tongue out of respect for Harry's efforts to learn the Black Family Traditional Spells. "Kreacher, could you please apparate Tonks and I to Diagon Alley. We don't much want to be detected."

"Of course master," Kreacher bowed, "Kreacher lives to serve the noble house of Black." And with a pop, they apparated.