Chapter 9:

Harry knocked suddenly on his mothers living quarters meeting her after dinner just as requested. The green eyed boy was a little nervous, but he wasn't afraid, just anxious.

It only took a moment for his mother to answer the door, which she did with a hug, "Oh Harry! How was your first day of Hogwarts?"

Harry smiled into his mum's hug, "It was good mum. A little boring at times, but it was fun. McGonagall is having us doing everything wandlessly in her class for now, but it gives Neville and I a bit of a challenge. How was your first day of teaching?"

Lily Potter laughed, "Oh it was actually quite funny. I had to fill in for Professor Burbage for a bit as she was not feeling well, and It is hilarious just how clueless some of these purebloods are. You know Amos' boy from your house, Cedric, he couldn't comprehend just the use of a muggle battery. The runes I powered allow my gadgets to work for a short time before they short out, but I think I have generally blown the minds of those who have never seen muggle technology."

Harry loved hearing his mum laugh, and smiled, "That's great mom. So dad is here?"

James Potter stepped from around the corner with a serious look on his face. Harry instantly sobered up and stepped toward his father, "Hey dad. How are things at the Potter Villa?"

Harry started to step forward to embrace the man, but James Potter just stood there with a cold look on his face, while Harry asked, "Dad? Prongs?"

James Potter then spoke, "Nine generations of male Potters have been placed in Gryffindor. Never has a Potter been sorted into Hufflepuff of all places. Your mother showed me the memory of the sorting. It asked you where you wanted to go, yet you chose to be different. Why?"

Harry recoiled at the coldness of his fathers voice, "I thought you'd understand. I just wanted to be somewhere I belonged. Somewhere I would flourish. I didn't want anything to hold me back."

"So you thought Gryffindor would hold you back? It didn't hold back your mother and I? Or Sirius, Remus, or for Merlin sake even Peter! So I ask again, why didn't you follow into our footsteps?"

Harry was deeply hurt by his father's accusing tone. Lily stepped forward, "James, I think its wonderful that Harry wanted what was best for his future. The hat would not have placed him outside of Gryffindor if he didn't belong there."

The look her husband gave her actually put her to silence, "Your brother and sister are now considering for once in their lives that may be Gryffindor won't be there home. All because you thought to be different."

Harry took the same cold tone with his father, "And if they join me in Hufflepuff great, I will look out for them, but if not they will join Neville, and Neville will look after them. I am not seeing the problem here."

James roared, "You broke tradition! You might as well have just gone off and been a bloody snake."

Lily admonished her husband for raising his voice, "James Potter! We do not raise our voices at the children like that."

James seemed to tone it down a bit at her voice, but the look he gave Harry was of simple betrayal that Harry could not understand, "I had such high hopes for you. I thought you would go to Gryffindor, be a seeker in your first year, second at the latest. Win the dueling championship for Gryffindor, the quittditch cup, the house cup, be head boy in your seventh year, prefect by your fifth. In one night all those hopes destroyed because you went to Hufflepuff."

Harry felt his heartbreak. He had never seen his dad so upset at him. He didn't think his dad would really care, "I'm sorry dad. I didn't think it would be a big deal. I thought you would be happy with where ever I was sorted. Clearly I was wrong."

Harry then looked at his father then at his mother, "Well I am going to return to my dorms. I guess I won't be welcome back at the holidays, so I will see you this summer dad. Tell Jack and Rosalie I will write to them...goodnight."

The oldest Potter scion turned to walk out, and even after his mother called out to him he didn't stop. As soon as he made it to the hallway he took off into a run. He didn't know where he was running, but he didn't stop. Not even when he ran past his fifth year prefect walking with some other prefect. They both shouted after him, and even fired spells at him, but Harry was simply to fast. Eventually he made it to the entrance hall, and didn't stop there.

He just kept running. When he made it to the edge of the grounds and to the forbidden forest, he kept running. Not even caring about the danger he was putting himself in, he just needed to get away, he couldn't see that look of disappointment again.

After several minutes he stopped. He then looked around to see he was deep in the forest. He whipped out his wand and attempted to cast a patronus, but no happy memory could come to him that would even produce the mist.

Harry then fell to his knees and sobbed. Everything he did in life, everything was to please his father, and his mother. Mostly his father though, because despite what everyone thought, he looked up to him even over the headmaster.

It was after all his father that pulled one over on the Dark Lord with his mum's help. It was his dad who embodied the strength of a leader, and it was his father he wanted to grow up and be like. Having a nice home a beautiful family, and a job he loved because it symbolized long happy life. Something Harry was never guaranteed to have because of the prophesy.

As he cried he heard a stirring in the forest. Quickly standing up he wiped his tears away wand is drawn, "Whose there?"

A low growl emitted from around him and he turned firing off sparks in that direction hoping to spook whatever was out there. However Harry saw nothing even with the addition of the lights. Looking around quickly Harry realized just the size of his mistake was.

He inwardly cursed himself, why hadn't he run into the bathroom or a broom cupboard, now he was in trouble, and with his emotions out of wack he couldn't rely on serious magic.

Knowing that he was in danger he brought his occulomency shields slamming into place calling, "You want a piece of me! Bring it on!"

Harry fired the gouging curse straight towards the nearest sound and may have missed it by inches. He then saw something fly through the air away from him. Whatever it was, he must have actually hit it. In a realization that it could come back, he began running back the way he came.

After a while, he seemed to realize he had run too deep, and he had no idea where he was. He realized though if he started changing directions now he would just wind up losing his trail, even more, so decided to look up into the sky and followed the direction of the moon, which he hoped was north. He followed it for what felt like hours, and it very well may have been.

Harry saw a few creatures of the night, a stray acromantula that avoided him, and a unicorn that was beckoning him forward. After a while longer he heard a soft trill echo through the forest, and he would have recognized that sound from anywhere. All his fear had instantly dissipated, and he felt calm once again. A beautiful red phoenix was flying through the air and landed next to Harry on a branch. Harry smiled at the creature clearly relieved, "Have you come to bring me back, Fawkes? I am lost!"

The creature chirped at him as if he was berating him for his stupidity, "I know I'm sorry, just please take me back to the gates."

The phoenix nodded and landed on Harry's shoulder leaving a column of fire behind them, and suddenly Harry was back on the grounds of Hogwarts. The heir to the Potter family sighed, "What are the chances you don't tell anyone about this?"

An older voice rang throughout the garden, "Pretty slim Mr. Potter, pretty slim."

Harry sighed as he wiped his eyes and looked at the headmaster who for once was not smiling at him. Trying to think of a reasonable explanation he decided with the truth, "I'm sorry Headmaster, I was really upset, and I just started running. By the time I stopped, I couldn't find my way back."

The headmaster sighed, "It is cold tonight Harry, please, let us finish this in my office. However, if you could send a message to your prefect I understand he was rather worried when you bolted past him and avoided his hexes to stop you."

Harry had a blush creep up his body, and tried to cast his happy memories to the front of his mind, but couldn't, "I'm sorry headmaster, I can't seem to find the proper memories tonight. Will you please send Darrel the message?"

The headmaster chuckled, "Alas I cannot. My Patronus is simply too bright, and I do not wish to disrupt things. You will have to find it within you to cast your Patronus."

Harry sighed as he closed his eyes trying to think of better times. He then thought about a memory where Rosalie, Jack, and himself were out playing quidditch with their dad. His mum had even played the family match-up, with James playing all-time keeper. Harry focused on this memory, then flicked his wrist outwards, "Expecto Patronum!"

The mist was weaker than usual, but he was able to cast it off, "Darrel, it's Harry, I am with Professor Dumbledore, and I am okay...I will see you in the common room tonight or in the morning."

When the silver mist disappeared Harry asked, "Professor Dumbledore? Since my Patronus doesn't take a shape yet, what do others see when I send them a message?"

Dumbledore turned and began walking with Harry right on his heels, "I believe they just see a form of you. I did not cast a full Patronus until after I had left Hogwarts Harry, but I was able to cast a mist during my fifth year."

Knowing that the memory must have been with Grindelwald Harry dropped the line of questioning. After a few moments Dumbledore asked, "While it's a fine night Harry, I don't think it was prudent to run off into the dark forest alone. Perhaps you should've sought out my company, and we could've taken a stroll on the grounds. The black lake is rather beautiful this time of night."

Harry sighed, "I'm sorry headmaster. I wasn't thinking."

Dumbledore chuckled, "On the contrary my boy, I think you were thinking so much that you just overlooked the simple idea of turning to a friend. Now tell me, what had you so upset."

Not even questioning his options Harry plunged into the story of how his dad had approached him in Lily Potters's quarters and explained the words that James Potter had said to him. By the end of the story they were in the headmaster's office, and Dumbledore had a frown on his face, "I see. I understand why you were upset Harry, but you must remember that the dark forest is not safe this time of night. In fact, I am not even sure I would say the Hogwarts grounds are safe this time of night. You must be more careful until our little problem is taken care of."

Harry nodded knowing that Dumbledore was referring to the potentially treacherous professor Quirrel, "Of course headmaster, it won't happen again."

Dumbledore nodded with a little bit of a twinkle in his eye again, "I know it won't Harry."

Neither of the two said a word, and minutes passed before Dumbledore spoke again, "Your father's words affected you greatly. I can tell. Your magic is coming off you in a different pattern than it usually does. Normally it is bright and eager, but tonight it is dull and sad. Perhaps I can say a few words to make you feel better?"

Harry nodded, "Please."

"James Potter is a proud individual. With the help of his wife, they vanquished a Dark Lord from our lands. They prevented the loss of thousands of lives, perhaps around the world, but that is not his most prideful accomplishment. I remember the day you were born, I remember the look on your father's face. I had never seen a prouder man. That was until you got your first broom at age five I believe, then once again I had to say I had never seen a man with such pride in his child."

"I believe that James wanted more than anything for you to follow in his footsteps. Now he was willing to concede that pranking may not have been your strong suit and was willing to let that go because you two shared such common interest, dueling, quidditch, types of magic, but I think he fully believed that you would follow his footsteps as a marauder into Gryffindor. Your father has an infamous legacy in that house, and I believe he hoped you would continue it." Dumbledore explained.

"Do you think I should've told the hat differently headmaster? Do you think I should have asked it to put me in Gryffindor?" Harry asked desperately.

The headmaster shook his head, "I believe you did the right thing, Harry. Your father will see that in time. I believe he may have even already seen it. After the stern conversation Lily probably had with him after you left, I am sure he regrets his words and will seek you out tomorrow for reconciliation."

Harry took a deep breath, "There is no greater redemption than reconciliation."

Dumbledore was once again smiling a little brighter at those familiar words, "Those were wise words imprinted on me from my mentor Nicholas Flamel. I am glad you have picked up on them as easily as I had."

Sighing in stress Harry nodded, "Almost everything I do is to please him, headmaster. His words wounded me like I never have before. The look of disappointment was one I was not used to professor."

Dumbledore turned his smile sad, clearly wishing he could curse James Potter right now, "Life will be filled with hurtful words, and even great compliments, the best thing one can do is remember both, and continue. Life is not about power, it's about choices. Now it is very late, and you have classes tomorrow. You should go get some rest. I am sure your friends will be worried about you, but you can explain it to them after your morning training."

Harry paled looking at the time realizing that sleep wasn't really going to be an option tonight, "Thank you for sending Fawkes after me headmaster. I may have roamed the forest for days without him. By the way, please don't tell my parents about this. If they find out then Neville will too, and I was already yelled at once for going off without him."

Dumbledore merely chuckled, "I won't betray your confidence this time Mr. Potter, but Mr. Longbottom is right. The only people who will know of this incident are Mr. Abbot and Professor Sprout. Both of whom I have a feeling you will be speaking too soon."

Dumbledore simply nodded at him, as Harry said goodnight, but before he left he felt an overwhelming desire to tell the headmaster about the creature he saw in the forest, "Headmaster?"

Dumbledore who was on his feet preparing to go into his private quarters looked back in surprise, "Yes, Harry?"

"There was a creature in the forest. It was following me. I through the gouging hex at it, and it took off into the air. I hadn't honestly thought about it much professor, but now that I am thinking a little more clearly, I could have sworn that it looked humanoid of some type. Definitely not a vampire, for I swear I could almost detect a magical signature, and I have never experienced anything like its presence." Harry explained.

"Did this creature scare you?"

"No headmaster, I felt a surprising amount of anger though. Then just now when I was getting ready to leave, I just felt like I had an overwhelming desire to tell you about it. Almost as if it was very important. I don't know, maybe I am just tired." Harry admitted.

"Try to get some rest. If the feeling is still bothering you tomorrow I ask that you come and see me though."

"Of course headmaster. Goodnight."

With that Harry exited the office of Albus Dumbledore. He couldn't help the feeling that he was being watched, and drew his wand in anticipation. He didn't like the castle so much at night when was alone, and honestly, the boy was a little freaked out, but when he made it to the common room he relaxed.

It was nearly one AM, and Harry decided that he would just take a nap on the couch, so he didn't awaken his housemates. As he closed his eyes he began thinking of that creature, and suddenly had the feeling of intense fear like he had never felt before. When he closed his eyes he saw nothing, but unpleasant things.