Chapter 16:

The first quidditch match of the season was sneaking up on all of Hogwarts. Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw was starting a rivalry week with the quidditch match shotgunning the start.

The rest of the week would show the houses competing for points and of course, it all would lead up to the dueling match-up. The houses were excited and Halloween had been forgotten by most people.

Most people of course were a relative term. All the people in Harry's life had not forgotten about Halloween, but at least most of the school had. Lord Abbot had once again made an appearance at the school the following day and demanded that they all sat down and watched the Pensieve memory together.

This led to the headmaster, his head of the house, both of his parents, Susan's aunt, and both of Hannah's parents and brother, in the headmaster's office the following afternoon.

Dumbledore opened up the events with carefully spoken words, "Given the fact that the people present in this room are upstanding members of our government and community, I would ask that for the sake of each of your families you allow this event to dissipate without involving the media or the Aurors."

It was clear this message had been pointed towards Amelia Bones, but the women merely glared at the old man, "We will just have to wait and see the severity of the situation Dumbledore. My niece has been under your protection for all of two months and between herself and her best friend, they have nearly died a total of three times. The actions I will take with my department will be entirely determined through the content of Mr. Potters's memories."

Dumbledore nodded in understanding while James put his hands on his oldest son's shoulders in an attempt to relax the clearly nervous young man. Professor Sprout spoke gently, "Amelia, from what Mr. Potter has told me of the events it is rather unlikely your department will not be involved. I would like to give a fair warning to all those that enter this memory, that if only a fraction of what Mr. Potter has told me is true, then we may all need to take a seat and talk this out before further action is taken."

With a general consensus taken Dumbledore motioned for Harry to come forward and deposit the memory into the Pensieve. Instead of having everyone gather around the bowl, Dumbledore placed a small rune set against the magical artifact which allowed an image to project just above the bowl.

The memory started with Hermione trying to help Ron in charms class. As Harry glanced around the room he noticed the adults were all very fixated on the events even the Headmaster. Harry also noted that Susan and Hannah were trying to look anywhere but the Pensieve.

The memory was then forged on to the point where the class was dismissed, and Susan, Hannah, and Harry were talking about inconsequential things when the argument across the hall broke out. The women in the room looked disgusted with the red-haired git, while the adults including the headmaster were merely shaking their heads.

The headmaster especially knew that some Muggleborn students came in and were bullied due to their intelligence. Not just because they were smarter individuals, but because they were better students having come from a six-year primary school already.

Lily Potter for one was preparing to storm out of the office and give Ron Weasley a piece of her mind, after watching the poor muggle-born girl run away in tears. To Lily Potter, this was a little too close to home. While James and Sirius always protected her anything more than words, she too had been subjected to some hurtful words from students in the other houses.

After Harry told Dumbledore they could skip the next thirty minutes of searching the memory was adjusted to the part where the group had approached the girls bathroom. Hannah smiled at Harry as she heard his explanation as to why he had become so angry, while the other females also gave the younger man some admiring looks.

His father squeezed his shoulders in pride as he listened to the younger man. He also looked a little concerned, but only because he knew that something bad was about to happen.

When Hannah paled in the memory the blonde girl close by him paled as well. This led to Harry grabbing the girl's hand gently and giving her a sad reassuring smile. This move did not go unnoticed by any other adult in the room.

As they watched the battle for Harry's life Lily Potter had to turn around while James merely watched in fear and awe as his son handled himself in such a grave situation. When the scream was heard from the bathroom the whole room groaned realizing either the dementor or the acromantula had appeared. Harry had easily made work of the acromantula but the whole adult contingent was surprised when the spider got back up. James even whispered, "That's not possible."

Harry looked confused as to why all the adults were thinking the spell he used was such a big deal. Hagrid taught it to him when they were out hunting in the dark forest years ago. It was only a second-year spell, so it wasn't exactly advanced magic especially compared to some of the other magic he had performed in the memory.

The memory played on to the point where Harry fought the battle on two fronts and managed to get the girls out of the bathroom. The group seemed to be in celebration thinking this would be where professor Potter stepped in, but that was not the case as the Dementor was now clearly seen in Harry's memory.

As Harry watched the memory and saw himself fire a gouging hex at nothing he realized the dementor had just created a conjuration of fear, and nothing more. The rest of the adults seem to realize this as well, while Susan and Hannah had stopped watching at this point.

When the troll and spider were defeated the room gasped when the dementor backhanded Harry causing him to drop his wand, and fling it to the ground. When the stag entered the scene the memory ended and the group all took a deep breath understanding had Lily Potter arrived any later Harry at the very least he would have been kissed, and the others put in uncontrollable harm's way.

The Headmaster then spoke with confidence, "I suppose a bit of truth is required on my part in this situation. Harry and I have been training together for four years now, and he is quite skilled with a wand. With his family magic being from the Potter side his aptitude for combat magic is stronger than anyone since Charlus Potter. James while you are undoubtedly a powerful young wizard, your son will one day pass you, and I hope you can take that as any proud parent would. The reason I am coming forth with this is that I do not wish for Harry to be isolated due to his rather unusual power base."

Amelia Bones took a seat putting a hand to her head, "My niece was moments away from being killed by a troll, and then eaten by an acromantula. Dumbledore you better have an explanation beyond Mr. Potter's extraordinary use of magic under stressful situations."

Dumbledore and Harry locked eyes for a brief moment, and Dumbledore spoke, "The dementor was not real, it was a boggart that had detected so much fear it appeared to our young students. Harry has been attacked by a dementor before so that is of course his worse fear, being fear itself. The troll was being brought in as protection, but our potions professor lost control of it.

The theory was that while all the students were in the great hall we would successfully and safely bring in the large creature, but when something suddenly enraged the beast it knocked out Severus Snape on the third-floor corridor.

This of course just so happened to correlate with where the children were at the time. The acromantula however is your best guess will be as good as mine. It likely climbed the building from the outside and found a way in. It is my belief that it was sheer bad luck and unfortunate circumstances that fell upon our first-year students."

Some of this was news to Harry. Snape had been knocked out by the troll? Was that why he was limping at breakfast? Or had the man been cursed in the back? One certainly seemed more likely than the other, as Harry knew that Severus Snape had been one of the most proficient duelers in all of Britain. The Dementor was a boggart?

Harry had felt the boggart's dementor form many times before and that was certainly not a boggart. Just what was Dumbledore playing at? It was clear by the look he had originally given the young man that he wanted him to stay quiet, but why?

Amelia looked at the old man, then to Lord and Lady Abbot, "Are you believing any of this?"

Lord Abbot shook his head, "That seems like too too many coincidences Dumbledore. My daughter's broom has been hexed, and Heir Potter was forced to save her. Now she is attacked by a troll, an acromantula, and a boggart, I feel that something more is going on here, even if all that has been said is true, and I am not so convinced that it is."

Darrel Abbot though spoke up for the first time, "Regardless of how any of us feel about the situation though Harry has now saved the life of my sister twice, and I don't honestly care what led to this happening only that it happened. The Ancient House of Abbot should be demanding that we can in some establish a way to pay back House Potter's Heir."

Thankful that the subject had been changed Dumbledore took his best grandfather impersonation, "Tempers are rather hot right now. Though it is hard to blame you, as your children are supposed to be safe here while at school, I ask that everyone please just be patient with me. The staff and I are doing everything we can to prevent another accident from happening, but the fact of the matter is, that the acromantula and the boggart incident are going to happen."

"An Acromantula colony is just inside the forbidden forest and unless we are willing to sacrifice a hundred lives then attempting to eradicate this problem would be futile. Boggarts can be found in just about every pureblood home around the world, the best solution I can offer there is to teach the lesson to our younger students, and hope we can prevent something like this from happening again."

"The troll problem I can assure you however will not happen again. The fact that all three of these events took place simultaneously is not only unheard of, but also extremely unlikely to ever happen again. The odds of it happening once is blinding, twice would simply be an omen."

The adults seemed to mostly acknowledge what Dumbledore had said, and when he put it that way even Harry could tell that he had made some good points, "While I agree with Mr. Abbot on the fact that Harry should be rewarded, I don't think the life debt would be the best way to approach this matter."

Lord Abbot clearly was annoyed with Dumbledore as he wasn't going to be able to take any real action against the things responsible for this freak accident he spoke sharply, "House Abbot and Bones will decide what the best course of action is Headmaster, I ask that you allow us to deliberate before you offer further council."

Dumbledore however was not going to be talked down in his own school or office, "Lord Abbot I will remind you that while you are in my office I am still headmaster and in charge of these three students unless you wish to withdraw them. I will also remind you that while you may be the head of your house, I am still chief Warlock and have the right to intervene and inquire about any and all multiple house-related matters."

The temperature in the room had clearly dropped, and Lord Abbot seemed to realize his faux pas, "Of course headmaster."

Fawkes gave a slight soothing trill which seemed to calm the room down a bit, while Madame Bones spoke, "It is acknowledged by house Bones, that our noble house owes House Potter a life debt. We can offer you money, property, or even a marriage contract if that is what it will take to make our houses even again."