Chapter 13: Rooftop Talk

Chapter 13: Talk on the Roof

Harry was standing on a part of the huge roof of Hogwarts castle. He wasn't wearing his typical wizard robes, but one of his many outfits that he bought in Konoha. Black trousers that reached to his ankles, but now he wore boots that reached a little above said ankles. A long-sleeved black shirt and a jacket that kept him warm and reached a little below his waist.

Today was the day of the Yule Ball, but he didn't plan on attending. Why would he have to? There was no point in attending such a gala when he didn't want to and it wasn't appropriate for him to attend. He didn't consider himself a champion, a competitor, but not a champion like the other three. And, the only reason he was going through with all this without trying to get out of the tournament, is because it would bring him closer to Voldemort much easier.

He had gotten rid of the Ravenclaw diadem a few days ago, it was quite easy when he used Avada Kedavra with his Memory-Maker. The good thing about using the Killing Curse with Memory-Maker, was that he didn't need to focus on hatred or any negative feelings to cast it. Since the curse was among his memories, he could easily cast it as long as he focused on that specific memory. So, by doing this, he wasn't affected when using dark magic.

"I didn't think you'd be in a place like this, Harry."

Frowning at the sound of the voice, Harry slowly turned around, looking at Dumbledore who was smiling at him friendly. He didn't know how the headmaster found out he was here. Oh, he knew about the portraits that informed Dumbledore of many things, but he had been careful not to be seen leaving the castle and going up to the roof.

"How did you know I was here, Headmaster Dumbledore?" he decided to ask, hoping the old wizard would answer honestly. Harry was still unsure of Albus Dumbledore's intentions. Was he really someone good? Why he knew the old man had the best intentions for the students, but did he?... He wasn't clear.

Dumbledore's smile grew a little wider, "When you're a headmaster, Harry, you get some very interesting privileges."

Harry tilted his head slightly to the side, looking directly into Dumbledore's bright eyes. It was a little comforting to know and feel that the headmaster of Hogwarts didn't try to probe his mind with passive legilemancy.

"The castle itself?... I can't imagine the portraits could tell you my current location. Even if it may seem a little crazy - even to the most magical - it may be the most logical thing to do."

"Um...", Dumbledore stroked his beard with his right hand as he nodded. "You're right. The castle doesn't have such a thing as a consciousness, as some people like to imagine. But, the moment you take over as headmaster, you have to merge with the halls of the castle. That way, you can know where someone is; not exactly who, but you can 'understand' that, for example, there's someone on the roof."

"Now... Harry... could you satisfy an old man's curiosity and tell me why you're not attending the ball?"

Snorting a little, Harry sat on the roof as he looked ahead, watching some students leave the castle to chat in more privacy. Even Hagrid left with Madame Maxime.

"I don't consider myself a champion and I just don't feel like attending," he answered honestly.

"I see..." Dumbledore nodded slowly before approaching Harry, looking out at the courtyard, where a few students had gathered. "I'd like to ask you another question, though."

"Go ahead..."

"Why are you studying books from the restricted section related to the soul?"

Harry raised his eyebrows, a little surprised. But, now that he knew about the headmaster's ability to know the location of people within the castle, he wasn't that surprised. In fact, the real surprise was how he knew it was him.

"I have no problem answering that but, first, please answer how you know it was me."

"Once again, the wonders of the halls," Dumbledore said. "But, in this case, it's because of a small statue in that place. It's like the gargoyle in front of my office door."

"Ah... I see...", Harry cursed a little inwardly, remembering the small statue that seemed to hold the candles that illuminated some parts of the restricted section of the library.

"The reason is a little simpler than I think you're imagining, Headmaster. I wanted to know more about how magic works."

"I've read books that say that the so-called core of a wizard is his heart. Others say that the core is a way of calling all the magic dispersed throughout the body of a magical human... so much nonsense that was written just to get attention or seem important...", Harry finished with a sigh of annoyance, and his answer surprised Dumbledore a little.

In fact, the older man laughed a little.

"The so-called 'core' of a wizard is in his skull, isn't it?" Dumbledore commented, noticing how Harry spoke, tacitly showing that he knew where a person's magic was located.

"Then you also know... perhaps it's not so surprising," Harry smiled slightly. "And as for the soul... Well, I was trying to figure out how it was linked to magic. After all, the spiritual energy that makes up magic is born in part from the soul, the psyche, and its connection to magical particles in the environment."

Dumbledore seemed surprised and looked down at Harry.

"Impressive... I didn't know that. It seems you've put in the effort to uncover these mysteries."

"Information is important, Headmaster. If I know how magic works properly, I can become more powerful and therefore defend myself better."

"Could you tell me what else you've discovered, Harry? I find these kinds of talks most amusing and interesting."

Harry smiled a little wider. Maybe he had let his guard down a bit, maybe he felt calmer, but he didn't mind sharing more of this information with Dumbledore. The old man didn't seem like someone who wished ill on anyone, maybe a little too kind, but now he knew that he wasn't against him or wanted him dead. So now he could understand the decisions he made in the book: Albus Dumbledore wasn't perfect. He was strong and intelligent, but not someone who was exempt from mistakes. And, adding to his discovery of the horcrux in his scar, he was probably desperate.

"Magic exists in the world... in the environment...", Harry began slowly as he looked ahead, right at the top of some trees.

"The 'gene' that magical people inherit causes three things in that person: to sense what I call magic particles, to increase their spiritual energy, and to create a connection between these two things through the body and soul."

"With the connection between the soul, spiritual energy, body, and magic particles, we can do and see magic."

"If this connection does not exist, a person could still harness a bit of this spiritual energy within them, but never do magic. I believe that these magic particles are responsible for us being able to manifest magic in the world. My theory is that they manifest this power of ours in reality and, at the same time, deform it to obtain the desired result."

Harry nodded to himself. And, while there were no magic particles in Konoha, it still worked thanks to the energy of nature. Perhaps to a lesser degree because they were not the same, but it still allowed spells and curses to manifest in reality and deform it to achieve the result that Harry wanted.

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled with excitement and... hope? Harry couldn't quite tell with that peculiar glint in the old man's eyes.

"It's a wonderful theory and it could very well be real, Harry. You've studied hard."

"Thank you..."

"Tell me, Harry... do you think this connection can be broken?"

Harry blinked in genuine surprise at the question, and immediately began to think. In fact, now that he thought about it, if this was achieved, it could be a possibility to get rid of things like Horcruxes.

"That's... kind of dangerous, Headmaster. I don't know how it would work in practice. But, theoretically, it would be possible if some kind of mental and spiritual interference magic were created. The first would make the wizard unable to think or specifically remember anything, and the second would have to make someone's spiritual energy stagnate and unable to use the connection between soul, spiritual energy, body, and magical particles."

"It wouldn't cut the connection per se, but it would stop it for a period of time."

"The other would be to simply try to launch a 'shot' of densely charged magical particles, 'negating' the magic cast by someone. But I think this would only work for when someone casts any spell on you at the time."

Dumbledore smiled a little more excitedly.

"Harry... you're a genius. You've really become someone amazing."

"Uh... Thank you?" Harry didn't know how to properly respond to Dumbledore's praise.

"I hope you do your best on the second task. Now, I have to go, an old man can't sleep this late," Dumbledore smiled and it seemed like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders as he used Apparition to leave the roof.

"Well... that was helpful, thanks old man," Harry smiled a little as he now remembered Apparition. However, he knew about the laws of magic with minors. As well as the same laws tied to Apparition.

Harry stood up ready to descend the castle walls, but when he looked down, he noticed a slightly uncomfortable Fleur Delacour next to Roger Davis, who was completely at the mercy of the French student's charms.

"Well... isn't this fun?" Harry smiled slightly before forming some hand seals and using Genjutsu on Davis. The scream that came from his throat startled Fleur and the people in the courtyard near the rose bushes. The captain of the Quidditch team fell to the ground, hitting his bottom before blinking and feeling his pants wet, right in the crotch area.

"Heh... now that's funnier," Harry laughed a little harder before running down the roof.

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A little development between the two characters. And for those wondering: no, Dumbledore won't be a villain, nor a manipulative old man who would throw away people's lives easily. I've had enough of the same, so I'll try to make Albus Dumbledore as good as humanly possible.