CH 84

Harry sighed as he slowly walked through well-travelled Hogwarts corridor. Much to his chagrin, he was currently on his way to the headmaster's office. He guessed he probably should have expected it, but he really had believed that he would manage to get farther than breakfast of the first day before being summoned by the old man.

And yet that's exactly where he was headed.

The Slytherin table was alive with the younger years talking quietly about the events of that morning, but Harry noticed that none of the conversations were loud enough to escape the table. When the older students in Slytherin came into the Great Hall several minutes after, murmurs sprang up from the other houses from people who saw this circumstance as different. Harry also noticed that the younger years of Slytherin quieted down immediately when they saw the upperclassmen enter the hall..

Harry had quietly sat down and begun eating when Snape had approached the group. He strode down the aisle with a scowl, and he spoke only when he stopped directly behind Harry, "Mr. Flamel, the Headmaster requests your presence in his office, the password is 'Liquorice Comfits.'"

Snape didn't wait for an acknowledgement. He merely strode off after the message had been delivered.

Harry had glanced up at where the headmaster sat during mealtimes, and found that the old man had already finished his breakfast and departed the hall. Harry couldn't resist the small sigh that escaped his lips.

Draco eyes had widened a bit upon his head of house's announcement and he took up his schedule mechanically. Harry mentally cursed when he saw that Draco couldn't keep a worried expression off of his face.

He looked up and saw that Draco had noticed his gaze, and quietly offered, "Do you want me to show you the way to the headmaster's office?"

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he shrugged a little bit and stood up, "That's not necessary, Draco. I'm sure I can find my way since there are portraits everywhere that can direct me on my way. I assume I'll see you in class shortly."

Draco watched him go with a worried expression on his face, before he quickly schooled his features. While Harry was wondering if he could make it through the conversation without attacking Dumbledore. If Dumbledore attempted to read his mind, Harry feared that a fight was inevitable. Idly, Harry wondered who might win the battle.

He had never actually crossed wands with the Dumbledore of his old world. Sometimes he wondered if the old man had actually passed on any magical knowledge or skills his twilight years. The entire wizarding world seemed to hold the old man's skills in worship or fear depending on one's alignment. But Harry bet that nearly every person that passed through Hogwarts in Harry's time saw the man personally cast less than a half dozen total spells the entire time they attended the school. Harry had seen Dumbledore fight only once. During his fifth year at the Ministry, and Harry had to admit that Dumbledore was beyond skilled with a wand during those few minutes he had seen him fight. Harry could barely follow the magics that had flown back and forth between Dumbledore and Voldemort. Harry wondered what he might make of that battle now with his years of experience.

Given his perspective of that battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort, Harry would agree that Dumbledore was probably more skilled than Harry currently was, Harry tended to be more creative with his admittedly limited repertoire of spells. Though Harry believed he was probably more magically powerful.

However Harry figured, if a confrontation truly did occur, then surprise would remain on his side. He just prayed they made it through a conversation without it resulting to violence.

As Harry approached the stone gargoyle, he paused for just a moment to take a deep breath before speaking the password. "Liquorice Comfits"

The gargoyle immediately began to spin around as it moved up, a staircase revealing itself as the stone shifted. Harry stepped forward and allowed the stairs to take him upward.

When Harry stepped into the office, he looked around curiously. It was slightly jarring to him that this office was almost a perfect match for the one Harry remembered in his world. It was a very large circular room. Little noises filled the air at odd intervals from a number of silver instruments, and the walls were covered with familiar portraits of all of the previous headmasters and headmistresses. Harry idly wondered once again if the portraits slept by default or if they had mastered sitting in such poses while silently observing visitors..

In front of him was the huge ornate wooden desk, with parchment scattered across the top. Harry surmised there were more than a few open books underneath some of the parchment, but only one on the corner of the desk was visible.

Behind the desk was an enormous bookshelf, and on one of the bookshelves sat the Sorting Hat. Harry was surprised to see that the hat shifted it's tip slightly as he moved through the room, as it was apparently tracking his progress across its home..

Harry heard a soft trilling and turned to the window to see Fawkes staring at him. Harry was relieved to see that the bird looked fit, even if it was somewhat undersized. He didn't want his slightest touch to kick off a brand new burning day.

Meanwhile, the phoenix looked at Harry intently with a cocked head. Harry wasn't certain but he thought he could read surprise in the phoenix's eyes before it trilled again, this time in a highly pleased greeting.

Harry was just about to give into temptation to go stroke Fawkes' feathers when Dumbledore's voice came from a side entrance to the room. "Ah, Mr. Flamel. So glad you could join me."

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