Good old love

Dumbledore looked at me seriously for a moment before smiling radiantly again. "Even if that is the case, limiting yourself to not say his name, will, whether consciously or unconsciously, develop a wariness and in most cases a subtle fear of the man inside the psyche of a person. This allows his influence to increase my boy." He said calmly.

"And that will not help any of us. But you don't have to worry about it, inside of Hogwarts you are all safe," he said confidently. I didn't really bother taking his words seriously. Such words were much more useful in front of a crowd of sheep, rather than on me. After all, serious black, freshly out of prison and out of his mind, was able to get in with no one being none the wiser. His words didn't hold much weight. Let's not even count the number of times he's been kicked out of the school. Safe my ass.

"Sir, the problem is, Voldemort is going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he's not gone, has he?"

"No, Harry, he is not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as he does to his enemies. Nevertheless, Harry, while you have only delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems to be a losing battle next time—He may never truly return to power if he is delayed over and over again." He said seriously before turning his head towards me.

"So, Mr Knight, would you like to explain how you managed to take down Quirrell, in a certain way… by yourself?" asked Dumbledore with curiosity. I flinched slightly. I needed to choose my words carefully.

I began to explain my side of the story from when I met Ron all the way to when I interrupted Quirrell from killing Harry. I said that I had simply soaked myself in water and used a separation charm to spilt the wall of flames. Dumbledore didn't seem to believe it but there was no way I was telling him the truth. I then explained my fight to him, the trading of spells and the use of protego that I had learnt from a 4th year student.

When I said that last part Dumbledore looked at me with an odd glint in his eye. I knew he had received word of my "endeavour" to the ROR. But it was of no consequence as no one was harmed. I didn't mention me using my fire for obvious reasons. I said that in the process of battling, I noticed that Quirrell's right arm was slightly blistered. I mentioned that I noticed it when Quirrell kicked Harry and grazed his arm against Harry's hand. This was actually true just that it was inconsequential to the final result. But a good way to explain how I killed him.

I explained that upon tying Quirrell up with the use of incarcerous I used Harry's hand to burn the rest of Quirrell. Effectively killing him. Dumbledore didn't question the last part as it was true. Most of it was actually, just that a bit of word manipulation here and there, allowed for a watered-down version of events.

"I see, you are a very observant young man, Tom," he said with a smile.

"Sir" voiced Harry as he stared at his hands.

"There are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me… things I want to know the truth about…" he said thoughtfully.

"Ah… the truth. Such a beautiful yet also terrible thing. And… should therefore be treated with the necessary caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a good enough reason not to do so. In which case I beg forgiveness. I shall, of course, not lie." He said softly.

Harry asked about what Voldemort said about his parents, about his mother, and their death.

"Alas, the first thing you ask, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day… put it from your mind, for now, Harry."

"Ok… but you must be able to tell me why Quirrell wasn't able to touch me, right? According to Tom, he suffered heavy damage when he did so and even ended up dying." He asked seriously.

"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize the power of love, and that love as powerful as your mother's, leave's its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, they will still give us some protection forever. Quirrell, who was full of negative emotions, and sharing his body with a being as evil as Voldemort found it agonising to touch you. To touch something so pure of heart." He spoke.

"Professor, it seems you're quite muddleheaded today," I said seriously. Sure, there was truth in what he said, but love by itself is meaningless. It is worth nothing.

"Something wrong with what I said?" asked Dumbledore.

"The way you put things is the issue, you're confusing the facts," I said while shaking my head.

"What?" asked Harry as he looked back and forth between me and Dumbledore.

"Mr Knight, can you explain what love is to you?" He asked as he looked at me with the same warm smile.

"I believe that my meaning of love and the meaning it has towards magic are two separate things. It is of no concern or importance what love means to me personally, but since we are talking about what love means in magic, what it signifies, then I find it quite relevant. Love in a sense acts as a barrier, a stopper of sorts. Especially when it concerns dark magic, considering people lose their ability to love when they fall deep enough under the dark arts. But the same love could stop them from losing their basic sanity. You could say that love is a double-edged sword. It can bring you power, but it can also weaken and even cripple you."

Harry was silently listening to the side, while Dumbledore questioned, "Weaken? Cripple?"

"Yes, love is a fickle thing. If you feel love, you can use it to train you magic, fuel it, make it more powerful. It allows you to build allies, family, friends, so, even when your weak you're stronger together." I paused.

"Well said!" Dumbledore nodded contently with a smile, "I only wish more wizards like you appeared, that more people held such a-"

"Don't get me wrong, I disdain such an approach. I believe that when you are powerful enough, such trivial concepts become irrelevant. Ten thousand ants cannot beat an elephant. When it comes down to the wire, I wouldn't want to rely upon others to reach my goal. Friends, family, allies, they are simply sentimental attachments that only serve to chain you up and drown you. Yet, after saying all these words, I am guilty of being tied down by this very notion. Such is the Irony," I said mockingly.

"Like I said before, a double-edged sword, wherever there are benefits, there must also be drawbacks. In this case, the lives of our loved ones." I said simply.