Chapter 45 If It's Not One It's Another

Harry's POV

Harry and his friends cringed at being caught talking in public. They were so flustered about the day's events that they didn't even think about eavesdroppers. They were so used to keeping important information themselves, that one little slip every now and then usually went unnoticed. That didn't stop them from regretting their mistake. They all should have learned from what had happened to Harry earlier today.

The Boy-Who-Lived was being worst on himself for his lack of judgement. So what, if he was behind the best wards in the United Kingdom? He should have been paying attention. Still his alarm hadn't gone off, so it wasn't an adult. He turned and looked and gave a small sigh of relief. This was no one to be worried about. Only a fanboy.

"What's up, Colin?" he asked, trying to ignore the question. It didn't work.

"Hey, you remember me? I thought you had amnesia?" the younger boy shouted, happy to be acknowledged by the living legend.

"Shhhh," Hermione hissed. "Not so loud. You know how Harry doesn't like people looking at him," she said, pointedly looking at all the teens surrounding them glancing their way.

"But, he remembers me," Colin stated much quieter, blushing a bit. "Do you really remember me, Harry?" he asked, gushing over that fact. He was tickled pink that he was the first person his hero remembered.

"Huh," Harry said, thinking it over. "I guess I do. Looks like, I'm starting to remember. Go figure. So, what did you need?" he once again tried to get back to why the boy was here and not what he had heard. He was happy that his memories were returning, but really Colin Creevey? All he truly remembered was the boy was worse than paparazzi. His camera was even hanging off his neck right now.

"Did you really get kidnapped?" the younger boy asked. Once again, a bit too loud for everyone's taste.

"Shhh," Hermione chastised again, this time putting a finger to her lips. "We don't want everyone to find out. You wouldn't want someone like Malfoy to hear, would you?" she asked, playing on the boy's hatred of that particular Slytherin.

"Don't worry, Colin, it was no big deal," Harry said as dessert appeared on the table. "Just Fudge. He only wanted to talk," he stated, which was technically true. To a point. "You know how politicians are. They always want celebrities to endorse them. I told him I'd think about it, and he left me alone," now straight out lying. He grabbed some pumpkin pie and started to eat hoping the other boy would drop it.

"Oh, okay, Harry. You know how we all worry about you, so I'm glad to hear you're okay. Gryffindor is like family after all," the cheery teen stated, clapping his 'brother' on the back.

"Yeah, dysfunctional family," our hero muttered, but nodded to Colin and then pointedly turned back to his meal.

"Harry don't say that," Hermione chastised. "Every family has its ups and downs."

"So, Colin what did you need?" Harry asked for the third time.

"I wanted to ask who you're taking to the Yule Ball? I don't know if you heard about it. The teachers mentioned it earlier, but I know you don't attend classes," the hyper boy stated, hoping to get some good gossip. The Harry Potter Fan Club was always looking for news on their hero. A romance would be great food for the rumor mill.

"I've already asked two lovely ladies, and they've said yes," the dark-haired wizard smirked at his two friends, who blush with pride.

"You have two dates!?" the younger boy yelled, making half the Hall turn their way.

A great many groans and sighs were heard as everyone realized who was getting lucky enough to have two girls already lined up for the festivities.

"Yup," Harry gloated, winking at Colin in the 'I'm the man' type way.

"You are so lucky, Harry. I wish I could be as lucky as you," he mused, starry-eyed, which made Harry very uncomfortable.

Suddenly his alarm blared as McGonagall approached with a determined look on her face. "Mr. Potter, what is this I hear that you have two dates for the Ball?"

"That's right," he said, giving her and 'what you going to do about it' look.

"That is completely unacceptable. You will bring one date, or not attend at all. You have constantly stated you are not a student at this school, therefore, I do not see why you should be allowed to come at all," she stated a bit snidely. She refrained from outright sneering, but it was close. Her attitude on this particular child had diminished to bordering detestation. The way he was so rude to everyone, and his flat-out hatred for Dumbledore had seen any pity for him and his predicament fly away weeks ago. She had little left but scorn for the brat. Never in all her years had she had someone so disrespectful. And after everything they had done for him. For him to throw it all in their faces with that hated look of disdain. No, there would be no sympathy for Harry Potter, not until he became the polite young man he used to be, though Albus said that wasn't going to happen.

"Really? Okay," he stated decisively. "Well, girls, sorry to say but you're going to have to find someone else to be your escort. Neville's a good candidate, and I suggest you both go with him and have a great time. I'm out of here," he drawled, his eyes never leaving McGonagall's face. "I'll just have to inform the press that they're booting me out, even though I'm not fully healed, and that this school was responsible for my condition in the first place. Oh, wait, I said that last part at the first task, well I'll just give them the current news then. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll just be leaving," he finished as he got up from the table and made his way to the doors.

McGonagall tightened her lips, she wasn't like Albus, she would call his bluff. The child had nowhere to go. Sirius had not been heard from since he was freed, so he couldn't go there. Remus was likewise unavailable, not that Harry should remember him. The same went for the Dursleys, so the brat wouldn't even know to go there. In conclusion, he was lying, and just calling attention to himself once again.

Harry left the Great Hall and made it to his room unmolested. He gathered what little he had left out of his necklace trunk and packed it up. He'd stay with Sirius, he could see his friends anytime they wanted. They could finish the Room of Requirements, and they could sneak off grounds to visit. Or he and Sirius could sneak into the castle and meet them there. Remus too, if he wanted; however, that man was more rule abiding, so perhaps not. The wards stopped at the tunnel, but since he hid the Shack he was safe there as well. Though, he was seriously considering telling Sirius to sod the school and keep money they were going to give it. But, he could hear Hermione's voice in his head already. That, and he'd made a promise, so he'd keep it. Still, it was a nice visual, telling them the millions they had made only to thumb his nose at them.

Gathering his thoughts and putting on his warm jacket, he left the room and made it down to the common room.

"Harry, are you really leaving?" Luna asked, looking really out of place in the sea of Gryffindors. "Your nargles are coming back," she said, handing him her necklace. Her large eyes watered with unshed tears. She knew that he'd be okay, but she really didn't want to see him leave.

"Yeah, but I'm not going far. You know where I'll be so don't fret," he said, putting on the corked necklace and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Okay, Harry, just don't go off without an adult, okay. Promise me, please," she pleaded as she hugged him tight.

"I won't," he promised as he gently released her.

"How are we going to continue our lessons?" Neville asked, worried for his friend and hoping he'd stay, if only for that.

"Do what you've been doing, change things up a bit and try new things. You have great place to practice. You don't need me anymore," he said, clapping the other boy on the shoulder. "Besides, I'll be around, don't worry. You watch the girls, okay?" he asked, and Neville nodded firmly and stepped aside.

"You'll keep up your lessons, right?" Hermione asked, tears running down her face.

"Of course," he said, hugging her and reveling in the feel of her as much as he had Luna, only with different feelings in the mix. With Luna is was like holding on to hope, love and sunshine. With Hermione it was holding onto steadfast friendship, bossy sister, and the comfort of home. "You take care. You know where to find me if you need me, right?" he asked, wiping a tear from her face.

Hermione nodded her head, using the back of her hand to swipe another tear.

The twins and everyone else, barring a few, said their good-byes and best wishes as he made his way to the portrait hole. He turned at the hole and said, "Later, everyone. Don't miss me too much." And with that he stepped out.

Three teachers were outside the dorm, looking at him with mixed feelings. Flitwick, who he really didn't know well, seem to have a bit of pride in his eyes. Though, why Harry couldn't tell you. Sprout, who Harry didn't know at all, seem to be very concerned. McGonagall was standing there with pursed lips, and a look that said she just didn't believe he would leave. So, he gave and thumbs up to the tiny charms professor, and sympathetic nod to the herbology professor, and flipped of the transfigurations professor. He then held his head high and left. The teachers followed him to the doors.

"Where do you think you are going, young man?" McGonagall asked, just as he was about to step outside. "You know you are not allowed to leave."

"You," Harry said, pointing his finger at her, "just go through telling me that I had no reason to be here. I agreed. So, don't get your nose out of joint when we're in agreement."

"You know that the Ministry wants you here," was her rebuttal.

"Fuck the Ministry," he stated firmly. "I could give a rat's ass what they want. They've done nothing for me or mine that they didn't have to be bribed into doing. If I never see or hear from them again, well it will be too soon," he said, though he knew it was a bit unfair. Bones had always been straight with him, it's why he respected her more than others. He had no idea what happened to Fudge, and he really didn't care.

"Watch your language, Mr. Potter."

"Fuck you," he snarled. "I have zero respect for you." And with a nod to the other two professors, he turned and walked away. As he walked he started to become invisible. Like he was fading into a nonexistent fog. Less then twenty feet away, he was completely gone from their sight.

Sprout's POV

"I hope you don't regret this, Minerva," Flitwick stated, looking at her with a bit of pity. He never knew why she put all her loyalty to the Headmaster. He always knew that Albus was just a man, who made many mistakes. A good deal of them towards the young man who just left.

"I am sure I will not," she sniffed and returned to the castle.

"I wouldn't be to sure about that," Sprout stated, still looking to where the boy had disappeared. She was worried that this would come back and bite them in the arse. She knew how much pull the boy had, and it wouldn't take much for the parents to start pulling their children. It could be the end of Hogwarts. That and she was concerned that the child might wind up dead, if he left the wards. As much as she didn't know the current Harry Potter, she didn't want to see him hurt. Sure, he was rude and condescending, but he was just a hurt boy through no fault of his own. Now, he was leaving the safest place in the United Kingdom, bar Gringotts.

"You could be right, Pomona," Filius agreed as he to went back into the school. "You could be right." There was no telling the backlash that would come when this reached the public. And given the vast majority of students that witness the event, that would happen sooner rather than later.

"Oh, Albus, what have you done to that child?" the herbology professor asked the air sadly as she joined her two colleagues.

Harry's POV

Harry walked unseen to the Whooping Willow and made it through the tunnel. He had even passed Hagrid getting ready for tomorrow's classes, his fleeting thought on to how he would've liked to have known the big guy better. But, Hagrid was Dumbledore's man through and through. Still, he was like a child with a huge case of hero worship. He shook his thoughts away and opened the tunnel door. "Sirius, I hope you're up for company!" he yelled as he entered the house. He banished his coat and gloves to the hooks by the front door.

Said man walked out of the kitchen, biscuit and tea cup in hand, "What do you mean? Are you moving in?" he asked in a joking manner.

"Yup, that bitch McGonagall pretty much threw me out. Pity, I was looking forward to the ball," he huffed as he slumped onto the couch. He had been too. The girls were going to be so disappointed, but there was no way he was going back into the castle for such a public event. It would just cause chaos and he didn't want to have to put up with McGonagall if he didn't have to, hence his leaving.

"You're kidding, right? I thought they wanted you there?" the dogman queried in wonder.

"Oh, she tried to stop me in the end, but I've had enough of her bullshit," was the reply.

"Well, bugger. Of course, I don't mind having you here. I thought you should have left for a while now, but I figured that you wanted to stay with your friends," Sirius confessed, sitting in the armchair opposite the couch, putting his cup and saucer on the table in the middle.

"Yeah, but they've come a long way and they don't need me to protect them anymore," Harry said with a bit of pride, reaching over and stealing Sirius' cookie. "I'm just going to write a quick note to Waters and to make sure no slander is written about this," he said, getting up with biscuit in hand, and going to the desk. As the teen ate and wrote, Sirius thought a bit about what they could do now that they had the time and by the time Harry finished, he had an idea.

"I was thinking, and now that you're going to stay here it's doable, we should go and clear out my mum's old house. It would give us loads of practice. There's a ton of dark objects there that could be cleaned and sold," his godfather offered, hoping it would give Harry something to do so he wouldn't get bored.

"Okay, but for tonight, let's go to Hogsmeade and have a butterbeer. I really could use the time to wind down," Harry suggested, calling Dobby and handing him the note. "This goes to Waters. Please, make sure he gets it right away," he stated, giving the note to his little friend.

"Yes, sir, Harry Potter, sir," Dobby said excitedly, taking the note and popping away.

"Shall we," the dark-haired boy said as he got up and retrieved his outerwear. He threw a quick glamor on, only changing his hair and eye color. He figured no one would be looking for a blond boy with blue eyes.

"Let's," the other glamored man agreed, always up for getting out into public.

Dumbledore's POV

Things had not been going well for Albus Dumbledore. He was on the run from the Ministry, which wasn't a big deal to him, but it did limit his movability. None of his colleagues, would talk to him as long as he was a fugitive. Though, those in the freshly recalled Order of the Phoenix still did as he bid, bar Sirius Black, who he had not been in contact with, and Remus Lupin, who stated he no longer wished to be a part of the Order. Alastor also declined for reasons of his own, but Albus could hardly blame the man. The rest were all keeping an eye out for Harry. They were to send a Patronus as soon as they spotted him so that he could speak to the lad. He made sure everyone in the Order knew how, it was just too vital not to. Just as he was pondering what to do next, Minerva's Patronus came to tell him that the boy had left Hogwarts. This was not good. The child would be in grave danger if he were out and about. She said that he had only left a few moments ago, so he Disapparated to Hogsmeade to see if he could spot the poor boy. He was glamored to look like a much younger man, with no beard and sandy hair.

He was wandering the town when he spotted a much younger and lighter looking Black. He picked him out from the goatee the young-looking man sported and the air of self-importance the man exuded, just like he had when he attended Hogwarts. He quickly made his way over, "Sirius, my boy, I must speak to you," he said, eyeing the young man with him. This could be Harry under his own magical disguise.

"Shite," the younger of the two said, giving himself away. His alarms were blaring red alert and he knew from his map the youngish looking man was Dumbledore. He debated on whether or not to just poof out or listen to what the old man had to say. He knew he could leave the second a wand was raised, so he kept close to Sirius and stayed at the ready.

"Ah, Harry, just the lad I wanted to talk to," Albus stated, his eyes twinkling like mad. "Please, just listen, I promise not to do anything but talk," he said sincerely.

"You have five minutes," Harry said, looking at his wind-up watch.

"I wanted to tell you that Voldemort had made it so that he could return. It is imperative that you know that he is not gone," the old man said, looking over his spectacles.

"I already know all this. I got rid of a part of him that was in my head," the boy answered with a look of condescension.

"Did you now? Well that does change things up a bit, but you should know that there is more than one," Albus said with a bit of awe. He wondered how the child did such a thing, but knew he would not be told, since the boy loathed him. That and he was on a time limit. He'd get the information when he once again got the boy to see that he, Albus Dumbledore, was a righteous man.

"It changes nothing for me, other than the fact that I can live my life without that thing in my head," Harry disagreed.

"Whatever did you do with… it?" Dumbledore questioned, hoping that he had killed the vile aberration.

"What else would I do with it, but give it to the police? It's their job to handle things like this," a confused young man asked.

"Oh, Harry, I am not sure you realize what you have done. You see, there is a prophecy…" the old man started only to stop when both Sirius and Harry started laughing at him.

"I know the prophecy. I just got back from the Ministry, where I listened to it with Bones," Harry confessed. "All I have to say is, what a load of bunk."

"If you know the prophecy then you know…" he once again was interrupted, but this time by Sirius.

"That it is in the hands of the DMLE, and nothing to do with Harry," the dogman stated firmly. He wasn't going to let Dumbledore try and guilt trip Harry into doing anything that he didn't need to do.

"Look, your five minutes are up," Harry said as he touched his godfather and they both disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"What just happened?" asked a bewildered Albus to himself.