11 Negotiations

Slant Alley again. I've definitely been here too many times. Fleur went to France to see her parents and little sister, and I got a letter from Gringotts asking for an urgent meeting. I can't understand what Veselur needed to send such an official notice.

The country had only recently learnt of the Dark Lord's resurgence, but already the changes were striking. More than half of the shops and shops that the day before yesterday had welcomed customers with colourful signs were now shuttered and looked as if they had been closed for years.

There were far fewer people. Most of them hid in their homes, hoping that the war would not come to their doorstep, which I personally doubt. Those who did venture out today to do their Christmas shopping moved quickly between the shops and avoided looking round. I didn't stand out at all from the crowd in my black robe, my hood pulled up to my chin. I didn't see any of the Auror squads that were supposed to be patrolling the streets, so no one had guessed that.

- Hello, Harry," a melodious voice called out, causing me to freeze right in the middle of the street. I turned around slowly and saw a smiling, short blonde waving at me, looking over my shoulder. Even though we had never met before, it was impossible not to recognise Luna Lovegood.

I looked around quickly, noting that no one was paying attention to us, then grabbed Luna by the elbow and led her around the corner of the nearest shop.

- Hello, Luna. How did you recognise me?

- Shouldn't I have? We've seen each other at school.

Yeah, well, what kind of answer did I expect?

- Well, well, you shouldn't have, yes," my eloquence evaporated in a flash. - How's it going?

- Better than you, I guess," she kept smiling and not looking me in the eye. - I can see you're in a hurry, Harry. But it's not who you expect to see at the bank. Good luck! - She pecked me on the cheek and sprinted away, leaving me wondering what had just happened here.

Shaking my head, I realised the main thing - there was one more person who knew I was alive. I don't think Luna will tell anyone about this, but I can't trust her completely. The realisation that under no circumstances would I have been able to erase her memory is a little comforting.

Deciding to think about it later, I went to the bank, but with each step my intuition was screaming more and more strongly that Luna's words were right. Climbing the steps, I walked into the lobby of the bank and went straight to the first goblin I could find for clarification, but someone put a hand on my shoulder.

- "Hello, Harry," I said, "are you all in cahoots today? - It's good to see you in good health.

Turning my head slightly I saw a blackened hand on my shoulder, which combined with the voice left no doubt about the identity of the person behind me.

- Hello, Albus. I wish I could say the same, but alas.

- Oh, come on, let's not rehash old grievances. I'm the one who sent you the letter. Thank you for responding so quickly. Shall we go for a walk? - He took me under his arm and led me out. Considering our height difference, it was quite amusing.

- No, no, man," I stopped and yanked my arm away. - I don't want you to set me up again on the way out. Tell me what you want here. And anyway," I turned to the nearest goblin. - Would you mind inviting the Potter family solicitor here?

- I don't think that's necessary," a confused Albus began, but the goblin was already nimbly walking away to fulfil the request.

Veselur, who arrived shortly afterwards, gave us a surprised look, nodded to me, and led everyone into his office.

- I'd also like to invite my solicitor," Dumbledore kept his face straight and strutted around as if he were the only one here.

- Well, invite him," Veselur muttered under his breath, but still gave the order.

The company gathered in my solicitor's office looked like anything but a negotiating company. On one side sat me, silently drilling a hole in Dumbledore's gaze, and Veselur, melancholically gazing at the ceiling. On the other was the Headmaster himself and his solicitor, Bromstein. A telling name for someone who works with money. The two sat with their hands folded in a similar fashion, talking sweetly. Seeing the similarities in their demeanour made me question Albus's nationality.

- So," Veselur was the first to give up. - What, exactly, are we here for? - He looked at me eloquently.

- What do you want? - I turned to Albus.

- Harry, I really don't know why you brought goblins into this. I just wanted to explain my motives and how you managed to survive. You must realise that everything I did was for the greater good.

I cringed. I didn't want him to get lemon slices from somewhere and offer them to the goblins.

- Fuck you and your own good. For the greater good, you could have explained it all to me. You didn't have to buy me friends for the greater good. For the greater good, you didn't have to make all the people turn their backs on me! But you did everything in secret, thinking you were the only one right about everything, you old goat! - At the end of the accusatory speech, I even jumped up from my chair. Hmm, maybe the Dursleys' living arrangements should come into it?

- Be polite, Mr Potter," Dumbledore stood up, trying to exert authority, but the sudden pain in his arm made him wince, and he finished the rest of his sentence much more quietly. - I am, in fact, your headmaster.

- When did I ever get a headmaster, considering I'm unemployed?

- At school, Mr Potter. I'm your headmaster at Hogwarts. Don't play dumb with me.

- No, thanks. I've been officially recognised as an adult," I looked at Veselur questioningly, and he nodded affirmatively. - So if I'm going to be graduating, it won't be at your magnificent school.

- Harry, I'm afraid I have to insist....

- Wait a minute," I held up my hand, stopping another spatial monologue about the good of the cause and the greater goals. - How did you even know I was alive?

Dumbledore grinned.

- Did you really think that after all you've done, no one would ever guess? I confess, at first I couldn't understand what mysterious new player had appeared on our side. He shows up at the Department of Mysteries right in the middle of a battle, kidnaps Voldemort's snake, then very ineptly erases Nymphadora's memory and leaves. However, once you thought about it, everything fell into place at once. Did you know, Harry, that there is only one invisible robe, at least that I know of, that can pass undetected through the spell I personally installed at the entrance to the Hall of Prophecy? That mantle, by the way, mysteriously disappeared just after your sudden demise. And Nymphadora's strange headaches? I realised almost immediately that it was the effects of an inept Obliviate. The image of the person who had done it, which I managed to recover a little through the Memory Pool, seemed vaguely familiar. But the main proof I got was when a certain houseboy broke into my office. Fawkes isn't just sitting there for show, you know. All I had to do was confirm my hunch, and you did a fine job of it, showing up here today.

I sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking about what I'd heard. No, of course, my appearance couldn't have gone unnoticed for long, but it turned out that I'd screwed up just about everything. The only thing Dumbledore didn't include was Lucius's escape, though I don't doubt he knew about the arrest. He didn't, probably because I don't know why he did it.

- Is anyone else aware of your findings? - I had a very bad feeling and I tried to get rid of it.

- I shared my thoughts with Sirius and Severus, and they completely agreed with my suspicions. Sirius was very unhappy that you wouldn't help them in the Hall of Prophecies," Dumbledore replied as if nothing had happened. Oh, shit. I frustratingly put my head down on the table a few times, wondering how soon the Lord would find me. His search methods would be far less humane. 

- Yes, Harry. They don't call me the greatest wizard for nothing," Albus understood my frustration in his own way, and was now smugly surveying the surroundings.

- Believe me, there's plenty of reason for an old idiot," I muttered, keeping my head on the table.

At this point, the goblins, whose presence I had already forgotten about, finally intervened. Veselur was still counting the cracks in the ceiling, but Bromstein couldn't sit still any longer.

- Why do you keep insulting my client? - He asked angrily in a high-pitched voice.

Veselur correctly understood the reason for my hysterical giggling and answered himself:

- If my client insults yours, then there is a reason for it, Bromstein.

- I think we can discuss the rest of this at school," Dumbledore said patronisingly, interrupting the incipient goblin argument. - You can spend the Christmas holidays at Hogwarts, Harry.

I grinned and shook my head.

- Say, Albus, what's to stop me from leaving Hogwarts in, say, three months?

- Why three months? - The Headmaster asked cautiously, slowly tucking his aching hand under the table.

- Yes, yes, that's why," I pointed straight at her. - You think I don't know that you don't have much time left? Do you think Harry Potter is still the same naive boy who can be told anything?

There was an oppressive silence in the room. Even the goblins stopped glaring at each other and turned their eyes to us. Though Veselur was lying, considering he was the one who told me about it.

- How do you know that? - Dumbledore asked in a low voice. He was all hunched over, looking as old as he was.

- From the same place as the prophecy and the Horcruxes," I finished Albus off. - You knew I'd kidnapped the snake, you knew I'd taken the sword from your study, but you didn't put those facts together?

Dumbledore was shocked into silence, realising that I knew all the secrets he was hiding, so I turned to my solicitor.

- Tell me, Veselur, are wizards allowed to use the Gringotts mail?

- What mail? - He asked warily, gripping the arms of his chair tighter.

- I got an official letter from the bank today, asking me to report," I pulled an envelope out of my pocket and handed it to him. - That's why I'm here-I thought it was from you.

- I wouldn't call you that officially, you know. The bank sends such letters only as a last resort," Veselur replied, looking at the text. - And that means... Guards! - He shouted, as Bromstein reached the door unnoticed.

About ten steel-clad goblins, swords drawn, rushed into the office.

- Detain him," Veselur pointed angrily at the Dumbledore family solicitor. - For illegally using bank records and giving them to humans.

The goblins immediately took Bromstein in a ring and led him out, driving him with their swords. Albus woke from his thoughts at that moment, but he didn't do what I expected him to do.

- I get it," he said imperiously, standing up. - I understood what happened after the dementor kissed me. That's why you know so much, Harry. Or should I call you Tom?

I was so taken aback by the last sentence that I didn't have time to react when Dumbledore pulled out his wand and pointed it at me. The next second a bright blue beam shot out of it and everything went dark.