Chapter 24: No rest for the wicked

Neville never thought he'd be in a precarious position like this when he agreed to go with Harry no questions asked. He never even had any worry as Harry only said he was going to help him with his troubles with magic. He has been having trouble fully mastering the Summoning charm for quite a while now. So, he thought Harry was going to help him with the Summoning charm when he agreed to take a walk with Harry. Never at any moment did he think he'd be put in this position.

He gripped the armchair for his dear life facing the scrutiny of Professor McGonagall. His Head of House was intimidating but he liked her far more than Snape any time of the day.

"So Mr Potter, Mr Longbottom. What was this urgent matter that you need to discuss?" asked Professor McGonagall, eying them over her glasses.

"It pertains to Neville's difficulty in performing spells professor. I believe I've found the reason behind Neville's struggle with spells." said Harry.

Of all the things Neville expected this was not the matter he was expecting to be the topic of discussion. He had only thought Harry wanted him as an escort to meet Professor McGonagall when in truth he was the topic of discussion. The previous anxiety that he felt in the presence of his head of house doubled down on his mind which made him sweat despite the damp weather.

"You want to discuss Mr Longbottom's performance in classes?" asked McGonagall incredulously while eyeing Neville who shrank back into his seat at the attention.

"It's not that Neville is underperforming because he has less magic as he believes. It's just that he has been using a faulty tool since he arrived at Hogwarts." Harry claimed, making not just McGonagall blink in surprise but Neville as well.

Over the years Neville was subjected to ridicule within his family because he never showed any early signs of magic. Everyone thought he'd be a squib and no one was more ashamed than his grandmother who often lamented that he never lived up to his parents name or the family's honour. It was only when his great-uncle Algie was holding him out of a window by his feet did he show a sign of magic. His great-uncle let him go and he'd have crashed head-first on the ground but he bounced away as if by magic. There were many other instances his family tried to 'build' magic inside him according to his grandmother.

And now, here was Harry claiming to know why he couldn't perform magic as good as others.

He knew the reason. It was cause he is nearly a squib as his great-aunt Marietta often called him.

"Neville does not have a wand that has given its allegiance. He is using a legacy wand that remains resistive to his magic." said Harry, once again surprising Neville.

Out of all the reasons his family had come up with in the last fourteen years for his lack of magic Harry's findings was the strangest of all. What does it matter if his wand was an inherited one rather than a newly purchased one? The wand had worked well for his father who was an Auror. He was more than convinced it was his lack of magic at fault rather than his wand.

"Is this true Mr Longbottom? Are you using a legacy wand?" asked Professor McGonagall.

Under her stern gaze, he could not lie. Professor McGonagall reminded him of his grandmother.

"Yes, professor. I'm using my father's wand. But my father's wand works well Professor."

"It may have worked well for your father Mr Longbottom. You have to win a legacy wand's allegiance to use it without any resistance. Even full-grown wizards would struggle with a non-aligned wand." said McGonagall.

He didn't know what to think. On one hand, his father's wand was important to him. It was a piece of his father's legacy and to hear someone say that he was not good enough for his father's wand was a blow to his already fragile self-confidence.

"Professor McGonagall is right Neville. When I bought my wand Mr Ollivander told me that wands choose the wizard." said Harry, a tad softly.

Perhaps Harry understood he was not taking the news well.

"Mr Potter is right Mr Longbottom. Legacy wands are usually used for sentimental purposes not for practical use of magic. You may continue to use your father's wand, Mr Longbottom. But, I suggest you purchase a wand of your own."

"That's why we are here Professor. I was hoping you'd allow Neville to visit Diagon Alley and purchase a new wand." said Harry.

Neville was startled to note McGonagall was even considering Harry's request. This made him think.

'Could it be true that I can perform magic better if I have a new wand?'

If even Professor McGonagall was agreeing with Harry perhaps it was true. Neville felt his father's wand safely tucked away in his pocket.

"Hmm… I believe something can be arranged once I'm sure Ollivander is available for a quick visit." McGonagall pursed her lips and nodded to herself. "I shall contact you Mr Longbottom with a suitable date."

"Thank you, Professor." said Harry, standing on his feet.

Neville also made to stand seeing that the meeting was coming to an end. He also copied Harry in thanking his head of house before approaching the door.

"Mr Potter, if you don't mind stay back for a moment."

McGonagall's voice stopped them from vacating the office. Neville nodded at Harry before he stepped out of the office. He wondered what McGonagall would want to discuss with Harry. He hoped Harry was not in any trouble.

XXXXXX

"It was a good thing you did Mr Potter." said McGonagall, peering over her square spectacles with a delicate grin.

Harry nodded in appreciation. It's quite rare to get a compliment from Professor McGonagall so he'd take it when it is given with a smile.

"You see how smoothly everything could go if you come to me instead of jumping into trouble without any second thought."

And there goes the smile right off his face mostly cause his mind pushed a memory from the deep recess of his mind to the forefront.

"I did come to you in my first year warning about the Sorcerer's Stone." Harry supplied tacitly.

Professor McGonagall only looked at him sternly unfazed by his rebuttal.

"Mr Potter, you came to me claiming that someone was trying to steal the Stone. I'm sorry to say I think it was obvious 'someone' would be trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone. The whole point of setting up a series of traps was to capture the thief. Instead what happens, you and your friends strut into danger knowing well that you had no hope of standing a chance against a full-grown wizard."

"But…" Harry tried to butt in but McGonagall talked over him as she was on a row.

"Do you know how many students wandered into the forbidden floor specifically to find out what was being kept there? More than half the students of this school tried to access the forbidden floor but all of them stopped once they saw the Cerebus guarding the trap door. Only you, Miss Granger and Mr Weasley persistently prodded the defences set by the faculty. While I wholly disagree with Professor Dumbledore's decision to place the stone in a school full of children I suppose we never expected three suicidal children to take an excursion in the middle of the night into the traps we set up all on their own."

Harry swallowed his tongue and merely stared unhappily at his head of house.

"Oh, while we are at it let's not forget your Second and Third Year. What made you think that it was a good idea to wade into the Chamber of Secrets knowing that there was a Basilisk lurking in there? On that note why oh why did you take that charlatan with you?"

"Well, I…"

Once again he was cut off abruptly.

"And your Third Year. Whose bright idea was that to seek out Sirius Black all on your own without any help from a grown-wizard near midnight? Thank Merlin Sirius was not the traitor. If Pettigrew had wanted to he could've easily killed you that night. Or maybe the Dementors would have done the work for him and Voldemort."

Harry opened his mouth to argue but he shut his mouth with an audible snap. He was not happy at all. Far from it actually. He could argue that it was Dumbledore who brought the Stone to a place of learning and goaded a Dark Lord who had failed to kill Harry when he was a baby. He also vividly remembered the dangerous detention in the Forbidden Forest by McGonagall knowing full well dangerous creatures were lurking in the dark forest.

It was also Hogwarts faculty's fault for not finding out the Chamber and for hiring a fraud as a teacher. What did the high and mighty wizened professors of Hogwarts think about twelve-year-olds? That they are somehow the bastions of rational thought 24/7? Of course, children were not going to make informed and rational choices when faced with situations beyond the normal scope.

And don't get him started on the whole Sirius issue. Pettigrew was living right under the nose of Dumbledore in the Gryffindor Tower for nearly three years. The famed supposedly all-powerful protections of Hogwarts not only failed to detect Pettigrew it also posed no problem for Sirius to waltz into the castle whenever he pleased. The same goes for Voldemort's diary which was one of the darkest pieces of magic and yet Hogwarts' famed wards never detected the Horcrux.

There were other dozen or so points he could argue but he swallowed them all and nodded like a chastised child caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. He did so because this was not a hill worth dying for and for little gain. He was convinced whatever he was going to say would not be acceptable for McGonagall. She was too emotionally invested in Hogwarts to see the place was no longer just an educational institution but a testing bed for Dumbledore's ridiculous utopia project by giving second, third and a number of other chances to terrorists, murderers and rapists.

There was no point in trying to convince ideologues of their folly. They are too busy cooking up a reality that does not exist. It was no wonder Voldemort was able to run circles around these people. Turning the other cheek works only when the aggressor has some form of morality left.

Anyhow, it was not his place to conduct a lecture on politics and just general common sense for these people. For now, he is working under the principle of enemy of my enemy is my friend. What these people do with their life was not his problem and he was not going to make enemies needlessly.

"I shall endeavour to not jump headfirst into trouble anymore professor and you will be the first person I'd come to if something goes wrong."

It was a bitter pill to swallow but he put aside his pride and spoke those words all the same with a proper chastised expression on his face.

"Good." McGonagall nodded satisfied with his response. "How are your preparations coming for your Second Task?"

"I've deciphered the Egg and I'm prepared for the Task ahead Professor." said Harry, though initially surprised by the inquiry.

"Good." McGonagall nodded. "You may take your leave, Mr Potter."

He didn't waste a moment and scooted away from the office. There was a Quidditch practice session that Angelina was organizing and looking at the watch he was already five minutes behind.

XXXXXXXX

"So, what do you think Albus?" McGonagall asked to her empty room.

She watched from her seat as Dumbledore came out of the disillusion charm. As usual, there was the ever-present twinkle in the headmaster's eyes.

"I think this year's events have drastically changed dear Harry. He seems more…"

"Confident?" she supplied.

"Yes. He is more sure of himself, more deliberative, cunning, resourceful and a whole other plethora of traits that we'd use to describe an ideal Slytherin." Dumbledore made his observation adjusting his long beard while taking his seat across from McGonagall.

"The poor boy. He has been forced to grow up too fast."

"I know Minerva." said Dumbledore letting out a tired sigh. "Each year I hope Harry would enjoy his time at Hogwarts like any other normal teenager and yet the opposite happens. No doubt, it is one of my many failings."

He played a major role in disrupting Harry's first year at Hogwarts. If he had any other option he'd have avoided taunting Voldemort with the allure of the Sorcerer's Stone. Yet, it was necessary to take the chance knowing he'd be endangering Harry's life by placing the Stone at Hogwarts. He had to confirm Voldemort's survival and as he suspected it was too great an allure for Voldemort to not show up in Hogwarts. And just as he planned Harry confronted Voldemort and even managed to chase the Dark Lord away from Hogwarts.

Not only did this confirm the validity of the blood wards he painstakingly constructed to protect Harry, but the incident also ensured Harry was exposed to Voldemort in a somewhat safe environment. He alone knew Harry was destined to confront Voldemort at some point. So, better it be for Harry to realize what he was up against a bit early albeit in a controlled environment. But he had no part in the happenings of the second, third or this year.

Despite all the horrors that befell the poor boy Dumbledore was somewhat happy to note Harry was turning around for the better. He noticed Harry's drive to learn more complex magic has taken up significant traction this year.

'Perhaps, the tournament did end up being useful for something.' he thought.

He did not doubt that Voldemort was going to rise at some point and Harry would need all his faculties primed to face the challenging days ahead. If Harry showed promise and continue to show a commitment to expand upon his magical knowledge perhaps he might even decide to take a more active role with Harry than he previously thought.

According to Severus, the Dark Mark was getting stronger each day. It is a sign of Voldemort regaining some of his lost power. It won't be long before Voldemort find some way to shed his incorporeal form and regain a body. The only question that remained is, how strong the new body will be? It was no easy task to construct a new body that could channel the full magical might of someone like Voldemort. Only one living person in the world possessed the blood to restore Voldemort to his height of power. This was why he tasked Alastor to keep a close eye on Harry.

As a descendant of Ignotus Peverell, Harry's blood will be potent enough to revive Voldemort who is a descendant of Cadmus Peverell. It also did not help that Harry has somehow awakened the trait of Parseltongue. He was not sure how Harry was able to even use Parseltongue. The soul shard living inside Harry was carefully isolated by the blood wards he extracted out of Lily's sacrifice. So, either the Potters were descended from Slytherin or the Peverell blood inside Harry extracted the trait from the soul shard of Voldemort.

Nobody knew just how volatile Harry's blood is; like he does. From the moment of Harry's birth, he had noticed Harry possessed an almost unnatural magical saturation unseen in any other newborn. Then Voldemort unwittingly made Harry a Horcrux making Harry nigh indestructible, at least magically. This was why he had chosen to place blocks on Harry's magic to let the poor boy slowly gain control over his magic. In Harry's second year, he rightly feared Harry's demise because of the Basilisk venom only to be saved by Fawkes. The combination of the deadliest venom and the most powerful of medicines (Phoenix tears) has only increased the magic saturation in Harry's blood.

He really ought to thank Professor Babbling for unwittingly erasing the blocks he placed without any adverse effects when she allowed Harry to perform the ritual of Red Dawn. Not only did the ritual manage to take those blocks safely away it also seems to have settled Harry's erratic magic. So far, the ritual seems to have settled Harry's magic as far as he could sense. It was not a solution he had thought previously and once again the course of time proved to him that sometimes he tends to dismiss simple solutions to complicated problems.

Dumbledore was brought out of his musings when McGonagall went on to complain about Hagrid and how the poor fellow has barricaded himself inside his modest hut. As usual, when one problem is solved another rears its head. He also remembered that he has a meeting scheduled with Alastor to discuss the investigation into Harry's selection by the Goblet of Fire. Alastor was sure Severus or Lucius was somehow involved. Only he knew Severus would never do such a thing but he could not rule out Lucius Malfoy.

It looks like he would be having a busy day ahead of him and somehow he'd also have to find some time to talk with Hagrid. As the muggle saying goes, there is no rest for the wicked.

AN:

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