Chapter - 72 : Strained Alliances part - 2

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"Um, no thank you." Harry didn't want to have anything to do with the crazy woman. "I'd prefer to just concentrate on my ordinary classes for now, if that's all right."

"Of course, my boy. I understand perfectly," Dumbledore assured him. "Indeed I have noticed that students as young as yourself often wish to blend in with their peers rather than stand apart from the crowd. I only hope you will nurture your gift. A magical talent such as yours is a rare and precious thing."

"But there are others with the same ability, you said?" Harry wondered whether he should be pleased by that or not. It could either help him imitate the gifts of an Assessor, or could increase the risk of being found out as a fraud.

"Oh yes," Dumbledore said. "You are the only one living in Britain that I know of, but there have been many wizards and witches with your talent scattered over the centuries - and within certain bloodlines. Helga Hufflepuff herself was not only a powerful witch, but also an extremely talented Assessor. How else could the Sorting Hat do what it does? The founders left imprints of themselves in the Hat, and it is the echo of Lady Hufflepuff's ability that allows it to judge which House best suits each student."

"I thought the Hat used Legilimency," Harry said honestly.

Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes inspected Harry closely. "Hmm, did you indeed… It is not often I get to meet an eleven year old with knowledge of such obscure magic. I suppose given your heritage I should not be surprised. Your father also made a habit of knowing things he shouldn't. Why, I hear he became an Animagus right under my crooked nose!"

"Yes, along with his friends."

Harry watched the Headmaster closely to see how he reacted to this oblique mention of Sirius' wrongful incarceration. He wasn't sure what he was looking for; maybe a hint of sincere regret. If so he didn't get it - the old wizard was as hard to read as ever.

"Ah yes, young James Potter and Peter Pettigrew. It is always sad when our friends leave us, whether through death or through betrayal…" Dumbledore sighed. "Yet the bonds of friendship are our greatest support during hard times. Which is why I hope you both will be kind to Professor Snape. He has had a difficult life."

"Why, what happened to him?" Hermione spoke up, her curiosity winning out over her awe.

"That, Miss Granger, is not my story to tell," the Headmaster said gently. "Although I can assure you that he has suffered greatly over the years. Now, I was on my way to visit the kitchens for a pot of hot cocoa before we had this lovely chat. Please don't let me detain you from whatever youthful mischief you may have been planning."

It was clear that Dumbledore didn't want to dwell on serious subjects any longer. The eccentric wizard ambled off down the corridor, his bright purple robes swirling behind him as he hummed a jaunty tune. He was barely out of earshot when Hermione began babbling excitedly about meeting the famed Headmaster, but Harry did not share her enthusiasm over the encounter.

Harry wasn't very successful in not holding Dumbledore's actions in his old world against the man he'd just met. This Dumbledore seemed just as infuriatingly vague and interfering as his counterpart, and Harry was not inclined to trust him with his secrets.

The older wizard was magically powerful and highly intelligent, but also morally weak. Harry had always got the impression that Dumbledore never managed to get over his past with Gellert Grindlewald. Together the two wizards had crafted plans to subjugate muggles and dominate the Wizarding World, though after Ariana's death Dumbledore turned away from that dark path. Instead he had dedicated himself to supporting muggle rights and trying to prevent the rise of any future Dark Lords. The tragic end of his love-affair with Grindlewald seemed to have taught Dumbledore that he couldn't be trusted with power, and so he had tried to stay out of positions of direct control - repeatedly turning down the position of Minister of Magic when offered it. Despite his good intentions, however, this had only led to him guiding the Wizarding World from the shadows. He both desired and feared power, but was unable to entirely restrain himself pursuing it.

Dumbledore was a man of many strengths as well as flaws, but Harry would never again follow him blindly. His faith in him had been damaged years ago - when Harry's willing sacrifice had not achieved the promised peace and the war had instead dragged on, despite no clear leader rising to take Voldemort's place. Harry knew that Dumbledore - apart from making the monumental mistake of thinking that Voldemort's death would end the war - was not to blame for all that had gone wrong. Perhaps the man had simply hoped the Ministry and the wizards and witches it governed would listen to the better angels of their nature. Sadly, they hadn't, and that made Harry realise that the war had never really been about Voldemort. The Dark Lord was a rallying point for extremists and the instigator of the worst acts of violence, but the seeds of discontent had been planted long before - as far back as the founding of Hogwarts, or maybe even further.

The process of changing the very basis of wizarding society would be long and arduous - maybe even impossible. Harry knew he had to make the attempt, but was forced to admit that he couldn't do it alone.

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