Chapter 67: "The Emancipation Fallout"

As Dumbledore gazed at the Hogwarts Headmaster's office fireplace, it suddenly flared up, signaling the arrival of two familiar figures. James and Lily Potter stepped out one after the other, leaving Dumbledore to assume that Charles must be in Remus's care, given his absence.

The look on James and Lily's faces was a complicated mix of regret, fear, and anger. Dumbledore was already aware that they must have received the same letter about Harry's emancipation that had been sent to him, and their presence here was a direct consequence of reading that letter.

Even though Dumbledore had a good idea of the reason for their unexpected visit, he still asked, "James, Lily, what brings you here in such urgency? Remember, I've said this floo connection is for emergencies."

Lily, her voice filled with a mix of confusion and anger, demanded, "I don't care about protocols right now, Professor. Where is my son? Where is Harry? Why did I get a letter from the Ministry saying he's been emancipated, and I'm no longer his guardian?"

James chimed in with similar concerns, "Exactly, Professor, where is Harry? Wasn't he supposed to be with the muggles? How did he return to our world and get emancipated without us knowing anything about it?"

Dumbledore, with a hint of reproach in his tone, responded, "So, you remember you have another son? It seemed like you had forgotten him. We had agreed to bring him back into the wizarding world on his eleventh birthday, yet months have passed since then, and neither of you has inquired about him. The plan was for all of us to fetch him together, to introduce him to our world, and to explain why he was sent away."

When Dumbledore finished his sharp comments, he immediately regretted it. He realized this wasn't the right way to respond to Lily's questions. The revelations of the day had frustrated him, and the Potters' attempt to lay all the blame on him had caused him to respond more harshly than intended. He knew he was mostly to blame for not fulfilling his duty to look after Harry, even though James and Lily also shared some responsibility.

After hearing Dumbledore's words, James and Lily looked down, visibly ashamed.

Lily, with a softened tone, said, "I'm sorry for how I spoke, Professor. We recognize our mistakes. With everything going on and focusing on Charles, we neglected Harry. But we intend to make it right. We'll ask for his forgiveness and make amends for sending him away. Can you tell us where he is, Professor?"

Dumbledore sighed, "I'm afraid I don't have that information. Like you, I've been preoccupied and, a few years ago when I was tied up with ICW duties, Harry left his aunt Petunia's care, and I haven't been able to locate him since."

James, troubled, responded, "You lost track of him, Professor? But you assured us he would be safe."

Dumbledore admitted, "I regret that deeply. I'm unsure what prompted Harry to leave Petunia's. I had set measures to keep him there securely. I've been conducting a quiet search for him since then. I considered informing you, but given that you hadn't inquired about him for years and were immersed in your own lives, I thought it best to wait until I had found him. I didn't want to distract you from your important tasks with this distressing news."

Dumbledore's explanation was not entirely truthful. He had believed Harry was deceased, so he hadn't actively searched for him. This fabricated story was an attempt to lessen his own culpability and maintain his relationship with the Potters intact. He certainly wasn't going to disclose the true reasons behind Harry's departure from his aunt's home or that Harry had nearly died due to his neglect. Admitting to such failings would jeopardize his standing with the Potters.

Lily, seeking to move past the blame, asked, "Do you have any leads on where he might be, Professor? And any idea why he sought emancipation?"

Dumbledore walked over to his large desk in the middle of the room, opening one of its numerous drawers to retrieve a letter. It was a copy of Harry's Hogwarts admission letter. He handed the letter to Lily.

Dumbledore went to his desk and took out a letter and gave it to Lily. It was a copy of Harry's Hogwarts letter.

"This is the letter for Harry's admission to Hogwarts," Dumbledore explained. "From the address listed, it seems Harry is currently living with Lord Arcturus Black and Sirius at the Black Castle. However, the castle's concealed location has halted my efforts to find him. As for why he sought emancipation, I suspect Harry might not have wished to reunite with you, possibly seeking independence with Arcturus Black's aid."

James, clearly upset, reacted, "Sirius took him away from Petunia's to live with the Blacks? That's unacceptable. I can't bear the thought of my son being influenced by a family associated with Death Eaters."

Dumbledore clarified, "It's unlikely Sirius was involved directly. To my knowledge, Sirius never knew of Petunia's whereabouts. It seems more probable that Harry stumbled upon Sirius after leaving his aunt's home and then, through Sirius, met Arcturus. We must be careful not to jump to conclusions."

Lily, filled with concern, said, "Professor, I need to see Harry. I want to understand his reasons for seeking emancipation so prematurely. Is he aware of the responsibilities and dangers that come with being an adult in our world?"

Dumbledore shared his attempts at reaching out, "I've requested meetings, but the Blacks have consistently ignored them. There's also been no sign of Harry in public. It appears they might have been waiting for his emancipation to be finalized before letting him step into the wider world."

James, puzzled and worried, questioned, "But why would he be scared of us? And his emancipation—how can it be legitimate? We're his legal guardians; any emancipation should require our consent. We could challenge this decision and have it annulled."

Dumbledore advised caution, "While we could challenge the emancipation, I recommend we arrange a meeting first. We must understand Harry's motivations; otherwise, things could get complicated. It's crucial that the circumstances of Harry's time in the muggle world remain private. Revealing that we sent Harry away might cast us in a negative light within the Wizengamot and the wider wizarding community."

Internally, Dumbledore was also worried about the potential fallout if the details of Harry's poor treatment became public. Such revelations could endanger not only his reputation but also that of the Potters. The prospect of losing his esteemed position as Hogwarts Headmaster was particularly concerning, as the wizarding community might no longer trust him with the welfare of young wizards and witches.

Lily, quickly grasping the potential implications, said, "I'll reach out to Sirius tomorrow to arrange a meeting with Harry. It's important to ensure he hasn't been swayed against us and to express our desire for him to return home."

James and Dumbledore agreed with her approach, recognizing it as their best option. They were aware that Sirius was their only link to finding Harry's current whereabouts.

After settling on this plan, James and Lily prepared to leave, their minds set on confronting Sirius at the ministry the following day. Once they had departed, the room fell back into silence.

If Harry had witnessed this discussion, he likely would have found the entire situation ironically amusing. At no point did anyone address the initial decision to place him in the muggle world. It seemed they were all keen to avoid mentioning the original rationale behind their actions, possibly realizing that those reasons no longer held any weight. They seemed ready to move past their initial mistake, likely aware that Harry, under the guidance of Arcturus and Sirius, had probably already secured his position as the Heir to the Potter legacy.