The Unraveling of Trust

'This is going better than I thought it would.' Harry thought to himself before he answered his teacher, "Please check, I would like to know what has been done to me against my will." Harry had been watching the headmaster out of the corner of his eyes and he saw him shift nervously in his seat.

Trying to head off the coming disaster, Dumbledore calmly said, "Perhaps it would be best if I perform that spell, Professor?", while pulling his wand out in preparation.

McGonagall's voice was sharp as she replied, "I believe that I am more than qualified to cast the Detection Spell, Albus."

Defeated, Dumbledore returned his wand to his robes and slumped back into his chair.

He was thinking quickly, trying to come up with a plan to salvage the situation before it got too far out of control.

Before Professor McGonagall could cast the spell, Harry held up his hand and said, "Please wait a moment, ma'am." Turning to Professor Snape, he said, "Are we finished with our part of the discussion, sir."

"We are, Mr. Potter. Now please get on with this charade, I have important things to do today." Severus snapped in response to Harry's question.

Harry replied, his voice low, but commanding, "Since this doesn't really concern school matters, please leave."

Snape bristled at being dismissed by a student, especially this particular one. Turning his gaze to the Headmaster, he looked to him for support. He was surprised when none came and silently swept from the room without so much as a, 'Goodbye.'

Politely, Harry said, "Please proceed when you are ready, ma'am."

Minerva shifted in her seat to face Harry. She was thinking about what types of spells might have been cast and how to detect them all. When she was ready, she said, "There are a few different types of spells that I would like to try to determine what may have been cast upon you. Is that alright with you?" When she saw him nod his ascent, she drew her wand slowly and began casting.

A few tense moments later, the silver instruments began to stop moving and Professor McGonagall had a look of fury etched onto her face.

Her Scottish brogue made her almost impossible to understand and in her anger, she growled out, "What is the meaning of this, Albus!"

Albus Dumbledore was still trying to think of a way to salvage the situation. If things weren't handled carefully, it could set his plans back years. In a placating voice, he replied to her accusation, "I placed the charms on Mr. Potter when he was a child for his protection in case he was injured or in grave danger."

Hermione felt Harry's emotions burst through their bond. His fury was so strong that it was stifling. As best as she could, she sent her calm emotions back to him, trying to reduce the flame that was powering his anger. Then she noticed it, that feeling of power beginning to swirl around, as he lost the battle with his temper.

She was just getting up from her chair to go to him when the silver instruments next to him broke apart and the table that they were sitting on cracked. Softly, she moaned, "Oh, Harry.", as she stepped over to him and pulled him into a hug.

Minerva was puzzled by Mr. Potter's reaction. She didn't understand why he was so angry. Professor Dumbledore had placed some of those charms on him for his protection, the others, well, she was angry about one of them herself. A Monitoring Charm that she had disabled because she felt that it removed one's privacy.

For the first time since they had entered the Headmaster's Office, the emotion rang true in Harry's voice for everyone to hear. It was pain and longing all rolled into one as Harry's strangled voice called out in a whisper, "What was the address on my first Hogwarts letter?"

Minerva was confused, Hermione was angry, and Dumbledore was nervous after Harry asked his question. Hermione had heard all about the cupboard under the stairs so her anger was understandable. Minerva had never seen Harry's first Hogwarts letter so she had no idea, but by her two student's reactions, it must be bad.

Dumbledore knew he was on thin ice, no matter what he said, he was doomed. Hoping for the best, he said quietly, "It read the cupboard under the stairs as your bedroom." He didn't have to wait long for the other shoe to drop as some of his plans came crashing down around his ears.

Minerva was seething, the headmaster knew what Harry's home life was like and he didn't intervene! She turned her anger on him and hissed out, "What did I tell you about them all of those years ago?"

With a sigh, Dumbledore answered, "That they were the 'worst sort of muggles imaginable,' I believe is what you said. In my defense, I thought that things would have been worse for you if I had stopped by for a visit."

Harry was having a very hard time keeping his temper in check. He was finally getting some answers and he didn't like them one bit. Sometimes the truth was a terrible thing to behold. He had been abandoned, not placed, at his relatives. His emotions roiling, Harry croaked out, "Why did you leave me with them?"

"They were your only remaining family that could take you in and keep you safe." Dumbledore said solemnly.

"Safe?" Hermione practically shouted. "I would hate to see your idea of dangerous! Why couldn't someone from the Black family take him in? They are related distantly on his father's side according to Sirius."

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