Chapter 261: Some days off

Disclaimer: 

Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K Rowling.

I own nothing but the original characters I make.

"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

-Author notes-

Chapter 261: Some days off

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better!" Ginny looked very energetic this morning. "Madam Pomfrey made sure there wasn't even a mark left."

"That's impressive." Harry knew how difficult it was to remove every trace of a wound left behind by a dark curse. And the fire that had hit Ginny was such a spell.

"Dobby's potion also helped a lot. Say thanks to him when you have the chance."

"I will." Harry looked around. The infirmary was almost empty this morning. His sister and the others were discharged after a quick check-up. Ginny was the only one who had to stay overnight. "I'm surprised they aren't already here."

"I told them not to come," Ginny said. "Madam Pomfrey said that she will come to check on me in thirty minutes and if everything is fine, she will let me go. There was no need for them to come visit."

"I see… I'm sorry you got hurt," said Harry.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Why?...were you the one who shot that fireball at me?"

"No."

"Then you have nothing to apologize for," she said with a stern tone that reminded him of 'Her'.

"It was still my sister's recklessness that got you and the others in trouble. As her elder brother, it is my duty to—"

"Lyra is my best friend," Ginny interrupted him. "If she gets in trouble, I will go help her as I'm sure she would do the same for me."

"Fair enough…I won't insist on it then."

"Still…it was a very scary experience…" Ginny said while staring at her bed sheets.

"I know."

"Will every year be like this?" Ginny asked.

"I have no way to know that. But I will tell you one thing…I will always try my best to keep you all safe." He was not very satisfied with his performance last night. He wished he could have done things differently so the girls had not been exposed to so much danger.

Harry spent the entire night thinking about how he could have done things differently.

Maybe, instead of tracking down the intruders, he should have continued to search for his sister along with Daphne and his mother. Once everyone was secure, he could have been free to hunt them all. Or maybe…

"Harry, what happened last night…did it have anything to do with…You-Know-Who?" Ginny asked with hesitation.

"What makes you think that?"

"There have been a lot of rumors circulating around the school. And the Slytherins have been acting very strange lately. So…is it true? Were those men working for him? Is that why they were after Neville?" Ginny asked.

"Kind of…is a bit more complicated than that." Harry didn't really want to explain too much. It would only serve to worry her more.

Ginny was smart enough to notice this and didn't ask more questions. He then kept her company until Madam Pomfrey returned.

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"I'm taking a few days off school," Harry said.

The Headmaster leaned forward in his chair. "We are almost at the end of the year. What do you need to do that is so urgent?"

"There are a few people I need to find," Harry answered.

Dumbledore's eyes seemed to shine for a moment under his glasses. "Do these people have something to do with what happened yesterday?"

"Yes," Harry simply said.

The old man sighed. He already expected this reaction after hearing all the details from Lily Potter. "Your mother is worried that you will do something reckless…like going after the Minister. I told her to be at ease…I told her that her son was not someone foolish enough to do something that would certainly put him and his family in so much trouble. Tell me, Harry…did I lie to her?"

Harry shook his head. "It is not Parkinson that I'm after. At least for now…those werewolves were hired by a man named Anthony Dolohov."

The face of the Headmaster changed to one of displeasure. "Oh…that is one nasty individual. One of the worst ones, and unfortunately…very gifted with magic, and very willing to use it to accomplish his goals."

"He is also one of Parkinson's closest allies," Harry commented.

"And you know where to find him? He will probably be hiding right now. We can expect the same from the rest of the members. After last night's failure, I doubt Minister Parkinson will be in a hurry to try anything else again. He may want to take a different approach."

"So your suggestion is to take things easy and wait? Because our enemies will likely try to lay low for a while?"

Dumbledore frowned. "I wasn't going to suggest taking it easy, just to use this time well and prepare."

"You and your Order can do that without me…I think I will try a different approach." He stood up from his chair. "I will be back before the school year ends."

Dumbledore sighed in defeat.

"I know I can't stop you so I won't even try. But before you embark on your reckless hunt. I do have one more question before you leave."

"A question?, and what would that be?" Harry stared at the old Headmaster.

"You moved the marble golems that rest inside the castle foundation…how did you do that?"

"I can connect with them while touching the main arkstone, and give them orders. I assume all Headmasters had been able to control all the castle defenses. Did you never try that?" Harry wondered how that was possible since the old Headmaster always liked to know everything.

Dumbledore stared at Harry. His eyes shone under his moon glasses.

"I have spent years studying them and trying to make them move...and as far I know for the previous Headmaster's records...this is the first time those golems have moved from the castle foundation. You are the first one they obeyed."

"That's...odd," Harry muttered.

"Very much so...and very interesting," Dumbledore added.

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