Dumbledore's Apprentice

Chapter 1

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..."

Professor Trelawney's voice faded away as the memory came to a close. Once again, Harry found himself standing in Dumbledore's office before the Headmaster himself. He remained silent as he processed what he had just heard.

"Does that mean, in the end, one of us will have to kill the other?" Harry asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes, I am afraid so," sighed the Headmaster, a look of sadness on his face.

Cold fury welled up inside Harry. He was so angry – angry about Sirius's death, angry about the prophecy, but more than anything, he was angry with Dumbledore.

"You knew," Harry said. It was not a question, but rather, a statement.

"Yes," replied the Headmaster with a sigh, knowing where the conversation was headed.

"You knew all this time and did nothing," Harry spat.

"I wished for you to be normal and happy, free from the burden that this knowledge would bring," Dumbledore said, trying to defend himself.

"I have never been normal or happy. You left me at the Dursleys for 10 hellish years. Because of you, I never had a childhood."

"You knew and did nothing," Harry repeated, his voice growing dangerously low. "You didn't teach me, you didn't train me. You left me defenseless, knowing that one day I would have to face him."

"You are not defenseless, Harry," Dumbledore replied. "Because of your mother's sacrifice, you are protected by a power that Voldemort will never understand: love."

"Love didn't save Sirius," growled Harry, with parts of the words slipping into Parseltongue. He clenched his fists at his sides, channeling his anger.

Dumbledore, noticing his descent into Parseltongue, began to worry. "Harry," he began.

"Enough," yelled Harry. "You knew that I would have to face him one day, yet you did nothing to prepare me. You knew that there was a connection between us, that there was a part of him in me, yet you did nothing."

Dumbledore's face grew deathly white as he jumped to his feet. "What did you just say?" he demanded in a frantic tone.

"You heard me," growled Harry.

"How did you know that there is a part of Voldemort within you?" Dumbledore demanded even more frantically.

Harry glared at the Headmaster, his eyes full of anger. "When he possessed me at the Ministry, I wanted to die. The pain was so intense, I just wanted it to end. But I fought back. But when I tried to push him out of my mind, I found myself fighting two different battles. There was a part of him within me, fighting for control as well. Even when I managed to push Voldemort out of my mind, that piece was still there, fighting."

Dumbledore stood before him, speechless, as astonishment shone on his face. "What did you do after that? Is it still there?"

Harry shook his head. "I kept fighting. I don't know how to explain what I did. It was as if I surrounded that piece of him and… absorbed it."

Dumbledore collapsed into his seat, astonished by Harry's words. He stared into space, processing the information. Suddenly, his eyes flicked to Harry's forehead and he stared at his lightning shaped scar. Dried blood bordered the scar.

"Does your scar still hurt?" Dumbledore demanded. "Can you still sense Voldemort?"

Harry shook his head, confused. "No, I can't feel it at all. Not even a tingle."

"Has that ever happened before?"

Harry paused to think. "No," he finally responded. He looked up and saw tears flowing down the Headmaster's cheeks.

"You wonderful, marvelous boy," Dumbledore finally said after a moment. "You did it."

"Did what?"

Dumbledore paused. "Many years ago, as you lay in the hospital wing after your encounter with Professor Quirrell, I told you that when Voldemort gave you that scar, he also transferred some of his powers to you. That is how you can speak Parseltongue. But I suspect he did more than that. When the killing curse rebounded on him, a part of his soul was blown apart. As Voldemort fled, that piece of his soul latched on to the only other living thing in the room: you. When you came to Hogwarts, my suspicions grew. You could speak Parseltongue. Your scar hurt whenever you were near him. And then my fears were confirmed only a few months ago when you dreamed of Mr. Weasley being attacked. You said that in the dream, you were the snake. It was then that I knew. I searched everywhere for a solution, how to remove the soul piece, because I knew that as long as that part of his soul lived within you, Voldemort could never truly die."

Harry looked at him, alarmed. "Part of his soul lives in me?" he whispered in shock.

"Lived, Harry. Not anymore."

"How?"

"When you fought him tonight, I believe that when you absorbed that piece of his soul, you destroyed it forever. Your mind is your own once again," Dumbledore reassured him.

Suddenly, Harry turned away from the Headmaster, his fists clenched tightly at his side. "That was why you didn't train me. You thought I had to die in order to destroy the soul piece. For Voldemort to die, I had to die as well."

"Harry-" Dumbledore started.

"For neither can live while the other survives," interrupted Harry as he turned, staring murderously at Dumbledore. "You planned for me to die. You wanted me to die."

"No," Dumbledore said sharply. "I have made many mistakes, but I did everything I could to save you, to make sure you could have a happy live. I feared that in the end, you would have to die, but I never wanted that. I searched everywhere to find an answer, a way to save you. You may think I don't care, but I do. More than you could ever imagine, Harry."

Harry continued to stare at him for a long moment before finally relenting. He took a deep breath and unclenched his fists. "But now, I don't have to die."

"I believe so."

"But Voldemort will keep coming after me until one of us is dead."

"Undoubtedly."

Harry paused to think. "You will train me." It was a statement, not a question.

"My boy, I am not sure that is the wisest course of action," Dumbledore countered.

"I am tired of watching people around me die. I wanted to fight back, to protect them. You owe me this," declared Harry heatedly.

Dumbledore sighed a took a deep look at Harry. "I suppose you are right," he said softly. "You have shouldered a burden heavier than any other student to walk these halls. And yet, here you are, ready for even more responsibility." He paused before continuing. "I will agree to your request. I will accept you as my apprentice. But I must warn you, I will demand nothing but excellence from you," he said, peering over his glasses.

Harry nodded in recognition. "I understand, sir. I will work harder than I have ever worked before."

"Very well," said Dumbledore, nodding sharply. The early morning light began to shine through the windows, illuminating the office. "It is very late, or rather, very early. Either way, you need to rest after what you have been through tonight. We will talk more later."

Recognizing his dismissal, Harry turned to leave.

"And Harry?" Dumbledore's question stopped him just shy of the door. "You might consider sharing some of what you have heard with Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley. You don't need to carry these burdens alone."

Harry shook his head in disagreement. "The less they know, the better. I have already put them in enough danger."

With that, he left the office. As Dumbledore watched him leave, he pondered the changes in Harry's behavior and wondered if Harry's absorption of the soul fragment had more consequences than he realized…

Harry wandered back to Gryffindor Tower as the events of the last 24 hours began to catch up with him. He trudged up the stairs to the boys' dormitory, slipped off his shoes, fell onto his bed, and immediately fell asleep.

He awoke hours later. The sun was beginning to set, and Harry realized that he had slept for over 12 hours. He slipped on his robes and wandered down to the Great Hall, where the closing feast was taking place.

The feast had already begun by the time he arrived. When he walked through the entrance of the Great Hall, every eye turned to look at him. Whispers could immediately be heard throughout the hall. Glancing at one of the tables, Harry spotted a Daily Prophet with the headline "Voldemort Returns!"

Well, I guess that explains why everyone is staring at me, Harry thought to himself. He continued on to the Gryffindor table, where he sat down by himself. No one said anything to him, as they were all unsure what to say.

Ron, Hermione, and the others were still recovering in the hospital wing. They were all expected to make full recoveries, thankfully. However, Harry still felt guilty. He was the one who led them to the Ministry in the first place. They had been hurt because of him. He couldn't let that happen again. He couldn't involve them in adventures, not again.

Harry ignored the stares and whispers and quietly gulfed down as much food as he could. After not eating for over a day, he was starving.

Finally, the food disappeared, and Dumbledore stood to give the closing speech. He spoke of Voldemort's return, of the need for unity in the coming months. His words only motivated Harry even more. The pain of losing Sirius had lessened to a dull ache, but the anger was as strong as ever.

As the speech ended, the students stood and began to head back to their dormitories. As Harry followed them, he was suddenly stopped by one of the Ravenclaw prefects.

"The Headmaster asked me to tell you to come to his office after the feast," the prefect said.

Nodding, Harry turned and made his way towards the Headmaster's office

As he arrived at the gargoyles, he gave the password. "Licorice," he said, and the gargoyles jumped aside. He walked forward and knocked on the door.

"Come in, Harry," replied Dumbledore. Harry opened the door and walked in. "Take a seat," said Dumbledore. Harry sat down in front of the desk and waited for the headmaster to continue.

"I have called you here to discuss your living arrangements for the summer," Dumbledore explained. Harry nodded, preparing himself for another hellish summer with the Dursleys.

"Unfortunately, it will not be possible for you to return to the Dursleys," Dumbledore said. Harry's eyes widened in shock and confusion. "Instead, you will remain here in the castle, where you will continue your training."

Harry's face split into a grin. It was as if Christmas had come early. "Thank you, sir!" he exclaimed.

"You are welcome, my boy," said Dumbledore. "I made a mistake by leaving you with the Dursleys. I hope that I can make up for it now."

Dumbledore continued speaking. "You will begin training as soon as the rest of the students depart tomorrow morning. There is much to do and little time in which to do it. You promised me last night that you would give everything to this training. I expect nothing less – it will demand every minute of your time, every ounce of energy you possess."

Harry nodded seriously, but inwardly, he was surprised. Dumbledore was taking his training very seriously, something he was very pleased with.

"I have asked several professors to assist in your training. Every day, you will receive instruction from Professor McGonagall in transfiguration, Professor Flitwick in charms, and Professor Snape in potions."

"Snape? What good will learning potions do?" Harry asked, suddenly frustrated.

"I told you, I expect nothing but excellence from you as my apprentice," warned Dumbledore. "Excellence in all areas, including potions. Up to this point, you have shown mediocrity in many of your classes. I will not tolerate mediocrity."

Harry was shocked. This was a whole new side of Dumbledore. Gone was the grandfatherly figure that he was accustomed to. In his place stood Dumbledore, defeater of Grindelwald. He was beginning to understand why Voldemort feared Dumbledore.

"I understand, sir," said Harry respectfully.

"Good. You will also be receiving tutoring in Runes and Arithmancy from Professor Babbling and Professor Vector. It is unfortunate that you chose divination as your elective in your third year, but it is something that we will strive to correct now," said Dumbledore.

Harry gulped. Dumbledore was taking this much more seriously than he had ever imagined.

"Finally, you will also be trained daily by Professor Moody in combat and defense against the dark arts. Each of the professors will be report your progress to me, so I will know if you are giving less than your best. Do you understand?" asked Dumbledore, peering over his spectacles.

Harry nodded in understanding, his mind racing.

"I also expect you to improve your Occlumency skills. I understand that your lessons with Severus did not go as well as I had hoped. However, with your recent absorption of the soul fragment, I suspect that you will be able to learn much more quickly," said Dumbledore as he pulled a book out of his desk and handed it to Harry. He glanced at the title: The Mind Arts.

"I expect you to study this every morning and evening, before and after your lessons," instructed Dumbledore. "I will also be teaching you occasionally, specifically with regards to Voldemort and the history of magic. Once you have progressed sufficiently in your other subjects, I will also begin teaching you new magic."

Harry could only nod once again. He was overcome by the sheer amount of information that Dumbledore was throwing his way.

"Very good. That is all for tonight. Report back here as soon as the train departs Hogsmeade tomorrow morning," demanded Dumbledore. "We have much to discuss."

"Yes, sir," said Harry, recognizing his dismissal. He stood up and walked out of the office. As he walked, he replayed the meeting he had just left. Dumbledore had shown a whole new side of himself, one that Harry had never seen. Harry, however, was excited to learn from him.

Harry headed towards the hospital wing. He needed to see how Hermione and Ron were doing and explain to them the changes that had occurred in the past 24 hours.

When he entered the hospital wing, Ron and Hermione were sitting in their beds, quietly talking. Luna, Ginny, and Neville had already been released from the hospital wing earlier in the day.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as she saw Harry walk in. Ron also turned and saw his friend enter the hospital wing.

"Hey guys," Harry murmured as he approached their beds. "How are you feeling?" he asked with a twinge of guilt.

"Much better now," Ron answered. "Madam Pomfrey said we can leave tonight so we can go pack our trunks before we leave tomorrow."

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry looked at her and knew she was not just asking about his physical health. She was referring to Sirius.

"I'm… hanging in there," he replied. He looked at his two friends and suddenly felt a flash of fear surge through him.

What was that? he thought to himself. As he looked away from them, the feeling subsided. However, when he looked them in the eyes again, the fear returned.

Suddenly, he realized what was happening. I am feeling their emotions, he thought in surprise. They must be afraid of something. But what?

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. They are afraid of me, of what happens when they are around me.

He felt sick to his stomach. His best friends were loyal and would never admit what they were feeling. He knew they would stay by his side if he asked them, but they were afraid. He knew he had made the right choice by deciding to keep them in the dark and to not let them get involved in his adventures. It was the only way to keep them safe.

More thoughts raced through his mind. How did I feel what they were feeling? Isn't that legilimency? How do I know legilimency all of a sudden?

Pushing those questions aside for the moment, he turned back to his friends. "Listen," he said, "I have something I need to tell you guys."

"What is it?" Hermione asked, eager to learn new information.

Harry paused for a moment before continuing. "I am not going back to the Dursleys this summer," he explained. "I will be staying here and training as Dumbledore's apprentice."

Ron's and Hermione's jaws hung open. "Are you serious?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded. "I need to know how to fight back," he explained.

"That's great!" Hermione exclaimed, but Harry knew she was anxious as well. "Did Dumbledore tell you anything else? Like what V-Voldemort was after in the Ministry?"

Harry paused, trying to decide what to say. "Apparently, he was after some sort of prophecy, but it was destroyed during the fight. No one knows what it says," he lied.

"Oh," Hermione said simply. Harry hoped she would accept that answer and not keep asking questions. He felt guilty lying to them, but he knew it was the only way to protect them.

The next morning, he sat in the Gryffindor common room as Ron and Hermione descended from their dorms, lugging their trunks behind them. Hermione walked up to him and gave him a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh, Harry, I'll miss you," she said. "You have to promise to teach me everything you learn this summer. It will be such an amazing opportunity," she exclaimed. Harry could tell that she was slightly jealous, but he wisely chose not to comment.

"I'll see you soon, mate," said Ron, clasping Harry's shoulder. "I'm sure you can convince Dumbledore to let you spend some time at the Burrow. We need to practice Quidditch!"

"Of course," Harry said, smiling. He knew, however, that this new, intense Dumbledore would allow no such thing.

Ron and Hermione grabbed their trunks and headed out of the common room, waving at Harry as they left. Harry walked over to the window and peered out on the courtyard below. He spotted dozens of students walking towards the train station with their trunks behind them. They all looked happy and normal, excited to see their families. In that moment, Harry felt totally detached from them.

My life will never be normal like theirs, he thought to himself. He knew that everything in his world was changing, but for some reason, he was excited. He turned away from the window and headed towards Dumbledore's office, reading to begin his new life as Dumbledore's apprentice.