Albus Dumbledor was not a happy man.
He was sorely angry as he paced around his room at Hogwarts. Those children had made a mess of things, and he could do nothing for Harry now that Scrimgeour had placed so many restrictions on the aging headmaster.
The day had started off nicely. He had called another meeting of the Order to discuss their future plans, now that Harry was out of the ministry's clutches. Tom had been keeping a lower profile. Although the new murders had shocked them, like the death of Emeline Vance and the deaths of Amos and Nora Diggory, all members of the order, and the death of several muggle families, Tom had not really been doing anything accept laying low for the past month.
That day, he had decided to tell the rest of the order his plans concerning Harry. He had received the boy's OWL results and had been more than a little surprised at how well he had done. It seems that the boy had been holding out on his teachers throughout the years. His scores in many areas rivaled Dumbledore's own, and he was pleased to see that Harry would be able to handle the training without any problems. Originally the headmaster had been nervous at training the young man, although he could see intelligence in his eyes, Severus had been giving him horrible reports on the lack of skill Harry had shown, but he was still positive that he had not misjudged the boy and that Severus's assessment was biased to his own prejudicies. Although many people said he looked like his father, Albus' Potions master agreed wholly on that argument, many of his teachers had commented that he was incredibly similar to his mother. The calm genial type with a strict code of conduct and honor. Albus had just assumed he would excel in school like his parents had done. But he was sorely mistaken. After a few impressive test scores in his first year, his grades began falling, and by the second year, his scores had equaled only an acceptable, a below average score to be sure.
Albus had been sorely disappointed and had held off on the training until Harry had shown he had the aptitude, but that day never came. He had been wondering why this would be, was it from his treatment at the hands of his relatives? Was it something that Tom did when he attacked Harry? No it couldn't be those things, but his actions and his practical abilities shocked the headmaster. How could a boy, with below average grades do all the things he had done? He had mastered the patronus charm and produced a corporeal patronus at thirteen, an impossible feat. His ability at summoning was on par with even himself, and his skill at teaching the DA was incredible, telling the headmaster that something else was going on.
When his scores had come in from the ministry, he had been shocked to say the least. It seemed as though Mr. Potter had been sorted into the wrong house. Only a Slytherin mind would be able to dupe his teachers, his peers, and his friends for five years and get away with it.
As the clock struck seven PM, Albus flooed over to the Order meeting at Grimmauld place that was just starting. Nearly all the members were there, even the new members he had inducted earlier that month.
"Albus!' Molly Weasley exclaimed, rushing to him and brushing off the copius amount of soot gathered from his trip through the floo system, "Come Albus, we saved some dinner for you. You can eat while we talk."
The old headmaster smiled broadly at the robust woman, "Hello Molly. That would be lovely, but I have already eaten. We must start he meeting very soon, I have a very special OWL result to deliver." Albus was bothered by the frown that creased the usually jovial woman, especially when she knew that the OWL results were supposed to be Harry's. She had always had a soft spot for Harry, and that had only grown with all the things Harry had done for her family.
Shaking his head, he must have been imagining it, he walked over to the table where the members of the Order were sitting. Once Sirius' home, the ancient home of the Blacks had become the official headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, a group of witches and wizards who aimed at stopping Voldemort's rise to power. They had been running into problems with ministry personnel as they had been labeled a vigilante group, but so far they remained outside of the law as no one could prove anything.
Seated at the head of the table, the room began to quiet down. He scanned the faces, memorizing each of them. To his right, "Mad-eye" Alistor Moody, further down the entire Weasley family, the two older brothers had come back from their over seas jobs, and Bill's girlfriend Fleur Delacour, the French beauty had joined because she had ties with the Weasleys and also showed an interest in helping her friend Harry. To his left was Daedalus Diggle, further down was Nymphradora Tonks, the clumsy metamorphmagus wanted revenge on what her aunt had done to her cousin Sirius and was interested in helping her old headmaster, Kingsley Shacklebolt was next, the dark skinned senior Auror was duty driven and held an honor code that was not seen very much in these days, next came his headmistress Minerva McGonagal, , several other members who worked in various functions throughout the ministry and the wizarding economy and finally the three newest members, Harry's friends.
They had all gathered there tonight to discuss what would be done in the coming months to prevent the destruction that Tom was planning. Severus had been relaying some of Tom's raid plans and they had not been good, either for the wizarding world or the muggle world.
Standing from his chair, and watching the other stand as well, Albus stated, "I Albus Dumbledore hereby call this meeting of the Order of the Phoenix to order. Please be seated."
As chairs screeched around the table and everyone got seated, Albus continued the meeting, "Ok, first order of business. Severus has passed on some information that he has ferreted out in the past several days that will prove to be trouble for us. Lord Voldemort is now preparing his forces to begin his attack on muggles and wizard-kind alike. Now, because of the havoc that is going on in the ministry right now there is very little consolidation of power. Kingsley, what can you tell us about the DMLE?"
The dark skinned wizard stood from his chair, "Though much of the ministry is still at odds with each other, the Aurors are under sound leadership by a good captain, Hellen Marchbanks. She is much like Amelia Bones, non-corruptible, stern, to the point, doesn't like playing politics, but she is new, so there may be some problems. She plays things by the book like Amelia. We won't have much help from them, but we can count on them to do their job, if Scrimgouer plans to fight You-know-who."
Albus nodded, "Thank you Kingsley, Nymphradora, what have you come up with regarding the hiding places of our missing death eaters?"
Tonks stood up, wearing her bubblegum pink hair and her natural shade of lavender eyes, "Dung was able to get me in on a few meetings. It seems that most of the death eaters have no idea on where the inner circle is, but they do know that they're probably back with their master. Nothing really substantial was found."
Sighing, Albus moved on, "Ok, our next order of business will be about Harry-"
"Why do we have to talk about him?" Ronald Weasley said, his too tall for his body form scrunched up in the high backed chair, arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face.
"Ronald! You will not talk to the Headmaster that way!" Hermione Granger scolded, her face red and finger waving in front of her.
Getting defensive, Ronald sat up to his full height and addressed the muggleborn, "All I'm saying is why do we always gotta talk about him!? He's pretty much useless now, he's got no money, everyone thinks he's some weirdo, and he's probably half insane from sitting in that Hell hole for all that time!"
"Ronald Weasley! You will not talk to Professor Dumbledore in such a tone, do you hear me young man!" After Molly's admonishment, the tall freckled boy fell silent, brooding into his chair.
Albus was staring at him in shock. This was Harry's best friend? With the kind of boy Harry was, he would have been certain that Harry would have had better friends than this. If Albus didn't know any better, he would have thought the boy was against him. After closing his mouth, and collecting his thoughts, he continued, "Yes, well I can assure you that Mr. Potter is quite safe and his mental health, although threatened, is nothing to worry about. Now as I was saying-"
He was interrupted by his deputy headmistress, clearing her throat from the end of the table, "Albus, although I have never judged you or questioned you decisions, I have to ask, why is Mr. Potter so important? Although he is very resourceful young man, he is a mediocre student at best. His grades are among the lowest in his class and he has shown no other magical proficiency than his quite useless skill at quiditch."
"I agree professor," Hermione added, her condescending voice pulling the attention of the table, "I've been with Harry for five years, had I've nearly had to do all his homework for him. He's not very smart and his magical skills would have been nothing if it weren't for our help. Why keep him around any longer? Why expend resources on him if we don't need to? Look, I've been looking over the Order of the Phoenix's books and if we adopt the managerial method known as Six sig-"
"I want to know too Professor, why do we-"
"Albus, if what they're saying is-"
The old headmaster couldn't take it anymore. Couldn't these idiots see what kind of person Harry was? If not his grades than look at the person. He was nothing but fair, he was very resourceful, he held himself to a strict code of honor, he included everyone with whatever he did, he stuck up for those who couldn't do so themselves, what the hell was wrong with these people, especially those who called themselves his friend!? After a minute of the loud verbal torrent, he couldn't take it anymore, "BE QUIET!" He shouted, fierce anger flashing over his face and his magic lashing out at those surrounding the table.
The room immediately quieted. Never before had they seen the headmaster become angry. Never had they seen such a malevolent anger in the kindly old man's features.
Eyes narrowed as he pinned the people around the table, the headmaster said, "I am sorely disappointed in all of you. You only look after yourselves, seeing what only benefits you, never looking at what is for the good of the many. You are all selfish people, especially you three," he said pointing to the three teens, "you three who have known Harry most intimately and have benefited most from his friendship. If not for him, all of you would be dead by now, and yet you sit there and insult him where he can't even hear you? Harry is a vital member of this team. He is a fair minded young man, that-"
To the shock of everyone around the table, Hermione Granger, in all her audacity, spoke up and questioned the headmaster, "But look at his grades! He's an idiot! How can you say that he's-"
"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!" The headmaster bellowed, a burst of magical energy throwing everyone into their chair, hard, "You call him stupid. Maybe if you paid attention to him like a real friend, then maybe you could have seen what he was doing for you. Look, at these. I should not be doing this, but I think Harry will forgive the sin of letting his OWL results be seen by everyone, so that his own brilliance may shed some light on the ignorance of those he calls his friends!" Never before had he felt such venom. Even when he killed Grindlewald, he had never been this angry. The betrayal he had been forced to witness in this very room was horrible, even to a man who had been through two wars, it had been too much.
Taking out the letter, he copied and multiplied it and banished it into the hands of each person around the room. The gasps around the table told him all he needed to know, as a small smile split his face. Picking up the original letter he began to read:
Mr. Harold James Potter of Number 4 Pivet Drive,
The following are the possible grades of OWL results:
Passing Grades: (O) Outstanding; (E) Exceeds Expectations; (A) Acceptable
Failing Grades: (P) Poor; (D) Dreadful; (T) Troll
The student Harold James Potter has received the following grades:
1)Transfiguration: OOO
2)Charms: OOO
3)Defense Against the Dark Arts: OOO
4)Potions: O
5)History of Magic: T (Test was not completed as per medical problems – Student did not attend make up test on the 5th of June)
6)Herbology: OO
7)Divination: E
8)Care of Magical Creatures: O
9)Astronomy: O
Special note should be given for achieving grades higher than 100 on the following subjects and will be awarded subsequent 1/3OWL score:
1)Defense Against the Dark Arts (105)
Harold James Potter has, as of the Spring Term of 1996, achieved OWLs numbering: 29
Mr Potter,
It gives me great pleasure to present to you the Board of Governor's Award for excellence in the following subjects:
1)Transfiguration
2)Charms
3)Defense Against the Dark Arts
The student has been graded by OWL proficiency and practical proficiency and has been ranked in the following standings:
House Standing: (1st)Harold James Potter
School Standing: (1st)Harold James Potter
Overall OWL Standing Results Based Per European Ciriculum: (1st)Harold James Potter
Congratulations on your standings in your OWLs Mr. Potter. Special commendation should be placed as the only person in the last twenty years to receive three Board of Governor's commendations for excellence in subjects.
Signed,
Arlene Prince
Director of the Office of Educational Standards
Head of the Hogwarts Board of Governors
The room was stunned. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. These were the best grades they have ever seen. And three Governor's Awards? Top rankings in House, School, and European theater OWL results? That was unheard of. No one had ever had grades this good.
Minerva was still trying to get a word out, her eyes nearly popping out of her head, her jaw moving up and down, without a sound. How did the boy do it? Not even she had gotten grades this good. She was even wondering if the headmaster had gotten grades this good. He had never shown any kind of skill in her class, always mediocre work. It was Miss Granger who she had thought would get the Governor's Award. When she had found out, it was not received by Miss Granger, she had moved on to Miss Patil, but Harry Potter? Never would she have thought this was possible. She jumped out of her musings when she heard a screech down the table.
"This is impossible!? Harry couldn't have gotten these grades, he MUST have cheated! He beat me in all three standings!? No one gets 29 OWLs, its impossible! I only got 20! This can't be happening. How did he do it," Hermione said, trailing off.
Minerva would have liked to know that as well. Mr. Potter had never shown proficiency, at least enough to warrant these kinds of standings, "I would like to know that as well Albus, did you change his grades?"
"That's it! That has to be it!" Ron Weasley said, jumping up from his seat where he was just a second before looking down greenly at the results, "He had to have someone that would cheat for him!"
The headmaster, who had been enjoying the responses around the table, from the outright disbelief in Minvera's and Miss Granger's eyes, to interest Kingsley was showing in Harry's grades, and even to the look of pride in young Nymphradora's and Moody's eyes, but his countenance changed when the stupid Weasley boy jumped up and shouted cheat.
Standing up slowly, Dumbledore fixed his icy blue eyes on the young idiot, "Mr. Weasley," he heard a yelp from the gangly red headed boy as he slid down into his chair, "Are you calling ME, a cheat?"
The boy was so scared he couldn't say a word.
"Even if I could change the grades, which I can't because they are graded independently of the Hogwarts system by a panel of international judges who are allowed by law to kill anyone seen or suspected of tampering with the results," squeaks were heard all around the table, "I would never do such a thing. And to even suggest that Minerva," who looked down in shame, "is a travesty and an insult to one of the most hard working students I have ever met.
"I have a theory for the past four years that was just proven by Mr. Potter's OWL results. Often times, I have wondered how Harry has been able to pull off the things he has been able to do, even if his grades were mediocre. The Patronus charm, the accio maxima he used with such great ease to summon his broom in tournament, and all the other things he's gone through, could you possibly say that Harry is an 'idiot', to use your phrasing Miss Granger?
"Tell me Mr. Weasley, at night, do you ever see a light shining behind Harry's curtains? And how frequently do you say you see the light?" the headmaster asked the boy who had regained some of his impudence.
"Yeah I guess, nearly every night. I always just figured he was using my Playwizards to bugger him-" he cut off sharply with a piercing look from his mother.
Albus smiled, "Exactly. Every night. Every night, having to study by himself, away from prying eyes, away in the boy's dormitory. Did you ever wonder why he would choose there to study?"
Seeing the blank faces on those around the table he continued, "And you all call Mr. Potter an idiot. He has been studying by himself, in order to keep his intelligence to himself. Why would he do that, you might ask. It is simple. Harry is someone who is starved for companionship. His relatives never gave him that, and his cousin has prevented him from having friends all his life. So when he came to Hogwarts, he thought he had found two good friends. Now Harry is a very brave person, he is self-less, but the one thing he craves above all others is family. He will do anything for family. You have seen this yourself a few months ago when he selflessly went to the Department of Mysteries to rescue a man who Harry had only known for less than a summer-"
"Yeah and the idiot nearly killed all of us," the red headed boy said with a sneer.
Frowning again, Albus asked, "Did he Mr. Weasley? I may be mistaken, but Harry did say he was going to go alone, did he not? If that was true, then he did not nearly get you killed, you nearly got yourselves killed by following Harry even though he told you not to. Who is the idiot now, Mr. Weasley?"
The three teens hung their heads, trying to hide themselves from the angry eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "Obviously they have been telling you a different story Arthur, Molly." Albus said with a tightly controlled surge of pleasure. No one did that to someone as selfless as Harry and got away with it.
"Now, I, again, ask you to consider, why would Harry sacrifice his grades, the respect of other students, and the respect of his teachers, even though he could have all of that if he had wanted? Simple. One word: Family. Harry sees you as his family. He once confided in me that being with the Weasleys was like having a family, Ronald his brother and Hermione his sister. Now, taking a look at yourselves. Why would Harry have played down his intelligence? Dressed himself in near rags, when he obviously had enough money to purchase descent clothes, and efface himself by never purchasing anything new for himself? You know he only uses those jumpers you send him every year Molly." Molly hung her head down in shame as tears started to leak from her eyes. Albus looked expectantly at the two teens, who hung their head, "Exactly. For you two. Miss Granger prides herself in her studies and her intelligence. She prides herself in being the first to get a spell right, the first to get a question right in class, and to be the highest in her class. What would have happened if your best friend Harry had done better than you? I doubt he would've been your best friend.
"If you look at his grades, they are excellent in the first several months of his first year. Near or at the top of his class on every exam. But if you look at the exams after Halloween that same year. What do you see?"
Wide eyed, with realization Hermione mumbled to herself, "He was doing it for me…"
Smiling to himself, "Yes Miss Granger he was doing it for you. All for both of you Ronald. He effaced himself to get grades lower than yours to keep you from being jealous of him, he wore those terrible cast offs of his cousin to help you, he has done so much for you Ronald, even getting you a date to the Yule Ball, and yet this is how you treat him? I am ashamed in all of you for what you have done to Harry, yes even you Minerva. You should have seen as well as I what Harry was doing to himself for friends that didn't even want him. You had better pray that Harry does not hear of this from anyone. I will not say anything because Harry is much too fragile right now, having suffered a month in Azkaban after taking all the charges from each and every one of you so you could go free. I hope you are satisfied."
Suddenly a look of panic crossed Ginny's face, "The letter!" she exclaimed, and burst into hot tears. Her mother ran around the table and Hermione's eyes grew big, and Ronald slumped down in his seat, a scowl crossing his face.
"What letter?" Albus asked, eyes narrowing and shooting strait to the Granger girl, nearly going into a catatonic seizure.
She gulped, eyes staring down at the table in front of us, "We were angry at Harry for nearly getting us killed. So we sent him a letter, the three of us, saying we would file legal action against him if he bothered us or our families ever aga-"
"WHAT!" this time it was Tonks who shouted it. She had always liked Harry. Always wanted a little brother and Harry was such a cheeky little guy that she couldn't help but have a good time while she was teasing him. She had always thought he was a good guy, and had been overjoyed when she saw his OWL results, the pride she felt was very strong and she only wished Remus was back from America so he could have heard it too, he would have been ecstatic. But to hear what those three idiots had done to a poor abused boy who saw them as family was too much for the spunky Auror.
Standing up and knocking down her chair she stomped over to the Granger girl and grabbed her arm, whipping her around and shook her, "Why did you do that to him!? He just spent a month in Azkaban, being guarded by his worst fear, tormented every second of the day, FOR YOU! And this is how you repay him! Merlin's BALLs! You stupid little BINT! I've got a mind to-, get the bloody hell off Shak! Let me spank the little, mmmmm-"
She was pulled off the nearly catatonic girl by the large black auror who clamped a hand over her mouth, "Well be going Albus, it's not very nice to be here right about now." The struggles continued until a flash of flame was seen in the living room and they were gone.
Ronald, who had been ignored through out most of the commotion, spoke up, "Well he's still a bastard. It's not like we had a choice to be pulled into his stupid adventures. Look what happened to me fourth year. Having to be stuck down on the bottom of the lake for all that time, while the idiot-"
"You will stop right 'zer, stupid leetle boy!" this time it was Fleur who was in a rage, "You were never in real danger, yes? You were never threatened, and you enjoyed ze attencion after sweet 'Arry pulled you from ze lake! Zat boy 'as been no'cing but good to you, and you 'ave ze nerve of accusing poor 'Arry of zees Sings! I cannot believe you are related to zees people Beel. Come," she said, rising smoothly from the tall backed chair and moving towards the living room, "Let us leeve. I wan't no'cing to do wis zees ingrates!"
Bill got up and looked at his family and shrugged. He didn't know what this was about, but from what he could figure, his family had done something very bad to the Potter boy. He shook his head, following his much younger girlfriend back to the floo. Then he was gone.
Albus had been shaking his head throughout the entire exchange. He had lost control of his temper, and then the situation. He never knew that he could be pushed this far by a stupid jealous little boy.
Just then, the floo activated, and the sound of running feet could be heard throughout the house.
"Albus!"
Turning, Albus saw a grimy, fat wizard, his robes looking formless with sweat stains at his arm pits and the chest. Head covered by a hood and his body wreaking of very bad tobacco, he was instantly recognized as Mundungus Fletcher, one of Dumbledore's shadier operatives, he had contacts with the lowest of scums to the highest and mightiest in wizarding society. Although a crook himself, he had shown loyalty to Dumbledore in the past and was trusted by most of the Order.
"What is it Dung," Albus said, trading in his anger for fear. Dung had been on watch tonight so it had to be something about Harry, "What happened to Harry?"
The other members of the Order, even the two girls, excluding Ronald who had just "hrumphed" and scowled at the table at the mention of Harry, jumped up from their seats and looked intently at the smelly Wizard.
"The boy Albus," he said, wheezing with exertion, "He's gone!"
"Gone where Dung, who took him?" the headmaster asked, worried.
"That's just it, Albus. I don't know. I was outside, waiting around. I looked up, and saw that the owl wasn't there, checked the tracking beacon, but it did say he was there. Didn't know what to do, so I snuck up into the house and went to his room. It was stripped bare. Nothing in it!"
The entire order got up quickly pullout out their wands, apparating to Pivet drive, leaving two worried, and one sulking, teenager behind at headquarters.