Betrayal of the Best Kind
Live
By Draco664
Live
"Go on, Albus! Please!" Sirius begged.
"No. For the last time, no," the Headmaster replied.
"You're no fun anymore."
"Was I ever 'fun'?"
Ron piped up. "Of course. I remember your reaction to, I mean, your revenge on Fred and George for giving you a Canary Cream."
Dumbledore smiled and glanced at Ron with twinkling eyes. "Well, yes. I suppose that was fun."
"You do know that they are marketing a line of sweets that mimic what you did to them, don't you?" Ginny asked.
"Really? What are they called?"
"Animal Attraction Appetisers," Ron supplied. "You become rather, ahem, attractive to all animals for about half an hour. I'd imagine Sirius should avoid his animagus form around someone who just ate one. I'd hate to see the mess such a big dog would make trying to hump someone's leg."
"Ron!" exclaimed Hermione, covering her flaming cheeks. "Language!"
He ignored her. "Watching my brothers running from an amorous Mrs. Norris was one of the funniest things I have ever seen."
"You didn't ask Hagrid what happened after they made it out of the castle?" asked Ginny, a smirk on her face.
Ron frowned and shook his head. "No, why?"
Ginny's face lit up, and her eyes took on a dreamy look. "Once out of the castle they ran out onto the grounds. Let's just say they ran too close to Hagrid's 'pets'."
The headmaster's office suddenly became perfectly quiet. Ginny's expression while examining her blissful memories was serene.
"What was Hagrid teaching us about at the time?" Ron asked.
"Bunyips. He somehow managed to import them from Australia," replied Hermione.
"Damn, I was to busy laughing at them in the castle to follow them. I'd imagine that an eight foot carnivore makes an interesting mating call."
The headmaster's office was filled with laughter for several minutes.
"Still, I'd like to see the look on the Dursley's faces when you dumped Baby Harry on their doorstep again."
Dumbledore shook his head, still chuckling at the image of the Weasley twins on the run from an amorous Australian monstrosity. "I said 'no', Mr. Weasley."
"Besides, think of how Harry would feel." said Hermione, having finally managed to get her laughter under control.
"With the shock he gave us, I'd say it was fair payback," said Sirius.
"Yes! How did he do that? Have you any idea?" Hermione asked the headmaster.
Sirius and Dumbledore gave each other a steady look. It did not go unnoticed.
"You know!" Shouted the three students together.
Dumbledore held up a hand. "I have a suspicion. That is all. Once Miss Chang finishes in the infirmary and arrives here, we will discuss it."
At that, the door opened and Cho walked in. "He is sleeping. I think. It is entirely possible that he decided to just lie quietly still with his eyes closed to stop Madam Pomfrey from fussing over him."
"That sounds like Harry. Has he had anything to eat?"
Cho nodded, but blushed furiously.
Dumbledore's eyebrows rose. "Miss Chang?"
"He kept, um, while he was eating, he, um..."
"Yes Miss Chang?"
Cho's blush deepened. "He had a big smile on his face, and he, um, keptlookingatmybreasts," she finished quickly.
Sirius snorted, desperately trying to keep himself from laughing. "He's definitely got the mind of a sixteen year old."
Wormtail limped along a dark overgrown path. A gardener's shack lay ahead, with a candle in its solitary window. He reached the door and knocked hesitantly, almost hoping that the occupant would not hear.
"Enter, Worm."
Swallowing, Wormtail used his good silver hand to turn the handle and enter. His left arm was still useless, even more so now. At the ambush Potter had set, one of his mines had exploded to Wormtail's left. Nott had cushioned the explosion, but had slammed into Wormtail's left side. His shoulder was still dislocated, had been for hours.
Peter was not brave enough to try to set it himself.
"Master, I've arrived."
A sole woman knelt on the floor, tending the bleeding mass of flesh on the old bed. Voldemort turned his head with difficulty and faced the pitiful man. "So I see. You always make these inane comments when you are nervous," he said with a sneer.
"Please don't move, Master. I'm trying to staunch the bleeding."
"Pritchart? What are you doing here?" Wormtail gasped.
Voldemort's sneer remained as he looked at his carer. "She returned to seek forgiveness, since she will get no mercy from Dumbledore and that idiot Weasley."
"Surely you cannot trust her? She disappeared when she thought she had failed you."
The former Defence teacher rose and spun to face the shorter man. "You disappeared for thirteen years, you little worm."
"Enough!" Voldemort shouted, and then started coughing. Pritchart again began tending the Dark Lord.
"You disappeared from the ambush. You ran yet again. Why should I trust you now?" Voldemort calmly asked Wormtail once his breathing was under control.
"Master, I-"
"You seem to have a remarkable habit of disappearing from a fight, but turning up for the victory party." Voldemort continued.
Wormtail looked around, panicking.
"No matter. Though it galls me to say it, I need both of you." The Dark Lord took a deep breath. "We will stay here for now, to regain strength."
"Can we not go up to the manor? There is still no one living there."
Voldemort shook his head. "Those incompetent fools at the Ministry placed detection wards on my father's house, but not the surrounding grounds. This hut belonged to that stupid muggle who interrupted us, and is not of any interest to them."
Wormtail sighed, and limped over to a battered chair. Wincing, he sat and carefully withdrew his left arm from its sling.
Pritchart looked over at him in disgust. "You'll have to wait, I must see to our master first."
Voldemort gave a vicious grin. "No, Victoria. Please set Wormtail's shoulder for him."
With an equally evil grin, the former auror stood and made her way over to the now trembling little man. With a deft flick of her wand, she cast a silencing charm on the walls of the cottage.
"Why didn't you just cast a silencing charm on me?" Pettigrew asked.
Grasping the small man's arm, Pritchart gave him a hate filled look. "But then we wouldn't hear you scream when I do this!"
With an extremely vicious wrench, Wormtail's shoulder popped back into place. The ear-splitting scream brought a smile to the Dark Lord's face.
Aiming his wand at the exposed back of Pritchart, Voldemort whispered, "Crucio."
As his wayward servant joined Wormtail in screaming, the Dark lord lay back, and contemplated the future. How he was going to rebuild his forces, and get his revenge on Harry Potter.
Harry woke clutching at his burning scar. After a moment, the sharp pain ceased. He lay there, bemused at the resumption of obvious hatred Voldemort now had for him. Without opening his eyes, Harry stretched. Restrictive clothes split and ripped with a long tearing sound.
He opened his eyes in surprise and looked down at the remains of the baby clothes Madam Pomfrey had put on him. Harry examined himself in minute detail. He was growing remarkably fast.
Rolling off the bed, toddler Harry took a pillowcase off a pillow and made his way to the nurse's office. He entered and looked at the nurse writing notes fervidly. "Hello Madam Pomfrey," he said.
With a startled yelp, the nurse spun and looked at astonishment at Harry. "Mr. Potter!" she cried. "What are you doing out of bed?"
Harry made a face. "I'm young, not sick."
"And relieving yourself on me was an accident too?"
Harry gave her the most innocent look he could manage. Coming from a face that looked only three years old amplified the effect. "Of course. I had no control over my actions."
"I've seen that look on you too often, Mr. Potter. It doesn't work on me."
Harry smirked and shrugged his little shoulders. "Worth a try."
"Right," she huffed. "Up on the bed, I've more tests to run."
"Oh joy," he said, walking back towards the bed, pillowcase still wrapped around him.
"Quiet. The Headmaster has decided that I am to be your guardian for now."
"I don't need a guardian. I'm old enough to take care of myself."
Madam Pomfrey smirked. "Have you looked in a mirror lately?"
Harry turned and gave her another smirk. "So it's my fault for peeing on you because I'm sixteen, but I have to submit to your guardianship because I'm a baby?"
Poppy sighed and shook her head. "Even at sixteen, you need a guardian. You are still a child."
Harry's smile disappeared. "That didn't stop them from putting me in Azkaban."
Madam Pomfrey looked at the serious expression on Harry's small face. She nodded in agreement. "You were too young for that place. No matter what crime you committed."
"And what crime did I commit?" he snarled at her.
Madam Pomfrey stopped and thought. The headmaster had told her Harry was innocent and that he had been spying on the Dark Lord for Dumbledore. She could feel a blush of shame start to show on her cheeks. "You were found guilty," she whispered, hanging her head.
Harry walked forward, reached up and took her hand. "You think the fact I am innocent will make a difference to the world?"
Madam Pomfrey looked into Harry's deep green eyes. "I don't know."
Harry smiled. "Me neither." he said brightly. "But I don't care either. The people I love know." Harry let go and climbed into his bed. "Now, before you start poking and prodding me, could I get something to eat?"
"Now, Miss. Granger, tell me what you have surmised about Mr. Potter's 'rebirth'." the headmaster said.
Hermione looked around at the group. "Well, Harry has managed to do a lot of incredible things since he managed to escape from Azkaban." She paused. "That's not to say that his escape wasn't incredible either," she added.
"Perhaps if you were to tell her what we know?" Cho prodded.
Dumbledore shook his head slightly. "I'd like to see if Harry's friends can figure this out for themselves," he said with a smile.
Ron sighed and looked over to Hermione and Ginny. "OK. What has he managed to do. Escape from the inescapable prison..."
"...survive falling from a cliff..." added Ginny.
"... and escaped from Voldemort," finished Hermione.
"Don't forget travelling the length of the country in minutes," added Cho.
Hermione, Ron and Ginny started tossing theories around. Sirius sat back and listened with a grin.
"Is Harry Potter still hungry?" Dobby asked as the toddler in front of him devoured his fifth plate of food.
Harry nodded, still chewing. Dobby sighed and disappeared with a pop.
"You're just saying that to delay the tests I want to perform," Madam Pomfrey said irritably.
Harry swallowed. "Right again," he said sarcastically. "I transfigured an extra stomach for myself just to avoid having my temperature taken."
"Your attitude is not helping, Mr. Potter."
Harry rolled his eyes and was about to make another sarcastic comment when the door to the infirmary burst open and Hermione stormed in, closely followed by Ron and Ginny.
"You litt-," started Hermione, before stopping in shock at Harry's three years of growth in three hours.
"Ah, you've figured it out then," said Harry, a humourless smile on his face.
Cho, Dumbledore and a large black dog entered the hospital ward after the angry trio, and they too stopped in shock at Harry's growth spurt.
"Professor! I need to tell you, I just woke before with a pain in my scar."
"Really? What did you see, Harry?"
"Wormtail and Professor Pritchart were tending to Voldemort." Harry frowned. "She's a Death Eater? I didn't see her at all during my training."
Dumbledore nodded. "She disappeared the night you infiltrated Voldemort. No one has seen her since you jumped off that cliff."
Harry smiled. "If Voldemort was trying to recruit me, I'd imagine that my death would throw his plans out a little. She must have run from both sides."
Dumbledore nodded again. "Anything else you can remember? Their location?" What they were doing?"
"They were in a place I didn't recognise. Small, and rundown. I think they are his only Death Eaters remaining. He had her set Wormtail's shoulder, and then put her under the Cruciatus. That's when I woke up.
"What are you talking about, Mr. Potter?" Madam Pomfrey asked.
"Mr. Potter here gets visions of Voldemort when he is either close, or particularly emotive. It has been rather useful in the past," explained the headmaster.
"Why didn't my scar hurt when I was training with him then?" asked Harry.
Dumbledore frowned in thought.
"When did your scar start hurting again?" asked Cho.
"Right after we, um, kissed."
"How did you feel then?"
Harry's expression became dreamy. "I felt wonderful. Like everything was all right in the world. I felt like I was never in Azkaban."
"Maybe that's it then. Azkaban does affect people differently after all."
"Stop changing the subject," Hermione snapped. "How did you become an animagus? And a phoenix at that?" she demanded.
Madam Pomfrey clutched her heart. "You are an animagus?"
Harry nodded. "How did you think I survived? I died in front of you, burst into flames and then sit up as a baby in a pile of ashes. Surely that would have given you at least a clue."
"How, Harry?" Hermione demanded. "How did you learn how to become an animagus?"
Harry looked questioningly at Cho, pointedly ignoring Hermione. "Do you still have it?"
Cho nodded and pulled out the animagus guide. Silently she passed it to Hermione.
Hermione read the letter James wrote to his son. She read through the letter, and looked up at Harry. "You never showed us this."
"You don't think it is a little private?" his eyes narrowed dangerously.
Hermione nodded. "This is the letter you asked to take with you to Azkaban?"
Harry nodded once. "Treat it like the Marauder's Map."
Ron raised his eyes in surprise, whiped out his wand and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Once more, the familiar swirling of ink signaled the activation of the guide.
As one, Hermione, Ron and Ginny looked from the guide up to Harry. He shrugged. "So I got some help."
Dumbledore looked up at the ceiling, and scratched his neck thoughtfully. "I wonder what Minerva's reaction to this acheivment will be."
Harry smirked at the headmaster. "You mean will she be proud of me for managing to become an animagus, or shocked at me for not registering?"
Dumbledore smiled at him. "Exactly."
Harry's smirk was mirrored on the faces of his friends, each of them having an expression of anticipation.
--