The Boy Who Couldn't See: Year 2

The Polyjuice Potion

TW: i mention a gagging noise at the beginning of the chapter. also draco says m*dbl**d a lot :/

also i changed christmas to yule because that makes more sense for the vibe of hogwarts :)

//

They step off the staircase and Professor McGonagall knocks on a door sharply. She pushes him in, orders him to wait, and leaves him standing there.

There's all sorts of weird sounds around the office. Whistling, whirring, little poofs. Harry is in the middle of wondering what sort of knick-knacks are making them when a sudden gagging noise distracts him. His lip curls and he takes a step back. The thing gags a few more times and then there's a loud whoosh and a shriek. Harry jumps back and wishes for what has to be the millionth time that he could see so he could figure out what that is. A door opens and Harry swings around.

"Ah, about time," Dumbledore's voice says as he closes the door.

"What was that?" Harry asks.

"Fawkes, my phoenix," Dumbledore says, walking past Harry to most likely get to his desk. "He's been looking dreadful for the past few days, I was wondering when he would die."

Harry blinks. "Your bird just died?"

"Don't worry, Harry. Phoenixes burst into flames when it's time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets..."

Harry is about to say something when the door suddenly bursts open. He jumps and turns back around.

"It wasn' Harry, Professor Dumbledore!" Hagrid's voice says urgently. Harry feels a pang of guilt. He hasn't visited Hagrid since the incident with the slugs. "I saw him in the corridor seconds before that kid was found, he never had time, sir —"

Dumbledore starts to say something but Hagrid barrels on. Harry fights to keep a smile off his face at listening to Hagrid defend him so vehemently.

"— it can't've bin him, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to —"

"Hagrid, I —"

"— yeh've got the wrong boy, sir, I know Harry never —"

"Hagrid!" Dumbledore says loudy. Hagrid stops. "I do not think that Harry attacked those people."

"Oh," Hagrid says. "Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster."

Harry waits until the door is shut to ask, "You don't think I did it, Professor?"

"No, Harry, I don't," Dumbledore says. "But I still want to talk to you."

There's a long moment of silence. Harry shifts his weight from one foot to the other nervously.

"I must ask you, Harry, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he says gently. "Anything at all."

Harry blinks. He thinks about the Polyjuice Potion, about the voice nobody but him can hear, about people thinking he's the Heir of Slytherin. There's a million things he could say right now and if he trusted Dumbledore a little more than he currently does, he might say some of them, but instead, he stands up straighter and says, "No. There isn't anything, Professor."

Ron and Hermione are confused when Harry tells them what happened in Dumbledore's office. They wonder what Dumbledore wanted Harry to say and Harry wonders too but he supposes they'll never find out so he just tells them to drop it.