An Epic Love Story

6. The Report

Dumbledore was in his office when there was a knock on his door.  "Enter", he said in his kind voice.  He knew who was behind it.  He had requested a meeting, and it had been heard.  Robards with his report on Harry Potter, otherwise known as Hal Portland.  He couldn't wait to read it.  And then with Harry's permission, he would listen to his side of the story. 

Robards entered, with a very large envelope in his hand.  He had asked the minister if he alone could go and see the headmaster, to which Fudge had agreed.  He was in no mood to relay what had happened a couple months ago, and stayed behind to go about his own business, which was doing absolutely nothing.  "Good morning Headmaster", said Robards shaking his hand.  "I have the report you requested", he stated.

Dumbledore shook his hand with a firm grip.  He offered the auror a seat, and asked if he wanted tea or perhaps something stronger.  Knowing that the man would decline the offer of alcohol, as he was technically on duty, he waved his hand for tea and biscuits.  Robards smiled at the brilliance of Dumbledore.  Tea would be perfect, he answered.

He handed the envelope to the headmaster, and was dissappointed that he did not open it in front of him.  With a twinkle in his eyes, he looked at the man sitting in front of him.  He wanted to hear first hand from the head auror what had happened to Harry.  Making a steeple with his hands in front of his face, he simply said, "Tell me what happened exactly".  Robards knew that Dumbledore held true love for Harry.  And so he started telling him what he knew.

"All I know is that Hal was called in to assist with the apprehension of a death eater.  His name, I believe, is Peter Pettigrew.  He jumped at the chance to be a part of the team.  Leader of the team was Jacob Summers.  Jacob actually recommended Hal, said he was the best. He told Hal that he was responsible for the newest members on the team and that they would report to him.  There were three.  Hal agreed on the condition that they respect his decisions, but he was open to listen to their suggestions.  Next thing I know, the three newbies are dead, Hal is badly injured and Jacob is missing.  We thought he had been kidnapped.  By Pettigrew.  We got Hal to hospital, and he was delirious.  He was mumbling things like 'all dead' and incoherent words that we never understood.  They worked for hours trying to save Hal, and at one point he actually slipped away.  But being the stubborn son of a bitch that he is, he survived.  And then the coma.  He woke up about 2 weeks before coming back here, and told us what he remembered.  But only bits and pieces. Jacob had betrayed them all, and was working with Pettigrew.  Well obviously, we didn't know what to believe.  A new auror looking for fame, or the older, more experienced auror who was leader of the team.  Hal has refused to tell me anything else, any details, so naturally I only know what I have told you.  He needs to talk to someone about this.  It's eating him like a cancer.  He has no witnesses, and practically no one who believes him.  The evidence does however show that he is not lying, but other than that...", he finished with a pant and opened his hands.

Dumbledore was shocked to say the least.  So Pettigrew was still alive.  That evil man just wouldn't go away.  He also knew that he would get the missing details from Harry.  There was a reason that he hadn't told anyone what he knew, and if he knew Harry as well as he thought he did, it was because he had to tell someone he could trust.  And apparently he didn't trust anyone at the ministry.  Not after what he had been through.  Who could blame him.  And if they thought that Harry would suck something as dramatic as this out of his thumb, then they didn't know him.  He most certainly didn't do anything for fame.  The idiots!

Raising his head he said softly to Robards, "I will talk to Harry and hear if he remembers anything from that day.  I can assure you that we will get to the bottom of this.  But I must warn you, if I find out that he was used in any way to gain popularity for the ministry, I will come down hard on everyone.  I do have that amount of power Robards, do not take this lightly.  Harry has been through hell, ever since he was eleven.  And I think the time for him being used, has to come to a stop.  Don't you?", he asked.

Robards nodded his head.  He understood completely and hoped that whoever was responsible would pay for what they had done.  Three young lives had been lost.  And another had almost been taken.  Not to mention that if Hal was right, they had lost someone to the dark side.  That alone made him shiver.  He stood up after drinking his tea, shook hands again, and left quietly. 

Dumbledore sat in his office, thinking long and hard about what he had heard.  There were definitely pieces missing to the story.  And the only one who could fill in the blanks was Harry.  Hal Portland.  He smiled at the cleverness of his student.  Taking on a pseudonym was a brilliant decision.  Harry hated fame, and never wanted to be associated with his name in the field.  Not a bad move at all.  Only the people in his team would have known that he was there in the first place.  And that was what bothered him the most.

He looked at Fawkes, and smiled.  Knowing that his bird had heard and understood everything that had been said, he nodded his head at him.  Fawkes left his perch and flew out the window to go and comfort a very broken man. 

He threw some floo powder into his fireplace and asked Severus to round up all the teachers, that he had feedback for them.  The potions master said he would do this, and they would be up shortly.  Dumbledore was pacing when they all walked in.  He looked up and said very sternly to Snape, "Severus, this appears to be more grave that we thought".  He asked them all to have a seat.  He showed them the envelope, but also said that he had not opened it yet. 

Passing on what he had been told by Robards, he could see by their expressions that they were disgusted.  And very clearly shook up.  Being used again, and Harry hadn't seen it.  He thought that the ministry had been on his side.  Although in all fairness, they couldn't blame the ministry, but maybe only some of the people working there.  Dumbledore swore that he would get to the bottom of this.  He assured them that Harry was their first priority, and they owed it to him for what he had done for their world.

They all agreed.  He proceeded to open the envelope in front of them.  There were photos.  There was no movement to them, and they were disturbing to say the least.  Dumbledore was horrified.  Snape pulled a face that had never been seen on his face before.  Mcgonagall burst into tears, and the rest of the staff gasped loudly, their mouths open with shock and heartbreak.

The photos were of Harry and his injuries.