The Secrets of The Sighted (Golden Trio Era) {3}

Dumbledore's Mask Slips

"Does Voldemort know when a Horcrux is destroyed, sir? Can he feel it?" Harry asked moving on from the tense conversation between Dumbledore and Mikayla. "A very interesting question, Harry. I believe not. I believe that Voldemort is now so immersed in evil, and these crucial parts of himself have been detached for so long, he does not feel as we do. Perhaps, at the point of death, he might be aware of his loss... but he was not aware, for instance, that the diary had been destroyed until he forced the truth out of Lucius Malfoy. When Voldemort discovered that the diary had been mutilated and robbed of all its powers, I am told that his anger was terrible to behold." Mikayla fought back a yawn, her eyes felt irritatingly itchy, begging her to go to bed and get some sleep, but she didn't want to leave Harry alone with Dumbledore.

"But didn't Voldemort want Lucius to smuggle it into Hogwarts?" Mikayla asked has Dumbledore claimed earlier in the night that Voldemort always planned for the diary to return to Hogwarts, so that the chamber of secrets would open again.  "Yes, he did, years ago, when he was sure he would be able to create more Horcruxes, but still Lucius was supposed to wait for Voldemort's say-so, and he never received it, for Voldemort vanished shortly after giving him the diary. No doubt he thought that Lucius would not dare do anything with the Horcrux other than guard it carefully, but he was counting too much upon Lucius's fear of a master who had been gone for years and whom Lucius believed dead." Dumbledore paused to take another drink and clear his tired voice.

"Of course, Lucius did not know what the diary really was. I understand that Voldemort had told him the diary would cause the Chamber of Secrets to reopen because it was cleverly enchanted. Had Lucius known he held a portion of his masters soul in his hands, he would undoubtedly have treated it with more reverence, but instead he went ahead and carried out the old plan for his own ends. By planting the diary upon Arthur Weasleys daughter, he hoped to discredit Arthur and get rid of a highly incriminating magical object in one stroke. Ah, poor Lucius... what with Voldemort's fury about the fact that he threw away the Horcrux for his own gain, and the fiasco at the Ministry last year, I would not be surprised if he is not secretly glad to be safe in Azkaban at the moment."

The room fell quiet for a moment as Mikayla Harry sat in thought, trying to think where to move on from this. It was Harry that broke the silence asking Dumbledore, "so if all of his Horcruxes are destroyed, Voldemort could be killed?" Dumbledore nodded to confirm Harry's words. "Yes, without his Horcruxes, Voldemort will be a mortal man with a maimed and diminished soul. Never forget, that while his soul may be damaged beyond repair, his brain and his magical powers remain intact. It will take uncommon skill and power to kill a wizard like Voldemort even without his Horcruxes." Harry seemed to deflate at this news, "but I haven't got uncommon skill and power," Harry said before he could stop himself.

"Yes, you have," said Dumbledore firmly. "You have a power that Voldemort has never had. You can-" Harry impatiently cut Dumbledore off, "I know! I can love!" he yelled exasperatedly, and Mikayla knew that Harry very much underestimated just how important it is that he does have such a big heart, and can love so effortlessly. "Yes, Harry, you can love, which, given everything that has happened to you, is a great and remarkable thing. You are still too young to understand how unusual you are, Harry." Harry didn't look like he believed Dumbledore whatsoever, he couldn't see how important love can drive your magic, how it strengthens it.

"So, when the prophecy says that I'll have 'power the Dark Lord knows not,' it just means, love?" Harry asked, his voice giving away that he feeling a little let down by this discovery. "Yes, just love, but Harry, never forget that what the prophecy says is only significant because Voldemort made it so. I told you this at the end of last year. Voldemort singled you out as the person who would be most dangerous to him and in doing so, he made you the person who would be most dangerous to him!" Dumbledore voice was strained and for the first time Mikayla saw the unsettling glint in his eyes that he wore the night he found out about Avery's blood vow.

"But it comes to the same-" Dumbledore interrupted Harry, displaying his unfiltered impatience as he raised his voice slightly, while disagreeing that it comes to the same point. Dumbledore was pointing at Harry with his black, withered hand, "you are setting too much store by the prophecy!" Mikayla slowly withdrew her wand, she doesn't know why but she fears she may have to use it against the Headmaster if he becomes anymore aggressive, "b-but, you said the prophecy means-" Harry spluttered and tripped over his words, stunned at how Dumbledore was speaking to him.

Harry had only ever seen Dumbledore speak to Mikayla with such veraciousness and did not like being on the receiving end of Dumbledore's anger. "If Voldemort had never heard of the prophecy, would it have been fulfilled?! Would it have meant anything?! Of course not! Do you think every prophecy in the Hall of Prophecy has been fulfilled?!" That was it Dumbledore raised his hands in Harry's direction and Harry looked absolutely terrified, "Immobulus." Mikayla muttered, and it was strong enough to knock Dumbledore back into his chair full and completely freeze him.

"Calm down, Professor. Harry is just trying to understand, and you yelling at him and scaring him is not helping." Mikayla spoke fiercely, she got up from her and moved to where Harry was seated to make sure he was okay. The portraits were causing uproar that she had attacked the Headmaster, but Mikayla's only focus was Harry. Harry gulped slowly and was shaking slightly until Mikayla rested a hand on his shoulder. Harry looked up at the blonde, she knew that he was scared and confused but he was trying to hide it. Mikayla offered him a soft smile before dragging in a deep breath instructionally, Harry mimicked this and the pair exhaled together as well and Mikayla felt the tension slowly unwind in Harry's shoulders.

Mikayla lifted the charm on Dumbledore, nodding her head for him to move and retake the Headmaster's chair. Dumbledore did what was silently ordered of him, his eyes wouldn't meet either of his pupils' eyes, seemingly stunned by his own unprofessional behaviour. "Professor, have you composed yourself enough to continue?" Mikayla asked after she pulled the now vacant chair right beside Harry's and took the dark haired boy's hand to keep him grounded. Harry cleared his throat after Dumbledore nodded to confirm that he had calmed down, "last year, you said that me or Voldemort would have to kill the other." Dumbledore swallowed solemnly, looking very much like a scolded dog with it's tail between it's legs.