Harry Potter and Future's Past

Chapter 39: Dumbledore

"Not being aggressive," Dumbledore thought, "Good; but there is something I need to make clear with them." He gazed at both of the teens for a moment, giving them his best grandfatherly demeanor before he continued. "I do hope you understand that I don't owe you a life-debt though since I specifically told you not to follow me or attempt any rescue."

"Even if he hadn't," The voice of Miranda appeared in Harry and Hermione's heads, "it still wouldn't have been a life debt since you had knowledge of the impending danger and did not tell him of it. Not that you should have of course, but you can't knowingly allow someone to be in danger, rescue them from that danger and still expect a life-debt."

"I didn't even think of life-debts," Harry replied to the Goddess and again he repeated it out loud to the Headmaster. "Actually sir, I never had even thought of a life-debt."

"Well now that we've settled that," Albus said, "Please have a seat; it seems we have a lot to talk about."

"I agree," Hermione replied as she and Harry sat down in chairs across from the Headmaster. "The first being Ginny Weasley."

"After all that happened yesterday, it's an infatuated young lady you wish to discuss?" Dumbledore asked showing disbelief. Though he did want to convince the Potters to just let things alone with Ginny since her knowledge of a Horcrux was too important to risk sharing with anyone else in any depth, Dumbledore needed more time to find an appropriate argument. "Surely…"

"Ginny is a mentally disturbed young woman who tried to kill me earlier today," Hermione replied cutting off the Headmaster. "She put hemlock in my salad at lunch today and admitted that she needed me dead so that she could marry Harry. Now if that is your idea of simple infatuation, then you are a lost cause sir."

"But…." Albus started to argue but then he realized what Hermione had said. "Ginny tried to kill? Not possible; I'm sure I would have realized something like that."

"As Hermione said, she admitted it," Harry was the one to cut the Headmaster off this time. "We've already spoken with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. They agree she needs help. It was either that or have her formally charged with attempted murder."

"I…." Dumbledore started again then paused as he tried to determine a way to control the situation as once again he found himself completely blindsided by the Potters. Finally after a couple of moments, he continued, "I guess I misread the situation with young Miss Weasley. Obviously I was wrong to not have listened to you earlier. I will, of course, arrange for her care."

"Not a chance sir," Hermione almost snorted. "We're going to work with the Weasleys to find somewhere outside of Great Britain for her to be treated; far away from you and your attempts to interfere." The last words were accompanied by a glare.

"You really think I would interfere in any help Miss Weasley might need?"

"You have already, haven't you?" Hermione accused. "Funny how the Weasleys just happen to win the Galleon Draw after the year Ginny had been possessed? A year you did the actual draw? And earlier, even after we showed you the seriousness of the potions she tried to use on us, you still called it infatuation and convinced her parents that she only needed calming draughts."

"The only reason we could determine was that you had to make sure Ginny didn't say anything about Riddle coming out of a Horcrux," Harry added.