Harry's Future

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Harry stood behind the podium in the Great Hall looking out over an assemblage of most of the student body, a fair number of the faculty and a few visitors from the Ministry of Magic, including the now official Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt. It was Tuesday evening of the second week after Halloween. Bill Weasley had arranged for Harry to give a lecture to his older Defense Against the Dark Arts students. It was mandatory attendance for all fifth through seventh years, voluntary for lower grades and requests had been made for certain guests to be present. Harry could see all his first years there, as well as Ron and George Weasley, Angelina Johnson and several other already graduated members of the DA, including Neville Longbottom who had returned from his first field trip just last week. He was feeling more then a bit nervous but he could also see a certain redhead looking up at him with pride and love in her eyes so he took a deep breath and began. 

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. For those of you who were required to be here, well, school can be difficult. For those of you here by choice, I hope you won't be too disappointed. As part of my assignment as assistant to Professor Weasley, I was asked to, well, provide some lectures on my experiences in dealing with the Dark Arts these past seven years. I know it's normal practice to hold questions until the end but I thought I might break the ice a bit by taking one question up front. Anyone want to be first?" 

A number of hands shot up and Harry looked around and then saw a fifth year Slytherin girl with a very thoughtful expression tentatively raising her hand. 

"Yes, Miss..?" he indicated with his hand. 

"Middleton, sir. Um, I was wondering, what would you consider to be the best defense against the Dark Arts, I mean, it's what we call the course. Is there one?" 

"Well, Miss Middleton, I don't know of one single charm or spell if that is what you mean, but there is one thing that would provide the most benefit I think. And that is...love." 

Harry could see that the girl was surprised and he was getting some odd looks from the audience. Ginny's look was quizzical. Harry gave a lopsided grin. 

"I know it's not the answer you might expect or want, but let me explain. I think we can all agree that Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, was just about as dark a wizard as you could expect to find. At his height there near the end he embodied pretty much everything we think of as dark. But who was he in the beginning? He was Tom Riddle, the son of a muggle father and a witch who had fallen in love with a muggle, who bewitched that muggle into believing he loved her and when he discovered what happened he abandoned them both, her to die brokenhearted, and Tom to be sent to an orphanage. What might have been the future if this boy had been raised by people who loved him and he could love in return? What if he had found within himself the power to love others despite his harsh situation? It's not unheard of." 

Harry looked down and saw Ginny looking at him as if transfixed. He gazed around and made eye contact with Abagail who smiled and nodded. 

"Let me tell you something and I get arguments about this but seeing that I'm up here giving the lecture, it means it's true," he smiled and got a laugh from the audience. 

"Nothing I've ever done, no matter how spectacular or noteworthy, was done without the help of friends or family. Family and friendship is all based on love of one sort or another. My very survival is the result of love. The final defeat of Voldemort and his Death Eaters was the result of love. Love for and from family, friends and community. Children raised with love find little reason to stray to the dark side. Friends who truly care can usually keep you from taking that first fatal step. All those things that drive a witch or wizard to the Dark Arts looking for power, riches, or whatever they feel they need to put meaning in their lives have a difficult time getting a foothold in a soul that's full of love. So yes, that would be my answer. Now, having completely ruined your evening with all that sentimental fluff lets get to the things you really are interested in."