Running

Chapter 8

"Professor," Harry interrupted "I'm sorry, but I didn't come here to talk about how alike my father and I look. I'm here because I want something of theirs.'

"Oh, really Harry?" Dumbledore said in a patronising tone. "Now, what might that be?" He was trying to hide his shock at being interrupted by the young boy, and his fear that he had come for -

"My father's invisibility cloak."

Harry and Hermione had already weaved a story to explain how he came to know about the cloak. She made him practise his small speech until it was perfectly believable - she needed everything to be perfect about this and Harry, clearly seeing how worried she was, complied.

"You see," he began "When I found out I was a wizard, I decided I wanted to learn everything I could - about myself, this whole new world, and especially my parents. After all, I had been told that they were drunkards who had killed themselves in a traffic accident. Either way, I eventually stumbled upon some information. My dad had a cloak that allowed him to become invisible. Later on, when I went to Gringotts with Hagrid, they said it wasn't there and that you had removed it. So, I'm here to thank you for taking care of it, and I am asking for it back." He smiled at the old man. There was silence between the two of them for a moment.

"Harry, would you like a lemon drop?" Harry thought he hadn't heard him correctly for a second but when the Professor pushed a bowl towards Harry, it was clear that he had. It was as though everything Harry had said was being ignored. He had expected some condescension and arrogance, but was the old man really just going to ignore him? Realising that he was becoming quickly heated, Harry refocused on the sweet bowl Albus had pushed in front of him. He was perfectly aware that Dumbledore's lemon drops would probably have more ingredients than just lemons and sugar and as he saw Dumbledore reach out to take one of his own, Harry realised the old fool was probably on neutraliser potions - something he and Hermione should probably consider taking.

"No thank you, Professor, it's nearly time for lunch, I wouldn't want to ruin my appetite." Again, the room fell into silence. "Like I was saying Professor, might I have my cloak back?"

"Unfortunately, I haven't the faintest idea what you are talking about my dear boy. Perhaps whoever really has it will give it to you at a time that they believe is best." Harry now tried his backup plan, the Guilt Trip. Sad puppy eyes engaged, he simpered, "I do hope so, I'm so glad I can trust you, Professor, I know you would never lie to me." Harry seemed so genuinely naive and loyal that Dumbledore shifted around uncomfortably in his seat. "Yes well, I'm sure it will be returned to you shortly, you may return to your activities for the day." As Dumbledore dismissed the young Potter, he missed the smirk on Harry's face. Sure, he hadn't been able to retrieve the coat that way, but there were certainly other methods, and at the very least, he certainly had the Headmaster believing Harry was just as pliable as he wanted him to be. Harry began the journey back to Hermione. It was odd, Harry noticed, he easily fit back into the role of an 11-year-old boy again, he was 40 really, but he certainly wasn't acting like it. Perhaps his earlier theory had been correct, perhaps he was simply switching between himself and his younger self. Maybe it was better like this, he didn't need to worry about his cover being blown so much if he seemed like an actual child. Besides, it was relaxing, he didn't have to worry about anything, grieve over anything, or overthink anything. Harry, even though neither he nor Hermione had made any major fixes to the timeline, was happy.

— — —

Ron couldn't find his best friend anywhere. He'd checked everywhere he could around the castle. He hadn't seen him since breakfast. He finally decided to check the dorms. As he entered the Gryffindor common room, he saw the buck-toothed girl in the window curled up with a book alone. He puffed out his chest and strutted towards her, prepared to give her a piece of his mind. "Listen up, Granger," his voice was loud and several people looked over. Slightly startled, Hermione looked up to see the ginger glaring at her.

"What?" she replied, not bothering with manners for the Weasel.

"You are going to stay away from my friend. He's not yours, he never will be yours so you need to keep away from him," he spat. For a moment Hermione was quite confused. No one really hung around Ronald that much. Besides obsessively fawning over Harry, at dinner time he was a bit too enthusiastic about food, his hygiene wasn't exactly the best and his constant talk of quidditch was getting really tedious.

"Your friend?" Ron clearly took this as an attack on his relationship with the Boy-Who-Lived, so he took a large step forward and stared down at her.

"Yes, my friend. Harry Potter. The Boy-Who-Lived, my friend." Hermione nearly burst out laughing. Harry and Ron spent almost no time together. Harry spent more time trying to avoid Ron than Ron spent trying to attract Harry's attention.

"Right," she said sarcastically, "And do tell me, what are you going to do if I don't cut off all communication with your friend, Harry?"

"I'll.. I'll," Ron looked for some strength he had over the mudblood. He couldn't duel her, he at least knew that. He was simply a "late-bloomer" as his mother put it so he wouldn't be able to defeat her there... then it hit him. He was at least a foot taller than her, he could easily be better in a physical fight. "I'll beat you up," he said confidently.

"No you will not Weasley," Harry growled. He had just walked through the portrait hole to see the last few moments of the encounter. He edged around the lanky boy, grabbed hold of Hermione's shaking hand and led her to the Room of Requirement.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Harry asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. Her face was pale and he'd been able to feel her hand shaking in his the whole way there. "I'm fine," she mumbled. She looked up at Harry, who could clearly tell that she wasn't fine, he hadn't let go of her hand and his face was blatantly asking for her to speak to him.

"Hermione, speak to me, please."

She took a few deep breaths. "It's stupid. It was just his voice and the threats, it was so similar to before. I know he can't do anything, he's 11, but it just sounded so alike to when we were older."

"Hermione, that isn't stupid, of course, that would affect you like that. You needn't worry though, I'd never let him hurt you again." He embraced her and as he did, Hermione cried. She let everything come out. It was a painful cry. Sobs and screams and tears. She had missed so many years of her life because of that man. He had weakened her. She wanted to be confident and alive like she was before but in just 4 words, he had managed to bring it all to the ground. She cried because she was mourning. She was mourning her lack of life. She cried because she was infuriated, at those who caused her to lose her life. She cried because, through it all, she had come out the other side. She cried because she was relieved, relieved to have Harry, to be herself again, even if she wasn't exactly the girl she had been before.

They sat together like this for a while, close, ignoring the passage of time, forgetting the world outside, simply sharing in each other's company.

————

Dumbledore called for his pet Snape to come to his office. He needed to discuss a few more potions that were needed for his plans. While Harry seemed to trust Dumbledore wholeheartedly, Dumbledore couldn't risk any outbursts or any questions about his actions. The boy was doing exceptionally well in his classes, he clearly wasn't an imbecile. It was important to make sure he did nothing to raise the boy's suspicions. Therefore loyalty potions would be needed, one's he couldn't refuse. A few potions that could potentially cause a certain rift in the friendship between the Chosen One and his mud-blood friend. They also needed to begin fixing Ronald's relationship with Harry. Perhaps a friendly offering of a potion-laced snack would do the trick.

Further still, he still needed to figure out how to somehow lure Harry to the Mirror of Erised. Maybe it was time to give him his father's invisibility cloak. Hopefully, he would use it for some late-night strolls. If he positioned Snape or Filch in certain areas, he was sure he could get the boy to somehow find himself in the Mirror's room.

Things finally seemed to be going Dumbledore's way.

23/02/2022 It's super late, so I really hope I've not left any mistakes in - made quite a few changes, but it's again mostly to improve the flow of the story and descriptions. Let me know what you think!!