Everything eventually led to a battle concern. If he relied on Dumbledore to give him all the answers he needed, what would he do if Dumbledore was unavailable? Or if he didn’t have answers to any particular questions? Or if, worst of all, there were no answers?
No, it would be best if he not rely on the Headmaster; ultimately he had to make his decisions for himself, and make his own way.
That thought aside, Professor Flitwick had advised him to see Dumbledore, and since he had two-plus hours before his first classes began, he decided that he would. And since he’d already stepped through the portrait hole, he had to go somewhere.
Absently, he sought and found Dumbledore’s aura, and made his way to the office. He eventually stopped at a statue of a gargoyle. He could sense Dumbledore’s presence beyond it, but it looked as though there was no way around.
Suddenly the statue moved, and a staircase began to rotate downward, towards him. Someone, probably Dumbledore, had triggered it from within. He didn’t think he’d done anything; the statue was probably a guard of some description. He walked onto the staircase and let it move upward. It deposited him in front of a wooden door. Turning the doorknob, he found it unlocked. The door opened and he walked in.
Dumbledore was sitting at the desk, apparently writing something as he had a quill in his right hand. “Good morning, Harry”, he said. “Are you often awake at this hour?”
Harry nodded.
Dumbledore nodded in return. “I find I need little sleep myself in these latter days of my youth.” He smiled.
This struck Harry as being completely absurd. He’d have laughed, but he wasn’t in the mood. But since the man’s comment had seemed to invite it...
“How old are you then?”
Dumbledore’s smile seemed even more serene than it had been. “I am one hundred and forty-one since August.”
Harry found this neither surprising nor of much note: he knew people who were much older. One of Gohan’s friends, Muten Roshi, was around three hundred fifty years old; and Roshi’s elder sister Baba was approaching six hundred. But he hadn’t come here to discuss age. So he decided to get right to the point. “Professor Flitwick said you could help me.”
Dumbledore’s smile remained. “Indeed? With what could I help you, exactly?” He motioned for Harry to sit.
Harry did so. “He said you could probably help me learn to duel. It was odd. He said you could give me what I, quote, ‘require’, stressing that word, as if it meant more.” He kept his face neutral.
Dumbledore simply stared at him, and then he saw a hint of light in the old man’s eyes; not the usual twinkle. Harry then felt a presence in his mind.
Instantly he slammed his mental walls up at full force, and the presence was ejected. Dumbledore’s eyes widened, and his smile did as well. “That seems well in order.”
But it had been the wrong thing to say. The air in the room was heating quickly. Power radiated off Harry in great amounts; he was quite angry.
Dumbledore seemed to take the hint, although his expression remained unchanged. “Please calm down, Harry, and I will explain.”
At that, Harry calmed down some, but he was still irritated. The air cooled a little, but it was still warm.
Dumbledore nodded slightly. “I attempted to look into your mind just now, to see what you meant about what Professor Flitwick said. You repelled my presence, quite well I would say. Yes.”
Harry calmed down a little more.
Dumbledore then said two words that got Harry’s full attention: “Lord Voldemort.”
Harry’s eyebrows rose. “What about him?”
Dumbledore’s smile vanished. “Lord Voldemort is very skilled at Legilimency. That is what I just attempted on you.”
Harry thought about this for a few seconds. “Legilimency? Is that like mind-reading?”
Dumbledore shook his head. “Not as such. True mind-reading is not possible, but certain wizards may find ways to briefly peer into another’s mind to find emotional impressions and memories. From there, they may draw conclusions based on what they saw. Lord Voldemort is a master Legilimens.”
Harry thought for a few more seconds. “But that can be blocked. I just did.”
Dumbledore nodded this time. “Yes. You blocked my intrusion into your mind. That is called Occlumency: the protection of the mind against external penetration. It and Legilimency are a pair of obscure, yet highly useful, branches of magic. You, Harry, seem to be a talented Occlumens. You may one day find that helpful.” His expression remained neutral. “As to the reason Professor Flitwick sent you to me, I believe I may have some idea of his meaning.”
Harry smiled. “And that would be?”
Dumbledore’s face remained impassive. “On the seventh floor, across from a portrait of a wizard and trolls, is a blank wall. If you pass by that section of wall three times, concentrating on something you really need, the castle will respond, and bring you what it is you require.”
Harry didn’t know the instructions’ exact meaning, but he decided he would work it out for himself. “Thank you, Headmaster.”
Dumbledore’s face had a smile once again. “You are welcome, Harry. Now, breakfast will be beginning in the Great Hall in a few minutes. And I know that you have classes this morning, and however much I would help you otherwise, I shall not help you if you are late.” He folded his hands together and held them up in front of his face.
Harry knew this meant the conversation was over. He turned to leave, but before he stepped out the door, Dumbledore spoke to him again: “Harry, if you need to see me again, your password for the gargoyle is ‘Chocolate Frogs’.”
Harry nodded and left. As he walked toward the Great Hall for breakfast, he realized that Dumbledore had given him a great deal to think about.
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by nuclear death frog
(Posted Sat, 27 Dec 2003 23:14)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.