章節 454: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
From Author:
Hey, my lovely readers,
So I didn't mean to disappear without any notice again but unfortunately, life just keeps coming at me. A few weeks ago my father had a minor heart attack, and even though it was a minor one, it took a lot out of me. I was very stressed and still kind of am because he would soon need surgery. But he is doing better now, so that's a good thing and I'm trying my best to stay optimistic.
But I don't know when the next chapter will be out. But thank you all again for sticking around and encouraging me. Thanks.
Love,
Snowflake.
***
"Christina." Dumbledore had a bright smile and a welcoming look on his face. "You wonderful sweet girl. You brave, brave girl. You were so brave today."
Almost a year ago, Chris would have leaped out of joy seeing Dumbledore standing in front of her with his warm smile and the twinkle in his eyes, but things have changed within the last few hours. Within an instant, everything flooded into her mind. The things he had done, the things he planned with Snape, and his plans for Harry and his future.
"So the boy…the boy must die?"
"And Voldemort himself must do it, Severus."
"So the boy… The boy must die."
"The boy . . . must die."
"The boy must die."
And then Chris remembered Harry's pained smile when he tried to justify the plan of his death.
"It was Dumbledore's plan . . . for the greater good," He had said.
"How could you?" Chris muttered through gritted teeth and Dumbledore's smile froze.
"Chris –" Fergus tried to step in but Chris just snapped.
"HOW COULD YOU!!!" She yelled at Dumbledore, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "YOU SAID YOU CARED FOR HIM. YOU SAID HE MEANT SOMETHING TO YOU. HOW COULD YOU TREAT HIM LIKE A PAWN IN YOUR GAME? HOW COULD YOU PLAN HIS DEATH? HE DIED. MY HARRY DIED BECAUSE OF YOU. HOW COULD –!"
Chris wanted to yell some more and do something too but as soon as she tried to step toward Dumbledore, her legs gave away and she had to stop. She was already weak so the yelling made it worse and her breathing became swallowed and her vision started to darken.
"Chris!" Fergus caught her before she could hit the ground and dirt.
"Breath, Christina. Breath." Dumbledore advised looking concerned. "Your soul is battered and fragile right now. Do not put stress on yourself."
Chris only glared at Dumbledore.
"Do not . . . tell me what . . . I should do! . . . You have lost . . . that right . . . Did you even care . . . about us at all? Did you even . . . care about anyone . . . or did you just manipulate . . . everyone to play their parts . . . in the future you designed?"
Dumbledore waited for a few seconds to let Chris compose before letting out a sigh and speaking very quietly, "You sound a lot like my brother . . . and maybe just like him you are right."
Chris was still breathing heavily so she didn't reply and Dumbledore continued,
"Christina, I know it doesn't change anything, however, I ask for your forgiveness. I admit when Harry first stopped Tom Riddle when he was just a baby, I saw him as the weapon to stop the Dark lord. I know it sounds wrong –"
"It is wrong," Fergus supplied when Chris opened her mouth to speak.
"Yes, I am aware it is wrong," Dumbledore gave a sad smile looking at Fergus. "But I thought countless people would be saved in exchange for Harry's sacrifice. For me, the greater good of the world outweighed Harry's life and that is why I placed him in his aunt's care after his parents' demise. For 10 years I kept an eye on him, thinking some Death Eater or Dark magic user would find him but I truly did not expect Harry's real danger to be a couple of muggles, his uncle and aunt. They are truly the worst of their kind," Dumbledore sighed. "When Harry stepped into Hogwarts I never expected to see him so malnourished and scared. Yet I was happy that he was unharmed by Voldemort or any dark magic user. For me, that was enough."
"Yes, because you just needed him alive with his soul intact with Tom Riddle's soul, so that you could sacrifice him," Chris said with disdain as soon as her breathing started to get normal.
Hearing her words, Dumbledore stared at her for a moment and Chris thought he would disagree or give more excuses but Dumbledore just gave a small nod and spoke very quietly,
"Yes. You are rarely incorrect, Sweet Child. That's exactly what I needed at that moment because . . . I was selfish. I could never deny that and I never would. I always tried to set people as if they were standing on a chess set and I was commanding them to win the match. Harry was my Rook and if I could sacrifice him at the right moment I could win and save the wizarding world from Tom. I thought my cruel actions would justify the means. I always assumed feelings and attachments are the enemy of success, they stand in the way of the greater good. And it was my undoing, my biggest flaw. Not until you and Harry stood in my office and told me how much you two trusted me that I realized what have I done. I realized where I had gone wrong. I was acting as some superior omnipotent all-knowing commander of this chess game whereas you saw me as your mentor and teacher. I finally understood what my mother and sister and brother had tried to tell me for years. But I couldn't understand them and by the time I understood, it was too late. I had lost my mother, sister, and my brother, and I had set motion to my plan for Harry."
"But your brother was alive, me and Harry were alive. You were alive," unwanted tears filled Chris's eyes as she whispered, "You could have changed it all. You could have . . ."
"Maybe. Maybe it was my pride or I truly believed it was my end, this is how it was supposed to end. Whatever it was I know it was my fault and that is why I am truly sorry my child. I ask for your forgiveness just as I have asked for Harry's. I would –"
"Harry?" Chris interrupted Dumbledore, surprised. "When did you ask for Harry's forgiveness? Was he here too? Is he here right now?"
Chris looked around wildly hoping to catch a glimpse of those green eyes. She was half hoping to see Harry walking – no – running towards her with a smile on his face but around her was nothing but green swaying trees and grass.
"Harry is not here, Christina. He went back," Dumbledore spoke and Chris turned to him with more shock. "Yes, Harry went back before you started fighting Maligno. He saw your transformation into that all-powerful successor you were supposed to be."
"He is alive?" a relieved sigh escaped Chris's mouth and turned into a shaky smile. She couldn't believe her ears. Harry was alive. He was alive even after what Dumbledore had planned, after what Voldemort had done.
"How?" Fergus asked reading Chris's train of thoughts. "Is it again his mother's love?"
"Yes," Dumbledore smiled. "When Harry's mother sacrificed herself, it wasn't some accident. She had a choice. Voldemort gave her a choice to live but she chose to die to save her son. By doing so she invoked ancient magic, which protected Harry throughout his entire life and today Harry did the same. He had a choice, yet he chose to die like his mother, making the protection much more stronger. Not only for himself but everyone he tried to protect. Including you, Christina. Now do you understand, why you are not dead despite your soul being so battered?"
The realization came with a start as Chris's brain finally processed what Dumbledore meant. Harry had put the same protection on Hogwarts and them, as his mother had put on him as a baby. He like his mother was willing to die to save the people they cared about.
"So Harry Potter saved my life?" Fergus spoke with a faraway expression on his face.
"Yes," Dumbledore nodded. "And like Harry, now you also have a choice to go back. But before you choose anything, I think you should meet the people who are waiting for you for almost a millennia and learn what will happen if you do choose to go back."
[To be continued]
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