"Sirius? Since when did you arrive?"
When Harry stepped into the old headmaster's office, his eyes immediately found the black-haired figure sitting opposite Dumbledore, and he recognized him in an instant even from behind.
The man in question turned, a brilliant smile lighting his face as he stood up just as Harry rushed forward and threw his arms around him.
"I've actually been here since yesterday. How are you holding up, kiddo?"
Ruffling the boy's hair, Sirius gestured for Harry to sit on his right, and from behind, Maverick walked over and took the seat on Sirius's other side.
"Brilliant. School's over and I can't wait for the holidays. What do you mean you've been here since yesterday? How come I never saw you?"
In his excitement at seeing his godfather, Harry fired off a rapid stream of questions, completely forgetting where he was or that other people were in the room as well.
Then a quiet cough sounded, and Dumbledore cleared his throat to gently remind him he had company.
"I arranged for Mr Black to come early, Harry. There were matters he needed to understand beforehand, since he now holds the role of your magical guardian."
"Ah. Apologies, Headmaster."
Harry finally realized he might have gotten a bit carried away. He scratched the back of his head, thinking for a moment, then asked, "Is this related to what you wanted to talk to me about… about Voldemort?"
"Yes… Headmaster Dumbledore and your professor have already explained everything," Sirius said before Dumbledore could respond. "They've told me about your… particular situation." Looking at Harry, his face took on a grave seriousness, making it clear this was no simple matter.
Seeing the change, Harry also mirrored his godfather's expression, then turned his gaze to the older man across from him.
"I still have no idea what this is all about," he said, "but anything involving Voldemort is never going to be good. Still… I'm ready, Headmaster. Please, explain what this important matter is."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with approval at Harry's quick composure. That amateur little boy has grown remarkably, he thought, muttering, "Good," before turning to Maverick. "Professor Caesar, perhaps you could explain everything in a way he might better understand… if you would?"
Maverick let out a small eye-roll at being dumped the task, but he said nothing. Better this way. The old man can't string two phrases together without sounding cryptic anyway.
He, on the other hand, resolved to be clear and honest with the kid, steering away from the original story's outcome, where Harry stayed in the dark until the final moment and even Snape remarked that he had been raised like a pig for slaughter.
Once all eyes turned to him, he started explaining everything...
It was much the same as what he and Dumbledore had told Sirius. Sirius had been brought in early to keep him from losing his temper in front of Harry. And it had been the right decision, because the night before, once everything was explained to the former fugitive, he had let loose some truly impressive language.
Couldn't really blame him. After all, having something like a soul fragment, the very madman who had killed his best friends, parasitizing his beloved godson was not something he could simply accept. Of course, he wasn't angry at the latter two for keeping it; his frustration came from feeling helpless and from the worry that weighed on his heart for Harry.
His temper only intensified when he realized the extreme danger Harry had had to face. Maverick and Dumbledore had explained everything, at least as much as they understood about Harry's complicated situation.
The Horcrux inside Harry was a fragment of Voldemort's soul, and its destruction was inherently tied to Harry's life. The thought that his godson might have had to confront Voldemort directly, and that the process could kill him, left Sirius seething. It was risky in every imaginable way, and honestly, a huge if as to whether it would even work. Eventually, though, when he learned that an alternative solution had been found, he finally calmed down.
"First of all," Maverick began, "understand this, Harry. You are just a boy. Even if you had known certain things, there was nothing you could do except worry needlessly, and that would have affected your everyday life. That is why…" He paused, glancing at Dumbledore. "That is why Headmaster Dumbledore kept this from you."
Surprisingly, Harry didn't interrupt. He simply listened, though the confusion on his face made it clear he was struggling to piece things together. Maverick made sure not to linger unnecessarily.
"It all started when you were born, more precisely, on the day Voldemort supposedly died."
For the first time in his life, Harry Potter learned the truth—the whole truth. About the prophecy that had driven the madman to kill his parents, the way that event had shaped Voldemort's eventual downfall, and, most importantly, the complex circumstances Harry himself now faced…
Maverick spared no detail. He told Harry about the Horcruxes, their connection to him, and, above all, the Horcrux that he himself had unwittingly become.
He went on to explain how Dumbledore had spent years searching for a way to remove the parasite from Harry, how the Headmaster had even risked his own life in the process, and, of course, the initial, incredibly risky solution that had been considered for Harry to rid himself of the curse.
Needless to say, realizing he carried a piece of Voldemort inside him—the very monster who had killed his parents—terrified Harry to his core. Not because he feared Riddle, but because having a fragment of Voldemort's soul within him could endanger his friends at any moment. Perhaps it was the Gryffindor in him, but the boy had shown no cowardice when he first learned that the original solution required confronting Voldemort directly.
Still, he was visibly relieved to hear that a foolproof method had finally been discovered to free him from the curse, and that it could be carried out immediately.
"…Of course, there are still a lot of uncertainties, and I'm honestly struggling to wrap my head around all the details myself," Maverick continued. "But yes, ultimately, that was the idea. You duel him, he kills you… and somehow, you survive while he doesn't. Mother magic works in mysterious ways. I'm no expert in that area, Headmaster's far more knowledgeable than I am."
"I shall gladly offer you my personal library on soul magic, Professor, should you wish to delve into that field," Dumbledore said with a small smile.
"I'll pass on that, Headmaster. Besides, there's no need to worry about it anymore," Maverick replied.
"What about after?" Harry asked suddenly. "After the Horcrux inside me is destroyed… he'll still be alive, right? Will he come back to life in a new body?"
"That part's actually simple," Maverick said. "In fact, we want him to regain a physical body. Killing a fully-formed Tom Riddle is easy for us… it's his cockroach-like wraith form that makes everything complicated. Remember your first year, Professor Quirrell? That was Voldemort's wraith parasitizing his body. Back then, I tried to destroy it, but it slipped away. A wraith is extremely difficult to deal with because it's intangible, incredibly fast, and can escape almost at will. That's why we're letting him revive properly, as it's far easier to destroy him physically than to deal with a wraith."
Well, that part was only half true. Now that he had access to Sorcery, Maverick had countless ways to obliterate Voldemort's wraith, but there was no reason for them to know any of that, nor was it important anymore. After all, Voldemort's revival now served a far greater purpose for Maverick.
Which brings to the next complicated matter Maverick had to explain to Harry: Voldemort's resurrection. When Maverick had first told Sirius about it, needless to say, the man had been royally furious and rejected the idea outright.
However, after hours of negotiation with Dumbledore vouching for the plan and Maverick detailing the countless precautions to keep Harry safe, Sirius finally, reluctantly, agreed.
In truth, Maverick really didn't want to involve Harry in the plan. But without the kid, blood of Voldemort's greatest enemy, the scheme wouldn't even get off the ground next year. The next step, then, was to explain everything to Harry.
Yes, even though he was still a child, there was no other choice but to fill him in on everything. After all, from the beginning, Harry had been a core part of the plan, and Maverick would rather keep him informed than manipulate him in the dark.
Besides, having personally been his mentor for the past three years, he trusted the boy to some extent. At the very least, he was confident that the kid could keep his mouth shut when he insisted.
Another half hour passed.
Contrary to what the adults in the room expected, Harry showed no worry or fear. In fact, he looked almost thrilled after Maverick finished explaining everything, particularly when he learned the part he would play. As expected of a Gryffindor.
"Right then, shall we move on to resolving your parasitic problem next…" Maverick glanced from Harry to Dumbledore, signaling it was time. The ritual had already been prepared in advance, and with only Harry remaining as the final piece, they could get started at any moment.
_______________
Author's Note:
If it feels a little confusing right now, don't worry... everything will become clear as the events unfold. XD
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