"But... Harry!" tried Dumbledore. "You can't just go around killing people because it's the easiest way to deal..."
"Stop right there, Albus!" snapped Harry. "I didn't say I'll just go around killing people. If the Death Eaters engage with lethal force, then... and only then... do I most firmly advocate killing them.
"Personally, I believe in sticking to the law. And, I'm not just talking the law of magical Britain, here. I'm talking the law of the entire United Kingdom; magical and muggle. And that is the law of self defence. If you come at me with lethal force... if you come at me with the intent to cause me or mine death... I reserve the right, under law, to kill you first. I will consider you have engaged me in a duel to the death and act accordingly."
"That is the law of magical Britain, Mister Potter," said Madam Bones. "If someone attempts to harm you with lethal force, you are well within your rights to use such force back. However, you are not permitted to use any of the three unforgivables in pursuit of that."
"That is the path to going dark, Amelia," Dumbledore almost growled. "I will not have Mister Potter told such things."
"Oh, give it a rest, Albus," she snapped back. "It is the law and Mister Potter is allowed to know the law. The boy sits upon the Wizengamot, for Merlin's sake! He needs to know!" "And I agree," said Harry. "Albus, I have warned you many times before about attempting to control me. Stop it!"
"I'd not like to see you going dark, Harry," said Dumbledore. "I'm concerned for your..."
"Again, Albus?" asked Harry. "With you, it's do it your way, or you're going dark." Putting on his best Dumbledore impression, he continued, "Do exactly as I tell you, Harry-my-boy boy-my-Harry; or, I'll be forced to accuse you of going... dark. By accusing you of going... dark... I'll manipulate you into doing what I want because it's... for the Greater Good... And only I know what that means, so I can use that excuse whenever I want. As long as they don't know it was the motto my boyfriend Gellert Grindelwald used, no one will ever question me about using it." Sirius snorted in amusement.
"I think he's got you well and truly pegged, Albus," smirked Madam Bones.
"Why are you doing this, Harry?" growled Dumbledore.
"It's for the Greater Good, Albus-my-boy!" replied Harry. "I'm sure you understand."
"That's enough," snapped Dumbledore right back, all sign of his eye twinkle gone.
"Really?" asked Harry, smirking back. "Has it not occurred to you yet, Albus, that if you want to see who's going dark all you need to do is look in a mirror? Go back over all you've done if you want evidence of it.
"Start with 'For the Greater Good', Albus. That was Grindelwald's motto. He used it as a rallying cry for blood bigots right across Europe, as you well know. And yet, here you are using it almost daily.
"You were aware there was a prophecy about Tom and me and what it said; and yet, you continued to send out members of your Order... those who trusted you... knowing they didn't stand a chance against Riddle. You sent them out to die!
"Then there's your protection of Snape. How much information has he provided you of attacks and raids and you did nothing with it, just so you could protect your precious spy? Every one of those deaths is also on you!
"And, of course, let's not forget me. You knew damned well what sort of people the Dursleys were like. You knew damned well what my life was going to be like living under their so-called care. And, yet again, you sent me there as a defenceless infant, and kept sending me back there once I got to Hogwarts. That makes you a child abuser by proxy, Albus.
"You lie, you manipulate, you betray trust, and you willingly... I shudder to think even eagerly... sacrifice the lives of others. In other words, Albus; you're dark!"
"If you want to point fingers at who is going dark, do it facing a mirror."
"That's enough, Harry!" said Sirius.
"I quite agree," said Harry, standing up. "I don't know why we're here, anyway. As Madam Bones said, this is a criminal investigation, not a Headmaster's investigation... if there ever was such a thing for a criminal matter." "I, too, quite agree," said Madam Bones, echoing Harry and also standing up.
Very quickly, everyone else stood, as well; except Dumbledore. "We've not finished our discussion," he flatly stated.
"Yes, we have," said Madam Bones.
As everyone filed out of the office, Harry glanced back at Dumbledore, seeing the old man sitting there with his forehead in his hands and his elbows on the desk.
As the door closed behind Sirius, the last out of the Headmaster's office, Dumbledore swept his arm across his desk in anger, scattering and sending flying everything off his desk to the floor.
"I need time!" he angrily muttered. "Yet, time is running out." He looked down to his glove-covered withering hand. The potions Severus was brewing for him was only delaying the inevitable.
"I need the boy back under control; I need the boy to fulfil his destiny." He sighed and sat back in his chair. "But, how? And how does the bond, now sealed, affect that destiny? If I remove the two wives, will that then lead to Tom winning? Or, would that just complete the prophecy and leave Tom vulnerable?"
Taking his wand out of his belt he held it between his fingers. "The wand already owes it's allegiance to the boy. He clearly bested me and won it when I attempted Legilimens on him. I should have known the risk I took. I should have been aware of the likelihood of the soul bond providing them with protection. "The boy now has the cloak and is the rightful wielder of the wand. All that is left is the stone." He reached his hand down and slid the drawer open that contained the ring. The ring that was now split where he'd used the Sword of Gryffindor to cut it, destroying the horcrux in the process but leaving the stone intact. Yes, he knew now what it was. Just as he had it confirmed for him that the diary was also one.
Holding the stone in his hand where it was fused to the ring, he turned it over in his hand. "Do I give him the stone?" he wondered. "And the wand?"
"No," he firmly muttered. "As per my Will I will demand the wand, my wand, be buried with me. And, there, it will remain out of reach of any who'll come later. I cannot allow the Hallows to be united.
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