Harry felt a hook behind his navel sensation and started spinning. After a moment it stopped and Harry lost his balance sprawling face up on the floor. He gingerly sat up holding his head as it still felt like it was spinning and the first thing he noticed was that he was in the headmaster's office. Second he heard uproarious laughter.
The headmaster was laughing his head off. "That has to be the worst landing I have seen in my entire life!" He said after he calmed down from his laughing.
"Yeah yeah. I swear wizarding travel hates me. I prefer my broom." Harry mumbled but Dumbledore heard him.
"It has nothing to do with the method of travel hating you, I assure you Harry. But you should ask Madam Prince for the book 'A guide to magical means of travel'. It will atleast guide you to make your landing better. In any case, was your outing successful? I hope you got your wands."
"Yes professor. Mr. Ollivander made me a custom wand, and used my old wand's phoenix feather to make me a secondary wand." Harry answered.
"What are the wands made of? If you don't mind me asking." Dumbledore asked. Seeing no point in hiding the nature of his true wand, he said, "Sure. My custom wand, Elder wood, 13 inches, inlaid with 0.7 grams Mithril and cores of phoenix tears, Manticore heartstring and a thunderbird feather. Mr. Ollivander said it was his greatest work ever. And my secondary wand, Ebony, 13 inches, Phoenix feather and Great Horned Hebridean Black heart string." He removed his ebony wand and placed it on Dumbledore's desk before flicking his wrist as Ollivander had told him. It was only due to Harry's seeker reflexes that he caught the wand as it had shot out at an incredible speed. He would need to practice this thing.
Albus Dumbledore felt his eyebrows disappear into his hair line. The child's wand was both arithmetically and materially powerful. Elder wood wands only chose wizards and witches who were extremely powerful, both in character and magic. The death-stick was also made of elder wood after all. And he had all the three most powerful magical numbers in his wand. 13 inches length, 0.7 gram mithril, MITHRIL! The most magically inclined metal in wand. Pure gold came second in those terms. And finally the three cores, Phoenix tears from his own familiar, showing that he would fight for the light side, thankfully: Manticore heartstring, showing his intelligence, cunning, bravery and power and finally thunderbird feather, showing that he would bow to no one and become his own man. He felt very proud of his student after all how could he not? Also he was the child of Lily and James Potter, two students with whom he had closely worked with. They would certainly be proud today if they saw Harry.
He hoped that the boy would work with him when Tom returned and not work like Charlus Potter and Arcturus Black did. Him and Charlus Potter, both had mutual respect for each other, but Charlus Potter had refused to work with him in both wars, Even though they had a common enemy, stating that he was too soft for his own good and didn't have a place in the war if he was unwilling to kill. He didn't refute the point. He had killed before, but it was out of desperation. He always preferred to capture a person. He was a teacher first and foremost, his talents lying in Transfiguration and Alchemy. He was not a warrior.
On the other hand Charlus Potter and Arcturus Black had a reputation for taking no prisoners, and worked on their own code of morals. They were warriors, unlike him. He had no problem with killing. He knew sometimes tough decisions needed to be made in a war. He just felt that if they had joined forces, Grindelwald would have fallen earlier than he did. Charlus and Arcturus had been fundamental in winning the war. They were known as the 'Slayers of Walpurgis' and both had received Baronship, a title higher than The Order of Merlin First Class.
He knew that Harry too would be fundamental in the coming war. He was prophesized to vanquish Tom after all. And he would need help. The ministry was filled with corrupts and wouldn't survive for long once the war started. He didn't even know when the may begin! Tom had already made two bids for returning to power, both thwarted by Harry. The worst fact was that it had happened right under his nose, where his power base was, a place he considered home- Hogwarts, much to his great shame. In such cases Harry would need support. And he could provide him that, both political, mutual, as he had taken down a dark lord and even knowledge, which he had a century worth of. But how to ensure they both would work together? He didn't like manipulating a child, neither would he prefer to put a child in danger, ever. But there was little he could do in Harry's case. Voldemort would definitely come after the boy responsible for his downfall, prophecy or not. Harry was practically a symbol of hope, a symbol of victory of light over dark for the wizarding world. 'What if I start mentoring him?' Dumbledore suddenly thought. 'I won't start training him outright yet, he needs to enjoy his childhood, but a little bit knowledge here and there never hurts. Yes this plan was perfect. Next time Tom attacks Harry, he wouldn't be completely powerless, also he would see me as a mentor, ensuring that we would join forces and Tom could be put down for good.'
Two powerful wizards working together against someone like Voldemort would tip the favor in their side. Voldemort was a Monster, A terrorist with no true agenda except gaining power. Power, for which he would destroy the world. He didn't have an agenda for the world. Most thought that he wanted more right for pure bloods and eradication of muggleborns, but he himself was the son of a muggle and squib. He had tried to get this published in hopes of crippling tom's pureblood support, but Tom had killed the paper's editor and the reporter to replace with his own sympathizer. Corruption, right from the roots.
Tom Riddle just wanted to prove that he was the best, above everyone. A god. He didn't care how many died in the process, he wouldn't care if the statute was broken. And to top it all, Tom Riddle had done horrifying rituals, which he had no idea about. Once in a duel in which more than a dozen hit-wizards had fired on him and one had managed to cut off Tom's leg. He had just laughed as a new leg grew out of his old stub right in front of their eyes and proceeded to slaughter them. Only 3 had come back with their lives out of 16. He had also survived dying, So had harry, but Harry's was due to his mother's sacrifice. How Tom had survived he had no idea, just theories, dozens of them, but none confirmed. Tom Riddle needed to be put down for good and only one who had the power to do it was the boy sitting in front of him.
All this plan was thought in milliseconds, thanks to his advanced Occlumency.
He smiled, "An impressive wand Harry, I hope it will serve you well. Have you tried any spells with it?" Harry shook his head. "Then please show me a levitation charm on this quill. I want to check something. Levitate this quill a foot above the table." Harry nodded taking the wand and incanting, "Wingardium Leviosa". The quill shot up at frightening speed and embedded itself into the ceiling. Harry found that his spell was much powerful than before with his new wand.
"I am sorry professor, I didn't mean to do that."
"Oh do not apologies, I had an idea that the quill would shoot up more than expected, but I must admit that I had not expected it to shoot up like a bullet." Dumbledore smiled and his eyes twinkled. "I had theorized it would be a little more powerful due to you having phoenix tears of Fawkes in both your blood and wand. A similar thing was experienced by a witch in France, who was a Veela and used a dragon heartstring wand at first. But then at the age of 20 changed her wand core to Veela hair, her owns, resulting her spells to be more powerful than usual." Dumbledore added. Harry didn't know what on Earth a Veela was but just took it as an ability of sorts or a part creature in form of a witch like professor Flitwick was a half-goblin.
"Take this book. It has exercises which will help you control the power you put in a spell." Said Dumbledore smiling after summoning a book from the shelf. "Thank you Professor." Harry replied. They sat in silence for a few moments before Harry spoke out. "Sir I have some questions for you. will you answer it truthfully?"
Dumbledore's twinkle dimmed a little and he sighted. "Truth Harry, as I told you last year, is a beautiful and terrible thing and therefore should be treated with caution. But I promise that whatever I would answer will be the full truth. If I feel that you are not ready yet, I won't tell you anything till you are older." Harry didn't necessarily like that but it was still better than nothing.
"Sir, what was the Diary?"
"I don't know yet. I would have to research it. I would also appreciate if you give me that diary. Even if I don't think that anything will be found from it, due to the potency of the Basilisk venom, there is a miniscule chance that some lingering trace may be found in it."
Harry nodded and called "Dobby".
"Yes Harry Potter sir?" Dobby asked after popping in. "Can you bring me the diary I gave you?"
"Yes Harry Potter sir." He popped out before popping in again this time with the diary. He handed it to Dumbledore who took it and put it in a metal box. He thanked them before Dobby popped out.
"Sir, I wished to ask about the protections for the Philosopher's stone. They in my opinion were laughably easy sir. We three first years got through it. Why were they so easy to bypass?" This was bugging him since the past year.
Dumbledore fixed Harry with a piercing stare. Before sighting again and saying, "You thought that you faced the real traps, in their full force, didn't you? No Harry, Except the Devil's snare and the flying keys, you just went through the distractions. The first two were to lure the thief into a false sense of security. Then from the chess room, began the real challenges. Each was a deadly trap in its own. The Chess pieces were to attack once the game had finished, whilst a special paralyzing gas was released as soon as the ward was triggered. There was another trigger ward tied to the troll's consciousness and life, that would have released poisoned arrows from the walls and ceiling. The final trap you faced in all its glory. The mirror of Erised, is meant to lure people, enthralling them. Most people would have never left seeing the mirror. The fact that you had went back safely on your first night, without loosing yourself completely was a miracle. There have been several who have spent time staring at the mirror till they starved to death." Harry's eyes widened. They were foolish in their actions and would have definitely died if they would have faced the full force of the traps.
"But Lord Voldemort was always a brilliant magician. He managed to disable the traps within an hour without setting off the alert wards which would have taken even a team of the most experienced curse-breakers thrice than that. We knew that we were dealing with someone knowledgeable and powerful. The thief had already broken into Gringotts and Flamel home. And let me tell you, Perenell Flamel's wards are no joke. She is perhaps the only one who could have single handedly disabled the wards within an hour."
"So if the thief had broken her level wards once, why put something of similar level?"
Dumbledore snorted, "Harry, the thief had taken two weeks to break into the wards. Perenell and Nicholas were out of the continent that time. Alert wards don't work at such large distances."
Harry nodded, thanking the gods for saving his hide from his own foolishness.
"Voldemort said last year that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him killing me. But why did he want to kill me in the first place?" Harry finally asked the question he had asked the previous year again
"You are not ready yet Harry... I know you will hate to hear this... But you are still too young to bear the burden of the truth." Dumbledore said serenely.
Harry nodded. He had not really expected to hear the truth. He had known he would be denied. "Thank you sir for answering my questions. I have one final one. Do I have to go back to the Dursley's this year?"
Dumbledore closed his eyes. "Yes, Harry. Unfortunately you will have to go back there. It is the safest place for you. Due to being close to your mother's blood, it strengthens the magic she gave you by her sacrifice. I even placed special blood wards there, which is not legal. I, as the Chief Warlock have it on good authority that had a normal person erected these wards, it would mean five years in Azkaban, the wizarding prison."
"Normal person. Not you?" Harry questioned immediately catching upon the loophole in the statement.
"Politics Harry is both a terrible and wonderful business. Had you had more experience with politics, you would have understood why I wouldn't get imprisoned in an instant. Let me explain. I am Albus Dumbledore, The leader of light, the Defeater of Grindelwald, The headmaster of Hogwarts, The Chief Warlock of Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of ICW and an holder of Order of Merlin First class. I am a revered figure in Wizarding Britain. And I broke the law to protect you, Harry Potter, the last living member of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, the only survivor of the killing curse, the defeater of Voldemort and The Boy-who-Lived." Dumbledore paused to conjure a glass of water and took a sip. "You and I are revered figures in the WHOLE magical world Harry, famous beyond Britain, beyond Europe. Of course, we won't get as much attention as we would receive here in Europe in a country, say India, which is the biggest magical nation in the world. But we would receive attention none the less. Now think, I was protecting you the savior of Magical Britain from potential death eaters. As soon as I would have listed my reasons to give you obscure protection, no one, including Lucius Malfoy would have dared voted against me, as it would have proclaimed that they didn't want you protected and wanted me imprisoned, the only reason for which would have been that they supported Voldemort." Harry finally understood what the big deal was. Politics was indeed a big game.
"I would also like to inform you that before you came to Hogwarts, the wards have killed, three death eaters, two vampires and two muggles. All who wished you harm. No person or creature meaning you harm will be able to cross the wards without disintegrating."
"Wow. So I have to go back to the Dursleys." Harry didn't like it but decided to agree.
"If it is any consolation, you need to stay there for four weeks. It takes 21 days for the wards to recharge enough to stay for a year, and one extra week to bring it to full power." Dumbledore said.
"Ok professor, I will stay there for a month, no more, no less."
"Thank you, your co operation in protecting yourself is appreciated. Now lets go for Dinner."
At dinner, Harry told Ron and Hermione about his wand. He just told that it was Elder wood and thunderbird feather. And his secondary was Ebony and phoenix feather. Ron got a jealous look due to the fact Harry had a new wand and he didn't.
"Ron, when are you getting a new wand? I have told you that you should get a new wand. I will pay for it! A new wand is necessary for you to give exams! With a wand like that, you will fail your exams!" Harry pleaded. He had told him the same thing since his wand had backfired the first time while cursing Malfoy.
Ron's face became determined. "No Harry mate, I won't accept money like that. I lost my wand due to my own mistake. You are not going to convince me how many times you try."
"But what of the exams Ron? Harry has a point. You won't be able to cast a single spell with that wand in exams." Hermione said.
"Then I will use one of my brother's wand then. I will not except charity." Ron said determined. It was one of Ron's qualities that confused him the most. He would get jealous if he saw someone having something better than him but would deny any money, even for a basic thing like a wand. Harry could not gift him a wand as the wand chose the wizard. Both Harry and Hermione sighted, knowing that they won't be able to persuade him into buying a new wand.
After dinner Harry wanted to visit the library to take the book Dumbledore had suggested but remembered that the library hours were after breakfast and before dinner. So he just went back to the common room with his friends. He played a game of chess with Ron, loosing spectacularly, though he blamed Hermione who was trying to help him. After that he read a few pages of the book Dumbledore had given him. It recommended meditation to control the magic. Also it suggested an interesting exercise with Lumos charm. "Lumos". A bright light formed on of his wand tip, very bright actually. He proceeded to make it dimmer and brighter again in succession. It took a few minutes, but he managed it.
He smiled in triumph. "Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione questioned. "Oh nothing, my spells were coming overpowered, so it is an exercise to control the problem."
"Oh! Should I try it too?" Hermione questioned him again. "That's your wish really. Just do a lumos and start making it brighter and dimmer." Hermione nodded and removed her wand to start practicing like him. He ideally noted that she took twice longer than him to just make it brighter.
After sometime, he went back to his dorm, and closed the curtains on his bed before he called Dobby. He appeared and Harry said, "Dobby, would you like to work for me?" at this Dobby looked like both Christmas and his birthday had come early. "Yes! Yes! Yes! It would be Dobby would be delighted to work for the great Harry Potter sir. And err... Dobby already bonded himself to the great Harry potter after you freed me from bad masters, Harry Potter sir! you see, house elves can't live without Master's Magic. Dobby is sorry sir. Dobby will be punishing himself."
"NO! wait. My first order as your master is that you will never punish yourself. And second Just call me Harry or if you wish Master Harry." Harry said stopping the elf from hitting himself. "Thank you Gre.. Master Harry. Do you need anything?"
"Yes, can you arrange my things in the old trunk into the new one? See here..." Harry explained the working of the trunk and what should go where. "Yes master harry your trunk will be arranged." Dobby looked delighted at doing work.
Harry took out his invisibility cloak and secondary wand. He had a trip to make.