“The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance – it is the illusion of knowledge."
-Daniel J. Borstin

Harry saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk, his hands on the table, along with many objects. The room was filled with objects as well. But Harry didn’t look too closely at them. He had something else on his mind.

“Professor, I think that it was Snape that jinxed my broom at the Quidditch match. And I think that, if he has the chance, he might do it again,� said Harry, hurriedly. He was now standing in front of Dumbledore’s desk.

“Sit down. Why do you think it was Snape that tried to jinx your broom?� asked Dumbledore.

Harry sat down in the chair that stood before Dumbledore’s desk. He noticed there was a plaque that said, “Albus Dumbledore.� Just like the one that he had found in the old headmasters box. “Well, I told you before that he hated me…a lot. But he also just told me in class that he thinks I can’t watch out for myself and that I should be careful. I think he means that I should be careful of him, and what he can do. Because he could jinx me again,� said Harry. The nervousness wasn’t in Harry’s face, but it was in his eyes.

“Harry, I don’t think that any of the professors at Hogwarts would harm a student, but I know that your broom was jinxed. By whom, I don’t know, and that I am trying to figure out. Yes, Snape has a dislike for you, but I know that he would never intentionally harm a student,� said Dumbledore.

“If you’re sure,� asked Harry.

“I am. And I’m sure Snape had a good reason for telling you to be careful. He knows, as do the rest of the staff, that you are a unique entity,� said Dumbledore.

Harry still wasn’t sure that Snape was an innocent man. He’d need some serious persuading to think like Dumbledore about him.

Just then, a small, white owl flew into the room and landed on Dumbledore’s desk. Dumbledore stood up and put his left arm out. The owl jumped onto it. “I must read this. I’ll be back shortly,� said Dumbledore. He went into another room with the bird on his arm.

Harry finally had a chance to look around the room. At first he looked around the room from his chair, but then he saw something small and golden on one of the shelves on the left side of the room. He got up and walked over to it. Harry reached up and grabbed it. It was a small, golden key attached to a chain. It looked like it would fit the golden box that he had found. He stuffed it in his pocket; if it didn’t fit the box, he could always return it later.

Harry looked more at the shelves. There were tons of objects he had never seen before. But there was one thing that really caught Harry’s eye: an orb-like object. It seemed to be transparent, but yet it had a grayish color to it towards the center. Harry wanted to pick it up, so that he could get a better look at it, but he thought better of it. He had no idea what it did, and didn’t want to test it at the moment.

“Ilico Res,� said a voice from behind Harry. Harry turned to see Dumbledore, as he made his way across the room in his graceful manner.

“What?� asked Harry curiously.

“The object. Its called Ilico Res. It can show you where a person is; only a person that wants to be found, however,� said Dumbledore. He now stood beside Harry.

Harry was intrigued by the object. “How does it work?� asked Harry.

“If I’m looking for someone that could, quite possibly, be in danger, then I’d use this. If they were in danger, then they might want to be found. All I have to do is have it in my hands, and then close my eyes while I say, ‘Positus’ followed by the person’s name,� said Dumbledore. “If they want to be found, then I can see them and where they are, if not then nothing happens. It can be very helpful, and others times not at all.�

“When have you used it?� asked Harry.

“Lets just say that I have used it, Harry,� said Dumbledore. Harry could tell he was going to change the subject, but then he seemed to change his mind. “Actually, I used it to find you; a couple times, now that I think about it. When you were a baby after…that night. You wanted to be found among the rubble, and I used it then. Also during this past summer when your Uncle and Aunt kept hiding you away from Hogwarts. Like when you were stuck in the middle of the ocean with them. I used it, hoping that you would want to be found.�

“Well, of course, I would want to be found. The Dursley’s are horrible,� said Harry.

“Using the Ilico Res was how we found you. The Dursley’s were very insistent on not letting you go to Hogwarts, but of course, you belong here,� said Dumbledore with a small smile.

“I’m glad you found me, Professor,� said Harry sincerely returning the smile. Harry really meant it, too. He loved and adored Hogwarts; Harry wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Though he did feel lonely at times.

“I’m very pleased,� said Dumbledore, as he returned the smile. He went to sit at his desk. “So, is there anything you would like to discuss while you’re here?� He sat behind his desk. Harry thought of the other Headmasters and Headmistresses, but he couldn’t imagine anyone else, but Dumbledore, behind it. No one else belonged there.

Harry finally realized that Dumbledore had asked him a question, but he had nothing else he wanted to talk about. “No. I don’t think so,� said Harry.

“Well, if that’s the case, then you should go enjoy the last of your free day,� said Dumbledore, as he looked at Harry over his half-moon spectacles. Harry turned and walked to the door. He had opened it and walked through, and was just about to close the door, when Dumbledore said, “Remember, Harry, just knock.� Harry nodded to Dumbledore, and closed the door.

Harry decided that going to Hagrid’s for the rest of the afternoon, would be a brilliant idea. So, he eventually found himself knocking on Hagrid’s door. “Harry!� exclaimed Hagrid. Harry walked in, and took a seat on the large couch. There was a large fire going in the fireplace, and Harry was glad because it was cold outside.

He had visited Hagrid’s a couple times on the Friday’s he had no classes. Harry enjoyed spending time with Hagrid; the laughs and the all the creatures that Hagrid told him about. Hagrid said, many times in fact, that he always wanted a dragon. He said he wanted a baby dragon. Harry knew Hagrid missed the fact that baby dragons turn into adult dragons. But he didn’t mention that.

“Wan’ some tea, Harry?� asked Hagrid.

“Yeah, sure,� said Harry. “So, Hagrid, what have you been up to?�

“Th’ usual, I guess. Takin’ care of the grounds. I’m sure yeh saw the twelve trees in the Great Hall this mornin’. I had teh go find ‘em and bring ‘em in. What ‘ave yeh been up teh, Harry?� asked Hagrid.

“Also the usual. Classes, homework, and threats,� said Harry jokingly.

“Threats?� asked Hagrid worriedly. He brought over two cups of tea.

“Okay, not threats, necessarily. But today Snape told me I should be careful and watch out. I told you before that I think it was Snape that jinxed my broom. Ron and Hermione saw it,� said Harry.

“That’s rubbish, that is! Snape wouldn’t hurt yeh. He’s a Hogwarts teacher.�

“Dumbledore said that, too.�

“Well, then! Listen teh Dumbledore. He tends teh always be righ’, yeh know.�

“Well, I’m not convinced. I think that—�said Harry. He had stopped suddenly because someone knocked on the door. Hagrid got up and walked toward it. He opened it to let in someone.

“Come in,� said Hagrid. Harry saw Ron enter Hagrid’s cabin.

“Ron!� exclaimed Harry excitedly. “Wait. Aren’t you supposed to be in class?�

“Yeah. We had Herbology with the Ravenclaws, but Hermione and I met Malfoy along the way. We told him to go away, and he put a spell on Hermione. It made her hair get longer and longer. I took her to the Hospital Wing and then Madam Pompry said that I had to go to class, but I don’t want to. So, I figured I’d talk to Hagrid, since you’re always in the Slytherin Common Room,� said Ron. He had taken a seat next to Harry. Hagrid made him some tea, as well.

“Malfoy put a spell on Hermione?� asked Hagrid.

“Yeah. I was going to jinx him, but he ran away. Professor McGonagall was coming,� said Ron, sad that he didn’t get the chance to jinx Draco.

“I have to talk to Draco. If he wants to be my friend, then he can’t go jinxing Hermione or you,� said Harry.

“If you think that will stop him from being a nasty twit,� said Ron.

“I don’t know, but I’m going to tell him to stop being mean to you and Hermione, but then you have to stop being mean to him,� stated Harry.

“Oh, come on, Harry. You can’t honestly tell me that you think Malfoy is going to stop. You know he’s a mean person, I know you know,� said Ron.

“He’s not that bad when you get to know him, Ron,� said Harry.

“Well, I don’t want to get to know him,� said Ron.

“No offense, but he wouldn’t want to talk to you anyway,� said Harry, not in a mean tone.

“I figured that one out,� said Ron before sipping some tea.

Hagrid joined them at the table. “Do you know why Draco hates you so much? I mean, there’s got to be a reason,� said Harry to Ron.

Hagrid said, “Malfoy’s father ‘as taught him that people Muggle-born are bad. Arthur, that’s Ron’s father, doesn’t believe that at all. He works in the Ministry of Magic, and so does Lucius Malfoy.�

“Well, they work together, but what does that prove?� asked Harry.

“Me dad actually is obsessed with Muggle objects. But they’ve just always hated each other. Don’t know why exactly,� said Ron. Harry and Ron turned to Hagrid in unison. Hagrid was sitting there, sipping some tea. He looked up to see the pair of them looking at him.

“Oh, no. I’m not tellin’ yeh two anythin’,� said Hagrid, as he put the cup down. “Besides, I got work teh do. I’ll see yeh two at dinner.�

Soon, Harry and Ron were pulling their cloaks closer to them as they stood outside, shivering. “What should we do now? I was going to say, ‘Lets go to the Common Room,’ but we have different Common Rooms,� said Harry.

“I have an idea. Lets go see Hermione. She’s probably dead bored being cooped up in the Hospital Wing without any books,� said Ron. Harry and Ron chuckled, and started the walk to the Hospital Wing.

They began to walk up the stairs, when Harry spotted Snape coming down.

Luckily, Snape was looking down, so Harry took the opportunity to whisper to Ron. “Snape.� They separated more, so it looked like they were walking next to each other, but not together.

When Snape came closer Ron said, “Potter, you git!� he walked quickly up the stairs, and out of sight. Harry stopped.

Snape gave Harry a look and kept walking. Harry quickly walked up the stairs to follow Ron. Harry got up there, and found Ron waiting for him. “Good acting,� said Harry, but he knew better. Ron had probably thought of when Harry had left him and Hermione to go to Draco, so that it seemed more real.

“I try my best,� said Ron jokingly. The continued on to the Hospital Wing without any more occurrences of the sort. When they got there, they saw one bed closed off by curtains. Under the cloth of the curtain, they saw auburn hair. “Hermione’s hair must have grown a lot,� said Ron.

They walked toward the curtain, and pulled it away. They saw Hermione on the bed, and Madam Pompry, using a wand to shorten Hermione’s hair. He was reluctant to walk in because Madam Pompry would see him, and know that he is friends with Gryffindors, but he went in nonetheless. “Are you alright, Hermione?� asked Harry. Madam Pompry looked at him, and then at his robes, seeing the Slytherin snake. Harry began to feel awkward, but tried to ignore it.

“Yeah. I’m all right,� Hermione said saddened. Both Harry and Ron weren’t convinced.

“What happened before class? Ron told me, but not in detail,� said Harry.

“Ron and I were walking to Herbology, when Malfoy came toward us with Crabbe and Goyle behind him. Malfoy said, ‘Hey look, it’s a Weasel and a Mudblood. Don’t get too close. They could be infectious.’ Ron yelled at the two of them to go away, but they didn’t. Then Malfoy threw a spell at me to make my hair grow longer. He ran when he saw Professor McGonagall coming,� said Hermione. Madam Pompry sat at the edge of the bed, still cutting Hermione’s hair with her wand.

“I’m going to talk to Draco about this. You two are my friends, and he has to understand that,� said Harry.

“No, don’t. I remember what he said. That he would tell the other Slytherin’s about you being friends with us. He’d make your life horrible, Harry. Its alright, we can deal with him on our own,� said Hermione firmly.

“No. I can’t let you let you do that. I’ll talk to him,� said Harry.

“Harry! Just forget it! I’m serious,� said Hermione.

“Fine,� said Harry. Harry was planning on keeping to his word, but he promised himself that if anything were to happen to Ron or Hermione by Draco’s doing, then he’d talk to Draco and his other Slytherin friends.

“Hermione, are you still going to Europe?� asked Ron.

“Yeah. I think my hair will be back to normal soon,� said Hermione.

“You two must leave now. You’ve had your visiting time,� said Madam Pompry, hurriedly.

“See you later, Hermione,� said Ron.

“Bye,� said Harry.

“Bye. Thanks for coming to see me,� said Hermione, cheerfully to them both.

Harry and Ron exited the curtained area and left the Hospital Wing.