The Last Farewell
Harry had waited the rest of the day for a moment when he, Ron, and Hermione could open Dumbledore’s box without the risk of an interruption from Mrs. Weasley, but because Bill’s wedding was in only two days, activity in the Burrow took a whole new level. Hermione was occupied with helping Fleur, Gabrielle, Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny decorate the house, while Harry and Ron found themselves outside with the twins, Bill and Charlie, and Mr. Weasley setting up a large tent and a temporary rostrum where the wedding would take place. Even with the use of magic, this took most of the afternoon, until finally Harry managed to tell Ron to meet him upstairs after dinner, and hoped that either he or Ron would be able to get the message to Hermione.
Dinner seemed to take longer than usual, though Harry supposed that this could have been due to his impatience, along with the fact that it took M. and Mme. Delacour some time to come down to dinner (the latter still felt slightly ill, but was well enough to attend the meal). Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Harry found himself seated on his bed with the box in his lap, staring at the short note Dumbledore had attached to it, and waiting for Hermione to turn up. Ron was already there, seated next to Harry and watching him in curiosity. After a few minutes, the door opened and Hermione entered.
–Muffliato,†she muttered as she closed the door.
–So, what happened at Gringotts?†asked Ron as soon as Hermione took a seat on the chair by the desk.
Harry lifted the box. –The goblins gave me this. Dumbledore’s apparently left me something.â€
Hermione stared at it excitedly. –Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s see what’s inside!â€
Harry hesitated, his hand shaking a little, but he quickly undid the latch and opened up the wooden box; it wasn’t much larger than a shoe box, and seemed to only contain several leather-bound journals. A letter lay on top of the journals, which Harry picked up; it was addressed to all three of them. Breaking the seal, Harry unfolded the letter and read out loud,
To Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger:
If you are reading this letter, then it is likely that you are planning to go on your own soon to seek out the Horcruxes. It is also probable that you have told no one that you plan on leaving. This is very wise of you, because without a doubt, the Order, as faithful to me and to the cause as they are, will make it difficult for you to get started. However, the members of the Order have their own part to play, and they must not go off track for you. For that reason, it is your responsibility to depart as discreetly and suddenly as possible. Miss Granger, inside one of my journals, you will find instructions on differing methods of escape and transportation without the detection of the Order, or of the Ministry, which also must never find you. If I am right, though the Ministry is still firmly under Scrimgeour’s control, my resources tell me that the Death Eaters have some influence in a few of the lesser positions and will slowly move upward. It is only a matter of time before the Ministry is completely under their thumb. Thus you must also never allow the smallest hint of your task to reach the Ministry.
I have left you the journals I kept while I was still investigating Voldemort’s background and possible locations for the Horcruxes. I hope that you will find them instructive, particularly on how you might destroy the Horcruxes. For further study, I also leave you the remnants of the ring and the diary.
As soon as you have left, Harry, and have found a place to hide, I have one last gift to give you. Call for Fawkes, and he will bring you my Pensieve and all the memories I have collected. I have left you further instructions, along with the note to Miss Granger, on how to use it.
I enclose a letter for Kingsley Shacklebolt, which you must have Fawkes deliver once you have received the Pensieve.
Lastly, Harry, I know that you can do this. Bear this responsibility with patience, and keep your friends close. Also, you may find others who are willing to assist you. Do not forgo opportunities for allies. You are not alone in this.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Harry stared at the letter for a minute, before his eyes flicked to the date at the top, which told him that it was written only about a week before Dumbledore’s death.
–Blimey,†Ron breathed, as soon as Harry mentioned this. –It’s like he knew he was going to die.â€
Hermione nodded. –That is a bit strange. Do you think he knew that Snape was planning to kill him?â€
Nobody answered. Harry didn’t have one to give, and unwilling to dwell on that bothersome question, he pulled the journals from the box, and as he opened the first one, he found an envelope addressed to Hermione.
–That’s for you,†he told her, handing her the envelope, which Hermione hurriedly opened. Harry closed the journal and set it on the bed, and looked into the box. All that remained were Riddle’s diary and Marvolo’s ring. Harry picked up the diary and examined the hole he’d burned through it. He then opened it and turned its ink-stained pages, and as he did so, his thoughts strayed to Ginny and that conversation he’d had with her the evening after Mad-Eye renewed the Fidelius Charm on Grimmauld Place.
This is my fight as much as it is yours. Suddenly Harry realized the truth of Ginny’s words, as he thought of her tears as she described her nightmares to him; Voldemort had harmed her in ways that few could understand. Harry knew that Ginny tried to hide the damage, and she had become so adept at it that he’d truly had no idea of the degree of the pain she’d felt, until she confided in him. He remembered then how on more than one occasion, he’d come down from his dormitory at Hogwarts to find Ginny in front of the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room, never saying a word, simply staring into the flames. She’d never talk about her worries, though, not even when they started going out, and it wasn’t until she opened up to him recently that he’d known about her nightmares, and that to this day, she felt violated and dirty.
Ginny Weasley had a score to settle with Voldemort. She and Harry both did.
Harry closed the diary and looked at the hole again, and a sudden fury washed over him as he thought of Riddle’s cold, malicious laughter and Ginny’s tears. At the time that Harry destroyed the diary, he’d only thought of saving Ginny. Now, for the first time that Harry could remember, he genuinely wanted to kill.
–Harry, are you all right?â€
Ron’s voice broke through Harry’s thoughts, and he looked up to see the others watching him in concern, which bordered on alarm. He nodded.
–I don’t know what’s going to happen to me,†he told them resolutely, –but I swear that I’ll do my damn utmost to rid the world of that bastard.â€
As Harry sat down to breakfast the next morning, Mr. Weasley, who was already at the table, looked up from the morning newspaper.
–I didn’t get the opportunity to inform you yesterday,†he told him, –but as per your request, I managed to arrange a time for you to take your Apparition exam?â€
–When is it?†Harry asked, putting his toast down.
–You are to be present at the Ministry on the morning of your birthday,†Mr. Weasley told him, –at 10:00, to be precise.â€
–Good. I was wondering about that.â€
–I should warn you,†Mr. Weasley added, –that Scrimgeour may attempt to corner you while you’re there.â€
Harry groaned.
–I couldn’t agree more,†Mr. Weasley said, smiling slightly.
–He doesn’t give up, does he?†Harry muttered mutinously. –How many times must I tell him ‘no?’â€
Mr. Weasley smirked. –If it makes you feel better, he’s released Stan Shunpike.â€
–About time,†Harry said, taking another bite of his toast. He swallowed, and after a moment, he asked, –What made him finally do it?â€
–Tonks managed to bring Scrimgeour pressing evidence in Shunpike’s favor. He didn’t have much choice.â€
–I should think not,†Mrs. Weasley said as she entered the kitchen. –Did I hear right that you’ll have your Apparition exam on your birthday?â€
Harry nodded, suddenly feeling very wary; he half-expected Mrs. Weasley to start refusing to allow him to go to the Ministry, but to his relief, she did nothing of the sort.
–You’ll do fine,†Mrs. Weasley told him. –Actually, I’m glad you’re going. It gives Ron the opportunity to retake his test.â€
–Did you sign Ron up as well?†Harry asked Mr. Weasley, who nodded. Then grinning, he added, –Does Ron know?â€
–Do I know what?†Ron entered the kitchen now, still clad in his pajamas and looking sleepy.
–That you’re retaking your Apparition exam on the thirty-first.â€
Ron stared at Harry in horror. –Since when?â€
–Since yesterday,†Mr. Weasley told him. –You and Harry are taking them together.â€
–What a birthday present,†Ron muttered to Harry, who shrugged.
Then unable to stop himself, Harry leaned back in his chair and said, –Just remember, Ron: Destination, Determination, Deliber--â€
–Shut up,†Ron snapped as Harry sniggered.
The entire Weasley family was set to the task that day of going over the house again to clear up any messes, fix decorations, or anything else that Mrs. Weasley or Fleur felt needed perfecting. M. and Mme. Delacour helped out with whatever they could, and when owls started flying in with wedding presents, Mrs. Weasley set Ginny and Gabrielle to the task of piling them up in the back room until the wedding.
However, Harry and Ron noticed Hermione disappear up the stairs every time she had an excuse to, coming down only when Fleur or Mrs. Weasley asked her to do something. Harry wasn’t sure what Hermione was up to, but he supposed it had to do with whatever instructions Dumbledore had left her.
At four o’ clock the following afternoon, Harry found himself seated next to Hermione in one of the front rows in the marquee they had set up the other day, as guests filed in, ushered to their seats by Ron, Fred, and George. Since they had set up the tent, a couple of hundred chairs had been set up inside, with an aisle down the middle where M. Delacour soon would lead Fleur. The seats were mostly occupied with dozens of guests, including a couple dozen members of the Order. The entire Weasley family was there in the same row as Harry, except for Percy Weasley, who (to the complete dismay of Mrs. Weasley) failed to turn up. In the middle of one row sat Hagrid, who waved at Harry when he arrived.
After a while, Harry turned his attention away from the guests. Leaning over to Hermione, he whispered, –So how’s Dumbledore’s instructions paying off?â€
Hermione smirked. –Tomorrow I’ll hopefully be able to test his theory.â€
–What are you making upstairs, anyway?â€
–Our best way out of here is by Portkey,†Hermione said, –and it’s like Ron asked the other day, could we open another wavelength which nobody else has access to? Turns out that Dumbledore has already done just that. He included a list of differing magical conduits that he opened, which the Order has no access to.â€
–So you’re making Portkeys that operate on that wavelength?†Harry asked.
–Sort of.†Hermione glanced at the entrance of the tent, and checked her watch. –I’m not sure why Dumbledore thought this would be useful, but he thinks I ought to know how to partially enchant an object to be a Portkey.â€
Harry frowned. –What do you mean by ‘partially?’â€
–So that you only touch one part of the object to be transported,†Hermione told him. –Either way, I’ve practiced making a few, which I’ll be testing tomorrow.â€
–Hope you did it correctly,†Harry muttered. –We leave on the night of my birthday, Hermione. No sooner, no later.â€
She nodded. –I still have a few days.â€
At that moment, Ron finally sat down on Harry’s other side, looking grumpy. –I’m glad that’s over with,†he said. –Dad’s told us to sit down, because Fleur’s about ready.â€
–About time,†Harry said.
–Fred and George are being gits, as usual,†Ron muttered. –They kept going for Fleur’s veela cousins, and leaving me to handle Auntie Muriel.â€
As he spoke, the people inside the tent quieted as Bill and Charlie suddenly made their way to the rostrum, followed by a wrinkled warlock who stood before them on the rostrum. Bill turned and waited patiently at the entrance. A moment later, Fred and George appeared, followed by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and they too took their seats on the front row.
As he sat down at the edge of the row, Mr. Weasley turned around and nodded at the tent entrance, and at that moment, the crowd fell into silence again. Harry too turned in his seat to see M. Delacour leading Fleur down the aisle. Harry could see wizards’ jaws dropping at the sight of Fleur, who looked even more radiant than usual, in a simple silvery-white dress, almost the same color as a Patronus; but Harry’s eyes settled on Ginny, who walked behind Fleur with Gabrielle in a beautiful gold dress.
When Fleur reached the rostrum, Bill looked positively awed at his bride’s beauty, and even the warlock who awaited them looked dazzled. Finally he seemed to recollect himself, and began: –Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to join together these two souls in matrimony…â€
A few minutes into the ceremony, Harry noticed Mrs. Weasley and Mme. Delacour both had tears streaming down their faces, while Hermione, without a handkerchief, had started sobbing into Harry’s right shoulder; he could feel his dress robes dampening.
Harry glanced at Ginny again, and his heart sank as an unbidden image of himself on that rostrum with Ginny at his side appeared at the front of his imagination, and a lump lodged itself in his throat. He would have given anything to have a happy, normal future, but because of one prophecy, because of a stupid scar on his forehead, that future was not for him. Ron could speak of optimism, as he had at the Dursleys’, all he wanted; but somehow Harry felt absolutely certain that he could never have that future.
–… I hereby declare William Arthur Weasley and Fleur Elisabeth Delacour to be man and wife.â€
The audience erupted into applause as Fleur and Bill stepped off the rostrum, and a moment later Harry saw the guests all stand up. He did so too, dragging a still-sobbing Hermione with him.
As soon as Bill and Fleur exited the tent, the audience started to file out into the front lawn, where the Weasleys and some Delacour relatives had set up dozens of round tables and chairs where the guests started seating themselves, and in the center of the lawn, they had left a gap where M. Delacour had conjured a large, golden dance floor. Silver plates with tarts and small sandwiches and a couple of cheap aluminum rings had been placed by every plate for decoration, and at one end of the lawn Harry could see a long table where some waiters the Delacours had hired stood behind more refreshments.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were among the last in the crowd to reach the lawn, but they managed to find a reasonably empty table, where Ginny sat with Luna Lovegood.
–There you three are!†Luna beamed at them. Harry noticed that she had placed some of the rings on her Butterbeer cork necklace. –I’ve been saving you all seats.â€
Harry took a seat next to Ginny, while Ron and Hermione sat down on Luna’s other side; Ron immediately dug into his sandwich, which caused Hermione to shoot him a look of disgust.
–Harry,†Luna said, –did you know that your shoulder is wet? Must be the Gernubbles. That’s what I wear this for.â€
She pointed at her cork necklace. Harry could see Ron struggling not to snigger.
–Why is your shoulder wet?†Ginny asked him as soon as Luna turned to say something to Hermione.
Harry shot a look in Hermione’s direction. –George had the courtesy to seat me next to a human geyser.â€
Ginny giggled. –I think Ron would have appreciated it more.â€
The brother in question had already finished his sandwich and his tart. Hermione, meanwhile, was examining the rings that had been placed on the table intently, for some indiscernible reason. Then Harry noticed her pocket them, and also take the two rings off of Ron’s plate as well.
The dancing started a few minutes later, and Harry could see Fleur in the middle with Bill, waltzing slowly. He turned to look at Ginny, wondering if he ought to stand up with her or not, but she wasn’t looking at the dance.
–Look who’s turned up,†she told him, pointing.
Harry turned around and saw Percy hovering at the entrance of the now vacant tent, squinting into the crowd and clearly looking as though he was uncertain of whether he should be there. Mrs. Weasley had run up to meet him.
–Bloody hell,†Ron said, gaping. –What’s he doing here?â€
–I assume he’s here to congratulate Bill,†Hermione said, but she also was frowning. –He is, after all, your brother, even if he’s not on speaking terms with the family.â€
Even as they watched, they caught sight of Fred and George staring at Percy suspiciously, and Mr. Weasley hadn’t appeared to acknowledge him at all. Charlie, however, cut his way to the center of the dance floor and tapped Bill on his shoulder, pointing. Bill scrutinized Percy for a moment, before allowing Charlie to continue dancing with Fleur while he too went to greet Percy.
The next few minutes were very tense for those who knew of Percy’s estrangement, but as Harry watched Bill speak with Percy, he realized that Percy’s expression was downcast. Then after a moment, Bill suddenly pulled his younger brother into a hug. Next to them, Harry saw Mrs. Weasley burst into tears.
Beside Harry, Ginny suddenly stood and left the table, and Harry watched her leave, expecting her to join her mother and Bill in the reconciliation with Percy, but to his surprise, she didn’t approach them; instead, she moved away from the crowd, heading toward a clump of trees silhouetted in the sunset. Frowning, Harry too got up and followed Ginny.
It wasn’t until he was only feet away from the trees that Harry could see Ginny seated on a root, watching the sunset, her face hardened.
–Hello, Harry,†she murmured as he sat down too.
–You all right?†he asked.
She nodded. –I’m always all right.â€
Harry didn’t know how to respond to this, but he awkwardly muttered, –I hope that Percy and your father will forgive each other.â€
–I hope so too.†Ginny glanced at the wedding. Harry too looked in that direction, but he couldn’t make anyone out from this distance. Next to him, Ginny continued, –He looked rather upset, but even if he’s admitted to being wrong, I’ll still have trouble forgiving him.â€
Harry said nothing. In truth, he had no idea what to say to Ginny. He too still felt angry with Percy, but his indignation, he knew, was nothing compared to the insult Percy had leveled at his entire family.
Ginny turned back toward the sunset, and seeing her discomfort, Harry took her hand. They sat like that for another moment, before Ginny stood, pulling Harry up with her.
–Do you want to go for a walk?†she asked.
Harry stared at her for a moment, thinking of the resolution he’d made at Dumbledore’s funeral; but since the night when Ginny told him of her nightmares, and since he’d handled Riddle’s ruined diary a second time, he felt his resolution crumbling. Smiling slightly, he nodded, and Ginny led him away from the trees. They walked for some time around the outskirts of the Burrow, until the wedding celebrations disappeared from sight. Then as they came around into another grove of trees near the apple orchard, Ginny stopped.
–I sometimes come in here to think,†she told him. –It’s usually fairly quiet here.â€
Harry nodded.
Ginny sat down on a fallen tree, and looked up at Harry. –You’ll be gone soon.â€
Harry didn’t reply, but Ginny didn’t seem to require a response. She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing her calm expression to waver for a moment, and Harry sat down next to her. Then Ginny opened her eyes and looked directly into his.
–Ten minutes,†she said, and seeing his confusion, she clarified, –That’s probably how long we’ve got here before someone comes looking for us.â€
These words were spoken casually, but the look that crossed Ginny’s face as she spoke made Harry’s stomach do a back flip, because he’d only seen that expression on her face twice before, once in the Gryffindor Common Room when they’d first kissed, and at Dumbledore’s funeral. Not for the first time, Harry felt a surge of amazement at how beautiful she was, but today, at this moment, as her gold dress glinted in the orange sunlight, and she stared at him with that blazing, challenging look, his resolve crumbled completely, and he reached forward and traced her cheek affectionately.
–Just ten minutes,†she whispered. –It may yet be ten months or ten years. But please, take these ten minutes with you.â€
Then Harry pulled Ginny into his embrace, one hand on the small of her back, and the other in her flaming red hair, and his lips passionately met hers. He allowed himself to forget all else, just for this moment, here with Ginny, allowing himself to appreciate every second of her affection, because they both knew that it could very well be the last moment alone with her he’d ever have, the first and last farewell.
After a moment, he broke the kiss, breathless, but he did not let go of her. Disentangling his hand from her hair, Harry then caressed her neck and shoulders. He was delighted to feel her shiver slightly, and then he kissed her again. For ten minutes, without interruption, they kissed each other, laughed together, spoke of happier days, and finally Ginny checked her watch, and told him that they’d better head back.
He nodded and stood up, and Ginny followed suit, before he took her hand in his. –Thank you,†he breathed.
Ginny smiled sadly, and Harry thought he saw her eyes watering.
The sun sank below the horizon.
Between Bill’s wedding and Harry’s birthday, the days at the Burrow grew quieter, but hardly enjoyable; Mrs. Weasley finally admitted that Hogwarts would be closing, and while Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny already knew that, it still was dispiriting to hear. Also, all four of them waited in stoic anticipation of the moment of Harry’s departure, which they still kept concealed from everyone else.
Bill and Fleur, of course, went off on their honeymoon, while Fleur’s family returned to France, leaving a much emptier Burrow. The day after the wedding was somewhat busy as Mrs. Weasley gave the four teenagers the task of taking down the decorations, but doing so was much easier and quicker than putting them up. Charlie had gone back to Romania, but occasionally Percy turned up to help with the cleanup.
Hermione spent several evenings shut up in her room, and Harry supposed that she was still working on her –partial Portkeys.†As Harry’s birthday drew closer, he and Ron began to worry about her progress, but she never asked for their help, preferring to work on the project herself. When Harry saw the complicated spell work listed on Dumbledore’s instructions, he refrained from offering his help simply because Hermione probably was the only one who could do it. But she told them nothing, and Harry and Ron simply waited.
Finally, on the day before Harry’s birthday, Hermione appeared in Harry’s room, where he and Ron were playing Exploding Snap, and told them to come outside. She led them out into the back garden and then around the perimeter of the Weasleys’ lawn, until they neared the grove of trees where Harry and Ginny had gone during the wedding. Hermione stopped, and held out her hand, showing them three of the cheap rings that had been included in the wedding decorations.
–Er, what’s this?†Ron asked, bewildered.
–The finished Portkey rings,†Hermione explained. –They’re only partially enchanted, so they won’t transport you away simply for holding or touching them.â€
–How do they work, then?†asked Harry, surprised.
Hermione snorted. –Isn’t it obvious? You simply put it on, and it transports you. They’re on Dumbledore’s recommended wavelengths, so the Order won’t detect this test, nor will the Ministry.â€
–Test?†Ron repeated. –Where are these going to take us?â€
–To your room,†Hermione told him. –I’ve already made small tests on these, you know, transporting myself across the room, another fifteen feet, and so on. And now I think we’re ready to try out a full test.â€
She handed one Portkey to Harry and to Ron, and then she slipped one of the rings onto her middle finger. There was a flash of blue light, and Hermione vanished. Harry and Ron looked at each other for a moment, and then Harry hesitantly put one of the rings on. Like with a normal Portkey, he felt a jerk somewhere behind his navel, and his feet left the ground in a howl of wind and whirling colors; and then his feet slammed onto a hard wood floor, and he staggered into a room full of orange Chudley Cannon posters. A second later, there was another flash of blue.
–OUCH! That was my shoulder!â€
–Sorry, mate!â€
Harry grunted and shoved Ron off him, before staggering to his feet to see Hermione beaming at them.
–Glad to know they work,†Harry told her, rubbing his shoulder as Ron slumped against the bed, clutching his head.
–This means that we could leave any time after you turn seventeen tomorrow,†Hermione said unnecessarily. –Nobody else knows about these wavelengths, so we should be able to keep away from the Order and the Death Eaters for some time.â€
–So where are we going first?†asked Ron.
–I’ve been thinking about that too, and I think I’ve thought of someplace safe, where the Order won’t think to look.†She smiled. –Well, perhaps Lupin might think of it eventually, but even if the Order manages to catch up to us, we could just shake them off with these things easily enough.â€
–I guess we’d better get ready to leave then,†Harry said. –I’ll start packing tonight, since I doubt I’ll get an opportunity tomorrow.â€
–If you like, I could put an Internal Extension Charm on your rucksack,†Hermione offered.
–A what?â€
–It’ll make your rucksack bigger on the inside,†Hermione told him. –Also, you won’t feel anything in there. It shouldn’t be too heavy. I’ve already done it to my rucksack.â€
–Undoubtedly,†Ron drily commented. –You need something with which you could carry your library.â€
So ten minutes later found Harry in his room, hurriedly and quietly stuffing clothes into his newly –internally extended†rucksack. His cauldron, full of some of the school textbooks and other books he thought necessary, along with the box Dumbledore left, was the next thing he stuffed into the rucksack; the photo album of his family; his potion-making kit and some ingredients, also kept in a wooden box; he also carefully fitted his Firebolt and his Broomstick Servicing Kit inside as well, along with a shoe box in which he’d stored a stack of old letters, including Dumbledore’s and Ginny’s, R.A.B.’s locket, his own notebooks, along with a bunch of ball-point pens he had taken from the Dursleys’ house: Hermione had felt it more convenient to use these rather than carry quills and ink bottles.
Once Harry zipped up his rucksack and set it next to his desk, he glanced at the door and thought of the family he’d be leaving. He felt a guilty twinge as he thought of what their disappearance might do to Mrs. Weasley, if they left without a word. Harry sat at the writing table and then he opened up the desk drawer to find a few quills and a stack of paper. Smiling humorlessly, Harry pulled out a sheet of paper, taking one of the quills and ink bottles, he began to write.
He did so until very late into the night, occasionally scratching out a sentence, or else crumpling up a sheet of paper and flinging it into a corner. Then, one ink bottle and three quills later, at about two in the morning, Harry finally folded up two letters and placed them inside the desk drawer. Perched next to him, Hedwig, who had watched him write, and who was waiting for him to tie them to her leg, hooted in annoyance.
–Sorry Hedwig,†he said, leaning back in his chair. –I’m not sending these, just leaving them behind. They’re all I’m leaving behind.â€
Hedwig hooted again, and Harry stroked her back feathers absent-mindedly, staring out his window at the now dark sky, deep in thought. Only one more day of comfort, one more day in safety and peace. By this time tomorrow he, Ron, and Hermione would be hiding at whatever safe place Hermione would take them to; by this time next year, God knew where he’d be or how many Horcruxes he would have found and destroyed, let alone if he still lived.
–Why are you so interested in having Harry Potter involved in this?â€
–Because he is Voldemort’s greatest perceived enemy, and if he were given a base where the Death Eaters, the Order, and the Ministry could never find him, and if he were given some extra training and preparation, this young man could become Voldemort’s deadliest enemy. Imagine if the Death Eaters became afraid to breathe Harry Potter’s name. Imagine if we struck that kind of terror into the hearts of Voldemort’s followers. Imagine the advantage that would give to all who want Voldemort brought down. It lends a new element to this war, and this time I’m sure it would be to our advantage.â€
–My dear Benedict, that idea is all very well, but it is also the most unlikely shot in the dark I have ever heard. You’re cleverer than that. Why do you really want Mr. Potter involved?â€