Chapter 246: Conversation with Dumbledore and Phineas
Harry lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling in silence. He didn't know what to say. The words of Dumbledore and Phineas still echoed in his mind.
Dumbledore hummed cheerfully in the corner, smiling at Harry.
Phineas sat nearby, now working through a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. He had decided to let Harry navigate his own thoughts. After all, every bite was an adventure.
After a pause, Harry finally spoke.
"Sir, I've been thinking… Even though the Philosopher's Stone is gone,Voldemo.., I mean,you-know -who"
"Call him Voldemort, Harry," Dumbledore said gently. "Always use the proper name. Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."
"But… sir, Phineas said there's some kind of magic in the name, I... I…"
Dumbledore glanced at Phineas, mildly surprised.
"You've considered that?"
Phineas shrugged. "It wasn't difficult, Professor. I may not have lived through it, but I've read the records. It's just a guess—but a reasonable one. As for Harry, honestly, I advise you not to get too comfortable saying that name. Maybe it doesn't matter now, but habits can be dangerous. If he ever regains strength, the name might trigger unexpected consequences."
Harry's voice trembled slightly. "So, sir… Voldemort hasn't really disappeared? He's going to come back, isn't he?"
Dumbledore closed his eyes, exhaled slowly, and opened them again.
"Yes, Harry. Phineas is right. He hasn't vanished. He's hiding—somewhere. Searching, perhaps, for a body to inhabit. I can say this with certainty: he is not alive, but he has not been fully destroyed either."
Phineas added, "Because he isn't truly alive, there's no straightforward way to kill him."
Dumbledore nodded gravely. "In the end, he cared only about escape, sacrificing Quirrell without hesitation. He's as cruel to his followers as to his enemies. His death is something the wizarding world hopes for—not just us."
Then, his tone turned serious. "But Harry, listen closely. This time, you only delayed him. He's been set back, but he will return. And that moment might not be far off. I've seen his state—he knows that if he waits too long, he may never recover his strength."
"You survived because you were lucky—this time. You may not be so fortunate again."
Dumbledore deliberately loosened a seal Phineas had placed on the twins so they could hear his warning, making Phineas wonder if the message had been meant for them more than for Harry.
Harry gave a slight nod. Even that small movement made his head ache.
"Sir, there are still things I don't understand. Phineas wouldn't explain. Could you tell me the truth... about some of them?"
Dumbledore looked at Phineas, surprised. Phineas rarely withheld information unless it was important—or uncertain.
After a moment's thought, Dumbledore sighed.
"The truth, Harry, is a beautiful and terrible thing. It must be treated with great care. I cannot promise to answer all your questions—but I'll try, unless I have good reason not to. I say this not to deceive you, but because I believe, like Phineas, that honesty includes knowing when silence is better than lies."
Harry turned toward Phineas, hoping for confirmation, but the boy was now finishing the last of his candy. The pastries and snacks remained untouched.
He really loves sweets, Harry thought.
Then Harry turned back to Dumbledore and asked quietly, "Sir... Voldemort said he killed my mother because she tried to protect me. But why did he want to kill me in the first place?"
Phineas paused mid-chew, listening closely. That was a delicate question—and partly his fault for bringing it up. He wondered how Dumbledore would handle it.
Dumbledore's response was calm but firm. "Harry, that's the one question I cannot answer—at least not yet. One day, when you're older, you'll understand without needing me to explain. But not now."
Harry was still only eleven. Too young to learn that his life was targeted because of a prophecy, and even more so that it had been Dumbledore who failed to prevent the leak of that prophecy—a mistake that cost Harry's parents their lives. Revealing that now could destroy Harry's trust in him. And without that trust, Dumbledore feared, Harry might grow into something darker. He was still a Horcrux, after all. A broken path could lead Voldemort straight back through him.
The truth was this: Sybill Trelawney had made a prophecy while being interviewed for a post at Hogwarts. She had predicted a child will be born to parents who have survived three confrontations with Voldemort, born at the end of July, and be marked by Voldemort as his equal. However, the child will possess power Voldemort is unaware of, and either must die at the other's hand for neither can live while the other survives.
Snape overheard part of this prophecy and reported it to Voldemort, thinking it referred to the Longbottoms' child. He didn't know Harry Potter also fit the criteria.
Voldemort decided to eliminate all possible threats.
By the time Snape realized Lily Potter was in danger, it was too late. He begged Voldemort to spare her, and Voldemort agreed—on the condition that she not interfere. But Lily did, sacrificing herself for her son.
Snape was there that night. He watched the woman he loved die. And when Voldemort was destroyed by the magical backlash, Snape held Lily's body and screamed in anguish.
He had failed her.
Since then, Snape had lived with guilt. And Dumbledore had kept the prophecy a secret from nearly everyone, especially Harry.
Phineas, watching quietly, couldn't help but glance at Dumbledore suspiciously.
The first Dark Lord, Grindelwald, had been Dumbledore's close companion—perhaps more than a friend.
The second Dark Lord, Voldemort, had been his student.
If something went wrong with Harry... would the third Dark Lord also rise under Dumbledore's care?
Was Dumbledore truly the greatest white wizard? Or had he unknowingly cultivated every great dark one?
Dumbledore spoke again.
"Harry, if there's one thing Voldemort never understood, it's love. Your mother's love protected you. That love lives in you even now."
Phineas, momentarily lost in thought, barely noticed as Dumbledore continued explaining.
"Her sacrifice left a mark—not one you can see, but one that lives under your skin. That's why Quirrell couldn't touch you. His soul had been corrupted by Voldemort. He couldn't bear contact with someone marked by pure love."
Dumbledore turned away to look out the window.
Harry, tears in his eyes, quietly wiped them on the sheet. Phineas hummed softly—an old lullaby from another life.
Harry sniffled, then asked again,
"And that Invisibility Cloak, sir? Sirius said it was from you."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Ah, yes. It was your father's. He lent it to me before... well, I thought it was time it returned to you. You'll find it very useful. I remember how your father and his friends used to sneak down to the kitchens with it."
Harry smiled slightly. "One more thing, sir."
"Just one?"
"Yes… Quirrell said Professor Snape hated me because he hated my dad. Is that true?"
Dumbledore paused. "Didn't Sirius or Phineas tell you? Your father and Snape never got along—much like you and young Mr. Malfoy. But later, your father did something Snape never forgave."
Phineas chuckled. "Right—he married your mother. That was enough to drive Professor Snape mad."
Dumbledore smiled faintly. "Yes, and he saved Snape's life once. The mind is a curious thing, Harry. Snape couldn't stand being in debt to your parents. Even now, though he's often unpleasant, he's been protecting you."
"I know. Phineas said something like that too—that Snape would never hurt me, no matter what."
"It's true. You can trust him."
Harry hesitated. "Last question, sir. Really."
"I'll believe it when I hear it," Dumbledore replied, amused.
"How did I get the Philosopher's Stone from the Mirror of Erised?"
Dumbledore beamed. "Ah, I'm glad you asked. That was one of my cleverer enchantments."
His tone was almost boyish with pride.
"The mirror was enchanted so only someone who wanted to find the Stone—but not use it—could retrieve it. Anyone greedy for immortality would never succeed. It was a test of the heart."