Minerva was remembering that night as if it was yesterday because Dumbledore's words had struck a chord with her. She had instinctively known something wasn't right but had accepted his assurances at face value. Minerva shouted his own words back at Albus. "Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy! That's what you said though you never did say what it would be handy for? You knew there was a horcrux inside that bairn and yet you did nothing about it?"
"I had but a mere suspicion, and I was not aware that a procedure existed to successfully remove a horcrux from a living host. Usually they would be imbedded in an inanimate object that would need to be destroyed." Dumbledore attempted to redirect the anger in the room at a different target than him. "What I'm more concerned about here is that an eleven year old knows about the foulest dark magic imaginable - what kind of a parent are you that would teach a child that?"
Harry was on his feet, ready to defend his father against all comers, when he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder. "Remember your training son, this is why you work so hard."
Everyone could see Harry take a deep breath and regain control of his emotions. He sat back down and apologised. "Sorry father. Losing your temper loses your focus, losing your focus can cost you the battle. It's hard to sit here though and listen to this old fraud berate you when his crimes should have seen him in Azkaban."
Barchoke turned his attention to the rest of the company. "My son is of course correct. An infant had been hit with the killing curse yet you didn't even arrange for a healer to check his health. Instead of being cared for, the saviour of magical Britain gets taken to the Dursleys by the Hogwarts groundkeeper..."
"I trust Hagrid with my life!"
"From a man with no honour, I'll treat that statement with the contempt it deserves. It also hasn't escaped my notice that you refuse to offer a defence as to the illegality of your actions that night, could that be because they are indefensible? My son is well aware of his past and what the future holds for him. It's clear to me this is information that you also hold but have chosen not to reveal to even your closest comrades."
Dumbledore couldn't believe this was all coming out today. His words to Severus were proving to be true, this boy knew far too much. "This information should not be known by mere children..."
Barchoke growled his question at Dumbledore. "Even though a child managed to do what you could not? My son is prophesied to be the only one who can defeat Voldemort yet you would have him raised by muggles until he was eleven. We have to ask the question why?"
That was one question he had no intention of ever answering, Albus once more attempted to turn the argument back onto the goblin. "You are training a human child to be a warrior for the goblin nation, I've heard of nothing but training and lessons. I wanted him to have a normal childhood..."
Harry just had to butt in at that. "How was a normal childhood going to enable me to defeat a dark wizard that's already had the country on its knees once before?"
"The prophecy states you will have a power the dark lord knows not - I believe that power to be love!" Albus now had everyone in the room staring at him in disbelief, it was left to Harry to come up with a reply. "No wonder he was so upset when I killed the troll, the headmaster probably wanted me to give it a hug and make everything all better. Is that what you had planned for my confrontation with Voldemort, kiss him to death? Sorry but no chance, I intend my first kiss to be with a girl."
"Now you're just being silly Mr Crow..."
"What? And you were serious with that love dragoncrap? I think we've heard all we need to, don't you father? There is nothing for us here."
Barchoke nodded with pride at his son. "Just to address your earlier point headmaster, you and I can't 'do a deal' on my son returning to the wizarding community. The reason for my refusal is that the entire issue will be purely Harry's decision. That decision will not be influenced by me, and certainly not by you. Know this though, whatever decision he makes, Harry will have my full support and always be my son. A son I'm very proud of."
The proud father now had their undivided attention. He'd just announced his son was the only person who could defeat Voldemort and they were waiting to see if Harry would be staying at Hogwarts. "I came here today - at your request - to discuss my son's future. A normal childhood sounds idyllic, until that is it equates to my son being dead before he's out of his teens. Without his lessons and training, neither Harry nor his friends would have made their teens. They would have perished under the club of a troll in the Hogwarts infirmary - all while supposedly in your care! I had hoped we could reach an agreement here today, not on what's best for me or you Dumbledore but for Harry. Clearly that is not something you are prepared to do headmaster, therefore I will have to look elsewhere."
Minerva couldn't decide whether she was going to tear Dumbledore a new one or throw up her lunch and make his robes even more colourful. The Deputy Headmistress was also having trouble deciding if today's meeting could have went any worse. She desperately wanted to get out of that office but had something that needed to be said first. "I shall show you out sir, the air in here is suddenly tasting rather foul. I feel I must offer my apologies for the small part I played in your son being deposited with the Dursleys. In my defence I will say I objected strongly to him being left there at all, and the headmaster also waived aside my concerns over young Harry's scar."
This was better than Barchoke had hoped for, here was an opening the goblin intended to exploit. Hogwarts making Harry her champion had really just confirmed what they at Gringotts had already suspected, Harry's future was in some way tied to Hogwarts. Here was his chance to deal with the deputy, and exclude the headmaster entirely from those discussions. Now Barchoke could keep Harry in the castle and stick it to Dumbledore's pride at the same time. That was all good to the goblin. "I accept your apology and would appreciate the chance to talk with you professor, it will give me the opportunity to make arrangements for my son and his friends to also receive private defence lessons. As I just stated, I have no faith in the headmaster or his decisions. I doubt if he will be able to find a competent replacement for the one that was possessed by Voldemort."
Albus wanted to demand to know how they had obtained that information but was too relieved at learning that Harry obviously wasn't leaving the school to complain.