Chapter 39

                                    

                                          
The rest of the day passed in a blur with suspicious looks from Ron and Hermione. His two best friends were wondering what had happened  but Harry couldn't answer them. After a tense dinner that had Harry switching between being questioned by Hermione and Harry staring at the headmaster trying to get a clue as to what was going on in the old man's head, finally a note appeared by his plate.
Mr Potter 
Would you please join me in my office after you have finished eating. 
Albus Dumbledore 
P.S. I enjoy acid pops.
Rolling his eyes at the password Harry finished his food and made his goodbyes to his friends. Heading towards the headmaster's office Harry was stopped by Ginny.
"You ok?" She asked.
"I'm fine." Harry replied. He completely missed the eye roll that accompanied that statement.
"Sure Harry your just fine." Ginny added sarcasm rife in her voice.
"Ok you caught me I'm not fine." Harry huffed angrily. "I have to go and talk to the demented old goat who likes to think he controls my life."
Ginny's giggle startled him.
"I've never heard him called a 'demented old goat' before." She said still giggling slightly. "Kind of suits him doesn't it?"
"Yes it really does." Harry joined her chuckling. "Thanks I needed that. I might of hexed the whiskered git otherwise. Um.. did you want to go flying with me tomorrow?"
"Yeah sure." Ginny replied recovering from the shock.
"Thanks Gin don't know what Dumbledork was thinking canceling quidditch." Harry beamed at her acceptance. "You can try my firebolt if you like." 
"S.s.sure thanks Harry I'd like that." Ginny replied trying to contain her blush. "I want to try out for the team next year so it will be good practice."
"Oh which position will you go for?" Harry asked in feigned ignorance. 
"I like to try for chaser." She replied. "But there is not a lot point till Angelina and Alicia have left."
"Well you could always try out as a reserve." Harry said. "You know muggle sports have reserves so we should really have them considering how often people get injured during quidditch."
"People meaning you Harry?" She asked innocently.
"Twice in two years is not that often." Harry said mockingly offended. 
As Ginny was about to reply a harsh voice cut them off.
"Potter you are supposed to be meeting with the headmaster." Snape snapped angrily. "Not chatting up your girlfriend." 
Both teens blushed at his words and Harry said a quick goodbye and all but ran too the headmaster's office, leaving a throughly embarrassed Ginny behind. Harry hadn't been flirting with her had he?
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Walking quickly to avoid his embarrassment Harry was startled by the steady footsteps following him. Though Harry thought he shouldn't really be suprised that Snape was following him. Old Bumbledork would be just as curious as Snape and would think that having the man there would throw him off guard and maybe reveal something he wouldn't do otherwise. 
Mumbling the password Harry took a deep breath and made sure his mental shields were at there strongest.
Standing at the door Harry would rather have ran all the way back to Gryffindor Tower than deal with the old coot but the dungeon bat's looming aura stopped him. Best get this over with. As he raised his hand to knock he twitched at the grandfatherly voice.
"Come in Mr Potter." Albus spoke softly. He had to know what had happened and the boy had been rather difficult as of late, evident in the rolling of his eyes as he entered the room. Severus close on his heels as he too was seeking answers. "Good to see you my boy."
This was met with a twitch of the boys face. The slightest himt of a grimace quickly masked.
"It's Potter-Black to you sir." Harry said firmly already hating the grandfather persona the whiskered old sod was projecting. "May I ask why I have been called here as far as I am aware I have broken no school rules."
"At least not yet." Severus snarked behind him not quite under his breath. 
"Well my boy," Albus started oblivious to the eye roll that accompanied that particular phrase. "Severus and I were interested in how you knew that his dark mark was gone." 
Both Severus and Albus waited for Harry to speak. But no answer seemed to be coming from the boy Albus had to prompt him further.
"If you could tell us how such a thing could happen." Dumbledore waved the elder wand under his desk trying to send a compulsion for the boy to speak. "Come now my boy you can trust me. Secrets are not healthy for one so young."
Harry felt the Peverell ring heat up on his hand. So the old sod was trying to get him to talk. Well time to have some fun with the old coot.
"As this is nothing concerning my schooling or any rules that I have broken headmaster I don't see any reason to tell you." Harry replied firmly. "And that's Mr Potter-Black to you."
The look on the old goats gace was well worthwhile in Harry's opinion. 
Severus was shocked and was silently chuckling at the look of pure shock on the headmasters face. It was the first time in many years that anyone had resisted telling the man anything he wanted to know.
"Now Harry-" He began recovering.
"Mr Potter-Black Headmaster." Harry cut him off.
"My appologies." Albus replied quickly regaining his grandfatherly persona silently aghast that not only had his charm hadn't worked but also the boy had the audacity to cut him off. "Regardless I simply must know what going on for the greater good." 
"Headmaster if i knew what happened to the mark I would tell you." Harry said exasperated with the old goat. "As it has disappeared I can only hope it means that Voldemort is finally dead." 
"We can only hope." Said Severus behind him making him jump.
"But my- I mean Mr Potter-Black I cannot be sure unless I know every detail." Albus said getting frustrated at the non answer from the boy.
"I cannot help you there headmaster." Harry said with total honesty. "I have no idea what happened to the mark. We may never know the full story, unfortunately we can only guess."
"Mr Potter-Black is right we may never know." Severus drawled from his stance near the fireplace.
Harry tightened his occlumency shields and locked eyes with the whiskered old man. Feeling the pressure of the old goats intrusion Harry directed his magic and pushed him from his mind.
"For that I could have you arrested headmaster." Harry said panting slightly as it had taken a lot to throw the man out. "Legilimancy against a minor can get you sentenced to the dementors kiss. I will let this go but please do not try again I would hate to have to have you arrested. If that will be all I will see you at breakfast. Headmaster. Professor." 
Harry inclined his head to them both and went to the door.
"Now wait a minute boy." Albus yelled. "We have not finished you will tell me what you know!"
"As I have repeatedly told you my name is Potter-Black not boy." Harry said sighing in frustration. "Headmaster I cannot tell you any more than I have, now I have told you all I can. If you wish to pursue this further then I suggest you go through the wizengamot and have me questioned under veritaserum. I have homework to be getting on with. Oh and the next time you call me to your office I can only hope that it is related to my schooling and at least one of my guardians are present. No offence to you Professor Snape but you are not named as one of my legal guardians. Enjoy rhe rest of your evening good day." 
Harry managed to leave the room whilst Albus was recovering from the shock. There was a general chucking coming from the portraits as they quite enjoyed the drama the young man had caused the headmaster in the past year. 
"While I admit the boy is as arrogant as his father. I cannot deny that the encounter he had with you is almost entirely his mother's side shining through." Severus drawled trying to keep his amusement from showing.
"I suspect that even if he did know he would never tell you. Potter-Black seems to hate you more than the dark Lord ever did."
"That will be all thank you Severus." Albus said sharply. "I must think on my next course of action."
As soon as the door shut behind the potions master Albus let a wave of magic that had Fawkes flaming away not to return till after December had begun. The destruction of his office was the worst it had ever been and even caused a new tear in the sorting hat. That had taken great offence to the headmasters rages and would from that point on at various times spout random facts or ramble incessantly until Dumbledore had to place a permanent silence ward around the hat.