"More of my fault for telling him I suppose. I think you have found out Hagrid's secret keeping ability is not the best," Dumbledore said. "I didn't realize what had happened until the next day after I put up the wards and convinced your Aunt and Uncle to look after you. Though they too will have different memories of that day as well. Once Hagrid realized what he had done, the danger he put you in, he felt extremely guilty. He planned to leave Hogwarts and never return. I helped him forget what he did. He only remembers taking you from Godric's Hollow and bringing you to Privet Drive. As for Minerva, after what happened with Hagrid, I was concerned about further inadvertent leaking of information so I modified her memories as well. She did not remember me talking to your Aunt and Uncle nor of me putting the wards up. Though eventually I did have to explain the wards when she started worrying about you."
"Do you believe him?" Hermione asked.
"I think so. It fits everything we know. How I became so famous without anyone knowing what happened and everything else."
Dumbledore was waiting patiently for the two teens to digest what he had said before continuing. "I will admit that I expected you would have many dark years ahead of you living in that house," He finally admitted. "But your safety was paramount in my mind."
Harry snorted. "Safe from whom? Do you really know what my life is like in that house? Did the Weasleys tell you about the bars on the windows, about my having to beg my friends for food? Do you know what it's like to be hit by a frying pan because I'm ten seconds late getting to the kitchen to cook them breakfast that I'm not allowed to eat? Do you have a clue to the scars I have from living in that house?"
Dumbledore had the courtesy of at least grimacing before he answered. "But you're alive."
Harry remembered what Miranda had said about the agreement between Dumbledore and his aunt and uncle. "Out of curiosity, how did you convince my Aunt and Uncle to take me in?"
"They were extremely reluctant, but when I pointed out that eventually bad people would come looking for you there and it would be better for them as well to have the protection the wards provided. I had to remove that information from their minds after they agreed, and only..."
"The owl," Harry said remembering the message that had come in from Dumbledore at the beginning of his fifth year. He had surmised before that Dumbledore had sent it but Dumbledore's response hadn't made sense when he'd said he was reminding his Aunt to what she had agreed to. 'Remember my last, Petunia,' It had said. It made much more sense now.
"Pardon?" Dumbledore asked.
"That owl, you sent it to my Aunt didn't you. The one when I'd just done the Patronus. It said something like remember the last."
"Yes. The phrase was keyed to remind them of our agreement and why it was important for you to be there," Dumbledore replied. Then he continued with the explanation. "After the wards were up and memories modified, I staged the next night. As I said, Hagrid only remembered taking you from Godric's Hollow and bringing you to me at Privet Drive. When he arrived, I put you on the Dursley's doorsteps and Minerva and I left though I immediately returned," Dumbledore looked at Hermione over his half-moon glasses. "There was a warming charm on the basket along with a light sleeping charm. I waited, disillusioned, until the Dursleys took Harry inside. Does that satisfy your teenage curiosity?"
Hermione was concentrating hard and had to agree that the story was most plausible, but then a horrible thought crossed her mind. "The Dursleys sir. You said you modified their memories so they would not remember the agreement, but only that they would accept Harry into their home?"
"Yes."
"Is it possible that their hatred for magic and Harry was based on that. They subconsciously recognized Harry was a potential source of danger and it was because of magic?"
"It is possible," Dumbledore agreed. "I confess that I am not a master of muggle psychology."
"SO IT..." Harry started but then he felt the mirror warm and he reached for it. Sirius' mug showed quickly.
"Just checking in with you Pup," He said. "Making sure you were alright."
"We're fine. Been a very enlightening conversation," Harry replied. "We'll call you back later."
"Sure thing," Sirius replied and he disappeared from the mirror.
Harry looked back at Professor Dumbledore. "He's just checking up on me like a good guardian should."
"The Dursleys might not have been the best guardians, but it is through your Aunt's blood you are alive today."
"So where was that blood when I faced Fluffy or the Dementors or the Basilisk here at Hogwarts?" Harry asked. "You came up with this scheme that required me to suffer for ten years to protect me but then you always seem to fail when I face dangers under your very nose. Then you have the audacity to keep sending me back to that prison every summer? A place where Voldemort might not be able to get to me, but it seems everyone else can."
"What do you mean?"
"Lucius Malfoy's house-elf was in my room sir," Harry spat. "Fortunately Dobby was there to help, but what if he'd been ordered to harm me?"
"Obviously I missed an avenue in that case," Dumbledore replied.
"And the Dementors last year, exactly where were the wards then?"
"The wards are just around Privet Drive Harry."
"I WENT TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY FOR YEARS HEADMASTER!" Harry yelled at Dumbledore. "I stayed away from Privet Drive as much as I could because of the abuse I suffered there."
"But no one knew where to find you," Dumbledore insisted.
"That is garbage sir," Harry said. "The first time I walked into the Leaky Cauldron, everyone recognized me. Dedalus Diggle bowed to me in a store before I knew who he was. Obviously I could be found if someone had truly been looking for me."
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