Harry Potter: Response

Author’s Note:
This is a short story written in response to JKR’s October “Character Development.” It made no sense given what we were told in the books, and in my opinion, took away from the story. Take that as you will.

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Response…

Harry stood in front of the door to the Headmaster’s office. He wasn’t entirely sure he should be doing this. Asking Professor Dumbledore for advice about his problems with Lord Voldemort was one thing; questions of a personal nature were another.

Before he could turn around and make his way down the stairs, the door to the office opened and Dumbledore summoned him inside. Harry didn’t remember knocking.

“Ah Harry, how are you this evening?”

“Oh…good…sir”

“Is something troubling you?”

“Well…you see… the article in the daily prophet…well…”

Harry stumbled to a stop. He didn’t know how to ask. He needn’t have worried.

“Ah yes, a most interesting article.” Dumbledore looked amused. Harry couldn’t understand why. If Rita Skeeter had said things like that about him… not that she hadn’t come close. And then there was what she had said about Hermione. Harry knew she couldn’t be trusted, but he still wondered.

“I was wondering… sir… if any … well… if any…” Harry paused. “If any of it was true, sir”.

Dumbledore sighed, loosing the amusement he had shown earlier.

“The world is a complicated place Harry. Many of the facts Miss Skeeter presents in her article are true. Yet her interpretation of those facts… and her conclusions… Facts, Harry, can be interpreted many different ways, depending on the your goals. Interpretations must be tested. Let me ask you this, given what you know of me and Miss Skeeter, do you believe her interpretation of the facts?”

Harry looked down, thinking over the list of facts Skeeter presented in her article. Dumbledore’s association with Grindlewald was strange, he admitted. He wouldn’t have thought the professor would get involved with someone like him. Still, Skeeter’s reasons seemed a little far-fetched, given what little they know about what went on. It seemed very unlikely that he would follow Grindlewald because he was in love with him. There were other reasons Harry could think of that sounded much more like the Dumbledore he knew.

Harry looked up and met Dumbledore’s eyes.

“No, sir. I don’t believe she’s right.”

“Why then, do you think, she would say what she has”

“Well, it makes people question whether they know you, whether you have been honest with them. It would make her popular with the ministry, given your conflict with them… um… it would also get her a lot of attention.”

“Very good Harry… Always remember to think carefully over what you hear about others. Test it against what you, yourself, know. And don’t just doubt what you hear about your friends. Remember that the same thing happens to those you don’t know. Believing in things before you know the facts from the people involved can be very destructive.”

Dumbledore continued.

“Now, if I am not mistaken, you have a Quidditch game tomorrow to rest up for. You wouldn’t want to disappoint Professor McGonagall by falling asleep on your broom. You know how she delights in the game. Off you go…”

Harry heard the door shut behind him. He was glad he came. Now, he just needed to remember to look for his Quidditch robes before he went to bed…

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Back in the Headmaster’s office, Albus Dumbledore sat down at his desk with a sigh. He was weary. Rita Skeeter’s article was just the latest in a string of attacks against him. There seemed to be no end in sight, and also no depths his opponents wouldn’t sink to. If they would devote as much time to hunting down dark wizards as they did when making up these ridiculous stories… Albus sighed again. No matter. He allies stood with him. He would rest in that.