Anna Potter and the order of the phoenix

Chapter 24

DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE - NIGHT
[Anna and Dumbledore reappear in his office. There are shouts of welcome from the portraits.]
Dumbledore: Thank you. [He takes a small baby Phoenix from his pocket and places it on Fawkes' stand. Dumbledore's desk has been repaired, and the Pensive rests upon it.]
Dumbledore: Please sit, Anna. [Anna is staring at him, bitterness and sorrow evident on her face.]
"Sorry, pup." Said Sirius sadly.
Dumbledore: I understand how you feel, Anna--
Anna: No you don't! [Dumbledore looks hard at her.]
Dumbledore: You forget that Sirius was my friend too. You are not the only person on this earth capable of feelings, Anna.
"He isn't my friend." Scoffs Sirius.
Anna: The friend who you left to rot.
Dumbledore: I thought he--
Anna: You saw! You saw how close he and my dad were. You aren't stupid! You must have had a doubt. You could have asked for trial! You had enough power to do so, But nooo--- How could great Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore can be bothered?! [Things explode around Anna.]
"This gonna be good." Said smirking Barty.
"She is furious. It's not good idea to talk to her now." Said Narcissa.
Dumbledore: There is no shame in feeling pain, Anna. It is your greatest strength...
Anna: You don't have a clue! You can't possibly know!
Dumbledore: What can't I know?
Anna: The pain of losing only family you have left! [Her magic, breaking everything around her.]
Sirius looked down sadness and guilt clear on his face.
"I'm still there." Said Remus with small voice.
"She..." James didn't know what to say and looked at Lily.
"She is closer to Sirius. It doesn't mean she doesn't love you." Said Lily to Remus.
Dumbledore: This pain is part of being human, Anna. [Anna takes the chair and throws at Dumbledore, surprised Dumbledore dodges it with wandless magic.]
Barty laughs. Regulus and Evan give him a look to shut up, but secretaly, they are amused, too.
Anna: (Yells) No! This pain is part of warrior's life! The life you and Voldemor pushed me into! The life i have no choice in! The life where i have to watch everyone important to me die in front of me! This is the life of the survivor!
Everyone looks at Anna with symapthy, even Lucius.
Anna: Everyone calls me the girl-who-lived, but you know what? They are wrong! I am not the girl-who-lived, i'm the girl-who-survived. I haven't lived one second of my life! Since that day Voldemort throw that damn curse at me, I have not lived!
"My poor baby." Said Lily.
[Anna moves toward the door and tries to open it, but the door will not open. She looks at Dumbledore.]
Anna: Let me out.
Dumbledore: No. [Anna gives Dambledore a cold glare and tells him with unusually calm tone.]
Anna: You can't keep me here!
Dumbledore: I daresay I can.
"Does he have a death wish? Can't he see she's barely holding herself back from strangling him?" Said Barty.
Anna: You can't hold me hostage! It's against the law.
"Like he cares about that." Snorted Regulus.
Dumbledore: You aren't a hostage, Anna. I just want to talk.
"You trap her in a room against her will and don't let her out. Seems like a hostage to me." Said Evan.
Anna: You want to talk? Fine! Let's talk! Let's talk about how I have been starved, bullied, beaten, forced to live in a house where everyone hates me and degrades me! Than i got the letter and thought maybe... maybe now i have chance to live, to be happy, to enjoy life, but nooo...
She gets empathetic look from Slytherins, Sirius and Remus. Lily and James look at her with sadness.
Anna: In first year i almost got killed by my DADA teacher, at least, three times! Faced Cerebus! Almost got choked by Devil's snare! Played real life wizard chess, where my best friend almost got killed! Faced Voldemort! Accidentally killed teacher, which everyone ignored like it's normal for eleven year old girl to kill teacher! Not traumatising AT ALL!
Everyone looked at girl with pity.
"Even we ignored it." Whispered Lily.
"We were just happy she survived. We didn't think of that." Said James.
"We should have. We are her parents!" Said Lily.
Anna: And You had all this planned! [Dumbledore tries to speak, but Anna silences him with accidental magic.]
Anna: Don't even try to deny it! You left the mirror in open, then gave me that cloak to find the mirror! Then let me get enchanted by it, so i could use it to my adventage while i fought Voldemort! Not to mention how obsticles where set by what me and Rose where best in! You set me up! [Dumbledore looks down in shame.]
Everyone glares at Dumbledore.
Anna: Oh, no, no. I'm not done! Then is second year, when people got pertified, everyone turned their backs on me and thought i was Slytherin heir, I and Rose were forced to find who was guilty to prove my innocent! Rose got pertified! I almost got eaten alive by giant spiders that live near school, where every child can get! Then my another friend got taken to chamber of secrets! I find out he was possesed by Voldemort! What did you do while all this was going on? Stay warm in your fucking office and send a damn phoenix, Because why would you bother coming down the damn chamber and help me?! No, you instead left me there, where i get crucioed by Voldemort himself, when i was only TWELVE! Than got attacked by Basilisk and almost got killed. AGAIN!!
Don't even get me started on incompetent DADA teacher who tried to obliviate me and only thing he taugh us was his favourute color! [Dumbledore buries his face in his hands, tears roll down his cheeks.]
Everyone realises how much this little girl has gone through and feel sad for Anna.
Anna: Than third year, where i amost get my soul taken with my godfather! I was only thirteen! THIRTEEN! And this was the most peaceful year! The Hogwarts was supposed to be the most safe place, but i almost got killed in this school more times then when i was in streets! I found out uncle pad's innocence, almost got eaten by werewolf and attacked by dementors, who knows how many times! Then travelled back in time to save my godfather from prison, because your old arse couldn't be bothered and had to make two thirteen year old girls do your fucking job! AGAIN! [Anna's magic is destroying everything. Potraits gap at her.]
Gryffindors can't stop crying at this point. Even Slytherins have hard time controlling emotions. Barty hides his face in Evan's neck. Evan plays with his heir.
Anna: Then fourth year, where i was forced to participate in deadly tournament! Everyone turned their backs on me like always! Had to survive the tournament to provide entertainment for people like a good little puppet! Then got kidnapped, saw how my friend died in front of me! Get cruciod by Voldemort, while death eaters laughed at me! Got saved by my parents' ghosts and got kidnapped again! And finally! Finally, you decide this time, it's worthy of moving your lazy arse! [Dumbledore gets thrown at wall.]
Everyone glares at Dumbledore.
"Should have thrown him out of the window!" Seethed Barty.
Anna: And finally, we are here! The fifth year, where i am kept in dark, i get attacked by dementors, you ignore me, You make my bully professor have a trip in my fucking head! Umbridge tries to use blood quill on me and i have to threaten her to not get tortured by DADA professor! But it doesn't stop her, because she crucio's me before i come up with idea to trick her into going to centaurs where they almost kill me and i get saved by giant. You keeping me in the dark and ignoreing me pushes me to look for Sirius myself, i and my friends almost get killed and my only family, only father figure i have ever had, dies in front of me! And then you can finally get your ass up! That's what you wanted to talk about, Professor?! [Anna's face is filled with furry. The Headmaster flinches when he looks into her eyes.]
Everyone is giving Dumbledore death glares.
[Then Dumbledore sits up and sights. He tries to be patient with Anna.]
Dumbledore: I'm sorry. You are right. It is my fault Sirius died tonight.
Anna: Well... seems like we agree on something! If you told me that Voldemort might try to lure me into the Department of Mysteries, i would never have gone there tonight. Sirius would never have gone after me. Or if you even got me the teacher who didn't hate my existance to taught me occulemency, Tommy might not have been able to get into my fucking head!
Gryffindors and Regulus are shaking with furry.
[Dumbledore looks down, looking guilty. Anna still looks furious.]
Dumbledore: You are right, Anna. I have kept things from you. Things that I should not have concealed. You had a right to know, but I put off telling you. That fault lies with me. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me one day.
"I want to punch him so much! No, i need it." Said James.
[Anna stands up, can't conceal her anger anymore.]
Anna: Don't you get it? I don't care! I don't give a fuck about your fake-ass apologies or Voldemort or prophesy or this fucking war! I don't fucking care! I lost only adult i have ever trusted! Only parental figure i have ever had! Right now I really am not in the mood to play your poster girl! The perfect soldier!
"She finally stands up for herself." Said proud Barty.
[Dumbledore looks at her calmly, which only angers her more.]
Dumbledore: Anna, I understand you're angry and I owe you this explanation, to show you the failings of an old man. [Anna looks at him in disbelief.]
"This is how he is gonna defend himself? Failing of an old man?!" Screamed Lily.
Dumbledore: Our explanation begins with your scar. You already know that it is a connection between you and Voldemort, and that this connection goes both ways. (pause) I grew worried that Voldemort would at some point discover this connection, which he did the night Mr. Weasely was attacked.
Anna: (glaring) I already know this. So can i leave now?
Dumbledore: Haven't you wondered why I haven't spoken to you, even looked at you, for months?
Anna: (annoyed) I had bigger problems.
"I love angry Anna." Said Barty.
Dumbledore: I was worried that if Voldemort discovered there was a closer relationship between us than simply between teacher and student he (pause) would use you to spy on the order. [Anna scoffs.]
"There is no closer relationship! If we don't count, how you want her as your puppet!" Said Evan.
Anna: (Sarcastiaclly) And he wouldn't do it anyway because i'm the-girl-who-lived, right?
Remus pointed at his niece.
Dumbledore: Another mistake. Voldemort showed us both tonight that his aim in possessing you would not be to destroy me, but to destroy you.
Anna: Wow. The world isn't moving around you? That's new!
Lucius and Barty chuckles.
[Dumbledore sights, but continues.]
Dumbledore: Sirius told me you believed there was a snake inside of you. This was Voldemort attempting to manipulate you. To protect you from this, I had you study Occlumency.
Anna: Yeah, you really should have thought before making your spy teach me when Voldy could get into my head whenever he wished. Expecially If this spy hates my father and me!
"Exactly!" Said James.
Dumbledore: I admit i made a mistake. I thought he could overcome his feelings towards your father, but I was wrong. Some wounds cut too deep to be healed.
Anna: He barely taught me. I always felt more open to it after the lessons.
Dumbledore: I would trust Severus Snape with my life, Anna. You have never recovered from your mistrust of him in your first year.
"Why would she trust him?!" Sneered Sirius.
Anna: He never gave me a reason to trust him. He is always glaring at students, bullies my friends and clearly hates his job. He expressed more than once how much he hates me because of my father and i'm not the only one. Sirius didn't trust him either.
Marauders nodded at her arguments.
Dumbledore: Again, some wounds run too deep to be healed, Anna. Severus and Sirius never liked each other at school. This has never changed. [Anna rolls her eyes.]
Anna: (annoyed) Can you get to the point already? I want to go!
Dumbledore: During your Occulumenoy lessons, Professor Snape discovered that you were dreaming about the door in the Department of Mysteries.
Anna: I've been dreaming about that all year, before Voldemort discovered the connection.
Dumbledore: Yes. Voldemort has been obsessed with hearing that prophesy since he returned. Because of your scar,
what he was obsessed with, you were obsessed with, in the form of dreams.(pause) Once he discovered the connection, Voldemort had little difficulty in manipulating you into thinking he had captured Sirius.
Anna: But I checked Grimmauld Place Kreacher said--
Dumbledore: Kreacher lied. He wanted you to go to the Department of Mysteries.
"I always hated that damned elf!" Said Sirius. Regulus was the one who was shocked and hurt by the Kreacher's betrayal the most.
Anna: What?
Dumbledore: Kreacher has been serving two masters for some months now. [Anna shakes her head.]
"But how?" Asked Narcissa.
Dumbledore: It appears that when Sirius told him to get out, Kreacher thought he meant out of the house. So he went to the Black's closest relatives, the Malfoys.
Anna: (her throat dry) Malfoys? [Dumbledore nods. Anna closes her eyes.]
Gryffindors turn to glare at Lucius and Narcissa. Sirius looks at Narcissa shocked and betrayed. Regulus doesn't know what to feel. He sits numb. Narcissa looks down with teary eyes.
Dumbledore: (pause) Obviously, they questioned him. relationship with you. (pause) Sirius had forbidden him from giving up important secrets. But Sirius had neglected to mention how you saw him as a mixture of father and brother, and that you would move heaven and earth to save Sirius. (pause) Voldemort knew that making you believe he had Sirius in the Department of Mysteries would force you there.
Anna: (her voice cracking) Where was Sirius when I tried to contact him?
Dumbledore: Ah. Apparently Kreacher had injured Buckbeak to distract him in case you tried to contact Headquarters. Sirius was tending to the wounds when you called. Kreacher is what wizards have made him. He is to be pitied, not hated.
"You can pity him as much as you want, after i kill him!" Said angry Sirius.
Anna: (angry) Pity is definetly not in top 3 feelings i feel toward that damn elf! Now i see why Sirius hated him.
Dumbledore: He didn't hate Kreacher himself. Kreacher was a reminder to Sirius of the home he had always hated.
Sirius looks away.
Anna: (angry) Yes, he really hated that place. And you kept him locked up in there!
Dumbledore: I was trying to save his life! [Dumbledore buries his head in his hands. Anna looks at him annoyed. The Headmaster looks up finally.]
Dumbledore: It is time to tell you what I should have five years ago. No doubt you have wondered why it was that I sent you there and not to a wizarding family? (pause) I did it for your protection. You were in more danger than anyone realized. Voldemort was defeated, but his servants were everywhere. [Anna's face remains impassive.]
"And muggles could defend her better than any of my wizard relatives?!" Scoffed James.
Dumbledore: I also knew that Voldemort would return one day. I played to his weakness. There is an ancient magic which Voldemort has always underestimated. (pause) This magic is what your mother gave you when she died. That protection would only work, however, if you were cared for by a blood relative. Your Aunt, Petunia.
Anna: She never loved me.
Dumbledore: Perhaps not. But she took you in, however grudgingly. As long as you can call your Aunt's house your home, you are protected.
Anna: That house has never been my home! Home is where your loved ones are and i don't have any loved ones there. [Dumbledore sights sadly.]
Lily looks down.
Dumbledore: Now we come to the moment of terrible truth, the moment I have dreaded for fifteen years. The moment when I must lay another burden stop your already straining shoulders. [Anna stares into his blue eyes.]
Anna: (with no emotion) Surprised.
"What does this old coot want now?! Hadn't he done enough?!" Said angry Barty.
Dumbledore: Do you remember your first year here? When you lay in the hospital wing fresh from your confrontation with Voldemort? [Anna nods.]
Dumbledore: Do you remember what you asked me that night?
Anna: I asked you why Voldemort tried to kill me.
Dumbledore: Yea. I decided not to tell you then. After all, eleven was too young for such burdens. The same went for twelve. But I was running out of excuses by thirteen and fourteen. Do you see the flaw in my plan yet?
Anna: Yes. The flaw is that you hide everything from me and send me in danger blindly.
Everyone agreed with Anna.
Dumbledore: It was never my intention, Anna. I cared about you too much. I became more concerned with your happiness and well-being than with the truth and the lives it could save. That was my greatest mistake. It was exactly what Voldemort. expects from us fools who love (pause) But I could not bear to tell you. I greater trials than any other student in the history of this have watched you pass through school, and I could not bear to add another one, the greatest one of all. [He looks at Anna, sympathy and regret etched on his face. Anna looks back at him with blank face.]
"Is he really playing the victim?" Said James in dibelief.
Dumbledore: You have no idea the pain it causes me to tell it to you, even now. But unfortunately, I must.
Anna: (annoyed) Stop playing the victim! I'm the victim here, not you! And tell me what you want quickly, before i blow the door! [Dumbledore sighs again.]
Dumbledore: The reason Voldemort tried to kill you is because of a prophesy made just before your birth. By attempting to kill you, he believed he was fulfilling the terms of the prophesy. Voldemort's mistake was that he had not heard the entire prophesy. (pause)
That is the weapon we have been guarding, and which he has been so desperately seeking: the knowledge of how to destroy you. [Anna sighs frustrated this time. Looking up at celling.]
"Why her?" Asked Lily.
Anna: Why am I so important to him?
Dumbledore: An excellent question, Anna. The answer lies in the prophesy.
Anna: It got smashed.
Dumbledore: That was not the only place the Prophesy is preserved.
[Dumbledore raises his wand to his temple and extracts a memory, placing it in the pensive. He waves his wand over it. The ghostly image of Professor Trelawney rises from the bowl.]
Trelawney: "The One with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrise defied him, born as the Seventh Month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark her as his equal, but she will have a power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.... The One with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the Seventh Month dies..." [The image of Trelawney fades. Anna looks staggered.]
Everyone seems shocked. They all excpected something like this, but to hear it... it was different.
Anna: I'm not sure I understand all of it...
Dumbledore: It means that the only person with a chance of defeating Voldemort was born at the end of July to parents who had resisted him three times before.
Anna: And... it means me?
Dumbledore: Yes.
Anna: Why didn't he wait? Why attack when i was baby?
"So you couldn't get power." Said Lucius.
Dumbledore: Voldemort had an informant listening to my meeting with Professor Trelawney. Fortunately he was discovered before he could hear the entire prophesy. Voldemort had knew was that he had to act immediately, he didn't know the rest of the prophesy. All he knew was that he had to destroy the child who would grow to be a threat to his power.
Anna: But I don't have any special powers. [Dumbledore is silent for a moment.]
Dumbledore: There is a room in the Departmens of Mysteries, which is kept locked at all times. It contains a force is that power which you have incredible amounts of and of which Voldemort has none. so wonderful and yet terrible that it is greater than death itself.
"What?" Asked Remus.
Anna: What is it?
Dumbledore: This power drove you to save tonight. It kept Voldemort from possessing you, he cannot bear to touch it. It's not your head that saved you. (pause) In the end, it was your heart and Sirius. [Anna looks away.]
"I'm happy i could help." Smiled Sirius sadly at his goddaughter.
Dumbledore: There is only the end of the prophesy which we haven't addressed. It states "neither can live while the other survives." [Anna slowly looks up at Dumbledore.]
Dumbledore: It is the final burden which I must place on you, Anna.
Anna: One of us has to kill the other... in the end. [Dumbledore nods, and there are tears misting his eyes.]
"Why her?! Why her?!" Cried Lily while hugging James, who is also crying. Narcissa looked at fellow mother empathetically.
Dumbledore: Yes. [They sit quietly together. Dumbledore softly wipes a tear from his cheek. Anna looks into Dumbledore's eyes.]
Anna: I will fight. And not for you or me. I will fight to protect those i have left and to get revenge for those who were forced to leave! (Determined) I will kill Voldemort!
"I believe her. She willl kill Voldemort! She will survive! She will! You will see it." Said Barty.