The Potter Family : Year 1

Chapter 5 ( The Rescue )

Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts

Harry tumbled out of the fireplace, the sudden stop having caused his mother to lose her grip, and straight into the firm body of somebody else, who reached out and steadied him.

"Woah, Harry," and Harry was reassured by the sound of Sirius's voice, "You okay, there?"

Harry nodded, looking over his shoulder to see her father and sister across the fireplace. Sirius's voice, once again, made him look back at him.

"Takes a bit of getting used to, doesn't it?" Harry nodded emphatically, making Sirius laugh again, just as Remus appeared through the Floo.

"So this," a soft voice came from the other side of the room, forcing Harry to whip his head around and finally examine the odd room he was in, "is Harry."

Harry was left facing an old man of questionable age, but, despite that, his eyes twinkled and Harry couldn't help but feel a great energy about him. This might have had something to do with his opulent dark blue robes, which seemed to have actual stars dancing across them. They would have seemed out of place anywhere else, but they fit in well with the richly adorned room Harry was now in.

The man moved from behind his desk walking up to Harry. Harry gave him a small smile, unsure of what he should do. He needn't have worried, though, for the man did nothing but place a weathered hand on the top of his head and sigh.

"It's been almost ten years since I saw you last, Harry." It was here that his blue eyes began to twinkle, "My, how you've grown." He removed his hand and gestured to the couches, urging the quintet to sit down.

"Sir," Harry questioned as he sat down, "you knew me when I was a baby?"

"Oh, yes," answered the man, standing in front of them "In fact, it seems like just yesterday that you four were sitting on those very couches." Harry thought she saw the twinkle in his eye vanish for a moment, but he must have imagined it for it was back, full force, a few seconds later. "But that is for another time." He smiled at him, before turning around suddenly and taking something from his desk: a small bowl.

"Lemon-drop?"

Jasmine took one, waiting for Harry to take one too.

Harry was so surprised that he visibly gaped at the man, before snapping out of it. He cautiously reached into the bowl and pulled out one of the candies, waiting to be reprimanded, as he would've been back at the Dursleys' house. When he didn't say anything, however, Harry whispered "Thank you."

None of the adults took the candy, so Dumbledore placed the bowl on his desk (but not before taking one for himself). He took a seat on the couch opposite them.

"Now, Harry," he began, "I am sure you are wondering who I am." Harry looked up at him from the lemon drop he was currently unwrapping because, as it turned out, that had been exactly what he had been wondering.

"I," he continued, "am Professor Albus Dumbledore. I am the headmaster here, at Hogwarts."

"Oh," Harry wasn't sure what else to say to this. Of all the things he was expecting Professor Dumbledore to be, he was not expecting him to be an eccentric-looking old man. "It's nice to meet you, sir."

"I will not waste your time with pleasantries," said Dumbledore, speaking not only to Harry, who was now sucking happily on his candy, but to the entire room, "I am sure you would all like to be on your way home."

"Actually, Albus," requested James, in a tone that offered no room for argument, "We were hoping to have Madam Pomfrey have a look at him before we leave. Is she here?"