"And how do you know this? Did you monitor every single time someone defied Voldemort?" Hermione pushed. "I find it very coincidental that both sets of parents you mentioned were in your Order in the last war. Of course you would know about them, but did you actually monitor every single family in the country? What about muggles. For all you know there is a muggleborn out there whose parents escaped Voldemort's attacks three times or even a muggle himself."
"I assure you that the prophecy is about Harry," Dumbledore replied. "The proof is on his forehead."
"His scar? Nowhere in the prophecy does it say it's a physical mark. Neville was just as marked by Voldemort's followers when they all but killed his parents. He has mental scars that will never leave him."
"Nevertheless it was Voldemort himself who marked Harry as the prophecy stated," Dumbledore argued.
"I think you are self-fulfilling this prophecy sir," Hermione said.
"Wait…" Harry said as if a thought had struck him. "If Voldemort doesn't know about the prophecy, then why did he kill my parents?"
"Ah yes," Dumbledore replied. I look of sadness appeared on his lined face. "There was a young man who took it upon himself to eavesdrop upon Sybill and my conversation that evening. He was a servant of Voldemort at the time. I was fortunate that he only heard the first part, the part that said someone in July that had thrice defied Voldemort. Tom never knew that there may be danger in attacking you..."
"YOU WERE FORTUNATE?" Harry yelled. He had missed Dumbledore saying it the last time, but now knowing the whole story; it hit him hard hearing those words. "It was fortunate that he has a reason to kill my parents?"
"Harry that's not what I meant..."
"But it's exactly what you said sir," Hermione replied. "If the eavesdropper had heard the entire prophecy, Voldemort would have never attacked the Potters. In fact he might have stopped attacking most people in fear of setting off the prophecy. The year the child was to be born was not set in the prophecy so until Harry was marked as you say, the child could have been anyone."
"Miss Granger you are taking a few words and trying to build an argument; you should know better."
"No sir, because a lot of things are now making sense," She replied. "Tell me sir, why did it take an entire year before the Potters went into hiding? If I remember correctly from overhearing the Minister during our third year, they were killed only a week after they went under the Fidelius Charm. That would have been eighteen months at least after the prophecy."
"They were in hiding on my first birthday," Harry reminded his wife. "Remember the letter that mum wrote Sirius."
"They went into hiding as soon as I knew that Voldemort had specifically targeted them," Dumbledore replied with a hint annoyance in his voice. "I also don't appreciate your insinuation that I was withholding protection from the Potters. James and Lily Potter were not the type of people to hide when a war was going on. To answer your question though, at first they moved around. It wasn't until later I found a reference to the Fidelius Charm and suggested they use it. I offered to cast it or be the secret keeper, but Lily insisted she would be the one to cast it. She spent a month learning the charm before they finally performed it. They told me Sirius was going to be the secret keeper and you know how that came out."
"But didn't Peter have to tell you where their home was once it was done?"
"No. I was told the same way you were of Grimmauld place Harry, by the written note," Dumbledore said. "It was handed to me by Sirius to further the illusion that he was the Secret Keeper."
Harry wanted to press about Snape so he asked the next question. "You've told me my mother gave her life to save me."
"She did," Dumbledore replied.
"But why was she able to? Voldemort had killed my father so why was he going to spare my mother?"
Harry had to give the old wizard credit; he didn't choke on his lemon drop. Though it was possible he had finished it by then. Harry was sure though, the sour look that came and went on the Headmaster's face was not related to muggle candy. "I'm sure he had a good reason," Dumbledore replied.
"So he never confided his reasons to Snape?" Harry pressed.
"I'm sure you must understand what Severus garners from Voldemort is not a topic we can discuss," The Headmaster replied. "Now shall we continue with what happened?"
"Nice change of topics there," Harry said to Hermione. "Yes, of course sir."
Albus nodded before continuing. "As I said, I heard the prophecy and Voldemort found out about the first part. When I discovered that Riddle was targeting your family, they started hiding and eventually they performed the Fidelius Charm. You know what happened that night..."
"Actually after my parents died what did happen?" Harry asked. "Minerva mentioned that Hagrid brought me on Sirius' motorcycle but it seems like it took a whole day. Though with you changing her memories and the fact it seems to have taken so long, I don't think that's the truth."
"Come to think of it sir, how did people know that Voldemort was gone, and that it was Harry who did it so soon after it happened? I mean Harry was taken directly from his parents' house to the Dursleys. How did the wizarding world find out about Harry and his scar?"
Dumbledore's head rose as he stared at a spot on the wall well above Harry's head for several seconds. Finally as if an internal decision had been made he lowered his gaze back to Harry and Hermione. "Here's what really happened that night, but I ask that you not repeat it to anyone."
"Why?" Harry asked. "So you won't get caught in your fabrications?"
"I've only done what I've had to for the Greater Good. Surely you must understand that the good of society must come before the good of the individual?"
"But who decides what is considered good sir?" Hermione asked. "In all of history it has been proven that individuals will gladly make sacrifices for the benefit of society, but those same individuals are unwilling to be sacrificed."
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