"Harry Potter Makes His Own Destiny"

Chapter 5 "Price Of The Mistake"

Hagrid was watching Harry sleep when Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey walked in. "Hello Hagrid" Dumbledore whispered, "How long has he been asleep?"

"About 15 minutes, but he slept most of the time since I got him from the Dursleys."

"Hagrid, let us retreat to the hall while Poppy examines him, I need more information."

"About time, I can already tell this boy needs medical attention, I'll be sure that he doesn't wake up." Madame Pomfrey said shooing them out.

"I'm suprised to see you parting with Norbert, Hagrid."

"Me too, but Harry's had a rough time and needs him more than me." Hagrid replied.

"Good man Hagrid, now I need to know more about that."

"Well sir, I think that maybe it was a mistake leaving him with the Dursleys."

"Yes, well, the only way for the protection spell to work was to leave him with family, and they were the only family he had."

"With all due respect, Professor, there was no one to protect him from Vernon Dursley."

"It was that bad, then, was it?"

"Yes it was Sir, I've never seen you make a mistake this big."

"Ah yes, well Hagrid, I've never claimed to be perfect, I have made mistakes before just like everyone else, I usually try to not make the same mistake twice, I find I prefer to make new and inventive ones, alas," he sighs, the weight of the world settling on his shoulders, "this time an innocent has paid the price, I would rather that I paid it myself."

"Professor, do you still want me to get the package from Gringott's?" Hagrid asked.

"No Hagrid, I'll go once we've ascertained Harry's status, I know how you hate those cart rides." Dumbledore said with a wide grin.

"You can come in now" Madame Pomfrey said from inside the room. Hagrid and Dumbledore walked in to find a very angry looking healer glaring at Dumbledore.

"Oh dear," Dumbledore said solemnly, "exactly how bad is it Poppy?"

"Well, his leg and arm were broken recently and never set, I was able to fix that easliy with magickal casts which will take some time to do their job, after which, they will fall off. I suppose we should all be grateful that he's never had any broken bones before this. Now these," and she held up Harry's shirt showing several small scars and quite a few bruises in differing degrees of healing, "will take some time to fade away, and I imagine the mental scars that would accompany this kind of abuse may never fade completely. He has a slight concussion and is also suffering from malnutrition. I can't believe you put Harry with such people Albus, and more, how could you not check up on him to be sure of his safety?" Poppy said not realizing she was getting a little loud, and Harry had woke up but kept his eyes closed realizing they were talking about him.

Dumbledore was standing there shaking his head, "you're absolutely right, it was a stupid mistake Poppy, one which I'll never forgive myself for. I was only concerned with Voldemort. I thought I could trust Lily's sister to watch out for Harry's basic needs. I should've checked on him. I quess I'm getting too old for this, I just hope I have the strength to see it through."

"Now don't be talkin like that," Hagrid said, "you're still useful and we still need you."

"What will be will be my friend, you can't stop the circle of life, things must die for new things to be born. Now I have try to make up it."

"HOW do you expect to make up for this?!" Harry said before he could think, startling everyone, even Dumbledore. Harry glanced at Hagrid to see if he'd gone to far. "You were supposed to be my mother's friend, why didn't you check on me." Harry's voice got progressively louder. Harry continued not waiting for Dumbledore to answer his question, "Do you really understand what I went through? Do you have any clue? Every time I asked about my parents, I got slapped, I was never treated as a member of the family, I was their damn servant, do the cooking, do the dishes, do the cleaning. You see this shirt, it was my cousin Dudley's, I've never had anything new in my life." Harry stands up on his bed before Madame Pomfrey can stop him, and glares straight into Dumbledore's eyes, "my uncle encouraged Dudley to use me as a punching bag to practise bullying people, and no one tried to stop it. I may only be eleven, but it seems to me that the so called boy-who-lived might be thought of enough to be checked on to be sure he was alright."

Dumbledore stands there looking very old and worn, "of course, you're right, I was afraid if I sent anyone to look in on you they would be followed, that one of Voldemort's people would find a way to finish the job he started. I know that's cold comfort considering what you went through. I never dreamed it was that bad." You have every right to be bitter and to hate me. Nothing I could say could make this any better. Please tell what I could do to help you now."

"I don't hate you sir, I don't even know you. I just want the hurting to stop. How could relatives treat me like that. Where it really hurts is in here," Harry said as he pointed to his chest, "I don't know what to do, and then I remember my mum and dad from my dreams, and I know that I can make it." Harry said as he started to sob quietly. Then he stopped and got a look of fierce determination in his eyes and said "alright, enough of me blubbering, I need to get out of this funk and this bed and do something more useful. Can we go get my stuff for school. Also, I know nothing of the wizarding world, and I would like get a few extra books. May I have a look around to experience it a little first hand before I go to school? If this Voldemort disappeared after he tried to kill me, I imagine people will be staring at me. Oh," he added with a little laugh, "and if you really want to help me, maybe you can teach me a few extra tricks that aren't normally taught. I want to be able to defend myself against ole Voldy and his cronies, maybe even uncle Vernon next time he takes swing at me." Harry said the last part with a mischevious smile and a sly twinkle in his sparkling green eyes.

Madame Pomfrey and Hagrid were floored, and Dumbledore stood there, as a smile slowly crept across his face, "Well done Harry, at least they didn't break your spirit." Now it's was Harry's turn to be floored.

Dumbledore looked at Madame Pomfrey, "Well then, Poppy, you can head back, Harry is obviously out of danger. Hagrid you can wait here if you like and I'll take our Harry to Gringott's but then I'll have to get back myself. Can you get help get him situated."

Harry had expected Dumbledore to at least be a little angry, he was ready for that. But the way Dumbledore handled this immediately earned Harry's respect, also, he liked the way Dumbledore said 'our Harry'. He was beginning to feel the wizarding world, not the muggle world, was really where he belonged.

"Harry, Make sure you get plenty of rest before term starts, I want you healed as much as possible before I see you again. I want you in my office right after the welcoming feast. You need to eat more, you are terribly undernourished." Madame Pompfrey said and then she left. Hagrid went to go have a cuppa with Tom while Harry and Dumbledore went to Gringotts.