It almost worked.
Landing his broom and announcing, "We have a huge problem," distracted the assembled crowd… at least for a little while.
Harry related the news Sasha had provided. The awakening of the Unseelie due to Voldemort's ritual had caused all of the Purebloods in the room to go pale. The legends of the Fae were deeply rooted in the popular culture of the magical world. Where the mundane world had any of the same legends, the magical versions of those stories were more detailed since the magic was more understood. And while some of the Fae's weaker relatives and mixed breed types had remained in the human world, the modern Wizarding world had never faced the power of the true members of the Unseelie Court. There was also the fact that if the magical government had a problem accepting Harry's news of Voldemort's return even with evidence of his memories and the supposedly long dead Barty Crouch Jr's body, what was the likelihood of their acceptance based on the word of a basilisk?
The discussion turned to the possibility of the Unseelie Court supporting Voldemort, even superficially. Ron asked hopefully if that would bring the Seelie Court in on their side.
"I would not expect so," Dumbledore answered gently. "The Fae do not see reality as a human would. Their logic is not nearly the same. We may say, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend,' the Fae would not think the same. Supporting Tom may do nothing for the Unseelie's goals except provide a bit of fun. So the Seelie Court may just ignore our little war as they work towards their own goals."
The conversation continued for a bit longer until McGonagall ended it saying, "We can continue this in the morning when we are well rested and not standing in a girls' bathroom. Children, go to your dorms now." As he turned to leave, Harry supressed a smile for getting away without a lecture from the girls, Dumbledore or McGonagall over sneaking down to the Chamber.
Surprisingly, it was Sirius that brought Harry's hopes crashing down.
"Just a moment, professor," Sirius said. He turned and faced Harry. "While I agree that what you just told us was incredibly important, can I say also how incredibly stupid it was to go down there alone?" Sirius asked in a very calm voice that hid nothing about how angry the dog animagus really was.
"I had to go!" Harry protested. "Sasha wouldn't have talked to anyone else! I had to do something. I was the only one she would - or could - talk to!"
Sirius stepped up to stand a pace away from Harry. He looked Harry right in the eyes and said, "You are absolutely right. We needed her information and you were the only one on our side she could speak to." Harry started to feel a bit vindicated but then Sirius continued.
"However, nothing said you had to do it alone. That was your assumption. If something had happened down there, you would have had no back-up. We couldn't have opened the Chamber to help you even if we knew you needed help!
"You say Sasha wouldn't have talked with us in the Chamber. Did she tell you that?" In his shock, Harry could only twitch his head no. "So, you assumed it. Fine, let's assume that you were right and she wouldn't have talked with us there. What would have stopped you from taking a Crystal and a Portkey along so we could make sure you were safe? I could have waited at the bottom of the entrance with a silenced rooster to back you up if it had been a trap!
"Think about this. The basilisk has to feed. With her size, that means something substantial. We know she can move around the castle so it's not a stretch to think she hunts in the Forest. If she can get out and back that way, it is logical to say someone else, a certain parseltongue on the other side maybe, could get in that way. You could have walked merrily down there to find Voldemort and all his toadies waiting for you."
Harry was feeling a bit bewildered. He never been yelled at like this before. It was a strange experience. He'd been yelled at before, mostly by teachers or Petunia. But this was different. Sirius's words were calm and serious but it was easy to hear the emotion under them: fear, anger, and relief.
Sirius paused for a second to take a breath. No one said a word as they watched the former Azkaban captive and notorious prankster. Finally, in a calm, measured voice, the older wizard said, "Harry, I know you have never had anyone watching out for you before. And I know you are stupidly powerful for your age and even a bloody Alpha. You are even one of the most responsible and mature fifteen year-olds I have ever met. However, you cannot keep taking these stupid, Gryffindor risks! Use that brain you have and think! If you keep depending on luck and your gut to get you through everything then one day that luck will run out. Think about how I ended up being kept out of your life for eleven years. Do you want that?" Sirius maintained eye contact long enough for Harry to realize just how serious Sirius was. Harry nodded his understanding. Sirius returned the nod solemnly.
"Good. We'll talk about your punishment tomorrow once I've cooled off and the adrenalin from my fear is gone." With that, Sirius turned and walked to the door of the bathroom. However, he had one last thought before walking out followed by Remus who was smirking a bit.
"I swore to your parents that I would make sure you were raised right and had a good life. I failed them that night to keep that promise. Never again. I want Lily to know that. That way if you get yourself killed doing something stupid it will be you getting the rough side of her tongue for the next millennia and not me. Trust me, Lily makes you pay for your mistakes for a long time."
The room was silent for a bit. Harry glanced around and saw looks of smug satisfaction on Padma, Daphne, and Hermione's faces. Ron and Ernie just looked amused and glad it hadn't been them. Dumbledore did the twinkling eye thing, but it was McGonagall that caught Harry's attention. She looked… gratified.
When she noticed Harry's glance she stepped forward. In her brusque Scottish accent, she said, "It is nice to know that even the most undisciplined student can grow up and become a responsible adult. I don't know if it was that horrible place or marriage and parenthood that finally did it but it finally took hold. You, Mr Potter, should take note. You have a parent - or parents - now that love you. Mrs. Black was so upset at your disappearance Madam Pomfrey gave her a Calming Potion to prevent distress to her pregnancy." Harry couldn't help but wince at that.
The Transfiguration Professor continued, "You now have the parents which you should have had this whole time. That man would die for you without a moment's hesitation. How would you have felt if one of your family had gone off to do something dangerous and deliberately left you without a way to assist them? I believe Mr Black would have happily accepted another ten years in Azkaban then go through tonight again. And you put him, Remus, and all of your friends through that.
"Now, return to your dorm. I believe I will allow Mr and Mrs Black to determine your punishment." That sounded rather dire to Harry. "All of you, on your way now."
The girls left first but Padma first wrapped Harry into a fierce hug. Into his ear she whispered, "If you get yourself killed, I only hope your mum will leave me something to chew on when I finally get there." Then she was gone leaving Harry feeling the wet traces of her tears on his cheek.
"Come on, mate," Ron said as he clapped Harry on the shoulder. "It won't feel a bad in the morning."
"I don't know," Ernie disagreed. "That might just be the start of round two."
"I know," Ron agreed. "I thought Mum was bad, but Sirius was something else. She just yells. Sirius actually made sense. And then McGonagall on top of that! Plus the girls haven't really had their go at him yet."
Harry trailed along behind his friends as they discussed the night's events like spectators after a Quidditch match. He knew they were enjoying themselves at his expense. But he didn't really care.
Where most teenagers would have been furious at the dressing down he'd just received, he also realized Sirius was right. There were safer and better ways of handling going down to talk to Sasha. (Honestly, Harry never even thought of talking to Sirius about Sasha's invitation.) But that wasn't the key factor for Harry. For the first time, he'd been yelled at by a parent . Not by a teacher concerned only that he'd broken a rule or for being a 'freak' like with the Dursleys, but by a parent. Sirius's only concern was for Harry's safety and well-being.
It felt… nice.
...
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