Dark Lord Dumbledore

"Harry!"

Hearing his name, he looked up to see Hermione holding today's Daily Prophet and rushing towards the Ravenclaw table. Neville was following behind her but only at a fast walking pace, his upbringing shining through and not allowing him to run in the dining hall.

As if Hermione shouting his name had broken the spell, everyone that had either been intensely reading the paper or excitedly discussing the scandal suddenly realised they were sitting near the boy that was directly affected by the circ.u.mstances they were so engrossed in.

If Harry had not known this would happen, then he may have been caught off guard by the sudden attention of hundreds of people. As it was, even forewarned and having the mind of an a.d.u.l.t, he still became a little bashful under everyone's pitying looks.

It wasn't like he had stage fright or was overwhelmed by crowds, it was just slightly embarrassing to have so many people pity him while he was the one that had engineered the entire situation. If he was not a master at Occlumency, he might not have been able to pull it off at all and accidentally let out a smirk!

As it was, the slight hunching of his shoulders and bowing of his head to hide his face was mistaken for whatever emotion they thought he should be feeling. He couldn't care less what feeling they believed he was enduring, as long as they didn't know he was amused by the whole situation.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" Hermione asked, trying to show her support.

The question was somewhat redundant because if he was not 'ok', there was nothing she could do about it. Unless she felt the sick need to know when he was feeling sad to make herself feel better about herself. Since Harry knew she was just empathising with him, he said what nearly everyone in his position would.

"I'm fine, Hermione, but thanks for asking. Since I started researching about my parents and what happened that night, I had always thought something was off. Ms Skeeter has just confirmed my suspicions, and now I owe her even more of a debt." He replied, trying to sound bummed out.

"Sorry that you had to find out about it this way, mate." Neville added, trying his best to console his only male friend.

"Thanks, Nevile. Don't worry about it, this is good news even if it is confirming my suspicions that someone has been manipulating my life."

"You really think so?" Gasped Hermione.

Looking around and seeing everyone straining their ears to hear the conversation with his two trusted minions, Harry decided to throw them a bone and use it as an excuse to leave at the same time.

"Absolutely! My sole guardian in the magic world that was left alive is suddenly falsely imprisoned, and I was hidden away without anyone ever looking for me? Come on, let's go to class early, I don't feel like eating anymore."

Since he had been training his two loyal minions thoroughly, they both nodded their heads in agreement and rushed to get their book bags from the Gryffindor table. It was lucky Ravenclaw and Gryffindor shared History of Magic for the first period today.

As Harry stood to leave the table, the Ravenclaws also offered their sympathies. Over the last four months, he had done his best to at least be friendly to every one of his housemates, even if he didn't have the same relationship with them as Neville and Hermione did.

He didn't need Ron's accusations from earlier in the year to resurface and cause him problems. Thanking them, he glanced at the teacher's table as he walked to the Dining Hall's exit where his minions waited.

It seems that Dumbledore either couldn't withstand McGonagall's withering stare or needed to get to the Ministry to find out what the hell was going on. He was also leaving breakfast early.

The investigation into Harry's childhood was still ongoing, but he had not heard anything regarding its progress. Then again, he was talking about the same organisation that had magical ways of making people tell the truth yet still let people walk free under weak arse excuses.

But considering books had been written about his supposed childhood escapades of killing Voldemort, there was clear evidence that information had been leaked somehow. Harry just figured it would take them a year or two to use their brains to put the facts together.

Hell, all they had to figure out was how did everyone even know about the lightning-bolt shaped scar that mimicked the wand movements of the Killing Curse? If no one in the Ministry of Magic knew what happened to baby Harry, then how did everyone know the events of that night?

They were practically out in the streets celebrating even as Hagrid was delivering Harry to the Privet Drive! Was this why Dumbledore didn't show up at Godric's Hollow himself? Was he delivering the news of Voldemort's downfall and the Potter's death?

He had, after all, not even bothered to show up to investigate where Voldemort had been killed! The whole reason that the Order of the Phoenix was created, the leader of the group they were at war with, had been defeated, and he sends the groundkeeper that can't even legally perform magic?

Unfortunately for Dumbledore, there were just too many rumours about his involvement in Harry's life, and it was just a matter of time before the Purebloods tried to shift the blame onto him to keep the public from hating the Ministry of Magic. Maybe that was why he sent Hagrid in the first place?

To give himself an alibi and a sacrificial patsy at the same time! The sheep of the wizarding world quickly jumped to conclusions after all. With Dumbledore's influence, it would be easy to misdirect their focus onto a halfbreed that has been banned from using magic.

Still, when every wizard and witch thought Harry Potter was living in a castle and being trained by the Great Leader of Light, it would be hard to change their minds, and some suspicion will still fall on him. Even more so when Sirius finally got a trial and retold the Wizengamot of what happened that night.

Harry didn't think it would be long before Dumbledore realised this and had to once again modify Hagrid's memories to suit his plans. If Sirius Black dropped the bombshell that he had handed over the Boy-Who-Lived to a forceful Hagrid acting on Dumbledore's orders, Albus would be looking like quite the villain.

As the trio of first-years walked to where History of Magic was taught, Harry proceeded to reassure Neville and Hermione that he was fine. Since he had taken them under his wing, they had become loyal followers and practically worshipped the ground he walked on.

This had been the first time that perfect Harry Potter had shown any sort of predicament, and they were quick to try and repay the gratitude they felt from him saving them from a friendless life. In their view, their saviour needed their support, and they could only let him know they were there for him.

"Really, I'm fine guys! I'm just thinking about how else the person responsible for kidnapping me manipulated my life." Harry reassured them after continued prodding at his silence as they walked Hogwart's halls.

"What do you mean" asked Neville confused.

"Well, if the Ministry was not involved in placing me with the Dursleys, how did they know I had a scar on my forehead and that I was responsible for You-Know-Who's downfall?"

Hermione's draw dropped so low that it reminded Harry of the exaggerated way cartoon characters showed their emotions.

"Oh, My, God! I never thought about that! You're in Modern Magical History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century! But it never said who witnessed the event, just what happened! How could I have missed this?" The bibliophile questioned, as much to herself as to Harry and Nevile.

Of course, Harry wasn't going to point out that she had probably been negatively affected by the concentrated ambient magic of Hogwarts. Telling her that would just make her paranoid and possibly tumble onto the fact that he had been training her into the perfect minion.

Instead, he just supplied her with an answer that would further show himself as a person worthy of her worship. "It has been a working theory of mine for a while now, but I didn't want to say anything just in case the person responsible for my misery would find out. But you and Neville are my best friends, and I trust you more than anyone!"

Both Hermione and Neville blushed at the show of trust, well aware of how much Harry had done for them. It was not unfair to say that both owed their happiness solely to Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived!

He supplied a few more answers to the duo's questions until falling into a comfortable silence as they slowly walked through the magical halls of Hogwarts. There was no rush to get to class after all, as breakfast had yet to end.

When Harry had seen his two minion's emotions so clearly portrayed on their faces, he couldn't help but think about all the hard work he had done to get to this point.

It would have been so much easier to modify their memories with Legilimency, but Dumbledore was sure to read their minds. Besides, it gave him something to do in school since he already thoroughly knew the coursework.

Although Harry had taken Neville under his wing, he had not been trying to make the boy self-sufficient. All of the boy's confidence had been engineered to centre around Harry as the leader. He had slowly but surely fashioned Nevile's personal creed into doing his best to repay Harry's kindness in any way he could for befriending a squib like him.

When Neville had shown a sufficient amount of gratitude for Harry's friendship and tutoring, Harry had asked him about his wand's characteristics. Nevile, being the isolated and attention-starved boy he was, quickly gave his sob story about it being his dads, and his failure to live up to his Gran's expectations.

"Nevile, though I congratulate you on bypassing magical law by having a wand without the Trace on it, you are being silly by using a wand not suited for you. You can still honour the memory of your father by using it as a backup wand and not hindering your spellcasting."

Before Neville could splutter out some childish dribble about his dad's wand being good enough for him, Harry shut him down with facts from Ollivander about a wand choosing the wizard and that compatibility was different for everyone. Then he dealt the finishing blow.

"Just look at Ronald Weasley, he uses his brother's old wand, and look at how terrible his spellcasting is! He is more likely to curse himself than his target! Just because he can use it, doesn't mean he is compatible with it.

Besides, why not use this opportunity to get a new wand, so you have two? Then you can keep your dad's wand safe from harm. Draco already destroyed your Remembrall, what if he breaks that as well? Better to have it safe in a wrist holder and only use it when needed."

Neville had quickly been made to see sense and sent an owl to his Gran to explain his situation. Predictably, she had written a scathing reply that would have normally browbeat Neville into doing as he was told if he had not intervened.

Harry had asked for the letter when Neville tried to back out from getting a new wand and had then destroyed all of her arguments and put-downs one by one to the disparaged boy. He had even coaxed out the couple of times when his great-uncle Algie tried to kill him to prove he was a squib.

From there, it was a simple matter to convince the Heir of House Longbottom that he was majorly being taken advantage of by his relatives. He had even compared Neville's problems to his own situation.

Safe to say, Neville Longbottom had his eyes 'opened' from then on and viewed Harry as the only role model he could trust. Especially when Harry had snuck the boy out of Hogwarts through a secret passage. They used the Floo Network in Hogsmeade to get to Ollivander's shop. A new wand later, and the boy's self-esteem was significantly boosted.

Hermione's training was much more straightforward as he had done most of the hard work the day he recruited her. It was just a simple matter of pointing out all of the teachers' failings, breaking any respect she had for authority figures. His tutoring on their schoolwork had nearly turned him into her rival instead of a leader, but Harry was quick to shut that down.

"Hermione, if you only view me as a rival, then why would I bother to spend my time helping you? I am not some m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t Sith Lord teaching a padawan so they can one day be killed by them to complete their training!

I spend time with you because I thought we were friends, but if you are only using me so you can beat me in class then I have severely misjudged you!"

Even though people's opinion of her had considerably improved for the better, Harry was still her only friend besides Neville. And if Harry broke all ties with her, she was smart enough to realise Neville would as well. The tears came quickly, and her stuttered apology was quite heartfelt.

As a man with a fully m.a.t.u.r.ed mind, it was rather easy to manipulate a child. Especially when he was in the guise of an innocent child himself, it cut out any of the mistrust a grown-up would have to face for ulterior motives. Though he did feel a bit like being a member of the Huddersfield grooming gang.

This was why he prefered using magic. Not only was it easier, quicker, and more efficient, it didn't make him feel like a paedo! Though both methods were deplorable, magic was the only method that distanced him from most of the morality issues.

The equivalent would be the different effect on a person's state of mind from shooting someone from a distance or butchering them up close with a knife.

One way was quick, clean and only took a second of determination to pull a trigger, the other was feeling the knife tear through flesh and hearing your victim scream in pain as you looked them in the eyes. Not to mention that you were very likely to be covered in their blood to continually remind you of your horrendous deeds.

Then again, this only mattered if you were operating under general social values like the majority of the populace. It was regularly proven that those that didn't have to worry about the repercussions of their actions, end up wealthy or with positions of power. Purebloods being the most obvious example of this.

Being a reincarnator in a fictional world had vastly changed his social values and morality. Harrison Chad Peverell was not going to become some self-flagellating hero and limit himself by acting similar to a self-righteous, sanctimonious idiot like Batman.

The so-called heroes are always catching the same murderous criminals knowing that they will eventually break out again from the low-security prison they end up in. Just to kill and harm more innocent people.

Then they have the audacity to attack vigilantes that want to kill the repeat violent felons, and label the vigilantes as criminals! All while being vigilantes themselves!

It was incredibly retarded, and Harry was never going to make that mistake. He always laughed when he read self insert fanfiction, where the main character wanted to be a righteous hero.

The British wizarding community was already in shambles because the Government unknowingly followed the catch and release strategy of Bruce Wayne! Both Gotham and Magical Britain would be better off if they permanently took out the trash.

Harry shook himself from his nostalgia induced rant when he noticed his minions once again giving him worried looks. Luckily, they had more tack than Ronald 'McDonald' Weasley and had held off from peppering him with stupid questions.

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