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hat it was to be young： and I seem to have forgotten； lately：'
The sun was rising properly now； there was a rim of dazzling orange visible over the mountains and the sky above it was colourless and bright。 The light fell upon Dumbledore； upon the silver of his eyebrows and beard； upon the lines gouged deeply into his face。
'I guessed； fifteen years ago；' said Dumbledore； 'when I saw the scar on your forehead； what it might mean。 I guessed that it might be the sign of a connection forged between you and Voldemort。'
'You've told me this before； Professor；' said Harry bluntly。 He did not care about being rude。 He did not care about anything very much any more。
'Yes；' said Dumbledore apologetically。 'Yes； but you see … it is necessary to start with your scar。 For it became apparent； shortly after you rejoined the magical world； that I was correct； and that your scar was giving you warnings when Voldemort was close to you； or else feeling powerful emotion。'
'I know；' said Harry wearily。
'And this ability of yours … to detect Voldemort's presence； even when he is disguised； and to know what he is feeling when his emotions are roused … has bee more and more pronounced since Voldemort returned to his own body and his full powers。'
Harry did not bother to nod。 He knew all of this already。
'More recently' said Dumbledore； 'I became concerned that Voldemort might realise that this connection between you exists。 Sure enough； there came a time when you entered so far into his mind and thoughts that he sensed your presence。 I am speaking； of course； of the night when you witnessed the attack on Mr Weasley'
'Yeah； Snape told me；' Harry muttered。
'Professor Snape； Harry' Dumbledore corrected him quietly。 'But did you not wonder why it was not I who explained this to you？ Why I did not teach you Occlumency？ Why I had not so much as looked at you for months？'
Harry looked up。 He could see now that Dumbledore looked sad and tired。
'Yeah；' Harry mumbled。 'Yeah； I wondered。'
'You see；' Dumbledore continued； 'I believed it could not be long before Voldemort attempted to force his way into your mind； to manipulate and misdirect your thoughts； and I was not eager to give him more incentives to do so。 I was sure that if he realised that our relationship was … or had ever been … closer than that of headmaster and pupil； he would seize his chance to use you as a means to spy on me。 I feared the uses to which he would put you； the possibility that he might try and possess you。 Harry； I believe I was right to think that Voldemort would have made use of you
in such a way。 On those rare occasions when we had close contact； I thought I saw a shadow of him stir behind your eyes：
Harry remembered the feeling that a dormant snake had risen in him； ready to strike； in those moments when he and Dumbledore had made eye…contact。
'Voldemort's aim in possessing you； as he demonstrated tonight； would not have been my destruction。 It would have been yours。 He hoped； when he possessed you briefly a short while ago； that I would sacrifice you in the hope of killing him。 So you see； I have been trying； in distancing myself from you； to protect you； Harry。 An old man's mistake：'
He sighed deeply。 Harry was letting the words wash over him。 He would have been so interested to know all this a few months ago； but now it was meaningless pared to the gaping chasm inside him that was the loss of Sirius； none of it mattered：
'Sirius told me you felt Voldemort awake inside you the very night that you had the vision of Arthur Weasley's attack。 I knew at once that my worst fears were correct： Voldemort had realised he could use you。 In an attempt to arm you against Voldemort's assaults on your mind； I arranged Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape。'
He paused。 Harry watched the sunlight； which was sliding slowly across the polished surface of Dumbledore's desk； illuminate a silver ink pot and a handsome scarlet quill。 Harry could tell that the portraits all around them were awake and listening raptly to Dumbledore's explanation； he could hear the occasional rustle of robes； the slight clearing of a throat。 Phineas Nigellus had still not returned：
'Professor Snape discovered；' Dumbledore resumed； 'that you had been dreaming about the door to the Department of Mysteries for months。 Voldemort； of course； had been obsessed with the possibility of hearing the prophecy ever since he regained his body； and as he dwelled on the door； so did you； though you did not know what it meant。
'And then you saw Rockwood； who worked in the Department of Mysteries before his arrest； telling Voldemort what we had known all along …that the prophecies held in the Ministry of Magic are
heavily protected。 Only the people to whom they refer can lift them from the shelves without suffering madness： in this case； either Voldemort himself would have to enter the Ministry of Magic； and risk revealing himself at last … or else you would have to take it for him。 It became a matter of even greater urgency that you should master Occlumency'。
'But I didn't；' muttered Harry。 He said it aloud to try and ease the dead weight of guilt inside him： a confession must surely relieve some of the terrible pressure squeezing his heart。 'I didn't practise； I didn't bother； I could've stopped myself having those dreams； Hermione kept telling me to do it； if I had he'd never have been able to show me where to go； and … Sirius wouldn't … Sirius wouldn't … '
Something was erupting inside Harry's head： a need to justify himself； to explain …
'I tried to check he'd really taken Sirius； I went to Umbridge's office； I spoke to Kreacher in the fire and he said Sirius wasn't there； he said he'd gone！'
'Kreacher lied；' said Dumbledore calmly。 'You are not his master； he could lie to you without even needing to punish himself。 Kreacher intended you to go to the Ministry of Magic。'
'He … he sent me on purpose？'
'Oh yes。 Kreacher； I am afraid； has been serving more than one master for months。'
'How？' said Harry blankly。 'He hasn't been out of Grimmauld Place for years。'
'Kreacher seized his opportunity shortly before Christmas；' said Dumbledore； 'when Sirius； apparently； shouted at him to 〃get out〃。 He took Sirius at his word； and interpreted this as an order to leave the house。 He went to the only Black family member for whom he had any respect left： Black's cousin Narcissa； sister of Bellatrix and wife of Lucius Malfoy'
'How ＇ЧМВ1＇do you know all this？' Harry said。 His heart was beating very fast。 He felt sick。 He remembered worrying about Kreacher's odd absence over Christmas； remembered him turning up again in the attic：
'Kreacher told me last night；' said Dumbledore。 'You see； when you gave Professor Snape that cryptic warning； he realised that you had had a vision of Sirius trapped in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries。 He； like you； attempted to contact Sirius at once。 I should explain that members of the Order of the Phoenix have more reliable methods of municating than the fir