Shattered Souls • Hedric

Chapter Seventeen

Dumbledore was at the Burrow because he no longer had access to Grimmauld Place. He didn't know what was going on with Sirius and Remus but he hadn't heard from them in almost a week. He knew they blamed him for Harry's incarceration and running from the wizarding world. It was his fault. He should have known better, he should have known that Harry could have never hurt another living being. He could have kept Harry from going to Azkaban but he didn't. He was so upset and disappointed in Harry that he pushed for life in Azkaban. He did protest when Amos demanded the Dementors kiss. He wished he knew what Amos had been doing to Harry while he was in Azkaban.

Dumbledore was brainstorming with Arthur, Molly, Tonks and Kingsley. They had to find a way to track Harry down and bring him home. Sirius and Remus weren't the only ones blaming Dumbledore for everything that happened to Harry, most of wizarding Britain were also against him. Harry was their icon, their perfect little prince. They seemed to forget that they too were screaming for Harry to get the kiss and calling him the next Dark Lord.

" The Ministry has been getting bombarded with howlers daily, demanding that I step down as headmaster." Sighed Dumbledore. He couldn't believe that after everything he has done for wizarding Britain that they were calling for his head. He admits he was wrong in how he treated Harry. He left him with the Dursley's knowing that they would never love him. He honestly didn't think that they would abuse him. He realized that he probably should have checked up on him but that was what he hired Mrs Figg for. As Harry's magical guardian he could have gotten Harry out the tournament, but he wanted to see how events played out. He also had his suspicions that Harry was an empath. Magical empaths were rare and incapable of killing. Causing another great pain or killing them could destroy an empath, especially an empath as powerful as Harry.

" What is wrong with everyone? Why do they want you to retire?" demanded Molly. Molly believed that Dumbledore was second only to Merlin. Dumbledore was powerful, smart, kind and compassionate.

" Maybe because he allowed an innocent child get sent to Azkaban." mumbled Tonks. Tonks wasn't like Molly, she saw Dumbledore for what he was. Yes, Dumbledore was a good man but he was also manipulative. Dumbledore only cared about the ' greater good' and not the individuals that got hurt along the way. Dumbledore may be smart but he made a lot of mistakes, and never learned from them. Tonks didn't know Harry personally but she never thought he was guilty.

Molly glared at Tonks. She couldn't believe that she would dare disrespect the great Albus Dumbledore. " Maybe, if Harry would have told everyone about his relationship with Diggory then none of this would have happened." She was still upset that Harry and her twin sons hid Harry's relationship with Cedric.

" Maybe if Dumbledore would have allowed Harry to withdrawal from the tournament then Cedric would still be alive, and Harry would have never gone to Azkaban." retorted Tonks.

" What are you talking about?" asked Arthur.

Dumbledore cringed. He was hoping that no one knew about him being able to get Harry out of the tournament.

Tonks glared at Dumbledore. " Dumbledore is Harry's magical guardian, he could have gotten Harry out of the tournament if he wanted too. Harry was underage so could not legally be entered into a magical binding contract without his parents or magical guardians consent. Magical contracts are only binding if the witch or wizard is seventeen or over. Also, since Cedric was the Hogwart's champion then that means Harry had to be entered under a different school. Obviously, there was no other school entered in the tournament, and Harry was a student of Hogwarts. There is no way Harry could be a student in two different schools. Dumbledore wanted Harry to compete." finished Tonks.

Molly looked like she was ready to defend Dumbledore but her husband beat her. " Albus, is this true? Could you have gotten Harry out of that horrible tournament?" Arthur never liked the idea of such a violent tournament. So many kids had died in the past competing for a senseless cause.