HARRY POTTER STORY: Lions in snake den

Part 29

The end of the school year had arrived, and the atmosphere in the Slytherin common room was one of quiet celebration. Though there was no Quidditch Cup to claim this year, the House Cup was Slytherin's, and Harry's victory in the Triwizard Tournament had brought the house even more pride. The chatter was low, filled with the usual end-of-year farewells, but beneath it, an undercurrent of tension ran deep. No one spoke much of it, but everyone felt it. The past year had brought too many challenges, too many mysteries—none more troubling than the strange, cryptic behavior of Albus Dumbledore.

Harry, Hermione, Draco, Daphne, Theo, Blaise, and Tracey had gathered in their usual corner, the space more private now that the rest of the common room was slowly emptying out. They sat, in various degrees of restlessness, their eyes flickering over the others as they spoke. The summer loomed ahead, a break they all knew would be anything but peaceful. "Do you think Dumbledore will finally do something useful?" Blaise asked, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed. "Or is he just going to keep hiding behind his big, shiny office?"
Harry's jaw tightened at the mention of the headmaster's name, and he exchanged a quick glance with Hermione. Neither of them had forgotten the unsettling moments of the year—Dumbledore's absence during critical events, his odd refusal to speak openly about Voldemort's return, and his increasing tendency to withhold information when it mattered most.

"I don't trust him," Harry said quietly, leaning forward, his voice low. "Not anymore. Every time he talks, it's like he's hiding something." He clenched his fists, frustration evident on his face. Hermione nodded, her eyes sharp with the same wariness. "He's never been upfront with us, not like he promised. And now, after everything, we're supposed to trust him?" She shook her head. "He's the one who's always telling us to be ready for things we're not ready for. But he never tells us exactly what those things are." "Exactly," Draco muttered, his expression sour. "Last year, he just let everything unfold, as though he wasn't part of the problem. If anyone should've been paying attention to what was going on, it was him." Theo, usually quiet, spoke up now. "We can't just ignore him, though. If he's sending for Harry, it means something's up. The question is whether it's something we want to know."
Harry looked at the door, as though Dumbledore might appear right then and there. "He didn't exactly explain himself before. So what makes you think he'll explain now?"

Draco shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he thinks he can still pull us into his grand plans." "Or maybe he's trying to manipulate us," Tracey suggested, her voice low but firm. "He's been keeping too many secrets. And how much of it is really for our good? How much is for his own plans, for the war? We're not just pawns in this fight."
Blaise's eyes narrowed. "That's the thing, isn't it? He plays the long game, but it doesn't mean we have to play along."
Harry stood up abruptly, his face set in a determined expression. "I'm not going to just sit here wondering what Dumbledore wants from me. He's called me for a reason, and I'm going to find out why. But I'm not going in blind, and I'm not going in trusting him. Not after everything that's happened." His voice grew colder, the certainty in his words cutting through the tension in the room. "I'll hear him out, but if he's got more lies to tell, I won't be fooled again."

Hermione's eyes softened, but her concern was still evident. "Just... be careful, Harry. He's the headmaster, and he's got a lot of influence. We know he's been manipulating situations for years. Don't let him do it again." "I won't," Harry said, though a flash of doubt crossed his mind. He knew it was risky, walking into that meeting without knowing Dumbledore's true motives. But he had already made up his mind. Whatever the headmaster had to say, he would face it. "I'll handle it." Daphne, who had been quiet up until now, spoke with her usual clarity. "You're not going alone, right?" Harry looked at her, his expression hard. "I don't know. Snape made it clear that Dumbledore wants to speak with me alone. I can't just ignore it. But if something's wrong, I'll let you all know."