"People will have reasons for their actions and that they could be many reasons and not all of them will be out there for you to see." Harry supplied. "So, the Headmaster leaving me with my aunt and not checking up on me…you said he did it to protect me but there could be other reasons?"
"Exactly." Sirius beamed at him. "And you always need to question why someone does something or wants to do something. What's the benefit to them? What's the benefit to you? Look at what Remus and I did with Minister Fudge. He initiated the investigation on the promise of a new more powerful political ally. He figured if he gave Lord Black the investigation then Lord Black would look favourably upon him, which means he stays as Minister for longer, and he gets power and money."
Harry sighed. "Doesn't anyone do anything just because it's the right thing?"
"Hardly anyone." Sirius hesitated and ploughed on. "I could say that I got custody of you just because it was the right thing to do – and it was, I mean is – but that's not the only reason. I made it happen because selfishly I want to be part of your life because I love you. And I wanted custody so I could have more say in protecting you. And because I promised your Mum and Dad and I wanted to keep my promise. See?"
He did see and he had to admit that all of Sirius's reasons were good ones and benefitted him in the end. He nodded at his godfather.
"Now, here's the second half of the lesson: what reason do you think Dumbledore thought you had for protecting the stone?" asked Sirius.
The question stumped Harry for a moment because he'd never considered what Dumbledore had thought. "I guess he thought I'd done it because I wanted to stop Voldemort because of my parents."
Maybe.
Sirius hummed again. "That's probably about on target. What about Snape? What do you think he thought?"
That was easy. "That I did it because I wanted the attention or the adventure of it." He rolled his eyes expressively.
"And the rest of the school?" Sirius prompted.
"Probably it was a mix," Harry said, "hopefully my friends knew my reasons pretty well but others probably believed the same as Dumbledore or Snape, I guess."
"People are always going to judge you on your actions." Sirius explained bluntly. "And they may not take your word for it that you did X because of Y because they may not like you or trust you. On the other hand, someone may not take your word for it that you did X because of Y even if they do like you and trust you. That's human nature, unfortunately."
"It's so complicated!" Harry exclaimed.
Sirius ruffled his hair. "Here endeth the lesson. But I want you to think back through some of your relationships with others and consider motivations, OK?"
"Homework," Harry complained, "great."
But he wasn't complaining really and as Sirius helped him to his feet so they could walk back down the mountain to the cabin, he felt better about everything with Dumbledore. He didn't agree with Dumbledore's decision about leaving him with the Dursleys and not checking on him, but he could respect Dumbledore's reasons had probably been to protect him. But he wouldn't just blindly trust that Dumbledore held all the answers or that he always did things for the right reasons. Not anymore.
o-O-o
July 1st 1994
Remus was annoyed. He was annoyed about the fact that he was walking up the path to Hogwarts. He was annoyed that he was going to have to talk to Albus. And he was doubly annoyed that he owed Sirius five galleons.
"When it gets out about my guardianship of Harry, Dumbledore will come after you for where I am." Sirius said sagely.
"I don't think he will." Remus countered. "He won't have any reason to think we're in that close contact or that we've reconnected enough for you to inform you."
"Bollocks, Moony." Sirius pointed at him. "You're my closest friend! I bet you five galleons that he'll write you a wonderful letter asking you to meet with him as a favour to your old Headmaster, and when you go along to his office, he'll use the fact that he allowed you to attend Hogwarts and gave you a job for year to try and weasel the information out of you." He paused. "It's lucky he can't read your mind."
"So I'll tell him I don't know." Remus replied.
"No," Sirius said grinning, "we should prank him."
Remus sighed. This wasn't going to end well.
And bugger it all, Sirius had been right!
Remus muttered angrily to himself as he entered the castle and began the long walk to Dumbledore's office. He stood in front of the gargoyle and looked at it menacingly.
"I'm here at the Headmaster's request."
The gargoyle moved aside. Remus continued up the stairs and Dumbledore called for him to enter. Remus had seen the inside of the Headmaster's office twice during his time as a student – once to go over the terms of his stay because of his lycanthropy (he'd been eleven and scared to death) and once when Dumbledore had quizzed him about how much he knew about Sirius taunting Snape into the tunnel on the night of the full moon (nothing and it took him months to forgive Sirius for almost letting Remus eat someone, even Snape).
Remus took the offered chair, but declined the candy and tea with the excuse of another meeting to follow. He went straight on the offensive. "What can I do for you, Albus? Brilliant news about Sirius and Harry, isn't it?"
"Yes, indeed." Albus smiled at him, eyes twinkling although the smile was faintly forced. "Actually, it was on that very subject that I wanted to make a plea for assistance."
"Oh?" Remus crossed his legs and tried to look helpful.
"I wanted to talk with Sirius before he returns from abroad about Harry." Albus explained. "There are things of which Sirius may be unaware that he needs to know." He continued seriously. "I fear Voldemort will soon rise again with Mister Pettigrew's help and his attention will undoubtedly turn to Harry – the boy who banished him for so many years."
"I agree." Remus said carefully. This was definitely more than either he or Sirius had thought Albus would share with them. "Harry would be a target if Voldemort came back to power."
"You always were a good student, Remus," Albus said, dropping the 'remember who allowed you to be one' hint that Remus had been waiting for, "and an even better teacher if I may say so. You understand that Harry will need every advantage in the coming dark days." And there was the 'remember who gave you a job' hint. "So you will agree Sirius and I need to talk?"
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