Harry nodded, feeling marginally better.
If anyone could believe his story, it would be Dumbledore.
“Wait—did you know my grandparents?” he asked hopefully.
“I met Charlus several times when I was an Auror,” Croaker replied.
“I didn’t know him well, but he was a good man who always put family first. He will do the right thing.”
A quiet spark of excitement bloomed in Harry’s chest at the thought of having a real family—something he had never stopped wanting, no matter how much he tried to bury it.
The door opened, interrupting them.
Filmore returned and handed Croaker a folder before folding his arms and glaring at Harry.
“I’m sorry about your room,” Harry said sincerely.
“You will be,” Filmore growled.
Croaker coughed, drawing their attention.
He was shaking his head at the file.
“I find myself disappointed,” he said, sliding the folder toward Harry.
“Why?” Harry asked cautiously.
“I expected more from you, Mr. Potter. It seems you will need far more help than we anticipated.”
Harry opened the folder and scanned his academic records and OWL results.
He frowned.
“They’re not that bad,” he muttered.
“Most are average,” Croaker said.
“Defence and Charms are your saving grace, but you clearly have a lot of work to do. You may need to retake a few subjects before you leave. These results will not impress Charlus and Dorea.”
Harry nodded.
He knew he could have done better.
“I am better than this,” he said quietly.
Filmore snatched the folder, flipped through it, and shook his head in disgust.
“We’re wasting our time on him,” he declared.
“We’ve discussed this,” Croaker snapped.
“Divination is questionable, yes, but we cannot afford to ignore the prophecy. Some of them are real. We have to trust him.”
“He’s pathetic,” Filmore spat, slamming the folder onto the table.
“I can do better,” Harry cut in, irritation flaring.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Filmore said coldly.
He raised his wand.
“Legilimens!”
Harry’s world exploded into a whirlwind of memories.
Every pivotal moment of his life flashed before his eyes in rapid succession: receiving his Hogwarts letter, the troll in the dungeon, facing Quirrell, the Chamber of Secrets, saving Sirius from the Dementors, the Triwizard Tournament, the graveyard, and finally the terrifying night in the Department of Mysteries.
When Filmore withdrew from his mind, the man was pale and visibly shaken.
“Shit,” Filmore whispered.
He looked at Harry with something close to respect.
“It seems I underestimated you, Potter.”
“Does he have potential?” Croaker asked, clearly disapproving of the invasive method.
“See for yourself,” Filmore replied weakly.
Croaker turned to Harry.
“May I?”
Harry swallowed but nodded.
Croaker performed the spell more gently.
When he emerged, he looked both astonished and pleased.
“My, my, Mr. Potter… you do have potential. These results do not reflect your true capabilities at all.” He turned to Filmore.
“Are you satisfied now?”
Filmore nodded slowly.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. My team and I will turn him into the best damn wizard we can.”
Harry exhaled in relief.
“Don’t get too excited, Potter,” Filmore warned with a sinister grin.
“I’m going to make your life hell.”
Harry swallowed but nodded.
He had expected nothing less.
“So we have an agreement?” Croaker asked.
Harry nodded.
He had little choice.
Going back prepared was the only sensible option.
“Good.” Croaker handed Harry his wand with a smile.
“Here you are.”
Harry took it with a sigh.
“I still need a new one.”
“It seems fine to me,” Croaker said, frowning.
“Dumbledore thinks I’ve outgrown it,” Harry explained.
Croaker nodded.
“We’ll have a wandcrafter here first thing tomorrow. Filmore will show you to your room—your trunks are already there.” He paused, curious.
“You have quite the impressive book collection. And where exactly did you get so much gold?”
Harry froze, unsure how to respond.
“Don’t worry,” Croaker chuckled.
“We’re not the Aurors. I approve of your reading choices—it shows initiative. But the gold… that I don’t understand.”
Harry relaxed slightly.
“I thought I might need money if things went badly. I found some valuable items and had elves sell them. I didn’t have my Gringotts key and wasn’t allowed to leave the house.”
Filmore let out a low chuckle.
“Resourceful little bastard.”
“Very resourceful indeed,” Croaker agreed.
“That solves the problem of getting you funds for the past. You’ll need it. Unfortunately, you cannot leave these premises, Mr. Potter. We cannot risk anyone discovering you’re here.”
“But Dumbledore will come looking,” Harry pointed out.
“He will never know you’re here,” Croaker said confidently.
“Now, get some rest. Filmore and his team are known for early starts.”
Harry bid them goodnight, his mind reeling from everything he had learned.
Yet one thought rose above all others, filling him with quiet joy as he followed Filmore down the corridor.
I get to see my parents… and Sirius.