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ave 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 fire in Dolores Umbridge's office。 Professor Snape found that Sirius was alive and safe in Grimmauld Place。
'When； however； you did not return from your trip into the Forest with Dolores Umbridge； Professor Snape grew worried that you still believed Sirius to be a captive of Lord Voldemort's。 He alerted certain Order members at once。'
Dumbledore heaved a great sigh and continued； 'Alastor Moody； Nymphadora Tonks； Kingsley Shacklebolt and Remus Lupin were at Headquarters when he made contact。 All agreed to go to your aid at once。 Professor Snape requested that Sirius remain behind； as he needed somebody to remain at Headquarters to tell me what had happened； for I was due there at any moment。 In the meantime he； Professor Snape； intended to search the Forest for you。
'But Sirius did not wish to remain behind while the others went to search for you。 He delegated to Kreacher the task of telling me what had happened。 And so it was that when I arrived in Grimmauld Place shortly after they had all left for the Ministry； it was the elf who told me … laughing fit to burst … where Sirius had gone。'
'He was laughing？' said Harry in a hollow voice。
'Oh； yes；' said Dumbledore。 'You see； Kreacher was not able to betray us totally。 He is not Secret Keeper for the Order； he could not give the Malfoys our whereabouts； or tell them any of the Order's confidential plans that he had been forbidden to reveal。 He was bound by the enchantments of his kind； which is to say that he could not disobey a direct order from his master； Sirius。 But he gave Narcissa information of the sort that is very valuable to Voldemort； yet must have seemed much too trivial for Sirius to think of banning him from repeating it。'
'Like what？' said Harry。
'Like the fact that the person Sirius cared most about in the world was you；' said Dumbledore quietly。 'Like the fact that you were ing to regard Sirius as a mixture of father and brother。
Voldemort knew already； of course； that Sirius was in the Order； and that you knew where he was … but Kreacher's information made him realise that the one person for whom you would go to any lengths to rescue was Sirius Black。'
Harry's lips were cold and numb。
'So： when I asked Kreacher if Sirius was there last night：'
'The Malfoys … undoubtedly on Voldemort's instructions … had told him he must find a way of keeping Sirius out of the way once you had seen the vision of Sirius being tortured。 Then； if you decided to check whether Sirius was at home or not； Kreacher would be able to pretend he was not。 Kreacher injured Buckbeak the Hippogriff yesterday； and； at the moment when you made your appearance in the fire； Sirius was upstairs tending to him。'
There seemed to be very little air in Harry's lungs； his breathing was quick and shallow。
'And Kreacher told you all this： and laughed？' he croaked。
'He did not wish to tell me；' said Dumbledore。 'But I am a sufficiently acplished Legilimens myself to know when I am being lied to and I … persuaded him … to tell me the full story； before I left for the Department of Mysteries。'
'And；' whispered Harry； his hands curled in cold fists on his knees； 'and Hermione kept telling us to be nice to him … '
'She was quite right； Harry；' said Dumbledore。 'I warned Sirius when we adopted twelve Grimmauld Place as our Headquarters that Kreacher must be treated with kindness and respect。 I also told him that Kreacher could be dangerous to us。 I do not think Sinus took me very seriously； or that he ever saw Kreacher as a being with feelings as acute as a human's … '
'Don't you blame … don't you … talk … about Sirius like …' Harry's breath was constricted； he could not get the words out properly； but the rage that had subsided briefly flared in him again： he would not let Dumbledore criticise Sirius。 'Kreacher's a lying … foul … he deserved …
'Kreacher is what he has been made by wizards； Harry' said Dumbledore。 'Yes； he is to be pitied。 His existence has been as mi