Professor McGonagall met Harry in the entrance hall.
"Follow me Potter." She led the way to the gargoyle that stood in front of the entrance to the Headmistress' office. "Blood Pop" was said and the gargoyle moved aside and the spiral stairs started moving. Once inside the office Professor McGonagall indicated for Harry to sit down. He heard the door open behind him and wasn't that surprised to see Snape. He had been expecting this, but the man's presence still bothered him. Harry stood and turned around, intending to leave.
"Potter sit DOWN!"
"I would prefer to leave Professor."
"I know, but sit anyway." She looked like she really wanted to hex someone. Harry sat down reluctantly and had made sure that everyone in the room knew it.
"I am well aware of your feelings towards Professor Snape but he was found innocent of all charges brought against him."
"How can he be found innocent of murder? When was his trial? I should have testified, why wasn't I even asked to!" yelled Harry.
"Your testimony wasn't needed" sneered Snape. "You weren't even there."
"Yes, Snivellus, I was there, hidden and trapped by Dumbledore's spell. So I should have testified at your trial or was the entire thing smoothed over with a bribe?"
"You presume too much Potter."
"And you have no idea who you are dealing with!" Harry stood and started leaving.
"Potter sit down. There are other things that need to be discussed" said Professor McGonagall.
Harry returned to his seat, barely controlling his rage.
"I understand that you feel that Professor Snape is responsible and that you don't like him as a person. But I thought that you had an interest in being an auror. You need Potions in order to achieve that. Now I know that you missed class earlier today but I am sure that Professor Snape will allow you to make up your assignment, I must insist that you return to Potions."
Harry shook his head no. "I no longer wish to pursue that choice of careers so I will be dropping Potions. I never learned anything from the traitor and I doubt that I ever will."
Snape had a look of triumph in his eyes. "Can't handle the pressure Potter" he asked oily.
"Pressure has nothing to do with it, Batman. I have other priorities now so being an auror is out the question."
Before Snape could retaliate Professor McGonagall interrupted. "If that is what you want Potter I can not refuse, but I hope that you will reconsider. I also wish to discuss with you your refusal to play Quidditch. I had heard rumor to that effect."
"I did write you, when I accepted the Head Boy position, that I wouldn't be playing Quidditch."
"I had hoped that you truly didn't mean it."
"Sorry Professor but that is my final decision. I have also informed Ron. He too refuses to believe me." Snape looked like Christmas had come early. "Afraid Potter?"
"No murderer. Like I said I have other priorities."
"Don't call me that!" snapped Snape.
"What? Murderer? That's what you are!" yelled Harry.
"He is not a murderer because I didn't die." A familiar voice spoke behind him. Harry quickly turned around. There stood Albus Dumbledore, alive and well. Objects in the room started flying about as Harry's rage built up.
"Calm down Potter" sneered Snape. Harry turned his stare towards the potions master. The look of pure fury made Snape cringe back into the chair.
"You do need to calm down Harry."
"Why should I, you liar?"
"Please? I can explain if you just calm down."
Harry calmed down just enough to stop the objects from flying about. He sat back down on the edge of the chair, ready to jump up at a moments notice. Dumbledore conjured a chintz arm chair and sat down.
"We didn't purposely lie to you Harry. I was poisoned by the Gaunt ring and had a hard time fighting the poison. I felt that if I were to 'die' then I would have a better chance in searching for the Horcruxes."
Harry waited for more but nothing else was said. "That's it? That's the only explanation you're going to give me?"
"What else do you expect Potter? A book on what happened?" sneered Snape.
"It's still not too late to hex you Snivellus."
"Twenty points from Gryffindor Potter, for your cheek." Snape frowned the points didn't seem to want to cooperate. Harry didn't say another word, but all could see the fury building inside him again.
Wishing to regain some control over the situation, Dumbledore said "There are other matters that need attending to gentlemen." He waited until he had their attention before continuing. "Now Harry, we need to know where you have been staying at since you left the protection of your relatives so early into the summer holiday."
"It really is no business of yours where I was at, sir. I am of age now and have no desire to tell you. I was protected from wizard and muggles alike and stayed as low key as I could. It isn't any of your concern anymore."
"I am only looking towards your safety and well being Harry."
"Your well being, sir, could have gotten me killed before I even had a chance to face Voldemort. So excuse me if I don't believe you." No matter how they asked or tried to enter his mind he would not reveal the answers to their questions. In fact Snape received a very nasty stinging hex when he tried to break thru Harry's mental walls and it was only a warning. No one was going to take advantage of him again. Dumbledore sighed. Harry had changed and matured greatly in the last couple of months. Something had happened for him to be like this.
"All right Harry. I will have to trust your judgment on this. However there are a couple of more things that I would like to discuss with you. The Order can not get into Headquarters. Do you know why?"
"Because I removed you as the secret keeper and replaced it with one of my own. I also placed extra protections around the property. Remember, sir, it is MY house. I had believed you dead and took appropriate action in protecting my property."
"I thought as much. Now that you know that I am alive could you inform your secret keeper to tell us so that we may continue with our meetings?"
"No."
"No?" Dumbledore seemed to be surprised at the answer.
"No."
"Harry we need the location that Headquarters is in. It is central to the all the members of the Order."
"Then you'll need to find a new central location for the Order. My house is no longer available."
Dumbledore did some quick thinking. "Perhaps if you were allowed to join the order?"
"No thank you, sir. I have no need of the Order."
Now Dumbledore was truly surprised. He had thought that Harry had wanted to join the Order. The Weasleys had said as much. This was a setback. He needed Harry's cooperation and needed to control him in order to continue as before. "I thought that you wanted to join the order. like your parents had? Don't you want to defeat Voldemort?"
"Yes, sir, I do but not with you or anyone associated with you."
"Trying to claim all the glory for yourself Potter?"
Harry looked at Snape. It was a glare worthy of Voldemort and caused Snape to shrink away. "No Professor, I'm not. I'm trying to survive but I'm not going to be anyone's puppet anymore either."
"Harry, you were never a puppet" said Dumbledore.
"So you say, sir."
Dumbledore sighed again. He was fast loosing control over the one that would kill Voldemort. Nothing was going according to plan where Harry was concerned. He wondered if part of this resentment was about the money and how much Harry knew about it, especially since the goblins refused to accept any vouchers with his signature on them. He wondered if either Harry knew or that the goblins had finally accepted that he was 'dead'.
"Harry, there is one other matter that I need to discuss with you."
"You mean the matter about my money being used as your payroll?" McGonagall gasped, Snape looked surprised, and Dumbledore nervous.
"I suppose that you could look at it that way but I never thought of it as such. Your money allowed you to visit the Weasleys in comfort and peace. The aurors and the Ministry for your protection. The Department of Mysteries in research of the prophecy and Hogwarts for your continuing education. Surely you can see that these things cost money. Now simply contact Gringotts so that I might continue to see to your welfare."
"Forgive me, sir,but no I won't. I don't believe that paying Ron or Ginny was for my comfort. Paying for Snape's potion ingredients, Sprout's plants, or Hagrid's creatures is above what other students pay to attend this school. As for the ministry and its departments, taxes are collected to pay for their budgets. I am aware of how much that truly is. I have more important things to do with what my parents left me."
Total silence filled the room when Harry stopped talking. Snape was utterly speechless in finding out that the rare potion ingredients that Dumbledore provided money for, was in fact from Potter, using stolen money. Minerva McGonagall looked like she was going to have a heart attack. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. That Dumbledore could stoop so low as to steal from Harry Potter and practically admit it. She just couldn't get over it. Dumbledore was surprised at how much Harry was aware of who was getting what. He could thank the goblins for that. He could see that Harry was showing more restraint then he had even shown before and that he was barely hanging on to his anger. The wheels were turning in Dumbledore's brain. There had to be someone or something that could be used to control him. He needed Harry beside him, not on his own. He would start by having him watched.
Harry stood to leave. "If there is nothing else, I wish to leave." No one said a thing or tried to stop him this time. One Harry was out the door the other two turned on Dumbledore. "Is any of this true Albus? Did you truly steal from Harry?"
"It was war Minerva. Bribes needed placing and things paid for, none of which is cheap."
"But to steal from the Potters'!?"
"Harry has more than enough. I had planned on replacing it before he found out."
"How much did you use Albus?"
Dumbledore flinched at the tone in her voice. "Close to ten million galleons, give or take a knut." Both of his colleagues stared at him as if they didn't know him.
"I hope you know what you doing Albus. I hate to be on the boy's bad side."