another.old.man.s.mistake.‐.that.some.wounds.run.too.deep.for.the.healing..I.thought.Professor.Snape.could.overcome.his.feelings.about.your.father.‐.I.was.wrong...
`But.that.s.OK,.is.it?..yelled.Harry,.ignoring.the.scandalised.faces.and.disapproving.mutterings.of.the.portraits.on.the.walls..`It.s.OK.for.Snape.to.hate.my.dad,.but.it.s.not.OK.for.Sirius.to.hate.Kreacher?..
.Sirius.did.not.hate.Kreacher,..said.Dumbledore..`He.regarded.him.as.a.servant.unworthy.of.much.interest.or.notice..Indifference.and.neglect.often.do.much.more.damage.than.outright.dislike.….the.fountain.we.destroyed.tonight.told.a.lie..We.wizards.have.mistreated.and.abused.our.fellows.for.too.long,.and.we.are.now.reaping.our.reward...
`SO.SIRIUS.DESERVED.WHAT.HE.GOT,.DID.HE?..Harry.yelled..
`I.did.not.say.that,.nor.will.you.ever.hear.me.say.it,..Dumbledore.replied.quietly.
.`Sinus.was.not.a.cruel.man,.he.was.kind.to.houseelves.in.general..He.had.no.love.for.Kreacher,.because.Kreacher.was.a.living.reminder.of.the.home.Sirius.had.hated...
`Yeah,.he.did.hate.it!..said.Harry,.his.voice.cracking,.turning.his.back.on.Dumbledore.and.walking.away..The.sun.was.bright.inside.the.room.now.and.the.eyes.of.all.the.portraits.followed.him.as.he.walked,.without.realising.what.he.was.doing,.without.seeing.the.office.at.all..`You.made.him.stay.shut.up.in.that.house.and.he.hated.it,.that.s.why.he.wanted.to.get.out.last.night.=.
`I.was.trying.to.keep.Sirius.alive,..said.Dumbledore.quietly.
`People.don.t.like.being.locked.up!..Harry.said.furiously,.rounding.on.him..`You.did.it.to.me.all.last.summer.=.
Dumbledore.closed.his.eyes.and.buried.his.face.in.his.longfingered.hands..Harry.watched.him,.but.this.uncharacteristic.sign.of.exhaustion,.or.sadness,.or.whatever.it.was.from.Dumbledore,.did.not.soften.him..On.the.contrary,.he.felt.even.angrier.that.Dumbledore.was.showing.signs.of.weakness..He.had.no.business.being.weak.when.Harry.wanted.to.rage.and.storm.at.him..
Dumbledore.lowered.his.hands.and.surveyed.Harry.through.his.half‐moon.glasses..
.It.is.time,..he.said,.`for.me.to.tell.you.what.I.should.have.told.you.five.years.ago,
.Harry..Please.sit.down..I.am.going.to.tell.you.everything..I.ask.only.a.little.patience..You.will.have.your.chance.
to.rage.at.me.‐.to.do.whatever.you.like.‐.when.I.have.finished..I.will.not.stop.you...
Harry.glared.at.him.for.a.moment,.then.flung.himself.back.into.the.chair.opposite.Dumbledore.and.waited..
Dumbledore.stared.for.a.moment.at.the.sunlit.grounds.outside.the.window,.then.looked.back.at.Harry.and.said,.`Five.years.ago.you.arrived.at.Hogwarts,.Harry,
.safe.and.whole,.as.I.had.planned.and.intended..Well.‐.not.quite.whole..You.had.suffered..I.knew.you.would.when.I.left.you.on.your.aunt.and.uncle.s.doorstep..I.knew.I.was.condemning.you.to.ten.dark.and.difficult.years...
He.paused..Harry.said.nothing..
`You.might.ask.‐.and.with.good.reason.‐.why.it.had.to.be.so..Why.could.some.wizarding.family.not.have.taken.you.in?.Many.would.have.done.so.more.than.gladly,.would.have.been.honoured.and.delighted.to.raise.you.as.a.son..