Chapter 1: Invitation
Dear Mr. Potter,
Please report to the Room of Requirement 1:00 today (and don't be late!)
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
"What the heck?" Harry wondered what Dumbledore could possibly want. It was May and his 7th year was almost over. He had defeated Voltemort just last month and he had been very busy ever since. Reporters wanted "A Word" with him what seemed like every second and the Ministry of Magic wanted his advice on everything. Training for being and Auror had started and his friends would not leave him alone. Not that he wanted to be alone but he never just seemed to have time to think.
"Hey Harry!" Ron called "Look at the letter Dumbledore just sent me."
It read the same as Harry's just with a different name on the top.
"Why do you suppose he wants up there?"
"Don't know."
"Do you suppose anyone else got the letter?"
Sure enough, Hermione, Luna, Ginny, And Neville got the same letter. So after Dinner the six of them entered the Room of Requirement.
It was empty except for a familiar ancient Veil way. Harry's memory flooded back to him of the night Sirius died. But why was it here?
"This has to be the weirdest sight I have ever seen!" Luna said (then you know it's weird if Luna thinks it's weird, everyone thought simultaneously.)
They were all taking in the sight, marble floor, the Veil on which it was set on a platform with a few steps coming down from it.
"Well, I am glad all of you made it here on time!" Dumbledore exclaimed. His eyes were twinkling as usual as he entered the Room. "I suppose you want an explanation." He went on, "Well, I guess to some extent it is a treat."
"What?" Harry was completely confused. This Veil came from the Death Chamber .... How was it a good thing?
"As you may know if you enter this veil you can never return alive, but as Luna knows well, It is also used for visiting purposes." Dumbledore continued.
"Oh!" Luna said "I knew that but, why is it here...in the school?"
"Well, as you are not supposed to leave the school, I brought it here!" explained Dumbledore.
"So what you're saying is that you visit dead people thought this?" Hermione said with a little fright in her voice.
"Precisely!" Dumbledore beamed.
"How does it work?" asked Ginny
"Oh that's easy!" said Luna "All you have to do is say the full name of the dead person and they come out."
"Is that how ghosts get here?" asked Neville puzzled.
"No, they can only be out for 15 minutes a year." Dumbledore corrected him "And they are whole, not see-thru."
"But why did you bring it here?" Harry was still confused by this.
"I feel you deserve it Harry!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "You can have 15 minuets to talk with Sirius and your parents."
"Holy....!" Ron said "You can see Sirius again Harry!"
Harry stood there in deep thought. Had this been there his whole life? Why Now? He wasn't ready for this. What would he do? And why was everyone else there? Couldn't he talk to Sirius alone? And another thing was bugging him, Could he have brought this veil here himself ages ago?
"Hello Earth to Harry!" Hermione was waving her hand in front of his face.
"What? Oh!" Harry stood there and looked at everyone." Why is everyone here?" was the first question to come out of his mouth.
"For moral support." answered Dumbledore as if expecting the question. "And your parents may want to meet your best friends."
"Could I have made the veil come here myself?" was Harry's next.
"No, only I could or someone in the authority of the veil could have." Again Dumbledore answered in an unwavering tone.
Well I guess that makes sense, Harry thought.
"But..." Harry couldn't think of what to ask next.
"You really don't have to if you don't want to Harry." Dumbledore offered and at that he adjusted hid half moon glasses and waited for an answer.
"It's okay Harry." Ginny cooed "I'm right here by your side!" She came and hugged him and gave his cheek and tender kiss.
Harry and Ginny had been going out for a year and a half. And Harry could not wait until Ginny was out of school to marry her.
"Well I suppose Sirius would like an update on things now and then." Harry decided.
Then there was a cheer and Ginny gave him another kiss.
