Harry stared out of his bedroom window, an empty writing pad in his left hand. It was the empty writing pad that was holding all the space in his head. After Sirius' death, he had realized something. Basically, he was an idiot. A blind idiot.
Dumbledore wasn't trying to protect him; he was trying to use him. Succeeding, in fact. In all his time at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had told him nothing about the parents he longed for, even after seeing him longing for them in the Mirror of Erised. Dumbledore knew how he was treated at the Dursley's and did nothing. After everything he'd gone through, nobody had ever suggested he see someone. Something Ron had been saying to Ginny when he'd been waiting for Harry once –evidently not realising Harry had heard- suggested that they had both been referred to counsellors. The school was a mockery.
So, he'd decided he had to do something. It was the obvious, inevitable answer. But, it was at that point that he had started staring out of the window. He was completely and utterly lost. What was he meant to do? He was only a kid? Why did he have to do this? He wasn't clever like Hermione, how could he help himself?
Groaning, he hit his head against the window to try and get himself together. This was ridiculous. He had fought Voldemort, he could handle something as basic as this.
That was when the owl crashed into his window.
There was a long pause before he opened the window to let the owl in. People were out to kill him, should he be opening mail? The owl dropped the parcel it was holding and Harry eyed it suspiciously before he recognised Ron's handwriting on the brown paper packaging.
He had to read this. A) It was expected of him and he didn't want anything that would cause people to look too closely at him and B) he needed to know whether he could trust Ron or whether he was on Dumbledore's side. Maybe he'd be able to work something out from the letter. Hopefully.
Still being careful not to let too much of the parcel touch him, Harry untied the string and blinked at the mass of letters that fell out; one on its own and the rest tied together with another bit of string. Suddenly far less suspicious and a whole lot more curious, Harry reached for the single letter.
Dear Harry,
This may seem a bit unorthodox or strange, but Harry we've been thinking and we're very worried about you. You know we regard you as a member of our family and because of that we have asked Dumbledore several times over the years if we could adopt you. We wanted you to be able to learn anything you needed with a family that-if it doesn't sound terribly like boasting- have had some of the highest results that we have heard of. We wanted you to be able to experience love and a proper family with us. However, when we met with Dumbledore he said that you needed to be with the Dursley's because they were your blood relatives and that it had been your mother's wish that you lived with her sister.
However, a little while ago Percy got into contact with us-I assume you will remember that he lost contact with us due to a conflict in opinions concerning Dumbledore. At his job, he has a lot of power and contact to information we had previously not been able to access. In fact, he has been using this power to try and back up his suspicions about Dumbledore.
It was doing this that he came across some information that changed our view of Dumbledore's actions. I was friends of a sort with Lilly when she joined the order. People used to think we had to be related. Or that her hair was died as in general that particular shade of red has mainly only been seen in Prewetts and Weasleys. So when Percy came across a record of another birth in the Prewett clan, a girl with a similar birthday to your mother's who went missing when she was only a few days old. My sister. I have no proof, Harry, but I would like to test to see whether you are related to us. Dumbledore has seen this information and I am sure there is no way he could not have connected the dots so I am curious as to why he hasn't investigated this. Anything that would get you away from that family is a good thing.
Percy also came across copies of your parents' wills. The originals cannot be found, Percy was very lucky to have found these. They are currently in our vault for you to take as soon as you can. Your parents never planned to leave you with the Dursleys. Their intention was that you would be left with the following families:
Remus
Sirius
The Longbottoms
Andromeda and Ted Tonks
Us
When we began to learn about these – I don't really know what to call them- we began to take a closer look at your past.
Ron. Hermione and Ginny have all been sent to see a counsellor, after the events at the Ministry. None of them are keen to talk about it to anyone so they assumed it was the same with you-you haven't ever been very talkative- but we began to wonder whether you have been referred at all. We felt it was going too far to ask anyone as this is obviously very personal but we can't help but worry.
No one has ever received any training that will really benefit them in the war. Ron hasn't really wanted to say much, it being your business, but from what we can gather, your occulemency training was a disaster.
Harry, we sincerely do not wish for you to consider us a family of nosy busybodies or that we have invaded your privacy. We just want you to be careful Harry and perhaps be a little less trusting, as terrible as that may sound. We hope that you will meet with us soon as we have a plan that we are beginning to prepare so that we are more prepared for the war ahead of us. We also have a lot more you ought to be aware of, particularly if you decide to step out, away from Dumbledore.
The other package is a letter from each of us personally.
Yours Sincerely,
Molly Prewett, Arthur Weasley, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny
Harry read the letter several times before it all sunk in. He was convinced this was the truth although he couldn't say how. After reading it the third time, he was struck with a sense of acute embarrassment that he had thought that he couldn't trust them, despite the amount of time and money that they had spent on them. He'd never even got any of them –aside from Ron- birthday or Christmas presents despite the hand knitted and home cooked Jumpers and food he was sent every year.
Blushing furiously, he reached for his pad and began his list.
Read and reply to all the Weasley letters.
Get a present for the members of the family to make up for the dates he'd missed in the past.
Arrange a meeting.
Write to Remus.
Suddenly feeling far happier than he had in ages, Harry reached for the pile of letters and unfolded the top one.
Harry,
I'm kinda hoping this isn't the first letter you pick up because I'm kinda lost for words. I can't believe everything that you've been through. I don't exactly know you so I'm feeling really awkward.
However, I just want you to know, that everyone is determined to help you through your life and even if you aren't related to us, you'll still be a part of the family. Scared yet?
Anyway, I'm assuming we'll tell you about the plan when/if we see you.
Good Luck
Charlie
Harry grinned at the letter and wondered whether it was just chance that it had been that letter he'd picked up first or whether a certain pair of twins had decided that their names had changed to Fate and Fortune.
Even so, Harry was touched by the letter. Charlie had only met him a couple of times but had still written to him to make sure he was okay and to tell him he was a member of the family. It wasn't eloquent or going to go down in history but Harry knew he would treasure it, simply because it showed that there was goodness in the world.
His heart warmed, Harry picked up the next letter.
Dear Harold, the love of our lives, our hero, our saviour, our Juliet…
Hey Dude! Betcha missing your Romeo's! And, we feel that we should point out, after a long and drawn out battle, Gred has graciously agreed to be Paris and Forge gets to be Romeo. Aren't you lucky?
However, there will be a problem with this amazing love story if you are related to us and its kind of screwed up that you're like a seriously cool little brother to us. We can't wait to give you the birds and the bees talk! Maybe, we aren't Romeo and Paris but those cool guys- Mercutio and that other one, Benvolio. We are just about to go fight over who's who.
But before, I totally trump George-he means totally lose to- we just wanted you to know, in all seriousness, as scary as that is. If you ever need our lives they belong to you, same as we'd die for anyone else in the family.
Anyway, Julie, we gotta go prank someone to make up for that lapse into seriousness. Bleh. Hey, betcha Charlie could do with a prank.
Laters
Fred (the sexy one and therefore, Mercutio)
George (the cool one and therefore Mercutio)
Harry laughed as he read the twins' letter and prayed that he would never need their lives. Some things were too much for him to handle. Smiling, he reached for the next letter, unable to believe that he had such amazing friends.
Dear Harry,
I know, I really don't have the right to write to you. I was a pompous git at school and then sent Ron that terrible letter and invaded you personal privacy. Added to that all the heartache I caused my family, I'll be amazed if you've read this far.
I just want to apologise to you for what an idiot I've been and I hope that you can one day forgive me. I understand if you can't naturally.
However, Harry, please listen to me on one thing. Do not discriminate against the Slytherines as one day you will regret it.
A Slytherine has helped me find love, reunite with my family and come out. I hope you will find someone who will do the same for you or that you find friends among the Snakes. Professor Snape can help you incredibly Harry. He isn't my boyfriend, I should probably add but he is a great man.
Yours Apologetically.
Percy.
Percy was gay? Percy was dating a Slytherine? Percy was telling him to trust Snape? Wow. Percy thought he was below Harry? Percy thought that Harry hated him? Maybe Harry needed to rethink his attitude and the way he treated people.
Dear Harry,
Neither of us is really sure what to say that could possibly make a difference. Well that's not completely true: Fleur said a lot of things in French that I'm not sure we should translate. She says that one day she will tell you them in French and you will understand. Good luck with that one, mate.
Harry, we hope that you will be able to trust us and be able to let us help you with everything. Fleur has great plans for you, she really wants to teach someone French.
Naturellement.
Anyway, Harry, we just want you to know that we will be here for you, if you need anything.
Love
Fleur and Bill
Harry's eyebrows flew upwards as he began to see a new side of Fleur and began to wonder about this plan of theirs.
Dear Harry,
This is really for the kids to write to you so this is only a quick note.
We believe in you, Harry.
Love
Molly and Arthur
Xox
Biting his lip to stop himself crying, Harry re-read the letter, for the first time, realising just how much people loved him. Wiping his eyes, Harry grabbed his pen and pad.
Get a better trunk to protect possessions.
Prove self.
Eying the final two letters, he realised that they had to be from Ginny and Ron. It was past midnight and he wanted to be alert for theirs even more than anyone else. Placing the pile of letters back in the paper, he hid them in the pocket of his trunk and placed Ginny and Ron's letters by his bed.
The second his head hit the pillow, he was asleep.