Here, as promised, a revised Prologue. This is official!
Sorry for taking this long. Major changes have been made, finally!
Disclaimer: Don't own anything! All belongs to our epic Queen!
I hope you will enjoy this as much as I did.
The wind breezed gently through the light woods and bushes, bringing the scent of grass and new happiness through the window as the birds sang and crickets cricketed. The living room was wide, messy like it has ways been, but brighter and newer from its last rebuilt.
Harry Potter leaned back, enjoying the newfound peace. For once in his life, Lord Voldemort and the welfare of the world were no longer in his conscious or subconscious mind. The presence of nature, of life, and of peace washed over him, welcoming him into this new world as if everything was reborn.
In a sense, everything was reborn.
Then Harry Potter twitched his ear, concentrating. He was sure he heard a beautiful voice. Very faint, but familiar. He kept his eyes closed and listened as the sound grew louder and louder, closer and closer.
"It's Fawkes, the phoenix." Hermione said with a gentle voice. Harry slowly opened his eyes.
Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat, holding Ron Weasley's hand tightly in hers. She looked as sharp and beautiful as ever. Her hair still wavy and bristle, pulled back into a lose ponytail. Her eyes searched out the window, scanning the sky looking for the crimson bird.
Ron Weasley sat right next to his beautiful girl, gazing at her in the way that every girl dreamed to be looked at. He was sure that there is nothing more beautiful than Hermione Granger, not even the quarter-veela Fleur Delacour was a match to her. The battle wounds were still present on Ron Weasley's face, faint though. Two months after the Battle, the trio still carries unhealed bruises and wounds. They tended them with utter bitterness. No matter how glorious the injuries may be, it was terrible memories for the trio, memories of Lord Voldemort. They could wish for nothing better than for it to vanish completely.
"What is he doing here?" Harry Potter asked curiously with a kind grin, meeting his gaze with Ginny Weasley's.
The ginger girl smiled sweetly and leaned towards Harry, planting a soft kiss on Harry's cut lips. Much to Harry's delight, Ron groaned quietly in his throat and pretended not to notice.
Then gracefully and swiftly, the large bird flew through an open window into the Burrow and landed on the small table between the two couples. It gently purred in a bird-like way in acknowledgement and looked at each and one of them sternly.
"Hello Fawkes, long time no see." Harry smiled and held out a hand to touch its majestic feathers. The bird merely turned and looked into Harry's eyes as if looking past beyond his soul.
Then from his claws, Fawkes unwrapped and revealed a small phial with silver liquid in it. Harry took it and right as the phial left its claws, Fawkes extended his muscular wings and flew out the window.
He was never to be seen again.
"It's a memory." Hermione said definitely after taking the phial from Harry.
"From who?" A typical Ron Weasley question.
"Dumbledore." Harry smiled as the old man's name flooded his heart with warmth. He was truly a spontaneous man, full of secrets. Managing such surprises for the trio even so long after his death.
"We will need a Pensieve." Hermione said with her brows slowly sinking together, "We don't have one."
Harry's smile widened. Even after so much, Hermione was still Hermione, full of worries.
"Hogwarts' got one, I'm sure McGonagall would gladly receive us"
The trio walked into the Headmaster's office one after another with a nervous but curious heart. They greeted their old professor with warmth and were left alone with the Pensieve.
The office was the same, noting really changed since Severus Snape last occupied it, except for the addition of the latest Headmaster portraits, Severus Snape, who appeared to be sleeping.
Harry smiled and walked straight towards the Pensieve. Before going in, the trio gave each other a stern look, their hearts pounding. Then they sank in, holding hands and feeling like old times. The familiar falling sensation attacked them before reaching the ground with smudged surroundings.
It was loud with uncontrollable chatters. And as their surroundings settles, they realized that they were in the Great Hall, staring right into Albus Dumbledore's blue eyes. Though the professor was not in his usual Headmaster chair.
It was the beginning of the school year feast where the first years are sorted. But when was this, they had no idea. Thought it must have been years before their current time, for Dumbledore appeared to be quite young with solid brown hair.
"Look!" Hermione whispered with a surprised and startled voice, her arm and index finger extended pointing towards the Slytherin table, "is that Tom Riddle?"
At the sound of that evil name, Harry and Ron whipped their head towards Hermione's direction and spotted the handsome boy immediately. Indeed it was Tom Riddle, smiling politely in a conversation with an equally handsome boy with silver hair.
"Malfoy." Harry sounded with a statement acknowledging the silver boy engaged with Riddle. He found the boys surrounding Riddle exceptionally familiar.
Ron Weasley asked, seriously confused, "if Voldemort was already sorted, then what are we here for?"
Harry shook his head, not knowing the answer. He scanned the faculty table and suddenly realized where he'd seen the boys when he glanced over the young, still rounded Horace Slughorn.
"They are Riddle's gangs, those boys. I saw them in one of Slughorn's memories." Harry recalled. They appeared in the memory about Horcruxes, there was Lestrange and Avery and Mulciber and a handful of other boys that were unnamed. "Why?" Harry questioned with a whisper.
Then the huge doors swung open and the Great Hall cheered loudly in the welcoming of their new first year. Harry could hear Riddle's gang member shouting and whistling very loudly and enthusiastically. One of their own was getting sorted today.
Little did the trio know how important this memory is, little did they know the impact it would have on them, and little did they know another adventure was waiting for them in the near future. And as for now, they will just stand and watch, watch how the story unfolds, watch how the future happens, and watch how their world was changed. For better or for worse? That's up for them to decide after the credits. Every story has not just two, but countless sides, told by each and every character in the story. Different views bring different feelings and different reasons, and this perspective is going to change their state of mind completely.
Personally, I, who is merely a recorder of the story, wouldn't consider this a gift from Dumbledore at all, quite the opposite really. But that's up for you and the trio to decide as well.
What did you think?
Lots of efforts of creativity has been put in this.
Please review and let me know your thoughts!