Yes, I know. I have revised this story so many times I can't count them all but I would recommend re-reading the first few before going on to the newer chapters—anywhere past Chapter 5—because I have added some things, especially in Chapter 3. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is the disclaimer to end all disclaimers. This disclaimer stands for the entire story from here on out. I don't own anything created by J.K. Rowling including her magical world and characters. I only own what I create.

Hidden Blessings

By: SavingAngel8

Chapter 1: Too Much

A boy lay on his bed in Number Four Private Drive in the town of Little Whinging. At first glance, one would think his room unusual for a young man of his age. His bed looked to be incredibly uncomfortable, as his ankles were dangling over the foot of the bed. In fact, the whole room looked to be outfitted for a child, from the small lamp on the nightstand to the minuscule bureau by the door. Both had a significant layer of dust, however, and the only thing that seemed to be used at all was a trunk in the corner of the room that was overflowing with clothes and books.

None of these things seemed to bother Harry Potter as he stared absentmindedly at the ceiling. If anyone just glanced at him, they would think he was just sleeping with his eyes open. Indeed, it was the middle of the day and Harry was still in his pajamas, although he was on top of his covers instead of under them. He had not moved an inch in hours. But upon closer inspection, his eyes were glazed over slightly but deep in concentration.

He was, in fact, trying to be rid of his latest and most recurrent dream. The more he tried to not think of it, the more it seemed to repeat itself over and over again in his mind.

Harry stood before the Veil of Shadows, staring at it blankly. He wore a black, hooded robe with the hood resting on the top of his head.

While he was staring, His parents appeared in front of him, smiling the smiles he remembered well from photographs. All at once, Harry's scar seared and sent a white, hot pain across his forehead while a snake-like voice hissed in his head, "Kill." Harry moved his arms deftly upward and with a great strength he hadn't known was in him, he pushed his parents through the veil, never to see them again.

As soon as his parents disappeared from sight, Cedric Diggory appeared, the same boy Harry remembered from school and his nightmares. Again, his scar flared and the same hissing voice said, "Kill, kill." Like with his parents, Harry reached forward and pushed Cedric through the veil.

After Cedric came Ron and Hermione, the first wearing the same goofy grin on his face as he always did. As with Cedric and his parents, Harry's scar burned and the voice instructed him once more, "Kill, kill, kill." And so Harry did, without feeling a single ounce of remorse.

Then came Sirius. He looked just as Harry remembered him, with his baggy clothes and messy hair. He was looking at Harry with the fatherly and loving look that Harry remembered the best. This time when his scar burned, the voice in his head said with mirth, "Hahaha! I don't even have to tell you what to do because you've already done it! Hahaha!" And with that, Harry watched as Sirius fell through the veil as he had that day in the Department of Mysteries.

Then, to Harry's surprise, Hedwig came from behind Harry and perched on his shoulder. Harry looked inquiringly at Hedwig before she flew from his shoulder and through the veil.

Then Ginny was in front of him. She looked beautiful, with her red hair falling in a thick curtain around her face and her deep chocolate eyes looking right back into his green. She wore a small smile but it reflected all the affection she had always had for the select few around her. Something in Harry came back to normal and for a second he returned the smile. Even when his scar burned, it was a dull pain, and the voice resounding in his head was small and squeaky when it told him what to do. Harry became his lifeless self again and did as he was told. As he watched Ginny fall through the veil, a silent tear rolled down his cheek.

The dream ended there. The first time Harry had had the dream, he was a bit disturbed by the last person's effect on him. He had reasoned with himself by saying that since it was the end of the dream, he was feeling remorse over all who had been killed. The message of the dream itself was obvious: he regarded himself as a threat to all he loved and cared for. Hedwig had stood for all those innocent people around him who were also in peril ultimately because of him.

Unaware to him, Harry's glassy eyes had been releasing tears that silently slid down his cheeks. They had been since the start of his recollection. He took a deep breath while wiping the salty tears away with his hands. It was only then that he heard the furious tapping on the window. Harry sat up and saw the very bird from his dreams looking very flustered and trying vainly to get his attention.

He sighed and reluctantly got up from the bed and opened the window to let Hedwig in. Hedwig flew in and began zooming around the room, letting out her anger. Because of her furry, she knocked some of Harry's quills and scrolls to the ground. Since their little talk, the Dursleys allowed him to have whatever he wanted in his room, including all of his magical and school things. In return, he did the chores asked of him and didn't take any of his magical things out of his room with the exception of Hedwig. Harry always kept his wand on him but wore long shirts to hide it in his back pocket.

Once Hedwig calmed down, Harry fed her an owl treat and removed the parchment from her leg. He saw the amber H sealing the back and immediately knew who the message was from. He opened it carefully, not knowing if Dumbledore was sending him good or bad news. He hoped, for his sanity, that it wouldn't be the latter.

Dear Harry,

I hope you are doing well during these trying times. I know all that has recently happened must be hard on you and so I hope you know you can talk to me whenever you need to.

I thought I should update you on a few things. Numerous Death Eaters have warrants out for their arrest and will face life sentences in Azkaban. Among the numbers are Bellatrix LeStrange and Lucius Malfoy. Some less prominent Death Eaters are being given the option of a trial but the outcome doesn't look promising for them.

Also, the Ministry wants to hold a small memorial for Sirius and they want you to organize it. I understand if you don't want to do this but I encourage you to. This might ease the pain slightly and help you put closure to a few things. The Ministry also needs you present for the reading of Sirius's will. He has already told me that, were something to happen to him, we may keep headquarters in the same place.

I also need you to do something for me. I need you to meet me at the Hogs Head tomorrow night at ten. I can't tell you anything right now but it is imperative that you come. There is a matter of great importance that we need to discuss and it must be in person. Ask the barkeep which room I'm in and knock twice when you come to the door. We will further this discussion tomorrow.

Oh, I almost forgot! Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have written to me to ask if it would be possible for you to spend most of the summer with them. We'll also talk about this tomorrow, as I know you don't particularly like living with the Dursleys and I know Ms. Granger will also be spending some time with the Weasleys.

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Harry.

Sincerely,

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Harry looked up from reading the note, a strange look on his face. Bewilderment from what was so important that Dumbledore needed to talk to him so soon mixed with sadness over the mention of Sirius. Harry had thought of what might be done in Sirius' honor by the Ministry or at least the Order, but only briefly. He had also given little thought to Sirius leaving anything behind in a will. It was all too much to think about right now.

Harry sighed deeply, a sigh that held all of the exhaustion and remorse he had been feeling for far too long. He looked up at Hedwig perched on top of the bureau and said, "Is it too much to ask for some peace every now and then?"

He lightly tossed the letter aside and looked at his half finished homework on the desk. He bent down and picked up the fallen parchment and quills that had been knocked to the ground in Hedwig's fury fly. As he stood up and replaced the things on the desk, he decided he'd go tell Uncle Vernon that he'd be out tomorrow night.

Harry got dressed slowly and trudged down the stairs. He was slightly hungry and decided to make a detour to the kitchen before going Uncle-hunting. As he turned the corner to the kitchen, he found he wouldn't have to go searching at all. Uncle Vernon was sitting at the kitchen table, having a coffee and reading the day's paper.

When Harry walked into the kitchen, Vernon looked up and a mixture of disgust and a hint of fear crossed his face for a moment before becoming decidedly annoyed. Harry smiled inwardly at the effect he had on his relatives. They put up a nasty front, but after he blew up Uncle Vernon's sister three summers ago, they had always secretly feared his powers.

Harry casually walked over to the refrigerator and while viewing its contents said, "I'm going out tomorrow night to meet a friend. I don't know when I'll be back but it will be late," Harry glanced at his uncle with a sarcastic smile, "and you don't have to wait up."

Vernon jumped up from the table like the chair was on fire. "WHAT? No, you do not make the rules around here. You can go out if I say you can. Understand?" His face was on the verge of turning purple, something Harry usually found comical, but Harry decided laughing would only make things worse.

"Well I'm sure my old friend Mad-Eye—the man with the rolling eye, you remember him—wouldn't be too happy if I wasn't allowed to go about as I pleased. You wouldn't want another talking to from him, would you?" Harry said smoothly, appearing unconcerned about his uncle's present state.

Though a good bit of color drained from Vernon's face, his voice held the same menacing tone, "Is that a threat, boy?"

Harry gave his uncle a quizzical look. "Why no uncle, how could you possibly think that? Either way, I am going tomorrow." And with that, Harry swept passed him and out of the room with a bag of crisps in one hand. Halfway up the stairs, he heard his uncle let out a frustrated cry.

The next day went by slowly for Harry, as most days do when something important is awaiting the person at the end of the day. He went about doing his normal chores and basically nothing all day. He had had the nightmare again last night and so he was very solemn and quiet. The Dursleys noticed but paid him no mind.

At ten till ten, Harry grabbed his wand and put it in his back pocket while walking over to the side of his bed. He knelt down and pulled from a loose floorboard a ceramic lion head. It was charmed by magic so every now and then it tossed its mane and roared softly. Harry took out his wand and put the tip on top of the lion's head and said softly, "Abre."

The lion froze and the top of it dissolved to reveal grayish powder. Harry took a handful and touched his wand tip to where the rest of the lion's head should have been and said "Saca." The top of the lion immediately reappeared, sealing its contents inside and away from view.

Harry put the lion back in its hiding place carefully, so as to not lose any of the Floo powder in his hand. He stood then and went downstairs. He passed the family room and saw the Dursleys sitting around the telly, watching the news. "I'm leaving. Don't wait up," Harry said casually as he walked into the sitting room where the fireplace was. Behind him, he heard his uncle snort.

Harry stepped into the fireplace and said in a crisp, clear voice, "The Hogs Head," and threw down his powder. The Dursley's sitting room vanished from view.

The bar room of the Hogs Head came into sight and once it was focused, Harry stepped out and began to wipe soot from himself. He hated traveling by Floo. He had bought the powder and the lion head last summer while shopping in Hogsmeade. He knew he would have no better form of transportation until he was able to Apparate and he was a little more than a year away from that.

As he finished dusting the soot from his clothes, he looked up and saw the dirty barkeep looking at him. When their eyes met, the man jerked a thumb towards the stairs before raising four fingers. Harry nodded in thanks before he turned towards the stairs and began to climb them two at a time.

When he got to the top, he walked briskly towards the fourth door on the left and knocked twice, as requested in the letter. He heard an old but strong voice say, "Come in."

Harry opened the door and saw Dumbledore sitting in an overstuffed armchair, reading over some papers in his lap. When he looked up, the concentrated look he had been wearing instantly vanished to be replaced by one of happiness. His twinkling eyes held mirth in them along with a hint of...what was it? Nervousness?

Yeah right. Dumbledore? Nervous? I must be out of it.

Dumbledore smiled and said, "Please, come in. And close the door behind you."

Harry did as he was told and as he was walking over to the armchair Dumbledore had conjured for him, he heard the old man mumble a silencing charm.

What could he possibly have to tell me that's so important he can't risk being overheard?

Dumbledore looked back at Harry. "Sorry. I don't want to risk anything. You understand."

Harry gave him a quizzical look. I told Hermione he could read minds.

"Of course, sir."

Dumbledore looked at Harry with an odd expression, something that almost seemed to be pity. Harry had hardly ever seen any of these emotions displayed on Dumbledore's face so openly before and he was having a hard time identifying them. But indeed, Dumbledore was displaying some kind of remorse for Harry and he couldn't for the life of him understand why.

"Well I might as well say this before I can't," Dumbledore said, more to himself than to Harry.

Harry looked at Dumbledore questioningly, wanting him to continue. "Professor, I'm sure whatever it is, I can handle it," he said anxiously, thinking about past experiences and bad news.

Dumbledore sighed deeply, a thing that seemed to make his entire body shake, before continuing, "Harry, I of all people understand how much you've been going through the past few weeks, too much actually, but I must now give you yet another burden to bear."

At this, Harry's previously attentive went rigid and he looked down for a moment at the pale brown carpet. He didn't think he could take much more in his life right now.

Seeing this, Dumbledore quickly added, "But this isn't so much a burden as it is a...a new opportunity so to speak." Dumbledore was choosing his words carefully.

Harry looked at his Headmaster with weary eyes, a weariness that reflected all the hardships he had carried throughout his life, a weariness that his eyes should not have possessed until a much later time in his life. A weariness that almost made Dumbledore reconsider telling Harry what he had intended to.

"Please sir, you can tell me," Harry said, trying to sound brave but unable to hide the slight fear.

Dumbledore knew there was no turning back now; Harry would not accept it. Dumbledore straightened himself to his full posture.

"Harry, you have a twin sister."