Forced out of his home, and forced to take refuge in the shrieking shack, Harry potter could tell that the war was over. The number of the order members could be counted on two hands, barley needing the second. After the battle for Hogwarts was over they could not find the body of Tom Riddle, yet they presumed him dead. They were wrong though. Tom's next attack proved devastating because of the lack of constant vigilance. The Death Eaters quickly took over Diagon Alley, and Gringotts. Gorge Weasley, Percy Weasley, and Charlie Weasley had all perished that day fighting for the bank. Bill Weasley was taken captive, and forced to remove all wards within the bank. The next to fall was the Ministry. The battle took less than three minuets, because of lack of defense in place. After they defeated Tom at Hogwarts, minister Amelia Bones purged the Ministry of all top ranking officials that sided with Tom, including over seventy percent of the aurors.
Once in control of the banking and The ministry, Harry urged all of the order members to take refuge at Hogwarts. He used the castle as a safe haven having survived two attacks there already. That is where he noticed his numbers had dwindled drastically. He had only five of his original nine trusted order members left with the perishing of the Weasleys. Ron was still his left hand man, Hermione was his brain, and Ginny his strength were his top three. Neville Longbottom was a very brave fighter in his army, and was even told by many older members he fought with the passion of Frank, but also using the brain of Alice. Semus Finnegan wasn't the member that he was when he originally joined. After Lavender Brown passed due to Fenir Greyback. Yet, he still was brilliant as Ron when It came to strategy.. Weather it was because of their deaths, or people deserting Harry was never sure. Months passed with minor battles, nothing drastic.
After about five months, the second battle of Hogwarts occurred. It was a siege by Tom for about three days before any fighting took place. They had blocked all ways they knew into Hogwarts, including the tunnels, and planned on starving them out. After three days though, they realized that it wasn't working. That is when Tom sent in his carvery, the giants. The amount of damage they did to the walls of the Castle was staggering. They took down the walls of the entrance hall, and smashed holes in the wall of the Great Hall, the Transfiguration wing, and smashed a hole down the the dungeons. But eventually the order did force the giants to retreat, and they were so scared they wouldn't return. Next Tom sent the in the dementors and the werewolves. They were a fierce combination. The werewolves typically instilled fear into their prey, and a sense of paranoia, both of which the dementors feed on. But much to the dismay of Tom, Harry was powerful enough to repel the undead beasts, while his order members could take down the wolves. The order did take some losses, the loss Neville who jumped in front of a werewolf that was about to surprise Luna at that point thinning their numbers even more.
Next was a move that surprised Harry. Tom himself walked out onto the grounds of Hogwarts asking for Harry. He claimed that he wanted to end the war as soon as possible, and all the deaths were just getting "silly." Harry was debating going when he hear his hot head, Redhead friend shout something and Run at Tom. He was quickly struck down with a killing curse, shot form nearby. That's when they saw Bellatrix Lestrange. Hermione charged after the women attacking her with as much power she could muster. She eventually found her at the ruined bridge, and casted a stunner that knocked her over the edge. But Bellatrix was ready, as soon as the stunner was going to hit, she summed Hermione to her so they both plummeted. Members of the order immediately started to surrender to Tom. Harry, Ginny, Luna, and Seamus all managed to escape, and took refuge at Godrics Hollow.
They were there for almost a month when the death eaters came around. There was seven of them, and while they were all low level, it was a lot to fight. Harry Ginny and Luna got away, Seamus did not. He chose to stay behind and hold them off, almost doing it too. But succumbing to the eighth death eater. They took shelter at the shrieking shack, being the only place they knew was safe. That's when they had to find a different means of winning this war. They discussed ways of possibly assassinating Tom, but all were proved too illogical. Then they though of ways of recruiting new members, but knew that was futile. That is when Luna through out the idea of time Travel. Originally they thought it was Luna's different way of looking at things but then Harry started to question it.
"It is possible Harry, though it has never been completed. You see you need to preform the spell just right, and be in sacrifice of the blood of your true love. My father tried it just before my eighth birthday. That's when my mom passed, he told me to say she had gotten blown up in a potion mistake. I always thought that was strange that it didn't work."
"Luna do you know the spell?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, yes I do." She said staring off into space a bit.
"Luna, I want you to teach the spell to Harry. He is the hope we need to go back. I know he..."
"No Ginny out of the question! I will not sacrifice you. Hell we don't even know if this will work. No Offense Luna. But on top of that We don't even know how far you will go back." Harry roared at her.
"So it won't work because you don't truly love me?" Ginny asked.
"Ginny you know I love you."
"Then stop doubting it and trust in that love. Love is the power that Tom does not know. But I guess your right. Luna do you know where your Father's notes are?" She asked turning her attention to the girl.
"Oh yea, let me go get them." She said and apperted away right away. She appeared in the same exact stop she was in a few minuets later holding a quibbler.
"Uh Luna, we asked for his notes not a quibbler." Harry said.
"Harry silly, my father didn't ever take notes. He published this magazine to remember everything we have seen on our trips. Here it is on page 22." She said handing the book to Ginny.
The redhead started reading the passage out loud:
While on vacation to South America, Chile to be exact, I found out about a certain ritual. It was to create a soul bond. Now, a soul bond is a very particular rare form of magic, working as the opposite of a horcurx, see page 15. In fact it apparently can even destroy one. Now, the soul bond is done with the use of a spell, and a sacrifice of sorts. So it would be believed to fall into the category of blood magic,but is in fact soul magic, or the magic of love. You see while a horcrux is created by killing someone random and splitting your soul, the sacrifice has to be someone that is your true love. The spell will only work if it is your true love, not any different for but true undying love. That is why this magic tribe only has them try the spell when they chose. Both parties do need to agree.
A soul bond, is the combination of two souls that allow for the exchange of though and feelings, along with magical power. This can make the two people in it extremely strong in times of crisis, as long as they are in close proximity. The exchange of thoughts and feelings is a slow moving process, taking a few years to fully reach its height. Though at the height of its power, the soul bond, can even caused shared vision and hearing. From the beginning though there is a heightened sense of where the other person was. The two in the soul bond will always know where the other person is, and if they are in trouble.
The spell used is AnimaTempusVinculumAetemus. Correctly translated is Soul-Time-Bond-Eternal. The reason time is there, as some of you are probably wondering, is because the tribe believes if successful the caster actually travels back in time to the moment that they first fell for their love, even subconsciously. That is why it needs to be true undying love. The best way to make sure of tat is evaluate if you would be willing to die for that person. Next issue I will give you the results if I try it.
"Harry, would you die for me?" she asked already knowing the answer.
"Yes I would. Do you think this would work?" Harry asked worriedly.
"Yes, the big question would be, what moment would you go too?" Luna asked following her answer.
"It would be the moment in my fifth year, when you started dating. I was so jealous of those other guys. I wanted to hex every single one of them especially that git Dean."
"Okay lets try it Ginny said...
Harry awoke for a brief moment, he know it had worked. He could see the familiar stone ceiling of the hospital wing. He was confused though when he saw Fox sitting next to his bed. HE sat up looking around, that's when he realized what year he was in. He saw Hermione, hand in the air, petrified. They he continued to look around until he saw the redhead in the bed next to his. He stood up and shook her awake.
"Ginny are you alright?" He said when her eyes shot open.
"Harry? How did we got out of the chamber, where is tom. He can't be trusted." She shouted at him, bringing madame Pomfery from her office. "I'm glad to see you both awake. Harry, the Headmaster would like to see you right away."
"Ma'am are you sure Ginny is alright, she is like family to me. And I don't have a lot of family. And the ones I have abuse me." he said.
"She will be fine physically. But she defiantly needs people to support her. But what was that about your family?" She asked worriedly.
"Oh its just the Weasleys are so nice, and they allow me to eat when I'm there and I am not locked up all the time like with my aunt and uncle. Last summer wasn't to bad, maybe they changed their ways. They only beat me six times last summer, though Uncle Vernon used the belt."
"Harry, before you see the Headmaster please come at me I would like to look at a few things." Once in her office she ordered Harry to strip to his skives. She ran diagnostic spells and x-ray spells. She noticed a lot of micro-breaks in his bones around his lower back, and arms. The diagnostic spells revealed residual nerve damage on his lower back. "Harry, how long has this been going on?"
"About ten years, or at least I only remember ten years of it. Why?"
"Harry this is a very serious matter. If they are hurting you we need to get you out of there." she said sternly. "I am going with you to the Headmaster's office. I need to talk to him about your current living situation."
The two of they strode out of her office, past the other patients. Professor Sprout was there bringing up the mandrake drought. She saw the determined look on the nurse's face which she turned back to Colin Creevy. They made amazing pace to the Gargoyle,who jumped out of their way, even the stairs seemed to move right into their path. Harry knew he made the right move to get out of uncle Vernon's house forever. Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk when his door flew open. Madame Pomfery walked right up to the headmaster looking quite menacingly. It was clear that Poppy was angry with him. And seeing Mr. Potter there, the headmaster had a pretty good idea why. He knew of some of the abuse that had occurred, but seeing as they carried the same blood as Lily potter, Harry had to be there.
"Ah Poppy, nice to see you. I see Mr. Potter has woken up. Thank you for escorting him to my office, you can go back to your other patients." He said not showing his inner fear towards the Nurses emotion.
"Headmaster, I have just been given some very reveling information about Harry Potter, from Mr. Potter. You see, he has just informed me about how he has been living at the Dursley's house. It seems like Vernon has been beating him. And after running some tests, it seems to be true. Albus this is very serious. I can not stand by while he is being beaten." she said.
"Poppy, I know that." Albus said matter of factly.
Harry was outraged. After all these years he always though that Dumbledore never knew. But to find out he did made Harry outraged. With his magic starting to surge, he lashed out at the Headmaster. His voice sounded strange to him when he started to yell. "You knew?! How could you let me live with him?! It was only two years ago that I didn't have a bed, or a room. I slept in a cupboard under the stairs, I had to curl up in a ball to even try to get comfortable. Then you forced them to give me my own room. That caused an uproar from Vernon. He beat me with a cane that his dead mother used to walk. He took away my mattress over the summer and put bars on my window. I had to stay in my room for 22 hours a day, only allowed and hour for dinner, and an hour for the bathroom. When I was nine he even broke my collarbone when I asked for an extra serving of mashed potatoes."
By the end of his rant, objects in the room were levitating, and moving about. Harry could feel the tension from the magic in the room. It was more than any normal 12 year old should have been able to produce even with the trace on. Harry found out a year after the first battle for Hogwarts that the trace actually suppressed magic. The only way that the trace could be broken was a surge of magical power of prolific proportions, or turn seventeen. Harry wasn't sure if that surge had proved that the trace was gone or not, but judging by the worried look on the Headmasters face there was a good chance that it was gone.
"Harry, and Poppy, I did not do this by choice. There were many factors that went into play after Harry's parents died. Too many that I can't explain right now." Dumbledore said as if he had the last word. "Now, after that outburst Mr. Potter, I have some questions. That display of power rivaled many, I would say even my own power levels. How did you summon all of that power? Or did you not know that you were summoning it?" Albus said.
"Well sir, I felt a slight pull at first but when you said that you knew, I got very angry. I felt the pull go away immediately. Then it just seemed limitless." Harry responded. "Now I have a question, who did my parents want me to live with?"
"Harry, I will not discuss this." Albus said with a stern look.
"No, Albus. I think it is time that we discuss something else for Harry's living arraignment."
"I am afraid I can't. Listen there are more factors at play that could not allow for Harry to move. Even if the trace is broken, Harry is still safest there."
"The trace?" Harry asked. But Madame Pomfery asked another question first, "What do you mean broken?"
"Harry, the trace is what the ministry uses to track underage wizards. It is also how we find out muggleborn wizards. And yes Poppy, I believe that Harry here has somehow broken the trace. And while every wizard knows at 17 you are allowed practice magic outside of school without repercussion, the trace naturally breaks. But It seems Mr. Potter has broken the trace by other means." Albus said. "I have to go check on something to be sure."
"Albus. That is serious, if Mr. Potter has broken the trace does that mean he is legally an adult."
"No Poppy, all it means is we can no longer monitor him from the Ministry."
"Sir, if I can ask. Why do I have to go back to the Durselys? I don't even see that place as my house. Hogwarts is my real home." Harry said.
"Harry, I will not say this again. There are more factors at work here than you can consider. I am following the will of Lily potter in keeping you safe."
"They had a will?" Harry asked.
Madame Pomfery responded before Albus could. "Yes they had to have one if they wanted to go into hiding." Albus was shaking his head at that answer.
"Can I see there will?" Harry asked.
"Harry, I don't think it wise for you to see it." Albus responded.
"Why?" Harry asked causally. He understood why Albus did not want to see it. He learned, a few weeks before the return of the dark lord, that the will could clear Sirius Black of most of his crimes. Not only that, it declared that he was legally the guardian of Harry. The will also stated that Albus Dumbledore was supposed to never give Harry to Lily's sister and brother-in-Law. He already knew that was in clear violation of the will.
"Harry, are you sure you want to see it?" The old man said.
"Yes, and I'd like for someone to help me read the more detailed and confusing things. I trust Professor McGonagall. I know she has always been protective of me." Harry said.
"Okay, we will go over it tomorrow." Albus said. "now about what happened in the chamber..."
Once finished recanting his tale to the Headmaster, he was dismissed back to the Hospital wing with Madame Pomfery. He was instructed to go right to his bed, and lay down he had been through an ordeal that no twelve year old should have been through. Even though Harry knew he was not actually 12, but he did feel tired after his display of power. As soon as he entered the room Ginny sat up in her bed. It was clear she did it upon feeling Harry enter the room, but it was clear she did not know why. Harry had hoped she would know right away. He sat in his bed for a second thinking about everything that had happened so far. It was while he was deep in thought that Ginny started to feel some of the stress he was carrying. She did not know why she felt it, she just knew the emotions were not hers. Out of concern, she gingerly reached out her hand and placed it on his shoulder. That made Harry feel better. Until Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came bursting in.
The two concerned parents looked over there daughter from top to bottom, causing Ginny so embarrassment. Then Mrs. Weasley's rage started to show. "Ginerva Molly Weasley! Why did you even start writing in that damn diary. You could have been maimed or killed. Hell, you basically were according to Poppy. It is disrespectful to your family and you endangered your friends." this sent a wave of fear and worry from Ginny. Also caused Harry to speak.
"Mrs. Weasley, she didn't know better. She really didn't have friends in her year. In fact most of the girls in her year were quite mean to her. And it didn't help that Ron wouldn't allow her anywhere near his friends. She was just looking for someone to talk to. She never realized she could talk to me though." Harry said with a little authority.
"Harry, do you mean that?" Ginny asked him.
"Yes, Ginny you are a friend to me. You can come to me anytime to me." Harry said. "And I know I didn't show it well this year. I think if I did, you wouldn't have talked to Tom."
"I had no one all year to talk to. Even when I wrote home, I couldn't explain how lonely I was." Ginny just finished that statement when her brothers walked in, unfortunately for them. They took a berating from Mrs. Weasley for the next thirty minuets about how they should be more accepting of Ginny, and that they were the cause of the issue. Though during this time, Ginny could feel a sense of shame mixed with amusement at the situation, that was not coming from her.
After a few hours the non patients were asked to leave the Hospital wing to allow for the people there to get some sleep. Though Harry and Ginny instead didn't sleep, they just stayed up talking for a while. Ginny learned a lot in that conversation, and actually started becoming friends with Harry, almost drawn to him. It was then that Ginny found out how much Harry had hated the attention he always got, and that he wished more than anything for the chance to be normal, and have a family. She wanted to write her mother right then and there trying to appease the boys request.
The next day was quite eventful. True to his word Albus brought the will of Lily and James Potter down to Harry so he could read it. Professor McGonagall was there also on behalf of Harry, so he could read it. They both looked over the document. Not only were they both upset at Albus, they both agreed Harry wouldn't go back to the Dursley's. The transfiguration professor even became irate when Albus said it was for the greater good. She knew exactly how those muggles were, and how they will always be. She always expressed doubt that those people would raise Harry right. Though the will did bring up another conversation, who was Sirius Black? This was a question that Harry asked while trying to suppress his grin. He still remember his carefree, and overly jovial godfather. But when Minerva explain the boy she knew many years ago, best friends with James Potter, and the constant thorn in Lily Potter's side, Harry protested that there was no way he could even hurt a flea. This was a joke that he had heard Sirius say many times in the old time line. So he thought nothing of it. But Albus had also heard that joke earlier in this time line, right out of Sirius Black's mouth. He looked at the boy sitting in front of him with wonder and amazement. That's when Minerva noticed something.
"Albus, Sirius Black was not the secret keeper to the Potter. Peter Pettigrew was? Did you know that?" She said rereading the document. "In fact Peter then, was the only one to know where the Potter's were. Do you know what that means?"
"I do indeed Minerva. I need to be in touch with Amelia Bones right away." He turned and started to talk out the door. "But that won't clear him of Peter's murder. Just James and Lily's"
"I know Albus," She said standing up. "But its a start, I never thought black capable of such acts anyways." and followed Albus out of the room carrying the will.
Ginny and Harry, being the only awake people in the room, were allowed to play some games and talk. But not allowed to leave of do anything strenuous, mentally and physically. They played some wizard chess, but was told exploding snap was too loud. Then they talked mostly just chit-chat. Harry learned some stuff about Ginny he already knew, seeing as they were married for three years after the battle for Hogwarts. It was quite casual conversation until Ginny said: "I think I felt your emotions yesterday?"
"What are you talking about Ginny?" Harry asked sounding quite shocked, but it was more surprised at how quickly she felt them. Mr. Lovegood's article suggested it took much longer.
"Yesterday, when Fred, Gorge, Ron and Percy came in here. Mum was tearing them apart, and you felt happy at the sight of it, and it was comedic. But you still felt ashamed that you weren't closer to me."
"Well, Ginny that was what I was feeling. But I don't know how to explain it."
"Can you feel mine?" She asked curiously.
"Let me try." HE said focusing on her emotions. He felt curiosity, weather his or hers, he wasn't sure. He also felt some pain, and joy. Those were both not his for sure, and then he felt it. Terrible bone-chilling fear. "Ginny, he is gone you know that right. The book is gone."
The look of shock was written all over her face. "I'm guessing you felt my emotions."
"I assume so. This is weird." Harry said. "Let's not tell anyone. IT will be our secret.
"For sure Harry. Play you in chess again." she said. The two kids played chess for a few more hours just enjoying their time together.