Chapter Four: Friends and Family until the End of Time
"Good morning, Hermione, I trust you slept well in your quarters last night," said Helga, seeing the young witch exit the girls' room just after 7:00 am the following morning.
"Good morning, Helga," said the smiling girl. "I had the best night's sleep I've ever had at Hogwarts. Ginny and Luna don't snore like the girls do in my room in Gryffindor Tower, and they don't spend hours primping themselves, either. Where are the other Founders, this morning?"
"They are all visiting other portraits of themselves," answered Helga. "Each night while the four of you are with us, one of us is to remain in their portrait to watch over you and the others, and last night was my turn."
"That's very kind of you, thank-you," replied Hermione, stifling a yawn. "Ooh, I'm sorry for the yawn. Even though I'm an early riser, I'm really not fully awake until I've had a cup of tea."
"Remember, dear, as an Heir of the Founders, you may ask the castle for whatever you want to eat or drink," said Helga.
"I forgot all about that, thank-you for reminding me," replied Hermione, stifling another yawn.
"You are most welcome, dear, "said the smiling witch from her portrait.
"Castle, please give me a large mug of hot Earl Grey tea," said Hermione. After taking sip, she asked, "Helga, is there a library in here, because I like to have something to read while drinking my morning tea?"
"The library is through the door just to the right of Harry's door," said Helga. "He's been in there for about fifteen minutes or so."
"Thank-you, Helga," said Hermione, walking toward the library. Opening the door, she saw Harry seated at a table reading old copies of the Daily Prophet, and she said, "Good morning, Harry."
"Good morning Hermione," he replied, smiling at one of his two best friends.
"Where did you get those newspapers, and where are all the other books and such you find in libraries?" asked Hermione, looking around the mostly bare room.
"Hermione, this library is the best," he replied. "All you have to do is ask the castle, and it will bring you whatever you want to read. If you don't know what you want, you can ask for a copy of whatever books and such other people have asked for."
"Wow, that's incredible," she said excitedly. Sitting down next to him, she asked, "What are you reading about in all these old papers?"
"Last night, after we all went to bed, I got to thinking about my godfather and wanted to know more about what happened after Dad and Mum were murdered and I somehow beat Voldemort," he answered. "When I got up this morning, I asked Helga if there was anyway I could find out more about what happened, and she suggested I come in here to ask the castle for help. I really didn't know where to start, so I asked the castle to give me anything about Sirius Black being sent off to Azkaban."
"What have you learned so far?" she asked, taking a sip of her tea.
"I found out Sirius was sent off to Azkaban without a trial," he answered. Smelling her tea, he asked, "What kind of tea are you drinking, because I'd like a cup, too."
"Sorry about that; castle, please give Harry a large mug of hot Earl Grey tea, as well," she replied. As he took a sip of tea, she added, "You mean to tell me, that in the Wizarding world they actually send people to prison without trials."
"According to what I read in the Daily Prophet, at least Sirius Black was, "said Harry. "Loads of other wizards and witches got trials, but Sirius didn't. According to what I read, he was sent off to Azkaban just because Professor Dumbledore said he was my family's Secret-Keeper, whatever that is."
"That's what Pettigrew confessed to being last night," she replied. Biting her lower lip, she said, "Castle, please give me something that can tell us what being a Secret-Keeper means."
"What does it say?" he asked, seeing a large reference book appear already opened to the page with the answer to their question.
"This is a description of a charm called the Fidelius Charm," she answered. "Essentially, when a Fidelius Charm is cast, secret information is hidden within the soul of a Secret-Keeper. It goes on to say the information is irretrievable until the Secret-Keeper chooses to reveal it, and those who have the secret revealed to them cannot reveal it to others until the Secret-Keeper dies, which in turn makes everyone told Secret-Keepers."
"So, Dad and Mum must have named Pettigrew our Secret-Keeper to hide us from Voldemort, and the bloody bastard up and told him where we were hiding," said Harry. "I wonder why Professor Dumbledore told everyone Sirius was our Secret-Keeper."
"If you could talk to Professor Dumbledore, maybe he would tell you," said Hermione.
"I'll ask the Founders when we go back out into the main hall," said Harry
"Good morning, fellow Heirs of the Founders," said Luna, as she came skipping and giggling into the library.
"Good morning, Luna, what are you so happy about?" asked Hermione, smiling at the blonde haired first-year.
"I'm so happy I get to be here with you, because it's almost like having friends," said the smiling Luna.
"What do you mean by almost like having friends?" asked Harry. "I was hoping the four of us could be friends."
"You mean, you really want to be friends with someone like me, even though I'm not all that special," replied Luna, starting to get misty eyed.
"Luna, you are an Heir of the Founders of Hogwarts, and that alone makes you special," said Harry. "Besides, we'd want to be your friends, anyway."
"Harry's right, Luna, you are special, and even if you weren't we'd still want to be your friends," said Ginny, walking into the library, as well. "Even though we come from the same small village, living with six brothers and my parents I never got to make friends as we kept pretty much to ourselves. That, plus Mum always made me stay inside with her."
"After my mother was killed, Daddy always took me with him wherever he went, and I never got to have friends my own age, as well," said Luna. "Mind you, I always like being with Daddy, but I would have liked friends my own age, just the same."
"I never had any friends my own age, either," said Hermione. "What with Daddy and Mum operating their own surgery, and all the weird things happening to me because of my being a witch, they always took me with them wherever they went, as well. Mind you, I really like being around my parents a lot, but like Luna, I wish I could have had friends my own age, as well."
"What about you, Harry, did you have any friends growing up?" asked Luna, when he did not voluntarily join their conversation.
"I never had any friends before I came to Hogwarts," he answered quietly. "At school, my cousin always threatened to beat up any kids that wanted to be friends with me. Mind you, my aunt and uncle always said the reason I didn't have any friends was because I was an abnormal freak."
"Were they the lot that I saw pick you up at Kings Cross when I came with Mum to get the boys after they got off the Hogwarts Express?" asked Ginny.
"Yeah, they were the Dursleys," answered Harry.
"If anyone's an abnormal freak, it was the whole lot of them," said Ginny. "Just seeing them makes me sick; are you sure we're related to that lot?"
"Unfortunately, yes I am," answered Harry. "Aunt Petunia's Mum's older sister and I really hope I never have to see them again. All they are to me are relatives, not family. To me, the three of you, and the Weasleys are my real family, not those gormless plonkers."
"Why don't we make a vow that the four of us will be friends and family, forevermore," suggested Luna. "Before she was killed, my mother told me that such vows were common practice in ages past, and I think we should take such a vow. We've all had somewhat lonely childhoods, and I really would like friends I know I could count on, no matter what happens."
"Okay, how should we do it?" asked Harry.
"Well, when Muggles made such vows, they always crossed swords together, so why don't we do it with by crossing our wands," suggested Hermione.
"What should we say when we do it?" asked Ginny.
"How about, Heirs of the Founders, friends and family until the end of time," suggested Luna.
"Okay, let's all cross wands," said Harry, taking out his wand. "How should we stand?"
"Let's stand in the order we did when we took ownership of the castle," suggested Hermione.
"Since we're all right handed, let's stand in a circle with our left hand touching the person on that side's right shoulder," said Harry. "Now, on the count of three, let's say what Luna suggested followed by, so be it."
"Heirs of the Founders, friends and family until the end of time, so be it," said the four Heirs in unison.
"Helga, one more portion of your prophecy has come to pass," said Godric, as the now glowing Heirs collapsed to the floor, maintaining wand and physical contact with each other.
"Yes, and now they begin their non-temporal and non-corporeal journeys," said Helga.
