Thanks to all who read and reviewed.
Chapter 10:
Harry stayed up in bed next to Hermione. He wanted to know what happened to his other grandmother, and if Voldemort killed her and how his mother and aunt survived. He tried legilimency on Voldemort, and found him asleep as his mental walls were weak at the moment. He broke a tiny opening in them carefully as not to alert Voldemort about his entrance and searched for the memory of his grandmother. Surprisingly he found an advanced and powerful memory block in place that blocked the memories about her. Harry went around them and decided not to break them, while wondering who was powerful enough to get close and memory charm a Dark Lord, and he found out the truth. He slipped out of Voldemort's mind as he felt him wake up and strengthen his mental shields and went to sleep.
Days have passed and the four friends woke up very tired the morning of their NEWT exams. They spent the previous night reviewing and practicing the spells in their text books to prepare for their exams. Hermione spent extra time reading the books, worried and muttering about not doing well in her exams. This made the other three fall laughing as she was the only person who could memorize a book by heart and recite it! They spent time quizzing each other about the charms and spells, types of ingredients used in some of the potions. Harry was not worried about not doing well in exams as he memorized the seventh year text books when he was not helping Blaise with her lightning element earlier in the summer. Unfortunately for Harry and Hermione, they had a lot of knowledge but it was in ancient magic and spells that were used till the time of the founders. They had not enough knowledge about modern spells that were developed recently or after the time of the founders of Hogwarts. The reason for that is that Salazar supplied Harry, Leo and Lena with books from his time to help Harry and Hermione train. As they could not use much of the ancient knowledge in their exams as some of them were lost to people and the only person who could know them was Dumbledore as he was also trained by Leo, they relied on the Hogwarts library to study the modern spells and potions. It was not hard to comprehend and perform them as they were derived from the old spells, although not as powerful or as complicated. They went downstairs and met in the common room. After morning greetings were exchanged, they made their way to Dumbledore's office. Harry spelled the gargoyle to close after him, to make his friends say Voldemort's name. Hermione also whispered the password and went inside grinning at Harry when she realized his plan. After a few more minutes Draco entered and saw them standing in front of him. He threw a hex at Harry which he side stepped grinning at the pissed Draco. Draco waited with them for Blaise to come. Harry realizing that it must be hard for her after what happened to her this summer was going to take the spell of the gargoyle and open it when it stepped aside revealing a pissed Blaise with a wand in her hand. She looked at Harry for a moment, who had a horror look on his face, as Blaise was very talented in charms and hexes only rivaled by Flitwick and Harry. And he knew that to anger Blaise Zabini would be suicidal as Fred and George found out when they tried to prank Blaise during breakfast once in Harry's house. Blaise waved her wand a few times and grinned at Harry. He conjured a mirror and looked at his reflection. He had pink hair; long nose that looked like Snape's, his ears looked like a house elf's ears and a tail. Harry ran the stairs up to Dumbledore's office with Blaise on his tail, followed by a laughing Draco and Hermione. Harry threw the door open and went to hide behind Dumbledore who was laughing hard when he saw Harry's looks. After the laughter died down, Blaise changed Harry back to normal and sat down on a conjured chair.
"Do I dare ask what happened?" Said the headmaster with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Well, Harry said the password after he spelled the gargoyle to close behind him, to make sure that we say Voldemort's name. I went after him and entered as I learned to say it during the summer as it was just a nickname for a mad man, nothing else." Said Hermione looking at the Headmaster who sent proud looks at his grandson and Hermione "Draco entered after that and threw a hex at Harry which Harry managed to shield himself from. But when Blaise entered she hexed and transfigured Harry into what you saw moments before."
As she mentioned the incident again, all of them laughed and Harry sent a Snape level glare to all of them. After the laughter subsided, the Headmaster stood up with a hand watch in his hand. He waved his wand in a star shaped manner and said "portus."
"We have to go to the ministry for your examination; this portkey will take us to the entrance of the ministry. Your exams will begin as soon as we arrive. I managed to convince the minister to make you take your NEWTs early, though after a lot of convincing." Said the Headmaster, stressing on 'convincing' and winking when he said it.
Before they left Harry asked the headmaster a question.
"Professor, professor McGonagall told me you wanted to see me after the welcome feast, but I forgot to come with everything on my mind that day." Said Harry remembering the ancestry potion.
"I wanted to know how your training was going and to notify you that your Quidditch ban was lifted, but since you are no longer going to be a student, it did not matter." Said Dumbledore.
Hermione, Draco, Blaise and Dumbledore touched the portkey waiting for Harry to do so. Harry shook his head at Dumbledore and said "I will go with Athena, I hate portkeys. I will meet you next to the fountain."
Dumbledore nodded and said the password to trigger the portkey 'hope' and they left. Harry summoned Athena to him by their link which was made when they bonded after Harry returned to the present. He sent Athena a mental picture of where he wanted to go, after saying a trill goodbye to Fawkes, Harry and Athena disappeared in a flash of flames and phoenix song which calmed Harry very much. They appeared in front of the fountain beside Dumbledore and his friends. Harry thanked Athena and told her that he would call her when he finished. Athena disappeared in flames and Harry followed Dumbledore and his friends. They went to a room Harry didn't see before in his visit to the ministry and found Fudge with a tall man who Harry assumed was the examiner. Dumbledore went to the door leaving when Harry went to him and whispered something in his ear. Dumbledore looked pained for a moment but nodded. Dumbledore left and Harry went back to his friends and the examiner who nodded at Harry. Seeing his friends opening their mouth to question him on what he told Dumbledore but he spoke in their minds 'later'.
"Good morning Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger and Miss Zabini. My name is Martin Thatcher and I will examine you today. You will have one hour on each written exam, and half an hour on practical." said Martin cheerfully.
"Can I take exam on Ancient Runes? I know I didn't take the course at Hogwarts or the OWL exam but I thought I might have a chance to take it here." Asked Harry. The examiner looked thoughtful for a moment and replied "You have to prove to me that you know about ancient runes and I will let you take the OWL and NEWT exam of them." He said, thinking that Harry would sure fail in the exams as it was a really hard subject and only a few take this subject. He drew a rune on a piece of paper and held it up to Harry to identify it.
Harry grinned at him and took out his wand, and summoned a parchment from the table next to him. He concentrated for a bit and traced the rune on the parchment while muttering softly under his breath. The parchment glowed and flew around the room imitating a bludger. The examiner's jaw dropped at the sight before him. Rune casting was lost in time, and only Merlin, the founders and Dumbledore had the knowledge of rune casting. Scholars around the wizarding world studied Ancient Runes. Only Dumbledore was powerful enough to cast runes and had the knowledge on how to cast them, and not all the Runes he could cast. Dumbledore was asked to cast runes on a lot of things as he was the only known wizard alive who is powerful enough to do so. The examiner shook himself out of his shock and muttered a very low "How?"
Harry did not want anyone to know of his abilities as it could reach Voldemort and ruin his element of surprise.
"It doesn't matter Mr. Thatcher, but I ask you to keep it a secret until I say otherwise. Now are you convinced that I know about ancient runes?" Asked Harry, after receiving a nod from Martin Thatcher he continued "So, Can I take the examination?"
"I'd be damned if I said no!" Answered Mr. Thatcher with a grin. As he turned around to get the exams from the desk, Harry cast a secrecy spell on him, so that he would not tell about it until Harry agreed to do so.
They had Potions exam first. Harry knew the answers to all the questions on the paper, and grinned when he read the last question. What are the ingredients of the polyjuice potion? He laughed mentally and listed the ingredients that Hermione brewed in their second year. He heard a soft chuckle and knew that Hermione read the question. They finished the written part of the exam and were asked to make some difficult healing potions and poisons. They finished the practical exam and had a five minute rest. They had Charms next; they finished their written exam and moved to the practical one. They were asked to cast a series of complicated charms which Harry ended with an anti-Apparation jinx, Hermione with anti portkey jinx and Blaise with memory projection charm that Harry used during the summer, for extra credit. The examiner was impressed as these three charms were extremely difficult and only some of charm masters could do them. They did them perfectly while Draco struggled with some of the charms. They moved to DADA which was Harry's favorite. Harry answered all the questions in detailed and long answers, since this was the subject which he could write from his knowledge when he was staying with Leo. On the practical the four of them performed their patronus, curses, hexes, and everything they were asked to do. When they finished their transfiguration written exam which followed the DADA one, they were given a paper to transfigure the piece of parchment to the objects and animals on their list. They finished their last object on the list which was to transfigure the parchment into an animal of their choice. Blaise changed hers to a panda, Draco changed his to a wolf, Hermione and Harry shocked again the examiner when they changed their parchment into magical creatures as it was unheard of.
Harry changed his to a red and gold phoenix and Hermione changed hers to a black and silver phoenix. Martin Thatcher had to sit down after all the shocks he received from the four very powerful witches and wizards standing in front of him with laughter and amusement in their eyes. He asked them if they had any extra surprises for extra credit in transfiguration. He was answered by Harry changing into a rabbit and Hermione into a cat. They both agreed to change to harmless animals and register as such, so they could fool Voldemort if he ever found out. Blaise and Draco could change to only one animal, so they would not register until Voldemort's death. They proceeded with the other exams and finished them. Harry and Hermione went to register their rabbit and cat forms and Draco went with Blaise to Hogwarts after being notified that they will get their results the next day. After registering their rabbit and cat forms, Harry summoned Athena and left with Hermione in flames and phoenix song. They appeared in the Headmaster's office but it was empty. They looked at the watch and it read six o'clock, Harry summoned Dobby and asked him to bring them their dinner in their rooms. They went to their common room and sat down. After casting a silencing and privacy charms around them, Harry spoke.
"We need to hold a meeting of the Order of Shadows." said Harry. "We also need to find more recruits for the Order, but only from seventh years as they have more knowledge than the younger ones."
They nodded and Hermione asked the two questions that Harry was expecting for a while.
"Harry, why did you ask Dumbledore to take the NEWTs early? And what did you tell Dumbledore at the ministry?" asked Hermione in a 'no lies or you're dead' tone.
"For your first question, Dumbledore asked me to be the Defense Against the Dark arts teacher." said Harry, but was interrupted by hugs from Hermione and Blaise and a slap on the back from Draco.
"Why didn't you tell us before?" Asked Hermione and Blaise in unison.
"I didn't have time to tell you, between finding out that Dumbledore is my grandfather and revising for the NEWts." Replied Harry with a smile.
"And the second question?" Asked Hermione.
"No, I won't answer that now, it will be a Christmas present for Draco and Blaise." Answered Harry mysteriously.
Harry summoned the Order members through his mark and teleported to the Room of Requirement and waited for the members to arrive. He convinced his friends before he left to go to sleep as he could manage without them and his friends were tired from the exams, and they were called 'nastily exhausting' for a reason. Members began to arrive, and when all did, Harry closed the door and cast a privacy charm on the room. He asked the room for a table and they all sat down.
"Good evening everyone, I think by now your Memory Charms are broken." Said Harry, seeing them nod he continued, "Good, we need to recruit seventh years into our Order, please let me know of their names as they will be tested by Parvati, Hermione and me. Now Lavender, did you have any visions?" Asked Harry. Lavender shook her head.
"Ernie, I need to you to take my appearance tomorrow morning as I will not be here, tomorrow is Saturday so the teachers won't notice. I will be gone for about Five hours starting eight o'clock and I will notify you when I come back." Ernie nodded his head and Harry continued. "Cho, I need you to enchant muggle guns that will be brought to you in a few days to make them to reload with magic from wherever the ammunitions are." Cho nodded her head in understanding.
"Dean, I need you to contact the wolves in the forest and ask their help in the battle against Voldemort. Tell them that they will be notified about when he will attack." He said to Dean who nodded.
"Fred, I need you to spy on Fudge in a small animagus form of yours, I think he might be a Death Eater. I want you to find documents that prove that he is a Death Eater." Said Harry with venom apparent in his tone. Fred nodded his head to Harry and went to his do his mission right away.
"Well, if there is nothing to discuss, our meeting is adjourned." Said Harry to the members of the Order before going out of the room and teleporting to his room. He found Hermione awake and reading a book.
"Hermione, what are you doing awake?" Asked Harry concerned.
"I was waiting for you. Harry, you are hiding something from me. I saw it when you told us about Dumbledore. Please Harry; you know you can tell me anything." Said Hermione with concern and love evident in her tone and eyes.
"You will be afraid of me if I told you, hell even I am scared of even thinking about it." Said Harry with a sad tone.
"Harry, I love you and I won't abandon or be afraid of you no matter what, so stop this and please tell me what is wrong!" Answered Hermione. Harry knew he had to tell her some time but he was afraid it would drive the only girl he truly loved away.
He turned to her and said the words that he loathed since the time he learned the truth.
"Voldemort is my Grandfather." Said Harry in a tone full of hate and loathing.
"Oh!" Exclaimed Hermione, shocked. "But that does not change anything Harry." She said after recovering from her shock. She wrapped her arms around him and put her head on his shoulder.
"Why did he marry your grandmother, I mean if she was a muggleborn witch or even a muggle, which he hated either of them." Said Hermione, confused.
"She was a witch Hermione, and what no one except Voldemort and my grandmother knew, that the Evans was a blood line of squibs descendants from the sister of Rowena Ravenclaw." Said Harry. "But after Tom Riddle decided to be Voldemort, he told her in hope of making her a dark queen next to him, but she refused and was going to tell Dumbledore. But he killed her, not knowing that she knew about his plans the night before and sent their children away to her cousin and his wife. And she memory charmed him while he was asleep and wiped his memories of his daughters, and she didn't have a chance to Owl Dumbledore as he told her after they woke up in the morning."
"But how did you know all of that if only Voldemort and your Grandmother knew, and as you said she is dead and Voldemort won't tell you anything as he himself cannot remember?" Asked Hermione suspiciously.
Harry flinched at her tone and the question and answered softly, "I used legilimency on Voldemort while he was asleep and found a memory charm and went around it but didn't break it."
"HARRY JAMES POTTER, HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT'S DANGEROUS AND DON'T YOU EVER DO IT AGAIN!" Hermione yelled at him. Luckily, there was a silencing and privacy charm on their room since they made love a lot of times. She then hugged him tightly with tears in her eyes. He hugged her back and stroked her hair until they fell asleep in each other's arms.