CHAPTER 9: THE SLEEPER HAS AWAKENED

When the serpent being said it's goodbyes, fires of the pentagram suddenly rose high in the night, their shine magnified many times more than the moment before and then they faded out of existence.

Such occurence was not expected by the guardians outside the quadrant. They rose on their feet, bodies tense and wands ready to defend from a very possible attack.

It happened from time to time, that something would come from the other side, malevolent, hungry for blood and pain. And sometimes it would succeed in it's escape, leaving death and chaos behind. And sometimes, it would actally posess someone who dared to enter the spirit realm, which made it even more dangerous. Thus the quadrant and the guards.

All of a sudden, pentagram burned brightly again, and Dumbledore and Chuyat were on their feet, while Potter was coming to his senses, blinking furiously. He was helped from the ground by Dumbledore, who also gave him his glasses back, knowing that Harry was practically blind without them.

Harry immediately recognised his headmaster. " Professor Dumbledore ! ", he exclaimed, " What is happening ? Where is everybody ? How is Sirius ? I know it was wrong to go to the Ministry, but we had no choice, Sirius would have died ! "

Dumbledore smiled, trying to calm Harry down. " Relax Harry, everybody is fine. Some of your friends were treted at St. Mungo's, but are perfectly healthy by now. It was you who we were worried about. How are you feeling, right now ? "

Harry's face was picture of confusion and contemplation. " But..., I am fine professor. ", he then took his glasses off, studying them carefully, " are you sure these are mine professor, since I can't see well with them on. "

Dumbledore frowned, worry crept on his face. " I am sure they are yours Harry, since I took them myself and kept them with me all the time you were unconscious."

" I was unconscious ? For how long ? "

" For almost three weeks Harry. You were practically nearly dead. "

" Weird ."

" What is weird Harry ? "

" Well, I can see all right without my glasses now, and I feel great, a little hungry, but great nonetheless ! "

There was a look of speculation on Dumbledore. " I would not worry about it too much Harry. You were exposed to heavy dosages of powerful magics, plus you are still a developing young wizard, so it may be a natural development . But my friends will check you out to see if anything is wrong with you. "

Harry took that as a sign to look around. He noticed several strange witches and wizards around. One of them was coming their way. He looked pretty old, not like Dumbledore, but still.

Dumbledore was aware of Chuyat approaching, and introduced them to each other.

" Harry, meet Chuyat, my old friend who helped me to wake you up. He already knows you. Now, he must check your condition, so please listen to him. "

Harry decided to follow headmasters instructions. There was no need to complicate things. In the end it didn't take long. The man just told him to stand in certain way while he waved wand around him, asked him a few weird questions, and that was it. They went back to headmaster.

" I take it that everything is all right with Mr. Potter ? ", asked Dumbledore. Chuyat merely nodded in agreement. " You may talk to him now, he is completely clean of any influences, there is no danger anymore. Please, remember our deal. "

Harry was confused. Influences, danger and what kind of deal was it about. He had a feeling it was about him. He followed Dumbledore to the little formation of tall. big rocks, and waited till he finished casting a set of some spells, probably against listening and what else. He wondered if he was ever going to learn something like that.

Dumbledore decided to start the conversation. " Harry , there is much to talk about, so let us begin. I already know what happened at Hogwarts and at the Ministry I believe that some explanations are in order. You see, Voldemort set you up. He wanted to gain access to the Prophecy, but could not reveal himself. So, he used the link between you two , the scar, to draw you there and force you to bring him the orb. Luckily you did not go by yourself and managed to destroy it and survive long enough till we came to the rescue."

When Dumbledore mentioned his scar, Harry realised that it did not hurt anymore. Now it felt like any other scar he used to have. Maybe it will dissapear now.

" Why me again, would it not have been easier to use a Ministry employee ? "

" Ah, it is not simple to take the prophecy. You see, the only people able to take it are those whom it is about, otherwise it would not be readable. "

" I should have known it was about us. Can you tell me more about it ?"

" Of course, I planned on telling you this anyway, eventually. It is a sad story, begun around your birthday. I was at Hog's Head, in one of the backrooms provided by my brother Aberforth. I was using it to conduct interviews of the possible candidates for the teaching positions at Hogwarts. It is a tedious job, to find suitable teachers, with necessary qualifications , both professional and moral. "

Harry was sceptical. Snape was not suitable for teaching, no matter how good he was at potions. " Who was it that you interviewed professor ? " . He hoped it wasn't Snape. It would be horror to discover that Snape actually got the job on fair based decision. Somehow he could not see Dumbledore as so ... blind, and cruel.

Dumbledore smiled ruefully. " It was Mrs. Trelawney. She was applying for the position of Divination. "

" What ! That woman is senile and a complete fraud ! "

" I was of the same opinion when we talked back then. "

"Then why did you hire her ? I mean, why even talk to her? "

" She was descendant of the famous seer, Cassandra, who made many predictions and they always came true. Alas, Sybill was dissapontment. I almost immediately saw she was magically rather weak, had a drinking problem, and delusions of grandeur concerning her predicative ability. Yet, when I was to send her away, she fell in the trance and spoke the prophecy, in the voice that wasn't hers and resonated with power. It was clear that she spoke true prophecy, but I how I was to know that. And unfortunately, one of the spies that worked for Voldemort was there and overheard the first part before I discovered him and sent him away. "

Harry was partially amused and in the other half mad. What a stupid thing to happen, and it screwed his life. Maybe he should push that drunk bat down the stairs to the Astronomy tower.

" Will you tell me the Prophecy professor ? "

" Yes, I realise now that I should have done so before, but I always procrastinated believing you were to young to shoulder such burden. But now , it is a moot point. Yes, I won't tell you the right wording, but the essentials. She spoke of the child born as the seventh month dies, by the parents that defied Voldemort thrice, and that the child will have power to defeat him, but not what kind of power, and that the Dark Lord will mark it as his equal. "

Harry was now incredulous. " So Voldemort killed my parents and tried to off me, a baby, just because some prophecy said so ? I can't believe it, and he did not even hear all of it ! "

There was some amusement written in Dumbledores features. " Yes, I agree, but Tom was always so obsessed with signs and portents. And I can tell you, you were not the only candidate , because another baby had parents who defied Voldemort thrice and was born at the end of July, that year. "

Harry was thinking hard, but then he realised who else had birthday close to him. " It's Neville! ", he exclaimed excitedly.

" Yes, Mr. Longbottom was the other one. His parents were also enemies of Voldemort, fearsome pair of Aurors who faced him three times and survived."

" I heard what happened to them. But why me then, why not Neville? " There was a note of envy in Harry's voice. It resounded with so many what ifs, he could have had parents who loved him. But finally, Harry shook his thoughts away, because he knew Neville. He was loyal and strong, and also knew the pain that was in some way even worse – his parents were not dead, but were reduced to the empty shells, mere shadows of what they were once. A torment for the boy who wanted to talk to them, to have them recognise him and tell hi how proud they were. No one deserved that fate, death was better.

Dumbledore merely sighed. " We will never know , but if I were to guess, he saw you as more similar to him, a half blood, descended from powerful parents, but half blood anyway. While Neville was not. But in the end, it was my fault that he even found about the prophecy. I should have been more careful, since I knew he was spying on me. " . Guilt was present in his voice, apology spoken as well.

Harry was busy digesting this information, many emotions were raging in his thoughts- rage, sadness, incredulity, in the end it was determination that won out.

" I don't care about mistakes in the past professor. There was no way you could have known what would have happened that night. And it is Voldemort who did those things – he killed my parents, and Merlin knows how many other people too. I realise that I am not the only orphan he created, and the only difference was that I have survived to grow strong enough to fight him, like my parents and their fiends. "

Those words were true. Fight at the Ministry showed that Death eaters were indiscrimminate when it came to their victims. Children, adults, muggles, wizards, squibs- they killed everybody who were against them and their Master, and he was not their ony target, his friends were too slated to die, either as mudbloods or as blood traitors.

" Thank you, my boy " , said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling again, " it's a true joy to hear such words from you. I can tell you without doubt that your parents are proud of you. You sounded just like them , when they were alive."

Harry smiled back. " Thank you professor. Please tell me what was going on after the Ministry till now, if you can. "

" Of course Harry. Well, after the loss of the prophecy, and our arrival , Voldemort was forced to expose himself in order to save some of his followers. Thus your actions did harm him in a way. After that fiasco, he is now forced to stay under the radar, which slowed him down in his quest to regain power and followers. You and your friends have bought us time to prepare for the war, by now The Order has been fully reactivated, and our allies notified of His return. Our information network is also operational, but not yet fully.

Unfortunately, you were not able to leave unscathed from this. Although, in hindsight, I belive it was the best thing that could have happened. You see, when you apparated to save Sirius, you were partially pushed thorough the Veil of Shadows, which is a death sentence for anybody. But, not for you. "

" How's that professor ? My mother protected me against Voldemort, not that thing. "

" Exactly. You already know of the link between the two of you, and how it was formed. Well, the Veil has exorcised his essence from you, instead of yours, thus effectively breaking the link you two had. I believe that you will not have any visions and troubles from the scar anymore. "

Those words were a true gift for Harry. His face was lit with happines. No more Snape torturing him, no more disturbing visions from the deranged psycho in his head. Yay him.

" Then, what are we doing here professor? "

" I was just going to tell you about it. Due to constant strain on your magic caused by the essence of the Dark Lord, and by being forced to link with him, you were thrown out of balance when that link was abruptly broken. In order to survive, you fell in a coma of sorts, and your spirit was accidentally thrown out of your body and into the spirit realm, a place of visions, nightmares and such.

So, not knowing what to do with you, I called my friend Chuyat to help you. He and his people are very skilled in the matters of spiritual balance and visions. They devised this ritual , which we preformed to bring you back, since you were not able to do so by yourself "

" Why I wasn't able? "

" You weren't aware of your condition. You had no previous training and no experience at all, except when contacted by Voldemort. When we found you, you were in the garden at the Dursleys, doing chores. "

" I was ? I guess habits really die hard. " . Grimace on his face was certainly indicator how much he disliked that memory.

" Yes, they do. Now , when we tried to get your attention , we could not. There was a barrier of sorts that prevented us from reaching you. Not even Fawkes was able to help, because something very powerful took interest in you. "

" What was it ? " . The question came in a quiet whisper, a note of apprehension present as well. Harry knew he was in for a trouble in the future, he just knew.

" It appeared as a serpent, one eyed, black, medium sized. It spoke to us rather condescendingly, not caring about our power. And Fawkes was able to tell that it was not a serpent, it just chose to appear as one. It was more powerful than him, to be able to confuse his senses. And to be frank with you Harry, nothing short of a god would be able to do so. Or a very powerful demon, not that I ever heard of someone like that. "

Harry merely nodded , gulping uneasily. There was something out there even scarier than Voldemort, and it noticed him. Not good, not at all. " What did it want with me ? "

" It refused to say, just a curiosity on it's part. It mentioned something else, that there was another one, like him, involved in your situation, but we do not know who or what that might be. "

" What are we supposed to do now professor ? "

" I am going back to Hogwarts, but you must stay with Chuyat, he must train you so that something like this does not happen again. Also , you will be safe with his people, and they will train you in Occlumency further – it is a usefull skill to have. Apparition to, I believe. Maybe some combat training too, we cannot afford anything less. "

" That's great professor. I assume I'll be back before new schoolyear begins. "

" Yes, a week before, to renew the wards at the Dursley home. You need them to keep your protection up. It never hurts to have another way out. "

" I don't like going there , but I guess you are right professor. "

" Now, be careful with Chuyat and his people. They too have shown a great interest in you, not just to help me. They do not wish to fight for us, but they are willing to help you. Something does not add up, but I am sure they mean nothing bad."

" I'll be careful professor. "

" Good. Now thake your wand, and this ring. It is a special summoning ring for Fawkes, he will be able to save you whrever you are. "

Harry took them, and Dumbledore cancelled his secrecy charms. It was time to go.

Chuyat approached them. " I assume that Harry is ready to go, of his own free will? "

" Yes, Mr. Chuyat . " , replied Harry, his face showing determination and a bit of apprehensivness.

" No need for formalities, Harry. Just call me Chuyat. I will be your guide among my people. I must tell you that we are very honoured to help you , and that you will find your stay with us enjoyable. "

Harry was a little relieved to hear his words. Dumbledore smiled at him, giving him a slight nod of encouragement.

" Now, Harry ", said Chuyat, " please, if you would hang onto me, we are going to do a little sideapparition. "

Harry obeyed , stepping closer to him grabbing his shoulder. Chuyat exchanged goodbyes with Dumbledore, and they were gone with a slight sound that reminded of a baloon when it blew.