"Ok, so you lived with the wolves until you turned eleven." Sirius stated, "Then what?"
"After the hospital stay I had to leave the area. They were trying to hold me there until an orphanage could come get me. I wasn't about to go there so one night during the shift change I turned into a spider and just walked out. We went to the west coast for a year. I was able to spend a lot of time with the animals there. That's where I had to fight the bear for the fish, I was a bear too. I actually changed into an eagle and just flew away to the tree."
"Much more interesting tale than the previous version." Sirius grinned.
"I want to hear your version of the green eyed wolf boy." Remus said.
"The what?" Ginny asked.
"The story that told us he was alive in Canada." Sirius said, "A woman in that village told it to the kids as a bed time story. It was a favorite of the kids."
"I was about ten and we, the pack, were hunting in our range." Harry started the short story, "When we ran across the woman, Merlin told me to help her. I told the wolves what he said and they stepped aside for me to move to the front. I was of course in my wolf form at the time. Her eyes got huge when I stood up and became a boy. I tried one of the languages I had heard from another village but she didn't understand. She said just enough for me to learn her language so we talked and I promised to take her home the next day. That night Merlin told me to tell her about a healing plant that was near her home. The next day I took her home and showed her the plant on the way. I told her what Merlin had taught me about the plant. She asked me to stay in the village but I declined."
"Wait." Ginny waved her hand, "What did you mean when you said she said just enough for you to learn her language?"
"I can learn languages as soon as I hear a part of them." He said, "My only English was from Merlin's time before I met these two."
"How many can you speak?" she asked.
"All of them." he said, "I just have to hear a few words and I know it. Merlin said it's just the way my magic works. The same way I can talk to or become any animal. It's just my gift."
"Oh." Ginny said, "What other secret talents do you have?"
"None that I know of." He replied, "I think I'm just the same as the rest of you."
"I highly doubt that." Remus shook his head.
"How about some more stories?" Sirius asked, "What else did you do in the last few years?"
"Do you think they want to hear that one?" Harry asked Merlin who nodded back at him.
"What's that?" Sirius asked.
"He wants me to tell you about swimming with the whales." Harry said, "It is kind of funny now but at the time I was just really mad. I found a friendly pod that said I could swim along. The little ones were really cute and asked all kinds of questions. As I was playing with them one of the larger females came by and told us there was a bad boat in the area. The little ones left as she instructed but I didn't understand. She explained how some boats hunt whales and some species are on the verge of extinction. Well I don't like to hurt the balance of nature like that so I decided to stop them."
"But you could have been hurt." Ginny exclaimed.
"I was careful." Harry shrugged, "Anyway I asked her if anything she knew of could hurt the boat and she said no. I switched from the whale form to a smaller fish and made for the boat. Once there I changed back to human and made a breathing bubble then used a few spells I know. Basically I messed up their steering, electrical and weather monitoring systems. I didn't get rid of them for good but it did put a damper in their hunt for a while. I had thought of just blowing up the boat but I didn't want to hurt the people on it. I also found where the whales like to spend their time and left a muggle repelling ward on a rather large area."
That made Remus really sit up and listen, "What an idea. Setting up reserves for all the endangered species of the world. We could save them despite the muggles that ignore laws."
"Well I put up wards for the Polar Bears and a few seal colonies that I ran across they all said hunters devastated their numbers. I also warded a few areas for some of the magical creatures that live there too." Harry said, "I'll need to go back in a few years to redo them all."
"Maybe we can make a reserve like where Charlie works." Ginny suggested, "That way you don't have to keep all the wards charged they can do it."
"Merlin likes your idea." Harry grinned.
"It's getting close to curfew." Remus stated looking at his watch, "Don't forget your meeting with Dumbledore tomorrow after breakfast."
"Night." Harry and Ginny called as they left the room. Back in the common room they kissed then went to their own dorms. Harry's dreams were full of images of his life in Canada. Again he had the dream of the mother wolf pointing out the female and telling him to pick which pack he would stay with. This time Harry answered her, "Mum I'm staying with the human pack."
"Are you sure son." she nudged him, "You do still have time to choose."
"I'm sure." Harry grinned and looked at the she wolf with the red tint, "I want to give her my heart. She's my life mate."
"I think she's a good choice." she whispered as she faded away. Harry awoke with tears in his eyes as he understood it would be the last dream talk with his wolf mother. It took him a long time to go back to sleep after that. But he never wavered in his decision to stay as a human.
The next morning a subdued Harry met the Headmaster in his office after breakfast, "Is everything alright Harry?"
"I'm fine." Harry replied, "I just had an odd dream last night that has left me feeling a little… disturbed."
"Anything I can do?" he asked.
"No I guess it has just made me realize my youth as an animal is truly over and I can't go back to it." Harry grimaced, "I thought I had already made peace with that idea but I guess not."
"Change can be difficult." the Headmaster admitted, "I do have something to keep your mind off of it if you'd like."
"Ok what do you have?" Harry perked up a bit.
"We are going exploring today. I may know where another of those items are. I think you've earned the right to go along." Albus grinned at the pickup in demeanor his statement was having on Harry, "Remus and Moody are going with us."
"Alright, when are we going?" he asked.
"As soon as they arrive. I don't want you to tell anyone you're leaving the school property." Albus instructed, "Not even Ginny."
"I won't." Harry said, "Ginny has a quidditch practice and meeting today that is supposed to take most of her morning. We hadn't planned any time together until later this afternoon. When are they arriving?"
"Now." Albus answered as a knock sounded at his door, "Enter."
"Professor should I disillusion myself before we leave the office?" Harry asked.
"Yes good idea." Albus agreed, "We'll be going to a small town called Little Hagleton. I want you to view this memory before we go."
Harry followed Remus and Moody into the pensieve. Merlin had told him about the bowls and he was eager to have the experience for himself. When they exited Harry stated, "Merlin I can see how you feel now."
"What's that?" Moody asked.
"Nothing, let's go." Harry tried to wiggle out of the explanation.
"No that wasn't nothing. What did you mean?" he pushed.
Harry glanced over his shoulder at nothing and then turned back to the Auror, "I was just telling Merlin I understand how he feels now."
"What?"
"My Grandfather the Professor told you about at that first meeting is Merlin. I know he's been dead for centuries but he can speak to me. He has done so since I was very small. He say's you won't be able to see him even with that special eye so don't bother trying. He's a spirit not a ghost. He can't touch or affect you in any way." Harry stated, "I'm not crazy and I can prove he really talks to me. I told him I know how he feels now because no one could see me like no one can see him."
"He's telling the truth." Albus said, "Merlin is the one that told us about the basilisk. You can't repeat this to anyone else."
"I'm not stupid enough to think I have all the answers to life and death. But this is really pushing the boundaries." Moody sighed, "I guess I've always had problems with the unsubstantial."
"It's served you well." Harry said, "Merlin says it's saved your life at least a dozen times. Most recently was yesterday afternoon in your own backyard."
"Alright I'm convinced." Moody growled.
"What happened?" Remus asked.
"Never mind. Let's go already." Moody grumbled, "Potter make with the disappearing."
"Wait." Harry concentrated and altered his looks. In his place stood a twin to Sirius, "For when I become visible later."
Moody nodded in agreement and the group left while Harry was still disappearing. They left the school boundaries and apparated to a spot outside the town. When he reappeared Harry looking like Sirius walked next to Remus. They didn't talk much as they made their way to the shack in the woods. When they got close Harry called them to stop. He stepped up and crouched down and to the others it sounded like he was hissing.
"Hello, I'm Harry. Do you feel up to talking?" Harry prodded the small snake that lay in the path.
"I've been in the cave and now I'm sick." it hissed in return, "Stay away from that evil place."
"Is it alright if I pick you up and have my friend look you over?" Harry asked, "One of us may be able to heal you with some magic."
"Magic has made me sick and only magic can heal me." the snake agreed.
"Professor can you see what is making my friend here sick?" Harry lifted the snake up to the professor.
All three adults checked the snake and agreed that dark magic had indeed made him sick. Moody removed the curse and asked where he got into the dark magic and the snake replied as best as he could.
"It sounds like the place is coated in dark magic." Harry indicated the decaying structure.
"Do not touch anything." Albus stated raising his wand.
Moody and Remus followed suit. Harry just closed his eyes and worked with them wandlessly. After more than twenty minutes they put their wands down and inched towards the door. Albus opened it and they all followed in his footsteps. They searched the room and found an item covered and protected with dark magic. When it was uncovered Albus gasped and reached for it.
Harry grabbed his arm and tried to remind him, "You said not to touch anything."
"But it's the ring. I've finally found it after all this time." Albus sounded breathless and was still trying to reach out for the ring. He was actually trying to push away from Harry. In his desperation to get past Harry he pulled his wand. Harry ripped the wand out of his hand before he could do a spell. He then started pushing him from the room .
"You two better handle this. He seems to be a bit out of control." Harry growled as he fought to get his headmaster out the door. Once outside the pull of the ring still seemed to have the man in its grip. Harry quit pushing and petrified Albus as he tried to go back into the building. That is how Remus and Moody found them several minutes later.
"Find the tooth it's supposed to be in his pocket." Moody told Remus.
Still using the headmasters wand Harry summoned the tooth and handed it to Remus. They gaped at him holding that wand Harry noticed and said, "I had to take it away and petrify him. He was going to hex us to get to the ring. I think that would have been a very bad thing."
"It would have killed him." Moody agreed.
Remus conjured a flat stone, sat the ring on it and then stabbed the ring with the tooth. Albus groaned at the act even while he was petrified. When it was done Harry release the man even though he was sure he was going to get detention for his actions.
"Thank you." Albus said after sitting for several minutes, "I'm sorry. I had no idea it was that ring."
"What's so important about it?" Remus asked looking at the ugly black stone. He noted there were several scratches on its side.
"It's a third of the Deathly Hallows." Harry answered.
"Did Merlin tell you about them?" Albus asked.
"Merlin's oldest daughter married a man named Peverell. They had three sons. The oldest was killed. The second killed himself. The third lived to a ripe old age and his only grandchild was a woman who married a man named Marlin Potter." Harry stated as he tried to hand the wand back to Albus.
"No it's yours." Albus refused the wand, "I need to get my old one out."
"What do you mean?" Moody asked, "You've had that wand as long as I've known you."
"It's the second of the Hollows." Albus stated, "It has a new master now. In fact when we return to the school I have the last one to give you. It's your inheritance."
"I'd wondered where it was." Harry shrugged.
"Wait, what on earth are you talking about?" Remus asked, "You can't mean that old story."
"We do." Albus said, "And you two have the pleasure of meeting the only man who could wield all three."
"Are you saying you have all three of them?" Moody asked Albus.
"No I don't." Albus chuckled, "Harry does. Remus hand him the ring." When they arrived back at the school Albus went to his cabinet and pulled out a gift wrapped box and handed it to Harry, "I was going to give it to you for Christmas but I see no reason to wait."
Pulling out the cloak Harry turned to his Headmaster, "Could you keep hold of all of these for me?"
"No." Albus said, "I can't. Ask Sirius or Remus but don't tempt me with that." Albus rummaged through another cabinet and pulled out a wand. It sparked as he held it up, "My old friend. I never thought to need you again. Not that I don't care but my plans were to break the cycle. Alas it was not meant to be me."
Remus and Harry left the office and headed to Sirius' quarters. The thee sat while Remus explained what happened. Harry didn't talk much during the exchange.
"How do you feel about this?" Sirius asked Harry.
"I'm a bit mad that he had my Dad's cloak and didn't plan to give it to me right away." Harry grumbled, "I mean if he had forgotten about it I could understand. But he didn't forget, he was just holding onto it."
"Well I think disarming him may have gotten him back for that." Sirius grinned.
"But I didn't really disarm him." Harry said, "Not with magic anyway. He pulled the wand on me and I just took it out of his hand. I didn't mean to take it away for good I just didn't want to be hexed."
"It still disarming." Remus stated.
"I want to put these in my vault at Gringotts." Harry stated, "I don't want to use the wand, I don't need the cloak and I'm tempted to use the ring."
"I'll see if we can go on Monday evening." Sirius said, "What do you want to do with them until then?"
"I guess I'll hide them in my room here." Harry said, "I want to make it hard for me to get to them."
"Maybe you should keep the wand around to use against Voldemort." Sirius suggested.
"Don't need it." Harry said, "If my wand won't do it I'll just use wandless. I don't want to take the chance that he'll get that wand."
"Good point." Remus stated.
After he left Sirius and Remus, Harry went to find Ginny. He was a bit depressed and knew she could pull him out of the funk. He found her studying in the common room and he collapsed on the sofa beside her. Leaning on her shoulder he closed his eyes and tried to relax. Ginny turned and gave him a kiss on his head and went back to her book. It took her several more paragraphs before she noticed something was wrong with him. She closed her book and started to turn towards her boyfriend when Hermione interrupted.
"Ginny you need to study." she said.
"Not now." Ginny ignored her advice and wrapped her arms around Harry, "Want to talk about it?"
"No." his short answer gained Hermione's attention and she realized something was up.
"I'm heading down to lunch." Hermione stood and yawned, "Coming Ron?"
"Right behind you." Ron grinned at her before sending a worried glance at his sister, "Do you want me to bring you guys something back?"
"No we'll just go to the kitchen in a bit." Ginny answered, "Thanks for the offer though."
Ginny sat quietly with her arms around Harry. After a few minutes she pulled the band off his hair and started running her fingers through it. He hummed in pleasure at the feeling. She giggled quietly but didn't stop what she was doing. It was near the end of lunch time when her stomach growled and interrupted them. She laughed out right when his stomach answered with a growl of its own.
"I guess I should escort you down to lunch my Lady." Harry sighed, "But you're going to have to push me up because I will never ask you to stop doing that."