Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 26 – Knowledge
Harry stood and took Ginny's hand, escorting her as Godric would have Giselle. "Now, 'tis getting late. Shalt we face the wolves?"
"We shall." They approached the fireplace again preparing to get Dobby to take them home even if he wasn't done cleaning, but they'd made it only a few steps when one of the portraits stopped them.
"My lord, my lady!" Turning they saw that the portrait that had spoken was of a red-haired and bearded man dressed in medieval attire. He was a permanent fixture in the tower but people rarely paid him any attention for he never spoke to anyone. He was often either asleep, deeply involved in one of the books that littered his background, or missing entirely, having gone to visit another portrait. This was the first time that Harry or Ginny could remember him speaking at all and as they looked on him it became only too clear who he was.
"Godric!" They both gasped and the portrait chuckled.
"Yes." He confirmed. "I must say it is a delight to see my old rooms in use again."
"Is that the reason thou hast broken thine silence?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. "To comment on the use of rooms?" Godric laughed heartily.
"Can I not simply wish to say hello to my many times great-grandson?"
"Come now, Godric, let us be truthful to one another." Said Ginny. "Why hast thou really spoken to us?"
"I shall add a few questions to the list." Added Harry. "Why didst thou not speak sooner? How is it that none know that the portrait of our house's founder is here? In truth, how did we not know given I am meant to have not only your magic but your knowledge as well?" Still chucking, Godric answered them all, though not in the order they were asked.
"You are unaware simply for the reason that I created that orb before this portrait was moved here. That is why you suddenly recognized me when I revealed myself to you." Harry and Ginny waited patiently for him to continue. "Why I do not speak with anyone is the same reason as why no one knows I'm here. In the early years of my portrait being hung here I was overwhelmed by students wishing to speak to their by then dead founder. Eventually I simply refused to speak and was forgotten about; after a few centuries no one left alive knew what I looked like. Those that came after assumed that the cloak stitched with my crest was nothing more than the same as their school robes, merely declaring me a part of Gryffindor house. The only other thing that might be recognizable," He moved to the back of the portrait where a thin silver line could be seen. Picking it up he walked back to them and indeed the object was very recognizable. "I hid it, never allowing my sword to be seen properly. I believe you are familiar with it, from what I have heard?" Harry nodded. "The other portraits and ghosts keep my secret because I ask it of them – even just being a portrait of one of Hogwarts' founders still lets me command a certain level of respect – and the only ones who might not heed me are hiding themselves for the same reason and do not wish to risk me blabbing about them should they blab about me."
"The others?" Ginny asked. "Thou means that portraits of the other founders exist?"
"Of Rowena and Helga, yes. I visit them often, and am usually in one of their portraits if I am not here."
"Not Salazar though?" Godric's face grew grim.
"Salazar's portrait was removed by the man himself before he departed the school. We had thought he would have at least left it in the castle somewhere but it has never been found, though we have looked. It is unfortunate, for I would mend the fences that could not be fixed in life."
"He used to be a great friend." Harry murmured as if reminiscing, and to a certain extent he was.
"Yes. Not a day goes by that I do not miss him." Harry and Ginny nodded solemnly before looking to Godric for their final answer. "In truth, I have spoken to you now because I wished to reassure you of your course. The knowledge you gained is no doubt overwhelming, though it will become less so in time. You must trust your instincts – which from what I heard here today are quite sound – and do not place more importance on my knowledge than your own. I left the orb, not to dictate your path, but to assist you by providing knowledge long forgotten and, I do not think it vain to say, far more vast than any possessed today." Harry raised an eyebrow when he said not vain. "Perhaps it is somewhat vain then, but there is a reason I am known as one of the greatest wizards to have ever lived. Helga, Rowena and Salazar were the only ones who were my equal, and no one in history except Merlin himself surpassed us, and no one after our deaths have equalled us."
"Not even Dumbledore?" Ginny asked.
"Albus is indeed a great wizard, anyone who denies this is a fool, but in terms of raw power he is lacking when compared to history's greatest witches and wizards. While he is certainly no weakling, Albus' real genius is his mind. He sees things and understands things in ways I do not know if even I could match, though likely Rowena can." He said as if an afterthought. "Aside from her I have never met, or even heard of, another who could match Albus' brilliance. Aside from Merlin, of course."
"Didst thou know Merlin?" Harry asked, having heard the familiar way Godric referred to him and wondering if there was more to it than simply having read a great deal about the uncontested, greatest wizard to have ever lived. "Art thou related to Merlin?" Harry cringed as that thought came to mind. It was highly unlikely, almost impossible, but last year he would have said the same about him having a relation to Godric Gryffindor.
"No." Again he gave a hearty laugh. "Merlin's line ended with him. He neither married nor sired any children believing, and rightly so, that any family of his would always be a target for Mordred and his descendants, not to mention every other power hungry wizard to ever live."
"So thou didst know him then?" Godric had given Merlin's reasoning so assuredly that he had to have known him.
"Do they not teach history here anymore?" Godric asked condescendingly. "Merlin was long before my time, he lived when the Romans first left this island and Arthur rose as king to unite the land. Though my great-great-great-great-grandfather was a good friend to both him and Arthur. Sir Gwaine, Knight of the Round Table." He could not help his laugh this time, both were in complete shock. "Do not look so surprised. Do you think I would have received the education and training I had if the Gryffindor family were not a prominent one? History may have forgotten the whole truth, as it eventually forgets everything, but Gwaine Gryffindor was a druid who fought alongside Merlin and King Arthur at the Battle of Badon Hill. His skill gained the king's attention and he quickly became one of his dearest friends and councillors, alongside the other Knights of the Round Table." Unable to respond any other way, Harry and Ginny simply nodded.
"Right…" Harry eventually gained his voice. "Well, we can stand no more surprises this night, so we shalt leave thou, great-grandfather."
"Wouldst thou permit us to speak with thee more once term begins again?" Ginny asked. "We would greatly desire to hear more of thine stories, and no doubt your help will be invaluable in the fight to come."
"Our family would also be greatly honoured to meet thee," Harry added. "And thou can be assured of their discretion. We woulst also be honoured to speak with Lady Rowena and Lady Helga, if they will consent."
"It will be my honour to speak with you more, and with your family; I have watched them as well since young Draco, Ronald and Hermione became your staunchest supporters. Rowena and Helga will no doubt be honoured to meet you as well, though we will have to find a way to ensure privacy, lest our long kept secret be blown." Said Godric. "As to my assistance, young Ginevra, I shall do all I can, but you must not forget that I am merely a portrait. I do not possess knowledge known to the real Godric that you yourselves do not already have."
"Thou knewest about Sir Gwaine, and the portraits of the other founders." She countered.
"You have that knowledge as well, though it is currently buried in your heads; receiving the knowledge of someone else can be quite overwhelming and it will take time to sort through it all." That they could accept, though they reiterated their desire to speak with him again. Godric was happy to comply and with a wave he sent them off to face their family.
-H/G-
The drawing room at Potter Manor was filled to the brim with anxious people. After Harry and Ginny had disappeared from the steps of Gringotts Sirius and Bill had initially tried to find them. It was only when Dobby returned and informed them that his master and mistress were safe that they calmed down, knowing Dobby would never lie about Harry or Ginny's safety. With no other real option, they both had then gone about collecting the family – Charlie even being re-called from Romania a few days earlier than was planned – and then contacted Madam Bones who agreed to come, even after being informed that while it was important she be there, she'd only be welcome if she took a wizard's oath to not speak of what she heard or saw. Both Ragnok and Griphook were present as well, though no one required an oath from them; a goblin turning on one of their own, which Harry and Ginny were given their Friend status, was considered the most reprehensible action a goblin could take in their culture so it was unheard of that a goblin betray their own. However, although no oath had been asked of them, both goblins had sworn on their swords to never reveal anything, and Bill was left shocked once more. While not a magically binding oath, no goblin in recorded history had ever made even a small promise to a wizard, let alone gave their word of honour to one. Snape was the last to arrive, Sirius begrudgingly inviting him, and stood in the back while everyone worried. Sirius and Bill had taken the few hours prior to the planned meeting time to inform everyone of what had happened. They talked of the power surge in the infirmary, the disappearing act within Gringotts, the weird speech and second disappearing act with Dobby. But most important, they explained about the horcruxes. Any concern grew tenfold at that point and they had all waited impatiently until Harry and Ginny returned. Finally, at exactly eight, Dobby popped in with Harry and Ginny in tow.
"Where the bloody hell have you been?" Sirius roared. "We have been worried sick!"
"Didst Dobby not inform thee we were in no danger?" Harry asked as he and Ginny calmly took a seat.
"He did, but that does not excuse you just up and leaving." Bill joined in, taking point over his parents by simply jumping in first. "You're not of age, either of you, and you will tell us where you are going, clear?" Mrs. Weasley looked on proudly at her eldest, realizing that even though he'd stolen this chance for her to rant, he had everything well in hand.
"Our sincere apologies." Said Ginny, just as calmly as Harry. " 'Twas not our intent to worry thou. We simply needed time and privacy to converse on our own." Everyone was given them odd looks now.
"You're right about the odd speech part." Lucius muttered.
"Where did you go?" Sirius asked, ignoring his cousin.
"Hogwarts." Replied Harry, before turning to Ron, Hermione and Draco. "There is a chamber we wish to show thee upon our return to the castle."
"And someone we wish to present to you." Added Ginny.
"What are we, last year's broomstick?" Fred asked loudly.
"Yeah, why don't we get to see this room and meet this person?" George agreed. Mrs. Weasley hushed them both too late.
"Perhaps." Ginny said. "Doth thou prove trustworthy." The twins opened their mouths to argue more but Mrs. Weasley silenced them in time.
"Perhaps thou-thee-you," She stuttered. "Could explain what happened today?"
"Of course. I am afeared though that thou shalt be angry with us. Rather, it is a certainty that thou shalt be." Harry got off to a not so great start. "When first I visited Gryffindor's vault I discovered more than a simple letter, nor did I reveal the entire contents of the letter." Without exception everyone in the family looked outraged though they waited for Harry to continue. "Godric had left something else behind, specifically his knowledge. 'Twas quite the ingenious bit of magic. Prior to his death, Godric transferred what was essentially his consciousness into a glass orb, which he then sealed away until the birth of his heir. All of Godric's memories, everything he learned while living, all of it was there for the taking. It is for this reason that we art influenced by such 'odd speech', as you put it, uncle. With the knowledge and memories of one who lived a thousand years ago floating in our heads it is understandable that we speak thusly, in the same manner in which mine ancestor's thoughts flit through our heads."
"We do believe, however, that as we doth become accustomed to our new state of being, and merge our minds and Godric's into one, that it will diminish." Ginny added. Harry had paused as if he'd known that she was going to speak and then continued seamlessly.
"At the time I first discovered this, I told no one, save my lady wife, for I knew that were thou to learn of it, everything would change. Thou wouldst feel compelled to instil further protection on me, to begin more intensive training in an effort to prepare me for my destiny, and I was not yet ready to relinquish what little remained of my childhood. And so I stayed silent. I did, of course, intend to explain all, but at a time of my choosing."
"But that changed today." Said Hermione, knowing that they wouldn't be telling them all this if it hadn't.
"Yes." Said Ginny. "Might we assume, given their bleak expressions, that they have been informed of the horcruxes?" Bill nodded and Ginny continued. "Thou can then imagine my distress when we learned to defeat Voldemort once and for all, my lord husband wouldst have to die. It did not take long for Harry to also come to the realization that due to our bond his death would mean mine own. Our magic, Godric's magic, responded to our distress and transported us to the Gryffindor vault, where we hoped that the knowledge he had left us would provide an answer such that we might live."
"And did it?" Remus asked, everyone looking to them eagerly.
"Indeed it did." Although the two pre-teens knew that they were about to bring up the subject of sex they were not as uncomfortable with it as others their age would be. "When we complete our bond, becoming one in soul, mind, and body, we will be powerful enough to expel the foreign soul within me." As Harry talked Ginny looked to her family, specifically her mother, and waited for what he had said to sink in. When Molly's eyes widened and her face became red her daughter spoke before the expected outburst could happen.
"Rest assured, neither my lord husband nor I believe us quite ready for that step." This seemed to pause the Weasley matriarch, though Ginny's oldest brothers looked like they were about explode, specifically at Harry, while Ron, Hermione and Draco were looking embarrassedly at the floor.
"Regardless that in now possessing Godric's knowledge we have the memories of one who has lived their life in its entirety, we art still children." Harry picked up. "Nor will we allow anyone but us to dictate when we consummate our marriage."
"However," No one liked that word coming from Ginny's mouth on this particular topic. "We also recognize the many lives that wilt be lost should Voldemort still have an anchor on this earth whence he returns." The expected outburst finally came, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny's brothers all talking above the others. "This is not for discussion." Ginny's voice grew loud and commanding to both be heard above, and to silence everyone. "Whilst we have no intention of rushing into anything, 'twill take a great deal more time to defeat him in such a case and we will not sentence innocent people to death because some believe us too young to lie with each other."
"You are too young!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked. "And your father and I do not consent to this!" It didn't surprise Harry or Ginny that she was currently more concerned about her daughter having sex too early then she was about people dying if they didn't get rid of the piece of Voldemort's soul in Harry; she was in full on tunnel vision. That being said, they still were going to squash this.
"Whilst we understand thou art simply trying to protect thine children, thou hast no say in the matter." Mrs. Weasley became more furious, if that was possible. "The Ministry may side with thou, for until I am sixteen the law is indeed on thine side; however, there is a reason that Godric is known as one of the greatest wizards to ever live, and we now possess not only his power, but the knowledge of what to do with that power. There is naught that thou canst do to stop us."
"Ginny…" Mr. Weasley implored, looking disapprovingly at his daughter for essentially saying 'we'll do what we want no matter what you say.'
"I am sorry, father, but in this we will not budge. As previously said, we have no intention of rushing into anything; however, we wilt not risk our lives, and the lives of countless others, to appease people's sensibilities." It was a fair point that those not in full on tunnel vision could see and Harry chose that moment to move on.
"There art one other thing thou should be made aware of. In the letter Godric left me he explained the reason why he sealed away his knowledge for us, when in truth such a thing is neither a requirement for a magical heir, nor has it been done before. During Godric's lifetime a prophecy was made concerning him and Salazar. Or more specifically, his heir and Salazar's heir; me and Voldemort. The prophecy said that the feud between Gryffindor and Slytherin would last many lifetimes, and when they were re-born history will repeat itself, a war between lion and snake commencing that will tear our world apart lest a victor be proclaimed."
"Godric held little faith in divination; however, Salazar believed the prophecy." Said Ginny. "In so doing he ensured that it wouldst come true. The heirs will fight, and one will die, 'tis an inevitability."
"What we hope to accomplish before that fight is all we can to ensure that any casualties are minimal. Should all fall into place, Voldemort will be mortal upon his return and we can finish him quickly."
"You assume he is not mortal now?" Madam Bones spoke up. "Or rather, will not be mortal as soon as the horcrux inside you is gone?" Both Harry and Ginny shook their heads.
" 'Tis a certainty he did not stop at two."
"But he only made one." Draco argued. "The one in you was an accident, he didn't try to make a second one."
" 'Tis true that the piece of his soul within me was not placed there purposefully." Harry agreed. "However, a soul does not simply split apart without cause."
"But there is cause, Harry." Said Bill. "Remember that I said the only way his soul could have split accidentally is if it was damaged beyond repair, which it was due to the sheer number of people he's murdered."
"You are not wrong, brother." Ginny said. "However, a soul does all it can to remain whole, and though it wouldst never heal fully without assistance, a soul will repair somewhat the cracks killing in cold blood causes."
"Murder alone wouldst not cause enough damage for a piece to cleanly separate from the whole." Harry continued. "However, should that soul be already in many pieces it would not have the strength to heal itself even a little. Any further damage could then be severe enough to cut a piece away." Bill paled.
"So you think he…that he…" The thought was so repugnant he struggled to even say it.
"There is little doubt that Voldemort created more than one horcrux." Harry confirmed. "We must now find and destroy them all, though we know not how many he made, nor what containers were used. If even one remains, then Salazar's wish will be fulfilled and the snake will triumph."
A/N - A few more chapters of weird speech, not moving too quickly from here just yet.
Review please!