A/N: Anam is an Irish word that means soul. Carais a Brazilian Portuguese word that means friend and companion, but for the purposes of this story it will mean lover.

Chapter 36 – The Gardens

Harry and Ginny walked the entire bridge's length with heavy pounding hearts. Each step they took, the feeling of something very important was awaiting grew. When they reached the gates, they stopped momentarily, contemplating that sensation. They exchanged a glance. Both knew something was waiting for them, something they couldn't nor did they wanted to avoid.

They held hands tightly and took a deep breath when they crossed the gates. Then, the place's magic embraced so intensely that they felt as if they were suffocating. They were being assaulted and transformed by that power. The magic's strength was so much that both collapsed on the floor. With cloudy minds, the children closed their eyes almost in agony while a whole life of knowledge and power came back to them

In their dazedness, neither Harry nor Ginny noticed the lights passing through them emanating from the castle. For some moments, Sirius and Remus couldn't even look at them, the multi-coloured lights engulfing the children were too intense. Therefore, they couldn't get near them.

When the lights disappeared, Harry and Ginny were side by side on the floor, apparently unconscious. Both men ran towards filled with worry.

Harry was the first to come back to himself, gasping violently. Sirius and Remus stared at them, their faces showing their concern. The boy's mind was confused, lost between two distinct, yet intertwined, realities. His body was numb and responsive at the same time, because of the power sensation his home was giving him. Harry sat up dizzily. For a moment he felt like he was in the wrong body.

'Harry, are you alright?' Sirius anxiously asked. 'Why can't you stop giving me these frights?'

'I'm alright.' He simply answered.

Something in Harry's voice caused Sirius to be silent and to look at him strangely.

Harry got nearer Ginny, holding one of her hands with his and waited. A few seconds later, Ginny opened her eyes as well. She wasn't as dizzy as Harry had been before. He could feel a magical aura coming from her and see the wisdom in her eyes. She too had come back.

Ginny met Harry's eyes and felt looking inside his eyes and her eyes. No words were needed, she knew he was going through the same conflict like her. Both were trying to balance the knowledge, the memories and the personalities from a past life with the persons they were now.

Ginny sensed a grace and a harmony no ten years old girl could feel. When she spoke, her voice carried an authority than few old women possessed.

'How do you feel?' She asked Harry, who had been watching her in silence.

'Many things, it's difficult to choose one to describe it.'

'I understand.'

'Did you know this would happen?'

'No. How could I?'

'You always knew numerous things, anam cara.'

She smiled at the loving words, which meant so much to both.

Anam cara was a phrase from an ancient language, meaning fried of my soul. It was the most sublime expression of love from the sacred times. It could be dedicated to a mother, a siblings and a valuable friend with whom they didn't have blood relations. However, when used by lovers, anam cara gained a greater connotation, meaning what nowadays is called soulmate.

Ginny gazed tenderly her lover's eyes. 'I may know numerous things, but not all of them.' She stated. 'The universe doesn't tell me all its whims.'

He accepted her answer. 'Do you think you've got your powers back?'

'My magic feels almost as strong as it was before. The rest only time will tell.'

'Harry, what are you both talking about?' Sirius questioned.

Harry looked at his godfather, who appear to be anxious and worried.

'It's a long story. Let's go inside first and then we'll talk.'

Harry got up and helped Ginny getting up. She did it so graciously and beautifully that only a descendant of the fairy people like her could manage. Harry couldn't help but to admire her.

'Ginny Weasley was always enchanting, but I see all the graciousness from my little fairy is back.'

'I can't help it.' She shyly replied.

'I'm not complaining, just admiring.'

Sirius and Remus were surprised at seeing the two children behaving odder than usual. As a matter of fact, Sirius was starting to feel a bit stupid in their presence. It seemed they had secrets no one in the universe knew.

'If no one begins telling when what's happening, I swear I'll take you both to the Unspeakables.' He burst. 'I'm going barmy with all these mysteries.'

Ginny watched Sirius with a humorous and compassionate smile.

'I understand your distress. I swear soon we'll tell you everything you need to know. I trust your loyalty, my friends. I ask for some patience. I want to see my home once again.'

'What do mean by "once again"?' Remus inquired.

'Exactly that, once again.' She replied, glancing around the property. Then, she turned to Harry, 'It's a little different, isn't it?'

'A little bit. It was expected our family would change the property over the years. However, the magic is the same. I feel it as strong as before.'

Ginny agreed. She could almost see the magic flowing like blood through the stone walls. She could sense the protection wards, they were extremely strong and deadly. And she knew she could control all that magic if she wished, since it was her own magic which was embedded in those walls.

Harry was standing next to her. He was contemplating the same as well.

'I don't comprehend.' Harry suddenly remarked. 'Why didn't my parents hide here from Voldemort?'

'I'm not sure, pup, but I think Dumbledore advised them against staying here.' Sirius answered. 'This castle's magic is very mysterious. No one knows how to control the wards or how they can protect you. You couldn't use the Fidelius Charm in a place with so much ancient magic.'

'That's stupid! No one from my lineage can be hurt inside these walls! How couldn't they know that?'

'I don't know if they didn't know.' Remus said. 'Back then, we were filled with doubts, we all trusted Dumbledore's judgement.'

'Dumbledore was wrong.' Ginny pronounced. 'Nobody could hurt Harry here. The castle is filled with blood magic. Anyone with bad intentions would be immediately attacked by the wards and I assure you they would be easily killed. I made sure of that myself.'

'Ginny, I'm sorry, but I can't see how that would be possible.' Remus said, worried about the girl's words. 'I've never heard about such wards.'

'I get it.' She wasn't shaken. 'Many of the ancient secrets were already lost by the time this castle was built.'

'Not every magic is written in our books, Remus.' Harry added.

They roamed the stone path until they reached the entrance courtyard. Then, Ginny chose to contour the castle and went to the gardens. Harry and the two men followed her.

Harry knew that would be the first place she'd like to see. The gardens were her domains and in her other life Ginny had carefully taken care of each flower and each little magical or non-magical herb, because she had been the one to plant them and also knew the use of all of them.

Nature was the power source of the Great Goddess' daughters, she had taught him.

Ginny was delighted. Her gardens were still so beautiful and well maintained and they had been when she used to spend hours in there, meditating, praying, practising her spell and taking care of the plants she loved so much.

She wanted to touch and smell everything. The memories brought back by those sensations were thrilling. She glanced at Harry, who was watching with a pleased smile, and she had to smile as well. He knew well her love for the gardens.

How many times had he search for her in the castle to end up finding her in those gardens? How many times had they given in into their passion, right there, over the grass and under the moonlight? How many times had their children run happily through those flowers and trees?

Countless times.

Ginny saw Harry getting near a robust apple tree loaded with almost supernatural pretty red apples. He touched the tree trunk in a reverent way, impressed that the tree was still there looking so striking. That three was magical. It'd bear apples even in the warmest summers or in the most rigorous winters, its fruits were always pretty and tasty and they didn't rotten easily. It had been a gift from Harry to her in their other life.

"The magic that feeds this tree is sustained by my love for you, my anam. While it's outstanding and fertile you'll know my love for you it's still engrained in my heart."

Ginny got near and touched the tree too. The memory of those words was so vivid that she heard them as if Harry was saying at the moment. She gazed Harry and beamed, her eyes were gleaming with emotional unshed tears.

For eight hundred years, her apple tree stood majestic in those gardens. How could there be a more powerful proof of love than this one?

'Sirius,' She had reached a conclusion. 'please, invite my parents to come visit us tomorrow. They too need to comprehend everything, but I won't leave my home. Not now, at least.'

A/N: The medieval history and Celt elements here may not be very correct. The author was simply inspired by them.

Next chapter's title: Garden Gnomes