Year 5

Part 1

The Visit

Standing in a warm room with thick carpets beneath his feet, a roaring fireplace, antique furniture, bookcases stack with heavy volumes, a lone four poster bed, a separate room for a bathroom and a writing desk beneath a large window with bars on it, Harry stared at the back of Neville's head and smiled with ease.

"You know, as prison's go," Harry said, keeping his voice casual, "I'd say this was definitely in the top 10,"

"Visited many of them lately, have you?" Asked Neville. He didn't look up from the desk, his hand clutching to a single feather while scribbling letters on a large piece of parchment.

Harry knew that the question was entirely rhetorical and yet he answered it anyway, "There was one in Italy but it wasn't nearly as nice as this one," He then stepped closer, peering over Neville's shoulder to see what he was writing, "Keeping a diary?"

"It's one of their rules," Neville replied, his voice bitter with resentment, "Every Friday evening, I must write down the events that led to my being here."

"Sounds like a good read," Harry commented, risking a little more closeness and sitting on the side of the desk to see Neville's face.

It was clear that the luxury of the room didn't come with many meals. Thin, pale and sallow, Neville reminded Harry of Sirius when they had first met. Neville had only been in Nurmengard for a few weeks, but it looked like their hospitality was already beginning to wear thin on Neville's health.

"Where are you at now?" Harry asked, intrigued to learn as much as he could about his friends inner most thoughts.

"My meeting with Grindelwald or…who I thought was Grindelwald."

"Care to share it?" Harry prompted.

"I had managed to make contact with him after he fled from this very room," Neville replied. He showed no hesitation in sharing the information, his eyes empty as he looked up at Harry, "My letters weren't making it to him, but I eventually managed to get one passed Erica's blocks. Grindelwald or as we now know him to be, Alucard, sent Kendra to find me. She came to my grandmother's house and into my very room a week before we left for New York."

"She was that close?" Asked Harry, nodding his head and sounding impressed, "I'm amazed none of us noticed."

"She was extremely powerful. Very capable of moving unseen when she wanted to," Explained Neville. Harry noted the lack of interest that Neville had in this topic of discussion, watching as Neville forced himself to keep talking, "The first night she came, she wanted to know all about me, to learn what I could do, to know why it was that I wanted to help Grindelwald. When I told her about you, Hermione and Draco, she called you all amateurs. She called you Dumbledore's puppets."

"Given the way you were thinking at the time, I would imagine her instant dislike appealed to you."

"Yes," Neville nodded, "She made it so easy to focus on destroying you. She was the one who brought me to meet him for the first time."

"And you had no idea that it wasn't him at the time?"

"No," Neville replied, "I was just so happy to finally meet him, I saw past the obvious differences and simply accepted his unbeatable power,"

"He wasn't unbeatable, Neville," Said Harry, trying to keep Neville's eyes on his own, "Grindelwald's body was too old, frail and weak to handle the surge of power that Alucard gave him. It would take someone younger or stronger to hold that in."

"The Gods need vessels, Grindelwald wasn't appropriate. Alucard knew this because he was trying to find the time to join with Voldemort, this I learned only after Grindelwald had failed to contain Alucard's essence." Neville sighed, sad and disappointed, "Dumbledore then saw to it that Alucard would never be a problem again. And now I hear that Voldemort has destroyed all the other gods except one."

"Don't suppose you know where that one is?" Asked Harry, trying to remain as casual as possible, "It's a real head scratcher for us back home,"

"No and I don't think anyone will find it, not now."

"Oh well," Harry said, brightly, "Guess I'll have to focus on Voldemort for now," He chuckled.

"Having any luck with that?"

"Nope," Harry replied, making a popping sound at the end of his word, "Old Voldy hasn't made so much as a peep all summer. No unusual disappearances, no murders, no Death Eater attacks or dark creatures."

"You must be so bored," Said Neville. For a moment it almost sounded like Neville was trying to be teasing but it was hard to tell.

"I've been keeping myself busy," Harry smiled. He lost that smile quickly as he tilted his head and told Neville, "There is one thing you should know about though,"

"Oh?" Neville asked, intrigued by the idea of new knowledge.

"Bellatrix Lestrange has escaped from Azkaban,"

There was a long pause and for Harry, the silence was tense. He watched Neville's face contort into a strange wave of emotion that made little sense. Eventually his expression turned passive and Harry sighed with internal disappointment that he didn't show on his face.

"And how is Andromeda taking the news that her long lost sister is now at large again?" Neville casually asked, lowering his head and continuing to scribble down words.

"Given the country wide man-hunt for her," Harry replied, standing up from the desk, "Being led by Mr Tonks, I would say she's handling things rather well. Draco isn't allowed to travel alone anymore; Erica and Sirius are part of the hunt as well. It's amazing the amount of chaos one woman can cause."

"She is a very dangerous person," Neville agreed. And, so coldly, he added, "Just ask my parents."

Neville had been stuck in this room for 4 weeks and just as Dumbledore had warned him, Harry was let down by the lack of progress in Neville's rehabilitation. He had hoped that it would be as simple as defeating him. Harry hoped that a few weeks to think about what he had done, would have somehow brought Neville closer to the person he had been before. And now, more than anything, Harry could see that was not the case. He should have known better than to get his hopes up.

"I've got gifts for you," Harry said, eager to change the subject and avoid a need to cry if he could, "We missed your Birthday last year and Christmas. So, we thought we'd make it up to you this year."

When Neville didn't even twitch in response, Harry turned and headed over to the bag he had brought with him and pulled out a plant pot that looked to be filled with dirt. Walking over to the desk, Harry place it on a nice open spot beneath the window and smiled.

"A pot of dirt?" Neville asked, sounding slightly confused, "Well, I must say it's not the most creative you've ever been. Still, none of the other inmates have pots of dirt. They will be so jealous."

"It's a Mimbulus Mimbletonia, new and already growing," Chuckled Harry, "Mum's started growing them, they're worth a fortune and she agreed to let me give you one for your birthday. You know, to replace the one you lost."

"I still don't know what happened to that one," Neville said, taking a keen interest in the pot now that he knew what it was inside, "I didn't even get a chance to finish studying it."

"Well, now you will," Harry beamed.

And it would be this that would make the trip worth it. Seeing Neville taking such interest in nothing more than a jar of dirt with a little seedling inside it was enough to remind Harry why he had come all this way in the first place. For a brief moment, he watched Neville slowly become the boy that Harry had grown up with. Unfortunately, it was not to last.

"GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!"

Neville's rage came so quickly that Harry had to duck out of the way of the plant pot flying across the room. It smashed against the wall and as soon as the dirt hit the ground, the whole room faded away and was replaced by a wide open cell room, with dark wet wells, a single toilet and sink in the corner, an uncomfortable looking bed and bars for walls, inside a wider room where several guards stood, pointing their wands directly at Neville, who lunged towards Harry in anger.

Harry stumbled back only to avoid Neville's rage. It tortured him inside to see his friend turn so vicious. The mad and crazed eyes of someone who was no longer a boy but not entirely a man. A gangly, messy haired, dirty faced man who was dangerous to look at but easy to pity. When he tried to grab Harry, ropes whipped in the air and latched on to Neville's limbs. The ropes were controlled by the guards wands, all of whom dragged Neville backwards towards his bed to pin him. The cell door opened and a young woman with short brown hair, dressed in a very masculine way stepped forward.

"Mr Potter, it is time to end the session," She told him, her voice thick with a Bulgarian accent.

"Just a moment," He said.

Harry kept his eyes on Neville and checked the ropes that held him. Comfortable with the idea that Neville was no longer in a position to hurt himself, Harry stepped closer to see his friend better.

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Neville shouted, repeating the words again and again until his mouth was bound by a thick piece of tape that was cast by one of the guards.

"I know," Harry sighed. He reached down and placed his hand on Neville's chest, "But I'm hoping that will pass. I need you in this fight."

Neville couldn't struggle anymore or make a noise, he simply stared at Harry with undiluted hate.

"I won't visit again for a while but I'll send letters, keep you up to date with what's going on in the outside world," Harry said, forcing his voice to sound casual and light, "OWLs year this year, Hermione's already planning a rigorous study schedule, Draco is hoping his looks will get him by and Ginny, well, Ginny is really looking forward to seeing the giant squid again," He chuckled, "You'd like her, she's odd in all the best ways."

Neville only continued to stare.

"Well, take care of yourself, do as you are told."

Harry took one long look at Neville and smiled, ignoring the anger in Neville's eyes and handling the anguish he himself felt seeing his friend like this. Turning away and heading to the cell door, Harry stopped for a moment to take one last look, watching as the cell started to disappear and the fancy room take its place.

"Why do you do this to the room?" Harry asked the young woman; whose name was Greta.

"It lulls them into a false sense of security," She replied, sounding indifferent to the nature of the prison itself, "Every so often they get comfortable and when that happens, we pull the wool away from their eyes,"

"And the point of that is?"

"Comfort is a luxury that no criminal can afford to lose. They cling to the peace we offer them so that when it comes time to release them, they appreciate what the world has to offer, as opposed to the hell we can give them. It will help your friend think twice about going back to his old ways. That is…if he ever gets out."

"He will." Harry said.

"Your confidence may be misguided, Mr Potter," Greta told him, her voice sympathetic as she heard the determination in Harry's voice. She closed the cell door once Harry was clear of it and waved her hand to guide him towards a long corridor that was filled with man doors, each with different names on them, "Neville Longbottom will never be the friend you remember,"

"I cannot say that I am entirely the person he remembers either," Said Harry, looking back at the cell door, watching it change into a varnished brown door, "That is the joy of friendship though, no matter how far apart you are, you can always learn something new when you are brought together."

"I did not expect you to be so naïve, Mr Potter, When Albus made the request to let you come and see us, I expected you to be colder, less kind to him."

"I'm sorry I didn't meet your expectations," Joked Harry, trying to keep his sarcasm hidden and failing completely.

"It's quite alright, rarely the real thing matches up to the legend," She chuckled.

"Well, allow me to apologise again," he said, laughing with her. He also took out his wand and made sure she was a few steps ahead of him as he backed up slowly.

"There is no need to apologise, I knew those stories were exaggerated,"

"Oh, I don't mean for that," He chuckled again.

"For what?" She asked.

"This," He replied, "Petrificus Totalus,"

Greta couldn't respond to how quickly the spell zapped the back of her head and her whole body froze into place. The moment he'd cast his spell, Harry heard the alarms being blaring from each end of the corridor and he danced around Greta to look at her face, which was frozen in surprise.

"I can only apologise for doing this, but did you really think keeping Dumbledore out of here would stop him from getting what he wanted?" He asked. When no response came and Harry only saw shock and instant fury in Greta's eyes, he grinned.

"It's Potter, he attacked Greta, get him!"

Looking over Greta's shoulder, he saw three exceptionally large men in thick fluffy coats charging down the corridor after him. Harry gave a cordial bow towards Greta, blew her a kiss and turned heel to run in the opposite direction, looking at each door as he passed it.

"Torture chamber, asylum, tearoom, swimming pool," He muttered to himself quickly. Spell fire followed in his path and he was forced to duck, dodge and even stop to block a few unfriendly curses that flew his way, "I don't suppose you can just tell me which one of these doors lead to the vault?!" he shouted back at the guards.

"It's on the second floor, you need to take the stairs two floors down!" One of the guards, in a surprising turn of events, shouted without even thinking.

"Wow, that was easy. Thank you!" Harry yelled gratefully.

"You idiot, why did you tell him?!"

"I couldn't help it, I'm a big fan!"

"IDIOT, SHOOT HIM!"

Laughing, Harry turned on the spot and instead of apparating, he felt his body turn soft and warm. Everything about him that was solid turned to nothing and he drifted right through the floor as if he were nothing more than a ghost.

Dropping down from the ceiling to the floor beneath the one he had been on previously; Harry forced his body back to a solid and chuckled.

"Thank you, Erica," He grinned and then bolted for the stairs ahead of him.

Reaching the stairs, Harry saw a sign on the wall that indicated the location of the vault he had mentioned. In true Potter style he leapt onto the railing and slid down it, regretting in all manner of private ways when he reached the floor below and his nether regions collided with the thick bump at the bottom.

"Ugh, I bet if Sirius did this that wouldn't have been there," Gasped Harry, climbing off the railing and breathing a few times, he took a quick peek around the dark room ahead of him, "Why did this suddenly get creepier?"

Above him he heard the rushing footsteps and angry shouting. It sounded like Greta was back and she was angrier than the rest of the guards who were eager to get their shot at fighting Harry. Igniting the tip of his wand to create more light, Harry pushed forward looking from door to door, these ones having names on them.

"Tia Dalma, Ursula, Lestat, Saruman…Ah, Grindelwald!"

Stopping at one of the largest doors, Harry pointed his wand, cast the unlocking charm and used one of Hestia's curse breaking spells that he practically had to beg her to teach him, thus opening the door wide and stepping through it to feel instantly disappointed by the severe lack of interesting objects inside. There were a few pile of books, a tea set that whispered to him, a jar of dirt, some old furniture, piles of old but expensive looking clothes, a floating rose that sparkled, a picture of a young man that blinked and finally, Harry saw the object he had been sent to procure. It was a long box about 8 inches long, metal with Grindelwald's mark on it. Harry had promised not to open it when he saw it and so simply reached out, took it and examined it closely.

"He's in Grindelwald's vault!"

Harry huffed and shoved the box into his jacket pocket. Turning heel once more he rushed for the door, skidding to a halt when he heard a small ringing in the back of his head. Curious enough to stop, he looked round and saw nothing, but the noise pulled him closer into the corner of the vault, beneath the clothes and his hand reached out to move the pile. Beneath it was a knife. It had a long brown handle with a golden pattern at the bottom of it and sat inside a black and gold sheath. Risking what little time he had left, Harry reached down and took it, pulling the blade out slowly and marvelling at the patterns and ancient writing on it. The blade was pure silver and clean as if it had been freshly sharpened this morning. The ringing in his head changed to sound like something more like song but it was interrupted by the sound of charging feet. He sheathed the blade and tucked it into his other pocket without thinking about it. Quick as a flash he ran for the door, skidding to a stop in the corridor.

"Potter, whatever you took, it does not belong to you or Dumbledore!" Greta shouted. She was only a few feet away, but clearly too angry to keep her voice calm, "Put it back and allow us to escort you out and we'll forgive this,"

"Forgive?" Harry asked. When he snorted it acted as the catalyst for the guards to open fire. When the happened Harry ran in the opposite direction towards a tall window. In true heroic style, he stopped, used his wand to open the window that allowed thick rain and heavy winds to blast through, "It's been a wonderful visit, I hope you all enjoyed it. And just know that you will always remember this as the day that you almost caught…" Harry paused to think and then shook his head, "I need to stop watching movies with Hermione…Goodbye!"

"POTTER!"

Turning and leaping out of the window, Harry soared towards the large rocks and heavy ocean floor. Moments before he hit the wet rocks, he exploded into a cloud of pure white light and soared up into the air. The Nurmengard guards followed, some of them on brooms others flying like Harry was doing, all of them firing spells at him. Soaring freely, weaving in and out of the spells with ease as they narrowly missed him, Harry threw himself forward. From the sky above a Thestral pulled carriage appeared out of the dark thunderous clouds and swooped down. The door opened and a hand reached out towards Harry's light.

"Care for a ride home lad?!" Alistor Moody called out loudly over the storm.

"Wouldn't mind one!" Harry shouted, pulling back climbing through the carriage door. The minute he was in and the door shut behind him, the carriage soared forward ahead, creating too wide a space for those chasing to keep up. Slumping into the seat, he looked across the carriage and saw Albus Dumbledore, sitting with a calm and very casual smile on his face.

"I trust it went well?" Dumbledore asked Harry, clearly expecting good news.

"I'd say so," Harry grinned. He reached into his jacket, ignoring the knife and took out the box, presenting it to Dumbledore, "This the one?"

"Very well done, Harry." Dumbledore said, reaching out to take the box. Harry gave it over easily and was intrigued by the look of yearning on his Headmaster's face, "I can't begin to thank you enough for this. I know it will cost you the right to see Neville again, but you need not fear repercussion from Greta and her guards."

"Meh, it was fun," Harry admitted, "This summer's been too quiet."

"Nevertheless, I shall find a way to thank you, my dear friend,"

Harry didn't know what to say. The emotion and gratitude that poured freely from Dumbledore was hard to absorb. To be called a friend by Dumbledore meant a great deal to Harry and he wasn't ready for the upsurge of emotion he suddenly felt for his Headmaster. Focusing on keeping things casual though, he couldn't resist the curiosity burning inside of him.

"So, why did I give up my right to visit Neville, curse a nice lady and nearly risk being imprisoned for, exactly?"

"Something more valuable than even I know what to do with," Dumbledore replied. The mystery in his voice only made Harry want to know more. However, disappointment seemed to be turning into a poor reward this evening because when Dumbledore finally opened the box, all he pulled from it was a wand.

"A wand?" Harry asked, half-heartedly.

"Harry, a wand is sometimes something more than it appears," Dumbledore told him. He took the wand and examined it closely, a strange and wonderful smile spreading across his elderly face, "Yes, a wand can be so much more in the hands of the right person,"

"Like what?"

"That, my dear friend," Dumbledore said, making Harry feel that surge of emotion again, "Is a secret that must be kept for another time, a much darker time,"

"Sounds like something you might want to share," Said Harry, wary of the dubious nature of dark futures that he'd very much like to avoid until the current dark present was dealt with.

"Needless to say, I feel that this particular future is not meant for you," Said Dumbledore, giving Harry a kind smile. He placed the wand back in the box and slipped it into his robes, "Now, we must get you home, we should arrive shortly and then I must leave for my own mission,"

"Which is?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"A place to hide this wand," Dumbledore replied easily.

"Which is going to be where?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Again, it is not for you to know," He replied, chuckling at Harry's perturbed expression, "Trust me, Harry. This wand is not for you worry about, not now or ever unless there is a need for it. Please put it as far from your mind as possible. If the time comes that you need to know why I have sought it out, I will make sure there is a way for you to learn of it. For now, as a friend, I only ask that you accept that you have done an old man a great favour this evening and he is forever I your debt."

"Well, could you start by making it, so I can swap Divination with Care of magical creatures this year?"

"Don't feel that it is in your future, do you?"

"Something about futures and prophecies don't really speak to me, besides, I think Ginny would get a kick out of having me, Draco and Hermione in the class with her."

"I can at least see this small favour done for you." Dumbledore chuckled, "How is young Ginny adapting to her new life?"

"You'd think I'd had a sister this whole time," Harry said, rolling his eyes and making Dumbledore laugh some more, "She fits in so nicely, even with her oddness she's a member of the family now."

"That is good," Nodded Dumbledore, "She deserves a little light in her life."

"I'm just concerned about the rest of her family, Erica and Sirius haven't ran into them, neither have Severus or Remus,"

"No, it would seem that many Death Eaters that are within Voldemort's inner circle have vanished without a trace since Bellatrix Lestrange escaped from Azkaban,"

"You think she's forcing them to hide on Voldemort's behalf?"

"You suspect Voldemort of not being in the country either?"

Harry nodded, "The only way he could stay out of harm's way is to not be here, which makes me think he's either hunting the last god or rallying others to his cause."

"I think the second is more likely," Dumbledore said. He was quiet for a second and then leaned backwards into the seat he was on, "I would like you to focus on school this year, if it is not too much trouble."

"I suppose I could do it just once in my life," Joked Harry, earning a small smile from Dumbledore, "But can I ask why?"

"The Ministry is taking a closer look at how they wish to fight this war. One of the new rules for anyone under the age of 17, is that they are forbidden from interfering in the Ministries efforts to track, find and stop Voldemort."

"Odd rule considering most teenagers wouldn't think of trying to take on the greatest dark lord of all time." Harry said, keeping his tone innocent, "Why on earth would they do such a thing?"

"I think in time the intention behind this will be made clearer. The Minister for magic has been keeping me out of the loop on a great deal of things lately. The news of Azkaban's last inmates leaving came to me only a day after it happened."

"Isn't that a little…" Harry tried to think of the right word, "Stupid. To be keeping you out of the loop, you're sort of brilliant."

"Thank you," Dumbledore chuckled, "But I believe they think I'm a little too old to be fighting wars now."

"I'm too young and you're too old?" Harry asked, pondering that for a moment, "No offence but they're going to lose if they keep you and the Elf Pack out of this?"

"The Elf Pack?" asked Dumbledore, confused and amused at the same time.

"Ginny suggested it as a trial name for Me, her, Draco and Hermione's group," Harry explained, "in honour of Dobby. Personally, I don't think the name will stick, we need something less house-elfish"

"I recall the many names that were suggested for the Order back when I founded it," Dumbledore said in a wistful tone, "It was your mother than suggested Order of the Phoenix, she has always loved Fawkes. Your father, bless him, wanted to call us the Death Eater Beaters,"

"Really?" Harry chuckled.

"He was a fine and clever wizard, but naming things was never his talent. It was a relief when Lily called you Harry, otherwise you would have been named Randy, after a muggle wrestler your father was fond of,"

"Randy Potter?" Harry pondered, "Sounds…"

"I think we'll not worry about how that sounds," Dumbledore chuckled.

"Right. So, this year you'd like me and the others to behave and just be normal students?"

"You don't have to make it sound like an insult," Dumbledore said, amused by the look of disgust on Harry's face, "I know I've asked a lot of you already, but this is another favour I need. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. Besides, OWL year is the busiest of all for students, I'm sure you can…"

"Draco and I did a mock test last week based on the questions that Professor McGonagall set the others while I was away. I'm going to get an Outstanding in everything except potions," Said Harry, laughing when he added, "Severus was so mad,"

"Well then, I think your goal this year will be to get an O in potions, and I'll make sure there are a few more things in place to keep you entertained."

"Like what?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Consider them surprises," Dumbledore said, giving Harry a knowing wink.

"Anyone ever told you that you're too secretive?"

"My brother Aberforth has done so on many occasion," Replied Dumbledore, smiling lightly.

"See, I didn't even know you had a brother,"

"Perhaps we should find the time to get to know each other beyond the realms of Headmaster and Pupil once the war is past,"

"Or Leader and weapon," Joked Harry.

"Harry, you are no weapon to be used. Your capacity for heroics and inability to sit still in the face of danger is just one of your many amazing talents."

"Stop, I'm blushing," Harry said.

The two shared a small laugh and when the carriage slowed to a stop, Harry got up when Dumbledore opened the door for him and climbed out. The storm had not followed them all the way back to England and Harry was pleasantly enjoying the cool evening breeze as he looked up at his home. In the distance he could see the lights on in Sirius' house, which meant that Sirius and Erica were finally home. Harry's own house was bustling with light and shapes passing the windows. He checked his watched and was pleased to find he was just in time for dinner.

"Remember Harry, this year I need you to…"

"Not start any wars, don't go looking for magic stones, don't attempt to save any of the people I love if they're kidnapped, don't fight damaged girls who open secret chambers with giant snakes in them, don't free anymore prisoners and prove them innocent, don't seek out ancient vampires for a laugh and do my best to not, under any circumstances, fight a dark lord. Does that sound about right?"

"I think that about sums it up," Dumbledore chuckled, "I shall see you at school."

"Fly safe," Harry waved.

Harry took a step back when the door shut again, he waved to Moody who nodded back, and the carriage lifted into the air and flew off into the distance. Harry watched long enough to see the carriage disappear. When he heard the front door open, he smiled and waited.

"You kept me waiting long enough," A voice that could make Harry's heart do somersaults said.

When he turned, Hermione was already walking towards him. It had only been 4 weeks since they'd seen each other, but that was enough to make it feel like an eternity after nearly a whole year of being apart. She walked right to him and stopped only a few inches from where Harry stood. A sly smile pulled across his face.

"Well," He whispered, "You have my deepest apologies, ma'am."

Hermione threw herself forward with a wide smile on her face. No words were needed but it didn't stop their lips from doing all the work. Kissing her back with all the ease and love he could muster, which for Hermione was a lot, Harry allowed himself to sink into the sweet warmth that only her love could provide him, he found it rather easy to put the wand, the Ministry's orders, Dumbledore's request and even Voldemort himself to the back of his mind.