AN: this chapter will be story-related again. It won't like the last chapter. Also, I won't be going into great detail on Harry's training. I will mention it but it seems slightly unnecessary. This chapter will pick up the thread of Neville's story and focus more on the character's growth and learning. Although I'd be remiss if there was no excitement at all.
If you did not read the last chapter there is going to be something near the beginning you won't understand. The short version is that witches and wizards can occasionally be born with unique talents specific to them. Like parseltongue. Harry's unique trait is that he has nearly endless stores of energy. At least compared to most wizards especially when fighting for others its not an on a whim thing when he pushes himself he can push himself further than most. And trust me this won't make everything easy for him just slightly right the scales in his favor it will make more sense later on.
In response to Tenjo. First of all yes he is obviously much stronger than cannon. Thats what I was going for. But if you notice he is not ridiculously overpowered in combat its only in situations outside combat it shows at the moment. Harry was always a defensive fighter and he will remain that way. Much of his power will remain in shielding others. If you don't like that fair enough.
The fight is the same until that point because I don't feel like rewriting everything. As I said in the beginning authors note. Also in the authors note for chapter 3 I explain why Umbridge is still the teacher. So theres that.
Also yes he said it is all but gone. There is still a connection however that goes back to Harrys blood being taken. Which for the record was something I was planning on addressing later because of the repeated visions I am writing Harry having of horcrux locations.
As to the location change Voldemort dragged them there with a portkey in the form of a rope that wrapped around Harry. Which is mentioned in the fight the reason its not fully explained is because the fight is supposed to be confusing. Harry is barely able to keep up and we are along for the ride.
Bellatrix is able to get up because Harry and Dumbledore are gone. She is a formidable witch and was able to break free. Do you honestly think Neville would not have chased her?
And the biggest thing Harrys power and characterization. Do you honestly believe if Harry got more powerful he would not still be the same person? I'm writing this as a different take but Harry will remain at his core the same person. And he would absolutely try to not stand out and give credit to everyone else. He was still more powerful than many of his peers in cannon but never flaunted it. 13 year old casting a corporal patronus anyone? So yes he is more confident but the power is still something he is not used to. Its new and all he ever wanted was to be normal. Which coincidentally is a little bit of a hint as to the end of the story for those that read all of chapter 6.
Going forward I won't respond to every review but this review just seemed to have missed a few minor details. If this person missed them I assume others did as well so I thought I would clear up some of my thought process on this story. I am an amateur writer at best so if you don't like something I completely understand. But this is for fun and I write the way I want the story to be if that doesn't meet your expectations then my apologies but you may want to look at a different author.
As always I do not own Harry Potter. Only the things I came up with. Please enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 7: A Promise Kept.
Two weeks. Two weeks and Harry found himself sweating. Wand trained on a potion pouring himself into it. He could feel the slightly shimmering golden liquid absorbing his magic at a prodigious rate. Anyone else would have dropped long ago but he knew he had to keep going. Less than a handful of moments after thinking this the potion flared bright now glowing subtly in the darkened room, and Harry smiled. He called for Neville and Hermione to come back in.
First through the door was Neville. "Do you think it..." His voice died as his eyes fell on the glowing liquid. His eyes flickered to Harry's locked on them. Tears brimming in them. Tears that he refused to let fall.
"So think we should give it a shot?" Harry asked grinning tiredly at Neville. Even as he stood watching though Harry could feel his tiredness weighing on him. His magic recharging and filling him with energy once again but slowly, much slower than he would have liked. It would take a few hours to be completely back to normal but it was worth it.
Harry and Hermione had to run to keep up with Neville as they sprinted from the office space they had been allowed to use down a flight of stairs to the ward Neville's parents had resided in for 14 years. (It's still the beginning of the summer and both Harry and Neville are still 15 at this point.) The healer on duty smiled at them as they entered. Nearly two weeks ago Dumbledore had finally convinced the hospital to allow the trio to try this if and when they got the potion to work.
"So you guys got it to work? Mind if I keep a small amount for testing? If this works it will be a massive breakthrough for long-term patients like your parents." Healer O'Shea asked looking at Neville her slightly lined eyes creased in a genuine smile.
"Of course!" Neville responded immediately. Allowing the healer to divide the potion into four vials. Two large and two are very small. The small vials she tucked into a pocket. The larger two she handed back to Neville.
The group moved over to the curtained beds that hid Neville's parents. After a few minutes of coaxing, they got both to sit outside their enclosed beds. They managed to help both swallow the doses of potion and they watched with bated breath. Waiting...
They reacted differently but both reacted almost immediately. Neville's mother seemed to be coming out of a deep sleep her movement suddenly languid and slow. Healer O'Shea gently held her hand. "Alice, can you hear me?"
The woman's eyes were not on the older woman, however. Alice Longbottom was focused entirely on the slightly round-faced boy sitting only a chair further away. Her voice was raspy and rough from disuse. "I...I know you..."
At the same time, her husband's chair creaked as Frank Longbottom gripped the arms of his chair the wood creaking slightly beneath his fingers. His eyes flickering from one face to the next. When he suddenly moved.
Harry moved as faster, however. He saw the brief flare of fear in the older man's eyes. He waved his wand and the calming spell struck Neville's father before he got out of his chair. The older man visibly relaxed his eyes finding the round-faced boy his wife was staring at.
"Hi, Mom. Hi dad."
Harry was walking down a tunnel made of rough-hewn stone. He could hear the sea pounding somewhere nearby. The pads of his bare feet resting on the wet stone. Harry's head snapped upright. No that had been Voldemort walking through that dark stone tunnel not him. He met Hermione's eyes and knew she had noticed the short lapse but shook her head turning to look at Neville's parents once again. The silence that followed confused Harry for a moment until he realized he had only been in the vision for a second or two at most. The silence stretched into nearly a minute as confusion and worry etched themselves across Frank and Alice's faces.
Neville finally broke the silence smiling broadly with tears in his eyes. "I know you probably don't remember much. But it's been nearly 15 years since... since you probably last remember..."
Harry was walking beside Hermione down the hall leading to the main entrance of they had decided to give Neville and the healers some time to work with his parents. After traveling to Grimmauld place they both walked up to the drawing-room where they were sure they would find the rest of the house waiting to hear any news good or bad. Harry opened the door hearing the dull murmur of conversation die as the door swung open before him. He saw Sirius, the Weasleys, Neville's Grandmother and a few other order members that Harry was sure were friends of the Longbottoms. "We did it..." was all Harry managed to get out of his mouth before the room seemed to explode. The first thing that happened it seemed to Harry was Neville's Grandmother hugging himself and Hermione, tears silently falling before she seemed to fly from the room. Harry assumed she was going to the hospital in order to see her son and daughter-in-law.
Sirius was smiling at Harry proudly. He called over the babble as he walked forward pulling Harry into a rough hug. "If anyone could do it then it had to be you, Harry."
Next Mr. and hugged both of them as beamed. "Oh thank goodness it worked you've all done something wonderful. It will be astounding to see what comes of this. I'm so proud of the three of you."
Harry pulled away smiling sheepishly at the praise. "Neville and Hermione did most of the work I just happened to be the best source of raw magic available."
Harry and Hermione separated finding their way around the packed drawing-room. Harry was just sitting down on a large chair exhausted when a long red-haired someone deposited themselves on his lap. Harry flushed immediately. "Ginny what are you doing? Your family is all here?!"
"Oh relax I talked to mum this morning." She blushed slightly at this not meeting Harry's eyes before looking around and leaning closer to Harry. "Besides just wait till my brothers notice." She leaned against his shoulder after saying this.
Harry thought about how they had grown much more comfortable around each other over the past two weeks. When he wasn't training or working to help Neville he spent the rest of his time with her, Ron, and Hermione. Ron had been strangely accepting of his new relationship with Ginny and at first, it had thrown Harry for a loop. At least until Harry walked into the drawing-room one morning to find Ron and Hermione wrapped around one another. However, this did little to quell his nerves and his flushed face. He heard footsteps behind him and realized with trepidation it was a matched set of footsteps.
"Well look at this Georgie... Do my eyes deceive me?"
"Im not sure. Do your eyes see our sister sitting on the specky scrawny git himself?" Fred and George rounded the chair grinning at Harry and Ginny. Their eyes held nothing but their usual mischievous mirth.
Harry allowed himself to relax somewhat and smiled nervously at Ginny. Who to her credit hadn't already exploded on Fred and George. He leaned forward and whispered to Ginny. "Distract them I wanna try something."
Ginny glanced at him for an instant before looking at her brothers sitting up somewhat off of Harry's shoulder. "Thats rich coming from the two of you. Besides its Harry..." Ginny kept them talking going back and forth for a few minutes.
As the conversation grew into a normal Weasley sibling discussion the other siblings were drawn in. Bill and Charlie both at headquarters for the first time in months, and Ron who had been watching the situation smiling knowing that Harry would be cooking something up.
Harry was concentrating, partially hidden behind a curtain of Ginny's hair. Doing is best to concentrate without being obvious until he managed to silently glue all the Weasley brothers shoes to their feet, and the shoes to the floor without making a sound. Just after he finished that Harry thought to himself. 'Maybe a good time to try out some of Dumbledore's training'. He concentrated again blinking and suddenly the room seemed to glow. Everyone around him a different color unique to them. He also saw the faintest green glimmer around the feet of the Weasley brothers. The faint ghost of the magic he had used. He let his concentration go the world returning to normal.
A sudden squawk of alarm rang out. Charlie had tried to step around Bill and found his feet immobile. He had to grab Bill to keep from tipping over looking around alarmed. This prompted the other brothers to try and lift their feet. After a few moments Ron turned to Harry still unable to move. "Come on Harry! I didn't even say anything!"
Bill looked at Ron confused. "What do you mean?"
"Harry stuck us to the floor!"
"I'm just lucky its a one time spell or I'd be completely exhausted from just trying to keep your shoes stuck." Harry replied laughing. He and Ginny got out of the chair heading towards Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "It's not permanent but I don't know how long it'll last. Good luck!"
A chorus of 'hey' and 'get back here' sounding behind the two of them as they walked away. "You know you still haven't told me why you're allowed to do magic." Ginny complained quietly.
Harry smiled as he replied. "I just told Hermione when she moved in. The trace just detects magic near underage wizards. But since there are adult wizards around they can't tell if its them or us. So we can't get in trouble. Don't tell your parents I told you that though." His face momentarily nervous.
Mrs. Weasley was frowning at him slightly. As soon as she spoke Harry could hear the smile she was hiding. "I should scold you for using magic underage but the look on Bill and Charlies faces were just priceless."
Mr. Weasley spoke after his wife. "Soundless and wandless too?"
"Yes sir. But anything more than first year spells or the shield I showed you before is way too much for me yet. The level of concentration just to stick them to the floor was immense. Plus I doubt I could even levitate a feather right now. Its so much more taxing without a wand." Harry leaned against the door only to have it open behind him. He tumbled to the ground landing flat on his back.
Professor McGonagall stood looking down on him. "Do get up Potter. The headmaster wishes to see you."
Harry leapt to his feet. He hadn't spoken with the professor since Neville, Hermione, and himself had started working on the potion for Neville's parents. He followed Professor McGonagall to the fireplace stepping through after her. His foot caught on the grate and he stumbled.
"How many years and you still manage to get caught on every landing Harry?" Dumbledore was smiling at him over his desk.
"Little more than 5 years sir." Harry moved forward sitting in the vacant chair in front of the desk. "Sir what did you want to talk to me about?" Privately Harry had already guessed and his suspicion was confirmed.
"As I'm sure you have noticed I am shall we say a little under the weather." Even as he spoke Dumbledore placed his right hand on the desk waving his left over it. An illusion seeming to melt away. Running off the fingers of his hand like water. Revealing blackened and dead looking fingers. "Quite unpleasant to look at isn't it?"
"S..Sir?? What happened??" Harry asked as he was confused and concerned greatly for his teacher.
"Ahh the curse of old age. Harry have you ever wondered how it was that Voldemort managed to survive that night? How when even as his body was destroyed he was able to return?"
"Of course sir but I don't see how that has anything to do with..." Harry trailed off gesturing weakly to Dumbledore's blackened fingers.
"Well Harry that is a fascinating question. I suppose it truly starts with Voldemort or rather Voldemort's past. Follow me Harry." Dumbledore rose walking over to a cabinet. He opened it and a strange silvery light poured out. With a wave of his wand a large stone basin floating to the small empty table Harry only now noticed to the side of Dumbledore's desk.
"Sir what is that?" Harry asked his confusion only growing.
"This Harry is a pensive. It will allow us to relive some memories I have managed to procure." Dumbledore pulled two small vials from an inner pocket. They both seemed to be filled with a silver substance that was neither liquid nor gas. Dumbledore uncorked the first bottle with magic pouring the contents into the pensive.
(They both enter the pensive and view the Gaunt memory.)
As Harry's feet once again hit solid ground he shakes his head looking at Dumbledore. "I'm still unsure of what you're trying to tell me."
"As I expected. Now for the other memory." Dumbledore pulls the first memory from the pensive and pours in the second.
(They once again enter the pensive this time viewing Dumbledores memory of Tom at the orphanage.)
Dumbledore speaks first as they exist the pensive this time. "What you have just seen are the earliest memories related to the man the world would come to know as Lord Voldemort." Dumbledore walked back to his desk opening a drawer. On the surface of the desk he placed a book with a hole burnt in it, and a ring with a slightly cracked stone.
"Sir is that...?"
"Why yes Harry it is the diary of Tom Riddle. The very same diary you destroyed in your second year. This was the first clue. The first step in figuring out how Voldemort survived that night. The first step in the journey that led me to this ring, and the curse it bore. The curse that Severus helped contain to my hand. The curse that before the next school year is out will claim my life."
AN: Nevilles parents are back! For those of you thinking things are going a bit too well for Harry and crew you would be correct. I won't be saving everyone and there will be some unfortunate and new losses.
Also yes the horcruxes are being brought up much earlier and Dumbledore is being much more straightforward. As with the rest of the story Harry is being treated much more like an adult at least in this realm. Please feel free to review. If you have questions or you are confused about something I will try to answer them in the AN after I see any questions. Thank you to anyone reading this story. And I apologize for the inconsistency. I write when I have ideas or motivation. I have been sorely lacking both recently.