Two Worlds, One Family: A Harry Potter Fanfiction
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters: all rights belong to JK Rowling. I do not own any crossover references used in the story: all rights belong to their original creators. I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter.
Plot: Fawkes' tears did more than heal. They also unlocked a powerful seal. Now, Harry must learn, before it's too late. For in his hands, there lies two worlds' fates.
Author's Note: So, here's what I hope will be a fun little idea that some of you are willing to give a chance; also, despite the references and shout-outs that will appear throughout, let me stress that this is NOT a crossover with any other specific fandom.
With that in mind, there's only one thing left to say.
If you don't like it, don't read it.
Recommended Reads: Rituals and Artifacts: A Fourth-Year Story and I Once was Lost but Who was Found by bluezinthos, Harry Crow, Knowledge is Power and A Kiss Can Save The World by RobSt, Harry Potter and the Daft Morons by Sinyk, The Potter Timeline by sandtreader05, Harry Potter: The Prince of Atlantis by Tylanoid, Blood is Thicker by StormyFireDragon, Sundering Seas by musicneverdies1702, The Rise of the Last Potter by HPfanfictioner66, Harry Potter and the Price of Being Noble by Driftwood1965 and Half Blood Harry Potter and Don't Anger Harry Potter by Loki Palmer
Key Pairing: Harry/Hermione
Other Pairings: To be determined
Normal Speech
'Thoughts'
'Mental Speech'
/Parseltongue/
Chapter 1: More Precious Than Gold
It was over;
The Basilisk was slain.
Ginny was saved.
Dumbledore had returned.
And Tom Riddle was now just a dim and distant memory to add to the many nightmares that Harry had endured in his time at Hogwarts.
On top of that, he had managed to get one over on the supposedly-perfect Daddy of his Slytherin rival, saved and rewarded a new friend for trying to help him out – even if he did go a little overboard trying to do the deed – and, eventually, Harry had even managed to earn a round of somewhat half-hearted apologies from everyone who'd thought of him as being the Heir of Slytherin in the first place.
All that was left, much to Harry's slight fear, was for the petrified victims to be restored to their normal, happy-go-lucky selves, which, in the case of those like Clearwater and Finch-Fletchley, Harry hoped he could give them some sort of apology for being targeted – especially Clearwater, whom Harry also wanted to try and make amends to, for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
However, more than any of the other victims, especially Filch's cat and Colin, there was one victim whom Harry kept hoping and praying would be able to recover soon:
Hermione!
Once again, his bushy, brown-haired friend – aka one of a very small number who'd believed he had nothing to do with the attacks and had been willing to risk life and limb, and time studying, to help clear his name – had been the light that shone through the darkness of the past year.
Without her courage, her intelligence and her moral support, Harry didn't know how he might have survived the battle of wills he'd spent most of the year playing with the rest of Hogwarts.
However, it was more than that.
TWOF
When Hermione had been petrified, after trying to put the final piece into place, it was like this whopping great hole of despair and hopelessness had opened up inside of Harry's heart. Finding her lying on the bed, as still as a statue, her eyes wide and glassy while her hand had been frozen in mid-air, Harry had felt like the whole damn Earth had just opened up, like the jaws of a mighty, and terrible, demon, and decided to swallow him whole, even though, to the beast, he was little more than an appetiser.
Getting to go to the Hospital Wing, even when Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall seemed to share the idea that Harry being there was like he was flogging a dead horse, and sit by Hermione's side, holding her stiff, frozen hand in his grip and whisper things to her; it had felt nice, but, again, Harry still felt like he'd fallen into that pit.
If only he hadn't been so damn distracted by Wood and his obsession with Quidditch, Harry might have been able to go with Hermione, if only to watch her back while she told him what it was that she'd found out. If only he'd tried to stop her, insisting that her discoveries could wait, she wouldn't have been petrified; she would have been safe, and so too would Harry feel the light burning in him all over again.
If only he'd been a better friend, especially after how Hermione had already been affected by the year's craziness, and her determination to help him, when she'd been cat-i-fied by the Polyjuice Potion, then maybe he wouldn't feel so helpless, so lost, so despaired and so empty inside.
TWOF
In fact, when Harry had been fighting the Basilisk in the Chamber, wielding Godric Gryffindor's Sword and risking life and limb himself, one of the last things he'd found himself thinking of, while the Basilisk's venom sapped his strength, had been Hermione's face.
'I'm sorry,' he'd said, even as he had listened to Tom grandstanding, before a surge of inspiration, mixed with a desire to see his enemy fall, had caused Harry to do what he'd done.
And, thanks to Fawkes, Harry was able to not only return to Hermione's side, counting down the seconds until Snape finally decided to pull his head out of his ass and do something to actually help a student, but he was also able to look down at her, hold her hand in his, stroke the skin along her hand, just like he had done when he'd found the ripped page from the book on Basilisks, and smile at his best friend.
"Thank you…"
TWOF
It was a funny memory for Harry to consider and yet, even as Harry let himself be pulled back to the present with the low sounds of his fellow students chatting amongst themselves at the feast, he couldn't help but find a total sense of agreement with the remark.
If it hadn't been for Hermione, he wouldn't have known about the Basilisk; if it hadn't been for her courage, he wouldn't have found the strength of will to say that he was done waiting for the grownups to do something – especially that fraud, Lockhart – and that he was going to tackle the problem alone – well, with Ron's help, obviously.
But now, he was in the Great Hall, at Madam Pomfrey's orders, while he was made to eat and socialise, and pray that…
"Harry!"
Suddenly, Harry looked up from his musings as he heard Neville Longbottom's voice, which sounded uber-excited and beyond-delighted, before, as the emerald-eyed scion looked to his dark-haired compatriot, the usually-timid youth's next words really lit a fire under Harry as he jerked his head in the direction of the doors to the Hall.
"It's Hermione!"
Harry didn't dare argue that Neville was joking: he wasn't the type to make such a joke, let alone at Harry's expense.
Instead, the Boy-Who-Lived turned his gaze towards the doors to the Hall where, sure enough, he saw her there.
Wild, messy – but in a way that, somehow, she was able to pull off and make look good – brown hair, chocolate-brown eyes, slightly-bedraggled-looking robes and clothing, which suggested she'd come straight from the Hospital Wing – which was unusual, given both Madam Pomfrey and Snape were already in said Hall, watching over the students, though, in Snape's case, it was just the Slytherins and not the entire Hall.
But, most of all, a smile that made every doubt, demon and dark thought in Harry James Potter's mind turn and flee from the light that now burned brightly, permanently and with no small amount of unquenchable longing in his heart and soul.
As he saw her standing there, smiling at his warm-hearted look, Harry rose from his seat, just in time to see his dear friend, his nearest and dearest and the young lady who made him feel so alive run straight and true towards him. Heedless of the thoughts, whispers and opinions of anyone else in the Great Hall, Hermione made a beeline for Harry, as though she was running down the aisle, before she wrapped her arms around him, hugging the life out of him as she embraced him and he embraced her.
TWOF
It wouldn't be until later that Harry would admit this was the first time he'd ever hugged anyone, but given who it was, he really didn't mind.
TWOF
"Hermione!"
"Harry," whispered Hermione, before she gasped suddenly as she felt something damp, but warm sliding down her neckline; as she pulled away from the hug, Hermione's eyes widened when she saw Harry was crying, a look of tearful delight in his eyes as he sniffled, while Hermione smiled with a mixture of relief and hope. "Hey…it's okay. I…I can't believe you solved it, but…but that's no reason to cry."
As she said the last part, Hermione cupped Harry's cheek in her hand, earning a low sigh from Harry as he wiped his tears from his face, and then his eyes, before he replied, "I…I'm sorry; I…I'm just so glad you're okay…and…and I'm so sorry I didn't go with you…I let myself be more focused on Quidditch…and I…I didn't help you…"
"You did more than enough," argued Hermione, helping Harry wipe away the last of his tears before she nodded past him as she explained, "When I woke up, I asked Madam Pomfrey about what had happened; she…she said you…you'd been hurt in…in the Chamber?"
"Bitten," replied Harry, earning a horrified look from Hermione that, if he was being honest with himself, he'd really missed seeing on her face, while he explained, "It…it's okay, though, Hermione; I…I was saved by…by Professor Dumbledore's phoenix…"
"Thank Merlin," said Hermione, before she hugged Harry once again, earning a soft sigh from the emerald-eyed scion as, for the second time in his life, he actually returned said hug, holding onto his best friend, as though she was his whole world.
TWOF
At the same time, however, just behind Harry, Ronald Bilius Weasley saw the care, the warmth and yes, even the relief and friendly reunion feelings being shared between his two friends.
While he too was glad that Hermione was going to be okay, and seemed to be just as eager, if not willing, to reunite with the other two members of the Golden Trio – as the Twins had once told Ron they'd dubbed him, Harry and Hermione – the youngest Weasley male also felt a stirring of cold, mixed with relief and inevitability filling him as he slowly returned to his seat.
Yes, he was glad that Hermione was okay, but, even though it was a little embarrassing for the two Gryffindors to be so public with their mutual relief, Ron also knew how to read this situation, almost as easily as he could read a chessboard and think several moves ahead of his opponent.
Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.
There was no getting between them and, quite frankly, Ron not only pitied the poor sap who dared to try.
He also knew that it would be worth more than gold, much less his friendship and pseudo-brotherhood with the other two to make any attempts to either discourage their relationship, or consider it as nothing more than a pre-pubescent crush between two close friends.
Yes, Ron knew the signs when he saw them, especially since he'd had The Talk with his parents and even the Twins.
Nothing was going to separate Harry and Hermione ever again, not if Harry James Potter or Hermione Jean Granger had anything to say about it.
Certainly not him.
So, like a real friend, he would be happy for his honorary brother and sister, and he would stand at their side as they faced their future as only the Golden Trio could.
Together.
So, the adventure begins and, wow, talk about a serious twist in the tale: Harry and Hermione have reunited, and it looks like our boy-hero seems to feel more than just plain, ordinary, friend-level relief for our favourite brunette: not only that, but Ron actually seems happy for the two of them, but what will this mean for our heroes as they grow into their true selves?
Also, with one threat over and the fallout now settling at their feet, one has to wonder: what's next for the Trio, especially the Golden Prince of Gryffindor himself?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapter: Harry might feel much better, now that the danger has passed, but where one mystery ends, another begins as strange dreams, stranger feelings and unusual emotional stirrings seem to trigger more than just puberty in the Boy-Who-Lived;
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