Chapter 16
Port of Call
In future years, if you asked Harry and Ginevra Potter, they would tell you that the first few days immediately following their joining were trying, at best. Even so, neither of them would have traded it for the world. Somehow, as far as they were concerned, it was simply meant to be.
But it was incredibly distracting having someone else's emotions flitting about in your head, even when those emotions were controlled via Occlumency.
And it was even worse when you discovered you could talk to each other.
That was a bit of a surprise. They were sitting in the jacuzzi, when his voice — sounding aggravated — floated through her head. He wasn't annoyed with her or anything, he was just frustrated with something he was thinking about.
She hadn't thought anything of it, and responded verbally, only to discover to their mutual shock that he hadn't said it out loud.
It took an hour or so for them to get a handle on it, but now that they had, it was eminently useful. Ginny was mildly worried that it would enable Harry to be even more introverted with respect to everybody but her, but they would cross that bridge when they came to it. As long as he was happy and at peace, she really had no room to complain.
By the end of the third day they had largely figured out how to operate in the face of it. Occlumency wasn't actually the key; it was more a sort of internal self control to keep their thoughts and emotions from unduly leaking over to each other. That, and simply getting used to the extra sense they now had.
Both of them were still quite shocked by the whole thing, but neither of them minded it. And even if they had, there was little they could do. Only a magical might be able to tell them anything, let alone do something about it, and they didn't have access to any knowledgeable magical folk.
They were just going to have to deal with it, though they both intended to find as much information on it as possible once they got to America.
It seemed rather important.
As for the marriage aspect, neither of them really knew what to think. On the one hand, they didn't mind the idea of being married to each other, especially now that Harry was starting to get a handle on his feelings for her. He truly did love her, he was just unaccustomed to feeling that way about anyone.
On the other hand, they had no idea if their apparent marriage truly was a marriage, or just some odd magical side effect that was confusing things for the elves and the spells on their passports. Wasn't marriage supposed to involve a proposal and a wedding? It was all very confusing.
In the end, they mutually decided to leave it alone. They wouldn't deny it if someone called them on it — and they would be honest about it if it was a magical they were talking to — but they weren't really ready to pursue it either. They were soon to be fourteen and fifteen years old, respectively, and they weren't ready for anything more than a little bit of smooching.
At the moment they were standing at a deck railing, waiting for the ship to finish docking. They were visiting what looked like little more than a remote island paradise, and this would be a reasonably safe place to get off board for a while. They had no idea if there would be anything to do, but really didn't much care.
Harry stood with his arm around her — something he was doing more and more these days — just staring quietly off into the distance. His mood was truly content, which was a wonderful feeling. Even this latest wrinkle in their lives hadn't dampened the sense of peace and freedom that he was feeling.
Ginny was absolutely thrilled.
Soon they made their way down to land and set off through the city. They had no destination in mind; they were just wandering. Neither of them had ever done anything like this before, with the sole exception of the brief shopping trip a couple of stops back.
"It's so beautiful here," she said softly as they made their way along a shopping district. Lush green hills formed an amazing backdrop, and she had the urge to visit them, though doubted it would be possible.
"Yeah," he agreed. "I'd love to live somewhere like this, but I think we'd probably get bored."
Ginny chuckled. "Especially after the lives we've led so far. I have no idea what we're going to do with ourselves."
"Too bad Quidditch makes people famous," groused Harry.
They might have continued that conversation, but they were unexpectedly interrupted as they passed one of the shops. It was a small place, just a hole in the wall, though there was something about it that set them both slightly on edge. An older woman was standing in the doorway, and called out to them.
"Excuse me," she called in passable English — apparently a rarity in these parts.
They both stopped and turned, and she calmly approached them. Ginny didn't need to look to know that Harry's brow was furrowing in concern. Her own wasn't far behind; she had no idea who this woman was or what she wanted.
The woman walked right up to them and proceeded to study them both thoroughly enough that it made them fidget. Neither said anything, though; they weren't sure how to handle this. And then the woman reached up and brushed Harry's fringe over, causing them both to tense up.
Was this woman magical?
"You are the ones," she said in a soft, reverent voice. "The children of the Prophecy."
What the hell? Harry sent her.
I have no idea, she sent back.
Outwardly though, she decided that they were going to have to play along for the moment. Worst case, they could run, but this woman didn't seem hostile, or even starstruck. And would they know who Harry even was out this far?
"We don't understand," she told the woman quietly.
"Of course not," she smiled. "That is why you are here. Come, and we will enlighten you."
With that she turned and headed back into the building, and Ginny exchanged a long look with Harry, both of them unnerved by this turn of events. Harry just shrugged though; he no more knew what to do with it than she did.
Might as well, she sent him.
Harry just nodded, and they wandered inside. The inside was bigger than the outside — an expansion charm — which really didn't surprise them given the mention of Prophecy. That in itself was a sign of magic.
The woman directed them to seats at a small round table, which they gingerly took. There was an elderly man already sitting there, and he too was now studying them. She then placed unopened cans of soda in front of them, which was somehow incongruous with the setting.
Obvious magicals, giving them muggle soda? It was just plain odd.
Ginny had the distinct sense that something very important was happening here, though she couldn't say why. From Harry's feelings, he was feeling much the same. They would have to let it play out.
"What are your names?" the woman asked gently.
"You don't know?" asked Harry, his voice soft and holding no accusation.
The old man chuckled at him. "Prophecy does not name its subjects," he said simply. "We know you only as the children of lightning and flame."
Ginny blinked. She could easily deduce why they would think it was them, though it was a bit of a stretch. And had the woman actually somehow seen his now nearly invisible scar from a distance?
"He's Harry, and I'm Ginny," she finally told them.
The man nodded. "I am called Ronon, and this is Melania."
"It's nice to meet you, I suppose," she frowned. "But we're rather confused."
"Our eldest daughter is a Seer," said Melania quietly. "Some days ago she gave one of her few prophecies. It predicted your arrival."
Harry and Ginny exchanged a look. Ginny could feel Harry's skepticism, but having grown up in the magical world, she knew that Prophecy was real. It was rare to be certain, and the rest of what was taught in Divination was generally bunk, but real Prophecies existed.
"Can you tell us what it said?" asked Ginny.
Rather than answer her, Ronon slid a piece of parchment across the table. Ginny slid it the rest of the way over, and Harry leaned up against her so they could both read it.
The children of lightning and flame shall come
gaoler escaped
foe vanquished
Prophecy fulfilled
purpose met
gentle soul seeking new home in a distant land
knowing not what they became
confusion reigns
what they are shall be revealed
the oldest sect will show the path
and they shall know peace
Ginny read it over a few times, and a suspicion formed in her mind. Was this magic's way of helping them out? It wasn't unheard of, but it was only ever spoken of in old legends. It was said that sometimes magic provided aid when people didn't even know they needed it.
She felt Harry reeling, and knew that he wouldn't speak on his own. He was overwhelmed, and probably worried that something was going to wreck their little vacation. Ginny thought differently, though, and her sudden hope drew his attention like moth to flame.
"Gin?" he quietly prompted.
Rather than answer him though, she simply rubbed his back and gave her attention to the older couple. "Do you know what this is speaking of?" she asked quietly.
"Not entirely," said Ronon. "We hope that you can help us show you the path."
GInny paused for a moment to consider, but didn't see the harm in it. If she was right, then these people could explain things to them. And if she was wrong, they could do very little with the information, she figured.
I'm going to tell them about this, she sent to Harry, though her eyes never left Ronon and Melania.
You think they know something? he asked.
We became something, love, she told him. I feel it down to my bones. This is what they can help us with.
Harry nodded then, and she smiled. "Do you know anything about bonds?" she asked curiously.
"If you are referring to bonds between people, then such are revered in our culture," said Melania softly. "They are very rare, and always very special."
"We share one," Ginny told her bluntly. "It happened just days ago. We can feel each other. My name even changed on our passport, like we're married. Neither of us have ever heard of anything like this, and we don't really have anyone to ask."
Both of their benefactors went wide-eyed at that description. "What they became indeed," breathed Ronon.
"And that may explain the singular soul," nodded Melania. Then she drew a wand, to Ginny's surprise. "May I?" she requested. "I will not harm you, only examine."
Anyone else asking would have gotten a lot more push-back, but something about these two put Ginny at ease. She could sense no malice from them. They were simply people, doing what they thought was right.
"Go ahead," she nodded.
The woman smiled and began incanting in a language that Ginny was unfamiliar with. Only moments later, a bright golden glow sprung up around both Harry and Ginny, deeply intertwined in a way that was hard to describe. The gasp of shock from Ronon said that this was unexpected, and Melania simply stared, even as the glow started to fade.
"Incredible," breathed Ronon. "It is very much an honor to meet ones such as you."
Ginny exchanged a startled look with Harry. It was probably a good thing that both had encountered odd things in life, or they would have been running for the hills by now.
"Why do you say that?" asked Ginny finally. "We don't understand."
"The bond you share is sacred," said Melania quietly. "Nobody knows how or why it forms, but it is the rarest of them all. The last known instance was in the time of Merlin, who even we have heard of. Only the Lightest of souls may share such a bond. Evil shall never touch your hearts."
"There is no proper name for this that we are aware of," noted Ronon. "It is referred to simply as a bond of souls. You are each different aspects of a single unified soul. You shall never truly be apart again."
"Magic, as you have discovered, sees this as marriage," offered Melania. "All who encounter it shall respect it by the ancient laws and the laws of Merlin. None may challenge it."
"This is most often seen in those who do great and difficult deeds," added Ronon. "Many believe it is the way of magic to give much needed support to those who have earned it."
She could feel Harry looking at her, and turned to stare into his eyes. He was deeply conflicted at the moment, to the point that he didn't really know what he was feeling. She couldn't blame him; this was very deep territory.
She reached up and gently caressed him, silently conveying that all would be well. And she truly believed it, too. Something deep within told her that this latest twist in their life was a kind of reward.
"May we ask after the first few lines?" asked Melania after a moment. "We do not understand them."
"We don't know anything about a Prophecy," frowned Ginny, turning back face her, "but the whole reason Harry started this journey was to escape a man who was controlling his life. He already had plans in place, and then he was kidnapped by an extremely dark wizard, and managed to destroy him. We used the opportunity to escape."
They both nodded. "And if this bond is new, then you must have had another reason for joining him on his journey," noted Ronon.
"Family problems," said Harry quietly, finally entering the conversation. "Her parents were threatening to throw her out of the family over something that she had no control over or responsibility for. Where we come from, that mark of dishonor, no matter how undeserved, would have thoroughly ruined her life. So she asked to come with me, and I wasn't about to turn her away."
Ginny couldn't help but wrap her arm around him again, and then leaned her cheek against his shoulder. She truly did love him. It wasn't for what he did for her, but that certainly didn't hurt — and speaking of things like that always reminded her of just how amazing he was.
"A difficult journey," nodded Melania. "But now your troubles will greatly lessen. You are on the path to peace."
"I certainly hope so," replied Ginny. "We've had enough, and we just want to live our lives now."
"And so you shall," nodded Ronon. "Difficulties always exist, and will always come and go. Perhaps they will be small, or perhaps large, but so long as you try, you will always prevail."
"And there will always be good times to offset the bad," smiled Melania. "Such is the way of things."
"You should not live in the past or the future," said Ronon. "You should instead live in the now. In the now is where you will find your peace."
Ginny gave Harry a gentle squeeze when he turned thoughtful at that. The message had been received. All they had to do now… was live.
===[~]===
A/N: Just about halfway there!
I have mixed feelings about this chapter, but here it is anyway. Another one that kinda desperately needs a rewrite. I don't have any issue with them being subject of a minor Prophecy and thus gaining information — that seems very magical to me if magic is going to stick them together, but the way it came off feels rushed to me. I should have at least spent more time on their tourism or something. =)
A few responses:
red-jacobson: Yeah, Fudge in this story is at least slightly less the caricature that canon makes him out to be. His reasons may be foolish, but he does have them, and he didn't get to be Minister by being a complete idiot. And on top of that, Amelia has him over the proverbial barrel, and they have an unspoken understanding of that. Hermione will be addressed further, too, eventually.
SomeGuyFawkes: A portkey tattoo would qualify as a magical item! Though I wouldn't want to see what they would do to remove it… =)
DigiEmissary: That… is an interesting question. However, since nobody currently knows that Dumbledore has the wand, and thus nobody has any reason to ask, Dumbledore will actually get his canon wish on this one, and the power will die with him. Personally, I think that whole schtick in canon is iffy; I don't think I would want to use a wand in combat that would stop working the first time I got disarmed…
EmlynMara: She doesn't actually need his support; the whole point of the conversation for Amelia is that she wanted Lucius out of the way to avoid his influence trying to prevent the evidence from being exposed. She just had to present it the right way, and did.
See you all tomorrow! =)
Update: minor correction because I didn't catch that the document importer messed up the formatting on the Prophecy.
