Chapter 8: The Memory

A/N: Ok quick note to address something that came up a couple times - there were a few that assumed that Luna was the granddaughter of the Queen. I need to go back and look at the chapter but I just haven't had time to do that yet. Luna is the granddaughter of the Oracle/Seer that spoke to Harry. I will go back and address/edit that when I can.


Harry sat down across from the two women, the last few minutes proving to be a whirlwind of information. He listened to the banter from the Queen and Speaker as they debated the implications of the discussion with the Oracle. From what he had gathered by just listening, this very day was something that the Amazons had in someways been preparing for. The scrying and rituals conducted by the Oracles had produced, not a prophecy but some understanding that the line of Queens would need to prepare for. They didn't say how long, and just thinking about how much they potentially already new made his head spin. It was as these thoughts swirled around that he grunted and got up. Turning towards the wall he had to run through a meditative exercise to calm his mind. Silence; that was what greeted him as he turned around. The queen raised her eyebrow in response to the Harry's expressive showcase.

"Sorry. Just not a fan of prophecies." Harry answered the unspoken question.

"Perhaps not, though this was not prophecy that brought you to us today." The Queen spoke. She continued after seeing Harry didn't understand, "The magics governing prophecy are intricate, delicate, yet robust. They are never truly infallible yet some never come true. They are the randomness of magic itself, working to understand and in some-ways preserve balance over us. But prophecy is not the only way where one can gain glimpses of what is to come."

The Speaker continued in place of the Queen, "The oracle you met today was how this eventuality was struck. Well, her bloodline. An ancestor to that oracle saw that one day, a descendent with the Gift of Sight would be connected to a man through death. The oracles recorded her trace amongst the weaves of fate and magic yet nothing ever occurred."

Harry finally sat back down, "But Luna's not dead."

The Queen looked at him "No?" Harry shook his head in response before the Queen spoke again, "Then that is joyous to our hearts. For we feared we had lost the line forever."

Harry shook his head, "How is this not prophecy?"

The speaker answered, "There was no prediction of what need come. The Oracle did seek knowledge of the future, but only glimpsed the connection. We have watched for it ever since, fearing what it may mean."

"The presence and connection of a man was feared for that bloodline for generations, yet interpretation is borne out of ones own biases." The Queen spoke.

Harry chuckled, "Then I arrived. A man of death's line."

The Queen smiled, "Yes. Seeking not death itself, but as you said, to honor its finality."

Harry sat there, not fully understanding the differences and both women could tell that he didn't fully understand. They shared a look before the Speaker spoke moving on to another topic, "You spoke of an upcoming attack on one of out strongholds. You know of this to be sure?"

"I don't know exactly everything. It's an attack in the forests of Luxembourg. Best guess is that it will be in in approximately three months."

The two looked between another. Harry could tell that they were having some form of communication between them before they addressed him again, "You've traveled in time."

It wasn't a question, though Harry felt compelled to answer, "Yeah."

Out in the open it weighed heavy on the three occupants. Harry felt some relief to fully admit what had happened. For someone else to know. The two women sat, not in awe, but in consideration for what it was to mean.

The Queen finally addressed Harry, "Magic will exact its price."

Harry let out a dry laugh, "It already has." He continued at their look, "My mind is in shambles and my memories have been mostly shattered."

The Queen remained stoic, but the Speaker's eyes widened at his revelation. There was an involuntary lurch forward from the Speaker, as she sought to reach out through magic. The look in Harry's eyes stopped her from following through. His eyes shone with pain and regret.

The Speaker asked the obvious question, "Why did you come back?"

"To prevent the rise of a madman that could have consequences worse than Grindelwald. British magical society was on the verge of collapse. Honestly, I argued that we won. Hermione had the better argument."

The Queen and Speaker chuckled. Harry smiled at their mirth before he continued, "She and Susan warned me that time would exact its vengeance."

"Not time." The Speaker interrupted, "Magic is exacting, and it strives for balance. Where you saw the perceived collapsed of society it would've balanced."

Harry frowned, "Britain would've survived?"

The Queen was forceful in her response, "Do not focus on that. You made your choice and now everyone lives with it. Do not second guess why you are here or what might've happened."

Harry nodded, though both women could see how much he struggled. The Speaker tried to rip him out of it, "This Hermione, this was her plan?" Harry nodded, "What brough you to us?"

Harry laughed, "She did. She wrote that she found you, that you might have a way in the ancient magics to cleanse and defeat a horcrux."

There was a moment of silence before the Queen spoke up, "You said your mind was broken, that magic exacted its price that way. How do you have these memories?"

Harry thought for a moment before responding. Conjuring a mirror to utilize he caused it to break, with points emanating from a trio of shatter points, "My mind seems to be like this, shattered and broken. I can work to repair it but the process is slow. Each shatter point, though, has these main lines of connection that are easier to see. The pieces that connect to it are more reachable, more workable, and they seem to all revolve around my friends." Here tears started to fall, "Hermione. Ron. Susan. Luna. Sirius."

Just mentioning those names caused him to get choked up for a moment. The two women allowed him a moment to regain his composure, "Those memories area easily found, and my meditations have completely focused on them as a starting place to rebuild my mind."

The Queen smiled, "Focus on those memories then. Let them guide you. Magic is exacting and I fear that your mind will never fully recover, but it will never be destroyed. In some ways this loss of memory will be a blessing, leaving you less beholden to the knowledge of the future." She leaned back in her chair letting Harry have a few moments before she continued, "There is something out there that our Oracles have started to notice. Faint and whispering, yet there, nonetheless. The fact that you are here asking about a Horcrux does not bode well. I do not think the Clans will ratify a war, though if needed we will stand beside you."

The Speaker took over, "The matter of a Horcrux will never be spoken to a man though. Our laws forbid it. Bring us one and we will cleanse it, but you can never know how it's done."

Harry agreed to the terms around the Horcrux, already knowing that that was the likely outcome. The atmosphere amongst the three of them relaxed a bit. Each one sensing that the discussion had served its purpose. There was some small talk but it wasn't long before Harry was escorted back to his guest quarters. It was only after he laid down to sleep that he realized he never once heard the name of either the Queen or the Speaker. The absurdity of it caused him to laugh and just let some of the stress melt away. No matter what though, the Queen was right. He dived into his mind for a moment, searching for a specific memory. He sought out a memory of Hermione, Luna, and Susan all talking and laughing.

The pair had surprised him and Susan one night by just showing up. The four had stayed up into the early hours of the morning talking about nonsense and memories. Laughter was the call of the night. Laughter was the memory he sought.


A/N: Sad news about the death of Robbie Coltrane. I am very glad that he was able to give life to a wonderful character. He will be missed, but Hagrid will live on. Remember to tell people you love them.
Chapter was another shorty. Thank you for all of the reviews and messages.

Next update is scheduled for October 23rd.