A/N: okay, the first part of this chapter is very angsty, sorry about that but it's a necessary plot device.
Chapter six:
The water of the pond were clear, and tranquility seemed to surround the area. Tranquility that did not however extended to the red haired boy sitting by the pond. Today his thoughts and feeling were in too much turmoil.
Ron Weasley's mind was on the events of last night; he had seen things that shook him to the core. The last couple of nights he had were strange. As he was seeing picture images and sounds from another's life. Last night he had dreamt on leading armies to battles armed only with spears and shields. The soldiers looking just like the paintings he had seen in the pyramids. All of that had been strange but that wasn't what shook him up so much.
He had just begun to drift back to his own dreams when he felt a sort of tugging, and suddenly he was somewhere else.
He was in a large room, his vision was hazy and blurry, but he could make out figures at the end of the room though he couldn't hear what they said. One of the figures raised his head, and he could see it had red glittering eyes and Ron remembered thinking that it was he, he-who-must-not -be-named. With a start Ron realized that he was inside one of Harry's dreams, the ones that came from his scar. He was about to ponder how he came here when suddenly Harry started getting more and more visible, making you-know-who do something and suddenly he was somewhere else.
Ron took a deep breath to steady himself as he went back to the memories from that part of the night. He had saw Harry's life all of it and he knew that it was real that it had happened, that this has been and still is Harry's life, And Ron was devastated
He had always known that Harry had a rough time at the Durselys, But what he had seen and witnessed was something else entirely. What they had done was worse than a crime, worse than murder for that only destroys your body but the Durselys have been systematically murdering Harry's soul and Ron shuddered to think what would have happened to Harry without Hogwarts.
And then in the end there was a mixture of dreams and nightmares as Ron saw what could only be the third task and it was horrifying, even separating the real events from the imagined ones it was enough to break a grown man. He didn't know if he would have been able to make it back as Harry had and to keep going after it.
And then there were the visions all of them so menacing so accusative and Ron knew, he knew, that it was Harry's tormented conscious doing this. He had never imagined anyone could feel so guilty. He watched as Harry broke, the boy who did not submit to you-know-who was falling easily before his guilt. And Ron couldn't see it anymore; a part of him rose up screaming at him to do something, to stop it. So he reached his arm to Harry's shoulder with the intention of holding him but Harry grasped his hand there was a flash of pain and suddenly he woke up in his bed. And he knew somehow that if he hadn't been there Harry could have never woken up from these dreams on his own.
Ron sighed again, and looked at his hand for the thousandth time today. For on his palm was a small line shaped birthing mark that was slightly red in color. The problem was that he had not been born with that mark infact it had not even existed before this morning. Ron sighed again the truth was he was just trying to hide from his thoughts. He was feeling very ashamed on himself today after that stupid fit of jealousy he pulled last year and all the jealous thoughts he had before.
The truth was that he had never really believed Harry had it so bad at his home. Half of him had been always sure he was exaggerating, convincing himself that Harry was only saying it so that people wouldn't envy the perfect life he was having. It was perfectly logical from Ron's view when you think of it as he grew on the legend of the Boy-who-lived and so could not imagine anyone, especially his family treating him in any way that would hurt him it was really inconceivable.
Ron had been sure deep inside that Harry's life were perfect, that everything he had was better than what Ron had But reality had decided yesterday to pay him a visit and Ron was shook to the core. After last night Ron realized that he really didn't want to be Harry Potter, not only that he didn't want Harry's family, but also more of it, he didn't want that heavy, heavy load of pain, guilt and responsibilities. He had realized how wonderful his family really was.
And for the first time in his life Ron was happy with he had, not wanting anything to replace it. For the first time in his life Ron realized that sometime the picture you see and reality are not the same things. And a doubt started creeping to Ron's firm beliefs and ideas about people, twisting them, changing them and starting finally the long awaited process of growing up.
* * *
Harry was at the garden, working. He had already run this morning and trained. The dream driving him to ready himself so that he would not be helpless when Voldemort will come // I will never be helpless again, never // he thought savagely. But the problem was that as long as he couldn't practice his magic he will remain helpless, and he really didn't want to deal with the ministry, all of this meant he will have to find a different way. // There was this spell last night that might work// he mused //but it required a staff and not a wand to operate/// his face fell for a moment as he was about to look for a different way when it hit him. // If I need a staff than I'd better go make one // and with that in mind he went back to working so he could finish faster.
He had finished his work and was now walking determinedly to the park at the end of Privet Drive. When he reached there he wandered along time among the trees until he reached his objective: An old oak tree he looked around to make sure he was alone and then started to sing.
In days of yore,
this song has sore,
went flying through the trees.
Bringing with it growth and peace.
For when the world was green,
When the world was clean.
But Darkness rises far and near
Growing in hearts hate and fear
Nature, it has forsaken.
Ties of love, it wishes broken.
Yet the power of earth, shall help restore,
The power of earth shall bring before,
What was once in the hearts of men.
Light shall rule in the hearts again.
It was an old, old melody that not been heard since the dawn of men It brought with it a feeling of yearning of longing for the cool breeze that would sweep through the forest, for the smell of woods and of wet earth. And as the melody soared every living thing inside the park straightened in pride as the melody brought memories of the age of nature, the age of mornings. Then the melody darkened before soaring again with renewed pride and it ended in a question that was soon answered. For as the song started again, a bulge appeared in the center of the tree, Harry gathered the song and the magic and wove it into the bulge which started to grow longer and wider until a long, rough staff separated itself from the tree and fell into Harry's hand.
// Hmm, not exactly as we did it in Egypt but I have a feeling that it's probably better this way // he contemplated. However the staff was not finished yet while two steps have already been done (or to be precise combined into one there was still three more steps to go).
The park in Privet Drive had been famous far and wide for the fact that a real river flowed through him, and it was to this river that Harry was now heading.
By the time he had got there the sun had set and the star filled sky could be seen above the river, but Harry didn't mind starlight had always made wood magic much more potent.
He stripped of his clothes and entered the river with the staff. He positioned himself in the middle holding the staff at the water level so that the waves covered it every now and then. He dipped himself in the water holding the staff above him and then he reemerged, steadihimself and began the song of water.
Ripples twirling in the light.
Rivers flowing out of sight,
their course is pure and clear.
They banishhate and fear.
Darkness flows from beneath
Darkness rises bringing grief
To all the hearts of men
It paints in black the rain.
But the river shall return to its course,
The river shall wash away the curse.
From the lives of mortal men
It shall bring truth and light again.
The song rose in a fluid melody carrying inside the feeling of life and mysteries, of secrets long forgotten, and of everlasting truths. And the water flowed around the staff covering it from below and above, and from all around. And as the song rose in intensity a sort of blue-green glow covered the staff and the water it flowed to the rhythm of the song, flowing inside the staff and then out again smoothing the roughened face of the staff. The melody grew stronger and stronger the volume rising until… and then there was silence.
Harry let the silence flow into him allowing it to smooth the hurt and nervous muscles not only those of his body but also those of his soul. And for the first time in a very long time Harry knew peace.
Finally he rose from the water; dried himself and dressed it was not over yet. He went to a hidden clearing he knew inside the park and readied himself.
Not only was he anxious to finish the staff it was essential that he would do it now otherwise the wild magic inside the staff shall never be fully reined in and never fully in control. It was a lot like forging a sword. If the iron shall cool down in the process the sword will never fulfilled its potential and could never be truly strong. He needed to find a place of winds now.
The clearing was just large enough for his purpose with scattered leaves everywhere. He put the staff on the ground and stood above him. He hummed a few notes as he circled the staff and then he launched into the song of the winds and into the dance.
Winds of south, winds of north,
Call to light to come forth.
Winds of east, winds of west
Call to life, it has no rest.
Darkness swirling, twirling thick
Holding tight west and east.
Darkness twirling, swirling wide
North and south held in tide.
Grant me thy power, winds of sky
So that in east and west darkness shall die
Grant me thy power, winds of lore
So that in north and south light shall be restored.
As the song gained in rhythm so did the dance, Harry was jumping around the staff twirling in mid air as he let the song and the magic in it to sweep him away. The melody and the dance that accompanied it were filled in freedom with the feeling of wide swept winds in full flight, it was a laughter flying in the wind, it was tears shed in ages past and it was change. The clearing was surrounded with a blue gray haze as the staff started rising in the air.
Whirlpools of leaves and dirt were rising all around him in a dance of their own. The song soared into the sky gathering magic into it and purring it to the dance. Harry wove the magic with dance and song purring it back into the wind that held the staff, And the staff started rising higher and higher the glow around it increasing as the wing began to flow into the staff and marking strange carving on its surface. The song reached its peek releasing a few notes to the winds as the leaves and the staff sunk back into the ground.
Harry stood for a while trying to catch his breath, there was still another step to go // There is no time to wait you ass // he screamed at himself // its going to take you ages as it is to light the fire naturally so start working //.
He rose slowly and picked up the staff then he gathered leaves and fallen branches to a huge heap and then trusting the memories of his first dream he began rubbing two branches against each other crouching above a pile of leaves. The rhythm picked up and a spark fell on the leaves he blew at it slowly adding other leaves and small branches until the fire caught
He build it until it was large enough he did nothing with the staff yet as it was important to bring the staff at precisely the right moment, and started the son of fire.
In fire the light is born
And in fire the light dies
With fire love burns
And in fire hatred lies.
Darkness eyes burns with fire
Bringing all things wrong and dire
Fire burns in darkness sway
Fire feast upon its prey.
He put the staff in the fire.
But in fire the good and pure are reborn
And with fire to the world they shall return
For fire shall light the endless night
And love's fire shall vanquish the dark.
A gold and reddish glow surrounded the fire and the staff inside it As Harry began repeating the last part of the song over and over again. The melody rose a feeling of power, strength, and passions encompassed inside it. It spoke with a dangerous tone of life and all its faces, it did not lay still as it swirled in the night's air illuminating the clearing with light.
The staff inside the fire glowed and glowed as though sucking all the fire into it. The glow intensified as swirls of green, gray and blue appeared in it beside the red and gold and all the colors twirled around themselves blending together as a pure white light began to appear surrounding the staff and pouring into it. The flames turned white as the touched the staff burning it with strange markings before being pulled inside.
Finally there was silence the fire was cold and the now white staff with markings in silver and gold sat surprisingly clean upon the cold ash. It was done
Harry took a deep breath, before reaching to the staff again. It was done. // It's done! // He thought triumphantly to himself // I don't think it had ever been done singly before but I guess nobody ever tried combining the magic before so that's probably the reason // he thought oozing with tiredness and started walking toward his house.
Unfortunately, fate has decreed that he should not sleep yet.
Harry was walking in the path staff in hand when suddenly he heard a loud scream. A feminine voice was crying for help. Without pausing Harry started running in the direction of the voice adrenaline surging as he began to pick his pace.
In the clearing ahead of him a young woman was struggling with three men, the woman's blouse was torn and the rest of her clothes seemed to be destined to share its fate and worse unless Harry would do something.
He reached the first man, a rugged looking men with a shaggy beard and kicked him in his knee, dropping him to the ground, and then crouched on one leg as he punched him in the face. Bye this time the two other men turned a confused look on their attacker, before gathering themselves and launching at him.
"Run! Lady" he hissed at the woman before twirling around to meet his opponents. The woman looked at him for a minute, before launching into a run, too frightened than to try and help. However Harry's moment of distraction soon cost him, as the first opponent with white, platinum colored hair reached him and punched his shoulder.
Harry swung with the punch, coming behind whity and kicking his side. By this time the second red haired opponent was there, so he punched him in the belly twice and then turned around to face whity again. He kicked his face and whity stumbled allowing Harry to use his staff on his feet and driving him to the floor. Red was advancing on him again so he swung his staff to his head knocking him out of conscious.
He then went back to whity who was trying to rise himself, and drove the staff to his belly, followed by a light swing on the head driving him unconscious as well.
By this time beardy was trying to stand up, so harry kicked him in his knees again dropping him back to the floor "don't ever do anything like that again" he said with his eyes burning before hitting his head and knocking him out.
The whole thing took less than five minutes before Harry remained the only one still standing. He stood panting there for a while, his breath heavy with the adrenaline gone he was starting to feel his shoulder and how tired he was.
But before he headed home, he stood there for a while frankly amazed at how well he had done, however the worst opponentwas yet before him and he didn't think he could use kicks and punches on the Dursleys.
Later before he fell asleep he remembered something; wearily he took out the necklace ouand looked at it. It was now different, at the top of the emblem just above the lightning bolt there was a small hieroglyph that Harry realized he could read; it stood for brotherhood.
A/N: ahh finally the chapter is finished I'm really sorry about the delay. Thanks for keeping reading.
And I need to say that I borrowed the part about the trees from the wonderful Robert Jordan (Loyal does it in tGH).
Ho and let me know if the poems are too much if they are I will take them out.
I'd like to thank anyone who reviewed:
Otaku freak- thanks! And yes it is going to be a lot easier for him in school or at least it will be as soon as the dreams will reach the part when the magic is more up to date. But don't worry about Hermione she has quite a lot to think about right now.
Slinky- thank you and as you can see Ron is having this dreams except its mostly from other prospective and a lot less clear than the way Harry sees and experience them. As for the rest well if I could borrow the words of one of my favorite authors RAFO.
Harriet- first I'd like to thank you. And yes I do need to set the background it makes everything later much more logical and clear.
I really hate reading those summaries as well so I skipped them
I'll try to continue but life is growing complicated right now so updating will take a while.
5. I think my grammar is okay for now but if it's really horrible than please let me know.
Izaayous- thank you very much and I took your advice and added a battle scene (it wasn't planned) I hope you enjoyed it.
Red dragon order- thanks a bunch and I read it, It was excellent I love all your work I'll try to update more often.
Shura- thank you!
P.S. RAFO means read and find out for all those RJ deprived out there.