Chapter Seven:

Help from Beyond the Grave

"Dumbledore, I think Harry has a right to know now."

"Princess, please listen to what I have to say. Harry doesn't know the past contains no truth. This will shock him."

"He doesn't have to know the whole truth. He could figure it out from some help." She stood up and started to pace then took a deep breath, "The people of the Wizard World will expect him to defeat Voldemort, he can't do it without me. I know he can't."

"I also realize that, but true love is what can get rid of him, Aurora. Harry is in love with Hermione. he always will. I don't know if he will be able to learn to love you."

"Then Hermione will have to rise again."

"You know we can't do that, Aurora."

"Let Harry find out, or Hermione will rise again."

"I will see what I can do, Princess Aurora."

She nodded as she looked out the window, thinking that maybe Harry could forgive her for this someday.

~*~

Harry shifted with warm sheets. His head hurt a little bit, as he sat up on the bed. He reached for his glasses on the table beside the bed and slides them onto his face. His eyes had to focus a little bit until his realized he was in the Hospital Wing. He looked over to the next bed, where Ron seemed to be asleep. But he heard Ron calmly say:

"I saw her too Harry."

"You did?"

"Yeah. .but I didn't get to see her face. only the back of her head."

"Oh." Was all Harry could say. 'She is real then. if Ron saw her too.' He thought.

After a few minutes of taking this in, Ron spoke up again.

"Harry?"

"Yeah Ron?"

Ron turned to face to look at Harry for the first time since they came into the Hospital Wing.

"I'm sorry Harry."

"It doesn't matter now Ron." Harry replied.

"Yeah it does. I-I miss Hermione t-too- I just got so upset- that you kept bringing her up in our conversations.. because I tried to forget.. I tried to forget her and our friendship. but I realized- I miss her too.. I wish she was here Harry. and I am so sorry for trying to- oh for trying to-" Ron was caught up in a sob. This was the first time, in all the years that Harry has known Ron, which Harry has ever seen him cry. Harry waited until Ron got hold of himself.

"I am sorry I didn't believe you Harry."

"It is fine Ron. It doesn't matter anymore."

Harry got up off his bed and hurried over to Ron's bed and patted his shoulder. (A/N: I don't know what boys do to comfort people..sorry.) Just then Madam Pomfrey came in and glared at Harry.

"You!" She pointed to Harry, "Get into that bed now!!" (A/N: No, no not Ron's bed!!)

Harry swiftly moved back into his bed. He has seen Madam Pomfrey really mad before and he does not want to witness that again. She walked over to Harry and felt his forehead. She turned from him and started to fumble with something on her medical cart.

"You know, boys. You are going to end up killing yourselves if you keep you what you are doing."

Harry grumbled at this.

"What on earth was that, Mr. Potter?"

"Uh. .nothing Madam Pomfrey."

"It better be nothing. All I do is slave over you and Mr. Weasley. Are you grateful? I think not!"

"I am grateful Madam Pomfrey." She turned to face him.

"Well, you should be. Your welcome, Mr. Potter." She said bluntly. Suddenly there was a knock on the Hospital Wing door and Madam Pomfrey got up to answer it.

Harry couldn't see anyone since a white, medical curtain blocked his view. But when Madam Pomfrey greeted them Harry knew who it was.

"Oh come in, Albus."

"Thank you Poppy."

However, Harry could hear more than two pairs of feet. When Dumbledore became visible to Harry. Harry found he was right. Not only Dumbledore was there, but Lupin with a book in his hand, McGonagall, and Snape followed him.

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"I am feeling better." Harry responded.

"That's good." Dumbledore replied as he took a seat next to Harry's bed. Lupin and McGonagall did the same. But Snape was standing near the end of the curtain, observing.

"How are you feeling Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore asked.

"Okay." Ron replied as he reached for a package of chocolate frogs.

"Well, I am glad that you both are feeling well. Madam Pomfrey did a great job," just then Madam Pomfrey gave a grunt, Professor McGonagall continued, "I hope to see you in class soon."

"Uh. I am not feeling so well now." Ron said weakly, putting a hand to his forehead. Snape rolled his eyes at this comment. Lupin and Dumbledore both tried to restrain laughs. McGonagall looked strangely at him.

"Well, maybe Madam Pomfrey should give you a muggle shot to make you feel better?" McGonagall replied sourly.

"Uh. wait. I am feeling a lot better now. No need for a muggle shot. I will see you in class, Professor." Ron gave Professor McGonagall his best smile.

Dumbledore and Lupin couldn't hold back their laughter from the way Ron's facial expressions changed so rapidly.

"Well, then," Dumbledore managed to speak out from his fits of laughter, "I am assuming it is time for us to leave you boys so you can get some rest." Dumbledore gave Remus a strange look from behind his half moon glasses. Harry wondered about it.

McGonagall gave one last look at Ron then got up and walked off, followed by Snape. Dumbledore winked at Harry then followed Professor Snape, but stopping to talk to Professor Lupin. Remus waited until he heard the door of the Hospital Wing close before getting up and walking over to Harry.

He handed Harry the book he had in his hand. Harry glanced at the cover then looked up at Lupin again.

"Where did you-How?" Harry was amazed but he continued, "You were the one who gave it to me. When I came back to your classroom to get my books."

"That's right Harry. I had possession of it and I think you will need to use it now."

Ron was so confused. He leaned over his bed to see what the book was.

"Oh no not Hogwarts: A History." Ron cringed.

"Yes Hogwarts: A History! Hermione found out something.. something big," Lupin was silent trying to find the words, "I believe by now you have witnessed that there is a strange woman living in Hogwarts? That strange woman running around the school is the Princess, but you must not tell anyone she is here. Her life is in a great deal danger. She needs our help so she can claim back what she has lost."

"Then why doesn't she sit down so we can talk to her. She has been running away from Harry every time she sees him." Ron said.

"Listen Ron, she must not be seen. She is in a great deal of danger and if she is in danger than we all are in danger. In order for you to help her, you have start where Hermione finished-"

"Wait a minute! Hermione knew about this?"

"Well, yes and no. She discovered something that could cause something big in the wizard world." Remus looked at the boys for a second than started again, "Something either entirely good or entirely bad."

"Oh. leave it up to Hermione to screw stuff up!"

"Well Ron, if it wasn't Hermione than it would have been someone else, maybe even Voldemort. We are glad it was Hermione." Lupin waited to catch his breath then continued, "Albus has told me to tell you the whole story. Well, here it goes:

~*~

"My dear, don't you look lovely tonight," The King had glanced at his beautiful young Queen getting ready with the help of her house-elf, Calypso.

"Why thank you, Your Highness," The Queen giggled, looking at him through his reflect in her mirror.

"And don't you look lovely. you tiny little princess," The King looked at his one year old daughter.

"Yes, doesn't she look lovely in pink?" His wife asked.

"Hera, do you know the wizards from the Order are being killed one by one?"

"Jupiter, please. don't talk about this. it upsets me. You know the Potter's and the Longbottom's both have sons Aurora's age. What if they die, who is going to take care of their sons? Voldemort is rising and not us or the Order can stop him." Her face was carved with worry.

"Hera, please calm down. I am sure they will be fine."

"I personally know Lily Potter, I went to Hogwarts with her. I don't want anyone else killed."

"Now, now don't cry, we have a party to host and you have to look lovely. Come on, give me that lovely smile.. There that is it."

"Jupiter. what is that?"

"It sounds like scre-"

Just then a loyal servant came rushing in.

"My Lord. please. you must evacuate. the castle is under attack!!!"

"Jupiter, what.?"

"Hera. take Aurora and go. Take the secret passage under the castle and find someone you trust."

"But what about you?"

"The guards are holding the Death Eaters out but I need to try and stop him. for good."

"No. Jupiter please. don't leave-"

"Go Hera!!" With that, his Queen never saw him again.

Hera tried to get out through the tiny passageway. She could hear the Death Eaters hard footsteps. Calypso tried to barricade the door. However, Hera was trying to move things out of the way so she, Aurora, and Calypso could get through to the passageway.

"Calypso, come here," she whispered, "Take Aurora and go through the passageway. Whatever you do. don't stop, take Aurora to Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts. Go now."

"But mistress-"

"Go now!"

~*~

"The King, Queen, and the whole Royal Family died that night. And yet there was no body of the Princess Aurora. That is why they call her the Lost Princess."

"But, she's alive," Ron cut in.

"Yes, until a few years ago, we discovered that Dumbledore knew all along where she was. He kept her safe, away from the Wizarding World much like he did with you Harry."

"But wait. what does Hermione have to do with this??" Harry was getting a little anxious to understand what the next part of the story was.

"That.Is all I am authorized to tell you." Then he left the Hospital Wing, leaving both boys wondering what Hermione knew that got her killed.

Hermione knew something she wasn't supposed to? Something that caused her death? Something entirely good or entirely bad?

~*~Before the sixth year~*~

Hermione set down her quill. She glanced over the parchment quickly. She held up her wand and tapped it against the parchment and muttered something. With a look of satisfaction on her face, she folded up the piece of paper and placed it into an envelope. She glanced around the room then opened the cover of Hogwarts: A History and slid the envelope into one of the pages. A knock on the door startled her. She closed the book and walked over to the door thinking:

'This is it.'

~*~Back to Seventh Year~*~

Harry and Ron were out of the Hospital Wing the following day. They were getting a ton of questions from students like: "Why would you go swimming in the winter?" and "What were you doing?" etc.

Harry and Ron didn't tell anybody the real reason why they went for their little "swim." They were just glad that they were friends again.

"Alright class, you may now look into your crystal balls." Trelawney said.

"Hey Luna.. would you like to take a good look at my crystal ba-" Luna punched Ron on the arm and began to look into her crystal ball, muttering, "Ron will you grow up."

Harry ignored their playful flirting and looked into the orb. Harry was astonished, he was actually starting to see a real image forming. The image became clearer and clearer. It was the Princess with her cloak covering her face like usual. Then Harry heard a voice come from the ball.

"Harry Potter.. you think you know the past. I have a question for you. Do you really know what happened in the past? Take a deep look into the past Harry Potter. The past does not hold truth. Secrets roam the past, therefore, the past is not at rest."

The voice began to fade and the image in the ball disappeared.

"What is it Harry?" Ron asked as soon as he saw the look on Harry's face.

"Did you hear that Ron?" Harry turned to look at Ron.

"Hear what Harry?"

"Never mind. Forget it Ron."

~*~That Night~*~

'The past does not hold the truth.'

Harry couldn't fall asleep. He sat up on his bed that night with Hogwarts: A History lying on his lap. Harry was completely stumped. He had no idea what to do.

"Tell me Hermione.. what am I supposed to do?" He whispered. A cold breeze hit him and he tried to pull the covers over his body, but he knocked the book off his bed while doing so. Harry looked around to see if the falling book woke anyone up. He reached over the bed and grabbed the book that was lying on the floor. As he was bringing the book up, something fell out from inside of it. He reached down to grab it.

It was an envelope. He opened it up and pulled out the piece of parchment that was inside of it. Strangely, the parchment had nothing on it. He knows that something important had to be on that parchment or Hermione wouldn't have put it in an envelope that was in the book in the first place.

'Try to think like Hermione.' Harry thought to himself. This was not as easy as Harry thought.

'Okay.if I was Hermione.. and I had a secret... I would.. .use invisible ink!'

Harry grabbed his wand from the table and whispered, "Aparecium!"

Immediately words began to appear. The letter said:

Dear Harry and Ron,

If you are reading this than I am no longer in your world. If you are reading this than your help is needed. I need you to find out as much as information as you can about Princess Aurora who is also known as the Lost Princess. Go to the Library if help is needed. I am sorry I cannot help you through this. Good Luck.

Love From,

Hermione

P.S. Remember this, the sooner you start working the sooner you will get your answers. And keep this in mind, what you know of the past won't help you.

'Wait, doesn't this seem like Sirius's letter?' He pulled out Sirius's letter and roamed through it.. Suddenly he came to a stop.

"I am sorry that I am not there to be with you, but I will be with you like Hermione is with you. In your heart." He said this aloud.

'How did Sirius know Hermione was dead? Hermione died after him? Did Sirius see into the future or know something.'

With these thoughts in his mind, Harry drifted off to sleep.

~*~The Next Day~*~

"Ron?" Harry asked as they sat down at the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall.

"Yeah..what is it?" Ron answered as he began to pile up food onto his plate.

"Do you know anything else about the Lost Princess?"

"Uh. a little bit."

"Is she real?"

"No one knows for sure. They never found her body or something like that. You should probably ask Professor Binns." Ron suggested.

"We don't have his class until after the Holidays though." Harry suddenly realized.

"Oh that's right. I guess we will have to wait."

The Great Hall started to get a little crowded and they wouldn't be able to push the conversation any further.

"Meet me at the Library after Potions Ron." Harry said from the other side of the table.

Ron just nodded as he watched Ginny and Neville take the seats next to him. Harry watched Neville and Ginny share a kiss for a moment. Harry wished that he had someone like they had. (A/N: Aaahh...how sweet.)

After Potions, Harry and Ron walked to the Library. Harry gave Ron Hermione's and Sirius's letters.

"So your telling me that... Sirius knew Hermione was going to die and Hermione knew she was going to die? Then why didn't she tell us." Ron said confusedly.

"Yes and she needs our help. Moony said we need to help the Princess claim what is rightfully hers."

"But wait a minute.. Moony gave you Hermione's copy of Hogwarts: A History. So he knows about Hermione's letter then."

"You're probably right Ron."

"Ron.. I think that there is so much more than what we already know." Harry said as he took Hermione's favorite chair in the Library. (A/N: Really Harry, what makes you think that?.)

"Harry, what did you see when you gazed into the crystal ball? What did you hear?"

"I heard that the past that we know holds no truth. And there are secrets in the past that are still haunting us today."

"Listen. They won't have any books about the Lost Princess, but what else can we look for," Ron was rummaging through the bookshelves to find a book.

"Why don't they have any books about the Lost Princess?"

"Uh. I think because it would cause a problem in the Wizard World. They don't want the common people to get their hopes up about a Princess that might or might not exist." Ron pulled out a book then shook his head and put it back.

"Why would the people get their hopes up?"

"They say that she had powers similar to yours. That, she will either bring a new era of light or darkness. What exactly are we looking for Harry?" Ron asked, just as someone came screaming into the Library.

"There has been another kidnapping!!!"

---------------*~* End of Chapter Seven*~*---------------------------------- --------------------